Steve Pepoon, the brilliant comedy writer behind some of TV’s most iconic shows like The Simpsons, Roseanne, and The Wild Thornberrys, has died at aged 68.
His death was confirmed by his wife, Mary Stephenson, who revealed that Pepoon passed away unexpectedly outside their home in Paola, Kansas, on May 3. He had been undergoing treatment for cardiac amyloidosis, a serious and rare heart condition, though his death still came as a shock to family and colleagues.
Born with a gift for storytelling, Pepoon’s career was anything but ordinary. Originally from Kansas, he left his home state for Los Angeles in 1979, chasing a dream few dared to pursue. At the time, he was working in a shoe store – a far cry from the Emmy-winning talent he would soon become. By 1985, his first break came when he sold a script that was adapted into an episode of Silver Spoons, the NBC sitcom featuring a young Alfonso Ribeiro and Jason Bateman.
His early success led to a staff writer role on ALF in 1987, where he stayed through the show’s final three seasons. But it was the early ’90s that would cement Steve Pepoon’s legacy in television history. He wrote Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment, an episode of The Simpsons that not only struck a chord with viewers but also won him an Emmy Award. The episode aired on February 7, 1991, and told the story of Homer illegally hooking up cable TV, only for his daughter Lisa to call him out for violating the Eighth Commandment -“Thou” shalt not steal.” In a rare moment of moral clarity, Homer eventually chooses to do the right thing and cancels the service.
Pepoon later said in a 2016 interview that he was surprised when his episode was selected for Emmy consideration, modestly remarking, “For whatever reason, they chose my episode.” But that recognition highlighted his unique ability to combine humor with meaningful, often uncomfortable themes – a hallmark of The Simpsons in its golden years.
His resume didn’t stop there. After his award-winning stint with The Simpsons, Pepoon moved on to write for Roseanne, the hugely popular ABC sitcom starring Roseanne Barr and John Goodman. His time there helped further solidify his status as one of TV comedy’s most reliable voices. In 1992 and 1993, he also served as the lead writer on The Jackie Thomas Show, a short-lived but memorable project that gave him more room to shape characters and stories from the ground up.
In the late ’90s, Pepoon shifted gears and entered the world of animation once again. He co-created The Wild Thornberrys, a Nickelodeon animated series that followed a quirky family of wildlife documentary filmmakers. The show became a major hit with younger audiences and ran for five seasons between 1998 and 2004. Its success led to three spinoff movies and even a video game titled The Wild Thornberrys: Animal Adventures, showing Pepoon’s knack for creating content that resonated across mediums and generations.
From his early days as a writer on NBC sitcoms to creating shows that inspired both laughter and critical thinking, Steve Pepoon had a rare talent for injecting substance into comedy. His storytelling was never hollow – whether he was addressing piracy and morality in a cartoon or developing complex sitcom characters, there was always a deeper message tucked inside the punchlines.
Though his name may not have been front-and-center in the public eye, his work spoke volumes. Millions of viewers have unknowingly been influenced by his writing – from kids fascinated by nature through The Wild Thornberrys to adults pondering ethics thanks to The Simpsons.
- Just Keke Is Keke Palmer’s Rawest Album Yet - June 21, 2025
- Fat Joe Hit With $20M Sex Abuse Lawsuit Bombshell - June 21, 2025
- From Spotlight to Struggle: Tia Mowry Opens Up on Child Star Trauma - June 21, 2025
