Said Matt Groening, the creator of "The Simpsons," talking to the NYT about the character who seems to many people to be too much of an ethnic stereotype. What's he supposed to do about the problem?
We’re not sure exactly how it’s going to play out. Back in the day, I named the character after the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray.When I was young, back in the day, educated people got the message there were certain films you needed to know and ought to see if you ever got the chance. This was back at a time when you had to keep an eye on the movies that were showing at some "art house" movie theater and arrange your schedule to prioritize important movies. These days, it's so easy to see anything you want to see that you can put it off for ever, and maybe people just stopped applying pressure on each other to see the great classics when it was no longer necessary to remain vigilant in case, say, "Pather Panchali" played anywhere near you.
In short, the name "Apu" can no longer carry the message Groening may once have thought it contained:
I love Indian culture and Indian film and Indian music. I thought that the name was a signal that we had, at least, a scholarly intention.A scholarly intention!
I thought maybe a kid was going to grow up and find out what the name came from and go watch the Apu Trilogy, which are the greatest films, basically, in the history of cinema.Or a kid would grow up, notice the films and laugh at the name because of "The Simpsons" and move on.
The Times questions Groening about his statement that "people love to pretend they’re offended"?
That wasn’t specifically about Apu. That was about our culture in general.Yikes. Be careful, Matt, you might step on the anti-Trump hysteria that's raging this week (and every week).
And that’s something I’ve noticed for the last 25 years. There is the outrage of the week and it comes and goes....But did Groening mean to say the Apu critics weren't sincere? Asked, Groening quickly credits them with sincerity and volunteers that he agrees "politically, with 99 percent of the things" they believe. He repeats that he loves Apu and shifts the blame onto all the other shows for not having an Indian character.
It's so much easier to avoid criticism by just not doing the thing that somebody might say you're doing wrong.
ADDED: Compare Groening to Roseanne Barr, who, speaking only for herself and being carelessly expressive, brought destruction to work that hundreds of people were participating in. Groening is, I am guessing, thinking of preserving not only his work but an entire workplace. He needs to be careful, even if that carefulness is the opposite of what makes comedy great, what got him where he is. And now, I'm back to wanting to talk about Trump again. Why doesn't he look at what's happening and tone it way down to save the show?
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I thought maybe a kid was going to grow up and find out what the name came from and go watch the Apu Trilogy
The whole point of outrage culture is never having to grow up.
Civility bullshit, if you ask me.
Anyone who actually watches The Simpsons knows that the Apu character is treated with love and respect. Yes, the comedy is based on stereotypes..but most comedy is. The jokes aren't funny unless you understand them. But Apu is one of the most noble characters in the show. Frankly if I was from India I would be glad to see Apu accepted as part of the community.
Slightly off topic, but does anyone else remember the hue and cry when Fox began operations with this show and Married with Children? You've come a long way Bart.
New characterization from Armstrong and Getty: recreational outrage. It needs to get popular.
I never heard of Apu but Bernard McGuirk on Imus did great Pakistani convenience store owner monologues.
The alternative alternative is to not give in to the outrage and/or resist the demand to signal you stand with the outraged people politically whether you do or not. Recognize and appreciate the character for what it is and fuck off if you don't like it. Just Don't Look!!!
The only "art house" movie theaters I remember in Portland, were inhabited by men in raincoats, with a barker outside.
My mother never walked fast, except along Burnside street.
Nothing's actually happening. A few people on Twitter are outraged. Twitter is the devil.
The era of that's not funny.
Why doesn't he look at what's happening and tone it way down to save the show
The risk with that strategy: a tone low enough to satisfy the outraged does not exist.
It's the signaling itself that matters. The target does not, and there will always be another target.
Bernie doing Pakistani convenience store owner
http://rhhardin2.home.mindspring.com/imuscut.pak.ra
(real audio. Don't install a real player unless you already have one - modern versions insinuate themselves too deeply into the operation of your computer)
He needs to be careful, even if that carefulness is the opposite of what makes comedy great, what got him where he is. And now, I'm back to wanting to talk about Trump again. Why doesn't he look at what's happening and tone it way down to save the show?
If your show is known for being edgy, outspoken, and unafraid, but you tone it down to save your show, have you really saved the show? You've saved something, but if it's a different thing than what you built, was it worth saving?
Why doesn't he look at what's happening and tone it way down to save the show?
Because giving in to the mob never soothes them, it only emboldens them.
"people love to pretend they’re offended"? Asked, Groening quickly credits them with sincerity and volunteers that he agrees "politically, with 99 percent of the things" they believe.
It's so much easier to avoid criticism by just not doing the thing that somebody might say you're doing wrong.
Essentially a coward on principle.
Groening has already acieved success through his creativity.
Like so many rich liberals it’s “screw the guy coming up, I’ve already got mine.”
But we all suffer because of the squelching effect, but some more than others.
Gahrie, I like your comment, and agree with the sentiment:
Gahrie said...
Anyone who actually watches The Simpsons knows that the Apu character is treated with love and respect. Yes, the comedy is based on stereotypes..but most comedy is. The jokes aren't funny unless you understand them. But Apu is one of the most noble characters in the show. Frankly if I was from India I would be glad to see Apu accepted as part of the community.
Slightly off topic, but does anyone else remember the hue and cry when Fox began operations with this show and Married with Children? You've come a long way Bart
Althouse might agree with your comment as well. But then she throws this line into it:
Yikes. Be careful, Matt, you might step on the anti-Trump hysteria that's raging this week (and every week).
