The producer of The Simpsons who revealed in July that he is dying of colon cancer has received countless offers from people interesting in his money. Since word got out about Sam Simon’s cancer and his desire to give away his vast fortune he has heard from countless people online asking to help rid him of his sizable wealth. ‘Some people just want a million dollars. Or help with college tuition. And the rest have business propositions,’ he laughed. ‘Like that should be my legacy: to lose money on your movie or your moisturizer line.’ Sam Simon, co-creator of 'The Simpsons,' was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last November and doesn't have long left to live . Simon created the hit cartoon alongside Matt Groening in 1991. He technically retired from The Simpsons in 1993, but still receives tens of millions in royalties every season. In November Simon was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer after a year of inconclusive tests and mysterious discomfort. Having defied that diagnosis’ original death sentence - he was given three to six months to live - Simon continues to push ahead with no whiff of ‘Why me?’ ‘Instead, I think, “This is a really bad situation - and what else can I do to get out of it?’” Wealthy: Simon had a falling out with his co-creator Matt Groening (pictured) and left the show in 1993 but retained a healthy stake in the franchise . The 58-year-old fervent philanthropist is spending his final months funding projects that feed homeless people and save animals from being killed in animal shelters. ‘I’m supporting the charities that I supported during my lifetime,’ he states, ‘and I want to continue to do that.’ Simon grew up comfortably in Beverly Hills, where his father was in the garment industry, not showbiz. After turning his drawing talent into a job at an animation studio that made cartoons for kids, Simon submitted a script, on spec, to the ABC comedy ‘Taxi.’ His script was bought and produced, and Simon, in his 20s, was hired as a staff writer and soon rose to be the showrunner. From there he joined a new NBC sitcom called ‘Cheers,’ where he was staff writer for its ascendant first three seasons. In 1987 he became a writer and executive producer on the Fox comedy series ‘The Tracey Ullman Show,’ teamed alongside James L. Brooks, the comedy legend with whom he had worked on ‘Cheers’ and ‘Taxi,’ and, of course, cartoonist Matt Groening. They became the founding fathers of ‘The Simpsons.’ Write caption here . ‘The Simpsons’ began as interstitial . cartoon clips aired during the otherwise live-action ‘Ullman’ show . until, in 1989, it was spun off as a Fox half-hour of its own. Simon . was named creative supervisor, and he hired the first writing staff as . well as creating several Springfield citizens, including Mr. Burns, the . cadaverous industrialist, and Dr. Hibbert, the buffoonish physician. Although Simon remained the least-known of the three creators, by many accounts he was the most hands-on. ‘You . can't overstate his contribution to “The Simpsons,'" says talk-show . star Conan O'Brien, who was a ‘Simpsons’ writer and producer in the . early 1990s. ‘No one's smarter than he is.’ The . show - TV's first successful prime-time animated series since ‘The . Flintstones’ nearly three decades before - caught the public off-guard . with its sly but perceptive look at the culture. ‘With “The Simpsons,” people didn't know what they were gonna see,’ says Simon. ‘They didn't have a clue.’ The . show was given time and free reign to flourish by the fledgling Fox . network. ‘I don't think you get that sort of creative freedom with any . broadcast shows today.’ Close: Sam Simon has no children and is not married so he wants to give his millions to causes he cares about. He was married to actress Jennifer Tilly in the 1980s but divorced in 1991 though they remain close . Simon left ‘The Simpsons’ after its fourth season in 1994 owing to a strained relationship with Groening. But . it was a lucrative departure. His exit deal entitled him to royalties . from ‘The Simpsons’ that, as it enters its 25th season this fall, . annually pad Simon's wallet by tens of millions of dollars. He . has played no role on the show in nearly 20 years (not even watching . it, he says), even as his name remains in the weekly credits along with . Groening's and Brooks' - and his checks roll in. This sweet annuity has bankrolled the causes and alternative lifestyle he increasingly came to embrace. Among . his charitable efforts, he established the Sam Simon Foundation, which . rescues dogs from animal shelters and trains them to assist