Current Events > The Simpsons is getting rid of Apu

(+) Yeah! (+)

this show is still alive?
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Removing him will be disrespectful. An Indian voice actor will be out a job

YoshitoKikuchi posted...

Should other stereotype characters be dropped too?

I think eventually the entire show will be vilified for various "offensive" material. People will look at it in that same uncomfortable way they do now with the much older cartoons that have scenes we now regard as racist or sexist. The weird thing will be when SJW groups start accusing people of having been Simpsons fans and then trying to get them fired, and then everyone pretending they either never ever watched the show or that they always hated it.
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is south park really gone?
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In the future, old DVDs that still contain footage of the lost 'Apu' character will be worth thousands of space-bucks. *clutches DVDs*
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I have the old seasons where Apu was extra Stereotypical. So i'm good.
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Hoe come-a no one-a complains about Luigi?
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People are pissed about this after nearly 30 years, because...???
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Simpsons should have ended 20 years ago. Forgive me for not caring that a show that jumped the shark eons ago is changing
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This is stupid, there are people just like Apu and they literally work at dunkin donuts, gas stations, 7/11's etc. this is nonsense. The simpsons is full of stereotypes, but they are all actually true stereotypes. It's like complaining about logic like straw man and slippery slope arguments being used to justify things when those argument styles are actually really valid if you've been living past 20 years of age. Academics itself is a huge failure and they're obviously liberal, always have been, I've never been to a school that actually tried to slow things down for students it was always rapid pace rapid pace lets keep up with change and inventing new dumb things like gender fluidity.
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L0Z posted...

Removing him will be disrespectful. An Indian voice actor will be out a job

Nah, its Hank Azaria, who also voices Moe, Chief Wiggum, and basically every minor character.

He said he'd be willing to let an Indian voice actor take over, but FOX apparentyl figured it would be better to just cut their losses.

good
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Proto_Spark posted...

L0Z posted...

Removing him will be disrespectful. An Indian voice actor will be out a job

Nah, its Hank Azaria, who also voices Moe, Chief Wiggum, and basically every minor character.

He said he'd be willing to let an Indian voice actor take over, but FOX apparentyl figured it would be better to just cut their losses.

Understandably. Imagine if Fox suddenly had to have a unique voice actor for every non white character based on the race, for every episode. If they did it for Apu, they'd be opening themselves up to endless complaints.
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What about Willie, Cleetus, Fat Tony, and Luigi?
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Now what representation will Indians have in prime time comedy shows?

Raj from The Big Bang Theory? Way to go.

Also, stereotype or not, a third of the convenience stores in my town are owned by Indians.
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Good, a minority small business owner who came to the USA and got an Ph. D in computer science and earned his citizenship has no place in a cartoon like the Simpsons.

Comedy is on the way out, it seems. Well except for unfunny people parroting memes since they can't come up with anything.

Good. Glad a minority business owner who worked hard to get his citizenship and was probably the most level headed in a town of stereotypes is out of the show. All because a "comedian" didn't like that a white person can do a good Indian accent.
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SJWs ruining more of society, news at 11...

VoightKent posted...

That is dumb, the vocal minority that complains about Apu is far lesser than the silent majority that actually regularly watches modern Simpsons

while its true, i think they should have stopped being silent.
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It's some unattractive, white college students doing the complaining, right? I didn't click the link, I just thought this could be a fun guessing game.
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I don't believe it. It's a gimmick.
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Southernfatman posted...

What about Willie, Cleetus, Fat Tony, and Luigi?

Its because they're white
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lol smh so these crybabies ended up getting him deported?

Why does it seem no one seemed to care about Apu being a racist stereotype until this year?

Unsugarized_Foo posted...

Get rid of the stupid white guy that somehow got a good job and abuses his children

Could they really write out Donald Trump though?
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Lord_Wombat posted...

People are pissed about this after nearly 30 years, because...???

Some failed idiot at life decided the best way to get famous was to say "I'm Inidian and Apu is racist since he works in a franchise started in India".

And it worked.
The guy never even watched the show, he's basically the same as Jack Thompson except good old Jack meant well and was lied to. This guy is trying to con people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Problem_with_Apu

seriously, watch it. It's all one giant con and you can tlel he rarely was a fan of the show and just picked and choose parts he thinks others said are right

I don't understand where the fringe minority gets this idea that non-realistic cartoons made for entertainment should be forbidden from playing around with cliches or stereotypes and widely recognized patterns and characteristics. They aren't real life documentaries. They're not college courses. The standards are completely different.
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Funbazooka posted...

