He wants to move on to other stuff, which is okay.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/14/406685154/harry-shearer-voice-of-ned-flanders-and-mr-burns-will-leave-the-simpsons

don't forget principal skinner. I wonder how they'll handle a plot with homer no longer having to deal with the neighbor that he's known to make fun of. either way I don't have much to say, except that this could be the reason why fox suddenly ceased to release any more of the seasons on dvd.

At this point, I think they should just end the show. I realize they just signed on for two more seasons and I'd hate to see it go, but Harry Shearer is such a gigantic part of that show. I really don't see how they're going to work around this. I would imagine they'll get another voice actor and joke about how all of the characters sound different.

That is a good chunk of side characters they just lost. End the show.

Other voice actors will take over for him.

"Al Jean tells CNN Money that the characters Shearer portrays will not be 'killed off' but producers will turn to 'the most talented members of the voice over community.'

Of course, it won't be the same as having Harry around.

I don't know if they'll be able to successfully replace Harry. The few times in which they did use replacement voice actors sounded terrible. Lunchlady Doris and the temporary replacement for Maude Flanders are good examples of that.

Either way, it's going to be really interesting to see where The Simpsons ends up in a few years without Harry.

It's kind of hard to imagine someone else saying Mr. Burns' catchphrase "Excellent" or that "Hi-diddly-ho" gibberish Ned always says lol.

I'm sure the characters will still sound the same. How hard can it be to find a guy who does a good Mr Burns impression?

Okay, false alarm.

He's coming back for seasons 27 and 28.

Wow. That turned around quickly.

not sticking around for the 30th season?