QUIT-E-MART
The Simpsons’ Apu is being written out of the cartoon following backlash over racial stereotyping
The convenience store owning character has been let go from the cast line-up following a furious backlash
THE Simpsons are losing one member of the cast following a near deafening backlash over the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
Last year, a fierce debate was sparked when comedian and film maker Hari Kondabolu release his documentary The Problem with Apu.
6
In the film, Hari asked Indian-American’s how they felt over the apparent stereotypical depiction of the South Asian community in the long-running animated series.
The response was that the “Thank you, come again” catch-phrasing character was a determent to the community – with Apu being compared to minstrelsy.
Now, it has been reported, the makers of The Simpsons have decided to eliminate the character altogether rather than attempt to update him.
“I’ve verified from multiple sources now: They’re going to drop the Apu character altogether,” film producer
6
6
“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,” he said.
Adi, 33, had been crowd funding a script to confront the issues raised by the documentary The Problem with Apu with the hopes it would make an episode of The Simpsons that would update the character to see him as a successful businessman.
The filmmaker has called out The Simpsons creators for deleting the character instead of adapting him for a modern audience.
6
6
“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,” he blasted.
“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,” he added.
The Simpsons create Matt Groening has already spoken about his own mixed feelings about the character following the backlash.
6
“I love Apu. I love the character, and it makes me feel bad that it makes other people feel bad,” he told the New York Times.
“But on the other hand, it’s tainted now — the conversation, there’s no nuance to the conversation now. It seems very, very clunky. I love the character. I love the show,” he continued.
“I go, maybe he’s a problem, but who’s better? Who’s a better Indian animated character in the last 30 years? I’ve been to India twice and talked about The Simpsons in front of audiences. That’s why this took me by surprise. I know Indians are not the same as Indian-Americans,” he said.
Documentary 'The Problem With Apu' explores if the Kwik-E-Mart owner in The Simpsons did more harm than good as a representation of Indian-Americans
Meanwhile Hank Azaria – who voices Apu – has already said he would be willing to walk away from the role, telling Stephen Colbert back in April: “I’m perfectly willing to step aside. It just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
Ironically, there now appears to be a backlash forming over the decision to axe Apu - with documentary maker Hari himself leading the charge.
MOST READ IN TV & SHOWBIZ
"Agreed. There are so many ways to make Apu work without getting rid of him. If true, this sucks," he raged on Twitter when someone slammed the decision to see Apu removed from the animated comedy.
"This is the biggest ‘joke’ The Simpsons team have ever made. A load of complete nonsense," argued another.
Got a story? email [email protected] or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.