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Larry Doyle

Larry Doyle

Comedy writer | Thurber Prize for humor | Class of 1980

The old offices of the Daily Illini are where a future funnyman who’d go on to pen episodes of “The Simpsons” and “Beavis and Butt-Head” learned how to write. 

“And how doing that could get you into a lot of trouble,” Larry Doyle (BS ’80, psychology; MS ’82, journalism) is quick to add.

“I spent most of my time at the U of I in a basement. Had it been the basement where all the computer terminals were, my assistant’s assistant’s robot would be writing this, but, alas, from 1977 to 1982 I could be found most days, and every night, in the basement of Illini Hall.

"This was then the home of The Daily Illini, which was a newspaper, which was a physical thing made out of paper. 

“In that basement I learned how to write, and how doing that could get you into a lot of trouble. I also learned you could get free Diet Dr, Pepper if could get your arm into the machine just right.”