---

Are you a Simpsons fan?

Gonna Watch The Simpsons tonight! Haven't done this in YEARS.

The last time I tried to watch the Simpsons, I couldn't make it past the second commercial break. That show is in full rigor.

I've looked for years to find the original Simpsons cartoons from the Tracy Ullman show after seeing them on I love the 80s. I finally found a bunch of them on Youtube and they are great, they are funny! I've only seen a couple episodes of the regular series so I can't compare the two, but I love these:



The quality isn't good but that's the one I always wanted to see





(anybody else see a precursor to the Butterfingers ads here?)



That is a funny one

and this one's my favorite so far:



That's how family therapy SHOULD be!

Quote :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/04/the-simpsons-facing-cancellation_n_993847.html

'The Simpsons' Facing Cancellation Over Contract Issues With FOX: Report
First Posted: 10/4/11 11:31 AM ET Updated: 10/5/11 12:31 PM ET


UPDATE (2:22 PM EST): 20th Century Fox TV released a statement about the negotiations, sounding a bit dire.

Quote :

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.

______

PREVIOUSLY: Despite Homer Simpson's best efforts, it may not be a nuclear meltdown that brings about Springfield's doom. Instead, its end may come thanks to the business of Hollywood that the show has lampooned for so long.

According to a new report from The Daily Beast, the show's voice actors are locked in a bitter contract negotiation with 20th Century Fox, with the studio threatening to end production if the talent does not take a 45% pay cut. The actors are countering with an agreement that nets them a 30% reduction in salary but a small slice of the show's back-end earnings, which include the billion dollar syndication and merchandising empire that the studio has built over the past two plus decades.

At the moment, the Daily Beast reports, the show's voice actors -- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer -- earn about $8 million a year, but do not get a cut of the show's much bigger ancillary profits.

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.

Most of the actors, who each play a number of characters, have other gigs; Azaria, who voices Apu and Chief Wiggums, leads the way with his own NBC sitcom, "Free Agents," though the new show is already in danger of being cancelled thanks to low ratings. He also starred in this summer's big hit, "The Smurfs."

Castellaneta, the voice of Homer, has had a recurring role in ABC Family's "Greek." Nancy Cartwright, Bart Simpson's voice, also did voices for "Rugrats" and the shows "The Replacements" and "Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures." Harry Shearer has also starred in Christopher Guest's mockumentaries.

My wife alerted me to this. This classic had to end some time. Too bad it may go out with a whimper instead of a bang. I know many stopped watching years ago because it's gone steadily down hill but I will continue to watch until they pull the plug.

I've lost track of the show. The last time I watched Bart was still the focal point and Maude Flanders was still alive.

I think, though, that FOX won't let it die without a fight. Seems like they've worked hard to keep it on the air for all this time that I would find it hard to believe that they wouldn't pull out all the stops.

In the meantime, I'm sure Seth McFarland is probably giddy at the idea of getting another half hour to pitch.

Time to cancel that show anyway. It's been on autopilot for over a decade. They have more than enough episodes to be in syndication forever so enough is enough.

I heard they worked it out and the show was renewed for 2 more seasons.