Is Apu from the Simpsons racist?

I do not think so. I consider myself a pretty tolerant white guy. Like the type who does not want to see other races made fun of. But I see nothing about the character that is offensive. He is kind of stereotypical because he owns a convenience store and has that accent. An accent that by the way lots of Indian people have. But it's a cartoon and that requires exaggerated characters.

I can't think of an episode where Apu was mocked for being Indian in a way other characters are not. The joke is the situation not who the person is. And we also see the human side of Apu in many episodes. We know he went to college, we know he has hobbies outside the store.

I had never thought about how Indian people would see all that. I would not feel the same way if it was a black character who I don't know owned a chicken farm or something like that. So maybe it's my own history as a white guy in America making me sensitive to jokes about black people. We don't have the same kind of history with Indians here.

So now if say "come again" I am being an asshole? People are mad about how the Simpsons replied to the criticism but I thought it was intelligent especially when looked at in the context of the episode. Lisa is reading a book that by modern standards is racist so she is trying to find the good parts of it and see it as it was seen during the time the book was written.

The Simpsons respond to Apu stereotype controversy during new episode

 

People will go to pathetic lengths to cause any onset of drama these days. They open their hearts to let anything offend them. It's a disease.

 

Probably a bit in retrospect.

But in the big picture of things when you have a president of the United States who openly supports and hires white supremacists, I don't think it's the best place to focus ones energy.

 

With like 5 or 6 really active and vocal white supremacists who haunt this forum, I predict this thread will go really well too.

 

Wasn't the whole point of the Simpsons originally to stereotype the average America family and community?

Dr Hibbert is black, and I ain't seen any black people who go HooHooHoo after anything they say. So that must be racist too. And don't get me started on Krusty, because every Jew is a clown too, right? And what about the ex convict Snake? That's racist against white people, statistically.

Clutching at straws. In comparison, Family Guy is 10000000% more racist.

When the Matt Groaning originally made the Australian episode, he wanted to pull it before it was aired because he realised it painted a pretty dismal view on the Australians and their culture, yet once it hit Australian shores, the Aussies applauded its complete inaccuracy and that episode is like a cult classic in Australian comedy.

Is a bloody outrage it is!

Come on America, be like Australia.

 

Is there anything that isn't considered racist these days?

 

people often confuse racist with racialist

 

This thread isnt about Trump..
but since youre playing your cards, here is an Aunt Tom for you..

 

Presidents don't generally nominate 1 star Generals, including in this case. Thanks for the fake newsing up the joint though.

Marine Corps selects 1st black woman to be a general officer

 

I used to meme on purpose.. Idiots think I wouldnt know shit like that being a veteran .. but yeah thanks for littering up the place 3post in with TRUMP wah wah wah racist supremacist shit.. ITs fucking pathetic!

 

It's like I can see the Nazi future.

 

I think Apu is problematic because of the way Middle Easterners are portrayed. The problem is that Apu is a very stereotypical image of middle easterners. That doesn't adequately represent them, which is problematic because Americans need to see Middle Easterners accurately to avoid a prejudiced worldview.

 

Agreed. Apu isnt any more of a stereotype than Homer portraying a dumb white suburban dad. The Simpsons isnt meant to be a nuanced and thoughtful character study, its a cartoon.

i think the show has fleshed him out over the years though, he has more going on than just being Indian and owning a gas station. Apu is the man

 

apu owned a gas station too?..i thought it was just a convenience store

anyone who thinks its not an accurate stereotype needs to visit mississauga..

 

We have to go through this. Before the time when everyone was offended by everything people were openly discriminated against and a culture persisted that subjugated and victimized women. We can’t just pretend that didn’t happen and pretend words don’t matter. Are many people say too sensitive? Sure. That’s a step in the direction fro ñm condoning discrimination though

We can’t immediately transition from a society that was discriminatory against every conceivable minority to one where everyone instantly understands the new rules of engagement. We learn that as a culture precisely by these conversations

 

I guess it was, i just usually use the two interchangeably

 

Not actually racist, but I see how he could be taken that way.

In 1989 or whenever, that was acceptable. Today, it ain't

That being said, I don't think it was anyone's intent to offend, but it's a different climate these days.

 

It's like I can see troll in your present..

 

Aw hogwash. (said in Bart Simpson voice)

 

jesus, the simpsons is still on? i stopped watching back in like 1999 when it started to get shitty, then i gave it a chance for a little while around 2012 and it was just not worth watching then. i can't imagine how awful it's gotten now.

when i saw the thread title i thought you were asking if the character was a racist person, not if the writers who created him were racist. either way, i don't remember any evidence of racism. but like i said, i haven't watched it in forever so i don't remember that well.

in the US, pretty much all gas stations are also convenience stores and probably 85% of convenience stores are also gas stations, so for the average american they are pretty interchangeable. but i do think you're right; i don't remember there being gas at the kwik e mart.