'The Simpsons' just fired the creator of some of its most iconic moments
The show won't be the same without him
Many fans of The Simpsons will argue the current incarnation of the show isn’t canon.
Debate continues to rage about when exactly the show stopped being the must-watch TV we once knew it as – some will say season nine, others season 12 or 13 – but most are in agreement that it’s unrecognisable these days.
Sure, some of the components are still around, most notably the main characters in the Simpson family, but we’ve seen those behind the show slowly dismantle everything we knew and loved.
Sometimes there was no choice, with the untimely death of Phil Hartman meaning no more Lionel Hutz or Troy McClure, but the latest reported move was far more avoidable.
According to Variety, the show’s long-time composer Alf Clausen has worked on his final episode.
The publication claims the 76-year-old has been fired after more than 25 years. It cites speculation about cost-cutting measures being behind the decision, mentioning the seven-figure annual costs associated with Clausen hiring a full orchestra and recording studio for each and every episode.
The extent to which this has played a part is officially unknown, with broadcaster Fox declining to provide comment for the piece.
Clausen first provided the score for The Simpsons in the first ever ‘Treehouse of Horror’ Halloween special in 1990, and has worked on every episode since.
He is responsible for iconic songs such as ‘Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?’,’ ‘The Monorail Song,’ and ‘We Put The Spring In Springfield’.
Before joining the show, he had a healthy CV in film and television, having worked as orchestrator on The Naked Gun and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, among others.
In addition to his work on hundreds of Simpsons episodes, for which he has won multiple awards including two Emmys, music composed by Clausen has featured on spin-off video games The Simpsons: Cartoon Studio and The Simpsons: Wrestling.
Variety reports that the main theme song on The Simpsons, composed by Danny Elfman, is expected to be unaffected by the news.
(Images: Rex Features/Frinkiac)
