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Simpsons Voice Actor Harry Shearer Whines About Being Recast

Strider_Blaze

Strider_Blaze

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Oct 28, 2017
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Pretty old article by a day but I don't believe this is the first time Harry Shearer made a fuss out of being recasted either.

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The Simpsons star Harry Shearer says recasting character has ‘affected’ show

‘They employed a Black actor who copied my voice,’ actor said
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The Simpsons star Harry Shearer has said recasting him with a Black actor has negatively "affected" one of the show's main characters.

Shearer voices 20 characters on the animated series, including Mr Burns, Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner.

Until 2021, Shearer also voiced Springfield physician Dr Hibbert but found himself suddenly replaced amid calls to recast the show's non-white characters, voiced by white actors.

The animated sitcom had been criticised for years for white actor Hank Azaria's portrayal of Indian-American convenience store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, a controversy explored in the documentary The Problem with Apu.

Another character who was recast was Dr Hibbert, who had been played by Shearer since 1990. The actor always said that he had played him as a parody of now-disgraced comedian Bill Cosby.
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The physician is now voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson – and Shearer has suggested that the recasting has "affected" the effectiveness of the character.

Speaking to The Times, Shearer said: "Folk say the show has become woke in recent years and one of my characters has been affected.

"I voiced the black physician, Dr Hibbert, who I based on Bill Cosby. Back then he was known as the 'whitest Black man on television'.

"Then, a couple of years ago, I received an email saying they'd employed a Black actor, who then copied my voice.

Shearer then questioned the effectiveness of Richardson's performance as the character, stating: "The result is a Black man imitating a white man imitating the whitest Black man on TV."
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Honestly this is such a contrast to how Hank Azaria handled being recasted and it's not like Shearer is completely off the show.
 
beelulzebub

beelulzebub

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Oct 25, 2017
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smurfx

smurfx

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Oct 25, 2017
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went to youtube to see what the voice sounded like. if i didn't know about it beforehand i wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.
 
Fat4all

Fat4all

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Oct 25, 2017
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they took one of my 20 cakes away from me, this birthday party is WOKE
 
Kiyamet

Kiyamet

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Apr 21, 2024
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This is the angle he is taking to voicing 20 characters instead of 22? My man is ANGRY other people get to work.
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

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Oct 17, 2018
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Harry Shearer is 80 years old and has frequently tried to quit the show saying he doesn't enjoy working on it anymore. There is literally no need for him to make a stink about this. He is rich, could retire anytime, and not have a second thought about any of this and just say he's done his time. Now it's a problem that he has a few less lines of dialogue every episode. Going out sad.
 
Loud Wrong

Loud Wrong

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Feb 24, 2020
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He used to describe himself as "a very liberal democrat". Someone close to him should remind him of that.
 
MisterSnrub

MisterSnrub

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I'm not hugely sold on the new Hibbert VA, but Shearer is an ass and he can barely do half the damn voices himself any more

Remember when the dude 'quit' like a decade ago
 
Dice

Dice

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Oct 25, 2017
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MisterSnrub said:
I'm not hugely sold on the new Hibbert VA, but Shearer is an ass and he can barely do half the damn voices himself any more

Remember when the dude 'quit' like a decade ago
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Semi-related, but It can be painful to listen to Kulie Kavner do Marge these days... It already sounded like it was a hard voice to do back in the 90s, but now she's been doing it for 35[!] years. A few scenes she legit sounds like her Aunt Gladys now.

200
 
Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash

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Oct 29, 2017
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Funny, I was seeing people bitch about how awful his voice is with Mr. Burns earlier today. Haven't kept up with newer seasons like many but the clips were shockingly bad.

Dude makes hundreds of thousands an episode, you'd think he'd just keep his mouth shut or retire over this. Probably thinks he's speaking out for the "love" and "quality" of the show and doesn't even realize he sounds foolish
 
Marmoka

Marmoka

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Oct 27, 2017
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Sounds like he never watched a single full episode of the series he participated in...
 
Marmoka

Marmoka

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Oct 27, 2017
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Jilvune said:
Time to recast the rest of the characters he voices.
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I completely agree here. I have checked Wikipedia and he's al ready 80 years old. I understand he "loves" the shows, but basically it translates on "they pay him really well". Isn't it time to retire and recast all his characters so new young talent can work?

Honestly it takes me out of my nerves when old people don't retire because of the money and thus young people don't have any options to work, specially nowadays that there is so many people under 30 unemployed.
 
BoondockRiley

BoondockRiley

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Nov 15, 2017
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What I find funny is how for a while the VAs demanded higher pay because of valuable their voices were to the show, and now here we are where a lot of the voices for various characters no longer even sound like their original incarnations, Marge and Mr Burns being two of the ones I've seen clips going round on how bad they've gotten. I hate VA recasts but this might be one of those times where it's necessary (or better yet end the show to let it go out with at least scrap of dignity before anyone else sounds worse or even passes away)
 
MisterSnrub

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Dice said:
Semi-related, but It can be painful to listen to Kulie Kavner do Marge these days... It already sounded like it was a hard voice to do back in the 90s, but now she's been doing it for 35[!] years. A few scenes she legit sounds like her Aunt Gladys now.

200
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Kavner isn't sounding her best but I don't think it's a great deal worse than some of the other cast, notably Shearer (not even saying it to pile on the guy, it literally just is the case). I'm impressed she can still do it at all honestly, even the idea of trying a Marge impression makes my throat hurt.

With practically all of the golden era writers gone now, losing even some of the original VAs might honestly be the death knell. And yet, I don't see it stopping before Season 40 given its success on Disney+...
 
