Harry Shearer Has Left The Simpsons

[TheBlueTurtle1]

:cry:

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2015/05/14/harry-shearer-is-no-longer-a-part-of-the-simpsons

Not sure how the hell they are going to get around this. " more Seasons have been green lit. What will happen???:cry::cry:

[CyberCubed]

Its hard to believe the show was just renewed for a Season 27 and 28 too. I wonder how they're going to do two full seasons without a guy who voiced so many major characters.

He voiced Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Lenny, Otto, Smithers, etc....the list goes on. So many important characters here

[Wildcat]

Wow that's a lot of characters. Usually people are just replaced with a close-enough voice actor but this is big.

It'll be interesting to see how the new voices turn out. There's no way they'd get rid of those characters. Not 1 of them.

[CyberCubed]

I wonder if Fox regrets giving it a two season renewal now. Odd, I thought voice actor contracts are agreed upon when a show is renewed, so I wonder why he left now?

[Prowler]

They can just hire Leo. He said he can impersonate pretty much every Simspons character's voice. :P

[ZariusTwo]

Seems this public declaration of stepping down is some kind of hardball tactic for negotiations. He seems to want more time for work outside of the show, since he has a few projects running

[TheBlueTurtle1]

I wonder if it's time to pull the plug, impossible to do the show without him.

If they can't renegotiate ASAP, then its HAS to be over:cry::cry::cry:

[BubblyShell22]

Sad to hear he's leaving, but it's not surprising if the contract isn't what he wants to do and if he wants more time away. They could always hire different VAs to reprise those roles, or just kill them off for good.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

UPDATE: Shearer has revealed to CNN there is still time for him to remain part of the cast, but only if producers enable him to do other work.

Reiterating what he said in his tweets, Shearer told the site: "In last four years, I've created and starred in a UK TV series and starred on London stage. Not stopping."

When asked whether he could still continue on the show, he answered: "I think that's a question better posed to them."

For now, it seems like negotiations are ongoing but Shearer's decision to push them into the public domain is his way of playing hardball.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So it sounds like there is some hope. I can't say with his amount of money and the fact he is 71, that he would want to do much else that would conflict with the Simpsons.

[ZariusTwo]

Al Jean confirms he's gone and that his characters WON'T be rested

“Harry Shearer was offered the same deal the rest of the cast accepted, and passed. The show will go on and we wish him well. Maggie took it hard. We do not plan to kill off characters like Burns and Flanders but will recast with the finest voiceover talent available.”

https://twitter.com/ditzkoff/status/598831976418795520

I think this sets the unfortunate precedent that even if the original voice cast succumb to old age and pass on, this show will still be on the air somehow, someway

[CyberCubed]

Unless they get really close sound-a-likes, this sounds like a terrible decision. Show should end.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

Unless they get really close sound-a-likes, this sounds like a terrible decision. Show should end.

Yea, I agree, but lets hope they just go to season 30 with the original cast and call it quits with a movie send off.

[NinjaPug]

Unless they get really close sound-a-likes, this sounds like a terrible decision. Show should end.

Why do you care if ends? You don't even watch it anymore.

[CyberCubed]

Its a show I watched for over two decades. I think even most people who don't watch it anymore still have a budding interest in what happens to the cast or how it ends. Even people who haven't watched the show in years would definitely tune in when a "final episode" is made.

[BubblyShell22]

I don't think it should end just because an actor is leaving. Hell, Jason Biggs left TMNT, so they had someone replace him until Seth Green was able to take on the role permanently. So they can do the same here and still keep going. It would be stupid to end the show for good when it's already been renewed for two more seasons. I say finish those season, end it with a movie if they want to, and that's it.

[Amaranthus]

I don't think it should end just because an actor is leaving. Hell, Jason Biggs left TMNT, so they had someone replace him until Seth Green was able to take on the role permanently. So they can do the same here and still keep going. It would be stupid to end the show for good when it's already been renewed for two more seasons. I say finish those season, end it with a movie if they want to, and that's it.

It should end because it hasn't been good in years.

[ZariusTwo]

gG6lmHOM39c

It's nice to pretend his departure went a little like this

I don't think it should end just because an actor is leaving. Hell, Jason Biggs left TMNT, so they had someone replace him until Seth Green was able to take on the role permanently.

Nick TMNT has years of life left in it. Simpsons has been a cancerous and unfunny tumor almost longer than it was ever a genuine cultural revolution. It should have ended with "Homer's Enemy"

[BubblyShell22]

It should end because it hasn't been good in years.

