Apu To Be Dropped From The Simpsons

[ZariusTwo]

"It’s not a step forward, or step backwards, it’s just a massive step sideways"

The Simpsons have confirmed that controversial character Apu will be cut out of future episodes.

The long-running show has come under fire for it’s depiction of Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, with viewers complaining that the character promotes racist stereotypes of people of Indian and Asian descent.

Apu first appeared in The Simpsons episode ‘The Telltale Head’ in 1990, voiced by white actor Hank Azaria.

The Simpsons producer Adi Shankar spoke to IndieWire about his attempts to crowdsource a script that tackled the ‘Apu Problem’, which has now been rejected as the character is to be dropped from the show.

“I’ve verified from multiple sources now: They’re going to drop the Apu character altogether,” he said. “They aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, or anything like that, but they’ll drop him altogether just to avoid the controversy.”

Shankar sees the decision as a mistake, saying: “If you are a show about cultural commentary and you are too afraid to comment on the culture, especially when it’s a component of the culture you had a hand in creating, then you are a show about cowardice.

“It’s not a step forward, or step backwards, it’s just a massive step sideways. After having read all these wonderful scripts, I feel like sidestepping this issue doesn’t solve it when the whole purpose of art, I would argue, is to bring us together.”

Hank Azaria, the actor who voices Apu, has previously said that he is willing to “step aside” following criticism over the character.


Homer and Marge, and Manjula and Apu discuss Apu’s impending deportation in ‘Much Apu About Something’ episode from May 5 1996

Shankar also expanded on his plan was to find a script that “takes a creation that was the byproduct of a predominately Harvard-educated white male writers’ room and transform it into a fresh, funny and realistic portrayal of Indians in America”.

He claims to have found the “perfect script”, but it is highly unlikely it will be used.


Last year, comedian Hari Kondabolu hosted The Problem With Apu, a documentary that saw him interview figures from the world of entertainment including Aziz Ansari, Whoopi Goldberg and Kal Penn to look into the problematic nature of the iconic shop owner. Watch the documentary trailer below.


“Kids in the playground would always mimic the accent and say ‘Thank you, come again!’ or ‘Hello, Mr Homer!’” Kondabolu told the BBC. “Sure, growing up in New York City everyone tries to be funny. If you grow up there you learn to make jokes and how to make comebacks, but it’s hard to counter an accent – what’s your comeback for an accent?”

The show was further criticised in April over the episode ‘No Good Read Goes Unpunished’, where the issue of Apu’s depiction was tackled head on as Marge and Lisa discussed the portrayal of the character.

Lisa Simpson is heard to say “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?”


The show now plans to side-step the controversy with Apu by ensuring he quietly vanishes from Springfield.

Read more at https://www.nme.com/news/tv/simpsons...rirPJkGHXGE.99

[BartAllen]

Stupid move. I hope a version of the character starts to appear on Southpark.

[Allio]

Shame. He is honestly one of the characters I remember most fondly of the simpsons.

[Andrew NDB]

At this point yeah, I'm in the "just cancel it" camp. If they're now unable to do the kind of humor they've always done then it's time to close up shop.

[oldmanwinters]

And to think this was only one year ago...
https://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/...store-orig.cnn

[TurtleTitan97]

So freaking stupid.

[Kyo Hisagi]

Zombie Simpsons at their best.

[Candy Kappa]

That's a shame, I like the character and it seems the Simpsons see some merit in the recent criticism, they should tackle it head on instead of just give up the character.

[ABrown]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

At this point yeah, I'm in the "just cancel it" camp. If they're now unable to do the kind of humor they've always done then it's time to close up shop.

Yeah, I wish to god that they would just put that poor show out of its misery.

[Utrommaniac]

I have this to say:...

What he said:

[Wesley]

Shame. Apu is one of my fav characters. I never thought there was anything racist about him.

[Leo656]

It's 2018. Everything is racist. EVERYTHING.

Also, I'm very curious how much Disney has to do with this.

My guess is, "Something."

[sdp]

This is ridiculous, I mean it's not even a thing anymore, the outrage came and went and the simpsons have been full of controvertial things since its inception. Disney is definitely a reason as to why this happened since they have no intention in stopping the simpsons. A shame how a few people could change something that really wasn't hurting anyone and ironically enough now there's less representation of Indians on tv.

