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Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons
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In celebration of The Simpsons thirtieth anniversary, the show’s longest-serving writer and producer offers a humorous look at the writing and making of the legendary Fox series that has become one of the most revered artistic achievements in television history.
Four-time Emmy winner Mike Reiss—who has worked on The Simpsons continuously since episode one in 1989—shares sto ...more
Four-time Emmy winner Mike Reiss—who has worked on The Simpsons continuously since episode one in 1989—shares sto ...more
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Start your review of Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons
SPRINGFIELD CONFIDENTIAL is chock full of exactly what every Simpson fan would want-behind the scenes information, (so to speak, it's a cartoon), a little background on the main writer and all the others, a bit of name dropping, (and maybe a little dirt?), on the hundreds of guest stars, and finally, the stories about how certain jokes came about. It's a quick, breezy, informative and fun book.
Mike Reiss has been writing for The Simpsons from almost day one. He and everyone else on the show neve ...more
Mike Reiss has been writing for The Simpsons from almost day one. He and everyone else on the show neve ...more
"Like most things on The Simpsons, we didn't plan it."
You should know something about me: The Simpsons is my favorite show.
I mean it. I know people out there have five or six answers when asked the question, "What's your favorite show?" and that's awesome, but for me, it's always been The Simpsons. I can admit that tons of new shows have come out since that are funnier and stronger and better animated.
But I will always choose The Simpsons, and that's a fact.
So when I heard one of the head wr ...more
It's certainly okay. Breezy, geeky, slight and silly fun. Perfectly fine as a mechanism for adorable Simpsons errata, but Mike Reiss's occasional hackery gets in the way. Its transformation from Springfield Confidential to Mike Reiss memoir happens a bit oddly, even if I did appreciate hearing about my dearly beloved The Critic. He boasts about a "That's what my wife said at my wedding night" moment (barf), throws in some Muslim jokes for good measure, and has a bizarre assessment of Richard Pry
...more
Despite wandering away from their contemporary adventures, The Simpsons is important to me. Not just me, but most people from my generation. Rarely a day goes by without at least one quote deliberately or unconsciously slipping its way into an unrelated conversation. A show so fiendishly clever in its in-tric-acies. See, there I go.
At any rate, we owe much of it to this feisty feline Mike Reiss. Taking us through his time before The Simpsons, during the The Simpsons, after The Simpsons, and back ...more
At any rate, we owe much of it to this feisty feline Mike Reiss. Taking us through his time before The Simpsons, during the The Simpsons, after The Simpsons, and back ...more
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Springfield Confidential reads very much like a Simpsons version of a biography - irreverent, sarcastic, self effacing, and never taking itself too seriously. But at the same time, I actually want the serious version here - all the endless jokes and "no not really" after reading four paragraphs of 'truths' was frustrating. I don't read biographies for comedy nor fluff and at some point it was getting really hard to te ...more
Review of the audiobook narrated by the author.
The Simpsons is my favorite show that I haven't watched in a decade. At one point I had the DVD box sets for the first 13 seasons of the show (maybe I still have them... I don't know anymore now that everything is streaming). I used to watch each episode and then watch them again with commentary. So, I had listened to Mike Reiss many times before in those commentaries (season 1-4 and occasionally afterwards) and listening to him narrate this book br ...more
The Simpsons is my favorite show that I haven't watched in a decade. At one point I had the DVD box sets for the first 13 seasons of the show (maybe I still have them... I don't know anymore now that everything is streaming). I used to watch each episode and then watch them again with commentary. So, I had listened to Mike Reiss many times before in those commentaries (season 1-4 and occasionally afterwards) and listening to him narrate this book br ...more
Shopkeeper: Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse!
Homer: Ooh, that's bad.
Shopkeeper: But it comes with a free frogurt!
Homer: That's good.
Shopkeeper: The frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That's bad.
Shopkeeper: But you get your choice of toppings.
Homer: That's good!
Shopkeeper: The toppings contain potassium benzoate.
