Apu no longer voiced Simpsons

Grab All Association

The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria has said he will no longer be voicing the character of Apu, following years of controversy and accusations of racism.

Azaria lends his voice to numerous characters in the long-running show, including Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum and Comic Book Guy.

However it appears his time as Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is over.

He told Slashfilm: "All we know there is I won't be doing the voice anymore, unless there's some way to transition it or something.

"We all made the decision together... We all agreed on it. We all feel like it's the right thing and good about it."

Apu is an Indian immigrant who owns and manages a convenience store.

Known for his catchphrase "thank you, come again," he first appeared in The Simpsons's first season in the episode The Telltale Head.

The character has been dogged for years by allegations of racism. Azaria is white.

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-01-18/actor-to-stop-voicing-simpsons-character-apu/

In the past few months writers and voice actors were on the receiving end of abuse by generation Z on Twitter. Surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Now let us all go do what this generation has given the world, go eat tide pods and tax everyone to oblivion for owning a car with an internal combustion engine.

8-10

OK boomer

galwayllm

8-10 wrote: »

OK boomer

Said the snowflake regurgitating his kale...

blah

I’m glad they stopped making The Simpson’s after 10 series.

chosen1

This should be the final nail in the coffin of this once great show.

dominatinMC

8-10 wrote: »

OK boomer

Ok millennial

Sonics2k

chosen1 wrote: »

This should be the final nail in the coffin of this once great show.

I'm finding it really hard to care about this. Yeah it's daft that people got offended about the skin colour of the person doing the voice of a character.

It's really hard to see how this is the final nail in the coffin though. The Simpsons writing has been going down hill for bloody decades now, but people still watch it in their millions.

Ave Sodalis

8-10 wrote:

OK boomer

galwayllm wrote:

Said the snowflake regurgitating his kale...

dominatinMC wrote:

Ok millennial

Start the thread off from the bottom in terms of quality, and it can only go up, eh?

Huntergonzo

The Simpons was one of the best series off all time but sadly it's been rubbish for about 20 years.

As for 'generation offended', they've been rubbish since birth.

Now I don't have a problem with people being 'offended', but I do have a problem with networks appeasing these snowflake facists.

Tom Mann Centuria

No more Mrs Krabappel, no Troy Maclure (for a long time now admittedly), now no Apu.

Martin Prince and Sherri and Terri getting a new voice.

None of the rest of the voice cast cares enough to forego their payday, and see it's so far gone from what it used to be. I can't blame them for taking the money, but they're sh*tting on their own legacy.

ILoveYourVibes

**** the Simpsons ....I have no time for them since i became mother to baby yoda.

El_Duderino 09

Huntergonzo wrote: »

The Simpons was one of the best series off all time but sadly it's been rubbish for about 20 years.

As for 'generation offended', they've been rubbish since birth.

Now I don't have a problem with people being 'offended', but I do have a problem with networks appeasing these snowflake facists.

'Gen offended', as you call them, are at once both 'rubbish' and influential enough to get things done.

Maybe you just don't like thy young people for whatever reasons, but the trope of the immigrant is outdated. The show is moving with the times to appeal to its audience.

Just out of Interest I have a question for the people who are cross about this news: when's the last time you watched a new episode of the Simpsons straight through?

whisky_galore

Just kill it off already.
Put the show out of its misery.

Your Face

Haven't watched it in years. Used to be brilliant but it became a parody of itself.

The Apu controversy has been going on for years though, so maybe not specific to a particular generation.

mycro2013

Could the same not be said about the stereotyping of characters in the big bang theory.

smilerf

This is mental
Soon a white taxi driver won't be allowed drive a black cab in London,

JohnnyFlash

Meh, online outrage. Who cares?

Agent Coulson

8-10 wrote: »

OK boomer

Thank you come again.

ExoPolitic

8-10 wrote: »

OK boomer

As a millennial, I feel embarrassed to be a part of this generation. Thanks.

KiKi III

If I was Indian it might bother me that one of the only representations on=f myself in American pop culture over the last 30 years was a stereotype-ridden character voiced by a white dude. But I'm not, so meh.

mrcheez

Thankfully Family Guy still provides us with our weekly dose

El_Duderino 09

mrcheez wrote: »

Thankfully Family Guy still provides us with our weekly dose

Family guy is one example of how comedy has moved on. Simpsons was edgy back in it's day. Now it's pretty bland by Comparison to modern Comedy.

Family guy is pretty old hat too at this stage.

Strumms

Your Face wrote: »

Haven't watched it in years. Used to be brilliant but it became a parody of itself.

The Apu controversy has been going on for years though, so maybe not specific to a particular generation.

Get rid of Apu and a couple of other ethnicity diverse characters all of a sudden you will have the very same members of generation offended whinging that the show is racist because ethnic minorities are under represented.

