In a new episode, The Simpsons has alluded towards discussion regarding its representation of racial stereotypes through character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, one of the show’s few people of colour.
Last year, comedian Hari Kondabolu released The Problem With Apu, a documentary which examined the show’s reliance on racial stereotypes. As a South Asian American comedian, Kondabolu grew up on the show, but found it fraught. At its crux, and as he once told The New York Times:
Everything with Apu is like this running joke. And the running joke is that he’s Indian.
In latest episode “No Good Read Goes Unpunished”, The Simpsons alludes to the doco in a short scene where Marge is reading Lisa an edited version of a fairy tale which aims to remove offensive elements. Lisa isn’t happy with the now-boring story, and an exasperated Marge asks what she’s supposed to do.
Looking directly to the audience, Lisa says “It’s hard to say. Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive, is now politically incorrect. What can you do?”
The scene then pans to a bedside portrait of Apu, and Marge deadpans to the camera that “we’ll deal with it at a later date”. For now, you can see the scene in this tweet:
#TheSimpsons completely toothless response to @harikondabolu #TheProblemWithApu about the racist character Apu:
“Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect… What can you do?” pic.twitter.com/Bj7qE2FXWN
— soham (@sohamberlamps) April 9, 2018
The scene’s tone has been criticised online for being “toothless”, neither apologising nor taking much of a stance. The joke seems to be some sort of commentary on political correctness ruining jokes, but honestly, it’s too bland to really be funny. The whole tone is just weird, from the fourth-wall breaking to the stilted dialogue. Lisa Simpson would never!
Many people have taken to the internet to express annoyance and disappointment with the scene, including Kondabolu, who said the skit was a disappointing takeaway from his doco.
“In “The Problem with Apu,” I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the representation of marginalized groups & why this is important,” he tweeted. “The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress.”
Wow. “Politically Incorrect?” That’s the takeaway from my movie & the discussion it sparked? Man, I really loved this show. This is sad. https://t.co/lYFH5LguEJ
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) April 9, 2018
Fans of the show also expressed their disappointment, with some insinuating that the The Simpsons writers have no idea “of how shitty they made the childhood & teenage years of so many brown kids”.
https://twitter.com/zeroasalimit/status/983223246525947904
https://twitter.com/DrCanonic/status/983212695699763201
The episode is all the more curious considering that Hank Azaria, who voices Apu, has previously expressed remorse over the show’s portrayal of the character. Talking to TMZ, Azaria said that the “documentary made some really interesting points and gave us a lot to think about” and that he was digesting the critique to consider how to portray Apu in the future.
Looks like he might just be relegated to jokes about politically correct culture now. Cool.
Image: The Simpsons
