The Real Reason 'The Simpsons' Quietly Erased One of Its Most Controversial Characters

Over the course of its long, long run, The Simpsons has seen a number of characters say goodbye to Springfield: Maude Flanders, Edna Krabappel, Bleeding Gums Murphy, Herb Powell, and most recently Larry the Barfly. For most, the characters no longer appear on the show because of an actor's death (characters Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure were key supporting characters up until the death of their "voice," Phil Hartman) or simply haven't been brought back (like Danny Devito's character, Homer's half-brother Herb Powell, who hasn't appeared in years, apart from the Season 36 premiere, that brings him back).