So you CANNOT win. The Simpsons is a comedy show, it rips the piss out of every single person, type of person, ethnicity going... it’s inclusive even. The reality is the same people moaning about Apu, if he disappears tomorrow will be up in arms that the show is not fairly representative of Indian migrants to the USA..

Apu, a guy who owns his own successful business, is funny, unlucky in love, has dreams and aspirations... yet like EVERY Simpsons character is the butt of a joke occasionally... ITS A COMEDY SHOW !!!!

They’ll just stop The Simpsons from being a comedy, turn it into a soap.... no Homer... risk of offending bald, fat and stupid people... no Lisa... offending girl geeks... no Mrs Glick...slightly eccentric elderly people are up in arms at this unfair representation....ughhhhhhhh man, people.:rolleyes:

Grab All Association

ExoPolitic wrote: »

As a millennial, I feel embarrassed to be a part of this generation. Thanks.

It isn't millennials, it's generation Z they love to be referred as. Most millenials grew up during Simpsons mania (who else here had Sky One on MMDS, Simpsons toys and Do The Bartman on tape during the early 1990s?)

Mike Scully will always be the one blamed for the decline in quality and change of direction of the show and characters, he is partially to blame but it was mostly Al Jean as show runner who completely destroyed it. The show should've ended at S10-12 with Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein as the final show runners (they both left the show in season 9 and expected it to end)

KiKi III

Strumms wrote: »

Get rid of Apu and a couple of other ethnicity diverse characters all of a sudden you will have the very same members of generation offended whinging that the show is racist because ethnic minorities are under represented.

So you CANNOT win. The Simpsons is a comedy show, it rips the piss out of every single person, type of person, ethnicity going... it’s inclusive even. The reality is the same people moaning about Apu, if he disappears tomorrow will be up in arms that the show is not fairly representative of Indian migrants to the USA..

I mean, they could keep the character of Apu, but have him voiced by an actual Indian person...

r3nu4l

This is disheartening

Huntergonzo

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

'Gen offended', as you call them, are at once both 'rubbish' and influential enough to get things done.

Maybe you just don't like thy young people for whatever reasons, but the trope of the immigrant is outdated. The show is moving with the times to appeal to its audience.

Just out of Interest I have a question for the people who are cross about this news: when's the last time you watched a new episode of the Simpsons straight through?

Nothing against the young people, I'm 31 myself (don't really know if that's young though ha).

I do have something against the perpetually offended though, they're worthless people but they start to become dangerous when newtorks cede to their demands.

Sure they may not be affecting you just yet, but someday something you enjoy might be taken away because some numpty is 'offended' by it. You'd be very naive to think this couldn't happen!

I watched the Simpsons last night with my nephew, the one where Homer goes to space, class episode.

Do you really agree with getting rid of Apu? Were you actually offended by his appearances on the show?

antix80

Apu as a generic Indian corner shop owner is extremely accurate. They do be like that.

The racism crept in when trying to expand Apu's character, giving him 8 kids, lazy punts at India and Hinduism. Some genius moment like him going to India to the first kwik e mart, but overall the writing wasn't particularly sharp..

A course correction for Apu's character would be great, but the Simpsons writers are only capable of writing out characters or making them gay.

The snowflakes are probably more concerned that he's voiced by a white man. It doesn't bother me, nor would it bother me if they recast Apu.

KiKi III

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Nothing against the young people, I'm 31 myself (don't really know if that's young though ha).

I do have something against the perpetually offended though, they're worthless people but they start to become dangerous when newtorks cede to their demands.

Sure they may not be affecting you just yet, but someday something you enjoy might be taken away because some numpty is 'offended' by it. You'd be very naive to think this couldn't happen!

It sounds like you're offended by the offendedness...

Huntergonzo

KiKi III wrote: »

I mean, they could keep the character of Apu, but have him voiced by an actual Indian person...

Or by Hank Azaria, he's been doing it since 1990.

Burty330

Look at the University lecturer who was on question time during the week...its no wonder the youth of today come out of college thinking everything is racist and offensive. Unfortunately people are hive minded and naturally want to fit in so this type of indoctrination spreads like wildfire.

RobbingBandit

Release the hounds

Huntergonzo

KiKi III wrote: »

It sounds like you're offended by the offendedness...

Haha very much so, that's my plan to get rid of offended people, by being offended by them getting offended, I'll take one for the team :-)

Yamanoto

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Now I don't have a problem with people being 'offended', but I do have a problem with networks appeasing these snowflake facists.

Who'd have thought network execs would be such a craven bunch, eh?

Shocked.

mrcheez

r3nu4l wrote: »

This is disheartening

you mean in the way Indians love ripping out hearts to honour Khali?

