Annie Walton Doyle
A producer for The Simpsons has spoken out following the death of a popular character on the animated sitcom.
The Simpsons is a long-running TV show that follows the lives of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, who all live in the fictional town of Springfield.
With over 700 episodes, the beloved sitcom is known for its satirical humor and clever social commentary.
However, it now faces a backlash for killing off one of its long-running characters.
Due to the outcry, one of the sitcom’s producers has apologized and explained why the decision was made.
People have taken to X, formerly Twitter, and shared their outrage at the character’s departure.
“Disgraceful,” one fan writes. “He carried the show.”
Another adds: “He was such an amazing character.”
“I can’t believe they killed off a character who’s been around since the beginning!” comments a third.
“This is just heartbreaking man,” someone else says.
Over the years, numerous Simpsons characters have disappeared from the show.
Bleeding Gums Murphy, Edna Krabappel, Maude Flanders, Alice Glick, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, and Fat Tony are just some of the characters who have been killed off.
Now, another fan-favorite won’t return after 35 years on the sitcom.
Earlier this year, Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman shared a poll on X which read: “Who will breathe their last?”
The options were Homer, Bart, Marge, and Larry the Barfly.
Fans quickly guessed the latter and they were right.
Larry Dalrymple has been a background character on the sitcom since its 1989 pilot, ‘Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.’
The character, voiced by Harry Shearer, very rarely spoke, however, he would often be seen in the background of episodes.
In the episode of Larry’s death, titled ‘Cremains of the Day,’ Homer and the gang watch a sports game at Moe’s Tavern.
The bartender tries to push everyone out of the tavern when he loses a bet but when he tries to push out Larry they realize he’s dead.
The character’s cause of death is never revealed, however, it’s speculated on Simpsons Fandom that he ‘died of alcohol poisoning or a brain aneurysm.’
In the episode, Moe’s Tavern regulars gather together for Larry’s funeral, where they all come to a stark realization – they never truly knew him.
The character’s mother requests anecdotes about her son’s passion for fishing and feeling ill-prepared, the men awkwardly fabricate a tale on the spot.
Marge asks them: “Why did you never take the time to get to know this man?”
Homer responds: “Marge, Larry just didn’t fit into our band of bros.”
The group is left feeling guilty when Larry’s mother shows them a picture from her son’s book, in which they are altogether alongside the message: “Moe’s Bros.”
Since Larry has been killed off the sitcom, there’s been a huge outroar, forcing co-executive producer Tim Long to say ‘sorry’ and explain the reasoning.
In an email shared with Variety, he says: “I’m sorry if some fans are upset, but we really wanted to use Larry’s death as a way to show that even the most peripheral people in our lives have dignity and worth and that we really shouldn’t take anyone for granted.
“To paraphrase Shakespeare, nothing became Larry’s life like the way he left it: drunk, lonely, and with a butt full of sapphires.”
He adds: “To me, it’s sort of fitting that some fans are taking Larry’s demise as hard as Homer and his friends do.
“It’s just a measure of how much the show still means to people.”
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