Comedians not laughing at character in ‘The Simpsons’

Santa Cruz Sentinel ^ | 11/14/17 | Mark Kennedy

[artichokegrower]

Growing up in New York in the 1980s, comedian Hari Kondabolu was like many young people. He watched “The Simpsons” and he adored “The Simpsons.” There was just one thing that bothered him about it.

Amid the fictional Springfield barflies, incompetent doctors, clowns and crazy eggheads was a truly cartoonish character — Apu, the Kwik-E-Mart clerk who sold expired food, ripped off customers and delivered the sing-songy slogan “Thank you, come again.”

[Figment]

Apu is a character that everyone in America has encountered in real life. Stereotypes come about through shared realities of people

[Bethaneidh]

So all Jimi’s fans were white? Hmmm.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Ah, for Christ sake! Enough is enough! Go back from where you came!

[sparklite2]

I’m beginning to think that only
Pakis know how to answer a phone.

[Tea Party Terrorist]

Comedy is dead.

[proud American in Canada]

Oh please. This is absurd.

Apu is based on a certain reality; there are many people of Indian origin who own convenience stores. Often, they have degrees in their native country (just like many taxi drivers), but their credentials aren’t recognized in America.

They perform a valuable service for people, are friendly and go out of their way to make sure their customers are satisfied (at least in my experience).

Plus, the show is just plain funny and has been on for over 20 years. Where was the outrage 25 or so years ago?

I love the episode where Apu and his wife somehow have eight babies! That must have been based on Octomom.

The writers have a gift for incorporating current events into their comedy.

[dead]

No Irishman ever complained about the Simpsons St. Patty's Day episodes, because the Irish ain't whinging pussies.

[artichokegrower]

But Obama’s minister Jeremiah Wright can make fun of white folks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4K1TCVruew

[x]

Apu is a stereotype, but a rather positive one.

You might see the Morgan Freeman "magical Negro" characters as racist.

This stereotype, though, isn't so positive and uplifiting:

[wideminded]

Growing up in New York in the 1980s, comedian Hari Kondabolu was like many young people. He watched “The Simpsons”

According to Wikipedia the Simpsons TV show did not start until December 1989. There were some short Simpson segments on the Tracey Ullman show beginning in April 1987.

[Clay Moore]

“Meester Simpson, these hotdogs are almost completely anus free.”

[proud American in Canada]

I REMEMBER when comedians laughed and told jokes.

Even Jerry Seinfeld won't perform on college campuses anymore, IIRC, because the pc environment and tendency of students to take umbrage at every perceived offense was too off-putting.

I wonder if they could even make Seinfeld today.

Or what about this famous Henny Youngman quip: "Take my wife...please." Today, angry "womyn" would be storming his home, wearing their pink hats.

[GnuThere]

I remember waiting for the TV tubes to warm up.

[lightman]

I also remember the manually-twisted TV station knob thingy.

I remember the "rabbit ears" which had to be turned to a different angle when you rotated the TV station knob thingy.

[gaijin]

Even Jerry Seinfeld won't perform on college campuses anymore,

Agree, but it has gone beyond that:

Before, the comic would discover he was the only one left with a sense of humor.

But now..?

The comics THEMSELVES are taking the lead, attempting to OUT-SOUR the sour audiences, out-tizzy the tizzy-throwers; Kimmel, Colbert, Sarah Silverman and many others.

[Defiant]

They had the guy that played saxophone. That was a stereotyped black guy. No one complained.

[proud American in Canada]

As for African-Americans, the doctor is black. He does have a hysterical laugh, but he is also a well-educated doctor.

According to a fansite, the man is pretty bright:

“Dr. Hibbert is the Simpson’s kind-hearted family doctor, a genius, a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Mensa member.”

[proud American in Canada]

Even worse, Apu was the only buffoon on The Simpsons. No other character was a caricature, a stereotype, or an exaggeration. *cough*

No, you are right. Everyone else on the show was/is incredibly serious. That's what makes it so funny! /s LOL!

[proud American in Canada]

No Irishman ever complained about the Simpsons St. Patty's Day episodes, because the Irish ain't whinging pussies.

Yeah, or the where the family goes to Ireland to visit long-lost relatives and Homer gets completely drunk, IIRC.

Also don't recall people of Japanese ancestry complaining about the episode where the family finds themselves on a weird Japanese game show and they somehow, IIRC, have to walk on a tightrope over a volcano! LOL!

Yeah, I've watched the show a lot. One of my favorite Saturday things to do was to lie on the couch, partly napping in the afternoon, and watch all the Simpsons on a Canadian channel (they had three in a row, or something like that). :)

It is truly a classic.

[Dr. Sivana]

Even worse, Apu was the only buffoon on The Simpsons.

You stole the words right off of my fingers. It's the SIMPSONS, if they aren't making fun of you it implies that you have some really serious disability that can't be made fun of; or you scare them. (No Muslim caricatures, are there? I don't watch the show.)