The show eventually tried to address the matter in an episode called “No Good Read Goes Unpunished,” but that did very little in the…
The show eventually tried to address the matter in an episode called “No Good Read Goes Unpunished,” but that did very little in the way of course-correcting. Instead, it seems the show’s creators will be quietly dismissing the issue, according to reports from IndieWire.
“I got some disheartening news back, that I’ve verified from multiple sources now: They’re going to drop the Apu character altogether,” producer Adi Shankar said. “They aren’t going to make a big deal out of it, or anything like that, but they’ll drop him altogether just to avoid the controversy.”
While talking to USA Today, Groening expressed his displeasure with the criticism of Apu.
“I’m proud of what we do on the show,” Groening said. “And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended.” His comment went on to spark even more criticism.
It was previously reported by the Inquisitr that Groening had no plans on retiring the character, but it seems things may have changed.
“There are a lot of different white characters and we just have the ‘convenience store guy’ voiced by a white guy with brown paint.”
In “The Problem with Apu,” I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the representation of marginalized groups & why this is important. The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress.
— Hari Kondabolu (@harikondabolu) April 9,2018
For Kondabolu, it’s a matter of bringing attention to the issue of misrepresation of South Asian characters in media.
It’s not yet known how exactly Apu’s exit will be handled, but fans will likely find out in an upcoming episode.
