Simpsons creators respond to "The Problem with Apu"

Not too long ago, South-Asian American comedian Hari Kondabolu made a documentary called "The Problem with Apu", covering the impact of the show and how he feels certain people were affected by it, one of which being actor, Kal Penn, who openly admits to hating The Simpsons because of it.

He even recently did an interview with Trevor Noah talking about it.

The Simpsons then made a response to the documentary, as well as anyone with similar views on the character in it's most recent episode, the video I can only find on Twitter (which thankfully is in the link). Some called it a toothless response, others such as right wing figures (like Dave Rubin) defended it, despite the show's generally left leaning themes.

Me personally? Whole controversy is stupid. I see what Hari is going for, but this might be a bit late to the party. As for Matt Groening and co, it was a terrible response and may as well further justify the calls for the death of the show (which even the shows own fanbase can't decide whether they want it or not). It also feels like it's The Simpsons trying to be like it's edgier rivals, Family Guy and South Park (though it's not the first time, see "Mypods and Boomsticks").

What say you?

The creators didn't handle the criticism well. They should have just told those whiners to **** off or ignore them. Also, Dave Rubin right-wing? lol!

What a terrible way to respond to constructive criticism.

Apu is not a perfectly written character, the show has many flaws and obviously people are going to call it out for them.

Every Character is a parody or spoof on a stereotype.

Should we be offended by how Homer portrays the average american White male? Or how Wiggum portrays cops?

Not really the same thing. You’d have a point if Homer or Wiggum were the only representations of white Americans in the media. The documentary made a point that Apu was the only representation of Indian Americans for a long time and Indian actors were pigeon holed and affected by that. Plus the fact that he’s voiced by a white dude.

Anyway, what a terrible response. They should have just not said anything and ignored it. Instead they made Lisa say it, a character that by all evidence would have agreed with Kondabalou. What crap has this show become.

When I used the "waving it's selfie stick at the entertainment industry" analogy I didn't expect folk to double down on it so aggressively. The Simpsons pushed for acceptance back when the democratic party was legislating against it. This is down right silly, particularly on a political forum.

@perfect_blue: There is a very basic problem with your assertion. Anyone included in the show was a caricature. That means the show had two options: a) Represent Indian Americans with a caricature, the way they did for everyone else. b) Exclude them. The fact that the Simpsons was the first show to include them is a really silly reason to go off on them for choosing A.

Also: When you got called out for leveling slurs at transwomen you felt were overstepping their 'place' by challenging patricians, you didn't react with this much class. Say what you want about the Simpsons, but they didn't accuse Apu of being uppity while insulting him because he challenged some old white dude. Maybe check your double standard, particularly when it comes to political correctness.

*yawn*, your shtick is so pedantic so I'll just leave you with this: I suggest you watch the documentary yourself that started this for some context.

The Simpsons marginalizes pretty much everyone on their show. The yellow characters actually represent the white suppression these writers portray.

Nah. None of the characters in that show are represented as model characters. Therefore no special treatment......we want equality right? Also what other shows do has no bearing on the Simpsons. And I don't even watch that show but come on. No double standards.

Wow, I don't even know what to say to something this stupid?

You're defending misogyny, institutionalized racism, marginalization of genders?

I'm not defending anything. It's a damn tv show. No one needs watch it. Freedom of speech I will not deny. Stop watching and it will go away. But stop the whining.

You say stop the whining, I see stop the fight. It sounds like you believe in nothing unless it's convenient for you to. I'm guessing you're for the keystone pipeline.

That is hilariously hypocritical given the context. Double standards must be your thing.

I don't think there's a problem with the character himself, except perhaps for the accent which is very clearly fake and made up. It's the wider context that Apu exists in which has pigeon holed Indian American comedians and actors. I strongly suggest watching the documentary that started this because it explains the issues with the character better than I could.

@feminist9000: Holy crap are there any non alt/troll accounts left on this site?!?

There is a problem with the character because he was created by men, naturally. It represents all the indian stereotype yet the heterosexual white males are perceived as alpha males mansplaining and manspreading every chance they get.

Bart Simpson is a complete Chad, yet APU is a beta virgin, portrayed by the show.

You know if the problem is Hollywood and portrayals of specific minorities.............that's fine. But I'm not going to pick the Simpson's show as an example. The correct way to address this problem is to compare and contrast within the same medium. But a cartoon show making fun of every group is not the example and as such I cannot take this seriously.

