"Excellent"

It's been some break on the blogging but when you get off it, it can be hard to get back in the habit again.  One of the most striking pieces in my absence was Harry Shearer - voice of Montgomery Burns, Smithers and Principal Skinner -  leaving The Simpsons and then some days making an abrupt u-turn.  Some unkindly suggested that his pay cheque has been resolved, but I think his reason may have been more romantic.
Some years back, he was interviewed by Kirsty Wark on Newsnight on his long career.  She posed the question of whether he would ever leave The Simpsons.  His response was telling: "This is showbusiness.  If you tire of this, you tire of showbusiness."  After considering it a few days, it was the bright lights of showbusiness that lured him back to the record-breaking animated comedy show.  The Simpsons definitely seen better days (and better episodes) but it still gamely soldiers on and Harry knew it was as much as part of him as he was of it.