But it isn't ending. I'd say let it end if it wasn't renewed for two more seasons, but since it has been, the best thing to do is to just let those seasons play out and end it from there. But I agree that it definitely hasn't been good. I can barely watch it anymore.



gG6lmHOM39c

It's nice to pretend his departure went a little like this



Nick TMNT has years of life left in it. Simpsons has been a cancerous and unfunny tumor almost longer than it was ever a genuine cultural revolution. It should have ended with "Homer's Enemy"

Nice one, Zar. And it makes sense, too.

As for Nick TMNT, that may be true, but it still hasn't been greenlit for a fifth season yet, so season four may be the last for all we know. As I said before, Simpsons hasn't been good, but you know they're going to milk it for all it's worth. That's just what they do.

[CyberCubed]

Simpsons should have ended by Season 10 at the latest. Season 10 aired over 15 years ago for god sakes.

[Wesley]

Meh. I haven't watched the show in years (well, the newer seasons anyway). I think it should have ended after the Simpsons movie was released in 2007.

[BubblyShell22]

Gotta agree with that, Wesley. The Simpsons Movie would have made a fine finale.

[CyberCubed]

Simpsons fans split the show up into segments:

"Classic Simpsons" is Seasons 1-8.

"Good/OK Simpsons" is Seasons 9-10

"Jerkass Simpsons" is Seasons 11-12

"Meh Simpsons" is Seasons 13-15

"Bad Simpsons" is Seasons 16-26.

So we have 10+ seasons of bad Simpsons, and even 5 seasons of mediocrity before that.

[Leo656]

They can just hire Leo. He said he can impersonate pretty much every Simspons character's voice. :P

Look who pays attention! :lol: You get a brownie.

Show still makes me laugh, you cynical bastards can all go f*** ya-selves. :lol: I actually didn't watch it for about 8 years so I'm seeing a lot of the post-2000 stuff for the first time recently on FXX. It's a cartoon show, lighten up. :tgrin:

[Jester]

I still find the Simpsons funny....especially compared to some of it's imitators.

Also:
cHaXdl20Prg

[snake]

I can't believe the show has two more seasons. Holy sh*t, the writers have to be running out of story ideas.


WE HAVE STORIES FOR YEARS

[Wildcat]

I'm sure the new voices will be fine.

Regardless of this I hate that so many people wanna make out the early seasons to be so vastly superior. I love the Simpsons but watching the old stuff even I must admit it wasn't anymore special or unique. It reflected the era and comedy of that time.

Same difference now. I think it's still funny. For those who don't fine. I think it's kind of another case of the "back then was better" thing.

[ZariusTwo]

I'm sure the new voices will be fine.

Regardless of this I hate that so many people wanna make out the early seasons to be so vastly superior. I love the Simpsons but watching the old stuff even I must admit it wasn't anymore special or unique. It reflected the era and comedy of that time

Can you think of any quote from current Simpsons off the top of your head? One that transcends whatever decade it's set in and feels hip and relevant to today's society?

No?

That's why people remember classic Simpsons. It has a line and a situation for every occasion over ANY generation. New S*itsons is dated to their exact periods.

[TMNTChris1980]

Give the new seasons a try. I gave up on The Simpsons a while back too, but after the marathon I decided to watch the new stuff. I was pleasently surprised that it was really funny.

Great Homer-ism from this season - Police sirens are heard loudly, and lights can be seen through the windows of the Simpsons house. A loud knock on the door. Homer says "Hmm...I wonder who that is". Classic.

[CyberCubed]

There are select scenes or episodes from the newer seasons that can be funny, but its surrounded by too many terrible episodes, poor characterisation, unfunny jokes, or character derailment for the characters.

[Wildcat]

Can you think of any quote from current Simpsons off the top of your head? One that transcends whatever decade it's set in and feels hip and relevant to today's society?

No?

That's why people remember classic Simpsons. It has a line and a situation for every occasion over ANY generation. New S*itsons is dated to their exact periods.What exactly are talking about? Character catchphrases?

Your not gonna get memorable quotes 20 some seasons after everything and everyone has been established. Of course people remember the early stuff more often...because it was new. Has nothing to do with whether or not someone still likes it's writing.

You wanna base quality on whether it can still come up with famous oneliners? :lol:

[Redeemer]

I still find the Simpsons funny....especially compared to some of it's imitators.

Also:
cHaXdl20Prg

:lol:
I don't think Homer realizes what he makes per episode :lol:

[Leo656]

It's fine; it's just Different from what it Used To Be. Then people over-sell being "different" as being "awful".

It happens. We all do it. But I don't truly think it's warranted in this case.

