Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • Nepal protests
  • Nepal Protests Live
  • Vice-presidential elections
  • iPhone 17
  • IND vs PAK cricket
  • Israel-Hamas war
fp-logo
Hank Azaria, voice of Apu on The Simpsons, says he is 'happy to step aside' amid racism controversy
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Hank Azaria, voice of Apu on The Simpsons, says he is 'happy to step aside' amid racism controversy

Hank Azaria, voice of Apu on The Simpsons, says he is 'happy to step aside' amid racism controversy

FP Staff • April 25, 2018, 15:25:02 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

The controversy surrounding Indian character Apu on The Simpsons received a new perspective after Hank Azaria’s latest comments on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Hank Azaria, voice of Apu on The Simpsons, says he is 'happy to step aside' amid racism controversy

The controversy surrounding the sole Indian character on the long-running animated series The Simpsons has received a new perspective after Hank Azaria’s latest comments to the host of The Late Show Stephen Colbert. [caption id=“attachment_4445395” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] ![Hank Azaria and the character Apu/Image from Twitter.](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Apu-int1.jpg) Hank Azaria and the character Apu/Image from Twitter.[/caption] Hank Azaria appeared as a guest on the latest episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. When asked by Colbert what he thinks should happen to character of Apu going forward, Azaria, who has voiced the character since its inception, said, “I’ve given this a lot of though and my eyes have been opened, and I think the most important thing is to listen to South Asian people, Indian people, in America when they talk about what they feel and what they think about his character; what their American experience of it has been”. Azaria said that in the world of television, listening to voices means inclusion of those voice in the writing process. He went on to say, “I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the room, not in a token way but genuinely informing whatever new direction this character may take, including how it is voiced or not voiced. I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new.”

.@HankAzaria addresses the controversy surrounding the character ‘Apu’ from @TheSimpsons. #LSSC #Apu #TheSimpsons pic.twitter.com/pkmYgcX4Il

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) April 25, 2018

Azaria also stressed that he hopes The Simpsons takes the step forward to increased inclusion as it is the “right thing to do”. Azaria also expressed that the he never intended the character to have negative impacts on the lives of actual South Asians living in America. He said, “The idea that anyone young or old, past or present, being bullied based on Apu really makes me sad. It certainly was not my intention. I wanted to bring joy and laughter to people,” Azaria told Colbert." The controversy surrounding The Simpsons caught speed once again after the makers of the show, in the episode No Good Read Goes Unpunished, addressed the character of Apu  and received widespread criticism for its defense. Comedian Hari Kondabolu, who wrote the documentary The Problem With Apu about how marginalized groups are represented in pop culture, called Sunday’s scene a “jab” at progress .

Tags
BuzzPatrol Hollywood Entertainment The Simpsons Hank Azaria Stephen Colbert APU The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Hari Kondabolu
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Top Stories

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Israel targets top Hamas leaders in Doha; Qatar, Iran condemn strike as violation of sovereignty

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Nepal: Oli to continue until new PM is sworn in, nation on edge as all branches of govt torched

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Who is CP Radhakrishnan, India's next vice-president?

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Israel informed US ahead of strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha, says White House

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV