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.
I've lectured in 24 countries, and on two cruise lines (Cunard and Silver Sea) 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.
RECENT CRUISES COMPLETED
1/11/23 V304 Cunard transatlantic (westbound)
2/26/23 M314 Cunard Transatlantic (eastbound)
6/30 Cunard: NYC to Boston, Canada
8/16 Q327 Cunard: Vancouver to SF
Jan 2024 Cunard V405: "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."
The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.