Harry Shearer Leaving Simpsons?

This sounds like a negotiating ploy from the producers, but if it's not, they really should shut down shop. No Harry Shearer. No Simpsons. From this morning's RAMP Newsletter..

Longtime fans of The Simpsons were more than a little upset to hear that one of the show's most famous voices, Harry Shearer, is reportedly leaving the show after 26 seasons. Shearer beautifully breathes life into the personas of Montgomery Burns, Ned Flanders and Principal Skinner. On Wednesday night he announced his departure from the show, tweeting, "This because I wanted what we've always had: the freedom to do other work." As Variety reported, Simpsons Executive Producers Matt Groening, Al Jean and James L. Brooks released a statement that read, "Harry Shearer was offered the same deal the rest of the cast accepted, and passed. The show will go on and we wish him well. Maggie took it hard." Al Jean also said Shearer's iconic characters would be recast, saying, "Burns and Flanders will not die. They are great characters and will continue." After all this very public back-and-forth... why do we have a weird feeling that this issue is not really over? Fellow fans of Harry -- stay tuned! The Season 26 finale of The Simpsons airs Sunday night on Fox.