Comments on: ATR 76 – Apu from The Simpsons – 07/24/2007 – Submit an Audio Comment: 206-203-3983 http://www.addictedtorace.com/2007/07/24/atr-76-apu-from-the-simpsons-07242007-submit-an-audio-comment-206-203-3983/ Fri, 28 May 2010 12:18:48 +0000 hourly 1 By: Josh http://www.addictedtorace.com/2007/07/24/atr-76-apu-from-the-simpsons-07242007-submit-an-audio-comment-206-203-3983/comment-page-1/#comment-76616 Josh Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:51:47 +0000 http://www.addictedtorace.com/?p=159#comment-76616 Good show as usual. Being an obsessive Simpsons fan, though, I thought I'd clarify a couple of points about Apu's characterization in the show. Manish describes Apu as "excessively fertile," having eight or ten children. He does have that many kids, but it was because of excessive use of fertility drugs (they were all born at once), not excessive virility. As for the mockery of Hinduism, it's usually Homer who mocks Apu's religion, and I think it's pretty clear that the joke is not that Hinduism is stupid, but that Homer is stupid. But I can definitely see how it could be taken another way. Anyway, the show definitely gave me cause to think about issues in the show that normally wouldn't occur to me in the context of the Simpsons, since I've been watching the show since I was Bart's age and thus it all seems normal to me by now. Shows like the Simpsons definitely walk a fine line between mocking the idea of stereotypes and mocking the people who're being stereotyped. Good show as usual. Being an obsessive Simpsons fan, though, I thought I’d clarify a couple of points about Apu’s characterization in the show. Manish describes Apu as “excessively fertile,” having eight or ten children. He does have that many kids, but it was because of excessive use of fertility drugs (they were all born at once), not excessive virility.

As for the mockery of Hinduism, it’s usually Homer who mocks Apu’s religion, and I think it’s pretty clear that the joke is not that Hinduism is stupid, but that Homer is stupid. But I can definitely see how it could be taken another way.

Anyway, the show definitely gave me cause to think about issues in the show that normally wouldn’t occur to me in the context of the Simpsons, since I’ve been watching the show since I was Bart’s age and thus it all seems normal to me by now. Shows like the Simpsons definitely walk a fine line between mocking the idea of stereotypes and mocking the people who’re being stereotyped.

]]> By: Administrator http://www.addictedtorace.com/2007/07/24/atr-76-apu-from-the-simpsons-07242007-submit-an-audio-comment-206-203-3983/comment-page-1/#comment-76240 Administrator Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:41:24 +0000 http://www.addictedtorace.com/?p=159#comment-76240 Fixed - thanks Philipp! Fixed – thanks Philipp!

]]> By: Philipp Lenssen http://www.addictedtorace.com/2007/07/24/atr-76-apu-from-the-simpsons-07242007-submit-an-audio-comment-206-203-3983/comment-page-1/#comment-76238 Philipp Lenssen Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:24:40 +0000 http://www.addictedtorace.com/?p=159#comment-76238 The link reading "Step’n Dispense It: racist Apu promo for 7-Eleven" has two "http" in front of it and breaks... The link reading “Step’n Dispense It: racist Apu promo for 7-Eleven” has two “http” in front of it and breaks…

]]> By: FrancesM http://www.addictedtorace.com/2007/07/24/atr-76-apu-from-the-simpsons-07242007-submit-an-audio-comment-206-203-3983/comment-page-1/#comment-74672 FrancesM Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:00:33 +0000 http://www.addictedtorace.com/?p=159#comment-74672 Great episode. Manish Viij's comparison of the young Indian inspired to work at 711 & Aunt Jemima was brilliant in my mind. I don't know any Black women in the United States who are or were ever inspired by mammy characters. Manish's point on that really brought it home for me. When I first heard about the Apu character being promoted at 711's I had a visceral reaction of dislike. Thanks to this ATR episode I have even more background & can search even deeper into my own stereotypes about SE Asians. Thanks! ~F Great episode. Manish Viij’s comparison of the young Indian inspired to work at 711 & Aunt Jemima was brilliant in my mind. I don’t know any Black women in the United States who are or were ever inspired by mammy characters. Manish’s point on that really brought it home for me.

When I first heard about the Apu character being promoted at 711′s I had a visceral reaction of dislike. Thanks to this ATR episode I have even more background & can search even deeper into my own stereotypes about SE Asians. Thanks!
~F

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