Only upside to this is that the golden age of the simpsons came and went with Apu and current simpsons are just a parody of themselves. It´ll be interesting how they just ignore the Kwik E Mart since it was such a great hub but I also think it's better to just completely ignore him than giving Apu a new voice or any other alternative.

[Prowler]

I knew it was something about "RACISM!" before I even opened the thread

Anyway, The Simpsons should have ended ages ago. Every time I see something from modern day Simpsons it saddens me, because all they do is ruin the legacy of the first 13 or so Simpsons seasons.

[Leo656]

It still has its moments, but it's been obsessed with "THIS WEEK'S Celebrity Guest Star Is..." for quite some time. And that's annoying. It's like it only exists so celebrities can cameo on it.

Also, at some point all Fox animated shows were decreed to copy Family Guy. Simpsons and Family Guy are very, very different, so that really didn't help anything.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

It still has its moments, but it's been obsessed with "THIS WEEK'S Celebrity Guest Star Is..." for quite some time. And that's annoying. It's like it only exists so celebrities can cameo on it.

Also, at some point all Fox animated shows were decreed to copy Family Guy. Simpsons and Family Guy are very, very different, so that really didn't help anything.

That sounds like what WWE was doing in 2009-2010 lol

Man, I remember when people's biggest criticism of Family Guy was that i "ripped off" The Simpsons. The irony.

[Leo656]

Eh. "The Dad is stupid" has been a sitcom staple for many years. Aside from a few superficial similarities, the two shows have always been very, very different.

Their cross-over kind of lampshaded the so-called "ripoff" aspect, but really, it only works if viewed in very broad strokes. "They have a family, there's two kids and a baby, and a pet. The kids smartmouth the parents and the Dad is a dumbass."

That's every show. Like, all the shows. Even Simpsons didn't start any of that.

I think the biggest differences between them have always been, The Simpsons is mostly lighthearted and good-natured, while Family Guy is intrinsically mean-spirited and reminds you constantly that every single character is an absolutely terrible person.

Ultimately, the only real similarity is, they're both animated comedies on Fox. Everything else is circumstantial.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Eh. "The Dad is stupid" has been a sitcom staple for many years. Aside from a few superficial similarities, the two shows have always been very, very different.

Their cross-over kind of lampshaded the so-called "ripoff" aspect, but really, it only works if viewed in very broad strokes. "They have a family, there's two kids and a baby, and a pet. The kids smartmouth the parents and the Dad is a dumbass."

That's every show. Like, all the shows. Even Simpsons didn't start any of that.

I think the biggest differences between them have always been, The Simpsons is mostly lighthearted and good-natured, while Family Guy is intrinsically mean-spirited and reminds you constantly that every single character is an absolutely terrible person.

Ultimately, the only real similarity is, they're both animated comedies on Fox. Everything else is circumstantial.

Ye pretty much.

I haven't cared about Family Guy in years. Plus, Famiyl Guy has always been more about gags and over the top scenes. It doesn't feel as legendary as The Simpsons.

Family Guy also had the problem of flanderizing its characters throughout the years. Didn't the show get cancelled a couple of times?

[Leo656]

Just once.

Those gags are WHY it's legendary. That record store gag with, "Always finish on de Bach... NEVER finish on DeBussey!" was one of the greatest things ever. Perfectly set up and executed, and it gets better as it goes along until the final punchline. Masterful.

I think a lot of people just get tired of these shows and stop watching, then insist the shows themselves lost steam or whatever.

The Cleveland Show was terrible, though.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Just once.

Those gags are WHY it's legendary. That record store gag with, "Always finish on de Bach... NEVER finish on DeBussey!" was one of the greatest things ever. Perfectly set up and executed, and it gets better as it goes along until the final punchline. Masterful.

I think a lot of people just get tired of these shows and stop watching, then insist the shows themselves lost steam or whatever.

The Cleveland Show was terrible, though.

Family Guy does have its moments like the right to bear arms thing, for example. But I liked it more when I was a teenager.

Never cared much American Dad and much less about Cleveland Show.