I don't understand where the fringe minority gets this idea that non-realistic cartoons made for entertainment should be forbidden from playing around with cliches or stereotypes and widely recognized patterns and characteristics. They aren't real life documentaries. They're not college courses. The standards are completely different.

is it fringe to cruelly labels others as
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Funbazooka posted...

I don't understand where the fringe minority gets this idea that non-realistic cartoons made for entertainment should be forbidden from playing around with cliches or stereotypes and widely recognized patterns and characteristics. They aren't real life documentaries. They're not college courses. The standards are completely different.

They get the idea from SJWs. Pretty obvious.

Then they wonder why republicans keep winning.
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What I described can be cruel or mean-spirited but well-adjusted people don't see The Simpsons in that way.
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darkphoenix181 posted...

Groundskeeper Willy

Did you not read the notice? Don't. Touch. Willy.
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008Zulu posted...

darkphoenix181 posted...

Groundskeeper Willy

Did you not read the notice? Don't. Touch. Willy.

Good advice.
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shokan_warrior posted...

Southernfatman posted...

What about Willie, Cleetus, Fat Tony, and Luigi?

Its because they're white

What about Bumblebee Man? Wont someone please think about Bumblebee Man.
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What a joke. Apu is a positive character. He's an intelligent, loving family man. What do people have against him?

RIP Apu, one of the nicest guys in Springfield.

F
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The way I understood the controversy when it first came to light, Apu's actual characterization wasn't the problem; in prime Simpsons era, he was actually a pretty decent and unique Indian representation in media, considering that he could often be the least caricature-y of the cast. The problem was that, since Apu was pretty much the only Indian representation in pop culture at the time, he became the standard stereotype for how Indian men were viewed and treated in American society. Hell, we had a South Asian kid in high school that we relentlessly nicknamed 'Apu,' and at the time we didn't think anything of it; in obvious retrospect, that was very shitty and marginalizing behavior. So the problem isn't necessarily with Apu himself; the problem is with how jock-itches like I used to be reacted to Apu and treated real life South Asian males as a result.

But of course this message has now been lost, and the correct but more difficult option (change the hearts and minds of white people to not view South Asians as literal cartoon characters) is being ditched for the quick and easy option (wash hands of said cartoon character).
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So they could just put several more Indian characters on TV rather than removing one.

People pretending to care about something ruin another thing.
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gatorsPENSbucs posted...

People pretending to care about something ruin another thing.

How long before they force Bert and Ernie to have a tearful breakup?

Southernfatman posted...

What about Willie, Cleetus, Fat Tony, and Luigi?

He was killed off
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masterpug53 posted...

The way I understood the controversy when it first came to light, Apu's characterization wasn't the problem; in prime Simpsons era, he was actually a pretty decent and unique Indian representation in media, considering that he could often be the least caricature-y of the cast. The problem was that, since Apu was pretty much the only Indian representation in pop culture at the time, he subsequently became the standard stereotype for how Indian men were viewed and treated in American society. Hell, we had a South Asian kid in high school that we relentlessly nicknamed 'Apu,' and at the time we didn't think anything of it; in obvious retrospect, that was very shitty and marginalizing behavior. So the problem isn't necessarily with Apu himself; the problem is with how jock-itches like I used to be reacted to Apu and treated real life South Asian males as a result.

But of course now the effect has become the cause and this message has been lost, and the correct but more difficult option (change the hearts and minds of white people to not view South Asians as literal cartoon characters) is being ditched for the quick and easy option (wash hands of said cartoon character).

Of course no one will read nor comprehend the only smart post^ in this topic.

Because something is done the wrong way, there are people who believe the reason is wrong.
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TheRealDill2000 posted...

Southernfatman posted...

What about Willie, Cleetus, Fat Tony, and Luigi?

He was killed off

And was replaced by Fit Tony, who then morphed into the current Fat Tony.
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masterpug53 posted...

The way I understood the controversy when it first came to light, Apu's characterization wasn't the problem; in prime Simpsons era, he was actually a pretty decent and unique Indian representation in media, considering that he could often be the least caricature-y of the cast. The problem was that, since Apu was pretty much the only Indian representation in pop culture at the time, he subsequently became the standard stereotype for how Indian men were viewed and treated in American society. Hell, we had a South Asian kid in high school that we relentlessly nicknamed 'Apu,' and at the time we didn't think anything of it; in obvious retrospect, that was very shitty and marginalizing behavior. So the problem isn't necessarily with Apu himself; the problem is with how jock-itches like I used to be reacted to Apu and treated real life South Asian males as a result.

