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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The Simpsons kill off Marge in season 36 finale as outraged fans slam ‘stupid decision'
The iconic blue-haired mom of the Springfield family has been with the show since the start MARGE RAGE The Simpsons kill off Marge in season 36 finale as outraged fans slam 'stupid decision' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE SIMPSONS has killed off Marge in the season 36 finale - causing widespread fan outrage. The beloved wife of beer-belching Homer has been a mainstay on the hit animated show since 1989. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Homer Simpson surrounded by family and friends at Marge's funeral Credit: Fox 3 Homer and Marge have been together since the very start of the Simpsons Credit: Alamy 3 Marge looks down from heaven as she watches her children interact Credit: Fox Viewers have watched her and the Springfield natives grow up together over the years. But in the finale of the latest instalment, she appears to have died. The episode - called Estranger Things - focuses on the sibling bond between Bart and Lisa. It shows them growing apart after they stop watching their favorite program 'The Itchy & Scratchy Show'. READ MORE ON THE SIMPSONS UNSUNG HERO The Simpsons icon dies aged 84 after battling rare illness as tributes flood in Marge is fearful that her kids will become estranged, which turns out to be a reality 35 years later after Marge has died. The death of the family matriarch appears to be a flash-forward scene, instead of an instant passing away. In the future, Lisa is now the commissioner of the NBA. She is paying for her widowed father Homer to live in a retirement home. Bart is running it unlicensed, in his latest money-making scene. There is a brief scene of Marge's funeral where Homer is standing in tears over his wife's grave. Jesus and Virgin Mary statues left looking like Simpsons characters after botched restoration of 200-year-old shrine He is surrounded by family and friends. After Homer is taken out of the retirement home by Senior Protective Services, and send him to Florida. Lisa then finds an old video tape from Marge, who tells Bart and Lisa to always depend on each other. The siblings then make up to rescue their dad, and take him back home. FREE STREAMING! Apps offer no-cost TV Here are some of the most popular apps that offer at least some free streaming content... Tubi Amazon Freevee Plex TV The Roku Channel Sling Freestream (via Sling TV) FilmRise NewsON Fawesome TV Pluto TV Local Now Haystack News Red Bull TV Free Movies Plus PBS Kids Video PBS Xumo Play A scene then flashes to heaven, where Marge is looking down on the family. "I'm so happy my kids are close again," she says. Ringo Starr then bizarrely appears and tells Marge, 'Love, we'll be late for the Heaven Buffett. There's a shrimp tower.' 'Okay Ringo," she replies. "I'm just so glad that we're allowed to marry different people in Heaven,' She then shares a kiss with the Beatles legend. It is not known how exactly she passes away. Fans reacted in shock at the news of Marge's death, but are hopeful it is not for a long time yet. "What a stupid decision," said one. Another added: "I haven't even watched The Simpsons in 10+ years but they really killed MARGE?!" A third said: "What's this I'm hearing they killed Marge Simpson off????" And a fourth commented: "Marge Simpson is dead?"
