Drama Behind The Scenes on The Simpsons
Fox's schedule next fall might be missing it's longest running animated series.
Doh!!!!
The Simpsons have already been slated to take its normal Sunday night timeslot next season. Though it seems like there might be a delay to production.
The problem?
There's still no deal with the voice talent responsible for the Simpsons characters!
While talks are in progress and a new deal will hopefully be drawn out soon, production has already been on hold for months. This will most likely result in the show's 20th season having only 20 episodes instead of the usual 22.
And if a deal isn't reached soon, the number of episodes will continue to drop for next season.
Those greedy little fuckers!
The voice actors on The Simpsons already make SO much money! What, do they want Fox to cancel the show because it's become to expensive to produce????
Is THAT what they want????
The "key" talents responsible for the main character voices on the show are rumored to be making around $360,000 an episode!!!
That's almost $8,000,000 per season!!!
EACH!!!!!
The new deal could raise the salaries to around $500,000 an episode, including several bonuses.
Just four years ago, production was stopped when cast members didn't show up for two table reads. Back in 2004 they were looking to increase their salaries from $125,000 an episode. We think they've gotten a pretty good raise since then.
And if you recall back to the late 90's, the cast (who was making $30,000 per episode in 1998) started to ask for a large raise. But, 20th Century then went as far as hiring casting directors in five cities to find potential replacements if a deal wasn't made.
As for the talent, they insist they are only asking for a small portion of The Simpsons empire, which is actually worth several billions of dollars.
Whose side are U on in this fight???
[Image via WENN.]
Brizoke!
Hanged Self With Shoelaces
They deserve it!! how long have they been making us all laugh?? The cast of Friends was making 1 million an episode before they ended the show. And Everybody loves Raymond star was bringing home close to 2 million.
I'm on the voice actors' side. FRIENDS actors made $1,000,000 an episode and they were only on air for 10 seasons….
The Simpon's folk commit season after season (now into 20 seasons) and are earning only pennies of the Simpson's empire. They're worth all that they're asking for. They're voices are as irreplaceable as our beloved FRIENDS.
They're all overpaid, and we the consumers, are the one's footing the bill. The producers are overpaid just like the talent.
They ae greedy!! SHEESH they are making 8 mil a year just to speak! They need to be fired!!!
well said, #98 Not a big deal.
If you can't be happy with 8 million dollars a season then you will not be happy with any amount. Sad actually. But has anyone noticed that the voices of the characters are extremely unattractive looking?
Re: Brian – Sorry to respond to myself, but I forgot something. If this money doesn't go to the actors, who bear a good chunk of the responsibility for the success of the show, what do you think is going to happen to it? Iit's just going to go back into Rupert Murdoch's pockets - you know, one of the richest men in the world, valued at $8.8 billion. I'd rather see the voice actors get a taste.
Please let it be true
They should have killed this show 10 years ago.
I can't blame them for asking that price - you'd never get another Homer to be the same. Also, someone is making mega, mega bucks off the Simpsons, why shouldn't the people who ARE the characters have a big slice of the pie. £4 million a season is a drop in the ocean to what that programmes earns around the world, clothing, merchandise.
You are stupid. The voices of the Simpson's deserve to make as much as any live actor. The cast of Friends, ER, and even that stupid show Desperate Housewives pulled together to get a well deserved raise. The Simpson voice actors deserve a small portion of the huge empire. Plus, you don't see Rupert Murdoch complaining about his billion dollar evil empire, as long as they bring in the view, they should be paid.
jealous much? are you upset becuase you will never make that much? with your sad exsistance of breaking apart & watching OTHER people lives.
you are a hateful disgusting person, who i'm not even sure why people defend? Because its funny when you call people ugly & fat?
Can't you remeber what it felt like to be called those things? i'm sure things weren't easy for you growing up…a fat gay cuban. hmmm. have some compassion.
People keep making comparisons w' the Friends Cast.. However, I beg to differ. The cast of Friends would show up 5 days a week working a minimum of 10 hours per day. In between, discussing the script, rehearsals, retakes, costume changes, sit in makeup, etc. Also going to different TV shows to promote the show, traveling abroad to promote the show. Is the voice talent of the Simpsons working as hard? Sitting in a booth wearing pajamas reading a script is hardly consider hard work. I think they get paid very well for such little work. I wish I had paycheck like that.
Nancy Cartwright
The greed of half-legitimate actors amazes me.
