Sam Simon is a name that may not resonate to many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, but in reality, he probably deserves some attention or recognition for one of a laundry list of reasons. For starters, Simon can be summed up as a television wizard. He has written, produced and directed television for decades, with Taxi and The Simpsons serving as some of his more recognizable endeavours. He was also been involved with Cheers, The Tracey Ullman Show, The Drew Carey Show and Friends in case those first two fail to ring a bell. Aside from stints as a boxing manager, philanthropist and very accomplished poker player, Simon is quite the humanitarian and animal rights activist. His group, the Sam Simon Foundation has spent millions helping to train and rehabilitate stray dogs. Simon has recently been diagnosed with terminal colorectal cancer, and with a short-life expectancy, has pledged to donate his entire fortune to charity.

So why am I, a writer/journalist based in St. John’s Newfoundland, talking about this good-natured humanitarian? Well, on December 17th, Simon led a press-conference in the parking lot of the FFAS building here in St. John’s, with the aim to cease the East coast seal trade…