Even though I no longer watch it, I’ve liked THE SIMPSONS since it began as shorts on THE TRACEY ULLMAN SHOW. I remember seeing those and thinking, “To hell with this annoying Brit — these cartoon characters deserve their own show.” When it happened a few years later, I thought I should be a network exec.
After reading John Ortved’s THE SIMPSONS: AN UNCENSORED, UNAUTHORIZED HISTORY, I’m glad I’m not, because the long-running series has been fraught with enough battles to fill a history textbook. Or, more realistically, this book, which was so interesting, I read it in an afternoon.
As Ortved makes clear from the start, it’s not an A-to-Z history or episode guide, but a specific look at its creative genesis and influence — in other words, how the show came to be, and still is. Needless to say, it’s a must-read for any SIMPSONS fan, hardcore or casual.
It’s also an easy read, being an oral history in the vein of THE CHRIS FARLEY SHOW or LIVE FROM NEW YORK, where the author lets others do most of the talking. Although Ortved’s work is unauthorized, it’s not insignificant; he got many key players to talk, including Conan O’Brien, Hank Azaria, Albert Brooks, Brad Bird, Gabor Csupo, Rupert Murdoch and Barry Diller, as well as ancillary figures like Ricky Gervais, Tom Wolfe and Seth MacFarlane.
You’ll note the absence of Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, Sam Simon and the main cast members. While they may not have participated, they’re not silent; Ortved culls from interviews previously published, so they all have their say, and both sides are represented.
Sides? Oh, yes. While Groening is unquestionably the guy who created the Simpson family, sitcom vet Simon is considered the one who shaped them into the comedy giants they quickly became. Groening got all the media attention, Simon didn’t, and the two reached a point where they would not talk to one another. (Personally, I think the multimillion salary would assuage such petty jealousies, but I’ll never know.)
Ortved’s interviewees paint Groening as pretty passive in the series’ creative process. He contributed little of value in the writers’ room, and they’re still waiting on the script he was supposed to write many, many, many seasons ago. Perhaps that’s for the best — as my favorite story in the book goes, he had an idea for an episode in which Marge lets her hair down, only to reveal she lives with a giant pair of rabbit ears on her head. (Say it with me now: Worst. Episode. Ever.)
But if there’s a real villain in THE SIMPSONS’ history, it’s also the reason it’s on the air, ironically: James L. Brooks. He has considerable clout in Hollywood, and you’d think that the man who made TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and BROADCAST NEWS would be a nice guy, but from all accounts, he values the almighty dollar over lifelong friendships. It’s almost like the failure of SPANGLISH is karmic payback.
Ortved does a fantastic job in painting a portrait of the series’ conception and nurturing. His only misstep is that later chapters tend to deify some of the writers, which takes some of the excitement out of his narrative. There’s plenty left, however, and you’ll want to gobble it all up … especially since Fox doesn’t want you to read it at all. —Rod Lott