How do they make fun of Chadspreaders?

The Simpson's are NOT a serious show. Also within every ethnic group there are people of ALL variety. Or are you saying virgin Indians do not exist? That would be racist as well.

Exactly what I was thinking.

@feminist9000: Jackamomo nice alt lol, ah you trolls make this stuff to easy.

NEBRE

That is my point. The show is only portraying one aspect of the vibrant culture. All the white males are complete Chads, and mansplain everything.

@vfighter: god help us

The show is NOT portraying any character as fantastic........so stop picking one and whining. Also whose alt are you?

I'm not alt right.

Perhaps you could start by explaining why the Simpsons is responsible for the fact that the rest of the media didn't portray Indian Americans at all. That is the doofiest part of your assertion. If you add clarity, folks might see your point.

Without such an explanation it seem like it is a problem with the media, not Apu.

So you support the marginalization of all Indian people for entertaintment?

Apu's character is racist.

His accent is so broad but that does go for all the characters. They are all massive caricatures. For a racist (poor) white stereotype you have Cletus and rich in Mr Burns. Homosexuality is treated really well and not derigitorily (but hilariously) with Smithers.

The most racist scene is when Apu and his brother do some kind of weird clapping dance to depict some kind of Hindu ritual which looks primitive and is kind of derogatory to Hinduism.

But then they made him a computer technician when homer messed up all his hole punched cards (from the first computers) in the store room.

So The Simpsons is a weird one. It's kind of having a go at everyone but at the same time does fall back on negative stereotypes for cheap laughs.

The real issue is why anyone even cares about this as I haven't watched it for about the last 10 years as it's just not edgy or funny any more.

@LJS9502_basic: He's Jackamomo's alt, time to ignore the troll/alt.

I'm not Alt right.

I ask because my money is on Tryit.

How do you figure?

Not an Alt Right.

@kittennose: That's honestly not a bad guess. I'm leaning towards Jackamomo because I just called him out yesterday for trolling and being an alt and all of a sudden today another alt appears with his same style of trolling and nonsense.

Do you feel threatened with confronted with real problems in this world, to the point where you redirect all of your microaggressions into the form of calling people "alts"?

@vfighter: Ahh okay. Well thank you for the information and good luck in the pool!

@feminist9000 All I can think about when you post is the "It is over nine thousand!?!" meme. You are however not over nine thousand. That is an obvious let down, which is a clear reference to a known hate symbol.

If your alt right reference was unintentional, please consider retiring the account. Perhaps start fresh with 9001.

@kittennose: joebones and tryit are both alts. I am guessing perfectblue

@kittennose said:

@vfighter: Ahh okay. Well thank you for the information and good luck in the pool!

@feminist9000 All I can think about when you post is the "It is over nine thousand!?!" meme. You are however not over nine thousand. That is an obvious let down, which is a clear reference to a known hate symbol.

If your alt right reference was unintentional, please consider retiring the account. Perhaps start fresh with 9001'

9000 females strong in my feminist group I belong to. Your frog cartoon is cute.

Haha, you wish. If I had an alt it would be way more sophisticated than that poster.

What if Feminist9000 is your alt?

@n64dd: That seems unfair to me. If Blue was so inclined, which seems unlikely, they would do a better job then Tryit.

@perfect_blue: I already waste enough time on this site. You seem guilty though, maybe ut’s jacunaks?

Why are your cats eyes purple?

Feminist9000's spelling and grammar is too good to be Jacanuk. If they are an alt they probably aren't a regular or it's someone who is already banned.

@feminist9000: Knew it, alt right confirmed.

@n64dd: Last I was informed, I was jacunak's alt.

@kittennose: Nah, both well too composed.

I doubt he would post that way even if he had an alt.....he seems intelligent. This alt hasn't displayed that.

So women aren't intelligent? You must be a Republican.

I wanna say "who cares" and that it is just a show.

But the problem is as an Indian American I've been insulted by being called Apu and had his fake accent thrown at me even though I myself have no accent. This happened for nearly the entire decade that show was popular and relevant....

Of course this didn't upset me because I typically was a lot smarter and attractive than those bandwagoning pricks...but it still was annoying.

I guess you don't care about racial equality, Chad.