Alan Simpson, a longtime Republican senator from Wyoming who championed bipartisan solutions and steadfastly advocated for a moderate blend of conservatism, has died. He was 93.
Simpson died early Friday after struggling to recover from a broken hip in December, according to a statement from his family and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West provided to The Associated Press.
Simpson, a man of blunt rhetoric whose towering 6-foot-7 stature made him an instantly recognizable figure on Capitol Hill, made a career of taking on difficult congressional assignments, bringing his signature candor to epic legislative battles.
Simpson was also a fierce supporter of federal support of the arts. “If you’re just interested in politics alone, it’s barbaric. That won’t keep you alive,” he once said.
The minimum requirement of appearance as either a character or the fictionalized version one’s self to qualify for membership into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame is three. Senator Simpson achieved that, with three of the 1990s sitcoms which dealt with political issues.
From Wikipedia:
Alan Kooi Simpson (September 2, 1931 – March 14, 2025) was an American politician from Wyoming. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the United States Senate from 1979 to 1997. Simpson was the Republican whip in the U.S. Senate from 1985 to 1995, as majority whip from 1985 to 1987 and minority whip from 1987 to 1995. He also served as co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform with Democratic Party co-chair Erskine Bowles of North Carolina.
Born in Denver, Simpson graduated from the University of Wyoming's law school (1958). Simpson served in the Wyoming House of Representatives (1965–1977) and won election to the United States Senate (1978). His father, Milward Simpson, served in the same seat (1962–1967). Simpson served as the Senate Republican Whip (1985–1995). After serving three terms in the Senate, Simpson declined to seek re-election in 1996.
After leaving office, Simpson practiced law and taught at different universities. He also served on the Continuity of Government Commission, the American Battle Monuments Commission, and the Iraq Study Group. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed him to co-chair the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which made several recommendations on ways to reduce the national debt.
He has been a vocal proponent of amending the U.S. Constitution to overturn Citizens United v. FEC (2010) and allow Congress to set reasonable limits on campaign spending in U.S. elections.
Here are those three appearances which earned him the “honor” of joining the Television Crossover Hall Of Fame:
DESIGNING WOMEN
THE STRANGE CASE OF CLARENCE AND ANITA (1991)
Mary Jo Shively:
Alan Simpson refers to this as "This sexual harassment crap." Nice talk, huh, from a United States senator?
Bernice Clifton:
Is that Bart Simpson?
Anthony Bouvier:
Bernice, I believe you mean Alan Simpson.
Bernice Clifton:
Whatever. You can just see how he loves to say those dirty words.
MURPHY BROWN
ALL THE LIFE THAT'S FIT TO PRINT (1993)
LATELINE
KARP'S NIGHT OUT (1999)
O'Bservation:
On the night Gail Ingersoll finally got the chance to be the executive producer, Senator Simpson appeared as a pundit on the topic of social security. He let the old folks, the younger generation AND anchorman Pearce MacKenzie have it.
From the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum:
The Art of Political Humor
October 16, 2002
I want to come back to this semi-serious question. Did you work with people-- I mean principals in the Senate-- who were gifted, great public servants, no sense of humor?
SEN. ALAN SIMPSON:
Yeah, I did, and they were always easy to overpower in debate or any other place. You could just get them. You’d just throw something in. They’re all buttoned down, they’ve got their script in their head, and you just do some absurdity.
AL FRANKEN:
We want names.
SEN. ALAN SIMPSON:
Yeah, I know. Franken and I, what was that show you dragged me into?
AL FRANKEN:
Oh, 'Lateline'.
SEN. ALAN SIMPSON:
That’s where you portrayed me as ...(inaudible) savager of the AARP, and I loved it.
O'Bservation:
You can tell in which one he was not a willing participant.
Because these qualifications are inviolate, appearances as himself on other programs of a more realistic nature – everything from talk shows, political roundtables, and news programs – can enhance the “flavor” of that real-life member’s televersion.
There’s one more reason why Senator Simpson is being inducted into the TVXOHOF….
He was the senator from the home state of my friend, Mark Thompson. He met the Senator on several occasions and always speaks highly of him.
As Red Skelton would say, “Good night and may God bless….”
Alan Kooi Simpson (September 2, 1931 – March 14, 2025) was an American politician from Wyoming. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the United States Senate from 1979 to 1997. Simpson was the Republican whip in the U.S. Senate from 1985 to 1995, as majority whip from 1985 to 1987 and minority whip from 1987 to 1995. He also served as co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform with Democratic Party co-chair Erskine Bowles of North Carolina.
Born in Denver, Simpson graduated from the University of Wyoming's law school (1958). Simpson served in the Wyoming House of Representatives (1965–1977) and won election to the United States Senate (1978). His father, Milward Simpson, served in the same seat (1962–1967). Simpson served as the Senate Republican Whip (1985–1995). After serving three terms in the Senate, Simpson declined to seek re-election in 1996.
After leaving office, Simpson practiced law and taught at different universities. He also served on the Continuity of Government Commission, the American Battle Monuments Commission, and the Iraq Study Group. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed him to co-chair the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which made several recommendations on ways to reduce the national debt.
He has been a vocal proponent of amending the U.S. Constitution to overturn Citizens United v. FEC (2010) and allow Congress to set reasonable limits on campaign spending in U.S. elections.
Here are those three appearances which earned him the “honor” of joining the Television Crossover Hall Of Fame:
DESIGNING WOMEN
THE STRANGE CASE OF CLARENCE AND ANITA (1991)
Alan Simpson refers to this as "This sexual harassment crap." Nice talk, huh, from a United States senator?
Is that Bart Simpson?
Anthony Bouvier:
Bernice, I believe you mean Alan Simpson.
Bernice Clifton:
Whatever. You can just see how he loves to say those dirty words.
MURPHY BROWN
ALL THE LIFE THAT'S FIT TO PRINT (1993)
KARP'S NIGHT OUT (1999)
O'Bservation:
On the night Gail Ingersoll finally got the chance to be the executive producer, Senator Simpson appeared as a pundit on the topic of social security. He let the old folks, the younger generation AND anchorman Pearce MacKenzie have it.
October 16, 2002
JEFF GREENFIELD:
SEN. ALAN SIMPSON:
Yeah, I did, and they were always easy to overpower in debate or any other place. You could just get them. You’d just throw something in. They’re all buttoned down, they’ve got their script in their head, and you just do some absurdity.
AL FRANKEN:
We want names.
SEN. ALAN SIMPSON:
Yeah, I know. Franken and I, what was that show you dragged me into?
Oh, 'Lateline'.
That’s where you portrayed me as ...(inaudible) savager of the AARP, and I loved it.
O'Bservation:
You can tell in which one he was not a willing participant.
Because these qualifications are inviolate, appearances as himself on other programs of a more realistic nature – everything from talk shows, political roundtables, and news programs – can enhance the “flavor” of that real-life member’s televersion.
There’s one more reason why Senator Simpson is being inducted into the TVXOHOF….
He was the senator from the home state of my friend, Mark Thompson. He met the Senator on several occasions and always speaks highly of him.
The testimony of a friend should always be accorded the weight of full consideration.
As Red Skelton would say, “Good night and may God bless….”
