How do you solve a problem like Apu Nahasapeemapetilon?
Hank Azaria, the actor who has been the longtime voice of the Simpsons character, has an idea — even if it means stepping aside.
Azaria stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to promote the second season of his IFC comedy Brockmire but also addressed the burgeoning controversy around Apu.
“The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present was bullied or teased based on the character of Apu, it just really makes me sad,” Azaria told Colbert, echoing comments he made months earlier at the Television Critics Association press tour.
“It was certainly not my intention. I wanted to spread laughter and joy with this character and the idea that it’s brought pain and suffering in any way, that it was used to marginalise people, it’s upsetting,” Azaria continued.
The character of Apu, introduced in 1990 during the first season of The Simpsons, is an Indian immigrant proprietor of a local convenience store. The character has drawn criticism in recent years for being a racist representation of South Asians.
“The most important thing is 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,” Azaria said.
Last year, comedian Hari Kondabolu released The Problem With Apu, a documentary addressing the long-festering issues of representation, which the show attempted to address earlier this month.
In the April 8 episode titled No Good Read Goes Unpunished, Marge Simpson shared a favourite childhood book with daughter Lisa. She suddenly realised that the story was rife with stereotypes and tried to edit out all the unsavoury parts. She found that after her edits, the story was lackluster.
“Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Lisa said to her mother.
“Some things will be dealt with at a later date,” replied Marge.
“If at all,” Lisa added.
Throughout the scene, an autographed photo from Apu reading, “Don’t have a cow, Apu,” sat on a table beside them.
The backlash was immediate, with many fans deeming the move callous and dismissive.
For Azaria’s part, he told Colbert he had “nothing to do with the writing or voicing” of the scene in question.
“Apu doesn’t speak in that segment,” he said. “It was a late addition that I saw right around the same time that everybody else in America did, so I didn’t know it was going to be in [the episode] until I saw it.
“I think that if anybody came away from that segment feeling that they should lighten up or take a joke better or grow a thicker skin ... that’s certainly not the way I feel about it,” he continued. “That’s definitely not the message that I want to send out.”
More than anything, Azaria is ready for change to happen on The Simpsons, including behind the scenes.
“I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the room, not in a token way but genuinely informing whatever new direction this character may take, including how it is voiced or not voiced,” Azaria said.
“I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new,” he added. “I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does, and it not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
