The Simpsons may be quietly dropping Indian grocery store owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from the long-running animated show in the wake of criticism that the character inaccurately and problematically depicts South Asians.
In an interview to IndieWire, Indian-American producer Adi Shankar said he learnt this from two people working on the show and one working with The Simpsons creator Matt Greoning. “I got some disheartening news back, that I’ve verified from multiple sources now,” Shankar told the publication. “They aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, or anything like that, but they’ll drop him [Apu] altogether just to avoid the controversy.”
Shankar, who is not associated with The Simpsons, had in April launched an Apu Screenwriting Contest inviting writers to reimagine the character in a clever or subversive way. He planned to pitch the script to Fox, the network that hosts the show.
The producer told IndieWire that he had picked a winner of the contest, Vishaal Buch, a doctor in Maryland, whose script turned Apu into a successful businessman and also weaved in other prominent Indian Americans. He criticised the show’s decision to drop the character instead of reimagining him. “If you are a show about cultural commentary and you are too afraid to comment on the culture, especially when it’s a component of the culture you had a hand in creating, then you are a show about cowardice,” he said. “It’s not a step forward, or step backwards, it’s just a massive step sideways.”
When reached for comment, a Fox representative gave a “cryptic response”, said IndieWire. “Apu appeared in the 10/14/18 episode ‘My Way or the Highway to Heaven’”, the publication quoted the representative as saying.
The Simpsons, which satirises middle-class America through the experiences of one family, is now in its 30th season. Apu was introduced on the show in 1990 and was the first South Asian character to appear regularly on mainstream American television. However, criticism over Apu’s portrayal grew after the 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu, in which comedian Hari Kondabolu and director Michael Melamedoff explored how the character’s exaggerated accent, speech and mannerisms impacted popular opinion of South Asians in America. In April, actor Hank Azaria, who voices Apu, admitted that rethinking the character seemed like the right thing to do and said he is willing to step aside, or help evolve the character.
On Twitter, Kondabalu and others expressed disappointment over the show’s decision to deal with the criticism by cutting Apu out. The comedian also faced attacks by fans who believed that his documentary was the reason that the character was cut.
Agreed. There are so many ways to make Apu work without getting rid of him. If true, this sucks. https://t.co/czBDIvaTV0
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) October 26, 2018
Hari’s doc was The Problem with Apu, not Let’s Kill Apu. But people chose not to watch the doc because it would take away their excuse putting the blame entirely on him. https://t.co/gyBtbkc5S6
— (((Hervert Wist Re-Animator...))) (@hoover_wind) October 26, 2018
Others contended that the Apu’s depiction was not problematic.
Giving in to the crazy mob. Weak. Apu, like every other Simpsons character, was a stereotype but he was also positively portrayed... hardworking, family man, embrace American ideals while observing his own culture. He is the model immigrant... unlike groundskeeper Willie. https://t.co/cGc7i49bZS
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) October 26, 2018
In April, The Simpsons had indirectly addressed the row over Apu in the episode No Good Read Goes Unpunished. “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive, is now politically incorrect,” Lisa Simpson said in the episode.
She late said, “Some things will be dealt with at a later date...if at all.”
Wow. “Politically Incorrect?” That’s the takeaway from my movie & the discussion it sparked? Man, I really loved this show. This is sad. https://t.co/lYFH5LguEJ
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) April 9, 2018
Meanwhile, IndieWire said Shankar is “working under the assumption” that Fox will not produce his winning script and so he plans to develop it and release it on his YouTube Channel Adi Shankar’s Bootleg Universe. Shankar, besides producing big-budget films (The Grey, Killing Them Softly), makes unauthorised fan-made films that reimagine popular franchises on his YouTube channel.