Santa's Little Helper
July 25, 2013 12:00 PM   Subscribe

Sam Simon, an original developer for The Simpsons, is still listed on the opening credits despite leaving the show in 1993. He once told a magazine that he continues to make "tens of millions" of dollars a year from his contributions. In 2012 he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He has recently announced that he will give away his entire fortune to charity. The Sam Simon Foundation.
posted by girlmightlive (17 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
I was just going to post this! What a mensch! Me and the many many animals he has helped save and will continue to save, thank him immensely.
posted by Kitteh at 12:03 PM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]


Man, seriously, fuck cancer.
posted by Etrigan at 12:05 PM on July 25, 2013 [3 favorites]


Tens of millions of dollars for doing something twenty years ago.
posted by Our Ship Of The Imagination! at 12:06 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Yep. That's how it works if you're a creative person and don't spend all day snarking on the internet.
posted by Curious Artificer at 12:08 PM on July 25, 2013 [45 favorites]


Kitteh: before entering this thread, the word 'mensch' came to mind. Thanks for starting the thread off with this sentiment.

I couldn't agree more.
posted by el io at 12:10 PM on July 25, 2013


Simon was recently a guest on Mark Maron's podcast. It is a great interview.
posted by greasy_skillet at 12:14 PM on July 25, 2013 [8 favorites]


Thanks, I liked reading that.
posted by jessamyn at 12:21 PM on July 25, 2013


Wow, he was married to Jennifer Tilly! She's from (and now lives in) my hometown!
posted by KokuRyu at 12:22 PM on July 25, 2013


Santos L. Halper approves!
posted by Elly Vortex at 12:32 PM on July 25, 2013 [6 favorites]


Tens of millions of dollars for doing something twenty years ago.

And 40 years ago. His big break was Taxi.

"The Sam Simon Foundation also provides vegan meals for more than 200 hungry families in Los Angeles EVERY DAY. "

"PETA's Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters has a new moniker—the Sam Simon Center—in honor of entertainment giant Sam Simon"

"Veganism is an answer for almost every problem facing the world in terms of hunger and climate change. It helps people's health. Meat is the biggest greenhouse gas producer. There's also the cruelty and suffering aspect. When people do meatless Mondays, and when people adopt instead of buying a dog, that's a PETA victory."

Amen.
posted by mrgrimm at 12:51 PM on July 25, 2013 [4 favorites]


Simon was recently a guest on Mark Maron's podcast. It is a great interview.

It's really good.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:02 PM on July 25, 2013


I've had the fortune of going to a few fundraisers at Simon's seaside estate in Los Angeles. The last time I went to one he had just learned about his diagnosis and was staring down treatment and the other realities that come with it. He was still cracking jokes and being absorbed in conversations and rallying the check-writers in attendance to ante up. I don't know if I'd have the same kind of fortitude or even basic composure in that situation, and for that I applaud him.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 1:27 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Wow, he was married to Jennifer Tilly!

And they're still very close friends even though their marriage didn't work out.
posted by inturnaround at 1:32 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


My last comment came off as snark when I meant it more as a "Damn, Sam Simon rock the fuck on!" type of thing especially since he is giving it all to charity.
posted by Our Ship Of The Imagination! at 1:36 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Not that it's appropriate, but am I the only one who immediately thinks of this when Sam Simon is mentioned?
posted by yerfatma at 1:49 PM on July 25, 2013 [5 favorites]


Yerfatma, that is literally the only mental image I have of Sam Simon.
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:48 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


How can someone so loving towards animals and great causes have gone through 2 marriages? I would have thought he would have been a dream husband.
posted by stormpooper at 6:54 AM on July 26, 2013


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