Sam Simon, one of the three creative minds behind the creation of America's most time honored sitcom "The Simpsons" decided to donate his fortune to various charities devoted to helping animals and feeding the homeless now that he has been diagnosed with terminally ill cancer.
Simon, 58, joined Matt Groening and James L. Brooks in 1989 to create the series. Although he left the show in 1993 he retained a highly lucrative executive producer title, which has been paying out ever since.
After graduating Stanford he rose quickly in the industry and eventually became the showrunner of Taxi at the age of 24. Since his success the comedy writer has had a pension for charitable donations. When asked by the Hollywood Reporter how much of his money he has given away to-date he could only say "I don't know."
Simon even has his own Malibu-based foundation. The Sam Simon Foundation, worth nearly $23 million as of 2011, rescues the hungry by offering vegan-only meals to homeless people and stray animals. He has also donated money to PETA, which in February named their Norfolk Va. Headquarters after him.
The nine-time Emmy winner was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. He confirmed during a May 15 WTF with Marc Maron podcast he was given the prognosis of only three to six months to live. He also confirmed he would be donate nearly all of his fortune gained from the Simpsons royalties. Although he hasn't given an exact figure for his earnings, he has said it's in the tens of millions.
Simon is in a unique position to do this as his two previous wives Jennifer Tilly, who now has a regular role on the Fox hit cartoon sitcom "Family Guy" and Playboy Playmate Jami Ferrell were childless. He says his family is otherwise taken care of and that he has made more money than he cares to spend.
"I think it's really nice for him that he's doing it now and he gets to see the results of his philanthropy," said Tilly to THR. "He really does have a passion to survive, and the longer he's on the earth, the more good work he can do."
