The uniquely Quebec model of The Simpsons — dubbed in Québécois French and that includes native place names, politicians, present occasions and standard expressions — has come to an abrupt finish, leaving followers with out their beloved adaptation.
A web-based petition launched final week to save lots of Les Simpsons has garnered greater than 22,000 signatures as of Monday. Spearheaded by Quebecer Joshua Biasotto, the petition calls on Disney+ Canada to make sure new seasons of the present on the streaming service are dubbed in Québécois.
“I took the initiative, not to put pressure, but to show to Disney that the Quebec people care about their Quebec version of The Simpsons,” he stated in an interview.
Teletoon, the tv community owned by Corus Leisure, didn’t renew the broadcasting rights in Quebec for The Simpsons, Household Man and American Dad. It was Corus who was liable for dubbing the exhibits. And now, whereas the thirty seventh season of The Simpsons is about to debut within the fall, the Québécois dub, which is one yr behind and on its thirty sixth season, is on maintain.
For its half, Corus stated the price of dubbing isn’t on the coronary heart of its determination, however quite exclusivity.
“After reviewing our portfolio, we opted to acquire more exclusive content for our channel,” Julie Godon, normal supervisor of French-language specialty channels at Corus, stated in an announcement.
“With Disney+, among others, offering dubbed episodes, we no longer had exclusivity for The Simpsons for several years.”
Godon additionally famous within the assertion that “since 2019, the decline in viewership of the series was significant enough to make us reconsider broadcasting it on Teletoon.”
Disney didn’t return a request for remark asking whether or not it might pay to have Les Simpsons dubbed in Québécois French.
Biasotto stated the Quebec model has been an integral a part of Quebecers’ collective creativeness for many years — and is considerably completely different than the model dubbed for European audiences.
“Because the Quebec version is adapted to our style, so to speak,” Biasotto stated. “It’s not at all the same as the French version from France, which is completely different, which is adapted for a French audience, for a European audience, whereas the Quebec version also has the wording adapted with our references, and our frankness.”
Followers say the Quebec model holds a particular place within the tradition — at instances, Corus used to seek out Québécois superstar equivalents to visitor star instead of these on the present.
35 years of Homer Simpson in Quebec
Thiéry Dubé, the Quebec actor who has voiced Homer Simpson for the previous eight years, since season 28, stated he’s saddened by the flip of occasions.
“What we want is to draw Disney’s attention to the fact that cultural diversity — the fact that the series shines throughout the world — is because it adapts in each country to what people experience,” Dubé stated in an interview.
“If that no longer exists here, it’s a huge cultural loss. The Simpsons is a piece of our identity.”
The present has been dubbed for 35 years in Quebec and is exclusive, he stated.
“In fact, it’s a … very, very, very Québécois product,” Dubé stated. “From the start, Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa speaks with a very Québécois French, from an average suburban Quebec family.”
Quebec actor Thiéry Dubé has lent his voice to the beloved character Homer Simpson since 2017, taking on from Hubert Gagnon. (Radio-Canada)
Taking up from the late Hubert Gagnon in 2017, Dubé stated being the Quebec voice of Homer has been a terrific honour.
“I was honoured to try to keep the voice of this character alive in Quebec,” he stated. “And for me, it’s a wonderful adventure because I get to play with childhood idols and I bring to life a character that I find fascinating and that I’ve loved ever since my childhood.”
Even Ian Lafrenière, a Quebec cupboard minister and longtime Simpsons fan, weighed in. In a Fb put up, he stated the Quebec model should be saved, describing the cultural and geographical references within the present as “sublime.”
He notes that within the U.S. model, Homer is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, however in Quebec, he’s a fan of the Montreal Alouettes.
“That’s the magic of the Quebec version,” Lafrenière stated.
There’s additionally jobs on the road in Quebec, stated well-known Quebec actor Guylaine Tremblay.
“It’s an important source of income for many of our actors,” she wrote on Fb, urging folks to signal the petition.
