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The End of The Simpsons? Fox Says High Costs May Lead to Cancellation

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The End of The Simpsons? Fox Says High Costs May Lead to Cancellation

Doh! Homer, Marge, and the rest of America's favorite animated TV family are in jeopardy of cancellation after 23 seasons on the air. Fox executives say that unless the voice talent can take a 45 percent pay cut, the Simpsons will run to the couch for the last time next spring. The network issued a statement, saying, "We believe this brilliant series can and should continue but we cannot produce future seasons under its current financial model." Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Hank Azaria, and Harry Shearer reportedly each make $8 million a season. According to the Daily Beast, the actors offered to take a 30 percent reduction in return for a share of syndication and merchandise revenue. The Simpsons now averages about 7 million viewers for its new episodes, down from almost 22 million in the early 1990s.

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