It emerged last night that Harry Shearer is leaving The Simpsons after 26 years. Shearer provides the voices for loads of characters including *deep breath* Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Dr. Hibbert, Lenny Leonard, Principal Skinner, Otto Mann, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman and Rainier Wolfcastle. Shearer sent the below tweets last night, heralding his departure.
It seems off to me to just quit the show completely. When you make close to $300,000 an episode would it not be better to just cut down the number of episodes to give you time for other things? Maybe that wasn’t an option.
In the past, Simpsons characters Edna Krabappel and Troy McClure have been retired when performers have passed away. Harry Shearer is not dead though and seems to voice half of Springfield. Showrunner Al Jean has confirmed that there are no machiavellian murder plots in the works for the voiceless characters.
“We do not plan to kill off characters like Burns and Flanders but will recast with the finest voice over talent available” – Al Jean (Via Esquire)
Harry Shearer has been such an essential part of the show up until now. Can they simply recast after 26 years? Can The Simpsons survive without him?
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