VIDEO: "Sorry about Apu" (sez Hank Azaria)

In the New Woke America, it was bound to happen. Today, longtime The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria has apologized to "every Indian person" for his voice characterization of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the owner of the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart. If you've been living off the TV grid for the last four decades, heeeeere's Apu! 

 

Of course we all know that Indians don't sound like Russell Peters imitating his father, unless they just got off the boat five minutes ago. And the idea of an Indian owning a convenience store? Ridiculous! Everyone knows that convenience stores are owned by Koreans! If you don't believe me, watch Kim's Convenience, on CBC-TV. Oh wait, it's been cancelled.

All the same, The Simpsons has been under fire for years for its depiction of Apu, whose thick Indian accent — voiced by a man who happens to be, errr, white — caused backlash and accusations of... wait for it... racism. In 2017, the documentary The Problem With Apu examined "the damage of the portrayal and enduring stereotype, and how that rippled through society over decades."

Mr Azaria, who apparently was something of a tippler, decided to step away from the role in 2020, after he sobered up. In his statement today, he said, "I really do apologize. I know you weren't asking for that, but it's important. I apologize for my part in creating that and participating in that. Part of me feels like I need to go to every single Indian person in this country and personally apologize. And sometimes I do." 

So, farewell then, Apu. Come back again! 

Note from Ed.: Did you catch the part where Apu almost flunks his citizenship test for giving a politicfally incorrect answer about the causes of the Civil War?