I hope the show is canceled, and they fall into debt, and lose their cush life.
Assholes.
Maybe certain actors shouldn't give their "millions" to Scientology.
Hire a new cast of sound-a-likes. Job done.
and spend the remaining money on some decent script writers.
Too much money, they can't make it on > $8 mil a yr? For just voice? Get some other people to do it, what do I care?
I agree this "FIRST" shit is old.
i agree with the talent.
give them the money they deserve.
the simpsons is one of the wealhtiest and most recognizeable animated series out there. all the marketing and productions of toys and images, the talents deserve what theyre asking for.
the cast of friends were making around one mil per episode each (if not more) nearing the end of the series.
Fox is infamous for screwing talent. everyone seems to think that if the cast doesnt get a raise, that extra money will magically be donated to charity.
Like it or not, the Simpsons generates billions. So who deserves it more, some executives, or the people who actually make the show?
And remember, the execs will STILL pocket 90% of the money!
There are really only three or four of these "main voice talents", and considering how much Fox must be making off it it, it seems fair to me.
Do you have any clue how much FOX makes off of The Simpsons???? Pay up FOX…Idol is almost dead…you need your mainstay!
That is WAY too much money! This is digustingly greedy! The voices of the Simpsons should get a reality check and keep with the money they are getting now!!
Hey dipshit, learn the difference between "to" and "too."
"What, do they want Fox to cancel the show because it's become to expensive to produce????"
Siding with FOX? Niggaz you crazy? The voice talent has all the right in the world to cash in, AND CASH IN BIG. They deserve a big percentage of the BILLIONS that FOX has made off their talents, and that of the writers, and when we buy the 18th special dvd, and all the other merch we shouldn't bitch. No matter what percentage you deem appropriate for the actors who bring these characters to life each week, it's still an outrageous amount of cash..if it was one hundred dollars, give them their 25 bucks..if it's 2 Billion, giver them their 250 mill..sounds scary when you talk about cash that's so unimaginable to most of the world, but we can't let jealousy cloud our judgement. They are talented folks who won the Powerball…it is what it is. I ope they get some back end as well..probably not though. Think of the people in thailand making the Bart key chains for 10 cents a year…now there's some people with a reel beef!
I'm on their side. The have SO MUCH Simpson's merchandise(socks,games,underwear,toys etc etc.) and I'm sure it is in the billions. They deserve more. The greedy company fucks are probably making twice as much. They deserve a slice of that billion dollar pie! I would ask for more too!
A certain member of the Simpson family is also a member of a very greedy science-fiction based cult that wants more and more money from it's suckers…err members. I blame Xenu for this!
Why don't you ask Charlie Adler what he thinks about this? Why do I say that? He was the original Buster Bunny on Tiny Toon Adventures. He was very easily replaced when he became "troublesome." There are plenty of others who can do a good job with the Simpsons voices. To be honest, we want the show — we don't care who voices it. They're getting enough money. So much that Nancy whatsername gave ten million to Scientology. If they're making so much they're giving it to nonsensical pseudo-churches, they don't need more.
It doesn't seem as though Perez is on EITHER side…. he's just reporting.
and FFUUCCCKKKKKK you if YOU wouldn't do a gossip site for money. or a reality show. HELL YES I would make a site, or a stupid fucking show a la dina lohan, for a few bucks. HELL yes!!! don't even tell me YOU wouldn't!!
"you say money isn't everything, but I'd like to see you live without it"
If networks can pay 'Sienfeld'& gang and the six 'Friends' a million bucks an episode for their drek, the voices of Bart. Marge, Lisa, and Homie etc are worn that and then some.
Pay them
Pay them now.
They better pay them whatever they want! It's the only show that gets FOX any ratings aside from American Idol (which should be renamed "American Asshole").
NEVER LET HOMER DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There should actually a FOX/SIMPSONS cable channel. I'd watch that all day, everyday, FOREVER!!!!!
And yet, Perez fully supports a SAG strike because actors should get more money…? Look - just because you CAN demand more money doesn't mean you should. That kind of greed is why CEO's in this country rake in millions while they drive a company into the ground. And just because the show is a success doesn't mean the actors have the right to make exorbitant demands - they do the absolute LEAST amount of work in the production of an episode. The producers and the network take all the risk so they should make as much money as they can, as long as the actors get paid a fair price. And I say 360,000.00 per episode is more than fair, especially for a show that is starting to lose itself in all its complacency.
