Harry Shearer (2014)

How hard was it for you to get into character as Handsome Dan, in Wayne's World?

Did your ancestors shear sheep?

My last name is also Shearer, so I occasionally get asked if we're related. I only said yes to one friend, and he still believes it. Could you say something that I can show him to keep the story alive, Uncle Harry?

Lifelong Simpsons fan here, thanks for doing an AMA!

Who is your favorite Simpsons character that you don't voice? Who is your favorite that you do?

What methods would you suggest to help me stop thinking of Flanders in a skin tight skiing outfit when i need to be focusing on something else?

Mr. Shearer, I'm a long-time fan of your work on the Simpsons and in the Christopher Guest movies. I was recently delighted to discover that you are also quite a fan of jazz (as am I). Your endless talents never cease to amaze me. Thanks for everything you do.

I'll keep it short and sweet:

1) Favorite thing to say in Mr. Burns's voice?

2) Favorite jazz instrumentalist, singer, and/or album?

3) Can I raise a practical question at this point? Are we gonna do Stonehenge tomorrow?

Hi Mr Shearer,
The Simpsons has been on for over 20 years now. How many years do you feel it could go on for and do you think the quality has declined?

My professor said we could get points for class participation by asking you a question. What a time to be alive.

How was Spinal Tap's Japanese tour?

I was fortunate enough to see Spinal Tap in concert, back in 1992, and I'm always amazed at the musicianship that I see there or in A Mighty Wind. How did you three discover each other as musicians? Was that something you were all good at and into before Tap, or something that came about as a result?

I'm not sure if it's allowed but I'm going to ask another question. Why is the Sincronized Swimming skit you did with Martin Short the best skit that has ever been skitted?

Hi Mr. Shearer!

Since you do so many voices on The Simpsons, do you ever get confused and mix them up?

Also, when you voice a new character, how hard is it to actually come up with a new voice that doesn't resemble any of the existing ones?

Thanks and best regards from a fan in Germany!

I read somewhere that you saw The Day the Clown Cried. If that's true how terrible is it?

Bill Murray considers himself the adopted son of SNL. Do you have a title for yourself regarding SNL? thanks and hello!

What was it like working with and knowing Mel Blanc?

Hey Harry, thanks for the AMA!

Is there any one person (celebrity or not) that you haven't worked with but would like to work with on the Simpsons?

Also, are you still a Sphincter Boy?

I only have one question, Mr. Shearer: are we still gonna do Stonehenge tonight?

What's your favorite episode of the simpsons? And why is it Last Exit from Springfield?

What kind of feedback have you gotten from professional rock musicians about "This is Spinal Tap"?

Hello Mr. Shearer! Welcome to reddit!

I am always very impressed when watching your dialogues between Burns and Smithers on the Simpsons, they seem so fluid. Are they particularly difficult to perform?

Mr. Shearer, what can one expect from your show at the Largo in LA?

Also, you're awesome.

Hello, Mr. Shearer!

How do you feel about Smithers' crush on Mr. Burns?
Also, is Ned Flanders's gibberish ad-libbed or actually written like that in the script?

Thanks for doing an AMA Mr. Shearer!

What has been your all-time favourite character to voice?

How does one break into voice acting? And also how did you develop your personal catalogue of voices?

Hi Harry!

Thanks for doing this AMA!

I've got two questions. First, what is your favorite book? Second, a little while ago, Bob Balaban said that I should ask you about your musical about J. Edgar Hoover. Can you tell us more about it, and more importantly, why we haven't seen it yet? Sounds like it would be awesome!

Thank you so much for everything you do!

If you could only work at one of the jobs you listed in your headline, which would you pick and why?

After Nixon, then all over again after Bush, is it hard to stay engaged in politics? Was it a crushing disappointment to find out there's no improvement in all those years? It was for me.

How closely would you say you live your real life to that of the life of Ned Flanders?

You and Albert Brooks wrote one of the great prescient movies of all time with "Real Life." What's your opinion of reality shows, in general, and did you get to keep the over-the-head camera from the film?

Hi Mr. Shearer, thanks for doing this.

My big question would be about your future plans with Spinal Tap and more movies with the Guest/Levy crew.

I loved the "Unwigged" tour and dutifully bought the DVD from your website; will you be doing anything else with Tap in the near future? Any possibility of another tour?

Also, it's been far too long since we've been treated to another in the Guffman/Best In Show/Mighty Wind "series". Is there a specific reason for that, and will we get another one anytime soon?

I'd also like more people to be aware of your non-Simpsons, non-Tap, non-Acting work. Your books, your CDs, your radio shows, all brilliant.

Huge fan from way back in the Credibility Gap days. Big fan of Le Show.

Is it difficult to switch between voices rapidly (as in Attie [sp?] the Atom) and your own voice?

Did we, as a nation, learn anything from Watergate?

Did you ever meet President Nixon?

Did anything you heard on the Nixon tapes shock you?

Mr. Shearer, good day to you sir!
Was there ever a role you were up for that went to someone else that you really wish you could have done? I'll take my answer off the air.

As a man who is primarily famous for his voice, how often aer you usually recognized on the streets?

Does Christopher Guest have any plans to get you and the rest of the gang together to do another mockumentary of any sort? It's been way too long since the last one!