But of course now the effect has become the cause and this message has been lost, and the correct but more difficult option (change the hearts and minds of white people to not view South Asians as literal cartoon characters) is being ditched for the quick and easy option (wash hands of said cartoon character).

Yeah nobody owes anything to south Asian characters.

Homer is a BAD stereotype of white males and their privilege. Flanders is a BAD stereotype of Christians. Willie is a BAD stereotype of Scottish people. Dont get me started with fat Tony... so Italians are fat monsters huh? Literally fat mobsters with brass knuckles.

Etc etc etc.

But somehow Apu cant have an Indian accent or own a supermarket or else its wrong?

Spam_n_eggs posted...

masterpug53 posted...

The way I understood the controversy when it first came to light, Apu's characterization wasn't the problem; in prime Simpsons era, he was actually a pretty decent and unique Indian representation in media, considering that he could often be the least caricature-y of the cast. The problem was that, since Apu was pretty much the only Indian representation in pop culture at the time, he subsequently became the standard stereotype for how Indian men were viewed and treated in American society. Hell, we had a South Asian kid in high school that we relentlessly nicknamed 'Apu,' and at the time we didn't think anything of it; in obvious retrospect, that was very shitty and marginalizing behavior. So the problem isn't necessarily with Apu himself; the problem is with how jock-itches like I used to be reacted to Apu and treated real life South Asian males as a result.

But of course now the effect has become the cause and this message has been lost, and the correct but more difficult option (change the hearts and minds of white people to not view South Asians as literal cartoon characters) is being ditched for the quick and easy option (wash hands of said cartoon character).

Yeah nobody owes anything to south Asian characters.

Homer is a BAD stereotype of white males and their privilege. Flanders is a BAD stereotype of Christians. Willie is a BAD stereotype of Scottish people. Dont get me started with fat Tony... so Italians are fat monsters huh? Literally fat mobsters with brass knuckles.

Etc etc etc.

But somehow Apu cant have an Indian accent or own a supermarket or else its wrong?

People with empty lives desperately wanna be heard. The public is getting dumb enough to hear them out now. Force a change, whether positive or negative, and you get to feel influential.

Spam_n_eggs posted...

Homer is a BAD stereotype of white males and their privilege. Flanders is a BAD stereotype of Christians. Willie is a BAD stereotype of Scottish people. Dont get me started with fat Tony... so Italians are fat monsters huh? Literally fat mobsters with brass knuckles.

Etc etc etc.

But somehow Apu cant have an Indian accent or own a supermarket or else its wrong?

All that really needs to be said.
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Kondobolus thesis from the problem with Apu wasnt just that he was a stereotype, but that as the only Indian character and still so stereotypical. Homer is the stereotypical Murican, Burns is the greedy tycoon, Cletus is the redneck, Wiggins is the stupid cop, but these are ALL different aspects of WHITE dudes. You know that all white dudes arent greedy because theres dozens of other white dudes that are not greedy. You know that all white dudes are not dumb because there are dozens of white characters who are smart.

But the one Indian guy is a Hindu guy with a thick accent who runs the mini mart, and thats the difference made by representation.

It also does not help that he was the only one Indian character on (a white) American TV for decades.
When your only representation on TV for your racial minority is a stereotype, its not the Simpsons is bad, Apu is offensive, therefore you are racist. Its more this dudes one of, if not the only depictions of an Indian on TV. As a kid everyone used this stereotype to talk smack or make off color jokes. The. Same. Damn. Joke.

TL:DR - this was addressed from the very beginning and you dont understand the issue.
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Unfortunately, people who have always been represented and included will not understand the issues minority people have.

I like Apu, but wish there were more Indian characters. America is a melting pot and a north Indian caricature would be cool to see.
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Yea I really dont think people truly watched or understood what the controversy surrounding the problem with apu was. It was much broader than its racist remove him! They didnt even want him removed. They just used Apu as an example. They wanted all writers/directors/etc to look beyond typecasting Indian actors in stereotypical roles. They hypothesized that caricatures like Apu were keeping that line of thinking alive. It wasnt just an attack on Apu or an attack at all. It was using a well known stereotypical character to help prove a point and I feel like the creators of the Simpsons missed that point completely.
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Is Raj on Big Bang Theory a good Indian character?
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