The reason I usually turn to the acknowledgments page of a book is to see if my name, or the name of anyone I know, is there. If that is what you are doing now, I’ll do my best to see that you are not disappointed.
I first found the idea of writing books attractive because I liked the idea of working alone, of having the illusion of control in this small portion of my professional life. In contrast to writing for newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and film—all collaborative projects—this time it would be my show. Or so I thought. It puzzled me when, while searching for my own name in the back of books written by friends and colleagues, I would find page after page of names and institutions and expressions of gratitude.
Well, now I know. Even in a book this short, there are many people to thank. First, of course, I must thank my family. My children, Asher and Liza, got me started on this project, as I explained in the introduction, and since then they have tolerated my telling this story about them over and over again. My wife Sallie—the photographer Sarah M. Brown—has been supportive and encouraging throughout the process, and has assisted me in keeping my head from growing too large to fit through the doorways of our home. My in-laws, Joe and Charlotte Brown, good Presbyterians both, were my two most enthusiastic cheerleaders. Maryland Senator Paul Pinsky, my younger brother and one of my heroes, asked some hard questions and taught me, through his example, to recognize an opportunity and seize the moment.
Peter Brown, my good friend and former colleague at the Orlando Sentinel, is most responsible for launching this book. What began on one of our regular afternoon walks around the block as a general notion for an essay in his weekly editorial review section became a book proposal thanks to his wise judgment and experience. Our then Sentinel book editor, Nancy Pate, was never too busy to advise me about the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Hal Boedeker, the Sentinel’s TV critic, a frequent lunch companion, and a perceptive sounding board, was also a great help as my valuable pipeline to the Television Critics semiannual meetings. Old China hand Fergus Bordewich, a better writer than I will ever be, was a great resource. My former Sentinel editor, Loraine O’Connell, edited much of the new material in the second edition. Thanks also to Jon Steinman, formerly with the Sentinel and now with Bloomberg News Service.
Brent Bierman, of Knight-Ridder-Tribune news service in Washington, DC, saw my original Simpsons essay and put it on the wire. My Internet friend, David Buckna, of the delightful religious trivia list “Sol O Mann Top 10,” was one of the first people to see my Sentinel essay on the Internet and to encourage the idea of a book. In the years since then, he was always willing to steer me in the right direction.
I am most grateful to the creators of The Simpsons Archive Web site. Their meticulous research was invaluable, in particular their episode capsules. Jouni Paakkinen, Jordan Eisenberg, and Bruce Gomes, among many others, answered hundreds of my questions. When they didn’t know an answer, they used their contacts to find it for me. Evan Dunlap, a fan’s fan in Orlando, also had some good catches, as did Steve Mathewes-Green.
Even before I was able to sign a contract with a book publisher, Douglas LeBlanc, then associate editor of Christianity Today magazine, saw the value in the sample chapter I wrote on Ned Flanders, and tirelessly shepherded it to the cover of the February 5, 2001, issue. I know he had to convince a lot of people that it was the right kind of story for the publication, not to mention that it had been written by a Jew who was well outside the evangelical community.
Gail Hochman, a longtime and long-distance friend and supporter, did me a very large favor on very short notice that I will never forget. Jill Schwartz, my neighbor and friend, and Cecil Ricks, of Costa Mesa, California—the finest employment lawyers on two coasts—also helped me when I needed it. My editors at the Orlando Sentinel were gracious in granting me two book leaves and supporting my work.
The academic community, both religious and secular, was extremely helpful. Professors were willing to walk this C student through some very complex concepts and analyses and to allow me to pilfer their scholarship for my own purposes. They include Quentin Schultze and Bill Romanowski, both of Calvin College; my good friend from Duke Chronicle days and Columbia J-School, Clay Steinman, of Macalester College; John Heeren, of California State University at San Bernardino; Michael Glodo, Lyn Perez, and Matt Lacey (the latter two also neighbors), all of Reformed Theological Seminary in Oviedo, Florida; Eric Michael Mazur of Bucknell University; Gerry Bowler of University of Manitoba; David Landry of the University of St. Thomas; Tom Rainey of Evergreen State College; and Paul Cantor of the University of Virginia, who also copied some of his own tapes for me. In a category of his own was Martin Marty, the godfather of America’s religion writers and the dean of academic observers of church life.