Give the voice talent the money they are asking for! They have done a stupendous job for 20 years…and for the nitwits saying they are just reading the lines, not really! Compare the original Simpsons to today and you can see just how they have brought life to the characters…Dan Castellaneta IS HOMER! And give Julie Kavner whatever she wants since she has probably destroyed her vocal cords doing "Marge" all these years! Give them the money, capitalism rocks!
Eight or 12 or even 15 million each is NOTHING! Considering the billion dollar industry that are The Simpsons, the voice actors are worth every penny. And then some.
I love the show
My 2nd cousin is the excutive producer
Tim Long
fox makes billions–give some more of it to the talent!!!!! some cast members do 10 or more character voices & they've kept the show going for 20 years!!!!!!!other(s)hit shows(friends,seinfeld etc) were making a MILLION EACH EPISODE per actor…do the math….
They (voice over talent) make more than brain surgeons, astronauts, the president, astrophysicists, etc, and for WHAT? they were LUCKY to ever get those roles. Voice talent doesn't WRITE, PRODUCE, DIRECT or do anything other than TALK. Their doctors ought to charge them by the WORD when they visit. Who gives a crap. there are enough actors who can mimic voices. Hire them. The Simpsons is boring now anyway. Let it go.
The thing is, the Simpsons brand is making an astounding amount of money, and as the cast they are right to ask for more-I'm sure it is well within a reasonable percentage. It sounds like a lot of money, but think long term-they have and are building an empire that can go on autopilot eventually, leaving them unemployed and depending on past earnings. Think about 'Friends'-thank God they fought for so much money per episode (which was 1 mil per episode and 10 years ago, so more like 1.8 mil today)- and now they are pretty much unemployed living off of that money. If it was your life and future, you wouldn't think they were so greedy.
NO more $$ increases!! Especially to Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson's voice) - she gives it all to Scientology.
Make Bart go through puberty so she's out of a job - no more $$ to cults!
The show has been so bad for the last five or ten years…just pull the fucking plug!! South Park has really sucked this year too…get some new writers!!
i love the simpsons, been watching since the tracy ullman show, pay whatever they want! don't other people make more for worse shows?? ie: charlie sheen!!
The "actors" in this case are being incredibly greedy in my opinion. $8mm a year for 22 episodes is a lot of money to me. They can live just fine off of that and like its been said before, they aren't even acting. They read from a script for a few hours a day. They need to get off their high horse and come back to reality and be grateful they are making what they are making now.
PAY UP FOX!!! It's True the Simpson's is ubiquitous, they have everything from lunch boxes to dolls and lamps and everything in between. And it's viewed EVERYWHERE around the world. How can they afford to give the "FRIENDS" a million an episode but not these guys.
I know nothig about TV but it must cost more to produce a Live TV show than a cartoon.
Common Cheapos spread the wealth and pay these people fairly.
Team talent here. How many billions (not millions *billions*) has Fox made off of these characters?The Simpsons are iconic, up there with I Love Lucy and MASH in terms of their impact and significance in our culture and television history, and right now they're even hotter than ever. The talent should get raises commensurate with the profits being made off of their work. Hell, Matt Groenig should be richer than Bill Gates.
I am so on the side of talent. The makers of that show make so much money. It would not hurt to share some more of it with the talent.
i hate everyone in the entire fucking media industry. im barely scraping by with college loans and shit to pay, and i make noo money. and these asshioles get $500,000 per episode? fuck them and fuck all celebrities. they dont deserve their money.
I refuse to watch this or any other show that has Scientology actors
I'd want a shitload of money to lend my voice to those horrible jokes. Goddam does simpsons suck now!
On the tenth year of FRIENDS, NBC paid each of the main cast members $1 Million per episode for the last 18 or so episodes.. that was after only 10 seasons….. hmm Simpson's is going on to their 20th season now.. and I highly doubt FRIENDS has grossed as much money as the 20 years of television excellence the Simpson's cast has provided, and will continue to provide. Granted, ratings for FRIENDS probably outshines The Simpsons, but seriously $500,000 per episode is not a lot people.. not for Hollywood standards that is, especially for a production that annually makes billions of dollars worldwide. So after 20 years, yes it is more than fair to give the series regulars what they are requesting. Especially if it's going to be over soon like someone mention and they should take all they can get.. and what they should get is that $500,000 per episode deal.