Hercule

Hercule

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Jun 20, 2018
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Marmoka said:
I completely agree here. I have checked Wikipedia and he's al ready 80 years old. I understand he "loves" the shows, but basically it translates on "they pay him really well". Isn't it time to retire and recast all his characters so new young talent can work?

Honestly it takes me out of my nerves when old people don't retire because of the money and thus young people don't have any options to work, specially nowadays that there is so many people under 30 unemployed.
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Wait what. Masako Nozawa is 87. Toshio Furukawa is almost 80. Mayumi Tanaka is 69.

It would be absolutely ridiculous and unrespectful to ask any of these actors to stop doing what they love.
 
danm999

danm999

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Oct 29, 2017
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buddy I've seen the recent clips of how much you're phoning in Mr Burns these days you're lucky they don't recast ALL your roles on the show
 
Hilarious_Bearious

Hilarious_Bearious

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Nov 4, 2017
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Dice said:
Semi-related, but It can be painful to listen to Kulie Kavner do Marge these days... It already sounded like it was a hard voice to do back in the 90s, but now she's been doing it for 35[!] years. A few scenes she legit sounds like her Aunt Gladys now.

200
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Yeah for real. My wife and I have been watching the latest season and most of the cast just sound so old, slow and tired, but Marge sounds like she's in pain.
 
JigglesBunny

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Realistically, I think we're nearing the end of the line. If not the show as a whole, the staple cast is nearing the end of their viability (poor Julie Kavner's voice sounds like it's on the verge of going out completely) and I think they're going to start looking to recast soon.

If Shearer wants to go because the show is "too woke" for him (lol, lmfao even), by all means, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
 
Nepenthe

Nepenthe

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Oct 25, 2017
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Perfect summation of white fragility. Twenty roles cast and you're upset about losing one of them.
 
Dellow Felegate

Dellow Felegate

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Oct 27, 2017
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danm999 said:
buddy I've seen the recent clips of how much you're phoning in Mr Burns these days you're lucky they don't recast ALL your roles on the show
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I saw that Mr Burns clip the other day and it's kinda shocking how little he actually sounds like classic Mr Burns these days. There are probably so many people out there who could do a better impression than he now can.
 
Slayven

Slayven

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Oct 25, 2017
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I don't even know how to unpack this
Shearer then questioned the effectiveness of Richardson's performance as the character, stating: "The result is a Black man imitating a white man imitating the whitest Black man on TV."
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jb1234

jb1234

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Oct 25, 2017
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Watched a recent clip and jeez, EVERYONE sounds terrible. Homer is getting close to sounding like Grandpa Simpson.
 
shadowman16

shadowman16

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Oct 25, 2017
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Honestly with how Shearer's voice is sounding these days, Burns should at least be recast as well, the recent episode with him singing is so far removed from the glory days of "See my Vest" that I longed for a simpler time... (also as much I love Marge's VA, I feel like she's in agony every time she speaks these days, its so damn bad at times)
My only "complaint" with the Hibbert recast is the laugh not quite sounding right, but its totally the right thing to do. Look at Carl - he was recast and an amazing job was done (and he got probably his best episode last season). Pity Apu is stuck in limbo, dude needs to be recast and improved... several seasons ago already...
 
acheron_xl

acheron_xl

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Oct 27, 2017
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Just read a book about the history of SNL. Shearer definitely comes across as a picky asshole that nobody likes. So this doesn't surprise me.
 
Afrikan

Afrikan

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Loud Wrong said:
He used to describe himself as "a very liberal democrat". Someone close to him should remind him of that.
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20+ years ago he used to have a weekend radio show on politics and interviews. Back in the early 2000s, it was refreshing hearing him cover political topics...in comparison to other stuff that was out there.
 
J-Spot

J-Spot

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Oct 27, 2017
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Shearer is a dick but Richardson's Hibbert is pretty bad. Felt like they didn't want to bother looking for a voice match outside of their current regulars.
 
TheodoreXGolbez

TheodoreXGolbez

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Aug 7, 2020
3,617
35 season yet it hasn't ended yet . At this point , the show needs to end and it's already pass the expiration date . You just can't make a show for sake , it's time to move on .
 
Jims

Jims

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Oct 27, 2017
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First, Harry Shearer doesn't watch The Simpsons so he wouldn't know if the voices affect the show.

Second, Harry Shearer is the reason why Mr. Burns rarely appears on the show, since he can barely perform the character these days. Mr. Burns is sounding reaaaaally rough when he does appear. So maybe more of his characters should be recast.
 
BLEEN

BLEEN

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Oct 27, 2017
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Jims said:
First, Harry Shearer doesn't watch The Simpsons so he wouldn't know if the voices affect the show.

Second, Harry Shearer is the reason why Mr. Burns rarely appears on the show, since he can barely perform the character these days. Mr. Burns is sounding reaaaaally rough when he does appear. So maybe more of his characters should be recast.
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I just heard Mr. Burns from S35 and yeah, does not sound like him at all. I checked back on S32 and he sounds pretty much great there. It's like he lost the Burns accent completely. Just really, really dry.
 
Axe

Axe

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Oct 27, 2017
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I'll be honest, I've never really liked Richardson's Hibbert voice. It just doesn't fit IMO. I do think Désert's Carl voice is great though.

Pretty much all the original voices except for Lisa are really off now (Marge, Burns, and Milhouse being some of the worst offenders). I wish they would just give the show a somewhat dignified ending before one of the main cast dies.

Dice said:
Semi-related, but It can be painful to listen to Kulie Kavner do Marge these days... It already sounded like it was a hard voice to do back in the 90s, but now she's been doing it for 35[!] years. A few scenes she legit sounds like her Aunt Gladys now.

200
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I caught part of a recent episode with Jackie Bouvier in it, and it seems Kavner actually has to do a completely different voice for her now since her Marge voice isn't too far off these days.
 
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