‘The Simpsons’ Co-Star Harry Shearer Breaks His Silence on Salary Negotiations - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-07-2011, 11:25 AM

For many years now, the cast of “The Simpsons” has been trying to get Fox to agree that, like so many other people who’ve contributed significantly to the show’s success, we be allowed a tiny share of the billions of dollars in profits the show has earned. Fox has consistently refused to even consider the matter. Instead, it’s paid us salaries that, while ridiculous by any normal standard, pale in comparison to what the show’s profit participants have been taking home.

Now, as the show enters its twenty-third season, we are engaged in what will probably be our last contract negotiation with Fox. As you may have heard, the network has taken the position that “The Simpsons” no longer makes enough money and that unless we in the cast accept a 45% pay cut, they are not going to bring the show back for a twenty-fourth season.

Obviously, there are a lot more important things going on in the world right now, in the streets of New York and elsewhere. But given how many people seem to care about what happens to our show – and how much misinformation has been flying around – I thought it might make sense for at least one member of the cast to speak out directly. I should note that I am speaking only for myself, and not for any of the other actors on the show.

Fox wants to cut our salaries in half because it says it can’t afford to continue making the show under what it calls the existing business model. Fox hasn’t explained what kind of new business model it has formulated to keep the show on the air, but clearly the less money they have to pay us in salary, the more they’re able to afford to continue broadcasting the show. And to this I say, fine – if pay cuts are what it will take to keep the show on the air, then cut my pay. In fact, to make it as easy as possible for Fox to keep new episodes of “The Simpsons” coming, I’m willing to let them cut my salary not just 45% but more than 70% – down to half of what they said they would be willing to pay us. All I would ask in return is that I be allowed a small share of the eventual profits.

My representatives broached this idea to Fox yesterday, asking the network how low a salary number I would have to accept to make a profit participation feasible. My representatives were told there was no such number. There were, the Fox people said, simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show’s success.

As a member of the “Simpsons” cast for 23 years, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve had a great run and no one should feel sorry for any of us. But given how much joy the show has given so many people over the years – and given how many billions of dollars in profits News Corp. has earned and will earn from it – I find it hard to believe that this is Fox’s final word on the subject. At least I certainly hope it isn’t, because the alternative is to cancel the show or fire me for having the gall to try to save the show by helping Fox with its new business model. Neither would be a fair result – either to those of us who have committed so many years to the show or to its loyal fans who make our effort worthwhile.

http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/

ShamelessFanGirl · 10-07-2011, 12:23 PM

Good for Harry Shearer! I am glad at least one of the cast members has the decenty to allow the network to take some of the earnings he makes from the show. However, I do think it is unfair that FOX refuses to allow any of the voice cast to have any share of the profits. I mean they are just as much responsible for the show's success as they themselves are, without them there would be no show. Hank, Dan, Harry and even Nancy are like the Mel Blanc of our time. No everyone can manage to do 20 to 30 different voices for one show. It takes a great talent to be able to do that and let's face it there isn't too much of that going around anymore. FOX should really consider themselves lucky in a way because if they wanted to the voice actors could have called it quits a long time ago on the series, the fact they have stuck around for so long shows how committed they are to their jobs.

Brian Damage · 10-07-2011, 03:25 PM

Harry Shearer never told his fellow cast members he was planning on making a new demand to FOX ... and it has both surprised them and thrown a monkey wrench in the negotiations ... sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ.

As we already reported, FOX is asking the entire cast to take a 45% pay cut. Shearer publicly stated this morning he would take a 70% pay cut in return for some profit participation -- something he says FOX is unwilling to do.

But here's the problem -- we've learned ... up until now all 6 cast members have been negotiating as a group with FOX, and the group NEVER asked for what Shearer is asking for now.

We're also told Shearer's profit sharing offer might actually be economically worse for FOX, given how much money "The Simpsons" currently generates. So, chances are slim the network would accept since it's said the standoff is all about saving money.

One source familiar with the negotiations thinks it's still possible for the group to get back on track ... but, as it was put to us, "Harry is the wild card."

http://www.tmz.com/2011/10/07/harry-...-cancellation/

ShamelessFanGirl · 10-07-2011, 04:31 PM

I am at least glad that the cast were negotiating as a group to work out this whole mess and hopefully get things resolved. However, Harry shouldn't have gone behind their backs and made such a big finaical deal with FOX without consulting with them first so they could decide of whether or not that was a good idea or not to even approach them. With doing what he did the network might take that the cast are being greedy and can't accept what is given to them. So hopefully they can figure out a way to resolve this whole situation.

