Adi Shankar Issues Simpsons Apu Writing Challenge

[ZariusTwo]

Bootleg Universe producer Adi Shankar has come up with a writing competition for people who support the recent criticisms of Apu. The task is to write an episode of the show where Apu is either written out intelligently, or is allowed to evolve past the stereotype he represents. Shankar cautions that people with no background in Indian/american culture may struggle with this competition.

After being judged by a panel of south asian entertainment professionals, the winning entry will be sent directly to FOX where they will be requested to make it an official episode. If Fox refuse to comply, Shankar will personally fund an unofficial version of the episode

http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-simpsons/news/a856348/simpsons-characters-apu-offensive-controversy-response-script-contest-adi-shankar/

[Wildcat]

I’m all for equality and not making fun of others race, culture or beliefs but I sincerely hope Fox/Matt Groening/writers do NOT change or write out Apu.

I saw the documentary the Problem with Apu on Trutv and I think its ridiculous that anyone would be that offended by a parody. A lighthearted one too.

I’m Hispanic/American and I can certainly separate paraody from insult. The Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park and others like it are NOT making fun of races in order to be mean.

If they change Apu then all stereotypical jokes would/should be changed or taken out which would ruin part of the humor.

Plus I gotta be honest. I find some of the stereotypical humor pretty funny in these shows because some is actually true, including Hispanic stuff. I can vouch for it. It’s part of the appeal. To laugh at ourselves.

If it was done maliciously it’d be a valid argument but it’s not. Apu is as normal as any of the other characters. He’s not an over the top caricature of Indians.

(Don’t anyone post Apu gifs, or memes out of context please)

[plastroncafe]

Why can't we use Apu gifs out of context?

[Vegita-San]

This is why Social Justice Warriors and the PC police will NEVER win. and will NEVER be happy.

The one line that explains all of this PERFECTLY is the following.

'What was once celebrated, is now a problem'.

#SaveApu

He's been with the show since the start, you can't abandon him now. he's awesome.

[Krutch]

I hate everything about this.

[BartAllen]

This is why Social Justice Warriors and the PC police will NEVER win. and will NEVER be happy.

The one line that explains all of this PERFECTLY is the following.

'What was once celebrated, is now a problem'.

#SaveApu

He's been with the show since the start, you can't abandon him now. he's awesome.

I tend to agree with this. Anyway, Apu is typically being shown as one of the most intelligent characters on the show anyway. I could understand if he was a walking stereotype (he does have some) but he really isn't.

I should mention, I live in a major metropolitan city, I bet you won't be able to guess the ethnicity of 99.999999 percent of the guys/gals that work at my local 7/11, High ups and other gas station places.

[sdp]

You can make a documentary in the style of the Apu one about most character stereotypes of the simpsons, I'm glad they didn't give into it just like they didn't in the 90s with the conservative climate.

I think I'm more concerned with the Simpsons not ending with season 30 instead of continuing being a lifeless zombie than the faith of Apu right now. But with Disney acquiring Fox who knows, they won't want one of the biggest IPs they'll now own to die is what I'm guessing.

[ZariusTwo]

with Disney acquiring Fox who knows, they won't want one of the biggest IPs they'll now own to die is what I'm guessing.

I was thinking they could be instrumental in reviving Futurama, but then I remembered that Comedy Central are responsible for that show's fate

[Krutch]

I was going to create a seperate thread for this, but have any of you actually considered what the final episode of the Simpsons will actually be about?

[plastroncafe]

My guess is that the Simpsons move out of Springfield.

Then we can have the Cheers ending at Moe's.
Millhouse can write Goodbye in white rocks for Bart and Lisa to see as they drive off into the distance, a la MASH.
Maybe Flanders will wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart.

And of course, it was all really happening in the mind of Tommy Westphal.

[Krutch]

My guess is that the Simpsons move out of Springfield.

Then we can have the Cheers ending at Moe's.
Millhouse can write Goodbye in white rocks for Bart and Lisa to see as they drive off into the distance, a la MASH.
Maybe Flanders will wake up in bed next to Bob Newhart.

