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Harry Shearer Returns To the Simpsons
jones_supa writes: Fans of The Simpsons will find this turn of events nothing short of excellent: seven weeks after saying he was done with Fox's endless animated comedy, Harry Shearer has agreed to rejoin the show. Shearer has now signed the same four-season contract as the other five primary voice actors. He previously tweeted, "I wanted what we've always had: the freedom to do other work." Executive producer Al Jean found that tweet confusing, saying, "Everybody on the show does lots of outside projects. He actually gets to record on the phone and do the [table] reads on the phone. So we've never kept him from doing that stuff."
The OT VIII voice of Bart Simpson couldn't stand him exercising his free speech on his weekly radio "Le Show". Scientology often appears in his "Apologies of the week" segment whenever they're caught violating human rights.
Oh no, he'll only be able to buy five Ferraris this year instead of six.
Don't you mean an ivory backscratcher?
They're not forcing you to watch it.
It it's not watchable, don't watch it.
Excellent.
Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
How many millions do you need? If you've got that kind of money, it's amazing just how little you'd value another $1 million. There are things that are much more finite that become more important. Like your time. Or enjoying your life. Or doing work that means something to you.
He's very lucky to be in that situation. That's why he really doesn't need the gift horse anymore, and it may need him more than he needs it.
YouTube is filled with talented impressionists who can do these voices. I'm sure that if Shearer hadn't been persuaded (with $$$) to stay that Fox could easily have hired replacements whose voices were indistinguishable. It might have resulted in a fan backlash or rancour from the other actors but the voices would be the least of their troubles.
I guess you haven't listened to his NPR Radio show. Unless you are die hard hippy level, liberal, who hates all things about Nuclear Power, Fracking, Catholic, Olympics, George Bush Jr. and you really really really hate the Army Core of Engineers.
Sure between his mindless rantings that are based on one sided facts without any real context, the parody music is OK.
Normally I need to switch off the radio when he comes on the air. He twists his stuff worse then Fox news.
And he is the reason why I do not fund my local radio station... Because during a previous fund drive, he got little call in to keep it on the air, so they decided to move him to a different time slot, and he went bitched and complained so they put it back. Listen to their members, my ass.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I was really looking forward to the first new episode where all of his voiced characters were caught in a nuclear/chemical smog that changed their voices. That might have been funny as hell.
His show doesn't bother me so much for his views, which are common (though I agree not very thoughtful - he just parrots tired old arguments). But his delivery is just awful. Long, awkward pauses followed by mouth-smacking into the microphone when he thinks he's said something profound. Nothing even remotely entertaining happens. I switch over to regular radio and listen to mattress commercials.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
Hey, it's Hollywood. The whole story is as ad campaign. For all I know he's giving Quaaludes to Principal Skinner's mom to have his way with her.
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Actually, the truth isn't that.
His contract with Fox and the Simpsons states he's to get 5 weeks off guaranteed. He's always been allowed to pursue other projects on his on and off time, and he's actually fairly rich as it is (and old - so more money just means more inheritances).
What happened was last season, Shearer was on his contract-given break when Al Jean wanted him to do some quick voice work, and that was what broke the camel's back.
His wanting more time to pursue other things was probably a veiled attempt at explaining this - while he was free to do it during his contracted time, the Simpsons would always be first priority (so he would have to drop everything, do whatever The Simpsons wanted, then return back). So his options were limited and he really only 5 weeks where he could go and do other things where the Simpsons were not his priority.
So Al Jean wanting to impinge on that time (which to be honest, probably Jean thought it was a minor thing, like a one-liner or something and he'd be in and out in an hour) sent him over the edge to tell Fox to screw it.
And that's how it is - he's free to moonlight and provide talent all year, but when he's "on Simpsons time" he's required to put that first ahead of his other work he's pursuing. When he's off, he can do what the f*ck he wants, even the Simpsons can't stop him.
The layman version is - he gets 5 weeks of vacation a year. He got screwed because his boss wanted him to come in to do a quick something or other. He blew his top.
The Simpsons franchise generates massive revenue and returns for Fox. This is in no small part because of the "relationship" that viewers from across the globe have developed with the Simpsons characters, which are highly reliant on the well known voices. Harry Shearer does some very distinct voices for characters like Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders. His services are therefore involved in far more than mere talking as you suggest. He adds an immense amount of value and deserves to be well compensated.
This is the same reason other actors, professional sports people, famous musicians etc. make the kind of money they do. They add value ... Besides, $6,000,000 is a lot less than many people at the top of their profession in the corporate world make.
I'm not saying he's a good/bad guy or that he should be paid less/more. All I'm saying is that I would expect someone who is as central to the value creation of the Simpsons to be extremely well paid and think it is entirely justified.
You'd think he'd care more about the writers phoning it in than himself.
Most linux users don't know this, but the man pages were named after Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris fsck'ing hates noobs!