Ian Maxtone-Graham (SNL, The Simpsons, The Hanukkah Song)

<p>Ian Maxtone-Graham joined me to discuss remembering the moon landing; Batman; writing humorous articles in high school and at Brown; getting hired on Not Necessarily the News; Motown Review; being head writer for Comedy Central game show Clash; getting hired at National Lampoon; asking Jack Handy to submit Deep Thoughts leads to him getting hired on SNL; Fred Wolf; Fetal Abuse Laugh-a-Thon with Victoria Jackson, Woody Harrelson, Phil Hartman &amp; Jon Lovitz; Glenn Close Christmas monologue; working with her again on the Simpsons; best comedies also are dramatic; creation of the Hanukkah Song; working with Norm on Update; getting three pieces on Jason Alexander episode; favorite hosts; Bob Newhart; Norm&#39;s Charles Kuralt; leaving SNL to go to The Simpsons; becoming the Tall Man character; &quot;Burns, Baby Burns&quot; original idea; hard to write for Rodney; &quot;City of NY vs. Homer Simpson&quot;; donated a cel to the 9/11 Museum; 70&#39;s NY; &quot;Trash of the Titans&quot;; policy wonk vs. populist; &quot;Blunder Years&quot;; Paul Newman guest voice; Smithers back story; How I Wet Your Mother w/ David Byrne and Glenn Close; Dads; importance of graphics on SNL</p>