The plug should have been pulled 5 years ago. How are they still on????? Family Guy etc are way better. The Simpsons are sloooooow and hard to watch. It's all been done. Boooooring. Fuck the actors and their dopey voices. get a real job!
Re: ugh – I agree people are starving and dying! Human being trying to live and they pay these fucking celebrities all that money for shitty work! If they can give those losers from Friends $1 million an episode why can't they give it to people who NEED IT?
I think these comments are pretty harsh towards A) The Simpsons and B) To Perez Hilton. Yes, Hollywood does earn a load of money, (Gosh I wish I had some lol) and The Simpsons (like Perez said) earn billions. So I suggest give the best tv show's cast in the world the money. And everyone be happy!
It's not being greedy. It's being smart. These people have families and they're just voice over artists. It's not like they'll ever make this kind of money again. And yes, the Simpsons have been good to them, but the Simpsons have been better to Fox.
im on the side of fox, hello people they're already rich, that's a lot of mpney, the simpsons are culture 4 American people LOL
I have to say the voice actors they make the show. The Simpsons need to keep going on. It's one of the shows that made Fox what it is today. They atleast owe it to them.
Fox makes tons of cash from the show! Give the cast their share. Except Nancy Cartwright (Bart). She'll just hand over her money to those Xenu fightin' kooks.
i would just like to point out that 1 woman does the voice for at least 3 of the characters on the show. so while it seems like they're doling out all this cash, remember that there aren't as many people behind the scenes as you think.
We are teetering on some of the worst economic times in history and these greedy fuckers who do funny voices are holding out for vulgar amounts of cash. Unbelievable! Maybe it's time for the simpsons to go away. I had a very nice run.
They can find suitable replacements. I have heard a few good impersonations. Hell, when Mel Blanc died, WB found replacements that sounded just as good.
Fuck these greedy voice ac-tors!
The talent…they should each get $1 mill per episode. Do you know how many voices they do and how much money that makes for Fox?!
raise their salaries to $1 million an episode
they deserve it!
People are losing their homes and living out of their cars and these people who already make a ridiculous amount of money want an even more ridiculous amount of money!!! JEEZ PEOPLE GET REAL!!! Give the people with real problems to laugh at new shows that arent on cable because THEY CANT AFFORD!!! GOD, GREEDY!!!
Most of them are set for life. Their children are set for life. Their grandchildren are set for life and their great grand children are set for life.
Meanwhile the Church of $cientology is set for life because of Nancy.
The article should have said "too expensive to produce" not "to expensive to produce". I could not read anything after that. Does anyone care about this, I doubt it.
are you stupid, its like 6 people who do all the voices to the simpsons, not just one person per character. its not greedy
Good for them. The Simpsons has had a good, loooong run. I think that they should take that bastard Rupert Murdoch for what he's worth while they can. If the show is canceled, at least we won't have to sit around… bored… watching it slowly die.
I worked on this show as an artist for 5 years. We got paid about $1500 a week. Not bad cash, eh? However, only working for 9 months a year evens that out to about $54000 a year, for those of you without calculators. And LA is not cheap, even in the Valley.
It's really hard to sit around and wait for production to start up when you're making a teeny tiny fraction of what those greedy bitches ask for. Part of the reason I left the show, actually. So I think you all can guess whose side I'm on.
I LOVE THE SIMPSONS!
Give the actors whatever they want, they deserve it! If it wasn't for their talent this show and alllll the merchandise that goes with wouldn't exist!
I don't care what anyone says, it's still the best show on TV.
This is one good reason to watch Family Guy.
They should get whatever they can. The producers are greedy pigs who want to keep as uch as they can — how much does FOX make on every episode
'The Simpsons' may make squillions but I don't see why the voice talent deserve a cut of that - at the end of the day, they are employees, not the creators, and they get paid extremely well already. Greedy, greedy, greedy.
It's not like the money money these actors DON'T get goes to feeding the homeless or paying poor college student's loans. they were all poor once. They have made the producers TONS of money. It's not like you are paying for their raises. How is it that the producers aren't the greedy ones. What they do is worth what the producers will pay for it. They were screwed for years by the greedy producers and had to fight for what they got. If the job is so easy to do, everyone who is complaining that they are getting too much should quit what they are doing and become voice over actors instead. (And yes all the tine and breaks it takes to getting on a show and then helping it become hugeley successful, will be just as "easy" fr you as it was for them).
