"The Simpsons" Renewed for Seasons 31 & 32 at Fox

I'll admit I liked his acting.

 

The Simpsons needs to die now, and I say this as a hardcore fan of the classic seasons. It's just sad to see it limp along still.

 

The irony of the whole Apu thing folds back to the Season 2 episode 'Itchy & Scratchy & Marge':

Itchy & Scratchy & Marge - Wikipedia

 

Like I said eariler.....
Just like McCartney......

 

Were you really into weed when this aired?

 

If you're really interested check out the documentary "The Problem With Apu." The filmmaker sees a generational difference with kids who grew up being called Apu hating the character but their parents being much more comfortable with it.

 

I'm somebody that as been watching from the beginning and still is. What else is going on at 8 p.m Sunday night? They are inconsistent but I think the ratio of good to lame has risen a little in the last few years.

 

Exactly! As far as I'm concerned, The Simpsons got cancelled in the early 90's.

 

I love the Simpsons and its still quite funny.

 

From memory:

Woman: You're fat!
Bart: Just more of me to love.

 

According to America, Football Night in America, America's Funniest Home Videos, American Idol, Wisdom of the Crowd, Instinct, and Little Big Shots were all preferable options at 8 pm Sunday night.

 

What actually happened with him? I suddenly noticed that change mentioned in comments on Facebook the last few months...

 

A person made a film about how they think the character is offensive. Apu has not been seen since.

 

This is terrible. They really messing up more and more classic characters in this series.

 

Apu was offensive to convenience store managers the way Homer is offensive to overweight underachieving fathers, Bleeding Gums Murphy is offensive to jazz musicians, Ms. Krabappal is offensive to schoolteachers, Mr. Smithers is offensive to personal assistants, Mr. Burns is offensive to energy tycoons, etc. etc.

Thank you. Come again.

 

I believe it’s his ethnicity rather than his choice of employment which caused the problem.

 

Yeah, I get that, but each of the others I mention is a cliche associated with their ethnicity, and even though Homer routinely comes off much worse than Apu, you don't see overweight, bald, underachieving fathers making films about Homer being offensive.

 

Apu as they built out the character was not offensive. But the initial impetus behind the character, who they had portraying the character, that he was told to make the accent stereotypical, that was thoughtless and insensitive.

 

That's a slippery slope. You could make that argument about many characters on the show and it is well within the purview of an animated comedy to draw on stereotypes.

 

Maybe, but the entire role was meant as a stereotype. The whole cliche was of the Indian convenience store operator - it would've been odd for Apu to speak with an American accent, as that would've crushed the joke.

The irony is that Apu is one of the most honorable characters on the show: works hard, smart, caring.

But I do get the criticism. Apu is the only major character who's an ethnic stereotype.

Sure, plenty of other characters are based on stereotypes, but none that relate so directly to skin color.

Look at the black characters like Carl or Dr. Hibbert - they're essentially played as "race neutral".

There are more obvious ethnic stereotypes like Bumblebee Man or Akira, but neither can be viewed as major characters - and B Man mocks TV shows, not actual Latinos.

So that makes him a target, and an understandable one. If I was an Indian kid who had to endure others calling me "Apu" just because of my ethnic background, I'd resent the character, too...

 

As I note above, those stereotypes don't connect expressly to ethnicity.

You can pick on Willie as a mockery of Scots, but at least he's not "race-based" ala Apu.

FWIW, I'm not saying the protests against Apu are right or wrong. It's a complex issue.

But I do think the character is different than the other major roles because of the ethnicity side of things.

"Fat bald stupid guy" isn't an ethnic slur, nor is "greedy, evil business owner".

One can easily argue Apu isn't even a "slur" given that he's portrayed as a good man, but clearly the super-stereotypical accent rubs people the wrong way.

It's the show's continued success that makes Apu a target. If "Simpsons" went off the air 20 years ago but remained popular in reruns, no one would say a word, but since the show remains active, he gets attention...

 

It isn't true that Apu is the only character based on a racial stereotype. The show relies on stereotypes and plays off them to get laughs. And as I said, it becomes a slippery slope because you can go down that rabbit hole for nearly every single character. The reason Apu was held to a different standard was simply because someone of that ethnicity wanted to squelch the free speech exercised by the show's creators by making accusations about racism.

You mention a hypothetical Indian kid being taunted for his accent. I was taunted relentlessly for my New York accent after my folks moved to So-Cal. It's part of growing up and any kid can be subject to it, regardless of ethnicity. Frankly, people should feel welcome to bring their accent or work ethic from wherever they come from, but they should not feel welcome to try to suppress free speech, which is what the Simpsons is ultimately about.

 

A distinction without a difference here.

A "stereotype" that was also pretty accurate, as far as such things go. We're not talking Jose Jimenez here. Besides, as has been noted, comedy trades on stereotypes and it's not like anyone was off-limits.

Essentially this boils down to positional grievance-mongering, a move by a little-known comedian to increase his status by finding something new to get offended over.

 

And I mentioned that - I mentioned roles like Akira and Bumblebee Man.

But Apu is the only major role based on an ethnic stereotype...