"Simpsons" Cast Gets More D'oh!!

USA Today ^ | 05/03/2004 | Associated Press

[ServesURight]

'Simpsons' cast gets more D'oh!

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A month after stalled contract renewal talks led the voices of The Simpsons to stop work, both the actors and Fox are getting more "D'oh!" Terms of the deal were not announced for the actors who provide the voices for Homer and Marge Simpson and other characters on the long-running animated series.

The loss of even a few episodes of The Simpsons, would be financially painful for the network. Fox

"We couldn't be happier to have reached a multiyear deal with the enormously talented cast of The Simpsons, " series producer 20th Century Fox Television said Friday in a statement.

A spokesman representing the cast said they had no immediate comment.

Despite speculation the dispute would shorten the 2004-05 season, the studio said it was optimistic that all 22 planned episodes could be finished.

The loss of even a few episodes of The Simpsons, a bulwark of Fox TV's schedule, would be financially painful for the network.

Each cast member was seeking about $360,000 an episode, or $8 million for the 22-episode, 2004-05 season, the trade paper Daily Variety reported previously. The actors were earning $125,000 an episode.

The contract dispute involves Dan Castellaneta (Homer); Julie Kavner (Marge); Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu and others); Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns and others); Yeardley Smith (Lisa) and Nancy Cartwright (Bart), the paper said.

The actors' previous deal, which covered seasons 13, 14 and 15, was reached without complication.

In 1998, however, the cast — except for Kavner, who had a previous deal in effect — sought significant pay increases. At that time, the performers made $30,000 an episode from a show that has proved a huge international moneymaker.

[ServesURight]

MMMMMM....Simpsons....

[BlkConserv]

Comic Book Guy should get a spin-off series. Most underrated and funniest character in the Simpsons, IMO.

And now, I shall return to my duties of making dinner for my heroic comrades.

[cryptical]

Best.
Spin-off.
Ever.

[Homer Simpson]

Woo Hoo!

[Burkeman1]

CBG: Yes, finally. I would like to return your quote unquote, Ultimate Belt.

Storekeeper: I see, do you have a receipt, quote unquote, sir?

CBG: I do not have a receipt, I won it as a door prize at the Star Trek convention, although I find their choice of prize highly illogical as the average Trekker has no use for a medium-sized belt.

Storekeeper: Whoa, whoa. A fat, sarcastic Star Trek fan. You must be a devil with the ladies.

CBG: Hey, I... Huh... Tha... Oh...

Storekeeper: Gee, I hate to let you down Casanova, but uh, no receipt, no return.

Bart: I'll give you four bucks for it.

CBG: Very well. I must hurry back to my comic book store, where I dispense the insults rather than absorb them.

[Guillermo]

"I was once married in an online fantasy game, but she wanted to have children and that would have drained too many Power Crystals."

[motzman]

"Why, anyone with an IQ over 150 would know that I'd be the obvious choice for a spin off series, with the time machines, and the multi-functional vehicles, and the love interests, and the hoyvin and the flavin..."

[job]

even over the slack jawed yocal??

Also, just rented Simpsons' hit and run for gamecube. Pretty funny, my friend.

[motzman]

WooHoo! In your face Fox producers!

[dead]

I'm partial to Dr. Nick, though I would watch a Comic Book Guy show every week.

[SoDak]

Perhaps I'm jaded, but The Simpsons just stopped being funny to me 3 or 4 years ago. It seemed like every other episode was some Lisa crusade, and it just got old.

[fr_freak]

Even though the Simpsons was my all-time favorite show and I still get sucked into the syndicated episodes whever I come across them, I pretty much stopped watching the show because it seemed like they started sacrificing humor to make ideological points (and not the kind of ideology I like). As I recall, the episode that really sealed it for me was where, at the end, all the townspeople declared that the US national anthem sucked, so they all sang the Canadian national anthem. That episode wasn't even funny - it was just preachy. Anyone else notice this kind of shift, or is it just my imagination?

[NorthWoody]

Get thee hence, thou blasphemer!

Although the "Lisa crusade" type episodes are my least favorite. She actually used the phrase "our animal equals". I've pretty much disregarded her since then.

[Burkeman1]

Your right. Last three years or so they have sunk to crude humor.

[motzman]

I don't know....I saw the second episode last night, a newer rerun. Homer disguised as a robot enters the father son robot rumble.

In his first match, Homer grabs the saw blade his opponent uses, and turns it back upon the opposing robot.

The anouncer says "He's killing him softly with his saw...that's right, he's killing him softly with his saw!"

I've been chuckling all day after that ;)

[Joe Hadenuf]

Each cast member was seeking about $360,000 an episode

That comes to what? About $100.00 for each spoken word? Or would it be more?

Lordy.

[Mark was here]

That comes to what? About $100.00 for each spoken word? Or would it be more?

Don't forget they also have to breathe between words.

[pepsi_junkie]

Sadly, the quality of the Simpsons has been trailing off in recent years (IMHO). It's still funny in a slapstick sort of way but not as clever. Some episodes do shine though.

I think a new "jump the shark" category should be when a shows cast goes on strike for more dough. Seinfeld, Freinds, etc all went down fast after their strikes. Sort of like the cast knows their days are numbered, and need to cash in quick.

[billorites]

Pay up or get out.

[mvpel]

I don't know - it had a slump there for a few years, but I've generally been enjoying the newer episodes much more. You should check out the current season and see what you think.