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Re: 'The Simpsons' No More? Show to potentially end
'The Simpsons' No More? Voice Actors, Studio "Have a Cow" Over Salaries
by Tim Molloy / Reuters
(TheWrap.com) — After surviving aliens, skateboarding hooligans, and living in the shadow of a very poorly regulated nuclear facility for decades, will Springfield be ruined by money troubles?
The studio that produces "The Simpsons" says it needs to cut its budget or abruptly stop producing new episodes after its current, twenty-third season.
The show's lead voice actors may walk over a demand that they agree to have their roughly $8 million-per-season salaries cut almost in half. The dispute was first reported by The Daily Beast.
"Twenty-three seasons in, 'The Simpsons' is as creatively vibrant as ever and beloved by millions around the world. We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model," 20th Century Fox Television said in a statement. "We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement with the voice cast that allows 'The Simpsons' to go on entertaining audiences with original episodes for many years to come."
Harry Shearer (the voice of Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, and Ned Flanders, among others) suggested the fate of the show is up to the studio Tuesday, when a fan tweeted, "Simpsons facing cancellation? Say it ain't so, Harry!"
Shearer responded: "Don't tell me, tell Fox."
Fox TV has tried to get actors to take paycuts before, threatening to replace them with soundalikes. The cuts they're being asked to take -- about 45 percent -- would drop their salaries to slightly more than $4 million for about 22 weeks of work each season.
"The Simpsons" remains the anchor of Fox's Sunday animation block, and is the longest-running primetime scripted series in the history of television. With nearly 500 episodes, it would still live a long life in syndication.
Besides Shearer, the actors being asked to take cuts are Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and others), Julie Kavner (Marge and others), Nancy Cartwright (Bart and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum and Apu).
Until the issue is resolved, expect to see them march day and night by the big cooling tower.
Re: 'The Simpsons' No More? Show to potentially end
This happens every few years. The cast threatens to walk over contracts. Granted tho in their defense, The Simpsons is a powerhouse brand name. They deserve just as much a cut as anyone else.
The differnce this time tho is the studio stepping in and going "we can't afford this any longer".
I highly doubt Fox will just let The Simpsons die, because the voice actors are overpaid. My guess is it'll be demanded they take a huge paycut, if they don't, they'll be replaced. Simple as that.
On a side note -- I don't care. I HOPE IT ENDS. The show hasn't been funny since about 1997/98 (with the sole exception of the 2007 movie).
Re: 'The Simpsons' No More? Show to potentially end
I honestly didn't even know they were still doing new episodes. I stopped watching it before I graduated and that was in 1996 and even then I never watched regularly. I thought the 2007 movie was f-ing terrible
I've never really been a fan of animated sitcoms though to be honest other than the kind I used to watch on Saturday mornings
Re: 'The Simpsons' No More? Show to potentially end
It should have been killed off years ago, used to be the best show on the tv and now they have completely soiled that legacy by releasing series after series of pure garbage for about the last 10 years. When I see The Simpsons is on when flicking through the channels I'll always turn over and have a look, but as soon as I see that slick new animation I realise its a "New Simpsons", and I switch channels immediately. I'll still watch the old ones no matter how often I see them, I still think they are class.
Re: 'The Simpsons' No More? Show to potentially end
The last few seasons have blown Family Guy out of the water. The show still has good episodes though it's gotta be hard to keep having good ideas after 20+ years.
I also hate seeing comments about how something sucks from someone who claims to not have seen it in years and caught one episode. Way to be in the loop
As far as the dispute? They are being asked to take a 45% paycut! They are OK with a 30%, but 45%?!?! Non of us would take that no matter how much we made
