The documentary additionally interviews Ken Estin, one of many government producers on “The Tracey Ullman Present,” who remembers the inception of “The Simpsons” a little bit in another way. “The Tracey Ullman Present” was the place “The Simpsons” had began their life, showing as an amusing animated break in between the present’s live-action sketches.
Estin had employed Groening to make a 60-second “Life in Hell” quick as an interstitial on the present, and was despatched off to write down one (1) joke. Groening by no means turned within the joke. It wasn’t till Estin referred to as an middleman that he discovered Groening’s mindset. Whereas Groening would retain inventive management of “Life in Hell,” he must share merchandising rights, which was how he was making the majority of his earnings on the time. “He is maintaining it to himself and he is not going to share it with anyone,” Estin stated. When he did not flip in something, Groening was fired.
Future “Simpsons” honchos James L. Brooks and Richard Sakai, nevertheless, finally chimed in, saying that they’d take something Groening put out. It did not need to be “Life in Hell.” Estin says that it was then, after he had already recognized he obtained to maintain “Life in Hell,” that Groening lastly pitched “The Simpsons.” Whether or not or not he got here up with the characters on the spot can stay hypothesis. A number of days later, the primary rudimentary scripts have been written.
Groening himself, in the meantime, has by no means come clear on the matter.
