Mike Reiss has won four Emmys and two Peabody Awards during his thirty years writing for “The Simpsons”. He ran the show in Season 4, which Entertainment Weekly called “the greatest season of the greatest show in history.” In 2006, Reiss received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Animation Writers Caucus.

Reiss has written twenty-one children’s books, as well as “Springfield Confidential”, a best-selling memoir of his three decades at The Simpsons.
“Springfield Confidential” has been translated into German, Spanish, Russian and Czech, and was finalist for the Thurber Prize in American Humor.

Reiss has written jokes for such comedy legends as Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Garry Shandling… and Pope Francis! For his comedic contributions to the charitable group Joke with the Pope, in 2015 Pope Francis declared Reiss “A Missionary of Joy”.

Reiss co-created the animated series “The Critic” and created Showtime’s hit cartoon “Queer Duck” (about a gay duck). “Queer Duck” was named one of “The 100 Greatest Cartoons of All Time” by the BBC. “Queer Duck: the Movie” was released to rave reviews in July 2006, winning awards in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Sweden, Germany and Wales.

Mike Reiss has been a contributing writer to more than two dozen animated films -- including four ICE AGEs, two DESPICABLE MEs, THE LORAX, RIO, KUNG FU PANDA 3, and THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – with a worldwide gross of $14 billion.

Reiss’ first play, “I’m Connecticut” set box-office records for Connecticut Repertory Theater. The Hartford Courant called it “sweet and hysterically funny” and named it one of the year’s Ten Best Plays. Broadway World Connecticut voted it Best Play of 2012.

His caveman detective story “Cro-Magnon P.I.” won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He adapted his best-seller “How Murray Saved Christmas” into an Emmy-nominated holiday special that’s aired annually since 2015. Reiss also composes puzzles for “NPR”, and “Games Magazine”.

As a professional speaker, Reiss has lectured at over five hundred colleges and institutions, on six continents. He also hosts the popular podcast “What Am I Doing Here?” based on his travels to 134 countries.

He has been happily married for thirty-two years. Like most children’s book authors, he has no children.

Mike Reiss is an Emmy-winning writer for THE SIMPSONS. His funny, informative talks on movies, TV and comedy have made him an in-demand speaker on six cruise lines:

SECRETS OF SIMPSONS SUCCESS
Stories, secrets and scandals from The Simpsons' 35 year run.

HOW I WRITE COMEDY (AND YOU CAN TOO!)
Writing jokes for Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, The Oscars... and The Pope! Really! A fun-filled look inside the world of the comedy writer.

THE DIRTY, NASTY WORLD OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Tales of celebrity ghost-writing, book-banning and credit-stealing... from the surprisingly nasty world of children's books!

WHAT AM DOING HERE?
Visit 145 countries in 45 minutes, with hilarious and harrowing stories and amazing photos.

FINDING THE FUNNY IN TOUGH TIMES
How we learn to laugh again during troubled times, from the Civil War to COVID.

THE PERILS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Misadventures of a world-wide lecturer, plus tips on better public speaking.

WHAT'S SO FUNNY? THE SCIENCE OF JOKES
The logic behind nonsense, the mathematics of "The Simpsons", and how comedy predicts the future!

VACATIONS: BAD, WEIRD AND DANGEROUS
Mike Reiss takes you on his weirdest adventures, from the North Pole to North Korea!

RIDING THE TITAN TO THE TITANIC
Comedy writer Mike Reiss rode the doomed sub Titan down to the Titanic one year before it imploded. It's a shocking, inspiring, and sometimes funny story!

Q & A WITH MIKE REISS
Why are the Simpsons yellow? What state is Springfield in? Why joke has been missed by billions of viewers? All questions answered, all mysteries revealed!

I've lectured in 24 countries, and on five cruise lines about my work as a comedy writer (notably my 35 years on The Simpsons), how to be funny, writing children's books, and using humor to get through bad times.
My talks are wonderfully funny, but still quite informative.

CRUISE EXPERIENCE
5 Cunard cruises
3 Silver Sea
1 Regent
1 Marella
1 Crystal

FEEDBACK FROM CUNARD: "Great feedback for Mike. He had guests laughing away and this is lovely to have within the Cunard Insights programme amongst the variety of other topics."

PASSENGER FEEDBACK FROM MARELLA
-Mike Reiss was very funny, informative, the highlight of my cruise.
-Michael Reiss is awesome and so happy I am on this cruise just because of his talks."
-Mike Reiss has been fantastic
-Funny, informative and fascinating, the life ,times and adventures of Mike Reiss told as only an American can. He is so generous in his reminiscing and isn’t afraid to be the butt if his own jokes. Out and about he’s just as generous with his time as his beautiful wife. What a coup to have him on board. Brilliant brilliant man.
-Mike Reiss, excellent lectures we have been to everyone, very funny, interesting, and informative, I would love to see him again

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.