On tonights Futurama Fry was finally able to do what he wanted to do in the 20th century and said: "Howard Stern is overrated!". What makes this quote interesting is that Billy West (voice of Fry) used to work on Howard's radio show for about a year and a half and wound up leaving the show on bad terms. I wonder if Billy wrote that line himself.
Did everybody understand the Howard Stern reference?
Mar 12, 2001, 12:25 AM ET18 posts by 12 postersalt.tv.futurama
18 posts
You know I totally forgot that Billy did Jacky Puppet. Among other work on Stern. They also had another Billy West reference in Fry's brother Yancy was the name of the lead character's middle name in the Nickelodeon show "Doug" that Billy did work on.
It kinda makes me wonder who this Ron Weiner guy is who wrote this episode. Could be a false name.
[email] wrote:
He also did the Nixon impression we all know and love from Futurama, as well as OJ, and an old racist woman named Marge Schott. I heard some of that one on a "Best of Stern" day last month and it was a really inspired dialogue. I've also downloaded some mp3s of prank calls Billy made to Stern show staff. He can do a really incredible female voice impression, young or old, so I'm surprised he didn't seem to be playing Fry's mom tonight.
I would always dismiss that kind of speculation, because the only time someone dares to decline credit in Hollywood is if they are contractually obligated or embarrassed to be associated with the final product. Ron Weiner wrote 3 episodes of the final (non-Phil Hartman) season of Newsradio (one of them being my favorite of that season). That show ended at the same time Futurama finished season 1, and I believe Weiner came on Futurama in early season 2 as a story editor. Futurama had already imported Lewis Morton and Brian Kelley from Newsradio in season 1. Ron's career must be charmed by the fact that a group of Hollywood comedy writers can't resist having a guy named "Weiner" around the office.
-Eric S. ([email])
"What I'm trying to communicate is that I'm willing to do nudity, no extra charge!" -Bill McNeal, Newsradio, 1998
"Eric S." wrote:
Heh Heh heh don't you know who Marge Schott is? It's funnyer if you do. Run it through a search engine.
I guess it just shows how much the table reading input gets worked into the final draft.
Hey man, where can i download those Billy West mp3's? I've searched napster but they're not on there.....
"Eric S." wrote in message news:98hqo4$[email]...
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I don't know, but the timing is incredibly odd, because Stern is talking about hiring a new on-air personality, and just last week he said on the air they tried to call Billy to negotiate with mixed results. This after they apparently have barely mentioned Billy and almost certainly never talked to or interviewed him in all the years since he left. One of Stern's longtime on-air crew Jackie Martling quit last week, and there's been a big controversy on the Stern newsgroup about them possibly hiring Billy back to replace him. It'll be interesting to see if Howard Stern mentions this Futurama put-down on the air.
This is the summary of the Stern show's discussion about Billy West on 3/8/2001 from marksfriggin.com:
"Jackie was with Howard for 15 years but good things must come to an end. He said the show is going to go on just like it did when Billy West left. He said they've even tried to call Billy back to see if he wants to come back on the show. Billy left because he couldn't get money and now they have Jackie's money to give him. Howard said Gary tried calling Billy but he got his wife instead. She told Gary that Billy only moves forward in his career so he wouldn't step back to the show. Howard said he just wanted to talk to Billy and she wasn't making it easy."
BTW, in Billy's online chat from 1999 (archived at frcr.com) he says he left the Stern show because the management wouldn't give him the raise he wanted, and he wanted to be richer than he believed he could get working in radio. Apparently the slot Martling left is now a 1.5 million a year gig. You have to wonder if that would tempt Billy back. Keep in mind even the Simpsons voice crew didn't get their salary over a million a year until the 10th season. Could Billy balance his career between NYC and LA, or would this threaten his position on Futurama or force him to demand more money there, either way threatening the life of a show that seems to be hanging on a thread as it is? As if Howard Stern wasn't controversial enough, who would have thought he might one day have a hand in destroying Futurama?
-Eric S. ([email])
"What I'm trying to communicate is that I'm willing to do nudity, no extra charge!" -Bill McNeal, Newsradio, 1998
I've read some interviews that Billy West did and he always said that the money he could make in radio was nothing compared to what he could make in TV or movies. I mean he probably gets around low-six-figures per ep of futurama and if he was to return to Stern's show he would probably take a considerable paycut. However, when he was originally on the radio show ('93-94) he worked 3 days a week and also did the voices of Ren and Stimpy in his spare time. I would love for Billy to return to the Howard Stern show, I really miss Jackie Puppet, Evil Jay Leno, Dr. Smith and all his other voices. "Eric S." wrote in message news:98hpec$[email]...
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I don't think he makes that much, since the Simpsons voice cast didn't start making a million per year until the 10th season. They settled for a raise to $50,000 per episode in season 10, after demanding $150,000. They should be up to $70,000 per episode in season 12 by the terms of that contract. Voice actors don't command the TV star salaries live actors do. Remember supporting player Maggie Roswell who quit The Simpsons when she was denied a raise from less than $2,000 per episode two years ago?
Futurama has lower ratings, less years on the air, and they're airing less episodes per season, so I would think Billy's annual salary is in the low 6 figures, at best mid 6 figures. Although maybe Billy gets more because he was a bigger name in the voiceover business when Futurama started.
Billy also has done a lot of commercial endorsements from Pepsi to M&Ms, but the 1.5 million dollar Stern gig wouldn't necessarily impact the time it takes for him to do that. It might scare advertisers away though if his voices were associated with the Stern show. Also, if the actors get residuals from syndication, that would give Billy incentive to hang around on Futurama a couple more years and let that syndication package accumulate.
-Eric S. ([email])
"What I'm trying to communicate is that I'm willing to do nudity, no extra charge!" -Bill McNeal, Newsradio, 1998
<snip>
What voices did she do?
DGH
If Billy left Futurama (or Leela or Benders voices) then the show would have to end as I for one couldnt REALLY accept them with different voices. (just as Matt G said if any of the main cast of The Simpsons left they'd end the show)
Her main ones were Maude Flanders <who's now dead> and Helen Lovejoy <who now just stands mute in the background.>
"RMK" wrote in message news:[email]...
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Helen spoke in "Tennis the Menace," actually, with Marcia Mitzman-Gaven doing her voice. Roswell also voiced Miss Hoover (a considerably larger part than Helen, I should think) and Luanne Van Houten (not very major).
Nathan
"RMK" wrote in message news:[email]...
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Helen spoke in "Tennis the Menace," actually, with Marcia Mitzman-Gaven doing her voice. Roswell also voiced Miss Hoover (a considerably larger part than Helen, I should think) and Luanne Van Houten (not very major).
Nathan
Actually Helen Lovejoy talked this season in the one when Homer builds a tennis court in his backyard. Of course the voice sounded all wrong and I would have preferred if they just left her mute. "RMK" wrote in message news:[email]...
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the stern show was never better than when billy was a regular.
steven Eric S. wrote in message news:98hpec$[email]...
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On Mon, 12 Mar 2001 05:25:25 GMT, "Indoobidubly" wrote:
I took it as Fry's response to the cry of "Stern rules!" and the like, which were occuring shortly before he was frozen.
I think it's one of the few sensible things to have come out of Fry's mouth since episode 1.
On Tue, 13 Mar 2001 13:58:43 -0500, Dave wrote:
I agree. Even Fry is bright enough to know that Howard Stern is an over rated jerk. In New York, back in the 20th century, disagreeing with his fans is a good way to get into a fight.
--Larry