I saw some pretty fucking fabulous pro-Trump hysteria last night on a very special edition of "Hannity!". I was careful not to step in it.
So I'm giving this post our Trump Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome tag.
Huck Finn and Jim: generally speaking, African-American slaves were somewhat inarticulate at this time--certainly, they were unlikely to write a book of the interest and complexity of Huckleberry Finn. Twain humanized Jim, and by extension a lot of slaves, for many readers. Jim and Huck are (arguably) true friends, despite slavery--as much as that is possible given slavery, and when they return to civilization at the end, as they probably always expect to, everything changes. Jim is humanized more or less as he is--a person who is largely resigned to slavery. Does this make the book a more dangerous defence of slavery than the usual, purely bigoted and stupid defence of slavery? I'm confident that part of what happens when you learn and think about "different" people in "different" situations is that you learn decent and intelligent people have lived with, and defended, institutions and ways that are very different from ours.
With recent immigrants, there is often a stereotype about how they might have been at an early stage--working a somewhat demeaning job, struggling with English. For some of them, at some point in time, this stereotype might indicate both acceptance and admiration for working so hard to get ahead. For others, especially the next generation, it is embarrassing if not hateful. It implies "we don't expect much of you."
our Trump Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome
Not a thing, so it's only yours.
Why tone it down? Shouldn't art make you uncomfortable?
Comegy is the other guy gettin wacked in the balls.
What gave you the idea Trump would want to save the show? He was elected to get the show cancelled.
What’s so special about Apu? I can think of many characters on the show that play on ethnic stereotypes. I’d be more inclined to take objections seriously if they were broadly critical.
Q: Can't we take a joke?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4324916/
A: Nope.
-sw
Stereotypes are almost always true. That's why they became stereotypes.
Homer as dumb male plays on a stereotype. Where's the outrage, lefties?
Who's next? If Apu has to be exiled? How can a hispanic, immigrant who is a charlatan doctor possible survive.
Dr Nick.
I hope no one notices Akbar and Jeff.
If Groening really wanted to insulate himself from criticism, he would hire an indian actor to play the part. I mean isn't that the basic criticism about Scarlett Johanssen playing a trans character?
ohh! won't anyone please think of the children?!?!
Important to remember that actually zero people "feel bad" about Apu. Manufactured outrage.
EVERY character on The Simpsons is a stereotype. Are SJW's suggesting those from the subcontinent can't take it like everyone else can?
They should show Mr. Burns funding various left wing causes in order to give cover for his nefarious schemes. Burns is a totally unrealistic stereotype of a billionaire.
I never associated the character Apu to Ray’s Apu trilogy. Beautiful. Pather Panchali romances the soul. I want to watch it again.
Apu is one of the rare voices I can imitate decently, the other one being the Terminator, so after sexual intercourse, in Apu's voice I say "Thank you, come again!"
And then after a couple of minutes "Ah'll be back!"
But, in a general sense also, not simply the "Simpsons", under these constraints, is "it" worth preserving?
Is it not better off properly dead, than a zombie?
Is it not time for a revolution?
I can't wait until people complain about Fat Tony and Johnny Tight Lips.
Either all ethnic stereotypes are evil or none of them are.
"Why doesn't he look at what's happening and tone it way down to save the show"
Wow, Ms. Althouse- do you really believe there is a tone the show could reach for that wouldn't just increase the pressure on it? My observation of the outrage addicts is that a retreat just invites increasing outrage on the target. I wish Groening had just had the courage to tell them to fuck off. That is the only way to deal with such bullshit- mock them relentlessly. If you aren't willing to stand up for yourself, you will be eaten alive by these people.
Chuck wrote:
"So I'm giving this post our Trump Derangement Syndrome Derangement Syndrome tag."
Alternatively known as the "Chuck is a douchebag" tag.
Why don't Scots complain about Groundskeeper Willie?
Groening should have pointed to Aziz Ansari as a great role model for India and then shut up.
The best way to play with SJWs is not to play.
He needs to be careful
That's the key to a mediocre existence.
Bill Peschel said...
"Why don't Scots complain about Groundskeeper Willie?"
Skirt-wearers have a better sense of humor.
Compare Groening to Roseanne Barr, who, speaking only for herself and being carelessly expressive, brought destruction to work that hundreds of people were participating in.
I watch very few comedies (and none with laugh tracks), but I watched one I liked a few years ago based on a movie called Outsourced. It was about a young American who was sent to Mumbai to run a call center. Of course it was loaded with Indian actors. It was funny (and getting funnier with each episode as they filled out the characters and their follies) and I learned a great deal about Indian culture, especially the little wobble of the head that could mean a completely non committal yes or no.
Now this was at the time IMDb had their comment sections and the guilty white liberals were outraged...I mean OUTRAGED for the poor Indians being stereotyped. Forget that every comment I saw from an Indian-Americans told them they loved the show and to lighten up. They were told they were too stupid to realize that they SHOULD be outraged.
So they succeeded in throwing dozens of Americans of Indian descent out of a job.
Why don't Scots complain about Groundskeeper Willie?
Not even the cheese eating surrender monkeys have complained.
"There is the outrage of the week and it comes and goes...."
There's the lefty outrage of the week and it comes and goes.
FIFY.
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