时间:2024-11-10 11:11:52 来源:网络整理编辑:探索
Hank Azaria's done with Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and there's a lesson in the inevitable backlash that
Hank Azaria's done with Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and there's a lesson in the inevitable backlash that followed his announcement.
The veteran actor behind many of the popular characters on The Simpsonsconfirmed that he's no longer voicing Apu during an appearance at the Television Critics Association press tour on Friday. It's not clear what that means for the character – Fox has no comment at the moment – but Azaria was clear about how his own role will change.
"What they’re going to do with the character is their call,” he said, according to /Film. "It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore." During the same appearance, Azaria also said this was a "mutual decision" that "we all agreed on."
There's some important background here for anyone who doesn't know it. Apu, the character, has been the subject of conversation and criticism ever since the The Problem with Apustarted making the rounds back in 2017.
In the documentary, comedian/writer Hari Kondabolu and director Michael Melamedoff explore the character and his legacy as a racial stereotype. However you might feel about Apu personally, the documentary led to still-ongoing discussions about representation, stereotypes, and microaggressions that continue to unfold even now.
As I was looking through the news around Azaria's latest comments and the subsequent fan backlash, I noticed a common complaint pop up again and again. It's not a new idea. In fact, if you've been following this whole discussion since 2017, you've probably seen it before.
It goes like this: "Well I'm X, and I'm not offended by this character who is clearly a joking riff on X." Here, have some specific, intentionally unlinked examples culled from various social media posts:
"Scots don't get annoyed at Dan Castellaneta voicing Groundskeeper Willie"
"The Simpsons features a FULL CAST of stereotypes, including but not limited to Bumblebee Man, Groundskeeper Willie, Üter, Fat Tony, Luigi, Comic Book Guy, and Cletus. Why single one stereotype out?"
"I’m black and I always felt they were pretty equal opportunity with stereotypes."
"I'm Indian and I'm not offended by Apu."
Maybe you share this opinion. And hey, if you yourself are not personally offended by anything on The Simpsons, that's great for you. But that's not the point. All along, the issues brought to light in the documentary have centered culture as a whole, and the mainstream mindset that made space for a caricature like Apu.
In short, this isn't about you.
The Problem with Apudoesn't just shine an unflattering light on this lingering thing that, in the the view of many, has been rendered inoffensive through familiarity and longevity. The documentary resonates because the long-simmering issues that Apu represents are so widely relatable.
Anytime you watch an old Seinfeldor M*A*S*H episode (or any other show) and think "Woof, that hasn't aged well," you're tapping into exactly the kinds of frustrations Kondabolu and Melamedoff highlighted in 2017. Why do you think the documentary is still having an impact two years later? In this era of the 24-hour news cycle, controversies can come and go in the space between heartbeats. Yet the discussion The Problem with Apuopened up goes on.
This isn't about you.
So Azaria is stepping away from the character, in what he characterized as a unanimous behind the scenes decision. The move doesn't erase Apu or the many episodes that feature him from the show's history. It doesn't mean you're no longer allowed to be a fan of the character. We don't even know yet if Apu is going away entirely, but whether he does or not, it's not an attack on you, personally.
And yet, so much of the backlash is framed in personal terms. There are crowds of people shouting at the injustice of it all, since they themselves aren't offended. They're unwilling (or unable) to consider the wider landscape of feelings and responses; they just know that something they like is changing and that change is beyond their control. So they they shout their grievances into the wind.
I'm not here to suggest that anyone's feelings of disappointment aren't valid. Apu is popular, after all. He's been on the show for a long time, he's been at the center of some beloved episodes, and the twists and turns he's taken as a character are among The Simpsons' more positive portrayals. But I also think moments like this can lead to some worthwhile self-reflection for all of us.
I'm hardly the first person to call out selfishness on the internet. Setting aside the bad faith trolls who just like to watch the world burn, internet backlash is often an inescapable result of the way we consume information online. Free of context, it's easy to make assumptions about intent. And most of us will reflexively try to square our understanding through the lens of our own beliefs.
That's why in situations like this, I think it's more important to listen than it is to react. Firing off an internet comment is easy and without risk. You vent your frustration into the void and move on with your day. But in the process, you also help to reinforce a noisy feedback loop.
That doesn't help anyone. I've said this before, but the internet is an engagement machine. It doesn't differentiate between signal and noise; it simply latches on to key words and phrases, and then some algorithm uses that data to decide what you should and shouldn't see. That's how backlash gets weaponized; trolls use the noise to flood every zone and drown out the signal, or the thoughtful, complex heart of any discourse.
I've got no illusions here. Talking about the mechanisms of backlash isn't going to eliminate all the bad takes. But I think this whole situation with The Simpsonsand Apu offers a perfect illustration of how our frequently subconscious selfishness can infect what would otherwise be a nuanced, healthy discussion.
You're not offended? Great. Sincerely, that's awesome. We should all be so lucky as to enjoy our faves without baggage. But you know what? People other than you areoffended, and their feelings are valid too. Stop and consider their perspective and their basic humanity before your next angry tweet. You might be surprised by what you learn.
TopicsThe Simpsons
More than half of women in advertising have faced sexual harassment, report says2024-11-10 11:09
國足連踢兩場熱身調整全新陣容 首要任務調整心態2024-11-10 10:10
好1場慘1場?曼聯關鍵人缺席歐冠 索帥再失依仗2024-11-10 09:52
熱刺開始尋找凱恩替代者 列維希望明夏免簽穆阿尼2024-11-10 09:51
We asked linguists if Donald Trump speaks like that on purpose2024-11-10 09:25
還有誰 ?!3傳1射刷數據 穆勒當選德甲本輪最佳2024-11-10 09:05
寧波9歲足球小將奪冠痛哭 老師:去年沒奪冠一直自責2024-11-10 08:51
西媒 :阿圭羅被診斷為心律失常 家人正在醫院陪伴2024-11-10 08:48
Tourist survives for month in frozen New Zealand wilderness after partner dies2024-11-10 08:47
國足戰深圳首發或為主力班底 國腳去留李鐵已有答案2024-11-10 08:31
Metallica to seek and destroy your eardrums with new album this fall2024-11-10 11:02
英媒:努諾可能會立即下課 熱刺今天將討論其未來2024-11-10 11:01
馬圖伊迪點破巴黎一隱憂 如無此劫可保戰無不勝2024-11-10 10:26
浪大了!門將前場過人被斷 對方直接中場吊射破門2024-11-10 10:23
WhatsApp announces plans to share user data with Facebook2024-11-10 10:18
曾誠職業生涯受過8次大傷 不苟言笑因臉部打了三根鋼釘2024-11-10 10:17
卡爾德克將扮演“澳洲鋒霸”考驗國足 歸化事宜仍無信息2024-11-10 09:46
馬圖伊迪點破巴黎一隱憂 如無此劫可保戰無不勝2024-11-10 09:37
Make money or go to Stanford? Katie Ledecky is left with an unfair choice.2024-11-10 08:47
國足連踢兩場熱身調整全新陣容 首要任務調整心態2024-11-10 08:34