And of course, it was all really happening in the mind of Tommy Westphal.
Yeah, see - that's kind of what i'm expecting/fearing. A bloated, overstuffed cameo-ridden finale that doesn't tell much of a story. And that's fine. Simpsons have been telling stories for well over two decades at this point. No need to tie up all loose ends before saying farewell.

[sdp]

I was going to create a seperate thread for this, but have any of you actually considered what the final episode of the Simpsons will actually be about?
Yeah, see - that's kind of what i'm expecting/fearing. A bloated, overstuffed cameo-ridden finale that doesn't tell much of a story. And that's fine. Simpsons have been telling stories for well over two decades at this point. No need to tie up all loose ends before saying farewell.

A separate thread might be a better idea as this one is meant to be a political hot takes thread :lol:

I don't know what I'd want for a Simpsons finale since so many great heartwarming ideas have already been done and also I haven't watched most episodes released in the past 15 years, just a few here and there, so I don't even know what major things I may have missed.

What lose ends are there to tie though? It's the Simpsons.

The cast is just too huge so I'm guessing a cameo filled finale would entail most of them being background fodder like in the Simpsons movie. I'd like a classic Simpsons family adventure with the whole family even if it's something we've seen before and just make a few callbacks to the first episode and boom, that's it, leave the episode with the Simpsons turning off the TV as they're all in the living room one final time.

I would also think that after the Simpsons end that we'd get a second movie.

[Antrax]

I have not stopped watching the Simpsons. I thoroughly enjoyed older and newer seasons. I also like Apu. I looked up to him as much as a kid could look up to a cartoon. He was a hardworking businessman and I would not want him to change. If he was introduced today, I might call it racist for him to be voiced by a white guy. As a Mexican, I have no problem with BumbleBee Man being voiced by the same white guy so what do I know.

I hope we get a finale season of sorts. Just small character and story closures sprinkled throughout and follow it up with a movie.

[ZariusTwo]

I was going to create a seperate thread for this, but have any of you actually considered what the final episode of the Simpsons will actually be about?

For me, the true finale of the series was "Homer's Enemy" and it's ending is perfect. Homer's stupidity is ignored/embraced by everyone in the town, it drives a common working man insane, and the final scene has Homer sleeping through a funeral urging Marge to "change the channel"

[Vegita-San]

I also like Apu. I looked up to him as much as a kid could look up to a cartoon. He was a hardworking businessman and I would not want him to change. If he was introduced today, I might call it racist for him to be voiced by a white guy. As a Mexican, I have no problem with BumbleBee Man being voiced by the same white guy so what do I know.


and there in lies the problem. that's the start of SJW level of thinking. Deep down you probably don't REALLY have a problem with it....but the way things are today...well, that's how we got to here about poor apu :(.

learn to recognize the symptoms and take appropriate measures. don't want to wind up like some members on here ;o)

[Candy Kappa]

The challenge see,s interesting enough, have actual East Asian write a episode centered Apu, and if Fox accepts the scrip that's cool, if not we'll get a weird interesting bootleg episode which would be a cool oddity on its own.

Seems to be win-win for the viewers/consumers regardless.

[plastroncafe]

They could crowdsource the animation, the way Bob's Burgers did for that one episode. That would actually be kind of awesome.

[Andrew NDB]

https://assets.fxnetworks.com/cms/prod/shows/the-simpsons/photos/swsb_character_fact_cletus_550x960.png

Does this mean "Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel" will be written out of the show, too, because he's a caricature of certain white people? If not, why not?

Obviously this is ridiculous.

[Vegita-San]

Yep. Wait, is that ten characters? maybe it is now.

[NinjaPug]

I agree with Matt Groening on this one - people love to pretend they're offended by something.

Nearly every character on The Simpsons plays up a stereotype.

[Wildcat]

I agree with Matt Groening on this one - people love to pretend they're offended by something.

Nearly every character on The Simpsons plays up a stereotype.The other thing though, to me, is The Simpsons is really tame with its mature/stereotypical humor. It’s very lighthearted. I find a lot of the general humor to be cute or in good fun. I like this about the show. It hasn’t “hardened up” over all these years.

Not that I don’t like more mature humor. I love Family Guy and South Park. It would just be weird if The Simpsons became as crude. Although nothing really compares to South Park.