The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Comedian calls ‘Simpsons’ reference to Apu criticism ‘sad’
“The Simpsons” Sunday briefly addressed criticism of its portrayal of its Indian shop owner, Apu. But a comedian who helped start a backlash against the character calls the show’s response “sad” and attacked the show on Twitter.
Sunday’s episode featured Marge sharing her favorite childhood book with her daughter, Lisa. Marge realizes the book is more racist and offensive than she remembered and attempts to edit it as she reads. The story 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 marginalized groups are represented in pop culture, called Sunday’s scene a “jab” at progress .
“The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress,” he said on Twitter.
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-EMart clerk, where he sells expired food, overcharges customers and delivers the sing-songy slogan, “Thank you, come again.”