Strumms

KiKi III wrote: »

I mean, they could keep the character of Apu, but have him voiced by an actual Indian person...

Why ? he is voiced by Hank Azaria.... A noted ‘voice actor’. If I’m putting on a play tomorrow, the leading character is French, there are no French people in the group of actors I work with but their talents WILL extend to portraying the French person accurately and faithfully I have no issues.... I’m not putting adds in the newspaper looking for French actors. Nor should the Simpsons be looking for an Indian actor....their pool of voice acting talent can ensure that the character is played and portrayed accurately and faithfully...

If I went to India, found that they had a production of ‘The Field’... I won’t be asking if or why they haven’t looked for Irish people to act in it... it’s ACTING..in all essence, people playing characters, pretending to be those they are not.

Church on Tuesday

Orwell's vision of the future gets closer and closer.

biko

Life used to be fun, and then the wokes ruined everything.

El_Duderino 09

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Nothing against the young people, I'm 31 myself (don't really know if that's young though ha).

I do have something against the perpetually offended though, they're worthless people but they start to become dangerous when newtorks cede to their demands.

Sure they may not be affecting you just yet, but someday something you enjoy might be taken away because some numpty is 'offended' by it. You'd be very naive to think this couldn't happen!

I watched the Simpsons last night with my nephew, the one where Homer goes to space, class episode.

Do you really agree with getting rid of Apu? Were you actually offended by his appearances on the show?

I'm under no illusion that things I like aren't subject to change. I accept that things change all the time.

You might notice I asked when the last time you watched a new Simpsons episode. The one with homer in space might be 20 years old.

I suggest the Simpsons new episodes are irrelevant to you but you're still getting excited about it changing even though you don't watch new episodes. So to answer your question I'd say the makers of Simpsons are entitled to change the new shows to hit their target market. You are not their target market and neither am i because we don't watch the new shows.

So in that sense I agree with changing the show to match their target market.

Huntergonzo

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I'm under no illusion that things I like aren't subject to change. I accept that things change all the time.

You might notice I asked when the last time you watched a new Simpsons episode. The one with homer in space might be 20 years old.

I suggest the Simpsons new episodes are irrelevant to you but you're still getting excited about it changing even though you don't watch new episodes. So to answer your question I'd say the makers of Simpsons are entitled to change the new shows to hit their target market. You are not their target market and neither am i because we don't watch the new shows.

So in that sense I agree with changing the show to match their target market.

But I asked you do you agree with Apu being taken off the air, yes or no? I mean I assume the answer is yes.

Things do change but they don't always change for the better.

No I don't watch new episodes and no we may not be the target market and I get that. But there may not be too many decent shows to watch in the future if networks continue to appease the perpetually offended, that's my main issue here.

The Simpson's have had their day, it hasn't been good for 20 years but I still care about the show because it was bloody brilliant.

Now you may say 'don't worry about it, you don't even watch the new episodes', but what if these far left 'woke' loony bins get the older episodes off the air as well.

Would you support that? I mean that vile racist stereotype that is Apu was in those episodes as well so I don't see why they aren't 'offensive'.

suicide_circus

so are all comedic accent impersonations racist now? or only when a white person is doing a send up of a non white person?

Potential-Monke

Isn't it great when a show comes up with a scene that can forever be used by everyone else in all other factors of life, and then comes full circle to be used on itself?

I'm speaking of the 'Stop he's already dead' scene, but instead of the Hamburglar it's the Simpsons themselves.

So, going forward, no one can play anyone else of a different race/ethnicity to themselves. No one can voice anyone not from the same race/ethnicity as themselves. So, does that mean Christopher Judge can no longer play Kratos from God of War? Kratos has been shown to be Spartan, and mostly white with a tan (think 300), but is voiced by a black man (2 actually). Or is it ok for other ethnicities or races to play a different one as long as it doesn't use a stereotype? Would White Chicks 2 be off the cards if someone wanted to do it?

I don't care all that much to be honest, i'm more for the right person getting the job.

El_Duderino 09

Huntergonzo wrote: »

But I asked you do you agree with Apu being taken off the air, yes or no? I mean I assume the answer is yes.

Things do change but they don't always change for the better.

No I don't watch new episodes and no we may not be the target market and I get that. But there may not be too many decent shows to watch in the future if networks continue to appease the perpetually offended, that's my main issue here.

The Simpson's have had their day, it hasn't been good for 20 years but I still care about the show because it was bloody brilliant.

Now you may say 'don't worry about it, you don't even watch the new episodes', but what if these far left 'woke' loony bins get the older episodes off the air as well.

Would you support that? I mean that vile racist stereotype that is Apu was in those episodes as well so I don't see why they aren't 'offensive'.

I completely accept the show deciding to change the show to suit their target market. If that means taking Apu off the show, then that's their call. They Tailored the show to your taste when you were their target market (that's why you think it was brilliant) and they're doing the same now to tailor the show to their new target market. That's just business.

