In today’s world of instant gratification, The Simpsons is a glorious anomaly. For 35 years and over 750 episodes, the iconic animated sitcom has entered the living rooms of many generations of audiences and has still managed to remain relevant. Apart from the main characters becoming like family, the show has also stood out for its periphery roles that have gained cult status.
One of these characters who has appeared since the inception of the show in 1989 is Larry ‘The Barfly’ Dalrymple. While he has mostly been a fly-on-the-wall personality, he endeared himself to hardcore fans of the show. Now, after almost three and a half decades, Larry The Barfly is officially dead. Executive producer Tim Long responded to the depressed reactions from fans and explained why this had to happen.
A Mainstay From The Simpsons Is No More and Fans Are Devastated
The Simpsons which is longest running sitcom in the world, has just dealt fans the tragic news regarding the death of a character who was part of the ensemble since its inception in 1989. Larry Dalrymple popularly known as Larry The Barfly, is officially dead according to a report in Deadline.
The character who has been a constant presence since day 1, is interestingly someone who audiences never really knew intricately, but has always caught the eye of viewers as part of Homer Simpson’s entourage of friends in Moe’s Tavern.
While the reason for the character’s death was not revealed, the episode from season 35 titled Cremains of the Day shows Homer and his friends attending his funeral and going down memory lane only to realize the fact that they knew so little about him. The episode sent shockwaves across the world as die-hard fans took to social media to express their heartbreak on this unexpected event.
One thing about the latest Simpsons episode is that all jokes aside, Larry The Barfly’s life is really fucking sad and tragic 😭😭😭
— (MOVING ACCOUNTS) (@DeadBloke999) April 22, 2024
holy shit larry from the simpsons died rest in peace my drunken king
— amazing digital zoe (@adrenochromia) April 22, 2024
I can’t believe they killed off Larry Dalrymple on The Simpsons last night. #RIPLarry pic.twitter.com/sFFxcPTYGe
— Blade McG IV (SCM) (@Blade___McG) April 22, 2024
The death of Larry the Barfly in The Simpsons is a shining example of how a seemingly insignificant character can actually make a major impact with viewers on a global level just by his presence.
The Simpsons Producer Tim Long Weighs In On Larry The Barfly’s Death
Following the death of a long-standing character Larry the Barfly in The Simpsons, the internet has been on overdrive with traumatized fans rueing his demise. The quiet campaigner who occasionally spoke some pearls of wisdom, was a constant presence in Homer Simpson’s circle of friends.
Following the furor on social media, executive producer Tim Long spoke to TMZ about the decision and revealed how this was the exact reaction he expected from loyal fans of the franchise. He believed that the heart and soul of the series lay in how all the characters became like family to fans over 3 decades, which was a clear indicator of the longevity of the show.
While Long apologized to fans for making them endure this tragic news, he was happy to note that even a seemingly insignificant character like Larry The Barfly affected people with his death almost like he was one of the main protagonists. This gave him even more confidence and validation that they had created something special with The Simpsons.
The Simpsons is streaming on Hulu.
