Harry Shearer Leaving ‘The Simpsons,’ But Are His Characters Staying?

Fans of The Simpsons all around the country woke up to the news this morning that actor/comedian Harry Shearer was leaving the show:

In case you were unaware, Harry Shearer is/was responsible for the voice of about two dozen recurring characters on the show. Al Jean, who is showrunner for The Simpsons, released a statement saying there are no plans to retire any of the characters:

This means Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Lenny, Dr. Hibbert, Principal Skinner, Kent Brockman, Ned Flanders, Rev. Lovejoy, Otto and more could sound a little weird over the next few years. Here's hoping it works out better than it did for the Muppets: