The Simpsons to kill off one of their main characters this season, reveals show produ

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

According to EW, they're just gonna get a new voice actors to continue the roles:

In a statement given to reporters, Jean added: “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.” Sources tell EW that the issue was Shearer’s schedule, and that the actor would not agree to record his dialogue “in a timely manner,” unlike the rest of the cast.

The good news is that Shearer’s characters will most definitely continue, albeit with a different actor playing his iconc roles. “We do not plan to kill off characters like Burns and Flanders but will recast with the finest voiceover talent available,” Jean said.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/08/harry-shearer-exiting-simpsons

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

The "good news"... lol....

Man, this show should have been dragged behind the wood-shed and shot out of mercy a decade ago. I didn't think it was possible for Simpsons to get any worse, but the show going on with a third of their most iconic characters being recast will be like watching a slow motion train wreck.

 

[John Locke]

I'm hoping this is just a negotiation tactic but if it isn't just end it. We already have "good" and "bad" eras of the Simpsons we don't need a post Shearer era as well. Even if they do get him back however long he signs up for should be the end date.

 

[terry78]

The vocal inflections for those characters are way too specific. Anything else would just be an impression.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The solution is obvious: David Coulier. t:

 

[Drizzle]

It's going to be weird not hearing Shearer's voice coming from Burns, Smithers, Flanders, Skinner, etc. It's sad to see him go, but then I haven't really been watching the show for years now. The show should have ended quite a few seasons ago, and we should have known the day would come that a cast member would finally want to move on from the show. How you walk away from $14 million is beyond me, but that's besides the point. Gotta respect the guy for sticking to his guns.

But if anyone's thinking the show will end because of this, this is just one of many reasons why the show should end, but the show's future doesn't hinge on Harry Shearer. Look at The Muppets. Puppeteers left or passed on over the course of its nearly 40 year history, and yet they still found replacements to provide similar performances to the originals. The Simpsons is no different in this case, but I will say that Shearer (and Hank Azaria) was one of the most expendable out of the main cast. He didn't voice a member of the Simpson family. If this were Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner or Nancy Cartwright instead of Shearer, it would be an even bigger problem for the show.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

It's going to be weird not hearing Shearer's voice coming from Burns, Smithers, Flanders, Skinner, etc. It's sad to see him go, but then I haven't really been watching the show for years now. The show should have ended quite a few seasons ago, and we should have known the day would come that a cast member would finally want to move on from the show. How you walk away from $14 million is beyond me, but that's besides the point.

The guy is 71 and is already a multi millionaire from doing the show for two decades. He has more money than he could possibly hope to spend the rest of his life. So at that point, another 14 mil really doesn't change things that much.

 

[terry78]

I think he's taken issue with the show for a while now. He refused to do any voices for the Simpsons Ride a couple years back.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

He's playing hardball...

James L. Brooks (@canyonjim)

Hey, we tried. We're still trying. Harry, no kidding, let's talk.

Shearer wants a large percentage of the back end and merchandising. Something FOX is unlikely to give up and if the other cast members aren't getting it, why should he?

Sad news all the same.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I am honestly surprised none of the other voice actors have quit yet. I know they make a ton of money, but it's not like a lot of them can't find lucrative work elsewhere. And the show has been going down in quality steadily since season 8.

Arguably they still had solid episodes well into the double digits, but after season 20...

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

I am honestly surprised none of the other voice actors have quit yet. I know they make a ton of money, but it's not like a lot of them can't find lucrative work elsewhere. And the show has been going down in quality steadily since season 8.

Arguably they still had solid episodes well into the double digits, but after season 20...

No show would be able to pay them what The Simpsons can. They can make ALL that money phoning it in, while doing other more interesting work on the side.

I've always said, the only two actors that would ever THINK of quitting was Harry Shearer and Julie Kavner. Shearer finally took the plunge, while Kavner has clearly decided to ride it out, even if she has lost the passion.

 

[Drizzle]

I think he's taken issue with the show for a while now. He refused to do any voices for the Simpsons Ride a couple years back.

He was also the only one of the main cast to not take part in the Family Guy crossover episode.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

No show would be able to pay them what The Simpsons can. They can make ALL that money phoning it in, while doing other more interesting work on the side.

I've always said, the only two actors that would ever THINK of quitting was Harry Shearer and Julie Kavner. Shearer finally took the plunge, while Kavner has clearly decided to ride it out, even if she has lost the passion.

At this point they don't really need lucrative work. They're all well into middle-age or beyond and they're millionaires many times over. They could have money bonfires for a year, and still have enough left over to buy their own personal island.

 

[Drizzle]

[YT]cHaXdl20Prg[/YT]

This is our future.

 

[terry78]

"Mah name is Otto, ah love ta get blotto!"

The delivery on that line back in the day was ****ing classic.

 

[Pfeiffer-Pfan]

At this point they don't really need lucrative work. They're all well into middle-age or beyond and they're millionaires many times over. They could have money bonfires for a year, and still have enough left over to buy their own personal island.

Absolutely... It's why Julie Kavner does nothing but The Simpsons these days. However, some of them still like to be stimulated as ''actors'' and so pursue outside projects.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I guess it's easy for us to say they have millions, but... I don't know, even if I had 100 million in the bank. I wouldn't pass up 14. But I'm greedy.

Plus, they may actually enjoy doing it, even if the writing has gone to ****.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

A couple may still enjoy it after a quarter of a century, but odds are strong there's at least one disgruntled cast member. Or three.

 

[KevanG]

I guess it's easy for us to say they have millions, but... I don't know, even if I had 100 million in the bank. I wouldn't pass up 14. But I'm greedy.

Plus, they may actually enjoy doing it, even if the writing has gone to ****.

Really though, until you have that much money just sitting there you really have no idea how you would act in that situation.

I think it would be funny if he used his money to pay off any voice actors to not take the parts he left. Anyone who was being seriously considered would get a note in the mail with a cheque for a million dollars saying "Don't you dare."

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Really though, until you have that much money just sitting there you really have no idea how you would act in that situation.

I think it would be funny if he used his money to pay off any voice actors to not take the parts he left. Anyone who was being seriously considered would get a note in the mail with a cheque for a million dollars saying "Don't you dare."

For me it'd have to be 5 million. Even doing the voices for season 27 Simpsons would make one a legend in the cartoon voice world. Great for one's career and social life.