Even if the voice actors take a pay-cut?

Earlier this week, the studio that produces “The Simpsons”, 20th Century Fox, informed the cast that they’ll be forced to cancel the show after this season if they don’t accept a MASSIVE pay cut.

–Well, now we’re hearing that the show may be on its way out EVEN IF the cast agrees to the proposed 45% salary hit.

–A so-called “executive close to the show” tells TheWrap.com that Fox is only interested in doing ONE more season after the current one . . . and they’ll only do that season if everyone connected to “The Simpsons” takes a pay cut.

–So far, the show’s producers have agreed to reduce their salaries, but there’s no update on what the cast is thinking.  They’re supposed to decide by TODAY.

–Here are some specific numbers from TheWrap.com:

–The six principal voice actors currently make $440,000 per episode.  With over 20 episodes per season, they each rake in around $9 million a season.

–The proposed pay cut would reduce their salaries to $250,000 per episode, which comes out to over $5 million a season.

–The cast has counter-proposed a pay cut to $300,000 per episode . . . or over $6 million per season . . . but WITH a cut of the show’s “back end,” which is money from syndication, merchandising and DVD sales.

–20th Century Fox has already declined that offer.

–By the way, the cast commissioned a study into how much 20th Century Fox is making off the show . . . to see if the show is as unprofitable as they say it is.

–Here’s what they found:  “The Simpsons” has earned $3.95 BILLION in revenue . . . including “network advertising, syndication payments, international airings, merchandising, and home video”. . . and it has cost about $3.07 billion to produce.

–So, “The Simpsons” has made nearly $1 billion in profits.  The study also claims it stands to earn another $2 billion in profits AFTER they stop producing new episodes.  (–This would suggest there IS money, but these numbers are unofficial.)

–Can we survive without the Simpsons?  Is it there time to go?  Let us know what you think.