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The Simpsons kill off Marge in season 36 finale as outraged fans slam ‘stupid decision'
THE SIMPSONS has killed off Marge in the season 36 finale - causing widespread fan outrage. The beloved wife of beer-belching Homer has been a mainstay on the hit animated show since 1989. Advertisement 3 Homer Simpson surrounded by family and friends at Marge's funeral Credit: Fox 3 Homer and Marge have been together since the very start of the Simpsons Credit: Alamy 3 Marge looks down from heaven as she watches her children interact Credit: Fox Viewers have watched her and the Springfield natives grow up together over the years. But in the finale of the latest instalment, she appears to have died. The episode - called Estranger Things - focuses on the sibling bond between Bart and Lisa. It shows them growing apart after they stop watching their favorite program 'The Itchy & Scratchy Show'. Advertisement Marge is fearful that her kids will become estranged, which turns out to be a reality 35 years later after Marge has died. The death of the family matriarch appears to be a flash-forward scene, instead of an instant passing away. In the future, Lisa is now the commissioner of the NBA. She is paying for her widowed father Homer to live in a retirement home. Advertisement Most read in TV Old Bart is running it unlicensed, in his latest money-making scene. There is a brief scene of Marge's funeral where Homer is standing in tears over his wife's grave. Jesus and Virgin Mary statues left looking like Simpsons characters after botched restoration of 200-year-old shrine He is surrounded by family and friends. After Homer is taken out of the retirement home by Senior Protective Services, and send him to Florida. Advertisement Lisa then finds an old video tape from Marge, who tells Bart and Lisa to always depend on each other. The siblings then make up to rescue their dad, and take him back home. FREE STREAMING! Apps offer no-cost TV Here are some of the most popular apps that offer at least some free streaming content... Tubi Amazon Freevee Plex TV The Roku Channel Sling Freestream (via Sling TV) FilmRise NewsON Fawesome TV Pluto TV Local Now Haystack News Red Bull TV Free Movies Plus PBS Kids Video PBS Xumo Play A scene then flashes to heaven, where Marge is looking down on the family. "I'm so happy my kids are close again," she says. Advertisement Ringo Starr then bizarrely appears and tells Marge, 'Love, we'll be late for the Heaven Buffett. There's a shrimp tower.' 'Okay Ringo," she replies. "I'm just so glad that we're allowed to marry different people in Heaven,' She then shares a kiss with the Beatles legend. Advertisement It is not known how exactly she passes away. Fans reacted in shock at the news of Marge's death, but are hopeful it is not for a long time yet. "What a stupid decision," said one. Another added: "I haven't even watched The Simpsons in 10+ years but they really killed MARGE?!" Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun A third said: "What's this I'm hearing they killed Marge Simpson off????" And a fourth commented: "Marge Simpson is dead?"
Fox News
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
‘The Simpsons' star fears AI could rip off his work, but says there's one thing it cannot recreate
"The Simpsons" star Hank Azaria has voiced his fears over artificial intelligence in a new opinion piece. The actor, who has been with the show since 1989, wrote an opinion essay for The New York Times, worrying AI "will be able to recreate the sounds of the more than 100 voices I created for characters on 'The Simpsons.'" He continued, "It makes me sad to think about it. Not to mention, it seems just plain wrong to steal my likeness or sound — or anyone else's." Azaria voices dozens of characters on the show, including bartender Moe Syzlak, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Professor Frink and many more. "But a voice is not just a sound. And I'd like to think that no matter how much an AI version of Moe or Snake or Chief Wiggum will sound like my voice, something will still be missing — the humanness. There's so much of who I am that goes into creating a voice. How can the computer conjure all that?" he wrote. AI expert Marva Bailer told Fox News Digital, "When we look at animated characters, there is a person behind that character and there's also a person behind the voice, because we identify the character with the image, but also that unique voice and voices aren't just reading a script. A voice has a personality to it and emotion and a connection. And so his point that he's trying to make is he's actually developing these characters over time, and he's developing them through his life experience." "It makes me sad to think about it. Not to mention, it seems just plain wrong to steal my likeness or sound — or anyone else's." She continued, "He's been doing this a very, very long time. And as he's interacted with these characters, he developed, developed new personalities and the ways that the characters react with each other and new characters that they meet, just like we do as humans. And so he does have a valid point." In the piece, which also featured video clips of Azaria acting out his various roles, the 60-year-old elaborated on the physicality