Mike Reiss joins My Roman Empire to unpack a comedy legacy that changed television forever.

As a longtime writer and producer on The Simpsons, Mike takes us inside the early days of the show, revealing how it was almost cancelled before it even aired and how it went on to become one of the most influential series of all time.

He shares behind the scenes stories from the writers’ room, including the real tea on Linus and Joseph’s favourite deep cut character Shary Bobbins and what it takes to create jokes that still land decades later.

But his Roman Empire goes even further back. Mike dives into Airplane!, the absurd rapid fire comedy that rewired his brain and shaped his entire approach to writing. He explains why it made such a lasting impact, how its joke density changed the game and how that influence carried through to his own career, including writing the sequel.

From near cancellation to cultural domination, it is a deep dive into the mechanics of comedy, the craft of joke writing and the moments that define a career. This is one episode not to be missed!

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