Is the character of Apu on the Simpsons a racist stereotype?

Hey, hey…this is not a lending library.

Put that down, or I’ll blow your heads off…..

Each snd every character on the Simpsons is a stereotype. That’s all the fun.

It’s fine and perfectly appropriate to have the discussion, and one might wish to see additional Indian characters portrayed as, for example, engineers and doctors – as I frequently do see them in real life, for example. It would also be well to see Scots depicted as other than the blue-collar hard-drinking Groundskeeper Willie, for example, or rich men depicted as other than the villainous Montgomery Burns. And so on.

As @stanleybmanly rightly points out, everyone in the show is a stereotype of one kind or another.

But as long as we’re having the discussion, I think that Apu is a stereotypical Kwik-E-Mart (or 7/11 or other convenience store) owner, as well as a representative of many such independent franchise owners (or completely independent one-off store and motel owners and managers) who just happens to be of Indian descent. And the voice and mannerisms do lend themselves well to caricature – even among Indians.

No. There are people like that in real life, so why not have them in animation?? And every body of every type can be idiots too.

Yes, but then again, every character is a stereotype there, so it doesn’t count.

Not every character. For example, Flanders has never been revealed to have raped choir boys.

“never been revealed” is the key phrase.

Yes indeedly-doodly…..

Poor Ned. He carries the weight of damned near 30 years of suspicions on his sexuality. It used to bother me that he, Marge & Lisa were constantly getting screwed for their ethical deportment. It’s easy to forget that the series is actually a product from an age where Ned would be required to be “closeted”. The truth is my absolute favorite characters are the villains. Burns, Diamond Joe Quinby, Sideshow Bob, Fat Tony.

I’ve always been suspicious that Mrs. Flanders “fell” to her death from the top of that stadium, then the following week, Ned was dating Edna Krabapple.

Rod and Todd seemed to miss their mother for maybe 15 minutes.

Poor Maude….

He’s absolutely a stereotype. Basically every character on that show is. Satire generally only works when it plays on stereotypes. I wouldn’t say he’s a particularly racist stereotype however.

I read an article once, that said the reason the Simpsons had 2 kids, and a baby was because the average family had 2.5 children. Characters are definitely built on stereotypes. That’s the type of humor that their audience has. I LOVE the Simpsons.

To the question, No. I don’t think it’s racist. But I’m aware that some could find offense in anything.

Putting a racist label on something can be done by anyone at anytime. But is it racist just because of some person’s labeling/POV? No.

As said above, everyone on the Simpsons is a stereotype.

However, they are sympathetic characters. Apu (and most everybody) has moments as the superior character, when everyone else can learn from their good behavior.

They are portrayed so we see them as “our” side. We are rooting for them and they are working for good..

Mr. Burns is the only major character I can think of who is portrayed as a bad guy.

Release the hounds…..

I write, “Mr. Burns is the only major character I can think of who is portrayed as a bad guy.”

And then I look up and see “Sideshow Bob, Fat Tony”.

I stand corrected, there are more villains. Snake and Doctor Nick aren’t doing anybody any good, either.

Whoa, whoa…..Dr. Nick, a ‘bad guy’ ??......I don’t think so…...

(“Hi, everybody !!” tells us all we need to know….)

Apu is too busy living the dream to be distracted from enjoying every moment especially when his fave song comes on.

Dream Police – Cheap Trick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjMCaw4qzjg