[NinjaPug]

I bet Shearer ends up coming back anyway. This isn't the first time this has happened with him.

[CyberCubed]

I bet Shearer ends up coming back anyway. This isn't the first time this has happened with him.

Al Jean already said his roles will be recasted.

[NinjaPug]

Al Jean already said his roles will be recasted.

If they can't get him back. Jean said they have 7 episodes completed with Shearer and he wouldn't have to be recast until later this summer. Jean said they're still trying to get him back.

[BubblyShell22]

Yep, saw on TMZ Live that they're trying to get him back and are still in negotiations. Of course, that could change.

As for whether the show is still good, it has its moments. I liked "Waiting for Duffman" as I thought it was a good episode and that's one of the newer ones.

[Guitar_Raph]

Liked him in all his characters, but Principal Skinner's the one I feel sorry for. He gets bitched @ by Superintendent Chalmers & Agnes Skinner (his mother)!

Here's a story idea; Skinner finds out he has a half brother named Orson. His mother disapproves of them both yelling "ORSON, SEYMOUR!" hits them with her umbrella & Agnes Skinner turns into...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/PCenter/Mystery%20Section/Wirchiepoo_zpsdomgloon.jpg
WITCHIEPOO!!!

[ssjup81]

Al Jean confirms he's gone and that his characters WON'T be rested



https://twitter.com/ditzkoff/status/598831976418795520

I think this sets the unfortunate precedent that even if the original voice cast succumb to old age and pass on, this show will still be on the air somehow, somewayThe Japanese animated series, Chibi Maruko-chan has been airing since 1990. It ended in 1992 but started back up in 1995 and has been airing since. Still popular. Momoko's grandfather's voice actor is on his third one. The previous two died while voicing the role. It was even on the news when the second guy passed a few years ago. They didn't end the show, just replaced the voice actor. Outside of the grandfather, everyone else has the same voice actor they started off with.

I'm pretty sure Sazae-san (been airing since the late 1960s) still has the majority of the original voice cast. I know Sazae herself still has the same voice actress from 1969. I think her brother's character's voice actress was changed a couple of times and her sister's character. Her son's character I think still has the same voice actress. Oh, her parents still have the same voice actors...well her father's was changed a few years ago. He died, I remember. Show is still airing.

Lupin III is still relevant in Japan, even if there hasn't been an ongoing series in recent years, just specials and movies. The main characters have had different voice actors at points (company issues), but for the most part have kept the same voice actors since 1967. Goemon didn't. Fujiko for the most part has until recently and I could hear the difference. lol The last thing her voice actress did before the change, you could REALLY hear how much she'd aged over the years. Lupin's character's voice actor was changed due to death. Zenigata had the same one until recently...passed and replaced him. Pretty close IMO.

So maybe we shouldn't worry so much...although...Mr. Burns. You just can't replace him.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

Fingers crossed they can work something out with Harry. I am sure 90% of fans, want the show to have its full run, with the original cast. I don't want some different sounding Ned etc. Even if they found someone who sounds like the characters , you can always tell, and after 26 years I can't accept it in good faith.

[BubblyShell22]

I agree that I don't want Harry to leave, but if it has to happen, then I guess we'll just have to accept it or not watch.

[TheCanadiandrome]

I agree that I don't want Harry to leave, but if it has to happen, then I guess we'll just have to accept it or not watch.
pretty much bubbly

[TheBlueTurtle1]

This is exactly what the the simpsons producers should do to Harry if he won't re-sign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ocLDU-nsU

[sdp]

I find it funny that while no one on the internet really cares about the Simpsons or watches them we still don't want those characters to continue without such important characters or them being recasted.

As far as the news recasting him is possibly the worst idea ever, and goes to show they care not for the fans and only the money but we've known that for a while but this is like a slap in the face. I think it's just a tactic for them to negotiate as well but if they do re-cast him I can see Fox recasting the main family as they retire/die and continue the show indefinitely. With recasted actors it would also mean costs go way down. I do know in many countries the cast has been recasted at least once and yet the show continued.

Simpsons fans split the show up into segments:

"Classic Simpsons" is Seasons 1-8.

"Good/OK Simpsons" is Seasons 9-10

"Jerkass Simpsons" is Seasons 11-12

"Meh Simpsons" is Seasons 13-15

"Bad Simpsons" is Seasons 16-26.

So we have 10+ seasons of bad Simpsons, and even 5 seasons of mediocrity before that.

Who the hell splits up the Simpsons seasons like that? I think it's just you.

