The bookshelves of Dunster E-51 are stocked with commentaries on the Talmud, Yiddish folk tales and modern Hebrew texts. Clothes are strewn all over the floor.

Etan J. Cohen '97, a Near Eastern Languages and Cultures concentrator and the room's inhabitant, fidgets upon his bed. An orthodox Jew who tries to attend services three times a day, Cohen is soft-spoken and studious.

The books demonstrate Cohen's passionate interest in religion and Yiddish literature. But his dresser, complete with a baseball cap adorned with two familiar cartoon characters, reveals another side of him.

Cohen is a writer for the MTV show "Beavis and Butthead."

The cartoon, which debuted as a series three years ago this month, has become a huge cult favorite among teens, twentysomethings and particularly college students.

Created by Mike Judge, the show has been MTV's largest money-making series, and is tied for the second-highest rating among MTV's shows.

Cohen, 21, is the youngest writer the show has ever had.

The Lampoon Connection

Cohen first heard of an opportunity to intern with MTV through the Harvard Lampoon. Cohen got his start with the network as an unpaid intern in New York during the summer after his first year at Harvard. There, he developed new ideas for a short-lived late night show, the "VJ Kennedy Show."

It was during these summer weeks in 1994 that Cohen met fellow intern Jeff Goldstone, who had written and sold some episodes to "Beavis and Butthead."

Cohen did not have cable in his house and had never heard of "Beavis and Butthead," but was impressed.

"It sounded like fun, so I took a shot," Cohen says.

He began to watch the show and write down some ideas. Through Goldstone, Cohen contacted Kristofor S. Brown, the show's co-producer and head writer, and sent him some of his ideas later that summer while he was in Israel.

"They hated them," Cohen says.

Brown agrees that some of Cohen's initial ideas didn't work.