# Harry Shearer Leaves The Simpsons **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2015, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017 "2015-05-14T11:09:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/81 "2015-05-18T20:32:59Z")
I will just throw in that the show’s writing has been in something of a renaissance since they went to HD a few years ago. If you haven’t watched in a while, it’s a good time to come back. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/82 "2015-05-18T21:33:53Z")
After FXX’s Every Simpsons Ever marathon, I made a stab at watching some new ones again, and it hasn’t improved much since I stopped watching about ten years ago. A laugh or two per episode, and one out of every six or so episodes might actually be good, but otherwise, I wouldn’t mourn if they pulled the plug. And after last night’s season finale, I REALLY wouldn’t mourn. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/83 "2015-05-18T21:46:50Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I will just throw in that the show’s writing has been in something of a renaissance since they went to HD a few years ago. If you haven’t watched in a while, it’s a good time to come back. I agree. The last couple of seasons have been better. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/84 "2015-05-19T02:11:53Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > I will just throw in that the show’s writing has been in something of a renaissance since they went to HD a few years ago. If you haven’t watched in a while, it’s a good time to come back. > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I agree. The last couple of seasons have been better. If anyone wanted to put together a “Top Five Best Episodes 2012-2015” list, then I’d check them out and watch more if I thought those on the list were particularly good. But just a general “It’s been better recently” isn’t going to get me to invest my time. I’ve just seen too much bad _Simpsons_ and I have more than enough brilliant _Simpsons_ practically committed to memory that I just don’t see myself digging through mediocre seasons hoping to find gems. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/85 "2015-05-19T02:45:34Z")
I’m betting that one of the first post-Shearer episodes will contain a joke like this: [Bart and Milhouse on the sofa watching “Itchy and Scratchy”] **Milhouse:** Scratchy sounds a little off. I wonder if someone else is doing his voice now. **Bart:** Meh, who cares? It’s just a stupid cartoon voice. Anyone could do it. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/86 "2015-05-20T05:22:27Z")
> [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](#): > > Boy, I really hope **Hail Ants** got fired for that blunder. Took me a minute, “Some sort of \*magic \*xylophone?!?”, right? 😃 > [@aceplace57](#): > > Seems crazy to walk away from such easy money. He’s not seen on camera. That means no makeup, no costumes, no hassle. Show up in jeans and a T shirt and unshaven if he wants. Say his lines from a script in a recording booth. No need to memorize anything. For that he receives a ridiculously huge paycheck. Its one of the sweetest jobs an actor can possibly get. > > I guess he’s rich enough and could care less about his other cast members. This is a gravy train for everybody. A train that will end if too many fat cat, selfish cast members jump off. Everything is relative. I admire Shearer for being the only cast member to speak out about the show’s decline in quality. Once you remove money from the equation all that’s left is the integrity of the work. If I ever met Dan C. or Nancy Cartwright or Julie Kavner on a plane the first thing I’d want to ask is, “Given how great the show was doesn’t it bother you how bad it is now?!” ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/87 "2015-05-20T05:48:18Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > If I ever met Dan C. or Nancy Cartwright or Julie Kavner on a plane the first thing I’d want to ask is, “Given how great the show was doesn’t it bother you how bad it is now?!” Yes, how polite. After that little small talk they can bring up "Oh I was having dinner at your boss’s house, Hail Ants. Seems you’ve really dropped the ball these last few quarters. Is that really the job for you? Wouldn’t you feel more honest going back to landscaping work? " ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/88 "2015-05-20T23:55:10Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I’m betting that one of the first post-Shearer episodes will contain a joke like this: > > [Bart and Milhouse on the sofa watching “Itchy and Scratchy”] > **Milhouse:** Scratchy sounds a little off. I wonder if someone else is doing his voice now. > **Bart:** Meh, who cares? It’s just a stupid cartoon voice. Anyone could do it. IIRC they already did a joke about cartoons recasting voice actors without anyone noticing, cue _Ned Flanders_ saying a line in a completely different voice. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/89 "2015-07-07T20:57:57Z")
So now he’s back in. [Harry Shearer returning to The Simpsons](http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/15/harry-shearer-simpsons-returns) > [@](#): > > Shearer has signed the same contract as did the other five primary voice actors—Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, and Hank Azaria—keeping the show’s original cast fully intact ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/90 "2015-07-07T21:32:26Z")
I just read that as well. I suppose it’s good that he’s back but what was the difference between his contract and the others? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/91 "2015-07-07T22:13:56Z")
Told you they’d hire Sharer back! > [@CarnalK](#): > > Yes, how polite. After that little small talk they can bring up "Oh I was having dinner at your boss’s house, Hail Ants. Seems you’ve really dropped the ball these last few quarters. Is that really the job for you? Wouldn’t you feel more honest going back to landscaping work? " That’s not quite accurate, as I’m not criticizing the voice actors’ work, but the writers’. I’m curious how the severe decline in script quality has effected the actors’ attitudes toward what was once a job they all could be extremely proud to be a part of. Certainly the short answer could be, ‘they’re crying all the way to the bank’, but as stated above an acting job like that isn’t always just about the money. Especially 25+ years and millions & millions of dollars in… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/92 "2015-07-08T13:53:39Z")
Here’s CNN’s brief coverage of Shearer’s return - $300k per ep ain’t too shabby: [http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/07/entertainment/feat-harry-shearer-simpsons-return/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/07/entertainment/feat-harry-shearer-simpsons-return/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/93 "2015-07-08T14:07:28Z")
When somebody says “It’s not about the money”, it’s about the money. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017/94 "2015-07-08T14:36:32Z")
Called it back at post #2. > [@Eutychus](#): > > Maybe. I suspect this is something that will be resolved and the current publicity about it is just manipulating public opinion to get a better contract. Remember many years ago when the Simpsons was rumored to be cancelled because the entire cast wanted more money? Yeah, it’s like that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-shearer-leaves-the-simpsons/720017.md?page=4)