Hank Azaria calls criticism of Simpsons’ Apu ‘upsetting’

Hank Azaria has offered the semblance of an apology in response to complaints about Apu.

Criticism of the Indian Simpsons character was part of The Problem With Apu, Hari Kondabolu’s documentary that aired on TruTV in November.

Apu, the only character of South Asian heritage to appear regularly on mainstream American TV when The Simpsons debuted in 1989, is presented as a stereotypical Indian, the Kwik-E-Mart owner with an over-the-top accent.

Azaria, who voices Apu, declined to talk to Kondabolu for the documentary but acknowledged the complaints weeks later.

“I think the documentary made some really interesting points and gave us a lot to think about, and we really are,” Azaria, who also voices Moe Szyslak and Chief Wiggum, among others, told TMZ.

“To hear that anybody that was hurt and offended by any character or vocal performance is really upsetting, that it was offensive or hurtful to anybody.”

Kondabolu responded to Azaria’s comments Sunday night.

“Apu doesn’t ‘offend’ me, he ‘insults’ me . . . and my community. I’m an adult with bigger things to deal with,” he tweeted.

“My film was meant to tell you to go f--- yourself & discuss why I want you to go f--- yourself & how we can prevent future incidents of people wishing others ‘self-f---ery.’ ”

Kondabolu doesn’t think that killing off the offensive character is the answer though, he says in the documentary.

“Give him some upward mobility. Perhaps create a character that can oppose Burns,” he said.

“He has kids, just let them talk. Let them be part of the show. Have them represent us. Have writers who can write to that voice.”