Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons

Semi-Finalist for the 2019 James Thurber Award * One of Vulture's Top-ten Comedy Books of 2018 * A “Must” pick by Entertainment Weekly * An A.V. Club Best Books selection * A “New and Noteworthy” selection by USA Today

“Always entertaining and frequently laugh-out-loud-hilarious. There have been a lot of books written about The Simpsons, some of them good but most not so much, and this is hands down one of the very best.” —Booklist (starred review)

Mike Reiss has spent his lifetime—well, thirty years—at The Simpsons, since the show’s debut in 1989, as a writer, producer, and showrunner. As such, he knows a lot about these four-fingered freaks and their crazy antics.

In Springfield Confidential, he shares his behind-the-scenes stories about his work on the most iconic American cartoon family ever. Reiss pulls back the curtain for those curious about how The Simpsons works, answers burning questions from Simpsons die-hards, and shares never-before-told stories about creating favorite episodes and characters. In his freewheeling, irreverent comic style, Reiss reflects on his lifetime inside The Simpsons—a personal highlight reel of his achievements, observations, and favorite anecdotes.

He’ll reveal why the Simpsons are yellow; how Lisa became one of the first “deep” cartoon characters ever; what it’s like to be in the writing room stuffed with funny guys (and one hilarious woman); what he’s learned after traveling to every country where the show is watched (many have The Simpsons, but not flush toilets); and lots of inside dish on the show’s animators, actors, and celebrity guests.

Reiss also sheds light on the writing he’s done for cult series (The Critic, ALF, Sledge Hammer!), hit movies (five Ice Age films, two Despicable Mes, and a dozen more), and comedy legends (Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Garry Shandling, and, yes, even Pope Francis!).

“Extremely funny and fascinating,” Springfield Confidential is a treat for not only devout Simpsons fans but comedy fans everywhere (Vanity Fair).