On the off-chance anyone needed a reminder that this terrible, terrible week isn’t over yet, we must once again reference the fact that Sam Simon, co-creator of The Simpsons, has been given a terminal diagnosis of colorectal cancer. We first reported on this back in July of last year, and, unfortunately, nothing prognosis-wise seems to have changed since then. However, Simon is still dedicated to donating as much of his remaining time and money as possible to rescuing stray and abused animals, then re-training them to be service dogs and companions for injured veterans.
Now, Simon has granted a documentary crew the exclusive rights to film his “final months” for a project that will “pay tribute to his life and career.” He’s doing this in conjunction with the Fusion TV network, with its CEO also saying that it will “[spark] an important conversation about animal rights and [empower] young people to be a catalyst for change.” Fusion refers to this whole thing as a “documentary project,” so we don’t know what form the final footage will take—whether it will be a film or something more extended—but it’s a safe bet that Simon wouldn’t be granting anyone this kind of access if he didn’t trust them with it.
Also, it’s a testament to the strength of Simon’s character that he’s choosing to do any of this instead of taking some well-deserved rest. Through his philanthropic moves and the various legendary comedies that he has had a hand in—not just The Simpsons but Taxi and Cheers—Simon has already touched the lives of countless people. While this documentary project will probably touch even more, we’re certain that nobody out there is eager to see it finished.