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The Simpsons' Apu is a harmful South Asian stereotype

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April 25, 2018, 11:27 AM
justjoe
The Simpsons' Apu is a harmful South Asian stereotype
And the strangle hold of PC tightens. Comedy in America has just about tapped out. If you are a PC parrot, like the late night un-funny comics, you're fine. If you are actually funny, like The Simpsons, somebody will be offended .

Apu was one of my favorite characters. Too bad Azaria is such a pussy about it all.

Simpsons star Hank Azaria says he's willing to 'step aside' from Apu in wake of controversy

Hank Azaria is speaking out about the Apu controversy — and he’s even willing to lose his voice over it.

One of the many characters that The Simpsons star voices is the Kwik-E-Mart owner, who was the subject of Hari Kondabolu’s recent TruTV documentary, The Problem With Apu, which asserts that Apu is a harmful stereotype of South Asian people. The Simpsons briefly addressed the issue in its April 8 episode, which involved an old book that Marge edited for Lisa to make it acceptable for current times. Switching from discussing the book to Apu, Lisa turned to the camera and said, “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” While she delivered that last line, she looked at a picture of Apu that included Bart’s catchphrase, “Don’t have a cow!” Marge then said, “Some things will be dealt with at a later date,” to which Lisa added: “If it all.”

After the episode aired, social media filled up with reactions across the spectrum. Some were disappointed and hurt by the show’s shrugging dismissal of the issue, and couldn’t believe that the writers would have Lisa — The Simpsons‘ most progressive and sensitive character — voicing such a sentiment. Others bit back at the reaction and the controversy as a whole, calling it another example of political correctness run amok.

Simpsons showrunner Al Jean declined to comment on the controversy, only to say the next day that the episode “speaks for itself,” before tweeting later in the week: “I truly appreciate all responses pro and con. Will continue to try to find an answer that is popular & more important right.”

Appearing on The Late Show to promote season 2 of his IFC comedy Brockmire, Azaria stressed to host Stephen Colbert that he was not involved in the decision making or execution of that scene.“I had nothing to do with the writing or voicing,” he said. “Apu doesn’t speak in that segment. It was a late addition that I saw right around the same time that everybody else in America did. So I didn’t know it was going to be in it until I saw it. I think that if anybody came away from that segment feeling that they should lighten up or take a joke better or grow a thicker skin or toughen up — yeah, that’s certainly not the way I feel about it. And that’s definitely not the message that I want to send.”

Asked by Colbert what should happen with this now-charged character moving forward, Azaria offered a few solutions while pushing for inclusion in the writers’ room. “I’ve given this a lot of thought — really a lot of thought — and, as I say, my eyes have been opened,” he said. “And I think the most important thing is we have to listen to South Asian people, Indian people in this country, when they talk about what they feel and how they think about this character, and what their American experience of it has been… Listening to voices means inclusion in the writers’ room. I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the writers’ room, not in a token way, but genuinely informing whatever new direction this character may take, including how it is voiced or not voiced.”


He followed that up by volunteering to stop voicing the character — or taking part in some sort of character evolution. “I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside — or help transition it into something new,” he said. “I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do, to me.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/c...r-AAwiTOZ?li=BBnbfcL


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"You get much farther with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone."
April 25, 2018, 11:32 AM
nhtagmember
they're going to go apeshit when they discover the character 'Raj' on Big Bang Theory

their heads are going to spin right off, or they're all going to get whiplash...



[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC


April 25, 2018, 11:36 AM
IndyRob
I'll be impressed when he gives up his Simpson's royalties and donates everything he's earned to an Indian charity.
April 25, 2018, 11:38 AM
lkdr1989



Link to original video: https://youtu.be/sFF8ky1GNZM




...let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one. Luke 22:35-36 NAV

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 NASV
April 25, 2018, 11:44 AM
justjoe
Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Mahr, Ron White, Lewis Black-- a whole bunch of some of the funniest comics in America won't appear on college campuses-- hornet's nests of political correctness. Their attitude is-- as I think Ron White said-- "Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke."

These PC bots have the sense of humor of The Red Guard. They were not really a barrel of laughs, the ol' Red Guard....


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"You get much farther with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone."
April 25, 2018, 12:29 PM
Lord Vaalic
As a fat middle aged white guy, I am offended by Homer...

I want action immediately




Don't weep for the stupid, or you will be crying all day
April 25, 2018, 12:29 PM
smschulz
When are these guys going say "enough is enough" aka FUCK YOU and your PC crap?
If they keep caving then the libs/SJW will just keep exploiting them. Mad
April 25, 2018, 12:40 PM
bigdeal
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
When are these guys going say "enough is enough" aka FUCK YOU and your PC crap?
If they keep caving then the libs/SJW will just keep exploiting them. Mad
^^^Bingo. The answer is not to bend to the will of the mob.

My suggestion. Everyone offended by the Simpsons and much of this other PC nonsense, should be locked in a room and forced to watch "Blazing Saddles" on a loop until 1) their heads explode, or 2) they grow a sense of humor.


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Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter
April 25, 2018, 01:03 PM
Sgt Neutron
If the Simpsons does away with Apu, maybe he can replace Chief Wahoo in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND INDIANS:


April 25, 2018, 01:18 PM
HRK
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
When are these guys going say "enough is enough" aka FUCK YOU and your PC crap?
If they keep caving then the libs/SJW will just keep exploiting them. Mad


Theres a lot of truth in that statement, maybe Apu will move to Colorado and open a Kwiki Mart in Southpark,
April 25, 2018, 01:46 PM
lyman
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
As a fat middle aged white guy, I am offended by Homer...

I want action immediately


+42

and pass me a donut



https://chandlersfirearms.com/chesterfield-armament/
April 25, 2018, 06:12 PM
parabellum
These people are determined to make the world into a dull, gray place.
April 25, 2018, 06:50 PM
bigwagon
A perfect solution would be for a group of BLM protestors to attack the Kwiki Mart and have Apu go out in a blaze of glory.
April 25, 2018, 06:58 PM
Gustofer
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
As a fat middle aged white guy, I am offended by Homer...

I want action immediately

And reparations.


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"Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton.
April 25, 2018, 07:02 PM
Black92LX
This is actually round 2 going after Apu.
Some numbnuts did a documentary or something about Apu being a racist stereotype.
The writers responded in an episode and pretty much said too bad so sad. Of course the lefties are pissed the writers/creators did not crumble.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/a...ticised-as-toothless

Guess the lefties want to go after the guy that does the voice and looks like he might cave. If he quits I am sure they’ll figure out a way to keep doing Apu’s voice.


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If we got each other, and that's all we have.
I will be your brother, and I'll hold your hand.
You should know I'll be there for you!
April 25, 2018, 07:04 PM
Rightwire
Every character on TV or movies is a stereotype of some type.




Pronoun: His Royal Highness and benevolent Majesty of all he surveys

343 - Never Forget

Its better to be Pavlov's dog than Schrodinger's cat

There are three types of mistakes; Those you learn from, those you suffer from, and those you don't survive.
April 25, 2018, 07:08 PM
bigmule
hows that movie line go?
I think Im paraphrasing..."Lighten up apu.?"
April 25, 2018, 07:57 PM
cas
I love it. Someone's offended by character on the longest running show on Tv. Ya know, it's not like he's a new character. lmao

#MeTooApu


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