Simpsons actor says he will no longer voice Apu

submitted by Nemacolin from bbc.com

all 13 comments
sorted by:
top
newinsightfulfun

[–]Chipit 7 insightful - 6 fun7 insightful - 5 fun8 insightful - 6 fun -  (0 children)

The real story here: that show is still on‽

[–]magnora7 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

Sad they folded to that pressure. They have many stereotypes on that show, it's kind of the point of the show in a lot of ways. They acknowledged apu was a stereotype several times in the series, same with the italian pizza guy, tony the mobster, the fat german kid that eats candy... half the characters are stereotypes. And it's not like Apu was portrayed as some kind of mean or 1-dimensional character... he was an important part of the family in a lot of ways. Now they're just erasing that, because a couple of people were upset about a voice stereotype that isn't even inaccurate!

Just another sign of the decline of the Simpsons. They're too afraid of controversy to really hit on anything meaningful anymore. Can't really blame them though, they're in Season 31 or something ridiculous. It's clearly just a cash cow at this point, and that's reflected in the humor and writing of the show.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The Simpsons are contracting as part of their life-cycle towards relevancy.

Art imitates reality but only for a short time. Eventually all memes, stereotypes and cultural references phase away. Keeping those things similar or stagnant is impossible in chaotic environments.

Case in point, the mob is no longer as prevalent. Germans barely eat as much candy and the pizza guy, well he is angry!

Only death remains the infinite OG-OC meme! Now who wants to challenge t3h grim reaper?

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

It seems to me the problem was the stereotyping. Initially from a 1 dimensional cliché he evolved into a still problematic 2D character, though they added a family, etc. It actually seems like an easy fix to keep adding more authentic details to flesh his character out further. We know Ned lives next door - but who lives on the other side, behind them, across the street? Maybe Abu could move nearby, share some hobbies and interests that weren't just tropes.

It wouldn't be impossible to resurrect the Simpsons with fresh ideas and good writers and maybe some structural experts and script doctors. It would be far easier to refurbish The Simpsons than to try to develop a new hit series ground up. While it's been a long slow slide (I can't remember the last time I saw one) it's got solid foundations and a sturdy frame.

Sadly, Disney now owns Fox, and we've seen what they do to strong franchises. I suspect they'll milk it until it's dead, and maybe even after.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh, also, there's actually a lot of great potential to weigh the pros and cons of immigration issues, etc. were they to consider using Abu for that. Thought I suspect the SJW media might slant it one way.

[–]Nemacolin[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

OK, so we will have no South Asians on The Simpsons.

The voice actor who plays the Indian character Apu in The Simpsons has said he is stepping down from the role, following years of controversy.

White actor Hank Azaria has performed the voice of the Indian convenience store owner since the character was created in 1990.

But the character has been accused of reinforcing racial stereotypes.

It was not immediately clear if Apu would get a new voice or be dropped from the cartoon.

"All we know there is I won't be doing the voice anymore, unless there's some way to transition it or something," Mr Azaria told the website SlashFilm.

"We all made the decision together... We all agreed on it. We all feel like it's the right thing and good about it."

Controversy over the character of immigrant shopkeeper Apu Nahasapeemapetilon intensified in 2017 when Indian-American comic Hari Kondabolu made a documentary saying he was founded on racial stereotypes.

[–]beermeem 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

Oh and Ned Flanders isn’t. Fuck this shit. These people are disgusting.

[–]Nemacolin[S] 8 insightful - 4 fun8 insightful - 3 fun9 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

All the characters on the program make fun of one group or another. (Except perhaps Black people and Jews, now that I think about.)

I recall the old mafiosi (not Fat Tony) in a bit of self-pity calling himself "a tired old stereotype."

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Nah, they did Jews too. You forgot Mort Goldman? Only stereotype I don't recall is gangsta black dude.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/9/9a/Mort_Goldman1.png/revision/latest?cb=20171020164933

[–]beermeem 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yes, they did Jews until South Park out Jewed them. I stopped watching the Simpsons a long time ago. Probably when they stopped making fun of Lenny, the only black guy.

[–]LloydChristmas_III 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Wait is this actually true? I always thought it was just a meme people were telling lol.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

See also:
/s/Documentaries/comments/269z/the_problem_with_apu_2017_documentary/

[–]realister 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

its called acting, you know, pretending to be someone else?

if everyone just plays themselves its not acting anymore.