I personally know some of the voices on the show and they deserve what they are asking for. They are the voices to this GREAT show that is viewed in thousands of languages over the world. The creator of the Simpsons has sooo much $$ that he real could care less about the show(hence the hold out) b/c the re-runs are gonna be aired until the day we die. Stop hating Perez, am usually on ur side BUT if you knew these ppl u would change ur view also!!!!
Actually, many of the voice actors have criticized the quality of the show and said it's not funny anymore.
as long as the talent (voices) and the WRITERS
Considering Fox has made BILLIONS off this show the people who actually bring the show to life, and give the characters their…well CHARACTER, they should get paid, and paid well. 20 years, loyalty counts for something, Dan, Harry, Yeardly, Hank, and the multiple people that give the show it's flavor should be paid in according. It happens all the time, the studios, networks, producers, and execs BANK BIG TIME, and the actors are the greedy ones when they want their share. I support the actors fully. Im surprised Perez, you usually take the side of those in the right.
They should be paid as much as they want and then just add more commercials to pay for it. This way everybody wins.
fuck you all, the simpson voices are some of the least paid actors in a OVER DECADE LONG running series. DO YOUR RESEARCH!! the dumbfucks on will and grace made more and were gifted with NEW CARS after their first season!! greedy my ass! think about how much $$$$$ the simpsons has made for fox, and if god forbid the voice of homer died, or marge, NO ONE could replace them. pay them 5 mill per episode i say, they have made fox more than that ten fold.
im on the voice actors,if we dont have them!no more simpsons!!
AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
So you were for the writers' strike, even though THEY already made a lot of money. You were for the dancers' strike, even though they were making over $1000 a day. But, this strike you are against? Hypocrite!
I think that Simpsons is long overdue to end, its just not funny anymore, they change the dynamic of the characters to suit the outlandish storylines, am soooo over it all. Theyre clearly overpaying the voice talent and not enough is getting spent on the script.
Bring back Futurama - that show had limitless possibilities!
They deserve it! The cast of Friends was making more than that per episode. The Simpsons is such a hugely successful brand - there is definitely enough to cut these people in for what they had such a huge part in creating. It's only fair!
the talents side, 20 years of the show running, synidcation, dvd sales as well as every other form of merchandising. Sure they make a lot of money, but still, would anyone bother if Homers' voice changed at all, keeping in mind that the voice of Homer is the same as the voice for many many others of the show.
The show stopped being funny/clever, YEARS ago. Originally it was mainly the shock factor of a 'kids' format (cartoons) with mature jokes, that made this show what it is (was?) But so many other edgier cartoons are out there, that are much funnier. I say CANCEL THE BORING SHOW. When they are all unemployed, (4 living off of their savings?) the greedy fucks will realize how good they had it.
The show is over, it won't be missed
maybe they're asking for more money because it's an affront to their dignity to continue working for the show. they've seen it evolve from a witty and respected comedy into a banal piece of shit, where the well-educated writers confuse childish and uninsightful social commentary for jokes. after working for so long on a franchise that could certainly afford to pay their actual talent a much better salary, they'd probably like to get paid for the trouble of having to try to inject humor into scripts that could've been written by a 14 year old with a newspaper subscription.
Give them the money. The show is nothing without their voices. Fox is raking in Simpson money hand over fist. Share, dammit. This is the crux of the WGA/SAG/AFTRA arguments: The producers want all the money, and if the talent wants a commensurate stake, they are seen as greedy. If they don't want to pay the talent, cancel the frakin show!
Who cares??? As much as I loved the golden years of the Simpsons (i.e. the early years) the show is well beyond its used-by date. There is little or nothing funny about the recent episodes - and ask yourselves: the episodes you laugh at and love, how old are they? Yep, the early seasons. The cast hold out? Go ahead and cancel it. Fox could show re-runs for years and people would still watch it.
they have been on tv for A LONG TIME….If that were me, I would want that kind of $ too!!!!!!!
Start holding casting calls for Simpsons' voice impersonators. My friend can do an awesome Homer…and probably for 1/10th that price!
Its a sad sad fucking day when the voice of bart simpson makes twice what the president makes a year.
Shut that stupid show down, its been going on too long. They are very obviously taking their luck in being cast as voices for a show they dont even write and making tons of money for granted.
i dont really care, i just hope the simpsons continues to be on sunday nights.. its one of my fave shows !
I'm on the side of the people who wear those costumes…
give us more money bitches!