Apu has caused a lot of bullying for every Indian and Indian American he put on this show. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. This FAQ is empty. Things had peaked and, much like athletes, scripted TV shows typically don’t get better as they age. Convinced that a CCN cameraman is her true love, an eccentric crossword puzzler trails him as he travels all over the country, hoping to convince him that they belong together. Apu is university educated with a PHD, he is always portrayed as extremely intelligent, knows american history better than the US-born characters, Apu owns his own business (which he chooses to work at because he enjoys it and the people he meets, not because it's his only option or whatever other drivel people say), drives a flashy expensive car (pontiac firebird) with a nice huge house, and was the most eligible bachelor wanted by all the women in town. What’s bad about the “stereotype” of being a hard-working business owner? There wasn’t some movement at play here, not even a half-assed online one. There was nothing racist in the portrayal of Apu. I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the writers’ room, not in a token way, but genuinely informing whatever new direction this character may take, including how it is voiced or not voiced.”, “The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present, was bullied or teased or worse based on the character of Apu on The Simpsons, or the voice or any other tropes of the character is distressing, especially in post-9/11 America. If I put on a random Simpsons ep today, there’s less than a one in three chance it’s from the Classic Era. The problems with The Problem With Apu. Victoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson. Christ, even his own mother said she calls him “Apu” and that Azaria did a good job. I went from recording every episode on VHS tapes, usually while watching, to catching one here and there to completely ignoring something that people still associate with me all these years later. If you're running BIOS 4.6 - try using 4.4. Hari riffs on celebrity encounters, identity politics, and why firefighters are better than cops. An investigation into what happened to activist Sandra Bland, who died in police custody after a routine traffic stop. Aham is a divorce father of two who longs for a career as a musician but must pay the bills with his soul-sucking desk job. Hank Azaria was not canceled and he didn’t lose his job because of so-called “SJW”s. Then I noticed the runtime. If there were other TV shows with indian characters, this movie wouldn't have been made.The problem wasn't with Apu, it was the fact that Apu was the ONLY indian/south asian tv portrayal.But here's the truth: Apu is literally portrayed as the most successful guy in Springfield. I went into the doc with an open mind, willing to be swayed with solid arguments. Etc. Looking for something to watch? That certainly wasn’t the intent.”. It just seemed like a comedian was still pissed that his classmates used to say “Thank you, come again!” (which was only said eight times on the show) and that Hollywood has a shitty history portraying Indians (like every other minority). Directed by Michael Melamedoff. If his career is a success (I doubt it, I’ve seen his podcasts), he will eventually find himself on the wrong side of one of these “I’m Offended!” censorship campaigns. “The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present, was bullied or teased or worse based on the character of Apu on The Simpsons, or the voice or any other tropes of the character is distressing, especially in post-9/11 America. He explains in the Tweet above what his intentions were. With Hari Kondabolu, W. Kamau Bell, Kal Penn, Aziz Ansari. In this new stand-up special, Norm Macdonald delivers sly, deadpan observations from an older -- and perhaps even wiser -- point of view. With Hari Kondabolu, W. Kamau Bell, Kal Penn, Aziz Ansari. It’s a character I’ve done for 29 years now, and I’ve done it with a lot of love, and joy, and pride. Not to mention I thought the comparisons to black minstrelsy were quite a stretch. I’m not mad, sad, or glad. A documentary that focuses on a dangerously legendary water park and its slew of injuries and crimes along with child safety concerns. A newlywed man on his honeymoon has second thoughts about his marriage and falls for a different woman. Azaria voicing Apu became an issue when comedian Hari Kondabolu released his documentary THE PROBLEM WITH APU a little over two years ago. It’s all kind of ironic because Apu is one of the most decent characters on the show. All rights reserved. Since the board and memory are seemingly "known good," the most likely culprit is the APU or a bad BIOS. I just think it’s a moot point at this stage and won’t have any negligible effect on anything in 2020. Comedian Hari Kondabolu confronts his cartoon nemesis, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Indian convenience store owner from The Simpsons (1989) and the larger issue of how Western culture depicts Southeast-Asian communities. And though it straddled the line, the show never crossed it. The idea that anybody was marginalized based on it or had a hard time was very upsetting to me personally and professionally. In 2017, comedian Hari Kondabolu released a documentary titled The Problem with Apu, a feature that tackled the stereotypical Indian character on … Looking to watch The Problem With Apu? Find out where The Problem With Apu is streaming, if The Problem With Apu is on Netflix, and get news and updates, on Decider. