The Simpsons: Matt Groening Thanks to Matt Groening what began in 1987 as a filler on the Tracy Ullman Show has gone down in animated television history.

We’re referring, of course, to The Simpsons, the  comedy series that has made this quirky cartoonist a very rich man.

You’ve come a long way since your days as a delivery boy for The Los Angeles Reader. Do you ever stop and think, how did a guy who used to spend his school days doodling, become so unbelievably successful?
Um… It’s staggering to me on a daily basis. Just being able to pay my rent is an unexpected treat. All the perks and all the wild surprises that come from working on a successful TV show are quite gratifying.

You must find it strange getting paid for doing something that you used to get punished for?
Well I must say being rewarded for what I used to be discouraged from doing is probably the best revenge of all.

On the other hand, if I hadn’t lucked out maybe I’d be in an insane asylum. But even if I were in a straitjacket, I think I’d still be doodling with a crayon in my mouth.

From what I’ve read, you seem like the type who would be just as comfortable without all the fame and fortune. Is living as the other half lives all you thought it would be?
I remember back in the old days when I was living in a cockroach infested apartment in Hollywood searching under the chair cushions for enough money to buy a hamburger for dinner. My friends and I would wonder what it would be like to be successful.

So the question we would pose to each other was, if or when we make our big mark in the world, are we going to live the way millionaires do on The Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous or are we going to live pretty much the way we do now except with a lot more comic books, magazines and records lying around.

And the answer is?
The answer is pretty much “B.” I now have lots of comic books, magazines and records lying around.

Homer, Marge, Maggie and Lisa Simpson are each named after your own family members. How similar are those characters to the real life characters?
Well nobody in my family is quite as ugly or as stupid as “The Simpsons” are. The main similarities are in some of the sibling rivalries that I had as a kid with my sisters. We fought quite a bit and always found ingenious ways to torture each other.

How much Bart is there inside of you?
I would say there’s a smidgen of Bart in me. Bart’s more of a combination of me and all my friends growing up, and the worst aspects of all of us growing up at that.

Your father has been a great influence on you. How much of an impact has he had on the way you view life?
I’m learning more and more each day that he was more of an influence than I ever realized. He’s a very hard working and very funny man. He taught me a very useful lesson early on, which was, ‘Don’t save your great ideas for the future, you’ll always come up with more.” So now the second I come up with an idea I try to use it with the confidence that later on down the line I’ll be able to come up with another idea.

Your father must be very proud of you. How does he feel about your work?
As the years have gone by, he’s gotten much more complimentary. He was not very encouraging at the beginning. Basically he was pretty discouraging. He suggested that I get a real job because I would never make a living drawing. But these days he’s quite happy with the success of the show.

Your father and son are both named Homer. Is it true that if you had “The Simpsons” to do over again you would have given Homer Simpson a different first name?
No, I like the name Homer Simpson. However, I wouldn’t have called my son Homer.

But you did. Why?
He was born just before “The Simpsons” went on the air as a series. But now he’s just getting ready to go into school and I’m afraid he’s going to have to listen to all the funny names that kids that age come up with. So I would not name my son Homer if I had to do it all over again.

Of all the characters on “The Simpsons,” which is your favorite?
I’m quite partial to Lisa Simpson.

Why?
Because you get the feeling that every other character in “The Simpsons” universe is pretty much trapped in Springfield with their own lives and roles. But Lisa has potential. You get the feeling that she’s going to use her talents to escape from her parents and get out of there and perhaps find happiness in some other city.

The big question is will we ever see Bart Simpson grow up?
Everybody who works on the show has the gut feeling that as Bart gets older his life is only going to get more unpleasant. It’s kind of cute to have a ten year old brat. But with a teenage Bart what do you have?… Beavis and Butt- Head. If he does grow up he’ll probably be stealing cars, drinking and committing petty larceny. Bart is a kid who is programmed for failure.

Are you surprised that secondary characters like Ned Flanders, Moe, Apu, Krusty the Clown and others have become as popular as the Simpsons themselves?
One of the most fun things about the show is that people have come to love the secondary characters. They only have a fraction on the screen that the Simpsons have and yet the fans have really come to enjoy them. It’s always fun to see what the secondary characters will come up with next. My favorites vary from season to season.

For a while I really loved Krusty, the Clown but now I’m more partial to police chief Wiggum. (Laughing) It seems he’s always looking for another donut.

Since the show airs during prime time when children are watching, do you ever worry that maybe you’ve gone too far with the subject matter?
The reason why the show is as outlandish as it is, is because traditionally animation was seen strictly for children. What we tried to do with The Simpsons was redefine family entertainment. Most TV executives live in fear of confusing the audience by talking over their heads. What we figured out on The Simpsons is that you can throw enough jokes out there so that there’s something for everyone.

What is the secret goal in your work?
Entertainment and subversion.

Find out when The Simpsons is showing on TV.