P-C Victim: Apu Getting Dropped From 'The Simpsons'

Apu

After a year of controversy surrounding the character of Apu, the hit animated show ‘The Simpsons’ may soon be dropping the character from the show, reports NBC News.

The impact and lasting legacy of the fictional Apu Nahasapeemapetilon (voiced by Hank Azaria), has been sharply debated since the debut of comedian Hari Kondabolu's documentary “The Problem With Apu” in November 2017, which examined the stereotypes about Indian Americans that Apu embodied. The documentary featured several South Asian celebrities and newsmakers, including comedian Aparna Nancherla and actor Kal Penn, as they recalled the way Apu made them reflect on their own identities.

Social media began buzzing on Friday when IndieWire published an interview with film producer Adi Shankar, who told the site that he had heard from several people close to "The Simpsons" that Apu would soon be dropped from the animated show. While Shankar is not affiliated with "The Simpsons" or its network Fox, he began a contest in April inviting creators to write scripts in which the character of Apu is reimagined beyond his current portrayal of a stereotypical Indian immigrant.

“I’ve verified from multiple sources now: They’re going to drop the Apu character altogether,” Shankar told IndieWire. “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.”