[Homer looks puzzled]
Shopkeeper: ...That's bad.
Homer: Can I go now?
Boo-Urns! Everything's coming up Milhouse! It was the best of times it was the BLURST of times?!? The ...more
Homer: Ooh, that's bad.
Shopkeeper: But it comes with a free frogurt!
Homer: That's good.
Shopkeeper: The frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That's bad.
Shopkeeper: But you get your choice of toppings.
Homer: That's good!
Shopkeeper: The toppings contain potassium benzoate.
[Homer looks puzzled]
Shopkeeper: ...That's bad.
Homer: Can I go now?
Boo-Urns! Everything's coming up Milhouse! It was the best of times it was the BLURST of times?!? The ...more
A peek into the world of comedy writing, animation, television production, world travel and more by Mike Reiss. This guy has been around since the beginning of the Simpsons show and has a lot of fun and funny stories to share.
Whether you're a die hard fan, a casual watcher, or not really into the Simpsons (who?!), everybody can get some laughs from the book while learning how this animated show is made. Despite the jokes about the writer's room (people sleeping or doing crosswords all day) it's ...more
Whether you're a die hard fan, a casual watcher, or not really into the Simpsons (who?!), everybody can get some laughs from the book while learning how this animated show is made. Despite the jokes about the writer's room (people sleeping or doing crosswords all day) it's ...more
RATING: 3 Stars
2018; Dey Street Books/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
The Simpsons is a show that most everyone in my family could agree on, if not always for the same reasons. I was the same age as Bart when the show started, and felt this kinship with Lisa for books and not fitting in. It is hard to characterize this book -it's a mix of trivia, behind the scenes and biography of the show. I read the first few chapters and then found myself skimming to the "good" parts. It's a good book ...more
2018; Dey Street Books/HarperCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
The Simpsons is a show that most everyone in my family could agree on, if not always for the same reasons. I was the same age as Bart when the show started, and felt this kinship with Lisa for books and not fitting in. It is hard to characterize this book -it's a mix of trivia, behind the scenes and biography of the show. I read the first few chapters and then found myself skimming to the "good" parts. It's a good book ...more
It’s exactly the kind of book you’d expect a writer for The Simpsons to write but it has some truly funny and insightful moments and it makes me want to watch the show again.
You know what you get from me when your book slams Nichols and May?
A two-star rating.
A two-star rating.
Springfield Confidential By Mike Riess 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The endlessly funny Mike Reiss gives you a tremendous insight on what is it like working on the Simpsons, all the ups and downs and his life as a joke writer, this is not and entirely Simpson's book but more about his life as a comedian and writer and what It takes to reach the success of the Simpsons, they are lots of secrets and facts on the Simpsons and is quite a funny book with jokes and puns riding across the book.
.
An excellent book on comedy pop ...more
The endlessly funny Mike Reiss gives you a tremendous insight on what is it like working on the Simpsons, all the ups and downs and his life as a joke writer, this is not and entirely Simpson's book but more about his life as a comedian and writer and what It takes to reach the success of the Simpsons, they are lots of secrets and facts on the Simpsons and is quite a funny book with jokes and puns riding across the book.
.
An excellent book on comedy pop ...more
As someone who's been watching The Simpson's since I was born, and having recently discovered a love for non-fic, I felt like this was a must-read for me. I'm a big fan of hearing all about the BTS information on...well on pretty much anything. I love learning about how things come to exist, all the moving pieces that came together in just the right way. This book just missed the mark for me.
Overall I did quite enjoy reading this, but at the end of the day there wasn't much that I think I'll tak ...more
Overall I did quite enjoy reading this, but at the end of the day there wasn't much that I think I'll tak ...more
I confess, I am not a big fan of the Simpsons, Homer tends to annoy me too much to be able to watch the show religiously.
I am though a fan of trivia and behind the scenes information and this book certainly delivers. Brilliantly fascinating read, with a author who is not afraid of voicing his opinion, without any shame or disclaimers. Quite refreshing really.
