Is Apu from the Simpsons racist?

So you hardly know what it's about. Well, the humour is for one not primarily (or even at all!) made to offend.
Why do you say that humour doesn't fly anymore? That's not true. I think if indian americans had more positive representation in movies and on tv this wouldn't be such a big deal.
Hardly anyone makes a real problem of the scottish janitor character. Unless I point out that's also a negative portrayal of a cultural minority in the US (and a discriminated one in the past). Then Soulcompromise says yeah, he should be changed too! Don't you see how that seems a bit concerning if actually acted upon? Where would it end?

 

At the end of the day right, the Simpsons is marketed towards children. Yes they have mature themes because they're audience also includes 30-40 year people, but they aren't going to get away with what other shows like Family Guy or South Park do as they're marketed towards adults, not children.

 

This is a really good point. And parents nowadays dont want to reinforce negative stereotypes to their kids. Like me, I dont personally really find anything about the Simpsons offensive and I watch it with my son, including old episodes. But I also dont want him to go around impersonating Apu like everyone did when we were kids. I want him to understand why that could be hurtful to some of his friends at school. Parents are just more conscious of that sort of thing nowadays

 

Hm, that could be a factor worth considering. But wasn't it social critical and a big parody on society and an ordinary family from the start? And that's likely the reason its been a succes for so long.
A lot of people like that kind of humour. And not because its so very offensive. A little bit of controversial humour is a good thing. Some of the best humour and art is a little controversial. Provoking.

 

And that can be done at least as good with such a character on tv.
I think the problem might be a lack of representation of such minorities in other forms and more positive roles on tv and movies?

 

It's getting better, slowly. Was definitely more of a problem in the earlier days of the Simpsons.

 

I don't mean in the Simpsons, but in general in mainstream media and programs on tv. I don't see it as a comedic cartoons obligation to counter that Apu role by adding another more positive portrayal of an indian american (although it would be good if they did, it should still be entirely the creators free choice).

 

Except that it is true. That's why the creative team behind the show have decided to retire the character. Also, that's just lazy comedy. Stereotypes, even those parodies with best of intentions, are hack comedy. Reaching for low hanging fruit doesn't make you George Carlin.

That may or may not be true. But since Indian Americans dont have more positive representation, it's kind of a non point here.

And Groundskeeper Willy is also hack comedy. There is a reason I dont watch the show. I dont find funny. It's just a level of humor that I see as unsophisticated. But I'm not going to campaign for the show's demise over that. I'll just not watch.

However... if people, especially Indian people, are taking offense to the character of Apu maybe we should listen to what they have to say. Apu is after all white America's idea of what an Indian American is. He is essentially yellowface and legit concerns over this should be treated as such.

I'm not Indian but I have seen my ethnicity be used as a punchline, be parodied, stereotyped, miscast, and misrepresented in mainstream American media. And it is very frustrating. And demeaning.

 

Is it more demeaning because it's Americans doing it and everybody outside of America can clearly see how fucked up Americans are?

 

I knew what you meant, I meant the same ..I meant there wasnt much representation on other shows during the era of the early days of the Simpsons

 

It becomes demeaning when we say you're good enough to serve me a blueberry squishy, but you're not good enough to complain about it.

Thank you, come again

 

So have I. I can generally take the jokes if not straight up find them funny, and If I don't find it funny, as has been mentioned, I can just change the channel. I actually think South Park takes more unsophisticated cheap shots with racial components, Apu at least had a family and was given a back story.

 

You could. Or you cold do more. That's a matter of personal preference

 

Like what attempt to tear down someone's freedom of expression?

 

Or... reminding people that freedom of expression doesn't mean freedom from consequence. If someone says something offensive it's ok to tell them. You have freedom of expression too.

 

I suspect most comedy won't get too far if they cater to every whim of the offended.
I think that in essence is what asmodean is getting at with this setting a precedent.

However, with The Simpsons, I do think they are battling attrition with having been around for so long.

 

Most comedy won't get far if they dont cater to the whim of the audience. Enough of the audience represented the offended for The Simpsons to decide to modernize.

 

Well last year I saw Dave Chapelle go off on white people for about 10 mins straight in a standup special and Neil Brennan had a skit where he acted like a KKK member in a Black community, so I think your conception of this racially blind modernity is a bit off.

 

And yet Apu is still being phased out partially due to people literally making feature length documentary films about how offensive the character is.

Maybe Chapelle and Brennan made it work in a way The Simpsons no longer can. I'm an amateur open mic night stand up comic. I make jokes about white people all the time. White people come up to me and go "omg that's so true!"

Maybe Indians aren't going up to the white people behind The Simpsons and go "omg kombini and frozen juice drinks as our legacy... that's so true!" At the end of the day, is the audience laughing?

 

So basically you're being a hypocrite?