# Is the end near for the Simpsons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611 "2011-10-04T21:17:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/21 "2011-10-05T02:42:58Z")
If people can complain about CEO’s and Wall Streeters making millions while their businesses fail, I can’t imagine anybody of that mindset thinking that _voice talent_ is worth a comparable amount ($8 mil. a season?) for a show ranked in the 70s on a “most-watched weekly” list. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/22 "2011-10-05T02:44:04Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The other networks can pay the voice actors all the money they want; it doesn’t give them the rights to the show. > > Nobody gives a flip about Julie Kavner’s voice in another show. I thought **quixotic78** was implying if Fox canceled the show as mentioned in the OP. I remember when _Taxi_ jumped networks. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/23 "2011-10-05T02:45:35Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > A voice is much easier to replace than a sitcom actor. And even those have been replaced before. I seriously doubt you can replace anyone on the Simpsons and continue the show. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/24 "2011-10-05T02:45:47Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The salaries they get for the new episodes would not include a movie anyway and I doubt the additional seasons make a big difference at this point to the value of the syndication. No (US) show has more episodes available. To paraphrase a wise man, they have a lot of episodes, but they’d trade them all for a little more. Especially considering they’re throwing around the idea of an all-Simpsons network. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/25 "2011-10-05T02:47:13Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I seriously doubt you can replace anyone on the Simpsons and continue the show. You seriously don’t think someone else can do Homer? Or Lisa? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/26 "2011-10-05T02:47:24Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I seriously doubt you can replace anyone on the Simpsons and continue the show. I don’t understand why not. Barring any contractual issues we’re not aware of, surely there are people willing to do their best Bart Simpson impersonation for $20k an episode. How many people watch The Simpsons for Hank Azaria? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/27 "2011-10-05T02:47:24Z")
The real question is, can the talent get that kind of money anywhere else? If they can’t, then they should probably just accept the cut down to a still very high amount of money, but if they can, then they can either just take that other job, or use it as leverage in the negotiations with Fox. As for changing networks, what person or group of people could make that decision? Could Groenig do it on his own, or is there a board that would need to be convinced, or do Fox themselves have some say in it? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/28 "2011-10-05T02:49:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The real question is, can the talent get that kind of money anywhere else? If they can’t, then they should probably just accept the cut down to a still very high amount of money, but if they can, then they can either just take that other job, or use it as leverage in the negotiations with Fox. > > As for changing networks, what person or group of people could make that decision? Could Groenig do it on his own, or is there a board that would need to be convinced, or do Fox themselves have some say in it? If Fox canceled the show, I believe the Executive Producers/Studio can shop it around. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/29 "2011-10-05T02:51:32Z")
Merged duplicate threads. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/30 "2011-10-05T04:33:41Z")
Well, it’s that time again. Just as has happened several times in the past, 20th Century Fox Television is asking the voice talent for the Simpsons to take least a 45% pay cut from their current annual salaries of approximately US$ 8.35 million or else the show will end after its current season, the 23rd. > [@](#): > > “We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model,” Fox said. The crew unsuccessfully countered with an offer to negotiate a 30 per cent pay cut in return for a portion of the show’s profits. The dispute would need to be settled by December in order for the writers to work on either a season finale or a series finale, depending on the outcome of the salary talks. > **[The Simpsons under threat as Fox demands 45% pay cut for cast](https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-simpsons-under-threat-as-fox-demands-45-pay-cut-for-cast-20111005-1l7sx.html)** > > The future of animated TV comedy The Simpsons is up in the air after 20th Century Fox Television said it could no longer afford to produce the show without a huge pay cut for its cast. What does everybody think? Fox in the past has managed to come up with enough money to satisfy the cast. A couple of years ago, they also came up with enough money to retain the original cast of Futurama when that series was renewed on Comedy Central. Or will this finally bring an end to the longest-running prime time scripted show in history? Personally, I would like to see the cast be satisfied and for the show to continue. I thought the past few seasons have been very good, especially the ones since the movie. And I liked the first couple of episodes of the new season well enough. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/31 "2011-10-05T04:40:21Z")
