Harry Shearer Signs New Contract, Isn’t Leaving The Simpsons After All

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Published

July 7, 2015

Well this is certainly going to embiggen the hearts of a few of you (and definitely going to embiggen the wallet of Shearer). The will he/won’t he/he’s in/he’s out saga of Harry Shearer and The Simpsons is over, with the voice actor revealed to have signed a new contract with the long running series, bringing to an end speculation about what to do with the myriad of important characters he voiced should he have walked away.

The very public split was initially – and quite abruptly – announced by Shearer himself back in May, allegedly due to contract issues suddenly preventing voice talent from seeking work outside the production. The production stated that, should Shearer indeed send the ole’ “Dear Baby, welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You” to his long-time employers, that all his characters would be recast.

Fear not for the fate of Lenny, CM Burns, Ned Flanders, Waylon Smithers, Dr. Hibbert, Kent Brockman, Reverend Lovejoy and co, however. A press release earlier this morning confirmed that Shearer had finally signed on the dotted line.

Woohoo! @TheSimpsons announce all six voice cast members have returned – including Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer). pic.twitter.com/YIQCA20Bis

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) July 7, 2015

The new deals for the cast are 4 year contracts, meaning that Fox now has the option to extend the series to an unbelievable 29th and 30th seasons beyond the already ordered 28th.

Shearer is set to pocket around $300,000 per episode, but reiterated that the issue was never about money. Rather, the ability to earn more money outside of this particularly neat little cashcow.

Said it at the beginning, even truer at the end: thanks to Simpsons fans for your support; wouldn’t have happened w/out you!

— Harry Shearer (@theharryshearer) July 7, 2015

This does mean that the show has a shot at bowing out (whenever it eventually does leave the air) as a whole, rather than a fractured mess. Which is a good thing (and the right thing), ultimately.

And at the very least, this now means we’re probably not going to avoid the horror of seeing further batshit crazy Republican Presidential candidates put forth their best impressions onto the internet.