One of The Simpsons’ top creative teams is offering a mixed response to angry fans after the series surprisingly killed off one of its longest-running characters on Sunday.
Tim Long, co-executive producer of the iconic animated comedy, offered an apology to traumatized fans on Thursday while speaking with TMZ.
Long also defended the character sacrifice, stating that it was always intended to be an emotional blow to fans because of how rare death is on The Simpsons.
The series had teased the death, although that didn’t reassure all fans once it was revealed that Larry, one of Moe’s Tavern’s former inhabitants, had died.
Tim Long, co-executive producer of The Simpsons, apologized to fans for killing off Larry the Barfly (R) in the April 21 episode, but also defended the emotional impact to TMZ on Thursday.
It was also revealed that Larry the Barfly, who was first introduced almost 35 years ago in the premiere episode, was named Lawrence Dalrymple.
He was primarily a background character, and was always upstaged by his drinking companion, the ever-slurring, beer-bellied drunk Barney Gumble.
Long told the publication that he was sorry that Simpsons fans were saddened by Larry’s death, as well as the generally somber tone of the episode as a whole.
But the producer was also encouraged that the show meant so much to its fans that they could have such a strong emotional reaction.
He clarified that it was always the intention of the creative team of The Simpsons to move viewers with Larry’s death. Although he was primarily a supporting character, death is extremely rare in the series, making even the loss of a minor figure notable.
Long also poked fun at another classic cartoon, The Flintstones, stating that fans of the series, which aired from 1960 to 1966, wouldn’t have worried if one of its least popular characters, The Great Gazoo, had bitten the dust. . (Fittingly, The Simpsons parodied the little green alien by introducing the similarly designed Ozmodiar in season eight.)
The producer said he was happy to see that fans could still have a strong emotional reaction to the show, which was created by Matt Groening and premiered in 1989.
However, he urged upset fans to keep things in perspective, as The Simpsons didn’t kill off any of its main characters, not even a popular supporting character.
Long lamented that The Simpsons fans were saddened by Larry’s death, but was encouraged that the show meant so much to its fans that they could have such a strong emotional reaction.
He clarified that it was always the intention to move viewers with Larry’s death.
After the episode aired, Long posted on Moving and deeply strange!’
The creative team, which came under fire from overly sensitive viewers last year for scenes in which Homer comically strangles his son Bart, perhaps didn’t expect to upset many fans, as Selman wasn’t particularly subtle in dropping hints about which character would die. before. the episode aired.
A social media post urged fans to guess who the unlucky character would be, but Larry was joined by three main characters (Homer, Marge and Bart) who would almost certainly never be killed off.
Larry the Barfly’s first appearance on the series was in the Christmas-themed debut episode Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire.
In the final episode, amusingly titled Cremains Of The Day, viewers learned he had died.
Larry had been a member of the drunken group that frequented Moe’s Tavern, and was voiced by Spinal Tap star Harry Shearer, known for portraying a group of characters, including Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, his assistant. Smithers, Principal Skinner. and Reverend Lovejoy, among many others. However, Larry rarely had the opportunity to open his mouth about the series.
Although Larry had been around for decades, he never took on a prominent role in any episode and almost nothing was known about the character’s backstory.
That changed with Sunday’s episode, as it was posthumously revealed that his name was Lawrence Dalrymple.
He added that death is extremely rare in the series, making even the loss of a minor figure notable; still from 2021
Larry the Barfly debuted on the show in December 1989, almost 35 years ago, in the series premiere, The Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, with a Christmas theme; in the photo from the ninth season
In Cremains Of The Day, Homer and his other drinking buddies explored Larry’s surprising history and realized they barely knew him.
The Simpsons fans reacted on social media with a mix of surprise and mock shock at the news of the minor character’s death.
Not Larry! joked one fan who also posted a gif of Marge and the kids looking stunned.
—I just found out that Larry will be killed tomorrow on The Simpsons. I need a minute,’ another person joked.
Others mocked the late character’s lack of screen presence.
“When Larry isn’t on screen, everyone should be wondering, ‘Where is Larry?'” one fan wrote.
Another added: “I hope we learn something about Larry if we never see him again.”
But others found their life on the margins “really fucking sad and tragic.”
In the last episode, amusingly titled Cremains Of The Day, viewers learned that Larry the Barfly (second from left) had died.
In Cremains Of The Day, Homer and his other drinking buddies explored Larry’s surprising history and realized they barely knew him.
The Simpsons fans reacted on social media with a mix of surprise and mock shock at the news of the minor character’s death.
Others mocked the late character’s lack of screen presence.
The Simpsons writer Matt Selman, who serves as co-showrunner with Al Jean, poked fun at how his own series was playing with the death of a supporting character.
One viewer joked about Larry’s cause of death: “Spoiler: autoerotic asphyxiation.”
Even The Simpsons account joined in on the fun by posting a picture of Homer and Larry eating ‘Angel Wings’ at a sports bar in the sky.
One viewer joked about Larry’s cause of death: “Spoiler: autoerotic asphyxiation.”
Even the Simpsons account joined in on the fun by posting a picture of Homer and Larry eating ‘Angel Wings’ at a sports bar in the sky.
Despite the publicity about the death, many fans also admitted that they never knew Larry’s name.
Although The Simpsons has chosen to eliminate some of its less popular characters, it has also brought back iconic faces in recent years, including Jacques, voiced by Albert Brooks, a French bowler who tried to score a strike with Marge.