The Simpsons address Apu stereotype controversy. / FOX
In late 2017, comedian and filmmaker Hari Kondabolu drew much attention to racial stereotyping prevalent in The Simpsons in his documentary The Problem with Apu.
Now, the long-running animated comedy show has responded to the allegations in an episode aired on April 8, 2018, according to the Daily Mail.
The Problem with Apu, released in November 2017, takes a critical look at the character of Apu on The Simpsons. In the documentary, Kondabolu argues that the stereotypical portrayal of Indian and South Asian-Americans embodied by Apu is culturally insensitive and detrimental to the community's portrayal in modern American culture.
The documentary's success sparked a renewed debate about cultural sensitivity and racial stereotyping in the media. Many critics have hailed it for restarting public discussion on such issues.
One of the main "problems" with Apu is that the character is voiced by Hank Azaria, a white actor, who has admitted his portrayal of Apu is actually a homage to white British actor Peter Sellers playing an Indian in the 1968 comedy The Party.
A few days ago, however, The Simpsons attempted to address the accusations in its newest episode called No Good Read Goes Unpunished. In it, Marge updates daughter Lisa's favorite childhood stories to reflect the current times and erase any hint of cultural or social insensitivity.
This draws a rebuke from her daughter, who says that there's "no point" to the stories any longer. After Marge asks what she's supposed to do as an alternative, Lisa states: 'It's hard to say. Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?'
The TV show then cuts to a photo of the character Apu on a nearby nightstand inscribed with Bart's signature phrase: "Don't have a cow."
The TV show then cuts to a photo of the character Apu on a nearby nightstand inscribed with Bart's signature phrase: "Don't have a cow." The subtle jab was clearly seen by many as a criticism of Kondabolu's allegations against the TV series.
Kondabolu himself quickly reacted on Twitter, labeling the segment as "sad" and expressing disappointment given the fact that he "really loved this show".
Wow. “Politically Incorrect?” That’s the takeaway from my movie & the discussion it sparked? Man, I really loved this show. This is sad. https://t.co/lYFH5LguEJ
Wakanda Kamau Bell, Kondabolu's friend and colleague, was also very critical of the "toothless response" by The Simpsons, making special note of the fact that the argument was put in the mouth of Lisa, who previously championed progressive causes on the program.
I think the fact that they put this "argument" in the mouth of Lisa's character, the character who usually champions the underdogs and is supposed to be the most thoughtful and liberal, is what makes this the most ridiculous (as in worthy of ridicule) and toothless response.
Al Jean, one of the show's leading producers and writers, soon leapt to the defense of the program on Twitter, point out that Apu's voiceover artist, Hank Azaria, won an Emmy Award for his work on the show 20 years ago.
You failed. Seriously who applauded Apu in the past? We let that crap slide and I honestly didn’t take much offense to it until you wanted to pretend you did us all some service. What POS this shows become.
Not surprisingly, the episode drew a strong reaction on social media, with some defending Kondabolu and his allegations of the show's racial insensitivity and others dismissing the controversy as overblown:
Loved how you guys handled this non-issue. People just want to cry about everything nowadays b/c it makes them feel like they’re doing something.
Don’t ever change!
Oh and I’m Indian and according to Twitter my opinion matters more on this topic, 😂.#ILoveApu#DontHaveACowMan
There is no "problem with Apu" in the Simpsons. He's a multidimensional well fleshed out character.If you look at him & all you see is a convenient store owner with Indian accent that's on you.
Do you share the same "problem" for Italian mobster Fat Tony or Groundskeeper Willie?
The Simpsons dismissing The Problem With Apu as "political correctness" was bad enough, but having it come from Lisa Simpson felt cruel. Lisa has always been about open-mindedness and re-examining her values when challenged by perspective. Real Lisa would not approve. pic.twitter.com/FpmAArAcUe
If you're response to someone's concern about Apu and the Simpsons is "People are just complaining about this now for false outrage" maybe consider that a) you're bad at listening and b) lotta folks didn't have platforms to say this stuff in, like, 1992.
— Heather Alexandra (@transgamerthink) April 9, 2018
Who is Hari Kondabolu?
Hari Kondabolu is a standup comedian, actor and filmmaker who created the 2017 documentary film The Problem with Apu.
Konabolu was born in New York City on October 21, 1982. The son of Indian immigrants, Kondabolu was inspired to try his hand at standup comedy after being inspired by a Margaret Cho comedy special on Comedy Central. He soon began writing comedy skits in his senior year of high school and later attended Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University.
Kondabolu soon veered towards activism rather than comedy, wanting to make a difference after the 9/11 attacks in his native New York City led to a surge in hate crimes across the United States, many of which were against South Asians. In 2002, he interned at the hate crimes division of the Queens District Attorney's office and later relocated to Seattle to prepare to attend law school.
While in Seattle, he soon became active in the city's comedy scene. After taking a brief hiatus to attend the London School of Economics to obtain a Master's degree in human rights in 2007, Kondabolu returned to acting and stand-up comedy, blending his unique style of humor with a focus on social issues like racism and ethnic stereotyping.
He soon garnered increased media attention, appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! In 2007, Conan in 2012 and The Late Show with David Letterman in 2014. He also worked as a staff writer on Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell from 2012 to 2013 and later wrote and starred in the documentary The Problem with Apu in 2017.
What is The Problem with Apu?
The Problem with Apu is a documentary written by and starring Hari Kondabolu and directed and produced by Michael Melamedoff. It was released in the United States on November 19, 2017.
Kondabolu, a fan of The Simpsons while growing up, speaks with various actors, comedians and other entertainers of South Asian descent and how the character of Apu on The Simpsons affected the culture around them and their own personal lives.
Kondabolu examines the impact of ethnic and racial stereotyping that Apu typifies, with special attention being paid to the fact that the character is voiced by Hank Azaria, a white comedian. Although very critical of the character and the stereotype it perpetuates, Kobabolu does express admiration for The Simpsons in parts of the documentary, primarily for its observations on modern American culture and the media.
The film drew a positive reaction from critics, currently holding an 88 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Many critics lauded the film for its in-depth examination of racial and ethnic stereotyping in the media and entertainment business and the detrimental impacts in can have on modern society. Verne Gay of Newsday awarded the film a positive review, stating that it offered a 'persuasive and congenial argument for why Apu must go.' Similarly, the documentary also earned positive reviews from Dan Fienberg of the Hollywood Reporter, Bill Keveny of USA Today and Dave Zirin of The Nation, who praised it as a 'must-see.'
One dissenting voice was Neal Justin of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, who said the film was "drowned out by frustration" by the fact that Azaria declined to be interviewed for it.
