Critics attack show
The Simpsons have briefly addressed Sunday criticism of its portrayal of its Indian shop owner, Apu. But a comedian who helped spark a conversation about the character calls the show’s response ‘‘sad’’ and attacked the show on Twitter for reducing a discussion about racism to political correctness.
A recent episode featured Marge sharing her favourite childhood book with her daughter, Lisa.
Marge realises the book is more racist and offensive than she remembered and attempts to edit it as she reads. The story, titled The Princess in the Garden, contains stereotypes about people of Irish and Latin American descent.
Lisa reacts to the story by saying, ‘‘Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?’’.
A photo of Apu appears and Marge says, ‘‘Some things will be dealt with at a later date’’ and Lisa adds, ‘‘if at all.’’
Comedian Hari Kondabolu, who wrote the documentary The Problem With Apu about how marginalised groups are represented in pop culture, called Sunday’s scene a ‘‘jab’’ at progress.
‘‘In The Problem with Apu, I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the representation of marginalised groups,’’ Kondabolu said in a tweet. ‘‘The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress.’’
His hour-long documentary includes interviews with actors and comics of South Asian heritage, who discuss not only the cartoon character, but also how their lives have been affected by the stereotypes of South Asians swimming around in the pop culture pool.
Kondabolu, who also is an executive producer of the film, talks with Kal Penn of Harold and Kumar fame (who immediately voices his contempt for Apu); Master of None star Aziz Ansari; and actress Whoopi Goldberg, who maintains a collection of racist depictions of African-Americans from a not-so-distant past and quickly begins to see Apu’s place in it.
After journalists reached out to Kondabolu following Sunday’s episode, he tweeted, ‘‘Congratulations to the Simpsons for being talked about & being seen as relevant again.’’
Other South Asians also took to social media to blast the episode over the small mention of Apu.
Chris Alexander, a spokesman for 20th Century Fox Television, said the show’s producers are declining comment and prefer to let the episode speak for itself.
On the show, Apu runs the Kwik-E-Mart, where he sells expired food, rips off customers and delivers the sing-songy slogan, ‘‘Thank you, come again’’.
People of South Asian heritage have criticised the heavily accented Apu character for reinforcing stereotypes which they say led to world bullying, self-loathing and embarrassment.