Dan Harmon, the Emmy-winning writer, producer and voice actor of hit shows Rick and Morty and Community will be coming to Cornell Nov. 10.
Harmon is being hosted by the Cornell University Programming Board, which in the past few months has also brought comedians Trevor Noah and John Mulaney to Cornell.
Recently, Harmon has been widely acclaimed as the co-creator of Adult Swim’s animated comedy Rick and Morty, whose season three finale was the most watched cable program among younger demographics on the day that it aired according to the A.V. Club.
The chairperson of CUPB, Emerson Sirk ’19 talked about how the setup of the event will allow fans to truly engage with Horman.
“It’s going to be a moderated Q&A, so this is a great opportunity for fans of his shows to come and ask questions about the development of various characters and plots,”he said.
The event will be moderated by Professor Austin Bunn, who is a faculty member in the Performing and Media Arts department at Cornell.
For Sirk, the upcoming event also marked a change from the “usual stand-up comedians” that the club was known for bringing in.
A Wisconsin native and graduate of Marquette University, Harmon briefly attended community college in Glendale, California where he gained the inspiration for his other hit television show Community.
Harmon began his entertainment career in Milwaukee in the late 90s, but soon after, he headed to Los Angeles where he co-founded Channel 101 — a monthly film festival competition.
Harmon’s first Hollywood television writing credit was on the 1999 comedy science-fiction program Heat Vision and Jack starring comedy star Jack Black. Harmon and fellow Wisconsinite Rob Schrab would go on to co-create and write for Comedy Central’s Sarah Silverman Program.
In 2009, Harmon was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the “Hugh Jackman Opening Number” at the 81st Academy Awards.
Creative differences between Harmon and Sony forced Harmon to stop writing for Community after three seasons in 2012, though he rejoined the team a year later. It was during this brief hiatus that Harmon, along with Justin Roiland, developed the basis of Rick and Morty.
The popular animated series is best known for its nihilistic and absurdist humor, as well as its rabid fanbase.
Harmon also has writing and producing credits on the spooky Academy Award nominated movie Monster House (2006).
Tickets for the event will available at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 for $10 and $12 for the balcony and orchestra sections of Bailey Hall.