10-07-2011, 11:25 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	‘The Simpsons’ Co-Star Harry Shearer Breaks His Silence on Salary Negotiations For many years now, the cast of “The Simpsons” has been trying to get Fox to agree that, like so many other people who’ve contributed significantly to the show’s success, we be allowed a tiny share of the billions of dollars in profits the show has earned. Fox has consistently refused to even consider the matter. Instead, it’s paid us salaries that, while ridiculous by any normal standard, pale in comparison to what the show’s profit participants have been taking home. Now, as the show enters its twenty-third season, we are engaged in what will probably be our last contract negotiation with Fox. As you may have heard, the network has taken the position that “The Simpsons” no longer makes enough money and that unless we in the cast accept a 45% pay cut, they are not going to bring the show back for a twenty-fourth season. Obviously, there are a lot more important things going on in the world right now, in the streets of New York and elsewhere. But given how many people seem to care about what happens to our show – and how much misinformation has been flying around – I thought it might make sense for at least one member of the cast to speak out directly. I should note that I am speaking only for myself, and not for any of the other actors on the show. Fox wants to cut our salaries in half because it says it can’t afford to continue making the show under what it calls the existing business model. Fox hasn’t explained what kind of new business model it has formulated to keep the show on the air, but clearly the less money they have to pay us in salary, the more they’re able to afford to continue broadcasting the show. And to this I say, fine – if pay cuts are what it will take to keep the show on the air, then cut my pay. In fact, to make it as easy as possible for Fox to keep new episodes of “The Simpsons” coming, I’m willing to let them cut my salary not just 45% but more than 70% – down to half of what they said they would be willing to pay us. All I would ask in return is that I be allowed a small share of the eventual profits. My representatives broached this idea to Fox yesterday, asking the network how low a salary number I would have to accept to make a profit participation feasible. My representatives were told there was no such number. There were, the Fox people said, simply no circumstances under which the network would consider allowing me or any of the actors to share in the show’s success. As a member of the “Simpsons” cast for 23 years, I think it’s fair to say that we’ve had a great run and no one should feel sorry for any of us. But given how much joy the show has given so many people over the years – and given how many billions of dollars in profits News Corp. has earned and will earn from it – I find it hard to believe that this is Fox’s final word on the subject. At least I certainly hope it isn’t, because the alternative is to cancel the show or fire me for having the gall to try to save the show by helping Fox with its new business model. Neither would be a fair result – either to those of us who have committed so many years to the show or to its loyal fans who make our effort worthwhile. http://www.deadline.com/hollywood/
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

10-07-2011, 03:25 PM	#3
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Harry Shearer Just Made Things Worse For The Cast According to Sources... Harry Shearer never told his fellow cast members he was planning on making a new demand to FOX ... and it has both surprised them and thrown a monkey wrench in the negotiations ... sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ. As we already reported, FOX is asking the entire cast to take a 45% pay cut. Shearer publicly stated this morning he would take a 70% pay cut in return for some profit participation -- something he says FOX is unwilling to do. But here's the problem -- we've learned ... up until now all 6 cast members have been negotiating as a group with FOX, and the group NEVER asked for what Shearer is asking for now. We're also told Shearer's profit sharing offer might actually be economically worse for FOX, given how much money "The Simpsons" currently generates. So, chances are slim the network would accept since it's said the standoff is all about saving money. One source familiar with the negotiations thinks it's still possible for the group to get back on track ... but, as it was put to us, "Harry is the wild card." http://www.tmz.com/2011/10/07/harry-...-cancellation/

10-07-2011, 12:23 PM	#2
ShamelessFanGirl Great Power and Resposbility Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 16, 2011 Location: Kentucky, USA Posts: 581	Good for Harry Shearer! I am glad at least one of the cast members has the decenty to allow the network to take some of the earnings he makes from the show. However, I do think it is unfair that FOX refuses to allow any of the voice cast to have any share of the profits. I mean they are just as much responsible for the show's success as they themselves are, without them there would be no show. Hank, Dan, Harry and even Nancy are like the Mel Blanc of our time. No everyone can manage to do 20 to 30 different voices for one show. It takes a great talent to be able to do that and let's face it there isn't too much of that going around anymore. FOX should really consider themselves lucky in a way because if they wanted to the voice actors could have called it quits a long time ago on the series, the fact they have stuck around for so long shows how committed they are to their jobs.

10-07-2011, 04:31 PM	#4
ShamelessFanGirl Great Power and Resposbility Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 16, 2011 Location: Kentucky, USA Posts: 581	I am at least glad that the cast were negotiating as a group to work out this whole mess and hopefully get things resolved. However, Harry shouldn't have gone behind their backs and made such a big finaical deal with FOX without consulting with them first so they could decide of whether or not that was a good idea or not to even approach them. With doing what he did the network might take that the cast are being greedy and can't accept what is given to them. So hopefully they can figure out a way to resolve this whole situation.