The Jonah Keri Podcast, Episode 56

Today’s guest is Mike Scully, former writer and showrunner for The Simpsons as well as writer and producer for Parks and Recreation, Everybody Loves Raymond, and several other series. He is co-creator of the upcoming Napoleon Dynamite animated television series. Follow him on Twitter @ScullyMike.

The topics we cover:

• 0:30-4:17: The start of Mike’s career: writing jokes for Yakov Smirnoff
• 4:18-7:16: Walking into The Simpsons writers room
• 7:17-9:51: Balancing highbrow and lowbrow jokes
• 9:52-12:29: Quotability
• 12:30-15:00: Sharing The Simpsons with our children
• 15:01-16:56: Mike’s favorite episodes from his four years as show runner
• 16:57-18:24: Simpsons copycats like The Hangover
• 18:25-21:09: Sensitivity around The Simpsons World Trade Center episode
• 21:10-23:38: Lisa on Ice: hockey on The Simpsons
• 23:39-25:27: Getting guest stars
• 25:28-28:33: Boston Bruins and LA Kings
• 28:34-33:22: Parks and Recreation: Comparisons to animated shows, and finding an audience
• 33:23-38:53: The upcoming Napoleon Dynamite animated series: ligers!
• 38:54-43:21: Censorship battles on The Simpsons
• 43:22-47:40: Food Pick of the Week

Mike’s west coast pick
Mike’s east coast pick
My pick

• 47:41-end: Springsteen

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