Shearer Quits "The Simpsons"

[hux]

The issue of whether the audience could detect someone doing a good imitation of Shearer's characters is just one factor. But it will be interesting indeed to see the reaction if they do actually re-cast Burns, Smithers, Flanders et al.

I think it might be wiser to introduce new characters. Perhaps a combination of new voice actors doing some of Shearer's characters plus brand new characters that rejuvenate the show (they would have to be very good though). If ever there was a good reason to look at giving the show a shot in the arm then surely Shearer leaving would be it.

But according to the LA Times, there is still a possibility that the two sides are posturing and that negotiations may re-open.

Wouldn't surprise me if he stays.

Oh my, no. Not even close, and honestly, who uses "exquisitely" to describe an analogy they made?

I exquisitely hit the bullseye with an incandescent and voluptuous perfection (whilst naked)

 

[Amaris]

The issue of whether the audience could detect someone doing a good imitation of Shearer's characters is just one factor. But it will be interesting indeed to see the reaction if they do actually re-cast Burns, Smithers, Flanders et al.

I think it might be wiser to introduce new characters. Perhaps a combination of new voice actors doing some of Shearer's characters plus brand new characters that rejuvenate the show (they would have to be very good though). If ever there was a good reason to look at giving the show a shot in the arm then surely Shearer leaving would be it.

But according to the LA Times, there is still a possibility that the two sides are posturing and that negotiations may re-open.

Wouldn't surprise me if he stays.

Oh my, no. Not even close, and honestly, who uses "exquisitely" to describe an analogy they made?

I exquisitely hit the bullseye with an incandescent and voluptuous perfection (whilst naked)

Ah, I see my point was missed. Let me clarify: aside from pretentious, smug self-satisfaction, who uses "exquisitely" to describe their own analogy?

Harry Shearer was an essential part of that cast. Voice actors don't come cheap, because the pool of available candidates is very close; studios like to work with established people, and they like to use them in other projects over and over again because of that. I am sure Harry can be replaced, as that was never the issue, but whether that replacement will be able to effectively imitate Harry's particular talent and mannerisms remains to be seen.

In short, if it was that easy to find someone else, they wouldn't have paid these actors half a million dollars an episode, they'd have simply let them go and and looked for somebody else.

 

[inflatabledalek]

Assuming they don't make some sort of last second deal, I would expect a full recasting of the characters. If nothing else, it's a shot across the bows to the other actors in future contract negotiations.

About ten years ago I was at a Transformers convention where Neil Kaplan talked about how, at one point where it seemed the entire cast was going to quit (presumably the '98 incident mentioned upthread?), he was lined up to play at least a couple of characters, including Krusty. His stance being "The cast were entirely right to want more money considering their contribution to the success of the show. But the pay is more than enough for me!".

 

[shapeshifter]

For me, the show, though much of the content is very depleted over what it used to be, still manages to be relevant from time to time.

They could do the same thing as when Phil Hartman died, and retire Harry's characters.

Maybe they should kill all of those characters in some funny way.

Have the nuclear plant explode. May not be funny but it is a viable way of explaining the loss of characters en masse.

A friend of mine should be calling Fox right about now.

Or that.

 

[Random_Spock]

A friend of mine should be calling Fox right about now.

Damn. That's almost spot on!

This guy gets my vote if anything happens.

 

[hux]

Ah, I see my point was missed. Let me clarify: aside from pretentious, smug self-satisfaction, who uses "exquisitely" to describe their own analogy?

I'd like to respond to this but I can't quite grasp the meaning. Surely it should conclude with "self-satisfied".....and then be followed by a pluralised noun. Dicks or nincompoops for example (or if you want to be creative.....tit biscuits......or perhaps....arse banjos)

There's so much fun to be had. Play with it. Explore

 

[Timby]

A friend of mine should be calling Fox right about now.

Damn. That's almost spot on!

This guy gets my vote if anything happens.

Scott used to be in charge of Ford's global digital and social communication strategies. He recorded that thing on a lark about two years ago and I told him then and there that he needed to keep it in his back pocket in case someone like Shearer or Azaria ever left the show.

 

[Amaris]

Ah, I see my point was missed. Let me clarify: aside from pretentious, smug self-satisfaction, who uses "exquisitely" to describe their own analogy?

I'd like to respond to this but I can't quite grasp the meaning. Surely it should conclude with "self-satisfied".....and then be followed by a pluralised noun. Dicks or nincompoops for example (or if you want to be creative.....tit biscuits......or perhaps....arse banjos)

There's so much fun to be had. Play with it. Explore

Ah, well if you can't grasp the meaning, I understand. I'll just get back to the discussion at hand.

