The Problem With Apu Is About Our Struggle to Adapt
It was inevitable that after Hari Kondabolu’s documentary “The Problem With Apu” was released, which took a punchy swipe at the uber-popular sitcom that seems to have been running since the invention of TV, The Simpsons, that there would be some heated opinions on all sides of this particular “race” debate.
In one corner you have your super-sensitive SJW’s(a term I recently had to Google) pitted against the other side of America who feel everyone are just charmin-soft, sensitive snowflakes nowadays (the type of people who will tell you that they “don’t see color” when it comes to race).
Before you accuse me of being one of those soft SJW liberal’s, understand that I am a fan of cultural/racial humor, particularly when it comes to comedy. Because unlike other forms of communication, I believe comedy should have some immunity.
But not complete immunity. Here are some general rules that would be good for us humans to follow:
- Never punch down. This concept means you never make a joke about someone less fortunate or privileged as you. Yeah sorry white males, that means a lot of your racial jokes are gonna have to go in the recycle bin. Oh, you can still make racial jokes, as long as the butt of the joke is you and not a person of less privilege.
- Context is key. Hey, Dave Chapelle made a joke about black people, so why can’t I? It’s the same reason you can’t use the N word. Because you’re being seen through the lens of your experiences.
- Make damn sure it’s funny.
The thing about Apu isn’t that he’s really that offensive (at least, from my opinion as a non-South Asian), it’s that his accent just isn’t funny anymore.
It was funny in the 90’s, when people didn’t know any South Asian/Indian people, and all we had to go on was this wacky character who probably wouldn’t be funny if we didn’t have some sort of relatable character in our own lives. Everyone has had an experience with an Apu, and the Simpsons did with him what they do to all stereotypes, they made a caricature of him.
Look, I love Apu, and so does Hari, and I’m sure many South Asians do as well. It’s not that the world is getting softer, we’re just getting smarter.
Accents aren’t funny anymore on their own, rather, it’s the context of what’s said through the accents-whether its a misunderstanding of culture, context being lost in translation, or a deeper character trait, that will make us laugh.
No one’s trying to take away Apu, we’re just saying he doesn’t belong in 2018. He’s hurt many in the Indian community, and his proper place in history belongs in early Simpsons folklore. It’s time we evolve to more authentic, multidimensional characters…
The new model minority: Jian Yang
Take Jimmy O Yang’s character, Jian Yang, in Silicon Valley.
Jian Yang has an accent, isn’t that racist too? His accent alone would not make for a very funny character in 2018 (perhaps he would be in 1990). The difference is Jian Yang’s understated arrogance, and asshole demeanor that really fleshes out his character and makes us laugh. The dichotomy of a Chinese immigrant blatantly insulting white americans who would otherwise stand to be his superior makes for a surprising, and satisfying twist to the whole alpha-white male/nerdy asian guy contrast we’ve been saturated with since the days of 16 candles.
Contrast that with Apu, if you take away Apu’s accent, there isn’t really anything about him that’s funny.
The world isn’t becoming less funny/too PC, it’s simply evolving
I can’t overstate this enough…if you think an Indian accent from a guy at a convenient store is still funny in 2018, you aren’t racist, you just have a pretty terrible sense of humor.
Something that is truly funny is something that surprises us, delights us, and says something about ourselves that we identify with. It’s time we evolve our comedic palate and move onto bigger and better things.
Race can still be a funny topic, let’s just make sure it’s accurate, non-cliche, and worth telling.
Need more race debating in your life? Jessica Gao and Dan Harmon do a better job of breaking down Apu and his complexities in their excellent podcast, Whiting Wongs.
Suggest you listen to it before you @ me with any whataboutisms.
