‘Simpsons’ to air old Judd Apatow script

A script written 25 years ago by leading Jewish comedy director Judd Apatow for “The Simpsons” will finally air next week.

Apatow, who was a struggling comedian and scriptwriter in 1990, submitted the script in hopes of landing a full-time writing gig for the animated series, but never heard back from the show’s producers.

In an interview with TV Guide Magazine last week, Apatow said that Simpson’s executive producer Al Jean contacted him with an offer to make the episode after hearing the director refer to the failed script during a recent interview at the LA County Museum.

The episode, titled “Bart’s New Friend,” is set to air on January 11 on Fox, and tells story of Homer getting hypnotized into thinking he’s a 10-year-old that doesn’t want to grow up.

Apatow told the magazine that in many ways the storyline and theme in the episode reflects his early comedic style.

The award-winning director said watching his script be made into an episode 25 years after it was rejected was “one of the greatest days of my life.”

Apatow is best known for writing and directing comedy hits like “Anchorman,” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.”