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Oct. 6, 2006
A career full of D'oh!
Joel Cohen begins seventh Simpsons season.
KYLE BERGER
When Joel Cohen sat down to speak to a crowded lecture hall at
the Vancouver International Film Centre last week, he emphasized
the notion that in the entertainment business, it helps to be in
the right place at the right time to get that big break.
But throughout the talk, filled with cartoon tales and quick-witted
answers to audience questions, he proved you still have to be really
talented to write for a pop-culture hit like The Simpsons
for seven years.
Cohen was one of the Vancouver International Film Festival's Film
and Television Forum speakers. He discussed what makes The Simpsons,
TV's longest running show – it's now in its 18th season –
so successful and how he seized his opportunities to become a part
of that success.
Born and raised in Calgary, Cohen received a bachelor's degree in
biology from the University of Alberta and an MBA from York University
in Toronto. It was at that point that he knew he needed to change
career directions.
"The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want a job
where I had to shave or wear a suit," he joked.
His first job in the entertainment industry was with Malofilm, the
second largest Canadian film distributor at the time, working in
the home video department. He decided to try his hat at writing
and a script he created was chosen at random to be turned into a
play at the Toronto Fringe Festival.
From there, he moved to Los Angeles to take a job selling ad time
for Turner International Networks.
"Once I got there, my goal was to really pursue writing more
and see if I could turn it into a career," he said of his venture
to Hollywood. He spent a year trying to find an agent, with no luck.
"So I doubled my efforts," he said. "Which turned
into twice as much rejection."
Cohen's luck changed when he met comedian Kathy Griffin, who asked
him to help her write for some of her projects. Griffin helped Cohen
get his first writing job, for the show Suddenly Susan.
"If someone had asked me before that job what my least favorite
show on TV was, I would have said Suddenly Susan," he
quipped. "And it's a good thing no one asked me. Particularly
during the interview."
Suddenly Susan was soon cancelled due to poor ratings. However,
the connections Cohen had already made paid off, as the boyfriend
of the woman who hired him for Suddenly Susan happened to
be a writer for The Simpsons. Thirteen days later, Cohen
was hired to write for The Simpsons.
Since then, as the show's only full-time Jewish writer, Cohen has
played a significant role in the cartoon's continued success and
an even more significant role in any Jewish or Canadian content
the viewers may enjoy.
"Any time there is a Canadian reference, I am very proud of
it because it is a representation of myself," he said. "And
it's the same when there is a Jewish reference."
One of Cohen's proudest Jewish moments came in an episode he wrote
called "Today I Am a Clown," which told the story of how
Krusty the Clown attempted to find happiness in life by finally
having his bar mitzvah. The episode won a Jewish Image Award in
Los Angeles and was nominated for a Writer's Guild Award.
The Simpsons airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on Fox.
Kyle Berger is a freelance writer and graphic designer
living in Richmond.
Did you know...?
• The Simpsons are all based on members of creator Matt Groening's
family, except Bart, whose name comes from an anagram of the word
"brat."
• Homer's favorite expression, "D'oh" has been entered
in the Oxford English Dictionary.
• In 1999, the BBC hosted on online poll looking for the greatest
American. Homer Simpson beat out Abraham Lincoln for the win.
• The Simpsons is not seen in Japan because people with
four fingers are thought to be part of the Japanese mafia.
• In order to be palatable to the Muslim audience in Arab countries,
Arab broadcasters insisted producers make changes. The show is called
The Shampshuns. Homer is called Omar. And he drinks soda
instead of beer.
• The Simpsons started as a bumper for the Tracey
Ullmann Show in the late 1980s. It became an independent show
in 1989.
• Writing is already in the works for 19th season.
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