I benefited greatly from the advice of my journalist colleagues around the country, such as S. V. Date of the Palm Beach Post, and my cousin, Linda Loyd, of the Philadelphia Inquirer. I also benefited from some colleagues whose excellent work on this subject I have cited in the text, but never met, such as Les Sillars of the Alberta Report, Douglas Todd of the Vancouver Sun, Bob von Sternberg of the Twin Cities Star-Tribune, Paul Andrews of the Seattle Times, and Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star.
In particular, I wish to thank my colleagues in the Religion Newswriters Association, as collegial and supportive a group of journalists as one is likely to find. These include Gayle White of the Atlanta Constitution, Cary McMullen of the Lakeland Ledger (Florida), Ken Garfield of the Charlotte Observer, Yonat Shimron of the Raleigh News & Observer, David Briggs of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Patricia Rice of the St. Louis Post Dispatch, John Dart of the Christian Century, and Adele Banks of Religion News Service.
Several other friends read this manuscript and offered many valuable suggestions, including another old friend from Duke, Rusty Wright, whose renewed acquaintance and friendship helped shape this manuscript. John Valentine, of the Regulator Bookshop in Durham, was an early and enthusiastic encourager of my work. Mark Andrews, a Sentinel colleague, offered some keen insights and made the kind of good catches editors often do, and Sentinel film critic Jay Boyar made some excellent suggestions. Darren Iozia, also of the Sentinel, came through with copies of vital tapes. Rob Waters, of the Raleigh News & Observer, the best newspaper editor in the world, provided some of the same wise counsel he has been giving me for the past fifteen years (this time I took it). Durham novelist and dear friend Laurel Goldman had acute observations, whenever I was able to decipher her handwriting. Joe Puente helped me with Mormon references.
The leaders of Central Florida’s religious community have taught me much about Christianity, from left to right, mainline to evangelical. Often they have kept me from embarrassing myself in print by taking my phone calls at inconvenient times. I have learned a great deal from them. In particular, I wish to thank these pastors: Jim Henry of the First Baptist Church of Orlando; Howard Edington of the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, the “Heart of the City”; Clark Whitten of Calvary Assembly of God in Winter Park; Joel Hunter of Northland Community Church, Distributed, of Longwood; John Dalles of Wekiva Presbyterian Church in Longwood; and good neighbor Reid McCormick. Also, Bishop Norbert Dorsey of the Catholic Diocese of Orlando and Bishop John Howe of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, and, especially, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ.
National leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, whom I have come to know and respect despite our many differences— political as well as theological—were also of great assistance, challenging me when and where I needed to be challenged. Knowing them, especially Dr. Richard Land of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, I trust and expect this process will continue. Art Toalston, editor of Baptist Press, the SBC news service, was an early backer of this project.
My own rabbi, Steven Engel, of the Congregation of Reform Judaism, is a gifted and sympathetic clergyman who was kind enough to read my chapter on the Jews and offer his insightful views. Rabbi Sholom Dubov of Congregation Ahavas Yisrael (Chabad) in Maitland, the “rabbi around the corner,” not only read the Jews chapter but also helped me put on t’fillin (phylacteries) while I was writing the book. Rabbi Daniel Wolpe of Temple Ohalei Rivka in Orlando offered the unique perspective of a Simpsons fan who, like Krusty, comes from a family of distinguished rabbis.
In New York, Comedy Central’s Tom Fox and others at the network provided many episodes of South Park I would have had difficulty locating, and the show’s Matt Stone and Anne Garefino made time to speak with me.
David Dobson, my wise and light-handed editor at Westminster John Knox Press, bolstered my shaky confidence as a first-time author from our first telephone conversation.
Finally, I would like to thank the Reverend Robert Short, who blazed this particular trail of religion and popular culture more than four decades ago with The Gospel according to Peanuts. He was most generous with his time and encouragement.