Richard James "Rich" Appel (born May 21, 1963) is an American television writer, producer and former lawyer who moved from a legal career into television comedy writing. He is best known for his work on several high-profile prime-time animated sitcoms, where he has contributed as a writer, story editor and producer. Profiles of his career commonly identify him as a versatile comedy writer with a talent for character-based humor combined with broad satire.
Appel wrote for and produced episodes of long-running series such as The Simpsons, and later became a regular contributor to series created by or associated with Seth MacFarlane, including Family Guy and American Dad!. His work spans both scripting individual episodes and helping shape season-long story arcs in writer rooms, applying experience from multiple production roles to support animation teams and voice casts.
He also co-created The Cleveland Show with collaborators Seth MacFarlane and Mike Henry, developing a spinoff that expanded a supporting character into a new ensemble comedy. As a co-creator and producer he participated in casting decisions, character development and the adaptation of a supporting role into a distinct series voice and premise.
Appel's background outside television—first practicing as a lawyer—is often noted as an unconventional route into comedy writing. That transition illustrates a broader pattern in television where professionals from other fields bring fresh perspectives to writers' rooms. Observers emphasize his ability to write both rapid-fire pop-culture jokes and quieter, character-driven scenes.
His contributions fall within the wider context of Fox's animated network animated sitcom tradition, which has relied on a mix of satire, recurring jokes and family-centred narratives. Appel's episodes often balance pointed satire with warmth, using recurring motifs and punchy dialogue to support long-running series continuity while keeping episodes accessible to new viewers.
In production roles he has worked with showrunners and other senior staff to shepherd episodes from script to screen, collaborating with animators, editors and performers. His career is an example of how writers move between staff writing, producing and show-creation roles in contemporary American television, influencing newer writers and contributing to the durability of prime-time animated comedy.