Assuming they don't make some sort of last second deal, I would expect a full recasting of the characters. If nothing else, it's a shot across the bows to the other actors in future contract negotiations.

About ten years ago I was at a Transformers convention where Neil Kaplan talked about how, at one point where it seemed the entire cast was going to quit (presumably the '98 incident mentioned upthread?), he was lined up to play at least a couple of characters, including Krusty. His stance being "The cast were entirely right to want more money considering their contribution to the success of the show. But the pay is more than enough for me!".

It will be interesting to see, with two seasons to go, how people will react to the substitutions for Hank's characters.

 

[hux]

Ah, I see my point was missed. Let me clarify: aside from pretentious, smug self-satisfaction, who uses "exquisitely" to describe their own analogy?

I'd like to respond to this but I can't quite grasp the meaning. Surely it should conclude with "self-satisfied".....and then be followed by a pluralised noun. Dicks or nincompoops for example (or if you want to be creative.....tit biscuits......or perhaps....arse banjos)

There's so much fun to be had. Play with it. Explore

Ah, well if you can't grasp the meaning, I understand. I'll just get back to the discussion at hand

Ah, I see, well if chickens were pirates, we'd all be double Sanskrit ninjas after fish sticks in a Wednesday.

 

[publiusr]

Looks like Rick and Morty will encounter the Simpsons...

 

[shapeshifter]

^What?

<googles>

Ah...

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ecYoSvGO60[/yt]

 

[J.T.B.]

It will be interesting to see, with two seasons to go, how people will react to the substitutions for Hank's characters.

Hank or Harry? Did I miss something?

 

[Amaris]

It will be interesting to see, with two seasons to go, how people will react to the substitutions for Hank's characters.

Hank or Harry? Did I miss something?

Harry. Autocorrect decided it should be Hank.

 

[J.T.B.]

Hank or Harry? Did I miss something?

Harry. Autocorrect decided it should be Hank.

Check. I wouldn't have questioned it if not for Mr. Azaria.

 

[Amaris]

Hank or Harry? Did I miss something?

Harry. Autocorrect decided it should be Hank.

Check. I wouldn't have questioned it if not for Mr. Azaria.

Yep. I've been babysitting my niece and nephew today, which means accessing the internet is via my cell phone.

 

[ITL]

That's simply not good enough, Mr. Allen. I'm afraid you'll have to leave the internet.

 

[Random_Spock]

A friend of mine should be calling Fox right about now.

Damn. That's almost spot on!

This guy gets my vote if anything happens.

Scott used to be in charge of Ford's global digital and social communication strategies. He recorded that thing on a lark about two years ago and I told him then and there that he needed to keep it in his back pocket in case someone like Shearer or Azaria ever left the show.

Cool . He has some real talent.

 

[Amaris]

That's simply not good enough, Mr. Allen. I'm afraid you'll have to leave the internet.

But I can change!

 

[Keith1701]

Harry Shearer, the voice of Flanders, Otto, Mr. Burns, and more is leaving the show to spend more time on other projects:

http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/...or-harry-shearer-tweets-he-leave-show-n358681

Brace yourselves. The end is coming.

This is sad news for sure.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

I think you underestimate Harry's contributions.

I think you're right

He does voices. We're not talking about the worlds leading brain surgeon quitting. We're talking about a man who "does a funny voice" quitting.

If this were about a hospital, you'd have a point, but it's about a cartoon show where one of the leaving cast members is the voice of a significant number of major characters on the show.

Point being Shearer's importance to the Simpsons is not that profound. Had they, for example, kept this announcement quiet and replaced him with quality voice actors, I doubt you'd even have noticed. I think his celebrity is more important to the Simpsons than the actual voices he provides. That loss will be felt more acutely than the change of voice actor

And so the entire field of voice acting is dismissed, as if it were not a studied and practiced creative craft. Shearer and the rest of the cast's performances gave the characters the personalities they have, and that has shaped the writing in turn. That was why, when Fox threatened to replace the main cast in 1998, the voice acting community largely supported the actors and refused to audition, because they were insulted that Fox thought their contribution was so superficial that they could just plug in another actor. That was why, when Phil Hartman died, his characters were retired, and likewise Marcia Wallace. There's a lot more going on than reading lines in a "funny voice."

Never understood the tendency to write off voice actors as so easily replaced. Voice-only or not, they're still actors and crucial parts of any production.