The general consensus has always been classic Simpsons are Seasons 2-7, after that it's personal opinion whether you include S1,8. After that all the Al Jean years were seen as terrible, I do remember reading like 5 years ago that after the suckage of the teen seasons they were beginning to be good again but that may have been a small vocal minority I have no idea. In theory the Simpsons have "sucked" for almost 2/3rds of their time on air.

How do I personally feel about the Simpsons? Well I watched religiously until S8 and love all those episodes, I stopped watching after that because we switched to DirectTV and at the time they didn't have local channels available and I had no way of watching over the air TV in my house but the few episodes I watched of S9 I still liked. It's also this time when I started becoming a teen and stopped caring for cartoons in general. I used to be a huge fanboy and loved the Simpsons Comics that if you think about aren't that much better than mediocre episodes of the simpsons, my favorite S1 now is probably S1 but that's probably because of Nostalgia, it was the one that was rerun the most even though as a kid I preferred post-S1 episodes. I thought the movie was mediocre at best, don't know why it got so much praise. As far as "modern" Simpsons I've seen episodes here and there, I think there's plenty of great episodes still but there's many more that aren't bad but just mediocre, they don't do anything new. They did go overboard with celebrity guests though, they also started having wackier adventures and the characters have become parodies of themselves at this point so yeah there's definitely bad episodes. I still want to watch all of the show once it finishes and I'm surprised by how good old Simpsons holds up and I still fondly remember them.

[Leo656]

I hate to be a dick but TV shows shouldn't go out of their way to negotiate with voice actors. They're talking into a microphone. I understand that once a show hits a certain status it becomes "iconic" and so do the characters, but it also means there's a whole world of "Close Enough" sound-alikes out there. This dude's not starving. Believe that.

Just like not one single person deserves to earn a million dollars an episode for being an actor on a TV series, I don't care who they are, not one person should have the leverage to hold a company "hostage" just because they voice 75% of the characters on a popular show. It's Fox's fault for getting themselves into that corner by *letting* him voice all of those characters and making him such a focal point, but again, he's just a guy, it's just a cartoon show, and I'm sure he makes more than enough money. HE's the one being a dick and screwing over the fans, not Fox.

Whatever he's getting paid is already too much by any rational standard. If he wanted to, he could make everyone happy and accept what he's offered since the show won't be lasting much longer anyway. Instead, he pulls a power play, doesn't get what he wants, and now everyone's crying that Flanders and Burns are gonna sound different. Well, go tell him to pull his head out of his ass and stop being a baby.

At some point, you have Enough Money. Especially when your entire job is getting paid millions a year talking into a mic. Poor you. Don't like the situation, fine, but lay blame at the right person's feet.

[Peanut]

When was this about money? I thought it was about him being in his 70's and wanting to have time to do other stuff outside of the Simpsons but them not agreeing?

[sdp]

Being paid millions for anything sounds like a lot but it's all relative to the earnings which are many more millions made by fox. The same reason athletes make so much money or even wrestlers for a single show, people are paying to see them, it doesn't matter if they're actual work isn't that difficult. Stone Cold gets a crapload of money for coming to the ring saying hell yeah and drinking beer for 10 minutes on raw than a guy who is literally getting his ass kicked for a couple of dollars, why? Because most people paid to see those 10 minutes of Stone Cold, or people watched a movie for Tom Cruise. Most people don't mind paying a little for entertainment and if you have a lot of fans then yeah you make a lot of money, it's perfectly reasonable.

When you have so much money you might not even care, sure he gets millions for recording a few lines here and there but he already has millions and doesn't need them and doesn't want to be tied to only doing the show, he wants to do something else with his life and that's perfectly reasonable. He's only doing this because recording dialog isn't a big problem and he gets paid very well but if its a decision of whether to do something else then he's willing to make the sacrifice.

[Mew]

Downhill. At least it's not the voice of Homer.....yet...

[CyberCubed]

If Simpsons ended around Season 10 or so like it should have, we probably would have gotten revivals by now with various movies or specials.

[Raph's Girl]

Welp. It seems that Harry has RETURNED to the Simpsons....renewed his contract and everything. The contract is good for another FOUR seasons.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/15/harry-shearer-simpsons-returns

[NinjaPug]

Of course he did. It would've been more surprising if he didn't.

[CyberCubed]

Man, when will Simpsons end?

[TheBlueTurtle1]

YEEESSSSSS!!

https://33.media.tumblr.com/22db529a66f8391576777094f4fc322b/tumblr_nqtuu1jjIH1rkma2mo1_500.gif

[BubblyShell22]

Glad to hear he had a change of heart about this. Let's hope it works out and it doesn't happen again.