The much-heated “The Simpsons” controversy, is not dying down anytime soon. If you’ve paid even a fraction of attention of late, you’ll know the long-running animated FOX comedy has come under fire for its representation of the Indian character Apu. Or rather, modern culture in its social awakening and reconsideration of well, everything – in its waking up to just how offensive Apu is. The character Apu is a jovial Indian man who owns a convenience store. He also happens to be a very stereotypical representation of those who identify as South Asian.
The recent reevaluation of the character was sparked by the documentary, “The Problem With Apu,” made by Hari Kondabolu, an American comedian of Indian descent whose movie explores the negative stereotypes, microaggressions and racial slurs that the show has made against Indian and South Asian people.
READ MORE: Hank Azaria Says He’s “Willing And Happy” To Step Aside As Voice Of Apu On ‘The Simpsons’
“The Simpsons,” as a whole, hasn’t responded well to the criticism. One of the cartoon’s showrunners has promised a “popular” and “right” response to the problem, but so far, all the show has done is made a weak and dodging response through Marge Simpson (“Some things will be dealt with a later date“; to which Lisa added insultingly, “if at all”). Making matters worse is the show’s creator Matt Groening who made some tone-deaf remarks when speaking to USA Today this week. Asked if he had thoughts about the controversy, Groening said. “Not really. I’m proud of what we do on the show. And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended.
That’s about as dismissive a comment that you can make, but it’s in keeping with the “The Simpsons” creator’s poor handling of the Apu situation. Asked directly about the aforementioned April 8 show where Marge made her dodging remarks, Groening simply said, “We’ll let the show speak for itself,” and refused to go further.
We’re obviously living in a much different time now. People are more hyperconscious, or self-aware, and some folks may just want to be represented more accurately – can you fault them for asking so little? The one person who has been vocal is Hank Azaria, who has taken a more empathetic approach, asking for an integrated writers room, and saying he may step aside. We surely haven’t heard the last of the Apu debate, and maybe “The Simpsons” and its showrunners will eventually deliver a halfway decent response at some point. Until then, all we ask from Groening and company is that you don’t drag Lisa Simpson, always the smartest, most compassionate and only woke family member, into this hot mess of your own making.