In the 2017 documentary
The Problem With Apu, comedian Hari Kondabolu dissects the character of Apu, the Indian convenience store owner on
The Simpsons, offensively voiced by Hank Azaria.
Kondabolu and several other entertainers lament the fact that, for many years, the only South Asian representation they could find in the media was Hank Azaria's caricature - which Azaria has copied from an already offensive Peter Sellers impression of an Indian accent.
On Sunday night's episode,
The Simpsons attempted to address the problem posed by the documentary.
Unfortunately, the show's response was just as offensive as Apu's character. Please sign this petition urging Hank Azaria to stop voicing Apu on The Simpsons now!In the episode, Marge wants to read Lisa a book she loved as a child, but discovers that it's filled with racist stereotypes. Marge attempts to remove the offensive parts, erasing all meaning and plot to the story in the process. After Lisa comments that "there's no point to the book" anymore, Marge asks Lisa, the show's requisite progressive, what she's supposed to do. Lisa says, "It's hard to say. Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?"
The show's argument completely misses the mark for many reasons. First off,
the offensiveness of Apu's character may just now be joining the growing conversation on media representation, but that doesn't mean that Azaria's stereotypical portrayal wasn't offensive to Indian people, like me, decades ago. Furthermore,
The Simpsons isn't an old book or movie stuck in time - it's an ongoing show that can be changed to reflect changing times. Neither the character of Apu or the stereotypical signifiers that clue viewers in that he's Indian are central to the show's plot. Changing the character would not render the show meaningless like Sunday night's episode suggests.
If the show's creators won't do anything about the problem with Apu, Hank Azaria should. Please sign this petition urging Hank Azaria to stop voicing Apu now!