The decision to continue the series came after 20th Century Fox TV and the voice actors -- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer -- squabbled over pay cuts for days.
Producers agreed to the necessary cuts first, but the actors held out. Ultimately, they gave in.
Season 24 and 25 will bring 'The Simpsons' to an astonishing 559 episodes.
Homer Simpson, yes the fictional character, said this in a statement: "Woo Hoo! I outlasted Andy Rooney!"
On Mon., Oct. 3, Fox said the actors need to take the pay cut or face cancellation after the current 23rd season. The actors countered the 45 percent cut with a 30 percent pay cut in exchange for some of the show's lucrative syndication and merchandising and merchandising. Those profits account for billions of dollars for Fox. Harry Shearer said he would've accepted a 70 percent pay cut if it meant a share of back end profits.
"Fox wants to cut our salaries in half because it says it can't afford to continue making the show under what it calls the existing business model," Shearer wrote. "Fox hasn't explained what kind of new business model it has formulated to keep the show on the air, but clearly the less money they have to pay us in salary, the more they're able to afford to continue broadcasting the show. And to this I say, fine -- if pay cuts are what it will take to keep the show on the air, then cut my pay. In fact, to make it as easy as possible for Fox to keep new episodes of 'The Simpsons' coming, I'm willing to let them cut my salary not just 45 percent but more than 70 percent -- down to half of what they said they would be willing to pay us. All I would ask in return is that I be allowed a small share of the eventual profits."
Created in 1987 by Matt Groening, 'The Simpsons' has been a pop culture fixture for more than 24 years. Originally running during 'The Tracey Ullman Show,' the animated family was spun-off with the help of executive producers James L. Brooks and Sam Simon and instantly became a hit for the fledgling Fox network.
Since its official series debut in 1989, the show has won 27 Emmys out of its 64 nominations. Besides more than two dozen Emmys, 'The Simpsons' has been honored with numerous other awards including three BAFTAs, one Peabody Award, seven Environmental Media Awards, seven Writers Guild of America Awards and five People's Choice Awards.