SO, what's KCRW's deal anyway? Why'd they bail on Le Show?

Did you really write, Jazz Odyssey?

Big Christopher Guest fan, love your work. Any cool stories from the Wayne's World 2 set? I love the Handsome Dan character & still quote that bit of dialogue to this day.

Do you listen to Gilbert Gottfried's podcast? You would be the perfect guest, amazing old show biz interviews. I think he thinks there is 30 year old tension between you two, because of something said on SNL. Is that the case?

HARRY!!! HUGE FAN!!! There was a huge rumor that you and Martin Short did not get along on the set of PURE LUCK largely due to his farting during your scene. Is there any validity to that at all????

Hello Mr. Shearer. I've seen This is Spinal Tap umpteen zillion times and I've always wondered, is there a back story to the Zucchini in the tinfoil? Is the tinfoil supposed to help keep it from spoiling or to add tecture?

Dear Mr. Shearer,

With all the craziness that's going on in the world right now, would say it's finally time for us to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo within?

Also, did you ever find that Hellfish Tontine?

Thanks a million for your good works. Take care. I love you.

Thanks for all the great things you do - listening to Le Show is the perfect way to finish a weekend.

How long does it take for you to prepare for each show? And how many google news alerts do you have set up?

Hello Mr. Shearer,

Just want you to know that This Is Spinal Tap is, to me, the funniest movie ever made--and I've seen all the classics, from Chaplin to Sturges, to Wilder, to Brooks, to the Farrelly brothers. Never has a movie comedy aged so well.

Being aware that Spinal Tap was a collaborative effort, are there jokes that you can claim ownership of in that film, that you are particularly proud of?

Harry!! What is your single most enduring memory from the time you spent with Saxon 'researching' your Derek Smalls role?

I can't wait to see "Nixon's the One." Is there any other historical character that you'd like to portray?

Do you think the Christopher Guest repertory company got a little large? Why so much loyalty? All hilarious, but I think in some ways it hurt some of the films - having characters and storylines for so many people.

You've already answered about your favorite Simpsons' episodes, and it sounds like The Principal and the Pauper was at one point your least favorite. So you have entire seasons you feel particularly strongly about, one way or another?

Hi Harry! Back in the early days of the web, The Simpsons site actually had email contacts for the voice actors. I sent you an email and got a reply. Was it really from you or was it an intern/PA?

Why Doris119? Any significance?

I read that the character of Dr. Marvin Monroe died off because it was too much of a strain on your voice. Is there any truth to that, or was he removed for some other reason?

Mr Shearer, how did you get to be so awesome? Sorry, I don't have a real question. I just appreciate all the work you've done.

Do you ever think in your character voices?

Are we ever going to see Saucy Jack on the big screen?

Hello Harry! If Ned Flanders was an atheist, what would he say? What would he do for a hobby?

Thank you for all your excellent work on the Simpsons and helping the people of New Orleans. :)

Hi Mr. Shearer! Thank you for providing so many hours of entertainment over the years. When you reflect on all of the various guests that have appeared on The Simpsons, do you have a particular favorite?

How did you channel the spirit of Schwarzenegger to do the Mcbain voice and was Arnold ever asked to cameo on the Simpsons as himself? Arnold vs McBain!

Mr Shearer,

All of your characters are currently in a battle to the death. Who comes out on top?

Round 1) No weapons

Round 2) Characters can use any items readily available to them the would be typical for them to have (Derek Smalls has his bass, Skinner has his mother...etc)

I imagine that voice acting is different that acting on a set in many ways, but do you ever just get "tickled" and can't stop laughing from one of the lines that you're reading? Ever any room to improve? can you share an example?

Hey Harry Shearer ! Thank you for this chance

• what was it like working with the cast and crew of The Fisher King?

• What's it like voicing so many different characters on The Simpsons?

Thank you again for this opportunity, on behalf of this AMA I'd like to commend you on your amazing talents and wish you luck on your current and future projects

Whats your favorite animated shows besides the Simpsons?

Hello Harry! Thanks for doing this AMA! I've always been curious about getting into voice acting, so naturally I want to ask, how did you get started with it? What was that process like for you?

Who is the most underrated of the Lampoon/SNL/SCTV era?
Who is the most overrated?

When you first started working on the show The Simpsons in your wildest dreams did you ever imagine the show would become as big as it did?

Michael O'Donoghue was a pretty influential part of the 70s comedy and creation of SNL. Yet, outside of serious nerds, he is largely forgotten. I have difficulty wrapping my head around his place in it all. Any thoughts on him? Was he funny? Was he a good guy?

What is your dream role?

1)What was your first impression of the Simpsons when you started? 2)How did you come up with so many different voices/characters? Did the writing staff drive that discovery, or did you come across them yourself?

Do you have any priceless memorabilia from the simpsons?

Of all of the characters that you have, and currenly play, who can you say that you relate to the most?

Dear Mr. Shearer,
lmanders32's question prompted me to have one to post here: Did you feel an affinity with Joe in Oliver Cotton's "Daytona" when you played that character? I saw some of your Nixon in your Joe, strangely.
Thanks, as ever. rx

Do you ever find yourself tired of comedy being a commodity? Since comedy is a large part of your career I expect you have to be very serious about it-- but isn't that a bit of a conflict? Taking laughs so seriously?