The unique Quebec version of The Simpsons – Nicknamed in Québécois French and with names of local places, politicians, current events and popular expressions – has reached an abrupt end, leaving fans without their dear adaptation.
An online petition launched last week to save Les Simpsons He has obtained more than 22,000 signatures as of Monday. Headed by Quebece Joshua Biasotto, the petition calls Disney+ Canada to ensure that the new seasons of the show in the transmission service are called in Québécois.
“I took the initiative, not press The Simpsons“He said in an interview.
Teletoon, the television network owned by Corus Entertainment, did not renew the transmission rights in Quebec for The Simpsons, Type of family and American dad. It was Corus who was responsible for calling the shows. And now, while the 37th season of The Simpsons It will be debuted in the fall, the Dub of Québécois, which is a year ago and in its 36th season, is waiting.
For his part, Corus said that the cost of bending is not in the heart of his decision, but rather exclusivity.
“After reviewing our portfolio, we chose to acquire more exclusive content for our channel,” said Julie Godon, general manager of French specialty channels in Corus, in a statement.
“With Disney+, among others, offering folded episodes, we no longer had exclusivity to He SimpsonS for several years. “
Godon also pointed out in the statement that “since 2019, the decrease in the series audience was significant enough to reconsider it in Teletoon.”
Disney did not return a request for comments asking if he would pay Les Simpsons Nicknamed in Québécois French.
Biasotto said that the Quebec version has been an integral part of the collective imagination of Quebecers for decades, and is significantly different from the version called the European public.
“Because the Quebec version is adapted to our style, so to speak,” said Biasotto. “It is not the same as the French version of France, which is completely different, which is adapted for a French audience, for a European audience, while the Quebec version also has the writing adapted with our references and our frankness.”
Fans say that the Quebec version occupies a special place in culture; Sometimes, Corus used to find the equivalents of Celebrities from Québécois for the guest star instead of those in the program.
35 years of Homer Simpson in Quebec
Thiéry Dubé, the Quebec actor who has expressed Homer Simpson during the last eight years, since season 28, said he is saddened by the turn of events.
“What we want is to attract Disney’s attention to the fact that cultural diversity, the fact that the series shines worldwide, is because it adapts in each country to what people experience,” Dubé said in an interview.
“If that no longer exists here, it is a great cultural loss. The Simpsons It is a part of our identity. “
The show has been called for 35 years in Quebec and is unique, he said.
“In fact, it’s a product … very, very, very quiet,” Dubé said. “From the beginning, Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa speak with a very Québécois Frenchman, of an average suburban family of Quebec.”
Assuming the deceased Hubert Gagnon in 2017, Dubé said that being the voice of Homer of Quebec has been a great honor.
“I felt honored to try to keep the voice of this character in Quebec alive,” he said. “And for me, it is a wonderful adventure because I can play with the idols of childhood and give life to a character that seems fascinating and that I loved since my childhood.”
Even Ian LaFrenière, a Quebec cabinet minister and for a long time Simpsons Fan, heavy. In a Facebook publication, he said that the Quebec version must be saved, describing cultural and geographical references in the program as a “sublime”.
He points out that in the American version, Homer is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, but in Quebec, he is a fan of the Alouettes of Montreal.
“That is the magic of the Quebec version,” said Lafrenière.
There are also works at stake in Quebec, said Quebec Guylaine Tremblay actor.
“It is an important source of income for many of our actors,” he wrote on Facebook, urging people to sign the request.
Biasotto said there is some hope among fans that Bellmedia will resume the program for its Noovo station, but the network said in an email that had nothing more to say about the matter.