I am though a fan of trivia and behind the scenes information and this book certainly delivers. Brilliantly fascinating read, with a author who is not afraid of voicing his opinion, without any shame or disclaimers. Quite refreshing really.
Self content, low information, deeply unfunny.
An episode about Grandpa going fishing is entitled "the Old Man and the She". Or, one of the writers suggested a gag where Homer see a form which says, 'Do Nott write in the box', and Homer writes,
"OK." Then, there's the joke about Brook Sheilds being so bad playing the role of Ann Franks that when the actors playing Nazis came onstage, the audience yelled, 'she's in the attic'.
Much of this book is funny, enlightening about how the show gets written, acted, and animated, and much of is funny. Bu ...more
"OK." Then, there's the joke about Brook Sheilds being so bad playing the role of Ann Franks that when the actors playing Nazis came onstage, the audience yelled, 'she's in the attic'.
Much of this book is funny, enlightening about how the show gets written, acted, and animated, and much of is funny. Bu ...more
Springfield Confidential by Mike Reiss is a book that takes you behind the scenes of one of the longest running shows in American television history, The Simpsons. Springfield Confidential is hilarious. The book is fast paced, irreverent and packed with jokes, similar to a Simpsons episode. While the book does have confidential in the title, and Reiss does give you a behind the scenes look at how the show is made, there is little attention paid to any of the juicy drama between the producers, wr
...more
I somehow missed rating this one. Probably because I was moving at the time.
An audiobook is a great friend when you're moving. Because you basically have a lot of time to perform a lot of boring tasks.
My life fantasy will always be gaining enough wealth to have a move go like this:
1. I tell my Alfred that we're moving.
2. I pick out a house on Zillow, hire someone to check it out for me.
3. I tell Alfred my moving dates.
4. I leave on vacation for a week.
5. I return to my new home where everythin ...more
An audiobook is a great friend when you're moving. Because you basically have a lot of time to perform a lot of boring tasks.
My life fantasy will always be gaining enough wealth to have a move go like this:
1. I tell my Alfred that we're moving.
2. I pick out a house on Zillow, hire someone to check it out for me.
3. I tell Alfred my moving dates.
4. I leave on vacation for a week.
5. I return to my new home where everythin ...more
an enjoyable audiobook to listen to, however, i thought it would focus more on the history of the simpsons. it did do this sometimes, but mostly it went on large tangents that weren't too important about the writer's life. would recommend for any simpsons fan or anyone interested in the screenwriting field. time to bingewatch the simpsons!
...more
D’oh, it got me laughing from beginning to end. I love the Simpsons and always will.
And you better read it fast before Mr. Burns releases the hounds on you. Afterwards, a well deserve Duff beer is in order and if you don’t agree, you can eat my shorts.
And you better read it fast before Mr. Burns releases the hounds on you. Afterwards, a well deserve Duff beer is in order and if you don’t agree, you can eat my shorts.
So, SO Ghostwritten. It's basically a transcript of a long interview with Mike Reiss. The guy's a professional writer, I don't understand why he needs a ghostwriter. Reiss is an interesting and engaging subject, but I was looking for a little more in-depth detail about how The Simpsons is written, especially in the 90s, when it was good. He spends about two chapters on this part of his life, the rest, while interesting, isn't really what I wanted out of this book. Good but a little disappointing
...more
I expected to like this book more.
I'm a fan of the Simpsons, and a fan of Hari Kondabolu and his documentary about Apu, and look forward to watching the Couch Gag every week.
But I didn't find this book particularly funny. While I normally enjoy Reiss' work on some level the format of this book didn't feel like a memoir or a let-me-share-this-behind-the-scenes-view - to me it read like let me tell you about this one time *insert name dropping story where something may or may not happen and then ...more
I'm a fan of the Simpsons, and a fan of Hari Kondabolu and his documentary about Apu, and look forward to watching the Couch Gag every week.
