The Simpsons producer apologizes to fans for killing off long-running character... while defending the shocking death for being impactful

One of The Simpson's core creative team is offering a mixed response to upset fans after the series shockingly killed off one of its oldest characters on Sunday.

Tim Long, a co-executive producer on the iconic animated comedy, offered up an apology to traumatized fans on Thursday while speaking to TMZ.

Long also defended the character culling, claiming that it was always intended to be an emotional blow to fans because of how rare death is on The Simpsons.

The series had teased the death ahead of time, though that didn't put all fans at ease once it was revealed that Larry, one of the longtime denizens of Moe's Tavern, had died.

Tim Long, co-executive producer on The Simpsons, apologized to fans for killing off Larry the Barfly (R) on the April 21 episode, but also defended the emotional impact to TMZ on Thursday

Larry the Barfly, who was first introduced almost 35 years ago in the premiere episode, was also revealed to be named Lawrence Dalrymple. 

He was primarily a background character, and his drinking buddy, the perpetually slurring beer-bellied drunk Barney Gumble, always outshone him.

Long told the publication he was sorry that Simpsons fans were saddened by Larry's death, as well as the generally somber tone of the episode as a whole. 

But the producer was also heartened that the show meant so much to its fans that they could have that strong of an emotional reaction.

He clarified that it was always the intent of The Simpsons' creative team to move viewers with Larry's death. Even though he was mostly a background character, death is extremely rare on the series, making even the loss of a minor figure noteworthy.

Long also poked fun at another classic cartoon, The Flintstones, by claiming that fans of the series — which aired from 1960 to 1966 — wouldn't have been troubled if one of its least-popular characters, The Great Gazoo, had bitten the dust. (Fittingly, The Simpsons parodied the little green alien by introducing the similarly designed Ozmodiar in season eight.)

The producer said he was happy to see that fans could still have a strong emotional reaction to the show, which was created by Matt Groening and premiered in 1989.

However, he urged upset fans to keep things in perspective, as The Simpsons didn't kill off any of its main characters, or even a popular minor character.

Long was sorry Simpsons fans were saddened by Larry's death, but he was heartened that the show meant so much to its fans that they could have that strong of an emotional reaction

He clarified that it was always the intent to move viewers with Larry's death

After the episode aired, Long posted on X (formerly Twitter): 'Good call by [co-showrunner Matt Selman] to explore how Homer and his friends foresee the afterlife. Poignant and deeply weird!'

The creative team — who came under fire from overly sensitive viewers last year over scenes in which Homer comically strangles his son Bart — may not have expected to upset many fans, as Selman wasn't particularly subtle with hints about which character would die prior to the episode airing.

One social media post urged fans to guess who would be the unlucky character, but Larry was joined by three main characters — Homer, Marge and Bart — who would almost certainly never be killed off.

Larry the Barfly's first appearance on the series was on the Christmas-themed debut episode Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire. 

In the latest episode — featuring the punny title Cremains Of The Day — viewers learned that he had died.

Larry had been a member of the intoxicated ensemble frequenting Moe's Tavern, and he was voiced by Spinal Tap star Harry Shearer, who is known for bringing to life a bevy of characters, including Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, his assistant Smithers, Principal Skinner and the Reverend Lovejoy, among many others. However, Larry rarely got a chance to open his mouth on the series.

Although Larry had been around for decades, he never took a prominent role in any episode, and almost nothing was known about the character's backstory.

That changed with Sunday's episode, as he was posthumously revealed to be named Lawrence Dalrymple.

He added that death is extremely rare on the series, making even the loss of a minor figure noteworthy; still from 2021

Larry the Barfly debuted on the show in December 1989 — almost 35 years ago — in the series premiere, the Christmas-themed Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire; pictured in season nine

In Cremains Of The Day, Homer and his other drinking buddies explored Larry's surprising history while realizing that they barely knew him.

Simpsons fans reacted on social media with a mixture of surprise and mock shock at the news of the minor character's death.

'Not Larry!' joked one fan who also posted a gif of Marge and the children looking looking stunned. 

'Just learned they are killing off Larry on The Simpsons tomorrow. I need a minute,' joked another person.

Others poked fun at the late character's lack of screen presence. 

'Whenever Larry isn't onscreen, everybody should be asking, "Where's Larry?"' one fan wrote. 

Another added, 'I hope we learn something about Larry if we aren't going to see him again.'

But others found his life in the margins 'really f***ing sad and tragic.'

In the latest episode — featuring the punny title Cremains Of The Day — viewers learned that Larry the Barfly (second to left) had died

In Cremains Of The Day, Homer and his other drinking buddies explored Larry's surprising history while realizing that they barely knew him

Simpsons fans reacted on social media with a mixture of surprise and mock shock at the news of the minor character's death

 Others poked fun at the late character's lack of screen presence

Simpsons writer Matt Selman, who serves as co-showrunner with Al Jean, poked fun at how his own series was playing up the death of a minor character

One viewer joked about Larry's cause of death: 'Spoiler: autoerotic asphyxiation.'

Even the Simpsons' account got in on the fun by posting an image of Homer and Larry chowing down on 'Angel Wings' at a sports bar in heaven

One viewer joked about Larry's cause of death: 'Spoiler: autoerotic asphyxiation.' 

Even the Simpsons' account got in on the fun by posting an image of Homer and Larry chowing down on 'Angel Wings' at a sports bar in heaven.

Despite the publicity over the death, many fans also admitted that they never even knew Larry's name.

Even as The Simpsons has moved to cull some of its less-popular characters, it has also brought back iconic faces in recent years, including the Albert Brooks–voiced Jacques, a French bowler who tried to score a strike with Marge.