Funny Bones: 3 writers finalists for humor prize

NEW YORK—A former writer and producer for "The Simpsons," a former writer for "Saturday Night Live" and a former president of the Harvard Lampoon are finalists for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, a $5,000 award.

Larry Doyle, a contributor to The New Yorker whose previous credits include "The Simpsons," was nominated for "I Love You, Beth Cooper," his debut novel. Patricia Marx, a children's book author who has written for "Saturday Night Live" and is a contributing editor to Time magazine, was cited for the novel "Him Her Him Again The End of Him."

The third finalist announced Tuesday was Simon Rich for "Ant Farm," an essay collection. Rich, son of New York Times columnist Frank Rich, is a Harvard University graduate who served as president of the Harvard Lampoon, the school's famed humor magazine.

The Thurber Prize, named for author-illustrator James Thurber, was founded in 1996.