The Simpsons actor 'upset' about claims that Apu character is 'racist'
'It’s really upsetting that it was offensive or hurtful to anybody'
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Your support makes all the difference.Last month, comedian Hari Kondabolu made a documentary about the controversial Simpsons character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, titled The Problem with Apu.
For the documentary, celebrities — including Aziz Ansari, Whoopi Goldberg, and Kal Penn — spoke about the fictional Kwik-E-Mart owner and how the character purports racial stereotypes that have ingrained themselves into the American consciousness.
Since being broadcast, the white voice actor behind Apu, Hank Azaria, has not spoken about the documentary. However, approached by TMZ, Azaria finally commented.
“I think the documentary made some really interesting points and gave us a lot of things to think about and we really are thinking about it,” he said.
“Definitely anybody that was hurt or offended by it, or by any character or vocal performance, it’s really upsetting that it was offensive or hurtful to anybody.”
Questioned further on The Simpsons perhaps cutting the character, Azaria said: “I think it’s an important conversation worth having. We’re still thinking about it. It’s a lot to digest.”
The documentary maker Kondabolu has since Tweeted: “Apu doesn’t ‘offend’ me, he ‘insults’ me… and my community. I’m an adult with bigger things to deal with.
“My film was meant to tell you to go f**k yourself and discuss why I want you to go f**k yourself and how we can prevent future incidents of people wishing others “self-f**kery.”
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