Yesterday, we reported that longtime Simpsons composer Alf Clausen had been unexpectedly fired from the show after 27 years, with producer Richard Sakai telling him that The Simpsons was looking for “a different kind of music.” That reasoning seemed silly, since The Simpsons has had a very specific kind of music for decades now, so it seems more likely that the decision was actually about money (especially since Matt Groening has demanded that Clausen score each episode with a 35-piece orchestra). Now, Deadline is reporting that the show’s producers have released a statement about Clausen getting fired, and though it’s brief and light on details, it does suggest that he has their support—for whatever that’s worth.
Here’s the statement:
We tremendously value Alf Clausen’s contributions to the Simpsons and he will continue to have an ongoing role in the show. We remain committed to the finest in music for the Simpsons, absolutely including orchestral. This is the part where we would make a joke but neither Alf’s work nor the music of the Simpsons is treated as anything but seriously by us.
We don’t know what the producers mean by “ongoing role,” but perhaps they’ll just sample everything Clausen has previously recorded for the show and make new music out of that. It would be underhanded and shitty, but at least he’d know he’s not being replaced.