After considering a career in
journalism, he decided to try to become a
television writer. After two years of failed
spec scripts he was eventually hired to write an episode of Seinfeld in 1996.
Selman has won six
Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on the show, sharing them with the other producers.[6] Selman received an
Annie Award in 1999 for writing "
Simpsons Bible Stories".[7] He also won a
Writers Guild of America Award in 2004 for writing the episode "
The Dad Who Knew Too Little".[8] In the episode,
Homer's e-mail was said to be chunkylover53@aol.com. Selman registered the e-mail and received thousands of messages after the episode aired.[9] He responded to some of them in the character of Homer, but gave up when he forgot the password.[10]
Of his writing of The Simpsons, Selman said: "The hardest thing is we have to try and make each episode as good as everything that's come before it. We have a legacy of greatness, and you don't want to be the person that ruins The Simpsons."[11]
Selman formerly wrote for
Time.com's Techland "Nerd World" blog alongside
Lev Grossman,[12] and is also the creator and writer of the
Icebox.com webtoon "Superhero Roommate."[13] Selman also has written jokes for many animated movies. He appeared alongside Groening and voice actor
Hank Azaria to judge on a The Simpsons-themed challenge on an episode of Top Chef: Masters in 2010.[14][15]
Personal life
Selman is married to Renee Ridgeley[16] and they have two daughters.