But I didn't find this book particularly funny. While I normally enjoy Reiss' work on some level the format of this book didn't feel like a memoir or a let-me-share-this-behind-the-scenes-view - to me it read like let me tell you about this one time *insert name dropping story where something may or may not happen and then ...more
This starts out great but then just peters out as it becomes "Mike Reiss Confidential" which is probably a book that would only be interesting to his wife and children unless you are super interested in the inner workings of "The Critic".
Also, if you are interested in the out-of-touch opinions of a rich privileged white guy on all-things-comedy, this is a fountain of it. A rare outlook that is only available in every single other media outlet 24 hours a day.
Overall my feeling was that I was sor ...more
Also, if you are interested in the out-of-touch opinions of a rich privileged white guy on all-things-comedy, this is a fountain of it. A rare outlook that is only available in every single other media outlet 24 hours a day.
Overall my feeling was that I was sor ...more
I wish that Reiss spent more time writing about The Simpsons and not attempting to be so glib. There are some great nuggets about the show, but far too often he goes off on tangents such as The Critic or his speaking and other writing engagements. It reads more like an autobiography at times with lame jokes and ultimately fails to deliver on much of the promise that the book's title implies. If he had stuck with the book's premise, I would have liked it much more.
...more
This is a very pleasant trivia book. If you are a big fan, you have probably read it already. If you are not too impressed with the Simpsons, than you might find yourself asking "so what?"
...more
As most human beings, I love The Simpsons. In fact, I love the show so much I just couldn't think of a favorite episode to include here because so many come to mind! (I spent like 45 minutes trying to decide, not joking).
I've spent countless hours watching the show but, for some reason (looking at you, John Swartzwelder), I read about this book for the first time only three days ago!
And, of course, I decided to stop everything and start reading it immediately.
In Springfield Confidential, Mike R ...more
I've spent countless hours watching the show but, for some reason (looking at you, John Swartzwelder), I read about this book for the first time only three days ago!
And, of course, I decided to stop everything and start reading it immediately.
In Springfield Confidential, Mike R ...more
Let me begin by saying that the writing is not bad. The book is very easy to read. The author has a funny voice and he has a very easy to read writing style. It makes sense considering the man writes comedy for a living. The good parts are largely limited to the mechanical side of the book rather than the content itself.
Throughout the book, Mike Reiss' humour often comes off as outdated. He is definitely not a young person. It is clear from the comments made throughout the book and the off colo ...more
Throughout the book, Mike Reiss' humour often comes off as outdated. He is definitely not a young person. It is clear from the comments made throughout the book and the off colo ...more
A fun little memoir filled with lots of great little behind-the-scenes anecdotes and also inside opinions on stories I had already heard. It was well placed and never dwelled on any one subject for too long, so I found it really easy to read through quickly.
Reiss packs a bunch of little joke asides in constantly and for the most part they are pretty funny, but one problem I had (which I'm sure Reiss would find hilarious) is that sometimes I couldn't tell if something actually happened or was ju ...more
Reiss packs a bunch of little joke asides in constantly and for the most part they are pretty funny, but one problem I had (which I'm sure Reiss would find hilarious) is that sometimes I couldn't tell if something actually happened or was ju ...more
A solid 4.5 stars. Can’t quite give 5, because although Mike Reiss is an excellent writer, I’m pretty sure Jesus was the only perfect Jew. See what I did there? That’s the kind of witty one-liner you’ll expect to find throughout this book and these are the kind of quips the Simpsons writers have used throughout the series, rendering it both endearing and ENDURING. (Although Reiss’ jokes are much funnier and this book actually made me chuckle. OUT LOUD). Reiss’ homage to Springfield’s favourite f
...more
Mike Reiss is funny, like really funny. This book was an absolute delight, and if you're more than a casual fan of the Simpsons, you're sure to love it. It's a story of Reiss's journey through three decades with the Simpsons, complete with inside stories and little nerd trivia and tidbits along the way. And all throughout, the book is really genuinely funny. Little witty quips throughout, and you can really see how sharp-witted and smart and humorous a writer like Reiss must have to be to write
...more
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