Sam Simon, who was the consulting producer on ‘It’s Gary Shandling Show’ whilst you worked there was the first to recognise and give your writing a chance which led to you getting a writing job at The Tracy Ullman Show, that period of creating and selling your first pitch, how exciting was that for you as a young writer? How did it help shape your career?

Well to be a bit more specific, Wally (my partner) and I wrote a few spec scripts for the show we were working on as a production assistant, that show being “It’s Garry Shandling's Show”. So that spec was easy to figure out because that’s what we were working on and we were very familiar with the show. Sam worked there too and was willing to look at it. He liked it enough to recommend us to the Tracy Ullman Show people. They asked us to pitch a sketch so we watched the show and got the tone and then came up with 10 sketch ideas. So that was our first pitch. 10 sketch ideas. Usually, in a pitch, a few of your ideas aren’t right. A few they’ve already done or are doing. And a few might work. They picked one about a character named Kay that was already established on the show. How did it shape our career? It placed us in the world of great writers like Sam Simon, Heide Perlman, Jerry Belson, & James L. Brooks. That was a great place to learn and it gave us a special cred with others. So it was a really lucky spot to land.

When people first found out you were writing on a cartoon show (that cartoon that went on to become Legendary show The Simpsons) I believe most said it would ruin your careers, Have you any words for those people now? (not that I’m assuming you are a bitter man, but it’s always nice when people are wrong in that manner isn’t it?)

All I can say is, it was great advice at the time but I was young and dumb enough not to be scared to make a mistake if it seemed fun. Again, it’s very lucky it turned out well. But the people who had said don’t do it were right. That’s the conventional wisdom and the odds were on their side. Just goes to show you never know what will hit.

You won two Emmy’s for your work on Frasier, that show had brilliant dialogue/writing and it seemed to me that there was real respect there from both the writers and actors, how important is that relationship?

The love of actors isn’t automatic for writers. And the appreciation for writers doesn’t come easy for actors. Both disciplines seem so easy for people who don’t do it. On Frasier the writers knew we had AMAZING actors. And the actors thought the writing was great. So both groups lifts our art to a higher lever through respect. If the actors didn’t make it work, we didn’t yell at them, we changed it. And the actors ALWAYS tried to make things work. It was a dream.

Is it true that on Conan's first day at The Simpsons a pigeon flew threw a window and died in his office and you tried to convince him that somehow that was good luck? - Just an observation Jay, but damn you may have been right about that.

Yes and yes.

You have spent your working life working with incredible talent, who do you look back on and think ‘how did they not make it’? Other than hard work and a touch of luck, what’s the difference for those who do & do not ‘make it?

There are so many talented writers and actors and comics I’ve known who never made it big. And the difference between the ones that made it and the ones that didn’t is mainly dumb luck. Being at the right place at the right time. Some of it’s staying power. Those who stuck it out had a better chance of hitting something. There’s of course talent and tenacity. You need both AND luck to make it. More than a touch. I’ve seen jerks make it big without much talent but they were part of something big. I’ve seen great and talented people struggle for years while getting better and better. So I don’t take my success for granted nor do I think it means I’m the most talented person. It means I hit the jackpot. So I can’t take any deep bows. I’m just happy and grateful and try not to complain too much when things don’t go my way.

I heard that the Simpsons were originally just bumper cartoons to the Tracey Ulman show when you worked on that project, after jumping to help on The Simpsons to help write, what was your approach coming in to work on it whilst it was at such an early stage in its development?

Well, we were following Sam Simon and Matt Groening’s lead. We talked to them about the feel of the show and then tried to add on to what they were doing. A lot fo writing is absorbing the vibe and agreeing to it and adding to it.

If I’m not mistaken, You wrote episodes of The Simpsons that introduced Otto, Burns, Smithers, Abe Simpson, Kang and Kudos, Hibbert, Nick Rivera, and Frink. What’s it like to have been a major part in creating characters that will live in television history forever? Isn’t that every writer’s dream?

It’s fun and lucky and a pleasure to have had the opportunity to establish those characters. Being there at the beginning made that almost inevitable. It’s nice to create something people enjoy but I know my work is fleeting and someday in the not too distant future these shows and characters will be forgotten and that’s fine. More room for what’s next.

The Simpsons' Could End Within A Year, according to composer Danny Elfman, can you see the previous writers like yourself return to help write the last season/eps if it does come to an end?

I’d come back in a heart beat but there is a huge staff of talented writers already there so they don’t need or want me.

You have been nominated for 14 Emmy’s, winning 4. But how do you personally measure success?

Success is being able to work on the next thing. Success is being proud of your work. Success is doing work you love and honouring the creativity of others you work with to make a collaboration the celebrates our lives. Hopefully, it says something real and appeals to the audience you intend it for.