Actor Harry Shearer Leaving The Simpsons

[StewShearerOld]

Actor Harry Shearer Leaving The Simpsons

[tweet t=https://twitter.com/theharryshearer/status/598735505002467328]

The actor behind Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders and many more is leaving The Simpsons.

One of the things I've always loved most about The Simpsons was the incredible versatility of its voice cast. Actors like Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright and Hank Azaria have all employed their voices to give life to multiple and even dozens of the denizens of Springfield. Losing even a single one of these primary performers, in turn, is the sort of thing that could arguably spell doom for the long-running series. That being the case, it's been confirmed that the show, now preparing for its 27th and 28th seasons, will have to contend with exactly that.

As of this morning, it's been confirmed that Harry Shearer will be leaving worth $14 million.

Shearer, born in 1943, has been <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/columns/highdefinition/12373-4-Ways-The-Simpsons-Might-End>with The Simpsons since it debuted all the way back in 1989. Over the course of the quarter century following he would become the voice behind more than twenty characters including beloved Springfieldians such as Mr. Burns, Ned Flanders, Otto, Reverand Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Mr. Smithers, Principal Skinner, Kang, Rainier Wolfcastle and Lenny. In other words, he's leaving behind some enormous shoes to fill.

Source: <a href=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/harry-shearer-leaving-simpsons-795539>The Hollywood Reporter



Permalink

 

[Trishbot]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

 

[P-89 Scorpion]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Rumoured to be the cast of Futurama as they did the same multiple character bit as well.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Props to the man if he can pass on $14 million at this point. He's come a long way.

 

[J. Peterman]

I believe that the only appropriate response to this is: "Not Lenny!"

 

[Olas]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

 

[bdcjacko]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

Because the show hasn't improved, it has been pretty bad for a while now. Every so often I will sit down and watch an episode, and it is just awful.

 

[Olas]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

Because the show hasn't improved, it has been pretty bad for a while now. Every so often I will sit down and watch an episode, and it is just awful.

If you still sit down and watch an episode "every so often" you either still enjoy it to some degree, or you think it's possible for it to improve. Even if nether of these were true though I still don't see why you would actively wish for the show to no longer exist.

I don't like Family Guy, and I don't think I'll ever like it, but I don't actively hope for the show to get canceled.

 

[Chester Rabbit]

Hire me! I can do those voices pretty dead on.

 

[balladbird]

Honestly, after the surprisingly sweet resolution to Homer and Flanders' relationship at the end of "Bull-e" that'd probably have been a good way to end it, since restoring the status quo after Homer's most heartfelt attempt to make things right would be pretty tacky.

I'm pretty amazed that the show managed to stay on the air for over a quarter century and this is the first major character actor to leave voluntarily, though.

 

[K12]

Oh no! Now it'll stop being good...

 

[jurnag12]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Rumoured to be the cast of Futurama as they did the same multiple character bit as well.

Knowing the characters, I imagine Billy West might actually totally pull that off.

 

[wizzy555]

Seeing how he reacted during the last pay dispute I wouldn't be surprised if this was a stunt for more money. But either way all the best to him.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

I agree. It has managed to evolve its humour with time, similar to South Park. Unlike Family Guy, which I used to like. Probably for the novelty, but it had to milk every joke for far too long and loves to repeat these weird "comfort jokes," lest their audience experience any actual change for once, they might suffer an aneurysm. But to digress, the Simpsons has a constant supply of interesting ideas and philosophies which I quite appreciate after the stale burnt out family guy. It might be an "edgy" thing to hate simpsons perhaps. Le sighs

 

[bdcjacko]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

Because the show hasn't improved, it has been pretty bad for a while now. Every so often I will sit down and watch an episode, and it is just awful.

If you still sit down and watch an episode "every so often" you either still enjoy it to some degree, or you think it's possible for it to improve. Even if nether of these were true though I still don't see why you would actively wish for the show to no longer exist.

I don't like Family Guy, and I don't think I'll ever like it, but I don't actively hope for the show to get canceled.

By sit down and watch it, I mean I pause on it while flipping channels. I would hardly say that is any sort of endorsement of its quality or my hope it improves. It is more of a knee jerk reaction of nostalgia from when it was good. It is time for the show to end. It is not a malicious "kill the show" feeling from me, it is more of a sympathetic feeling of time to end things. All good things must come to an end, and it is now time to end the Simpsons.

 

[Tigerlily Warrior]

Well, he is 72. I'm sure the Simpsons money doesn't mean that much anymore. Not that I think it takes huge chunks of time from his life, but I'd imagine this is his official retirement.

 

[Chessrook44]

This video has never been more relevant...

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

As a long time fan of the show I really think it's time to call last drinks on The Simpsons. It's been steadily on the decline for about five years. If you need proof, just go back to the older episodes and see how many quotable lines you remember and then try that with any of the newer ones. They've done really well to go this long, so I think it's time to do the dignified thing and ride off into the sunset triumphant.

But... they won't. I see they've been signed up for two more seasons.


P.S. Harry Shearer - no, thank YOU!

 

[necromanzer52]

This has to be it, right? They can't possibly go on without Harry Shearer...right?

 

[immortalfrieza]

Don't fill them.

Let the show die with dignity...

Won't happen, but rather than going out with the cast that made it what it is, it'll slowly go out with a bunch of replacement voices that lasted a few seasons.

Why does everyone want the Simpsons to "die" so badly? I find it really strange. I would much rather the show improve and continue to be entertaining than go off the air. I don't personally find the quality to have dipped as much as everyone seems to suggest, but even if you think it has, nobody is forcing you to watch it.

Anyway, if the show's going to continue regardless, I would rather it not lose some of my favorite characters. I could live without Ned Flanders, but Mr. Burns is one of the best elements of the show.

I agree. It has managed to evolve its humour with time, similar to South Park. Unlike Family Guy, which I used to like. Probably for the novelty, but it had to milk every joke for far too long and loves to repeat these weird "comfort jokes," lest their audience experience any actual change for once, they might suffer an aneurysm. But to digress, the Simpsons has a constant supply of interesting ideas and philosophies which I quite appreciate after the stale burnt out family guy. It might be an "edgy" thing to hate simpsons perhaps. Le sighs

Another one agreeing here. The amount of nostalgia hate this show is getting is insane, all the more so because it's actually improved over the years. In particular, around the time of the Simpson's movie the animation got better, the jokes more funny, and it stopped trying to be up it's own ass with messages so much and just focused on the humor.

This video has never been more relevant...

The irony is that that video is 100% true. They could replace Shearer among other voice actors and do it seamlessly if casting put some actual effort into finding VAs that sound virtually indistinguishable from the originals (hell, by now there's probably countless voice actors that grew up watching the show that spent their youth mimicking the characters they could draw on). The problem is that with most shows if they do replace VAs most don't bother to give enough of a damn to put any work into finding the right ones and just throw in the first guy they find that sounds vaguely similar if they give a crap enough to find someone that sounds even remotely like the original in the first place.