Regarding ‘The Simpsons’: Let’s Call a Comedy a Comedy

So the board of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences rejected a proposal to move “The Simpsons” from the animation to the comedy category in the Emmy Award competition.

Isn’t it ironic that the same Calendar section that carried this announcement (“Stay Where You Are, Dude,” Morning Report, Feb. 20) also had an article congratulating “Beauty and the Beast” on its nomination for the best picture Oscar?

Many people say comparing animation and live-action is like comparing apples and oranges. I say judge the whole fruit salad, it will make an overall better meal.

I am a proud member of the cast of “The Simpsons.” I play a myriad of recurring characters and therefore have an opportunity to observe the inner workings of the creative process by the actors, writers and directors. Matt Groening, Sam Simon, Richard Sakai, Mike Reiss, Jay Kogen and the other writer-producers respectfully must make a cohesive teleplay that creates situations and characters the audience cares about.

Using only their voices, the actors must bring these characters to life and bring humor and warmth to two-dimensional drawings. It is an added bonus that we have the craftsmanship of the animators and in-betweeners of Klasky/Csupo to open up our palette of possibility.

The standard of excellence on “The Simpsons” is very high, set by one of the masters of comedy, James L. Brooks. The scripts are very hip, with a cutting edge that usually hides a ‘50s concept of family. It is rare that Marge, the mother, doesn’t have some insightful counseling to help her family--Bart, Lisa or Homer--rectify their current dilemma.

Freedom of speech, substitute teachers, the grammar school placement test and nuclear accidents are just a few of the subjects that have been dealt with on “The Simpsons.” These subjects are not new plot lines, but they have been handled in an offbeat and creative way. “The Simpsons” also has become a gauge of great comedy for other shows to try to meet . . . and these comparisons are not just in the field of animation.

I can only hope that the Emmy committee will reconsider its position on placing “The Simpsons” into the comedy category. That might open up the rest of television. Each show might strive more to create a consistent level of a little bit of irreverence and a lot of quality. Fruit salad, anyone?