End of The Simpsons

[Insanecyclone]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/1..._n_998418.html


'The Simpsons' Next Season Will Be Its Last

Whether the stars take a salary cut or not, there won't be many more new adventures in the town of Springfield.

Fox executives told The Wrap on Wednesday that even if the voice actors behind the iconic animated show "The Simpsons" take a massive pay cut, the show is no longer profitable as a first-run series and will end after next season. If the actors don't agree to a cut, this season, the show's 23rd, will be its final batch of new episodes.

The Daily Beast reported Monday that the actors were facing a 45% cut from their $440,000 per episode salary, which would take them down from $8 million to just over $4 million; they countered with an offer of a 30% cut but with a small slice of the show's backend, which includes merchandise, syndication and DVD sales. The executive told The Wrap that any agreement would only be for one more season.

Producers for the show have already taken a pay cut to keep the show going. Fox released a statement about the show's tenuous financial situation on Monday.

23 seasons in, The Simpsons is as creatively vibrant as ever and beloved by millions around the world. We believe this brilliant series can and should continue, but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model. We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement with the voice cast that allows The Simpsons to go on entertaining audiences with original episodes for many years to come.
The stars re-upped their contracts in 2008, receiving significant raises; it was reported that they went from $360,000 to $500,000 an episode.

For more, click over to The Wrap.

http://screenrant.com/the-simpsons-f...24-aco-135041/


‘The Simpsons’ Season 24 Will Be Its Last – No Matter What

It appears that The Simpsons has reached a point of no return, as a Fox executive revealed to The Wrap that even if the voice actors agree to take a substantial pay cut, the series will come to an end next year.

While this is certainly terrible news for The Simpsons’ many fans (even if you don’t watch it now, you did at one time – so you’re still a fan), Fox also noted that if no agreement can be made between the studio and its voice cast, The Simpsons will come to an end this year.


In an attempt to save the series from an immediate cancelation, many of the producers have already agreed to take a pay cut, to help trim the budget. Unfortunately, the major sticking point for the studio is the voice actors.

Fox TV has asked each of voice actors to cut their salaries from the current $440,000 per episode down to $250,000 per episode. The voice actors have been given until Friday to decide.

In a sense, Fox TV is asking the actors to take such a drastic put cut in order to be able to produce one final season of the long-running series. According to the studio, The Simpsons is in no way financially viable in its current form, and even the overall 30% decrease in productions costs that the studio is looking for will not save it – though, it will allow them to continue for one more year.

Perhaps everyone is stuck between a rock and a hard place. FOX undoubtedly cannot forget that The Simpsons saved the network from going under 23 years ago, and is trying to make things work the best they can – especially since the series isn’t performing as it once was. As for the actors, they certainly do deserve to be financially rewarded for playing a part in the success of the series.

Of course, all of that now is a moot point. With the actors having to decide whether or not to get paid 30% less next year or not at all, it’s not too difficult to figure out what they’ll decide – if only for the memories.

And with a final season, it does present the perfect opportunity for some amazing things to happen. With so many wonderful writers playing a part in the series over the years, one cannot help but believe that many would like to return to bid The Simpsons farewell.

-

[Flarega]

Well they have to make room for the next crapfarlane show.

[AvidLoki]

Well they have to make room for the next crapfarlane show.

lolFlintstones

Anywho is it just me, or do the VA's just seem like greedy bitches at this point? 500k$ an episode for just doing something you do anyway? C'mon now...

[Abandon]

dear god, they get paid a shit ton to be heard and not scene.

[Katlan]

really surprised it was profitable for this long. Either way, the VO staff was making tons of money for such little effort and it was stupid of em to not take a pay cut in order to keep sustaining a yearly salary that high.

I stopped watching the show years and years ago. But if the VO are gonna look like greedy assholes if they don't take the pay cut to allow one final season. Not saying they already aren't greedy assholes lol

[Melena]

They get a lot per episode but zilch from the backend which is fuckin retarded.

[Headspace]

24 years? I wouldn't take a paycut after 24 years lol

[Correction]

lolFlintstones

Anywho is it just me, or do the VA's just seem like greedy bitches at this point? 500k$ an episode for just doing something you do anyway? C'mon now...

