No, Harry Shearer is not leaving The Simpsons
By Dave Gong
A rumor that longtime voice actor Harry Shearer is leaving The Simpsons after 26 years started making the rounds on Twitter earlier this week.
But it’s not true. Harry Shearer isn’t going anywhere.
First tweeted by user @HistoryLvrsClub, the rumor is complete bunk and, according to the wonderful folks over at Snopes, two years out of date.
See, in 2015 Shearer and a few other cast members got into a contract dispute with Fox. Shearer’s contract prohibited him from doing other work while locked in for The Simpsons. Shearer threatened to leave the series and showrunner Al Jean threatened to recast Shearer’s litany of characters in response.
Shearer voices Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, Lenny, Seymour Skinner to name just a few of Shearer’s nearly three dozen characters.
The characters Shearer voices are quintessentially Springfieldian and replacing him would be a nigh impossible task.
But all is well. Shearer dispelled this latest rumor in short order.
Fans need not fear losing their beloved Springfield residents any time soon. Season 29 just started and all of the voice talent is under contract through Season 30. After that milestone is reached, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen to America’s longest-running TV show.