Bidding on a special event, entitled “Join Joel Cohen, writer of 'The Simpsons', in Los Angeles for an exclusive table read”, begins tonight at 10pm on eBay and continues for one week, ending Oct. 3.
Cohen (MBA ’92), writer and co-executive producer of “The Simpsons”, is giving back to his alma mater in a unique way by offering the winning bidder of the event the opportunity to fly to Los Angeles and attend an exclusive table reading with the cast and writers of American television’s longest-running sitcom. Click here to learn more and go to the bids.
Left: Joel Cohen
When asked why he offered to participate, Cohen responded with his usual panache, bred of more than a decade of comedy writing. “I was asked to do it to help the York to the Power of 50 campaign and also told to do it by a Toronto judge to fulfill part of my mandatory community service hours. Only 37 more auctions like this one and I will have turned my felony into a misdemeanor!”
On a more serious note, Cohen said: “Obviously, the money from the auction is going towards a good cause so I'm happy to help.”
Right: The Simpsons, America's longest running animated television sitcom
The experience of a table read is a very privileged affair normally reserved for actors and writers. “I've invited a few guests to experience our table reads before and they are always blown away by the experience – of course, that also may be a function of the hallucinogens in our coffee, but I like to think it isn't,” said Cohen.
Occasionally, a few Fox studio executives drop by but, they’re “easily identified by their cheap suits and ever-present brooches with pictures of Rupert Murdoch inside,” said Cohen.
As part of the experience, Cohen will first escort the owner of the winning bid on a tour of the studio lot and then, “once inside this inner sanctum, I will introduce the winners to the incredible voice actors behind Homer, Bart, and the rest of the cast, and then the read itself begins," he said. "The actors read through the script in the characters’ voices, and it is amazing to watch them jump from character to character, changing voices accordingly and hitting every joke.”
This experience is being offered through the York University Foundation in participation with Auctions for Action, a month-long charity program that eBay says "combines the goodness of giving with the thrill of winning."
Net proceeds will benefit graduate student scholarships at York. Douglas Peers, dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, welcomed the contribution and noted that “funds will be double-matched through government matching, tripling the impact for York students”.
Cohen is a member of the York University Foundation 50 to the Power of 50 – a group of prominent alumni who have gone on to great success in their chosen careers and who embody “redefine the possible.”
Submitted to YFile by David Wallace, communications officer, York University Foundation.