Anywho is it just me, or do football players just seem like greedy bitches at this point? $375k minimum salary for just doing something anyone can do anyway? C'mon now...

The idea is to let everyone responsible for creating a multibillion dollar media/merchandising empire share in its success. Similar criticism came up when the salaries for the cast of Friends/Seinfeld were made public. The paycut for the Simpsons voice cast reflects only that the show doesn't pull the numbers it used to on first-run but the syndication/licensing rights are still worth a fuckton of cash.

FOX will happily dedicate 7pm-10pm of every Sunday night to McFarlane shows as long as they make money, but once those ratings drop they'll can him faster than you can say New Reality Series. They'll also leak how much he was making an episode to make him look greedy in the process.

[Katlan]

Why didn't they get any of the backend profits? I thought that just came w/ the territory

[6souls]

Anywho is it just me, or do baseball players just seem like greedy bitches at this point? $375k minimum salary for just doing something anyone can do anyway? C'mon now...

fixed

Simpsons should been canned around the time the movie was released. It has been an unfunny, stale show for years.

[Correction]

Why didn't they get any of the backend profits? I thought that just came w/ the territory

Probably because they were the first VA cast in a generation to even see a pay raise beyond what a substitute teacher makes in a year. Not much precedent for points on the backend until after The Simpsons made animation in primetime a smash hit. They do get residuals though.

[Bilopdop]

The Simpsons is not what it used to be, it's about time they put an end to it.

[AvidLoki]

Anywho is it just me, or do football players just seem like greedy bitches at this point? $375k minimum salary for just doing something anyone can do anyway? C'mon now...

The idea is to let everyone responsible for creating a multibillion dollar media/merchandising empire share in its success. Similar criticism came up when the salaries for the cast of Friends/Seinfeld were made public. The paycut for the Simpsons voice cast reflects only that the show doesn't pull the numbers it used to on first-run but the syndication/licensing rights are still worth a fuckton of cash.

FOX will happily dedicate 7pm-10pm of every Sunday night to McFarlane shows as long as they make money, but once those ratings drop they'll can him faster than you can say New Reality Series. They'll also leak how much he was making an episode to make him look greedy in the process.

Other than price range, I fail to see how you made the link between VA's and Athletes? One has a higher risk of personal injury and/or death to the other so at least the pricing for them is somewhat on the ball.

Also, it obviously takes a lot more skill to be an actor then a VA. Since actors have to rely on personal appearance, along with their public image and scripts/posture to memorize, their high income is for the most part, justified. (although some exceptions do apply...)

Though who knows, maybe Im jelly for someone getting paid so much for such little effort.

[Scythiroth]

Stopped watching about 10 years ago or something when it just got old to me. Honestly surprised it lasted this long. Now Seth Mcfarlane can ruin all of Sunday nights on Fox (well, not counting American Dad).

[Correction]

Other than price range, I fail to see how you made the link between VA's and Athletes? One has a higher risk of personal injury and/or death to the other so at least the pricing for them is somewhat on the ball.

These people make their parent corporation billions of dollars and without their continued cooperation those dollars would evaporate overnight, the compensation they receive is directly commensurate with said dollars, not because of some arbitrary measurement of skill.

[Arrmani]

I think we can agree somewhere someone is getting paid way more than they should on this show. I think $440k a show is ridiculous but I like the Simpsons and still watch it, so they can pay the actors whatever they want. I think most of the Simpsons cast was on that top TV actors earner list posted a while ago.

[Meresgi]

8 million a year and they are upset about getting bumped to 4million? Fuck that noise. How about they get a paycut down to 55k/year and live on that for a change. It's amazing how greedy some people are, reminds me of that recent news where Depp made 300million off the pirates movies.

[Mjd]

Sundays are ruined.

[TummieGaruda]

Not sure if you guys remember, but I believe it was last year they wanted a pay raise to $500,000 an episode or else they would go on strike. They ended up settling for the $440,000 they get now...but I mean even that much for 22 weeks of worth to provide your voice is pretty crazy. I know their contracts have certain stipulations such as they aren't allowed to do their voices in public or public settings, but still, that is a ton of cash. The show feels like they are just milking money and it has ran its course. They should let the show end this season and be done with it.

[Viq]

There are seasons after 9?