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? But while my opinion is ultimately irrelevant in the matter, Azaria’s wasn’t. Directed by Michael Melamedoff. When I first saw the trailer for Hari Kondabolu’s The Problem with Apu, I felt relieved. *Does Fat Tony get whacked from the show, lest he offend Italo-Americans? *Will Homer’s black friend and co-worker Carl Carlson still be voiced by Azaria? Being a cartoon gave them a sort of liberty that live action can’t. But frankly, I didn’t leave it thinking, “Hank Azaria must cease voicing Apu at this moment”. Having seen the documentary when it debuted and knowing how much Azaria’s portrayal irked the comedian, it sure does feel like he got what he wanted. One person took issue with the work he was doing and spoke out via a documentary. And the price gouging and gross in-store food were never stereotypes about Indians—they were making fun of Kwik-E-Mart-type stores that rip customers off and that reputation predates the era in which Indian ownership of such stores became more prevalent. © 2020 Barstool Sports. Hank Azaria will no longer voice Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Naploetana - Chestnut Hill. This is where I acknowledge that yes, I’m a white guy who wouldn’t be offended by Azaria’s accent in the first place. *What about the appropriateness of Dr. Hibbert, who was loosely based on Bill Cosby’s Dr. Huxtable? Defenders of Apu, and other creative works under siege by PC trolls, call this tactic “Crybullying.” Kondabolu’s first Netflix special opens in a few weeks. I just don’t think Kondabolu made a very compelling argument that the Indian community at large was offended and that Fox had no choice but to pull Azaria from the gig; Kondabolu and some of his actor friends seeking work in Hollywood are hardly representative of over a billion people. Using archival interviews with Johnson, and new interviews with Johnson's family, friends and fellow activists. It is their experience. Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The Best TV Shows About Being in Your 30s, Self - author of 'The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History'. Add the first question. And Apu unfairly and inaccurately represents all of them. *Have we heard the last of Scotsman Groundskeeper Willie’s angry burr? If Azaria no longer wants to sporadically voice a character on a show I stopped watching ages ago because he feels different today, so be it. But I do wonder what this means for Apu’s castmates. “I’ve given this a lot of thought — really a lot of thought — and, as I say, my eyes have been opened. The Problem with Apu If you’ve been following this saga for awhile, then this result wasn’t a total surprise. That led to Azaria having conversations with people about said work, looking within himself, and deciding that he was okay with leaving Apu in his past at this point. 9. Travel back in time to check out the early roles of some of Hollywood's heavy hitters. The stereotypes are that he has an accent and he…owns a convenience store. *Will Chief Wiggum need to get rid of his literal pig nose, laziness, and gluttony or risk the wrath of the nation’s police? As a first-generation fan of “The Simpsons”, I finally tapped out on the groundbreaking show sometime around Season 13 or 14. Plus, see what some of your favorite '90s stars look like now. Someone was finally ready to talk about the racist caricature that has endured on The Simpsons for decades. He’s smart as a whip. Search for "The Problem with Apu" on Amazon.com, Title: Advertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent Policy, AppAdvertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyBest Sports Betting SiteSubscription Terms. His father, a stranger from Nigeria, steps in with opinions on the matter which sends Aham into a tailspin. The documentary The Problem With Apu, which tackles the depiction of Apu on The Simpsons, is driven by noble intentions. (2017). The One Joke You Have To Hear From ‘The Trouble With Apu’ Comic Hari Kondabolu’s New Special May 9, 2018 You may know Hari Kondabolu best from his documentary, The Problem With Apu , in which the comic and many other South Asians argue that The Simpsons character Apu is a hurtful stereotype that has caused lasting damage to society. Hari Kondabolu has been thinking about how he fits into America for some time. A look at the unforeseen consequences of advanced technological devices used in the medical field. “The Simpsons” started as a brilliant satirical cartoon that simultaneously used and needled stereotypes about literally every name on the checklist. “The Simpsons” was no exception. He busts his balls to provide for his family because when you own a convenience store, you’re married to it. Was this review helpful to you? Clocking in at 50 minutes, … Comedian Hari Kondabolu confronts his cartoon nemesis, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Indian convenience store owner from The Simpsons (1989) and the larger issue of how Western culture depicts Southeast-Asian communities. 8. The Problem With Apu often feels like an extended version of that segment, right down to the half-hearted threats. *Has the nasally New York-voiced Blue Haired Lawyer (read: Jew) sent Monty Burns his last billable hours? View production, box office, & company info, ‘The Simpsons’ Replaces Hank Azaria With Alex Désert as the Voice of Carl in Season 32 Premiere, The Simpsons Recasts Carl Carlson for Season 32 Opener, The Simpsons Recast: Better Things Actor Replaces Hank Azaria as Carl. I suggest trying other memory slots, one stick (then the other), reseating the APU and the memory, and - of course - checking power supply voltages. Every Indian American on this documentary supports his removal. And I think the most important thing is we have to listen to South Asian people, Indian people in this country, when they talk about what they feel and how they think about this character, and what their American experience of it has been… Listening to voices means inclusion in the writers’ room. The issue the documentary brings up is that Apu was the *only* indian character represented on TV at the time. I guess that’s the long way of saying that I really don’t care all that much that the uber-talented Hank Azaria will no longer voice Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. I’m pretty much indifferent. As for Brian's criticism of the solution to remove Apu - it is the only way. Tells the story of Whitney Houston's extraordinary life and tragic death. Use the HTML below. Missing Child In Dallas Has Been FoundDallas Police released no further details Tuesday night shortly after 10:00 p.m. The horror. *Is it time to say “ciao” to Luigi, one-a the biggest-a stereotypes on-a da show-a? Feature documentary about the rise and fall, and rebirth of ex-NBA star, Stephon Marbury. It most certainly started discussions. It is their narrative. Comedian Hari Kondabolu confronts his cartoon nemesis, Interviews with the cast, creators, journalists and celebrity fans. 11 of 11 people found this review helpful.