Who is this fucking tool complaining about Apu and who died and made him spokesman for the 1.2 billion Indians on the planet because I didn’t receive a voting card, and if I did I wouldn’t vote for that fuckwit. What’s next, Rupert Murdoch is upset about the portrayal of billionaires in Mr Burns?
And is is a stereotype if it’s true? Because when the show first started, a lot of Indians did own stores and like anyone who owns their own business they don’t like taking days off, they do talk with an accent and a lot of them work with their brothers. It’s nothing new, it’s a well trodden path by immigrants across the world and isn’t something we should be ashamed of or try and hide. It’s what makes us what we are.
I do agree that I never found Apu offensive. For one thing, when The Simpsons was in its heyday, there weren't that many Indians on TV and heck, the episode when he goes to live with the Simpsons (who needs a Kwik-E-Mart) and they're watching an actual Hindi film on TV, the characters are actually speaking Hindi. As for him being played by a white guy, The Simpsons started 30 years ago for one and it also has a small regular cast who do numerous characters, it's no surprise he was played by one of the principal members of the cast. If it were a live action show and an actor had browned up for it, then I suppose it'd be different. The other thing is that to me, he's just one of dozens of characters in the show that just exist, not to be taken the piss out of (there's others for that) but just part of Springfield. It's not exactly Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's territory.
Saying that, I was never bullied at school being called Apu, I can't imagine he has a much affection for the character as a result. Yeah, he doesn't speak for me but I can understand his feelings about the character. Given the decline of quality in the show and the fact I haven't watched any new episodes for years, it doesn't bother me that he's being retired. The wider issue about 'offensive' characters that some people find offensive is difficult, for one, it's subjective and I personally think there shouldn't be
that many boundaries (and I agree with Cate Blanchett about actors not only playing roles that fit their experience) but again, it's so subjective that no one's ever gonna agree. Personally, I don't think censoring characters some people find offensive is the right way to go (within certain boundaries of course).
