Nerd Pride Radio

Have we talked Apu here?

Here's my take: he was okay then, not okay now. Like Amos & Andy. There were black people who liked Amos & Andy (there was a reason they were popular, they had comedic chemistry and good writers), but those fans don't make Amos & Andy any less racist then, and any less cringe-worthy to listen to today.

That said, there's something nice to be said about Apu (he's a very positive character in the Simpsons universe), and an understandable reason why he was portrayed by a white man (there are only a half-dozen voice over artists on the show, and the diversity of their impressions is still awe-inspiring), but I'm ready for Apu to move on or be recast.

Agreed.

I guess I wont be blowing anyones mind if I think the character is fine, the voice is fine, its all fine.

I mean who looks at the SIMPSONS as some kind of battleground for racial progress, the show that has a broad stereotype for every group from sea captains to restaurant owners. Goofy.

It seems to me that when Apu was written, it fell under the bar for racsim. But now, it dates badly. This seems to happen a lot with shows that try to ease into societal issues.

Look at how "Friends" handled lesbians - progressive at the time, pretty stereotyped and crappy these days. There are many other examples that my brain can't seem to think off because it's been beaten to death by sleep depravation - well probably from a lifetime of abuse too.

If you guys haven't seen it, Hari Kondabalu's documentary The Problem With Apu takes a good (and nuanced) look at the issue.