You can call them woke and left wing loony bins and whatever else, but tailoring products to suit marked demands is not new and it's not unique to left wing loony bins.

As you get older fewer shows will be aimed at you. As your tastes are refined fewer shows will appeal to you. As you see more things fewer jokes will be novel to you. That's just the way the market is.

I don't watch the old Simpsons episodes either so I wouldn't be upset personally if they weren't on TV. I wouldn't even notice. It's not relevant to modern day so it's only really good for nostalgia purposes.

It seems they're are 2 groups of offended people. People who didn't like the Apu stereotype and people who are offended by any change to the Simpsons (even the Simpsons reacting to market demands. I wouldn't worry about wither group but I do respect a business responding to the market.

Huntergonzo

suicide_circus wrote: »

so are all comedic accent impersonations racist now? or only when a white person is doing a send up of a non white person?

White people are usually to blame, well white men really!

But anyway seen as how Apu is so evil, there's a few more Simpsons characters that need to go:

1. Groundskeeper Willie - obviously, Scottish stereotype.

2. The Leprechaun - makes fun of the irish accent, not acceptable, I'm boiling with outrage at this character.

3. Marge - a nice lady and a great mother, but not a 'strong independent woman'. It's completely unacceptable to show good, caring, family women on tv these days, she needs to divorce Homer and become CEO of Apple.

4. Krusty the clown - I'm sure there are plenty of 'clowns' offended by Krusty ;-)

5. Homer - the epitome of a fat, lazy, stupid, working class white male.....strange how you never hear a word about these stereotype :-)

Jaysus the Simpsons and tv in general will be class once we clear out all the undesirables.

ERG89

biko wrote: »

Life used to be fun, and then the wokes ruined everything.

The Simpsons hasn't been fun/funny for basically 2 decades so it only gets ruined when it is renewed for more seasons.

Huntergonzo

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I completely accept the show deciding to change the show to suit their target market. If that means taking Apu off the show, then that's their call. They Tailored the show to your taste when you were their target market (that's why you tho k it was brilliant) and they're doing the same now to tailor the show to their new target market. That's just business.

You can call them woke and left wing loony bins and whatever else, but tailoring products to suit marked demands is not new and it's not unique to left wing loony bins.

As you get older fewer shows will be aimed at you. As your tastes are refined fewer shows will appeal to you. As you see more things fewer jokes will be novel to you. That's just the way the market is.

I don't watch the old Simpsons episodes either so I wouldn't be upset personally if they weren't on TV. I wouldn't even notice. It's not relevant to modern day so it's only really good for nostalgia purposes.

It seems they're are 2 groups of offended people. People who didn't like the Apu stereotype and people who are offended by any change to the Simpsons (even the Simpsons reacting to market demands. I wouldn't worry about wither group but I do respect a business responding to the market.

Listen I know we're in election season here but a yes or no answer would have done me, no need for the lenghty politician style response.

I'll try once more as a matter of interest and I'll leave it after that if don't wish to answer me straight, (which in fairness you're not obliged to), but anyway here goes:

1. Do you agree wirh Apu being taken off the Simpson? Yes or No.

2. Do you think the Simpsons should be taken off the air altogether? (including the older episodes as they may be offensive to modern audiences). Yes or No.

Dr. Colossus

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Release the hounds

Thank you, come again!

El_Duderino 09

Huntergonzo wrote: »

Listen I know we're in election season here but a yes or no answer would have done me, no need for the lenghty politician style response.

I'll try once more as a matter of interest and I'll leave it after that if don't wish to answer me straight, (which in fairness you're not obliged to), but anyway here goes:

1. Do you agree wirh Apu being taken off the Simpson? Yes or No.

2. Do you think the Simpsons should be taken off the air altogether? (including the older episodes as they may be offensive to modern audiences). Yes or No.

I'm not sure why you're not satisfied with the response. I wouldn't get involved in either advocating for it against the Apu character.

I also wouldn't advocate for or against taking the Simpsons off the air.

Sometimes real life isn't as simple as advocating for or against things.
Both of those are are business decisions. I get that you would prefer to blame the woke and the loony bins, but fact is its a business decision to tailor the show to its target audience. Neither you nor I get a vote because we don't watch the show anymore.

razorblunt

Find someone that does an apu impression and get them to do it.

Wait unit, the Scots, Irish, Rich Texans, Japanese lads all kick off too...

Pauliedragon

KiKi III wrote: »

I mean, they could keep the character of Apu, but have him voiced by an actual Indian person...

But isnt denying a person a job because he's not Indian discrimination?

8-10

Pauliedragon wrote: »

But isnt denying a person a job because he's not Indian discrimination?

Who's being denied a job?