Behind the Laugher

"Behind the Laughter" is the twenty-second Episode of The Simpsons eleventh season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox Network on May 21, 2000. In the Episode, the Simpson family are portrayed as actors on a sitcom and their dramatic inner turmoil and struggles are detailed. Told in a narative format, the Episode tells a fictional story of how The Simpsons began.

The Episode was directed by Mark Kirkland and Jim Reardon and written by more than ten writers: Richard Appel, David X. Cohen, Greg Daniels, Larry Doyle, Diana Fresco, Rowby Goren, Tim Long, Jeff Martin, Tom Martin, George Meyer, Conan O'Brien, Brian Scully, Mike Scully, Matt Selman, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti and Shelley Zellman.