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antiTainment NEWS: The Simpsons Go On Strike? 


04-03-04 Keavin
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Just as the grocery workers go back to work, the Simpsons go on strike. It seems �strike-fever� is running rampant and the actors that provide the voices to television�s most popular animated family of misfits are holding out for more money. 

We found out the easy way that a supermarket checker can easily be replaced but what about the voices behind Homer, Bart, Lisa and Marge? 

Daily Variety reports that a source close to the production of the hit program told them that the six primary actors behind the voices have refused to show up to work until they get a raise. This has pushed back the production of the upcoming 16th season for the program. The actors� contracts expired a few months ago and they reportedly are demanding a bump in salary before they get back to their �D�oh!�s� and �Cowabunga�s�. 

The reported holdouts are actors Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), Julie Kavner (Marge), Hank Azaria (bartender Moe and Apu) and Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns and Ned Flanders).

But so far there has been no public comment on this reported dispute. The only thing we have to go on is Daily Variety�s source who says that the actors are demanding a new salary of $360,000 per episode, up from the $125,000 per episode their last contract provided. Not bad for what works out to a day�s work.  
This isn�t the first time that the actors forced a raise. They went on strike in 1998 to boost their salary from $30,000 an episode. 
 


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