'The Simpsons' Co-Creator Sam Simon Dies at 59

If you don't know The Simpsons, haven't watched or still watching it, then you need to crawl out from under the rock where you've been hiding.

Sam Simon, a comedy writer and producer who co-developed groundbreaking animated sitcom "The Simpsons," has died at 59 years of age after a long battle with colon cancer.
Among his many career highlights, Simon "served as the showrunner on the sitcom 'Taxi' at the age of 23; wrote for and produced the comedies 'Cheers' and 'The Drew Carey Show'; and created a Fox series for the legendary stand-up comic George Carlin in the mid-1990s," according to The Hollywood Reporter. He most recently worked as a consultant on Charlie Sheen series "Anger Management."

 "The Simpsons" is now the longest-running primetime series in television history. "Simon also is credited with assembling the show's elite writing team that included Al Jean,George Meyer, John Swartzwelder, Mike Reiss, Jon Vitti and Conan O'Brien," THR writes.

But Simon eventually left the series -- millions in hand -- in 1993 to pursue other endeavors, becoming a dedicated philanthropist who eagerly gave away his fortune. He created dog rescue organization the Sam Simon Foundation, and was a frequent donor to PETA, Save the Children, and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
 "He was a genius and a great humanitarian in ways public and private," said "The Simpsons" executive producer Al Jean in a statement. "I personally owe him more than can be repaid, but I will do my best to help every animal I can in his memory."