In today’s post we discuss voice actor Harry Shearer’s decision to leave The Simpsons and explain why nobody is irreplaceable in the entertainment and insurance industries.
There was bad news for Simpsons’ fans this week as Harry Shearer announced that he is leaving the popular animated sitcom after 26 years. Emmy winner Shearer plays several characters in the show including Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, Smithers. Kent Brockman and Reverend Lovejoy. He informed fans of his decision via Twitter on Wednesday May 13, 2015 and explained that it was the result of a contract dispute. He was reportedly frustrated that he was not allowed to work on other projects. Surprisingly, he was the only one of the cast to turn down the lucrative two-year deal that was offered to him for the upcoming seasons. It is estimated to be worth more than $300,000 per episode. The showrunner Al Jean expressed his disappointment at Shearer’s decision in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter but assured fans that the sitcom will continue without Shearer and that they will recast his roles: “The show will go on, and I think it will be a great show one way or the other.”
There is no doubt in my mind that The Simpsons will continue to go from strength to strength even without Shearer’s input. It is remarkable that the sitcom has retained its public appeal after so many years. It is America’s longest running sitcom and longest running animated program. The comedy TV program has staved off fierce competition from rivals such as South Park and Family Guy to maintain its high ratings. Time magazine recognized it as the 20th century’s best television series. It is due to the hard work and commitment of the show’s cast and crew that the sitcom remains current and humorous in the 21st century. It could possibly break another record soon as it will have completed 625 episodes at the end of the two-year renewal, just ten episodes short of Gunsmoke’s record for a primetime scripted series. Every Simpsons’ fan desires to see the sitcom achieve this goal and go on to premiere its milestone thirtieth season in 2019.
It is evident from this story that nobody is irreplaceable in any industry. There will always be new bands, golfers and actors. There are of course people who are legendary even after they depart the spotlight, such as Elvis Presley, but this does not mean that other major stars will not follow them. Many insurance agency owners believe that they are indispensible and that the business would fall apart without them. The majority of them find delegating tasks to their staff difficult as they feel that they will not be able to meet their high standards. The truth is that your agency would manage perfectly fine without you, provided that you have hard-working staff that is committed to achieving the company’s goals. If you are about to retire and are concerned about how best to internally penetrate your business then contact us today. We can advise you on the best person within your business to fill your shoes and ensure its continued success.