that goes into voice-over performances, like running in place, using props and working up real tears, all of which would be missing from an artificially generated voice. "An AI-generated voice has enough little things askew to make you think there's something missing," the "The Birdcage" star said. "It just isn't compelling or funny in the same way that AI-generated faces in video seem to be missing elements that would make them believable and human-seeming — too often micro-expressions and gestures are not quite right." He explained his worries about the technology impacting his career, admitting, "There may be some aspects of a performance that AI can enhance." WATCH: AI EXPERT EXPLAINS 'THE SIMPSONS' STAR'S 'VALID POINT' ON THE TECHNOLOGY "So, if I'm being honest, I am a little worried. This is my job. This is what I love to do, and I don't want to have to stop doing it. The conventional wisdom in Hollywood is that the technology for making faces seem fully human is five years away. I fear that the voice equivalent is also coming." "Something that AI does for us is if we have an idea or creativity, and we want to know what something sounds like or thinks like or looks like, and maybe we don't have it in our repertoire or our community, it can give us those inspirations," Bailer said. "And that's really what Hank is bringing to the picture." The "Godzilla" star also shared that he sees some positive aspects to the technology, like recreating the late Mel Blanc, who voiced Bugs Bunny. "Maybe it would work especially well if someone like me, who is intimately familiar with the subtleties of the character, could help recreate what Bugs Bunny was doing by essentially directing AI," he suggested. "The whole nostalgia opportunity is valid," Bailer said. "And we're seeing these new experiences where Elvis comes to life, where ABBA comes to life, and there are situations where the actors or the estates or the rights owners are turning over that content. And yes, it can be created in a new way for a new generation. And it brings opportunity to these voice actors that could bring these characters to life with new voices and maybe new parts of their families or communities that they're going to intertwine." She added, "We do need to protect our IP and keep doing a great job being humans and then using AI as that assistant to accelerate new experiences that we might not have even thought of." There is also another consideration for the use of AI when it comes to "The Simpsons," the aging cast. Last November, Azaria's voice acting co-star, Pamela Hayden, who provided the voice of characters like Bart's friend, Milhouse, among many others, announced she was retiring from the show after 35 years. "How many actors can say they've worked on a show for 35 years straight?" the 70-year-old told Variety. "That alone is amazing. But it was time for me to devote my time to other creative endeavors that I have, like filmmaking." "It was a tough decision," she added, "but I feel like it was the right one." Hayden told the outlet producers were auditioning new actors for the role, and offered advice to make it their own. "It is a sticky wicket in the sense that, I don't think it's ever good to just do an impression. It is a difficult task [to] put your stamp on a character, but to still make it sound like the character that has already originated," she said. "You want them to bring their own gift to the party." WATCH: AI EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY 'SIMPSONS' STARS AND OTHER ACTORS MAY FIND USE IN THE TECHNOLOGY Other key cast members include Dan Castellaneta, 67, who voices Homer and dozens of others, Julie Kavner, 74, the voice of Marge, Nancy Cartwright, 67, the voice of Bart and several others, Yeardley Smith, 60, the voice of Lisa, and Harry Shearer, the voice of Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns and many, many more. "Simpsons" showrunner Matt Selman told People last year, not long before Hayden's retirement, that he's in "super denial" about the possibility of any of his cast members suddenly dying. "I don't think about it, so I'm just going to not think about that," he added. "But certainly, it's just if the show ever does a last episode." Bailer noted, "Eighty percent of us are going to acquire a disability during our working years. So there could be a scenario where you're supposed to go to work, and you have to read script and beyond, and you have a cold and your voice doesn't sound like it did last week, or maybe you actually had a serious car accident and now your voice really doesn't sound exactly alike. And so if [AI] can fine tune your instrument, that would be a good thing. But again, it needs to be transparent. There needs to be agreements in place and transparency and ownership is really what's going to be important." Azaria concluded that regardless of AI's capabilities, there would still need to be a human element behind the scenes. "I think we'll still need someone who in his mind and heart and soul knows what needs to be done. AI can make the sound, but it will still need people to make the performance. Will the computer ever understand emotion on its own, what's moving and what's funny? Now we're getting into science fiction, because for that, I think, the AI would have to be alive."
