To speak of the latest milestone by 'The Simpsons'
seems to restate the obvious.
Long before now, enduring life for 'The Simpsons' and its brightly
jaundiced folk was simply assumed. What began 20 years ago as a
fluke then erupted into a pop-culture juggernaut has continued to
spin yarns, spawn characters and lampoon society, with no end in
sight.
On Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox, 'The Simpsons' is airing its 450th
episode. 'Once Upon a Time in Springfield' will be followed by an
hourlong documentary from Morgan Spurlock ('30 Days,' 'Super Size
Me'), fancifully titled 'The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in
3-D on Ice.'
During this season, when NBC's "Law & Order" boasts of having
tied "Gunsmoke" as TV's longest-running prime-time drama, "The
Simpsons" has seized the mantle as TV's longest-running scripted
nighttime series -- period. Ay, caramba!
'I think we could do it for another 20 years, actually,' Matt
Groening, 'Simpsons' uber-creator, told the Associated Press at a
recent 'Simpsons' tribute by Los Angeles' Paley Center for Media.
Then he dissolved into giggles.
'Omigod! Another 20? We'll TRY,' he chortled. 'We'll do our
BEST!'
Here's hoping the spectacular ensemble of voice talent keeps
talking to the end. After 20 years, Dan Castellaneta remains
full-throated as portly, dimwitted dad Homer, Julie Kavner is
tower-tressed mom Marge, Nancy Cartwright is lippy first-born Bart
and Yeardley Smith is oversmart daughter Lisa.
Of course, these offscreen stars of 'The Simpsons' are well served
by visual artistry that, among things, keeps them shielded from the
passage of time.
The show's writers play a huge role, too, with fastidiously crafted
scripts that, by comparison, leave most sitcoms in the dust.
(Granted, some fans may complain 'The Simpsons' isn't as sharply
realized as in earlier years, but still.)
'What I love about 'The Simpsons' is, it's so collaborative,' Smith
said. 'The actors do a third, the animators do a third and the
writers do a third. That's how I see it.'
Also part of the acting troupe is Hank Azaria, a go-to guy for
numerous characters including police Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy
and convenience-store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
Rounding out the core cast is Harry Shearer, whose stable of roles
includes Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend
Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert and Principal Skinner.
Besides 'The Simpsons,' Shearer, 66, is best-known from his role as
bassist Derek Smalls in the 1984 mock musical documentary 'This Is
Spinal Tap,' and subsequently in the real-life group that film
inspired.
But Shearer, who began his career as a child actor on such early TV
series as Jack Benny's weekly show, keeps a multiplicity of
projects under way. These currently include a new DVD, "Unwigged
& Unplugged," reteaming him musically with Tap bandmates
Michael McKean and Christopher Guest. He hosts his own signature
channel on the "My Damn Channel" comedy Web site.
 The first 'Simpsons' episode |
And for a quarter-century, he has churned out 'Le Show,' a mostly
solo act of wry humor, satirical sketches and blistering
commentary, plus music (some performed by his singer-songwriter
wife, Judith Owen).
'Le Show' is available through numerous radio and Web outlets, and
by podcast. It's a weekly passion project that Shearer has always
done gratis -- which means he's free from any vexing business
entanglements.
'I never have a meeting, I never see a memo,' he says. 'It's
between me and my audience.'
Sipping an early morning orange juice during a Manhattan stopover a
couple of weeks ago, Shearer describes 'Le Show' as a place for him
to give voice to whatever's on his mind.
'I'm an insatiable news junkie,' he says, 'so the reading that I
do, I would do anyway. The show just gives me a way to answer
back.'
The sensibility of 'Le Show,' and much of Shearer's creative
output, is conveniently echoed by 'The Simpsons,' even though he
plays no part in its writing.
'Matt has a satirical, anti-authority streak,' says Shearer. 'From
the beginning, 'The Simpsons' was taking the side of the family
against all the authority figures and institutions that buffeted
them in the modern world. Certainly, that resonated for me.'
Shearer recalls the show's first script, whose characters assigned
to him were highlighted in yellow. In the next script, other
characters' dialogue would be highlighted for him.
Much of the time, he didn't see drawings of the new characters
until months after he had created their voices, when the episode
was finished: 'Oh, THAT'S what he looks like!'
How many different voices has Shearer done on 'The Simpsons' in
all?
'The one real influence that Bob Dylan has had on my life is that,
every time I'm asked that question, I give a different answer,'
says Shearer. 'So: hundreds,' he replies in a raspy Dylan-esque
voice.
As the years passed, Shearer's many voices were part of the
emerging world of Springfield, an oblivious community that seemed
satisfied to settle for less in nearly everything: public
education; organized religion; TV news and kids programming;
government, law enforcement, business, and food and drink intake;
and certainly environmental issues, such as the nuclear power plant
that employs Homer Simpson, of all people, as a safety
inspector.
What's the message of 'The Simpsons'? That people, for all their
highfalutin talk, are willing to settle for less if it's easier or
saves them a buck?
Has 'The Simpsons' taken on a new, unexpected relevance thanks to
the current economic downturn, when standards for everything seem
under threat?
'You look around and the only person who ostentatiously and
repeatedly proclaims his pursuit of excellence is Rush Limbaugh,'
says Shearer, then does a perfect imitation of Limbaugh: 'I'm
presenting broadcast excellence.'
'That's got to tell you something,' Shearer says. 'Everybody ELSE
is just getting by.'
But he, unlike most people taking stock of 'The Simpsons' at this
moment in its run, resists any grandiose claims for its
legacy.
'Together with NFL football, 'The Simpsons' put the Fox network on
the map -- whatever you think of that,' he hedges. 'And Fox has
changed the face of network television -- you got to decide for
better or worse.
'I wish I could say that we inspired an awful lot of funny, smart,
irreverent, acerbic shows that took a lacerating view of the
institutions of society. But I don't think we have.'
Nor does he think the show -- or any contemporary satire -- really
changes anything it lampoons.
'For instance, after 20 years and 450 episodes,' Shearer sums up,
'I don't really think 'The Simpsons' has increased the country's
skepticism about nuclear power.'
Source: The Hollywood Insider
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