Well, how are the suits supposed to give themselves huge raises if the people doing the work won’t take it up the ass? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/32 "2011-10-05T07:13:32Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t understand why not. Barring any contractual issues we’re not aware of, surely there are people willing to do their best Bart Simpson impersonation for $20k an episode. > > How many people watch The Simpsons for Hank Azaria? I doubt you could find too many actors who would take the jobs of the original cast. Voice actors tend to have a tight brotherhood. Maurice LaMarche once refused to take over all of Harry Shearer’s and Hank Azaria’s characters during a previous contract dispute, stating that he would never undercut another actor who was trying to better himself. > [@](#): > > …and I told my agent, “No. Those are their jobs, and they’re trying to better themselves right now. They’re trying to get paid what they’re worth. Maybe get paid what we’re all worth. And I’m not going to step on that by undercutting them. So no. Even though I could step into The Simpsons probably fairly easily, I’m not gonna do it.” And when several of my voiceover friends, top guys, called me up - guys we’ve mentioned in this conversation but whom I won’t mention in this part of the conversation - called me up to say, “Well, what are you doing about this? What are you doing?” I vociferously stated my case of, you know, “We don’t undercut each other. Those guys are still around to do the job and they just want to get paid what they’re worth, so don’t go in for it.” And so a bunch of really talented guys - I don’t know how much influence I had, but I know that a bunch of them stayed away from it and, as a result, they went, “Well, this cast is irreplaceable,” so they got the money they were looking for. > **[Interview: Maurice LaMarche » FRED Entertainment](http://asitecalledfred.com/2006/08/14/quick-stop-interview-maurice-lamarche/3/)** Shearer actually walked up to LaMarche to thank him for refusing to take on his role with the Simpsons. Fox knows this, too. They will keep negotiating with the current actors and not replace them with imitators. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/33 "2011-10-05T08:03:49Z")
Maybe they’re just doing this for publicity or for a power play. The Simpsons is HUGE worldwide and there’s no way that it’s not still a cash cow. > [@JohnT](#): > > I don’t understand why not. Barring any contractual issues we’re not aware of, surely there are people willing to do their best Bart Simpson impersonation for $20k an episode. > > How many people watch The Simpsons for Hank Azaria? I wouldn’t watch it if they replaced one of the main cast, and I know my daughter wouldn’t either - this has come up in conversation before. I don’t know why, exactly, but it would feel wrong and would change the overall feel. I also suspect that a voice actor brings a lot more to the job than just sounding like one particular character. And that’s even if they’re not voice actors like Hank Azaria, who voices a lot more than just Homer. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/34 "2011-10-05T08:11:52Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Maybe they’re just doing this for publicity or for a power play. The Simpsons is HUGE worldwide and there’s no way that it’s not still a cash cow. > > I wouldn’t watch it if they replaced one of the main cast, and I know my daughter wouldn’t either - this has come up in conversation before. I don’t know why, exactly, but it would feel wrong and would change the overall feel. I also suspect that a voice actor brings a lot more to the job than just sounding like one particular character. And that’s even if they’re not voice actors like Hank Azaria, who voices a lot more than just Homer. Dan Castelleneta voices Homer. Also, Quimby, Abe, Krusty, and Willie. Azaria voices Moe, Apu, and Chief Wiggum. But yeah, I wouldn’t watch it either if they replaced any of the cast members. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/35 "2011-10-05T08:17:19Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > If people can complain about CEO’s and Wall Streeters making millions while their businesses fail, I can’t imagine anybody of that mindset thinking that _voice talent_ is worth a comparable amount ($8 mil. a season?) for a show ranked in the 70s on a “most-watched weekly” list. How much does the head of Fox make, and how much more will he make if he can convince the cast of _The Simpsons_ to take less? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/36 "2011-10-05T08:50:56Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Dan Castelleneta voices Homer. Also, Quimby, Abe, Krusty, and Willie. Azaria voices Moe, Apu, and Chief Wiggum. But yeah, I wouldn’t watch it either if they replaced any of the cast members. You’re right - it was Castelleneta I was thinking of, but I read Azaria so wrote his name instead. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/37 "2011-10-05T09:03:16Z")
Have Billy West voice every character. Then shut it down. It was a good run. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/38 "2011-10-05T09:14:59Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > A voice is much easier to replace than a sitcom actor. And even those have been replaced before. This may be so, but there is a tradition in voice over acting that you DO NOT take another actor’s gig without getting approval first. Actors that do often find themselves ostracized by the community, and unable to find work consistently afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/39 "2011-10-05T09:15:47Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > How many people watch The Simpsons for Hank Azaria? _Raises hand_ ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611/40 "2011-10-05T12:52:02Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > How much does the head of Fox make, and how much more will he make if he can convince the cast of _The Simpsons_ to take less? What does that have to do with anything? We’re talking about people being paid $440k for what they themselves admit is commonly a half-days work. If what they say is true (about being a half-days work), this is the hourly equivalent of $228 million/year. But since you asked, in 2010 Rupert Murdoch had a salary of $8.5 million, no bonus, and was awarded $4 million in stock, with total compensation of $22 million. The head of Fox, Roger Ailes, in the same year had a salary of $5 million, a $1 million bonus, was awarded no stock, and his total compensation was $14 million. So the voice talent of _The Simpsons_, a show that consistently ranks in the mid-60’s in the ratings, gets paid $34 million a year (and that’s just for the top 4 people) at a pay scale that is the equivalent of up to $912 million/year for all four, and people here think they are worth that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-end-near-for-the-simpsons/598611.md?page=3)