For fans of The Simpsons, January 4, 2026, marked a bittersweet milestone: the apparent permanent retirement of Duffman, the beloved and bombastic mascot of Duff Beer. After nearly three decades of energetic entrances, hip-thrusts, and the iconic catchphrase "Oh, yeah!", Duffman’s departure in the episode "Seperance" left viewers both nostalgic and surprised. The episode, a clever parody of Apple TV's Severance, did more than lampoon corporate culture—it signaled a poignant shift in the animated world of Springfield.
Barry Duffman, the man behind the cape and sunglasses, delivered the news himself. Appearing at the Simpson family’s doorstep, he was a far cry from his usual get-up. Gone were the red cape and beer can belt; instead, Barry wore a conservative dress shirt and tie, echoing the tone of Severance’s buttoned-up office drones. He solemnly declared, "The Duff Corporation has retired that character forever. All the old forms of advertising are now passé. Corporate spokesmen, print ads, TV spots—today’s kids can’t even sing the jingles." According to Parade and USA TODAY, this line wasn’t just a joke—it was the show’s way of closing the door on an era.
The episode, titled "Seperance," saw Barry Duffman trying to recruit Homer for a new company, EOD (Enthusiasm on Demand), before ultimately shedding the Duffman persona for good. By the end, Barry was out of costume, signaling to fans that the change was likely permanent. As TVLine and USA TODAY reported, the episode’s structure—mirroring the psychological twists of Severance—left just a sliver of ambiguity. Was this just another of the show’s meta gags, or the real end for Duffman? All signs point to the latter.
Duffman first burst onto the Springfield scene in the Season 9 premiere, "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson," which aired September 21, 1997. His arrival, complete with the Duff Beer Partymobile and a bottomless mug of Duff Extra Cold for Barney Gumble, instantly cemented his place as a fan favorite. That episode itself became infamous, temporarily pulled from syndication after the September 11th attacks due to scenes at the World Trade Center, before eventually returning with edits, as noted by MovieWeb.
For nearly 30 years, Duffman’s over-the-top antics and relentless cheer made him a staple of The Simpsons. His catchphrase, "Oh, yeah!", was instantly recognizable, and his larger-than-life persona lampooned the excesses of advertising culture. But as Barry Duffman explained in "Seperance," times have changed. "All the old forms of advertising are now passé. Corporate spokesmen, print ads, TV spots—today’s kids can’t even sing the jingles." It’s a sentiment that rings true not just in Springfield, but in the real world, where advertising has shifted from jingles and mascots to influencers and viral campaigns.
The man behind Duffman, Hank Azaria, gave life to the character’s booming voice and exaggerated bravado. But as Azaria himself admitted, voicing Duffman came at a cost. "Duffman will blow me out in a second. I have to save Duffman for the end," Azaria told Conan O'Brien in 2020, as cited by USA TODAY. "I actually dread it. It's like, 'Oh no, I've got Duffman to do today.' It actually does hurt. I'm not complaining; this is a very good job." Azaria even revealed that he insured his vocal cords after once blowing out his voice for two weeks—a testament to just how demanding the role could be.
Azaria’s relationship with The Simpsons has evolved over the years. In 2020, he announced he would no longer voice Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, a decision prompted by ongoing conversations about representation and stereotyping. The character of Apu, long a fixture at the Kwik-E-Mart, became the subject of scrutiny following Hari Kondabolu’s 2017 documentary, The Problem with Apu. Azaria’s departure from the role reflected the show’s broader efforts to adapt to changing cultural expectations.
Duffman isn’t the only Springfield resident to bid farewell recently. The November 2025 episode "Sashes to Sashes" saw the sudden death of Alice Glick, Springfield’s First Church organist. Glick, who first appeared in 1991’s "Three Men and a Comic Book," had been a quiet but enduring presence for 35 seasons. She was originally voiced by Cloris Leachman, with Tress MacNeille later taking over the role. Showrunner Tim Long told Entertainment Weekly and PEOPLE, "In a sense, Alice the organist will live forever, through the beautiful music she made. But in another, more important sense, yep, she’s dead as a doornail." Her on-screen demise—collapsing at the organ during a sermon—marked another rare instance of The Simpsons permanently writing out a long-standing character.
Other notable departures include Larry "The Barfly" Dalrymple and, in the wake of Marcia Wallace’s death in 2013, the retirement of Bart’s teacher Edna Krabappel. While The Simpsons is famous for its ageless characters and elastic continuity, these recent exits hint at a show that’s willing, occasionally, to let go of its past.
Despite these farewells, The Simpsons shows no signs of slowing down. The series, which debuted on FOX in December 1989, launched its 37th season in September 2025 and has already been renewed through Season 40. As USA TODAY reported, a second Simpsons feature film is also in the works, scheduled for release in July 2027. It’s a remarkable run for a show that started as a series of animated shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show.
For longtime viewers, the retirement of Duffman is both an end and a beginning. It’s a reminder that even in a town where no one ages and the status quo is king, change can still come—sometimes in the form of a mascot hanging up his cape. As Duffman himself might say, "Oh, yeah!"—it’s been a wild ride.
