The Simpsons: Hank Azaria on Retiring Apu, How Name Became a Slur

Comments

• Eyekaytee@aussie.zone ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  This was so stupid

  As far as how Apu compares to his other ethnic characters, “I still get comments to this day, [goes into Italian accent] ‘Why can you do Luigi? And that’s not offensive.’ [Goes into southern accent] ‘Why can you talk like Cletus?’ [back to normal voice] ‘And that’s not a problem? But you can’t do Apu?’” Azaria said, “Honestly, at first, I thought, ‘Let me look into this, and then I’ll go back to doing the voice,’ and say, ‘I understand, but I’m going to keep doing this.’ I was surprised myself that I came down on, ‘No, I think I’m participating in a harm here.’”

  Really? Hate crimes because of a simpsons character? I really doubt it

  Bring Back Apu - Akaash Singh www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk3svL0GPWI

  Top comment:

  Apu was:

  • A college graduate
  • Able to earn his American citizenship.
  • A volunteer firefighter
  • A vegetarian and made Lisa a better one by telling her not to judge people.
  • The only playable character in Hit and Run outside of the Simpsons family
  • A complex character
  • A good character

  I would have rather they re-cast Apu than just get rid of him.

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  • PacMan@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Forgetting that he was also the American dream. Being an immigrant and a successful business owner.

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  • musubibreakfast@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Completely agree, the dude had multitudes. Get an Indian actor to play him.

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  • lobut@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    Yeah I understand Hanks reservations on the dude. However, the voice of Cleveland on Family Guy got recast too. I can’t even tell the recasting was so perfect.

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• southsamurai@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

  Eh, I gotta respect him for his decision.

  However, not recasting the role is shitty as hell. It relegates a really cool character that helped people more than racists used it badly, and removes a very important source of representation.

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  • Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    The fact that there were dozens of Indian Subcontinent heritage American comedians saying they’d love the role, but they didn’t even get to audition for it really drives home how much of this was for PR over doing right for the character and the Indian subcontinent heritage American community.

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    • southsamurai@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

      That’s my opinion as well.

      It really could have been a total win. But, hey, why do something great with a small risk when you can do something meh and lower risk while also spending less money.

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