disabled . veterans and the hard-of-hearing. He . donated an undisclosed amount of money to the Sea Shepherd Conservation . Society in 2012 to purchase a vessel for their fleet, which was . unveiled last December and named for him. In . March, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Norfolk, Va., . headquarters were christened the Sam Simon Center in recognition of his . support for that organization. Animal lover: Much of his time and attention has been dedicated to the well being of animals, and he runs a home for dogs (pictured are his two dogs Gerty and Columbo) Simon's . largesse carries over to humans, too, including a Los Angeles food bank . feeding 200 families each day in Simon style: with a vegan menu. Meanwhile, he keeps his hand in the comedy world, consulting a half-day each week on the FX comedy ‘Anger Management.’ ‘Probably . the highlight of my week,’ he says. ‘That and my radio show,’ which he . hosts from his home on the online Radioio site – ‘one's on Tuesdays, . one's on Fridays.’ If he . sees this as a closeted and tentative existence, Simon doesn't let on. A . man who boxed for several years as a serious amateur, he now finds . amusement in his inability to even handle a car. ‘Recently . I drove home from UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, probably a . four-minute drive,’ he reports with a get-a-load-of-this grin, ‘and I . got into three accidents on the way home: I hit a stanchion, a tree and . another car. No one was injured. But afterward I thought, “Maybe . driving's not a good idea.'" As . with everybody else, time is running out for Simon, who has learned to . make no long-term plans, including recognizing any prospective end date. He says death doesn't scare him, however unpleasant getting there may . be. ‘I'm not sad,’ he . declares with a wave of his cigar. ‘I'm happy. I don't feel angry and . bitter. I want to do whatever I can to survive.’
Sam Simon, 58, was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in November .
He revealed his illness in July and spoke of his desire to spent his 'Simpsons millions' before he dies .
Since then he has received countless offers from people asking for financial help .
He is spending his final months funding projects that feed homeless people and save animals from being killed in animal shelters .
The producer of The Simpsons who revealed in July that he is dying of colon cancer has received countless offers from people interesting in his money. Since word got out about Sam Simon’s cancer and his desire to give away his vast fortune he has heard from countless people online asking to help rid him of his sizable wealth. ‘Some people just want a million dollars. Or help with college tuition. And the rest have business propositions,’ he laughed. ‘Like that should be my legacy: to lose money on your movie or your moisturizer line.’ Sam Simon, co-creator of 'The Simpsons,' was diagnosed with colorectal cancer last November and doesn't have long left to live . Simon created the hit cartoon alongside Matt Groening in 1991. He technically retired from The Simpsons in 1993, but still receives tens of millions in royalties every season. In November Simon was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer after a year of inconclusive tests and mysterious discomfort. Having defied that diagnosis’ original death sentence - he was given three to six months to live - Simon continues to push ahead with no whiff of ‘Why me?’ ‘Instead, I think, “This is a really bad situation - and what else can I do to get out of it?’” Wealthy: Simon had a falling out with his co-creator Matt Groening (pictured) and left the show in 1993 but retained a healthy stake in the franchise . The 58-year-old fervent philanthropist is spending his final months funding projects that feed homeless people and save animals from being killed in animal shelters. ‘I’m supporting the charities that I supported during my lifetime,’ he states, ‘and I want to continue to do that.’ Simon grew up comfortably in Beverly Hills, where his father was in the garment industry, not showbiz. After turning his drawing talent into a job at an animation studio that made cartoons for kids, Simon submitted a script, on spec, to the ABC comedy ‘Taxi.’ His script was bought and produced, and Simon, in his 20s, was hired as a staff writer and soon rose to be the showrunner. From there he joined a new NBC sitcom called ‘Cheers,’ where he was staff writer for its ascendant first three seasons. In 1987 he became a writer and executive producer on the Fox comedy series ‘The Tracey Ullman Show,’ teamed alongside James L. Brooks, the comedy legend with whom he had worked on ‘Cheers’ and ‘Taxi,’ and, of course, cartoonist Matt Groening. They became the founding fathers of ‘The Simpsons.’ Write caption here . ‘The Simpsons’ began as interstitial . cartoon clips aired during the otherwise live-action ‘Ullman’ show . until, in 1989, it was spun off as a Fox half-hour of its own. Simon . was named creative supervisor, and he hired the first writing staff as . well as creating several Springfield citizens, including Mr. Burns, the . cadaverous industrialist, and Dr. Hibbert, the buffoonish physician. Although Simon remained the least-known of the three creators, by many accounts he was the most hands-on. ‘You . can't overstate his contribution to “The Simpsons,'" says talk-show . star Conan O'Brien, who was a ‘Simpsons’ writer and producer in the . early 1990s. ‘No one's smarter than he is.’ The . show - TV's first successful prime-time animated series since ‘The . Flintstones’ nearly three decades before - caught the public off-guard . with its sly but perceptive look at the culture. ‘With “The Simpsons,” people didn't know what they were gonna see,’ says Simon. ‘They didn't have a clue.’ The . show was given time and free reign to flourish by the fledgling Fox . network. ‘I don't think you get that sort of creative freedom with any . broadcast shows today.’ Close: Sam Simon has no children and is not married so he wants to give his millions to causes he cares about. He was married to actress Jennifer Tilly in the 1980s but divorced in 1991 though they remain close . Simon left ‘The Simpsons’ after its fourth season in 1994 owing to a strained relationship with Groening. But . it was a lucrative departure. His exit deal entitled him to royalties . from ‘The Simpsons’ that, as it enters its 25th season this fall, . annually pad Simon's wallet by tens of millions of dollars. He . has played no role on the show in nearly 20 years (not even watching . it, he says), even as his name remains in the weekly credits along with . Groening's and Brooks' - and his checks roll in. This sweet annuity has bankrolled the causes and alternative lifestyle he increasingly came to embrace. Among . his charitable efforts, he established the Sam Simon Foundation, which . rescues dogs from animal shelters and trains them to assist disabled . veterans and the hard-of-hearing. He . donated an undisclosed amount of money to the Sea Shepherd Conservation . Society in 2012 to purchase a vessel for their fleet, which was . unveiled last December and named for him. In . March, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Norfolk, Va., . headquarters were christened the Sam Simon Center in recognition of his . support for that organization. Animal lover: Much of his time and attention has been dedicated to the well being of animals, and he runs a home for dogs (pictured are his two dogs Gerty and Columbo) Simon's . largesse carries over to humans, too, including a Los Angeles food bank . feeding 200 families each day in Simon style: with a vegan menu. Meanwhile, he keeps his hand in the comedy world, consulting a half-day each week on the FX comedy ‘Anger Management.’ ‘Probably . the highlight of my week,’ he says. ‘That and my radio show,’ which he . hosts from his home on the online Radioio site – ‘one's on Tuesdays, . one's on Fridays.’ If he . sees this as a closeted and tentative existence, Simon doesn't let on. A . man who boxed for several years as a serious amateur, he now finds . amusement in his inability to even handle a car. ‘Recently . I drove home from UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, probably a . four-minute drive,’ he reports with a get-a-load-of-this grin, ‘and I . got into three accidents on the way home: I hit a stanchion, a tree and . another car. No one was injured. But afterward I thought, “Maybe . driving's not a good idea.'" As . with everybody else, time is running out for Simon, who has learned to . make no long-term plans, including recognizing any prospective end date. He says death doesn't scare him, however unpleasant getting there may . be. ‘I'm not sad,’ he . declares with a wave of his cigar. ‘I'm happy. I don't feel angry and . bitter. I want to do whatever I can to survive.’
The producer of The Simpsons who revealed in July that he is dying of colon cancer has received countless offers from people interesting in his cancer and his desire to give away his vast Simon was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer his final months funding projects that feed homeless people and save animals from being killed in animal shelters. ‘I’m supporting the