Poor millionaires...:(

I hope Fox buries this show that hasn't been any good in over 10 years.

But still gets pretty decent ratings.

Harry's offer was to take a pay cut on the front end, which would solve the revenue problem (assuming there actually is one), in return for a small slice on the back end. That's a reasonable offer under any set of circumstances, assuming the slice is small enough and proportionate to the slices of others who do share in the profits.
Harry is offering to cut 6 million this year, in order to get many times that over the next 20 years of syndication. Fox is declining because they have so many episodes stored that they can syndicate it forever already and not pay the actors a cent of that future money.

Fun Fact: The actress Jennifer Tilly was married to Sam Simon, developer and producer of The Simpsons, during the initial years of the show. Although the marriage was short lived, she was awarded partial royalties from The Simpsons in the divorce, and continues to receive money every year. She claims to have never watched a single full episode of the show.

Fun Fact: The actress Jennifer Tilly was married to Sam Simon, developer and producer of The Simpsons, during the initial years of the show. Although the marriage was short lived, she was awarded partial royalties from The Simpsons in the divorce, and continues to receive money every year. She claims to have never watched a single full episode of the show.

Yeah, I remember hearing about that years ago. I also remember that Sam Simon worked on the show as a creative producer (he remains in the credits as one of the three producers, and will always so remain) for only four years or so, leaving at age 37 or 38. The terms of his termination agreement provide him a healthy slice of the pie forever, making him very, very rich.

My understanding is that he did some more work in TV, including with Drew Carey's show (and with whom he is very close), and that today his chief pursuit is philanthropic with a dog rescue charity he founded and runs. He's pretty laid back and moves at his own pace. He's my work-ethic role model, only I'll never be him or have the creative and financial freedom he does. Lucky bastage. Oh, and being married to Jennifer Tilly for several years and dating a Playmate wouldn't suck either.

Deal is done. Show renewed through Season 25.

My bet is that Fox will continue the series for a long time since they're going to need a substantial number of HD episodes to carry the show in syndication for the long haul.

TV Notes
'The Simpsons' Renewed for Two More Seasons
By Alex Ben Block, The Hollywood Reporter's 'Live Feed' Blog - October 7th, 2011

The Simpsons are safe for two more seasons, which will bring them to a historic 25 years on network TV, longer than any other scripted series.

After tense negotiations with the voice acting cast for a renewal, Fox announced Friday afternoon that the longest running comedy in history will return for a 24th and 25th season.

Fox did not reveal the terms of the deals with the actors, but sources say they accepted a sharp cut in pay, of around 30% from the $440,000 for each of 22 episodes they had been making. That would be just over $300,000 per episode.

There was no specific mention in the Fox announcement about the actor but all of them are believed set to return. That would include Julie Kavner (Marge and others), Nancy Cartwright (Bart and others), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Hank Azaria (Moe, Chief Wiggum and Apu), and Harry Shearer (the voice of Mr. Burns, Principal Skinner, and Ned Flanders, among others).

The battle between Fox and its voice actors has been a regular event every few years since 1998 but this time around was particularly bitter and public. Fox took the unusual step of issuing a statement saying the show’s economic model no longer was viable, and that it had to reduce costs. There were reports the producers, writers and actors would all see their compensation reduced. There was even a leak to one blog that there would be only one more season of The Simpsons in any case, which obviously has turned out to be incorrect.

During the heated negotiations, the actors volunteered to lower their salaries but sought a share of back end profits from things like syndication and licensing. Shearer even said early Friday he would take a 70% salary cut in return for a share of the profits. The studio held firm and refused to pay them any profit sharing.

The actor’s do get extra pay when their voice is used as part of licensing but otherwise do not share in that revenue. Source say with this new deal they still will not have any cut of the back end profits.

Fox said in its announcement The Simpsons will return on Oct. 30 with new episodes, beginning with the "Treehouse of Horrors XXII.”

The Simpsons, which is distributed by Fox, is a Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Century Fox Television. James L. Brooks, Matt Groening and Al Jean are the executive producers. Film Roman, a Starz Media Company, is the animation house.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simpsons-renewed-two-more-seasons-245748

As much as I enjoy "The Simpsons," I think it would make sense to end it at 25 seasons--a nice quarter century. Plus, Fox has already announced Seth McFarlane's "Flintstones" remake for 2013, which could step right in and replace the Simpson's as the Animation Domination anchor.

Plus, Fox has already announced Seth McFarlane's "Flintstones" remake for 2013, which could step right in and replace the Simpson's as the Animation Domination anchor.Um...if it's any good. (Or rather, if it's popular and makes financial sense.)

TV Notes
'The Simpsons' Renewed for Two More Seasons

What a surprise.