www.vulture.com: In “No Good Read Goes Unpunished,” the 633rd episode of The Simpsons, the longest-running scripted series in TV history finally acknowledged that there is something problematic about the way it has portrayed Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, owner of the Kwik-E-Mart, for the past three decades. Yet at the same time, the show managed to continue taking no responsibility for its tone-deafness on the matter. If the episode didn’t quite do what Bart Simpson would have done in season five, episode 12 — i.e. say “I didn’t do it” — it certainly implied that nothing can be done to make Apu less of a stereotype now.
1 comment:
I have been waiting for this article since I was a small child. I've found Apu ridiculous for a long time now, but like many other South Asians living in the U.S, I've conditioned myself to thinking that following stereotypes is the only way to possibly show the presence of a south asian. The thought is usually that any representation is progress, but with characters like Apu, there is much more harm than good being done. What's even more appalling is that the character has been voiced by an actor that is both white and faking an artificial Indian-American accent. I applaud this article as it provides many different perspectives and a fresh new outlook on the systematic oppression that many people condition themselves to. I grew up watching the Simpsons, and I've only kind of related to Apu because, in the real world that character virtually doesn't exist. These animated television shows have the opportunity to really affect how young people view the world and creating an Indian character that's more than just a market employee can open up people to the potential of Indians in the U.S.
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