Three Simpsons writers have science PhDs. What's so funny about scientists?
Jean: It's an even higher percentage on Futurama.
Cohen: We had quite a batch of scientists, if I can use the term scientist loosely to include those who meet the criteria partway, such as myself. Out of 12 writers, I guess we scientists [on Futurama] were a plurality, you could say, which is an annoying use of that word.
Jean: There's a mathematical structure to comedy when you look for the perfect line or natural expression for a joke. It's not a one-to-one correspondence but there definitely exists a similarity. Of course, I don't want to give the impression that you need a Harvard or math degree to write good comedy, but it's helped.
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Jean: It's an even higher percentage on Futurama.
Cohen: We had quite a batch of scientists, if I can use the term scientist loosely to include those who meet the criteria partway, such as myself. Out of 12 writers, I guess we scientists [on Futurama] were a plurality, you could say, which is an annoying use of that word.
Jean: There's a mathematical structure to comedy when you look for the perfect line or natural expression for a joke. It's not a one-to-one correspondence but there definitely exists a similarity. Of course, I don't want to give the impression that you need a Harvard or math degree to write good comedy, but it's helped.
- dave 5-04-2006 9:04 pm