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Hari Kondabolu - The Problem With Apu

Started by Petey Pate, August 01, 2017, 11:56:18 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Blinder Data

Quote from: SavageHedgehog on April 11, 2018, 10:56:22 AM
Having an Indian actor on the most popular (and highly paid) sitcom of the last decade probably sweetens the pill a bit. There is however a jaw-dropping bit in one episode where Penny impersonates Raj's accent back to him (I think she even says "Good golly!" or something). That was probably quite a while ago now though.

Was that the bit where the Indian character did an American accent and one of the other characters did an Indian one back at him? The weird thing was the joke seemed to be the Indian's attempt was poor while the American character's was better, when they were both pretty crap (the Indian guy's one was better, if anything).

Did I say "weird"? Sorry, I meant racist.

Here it is: https://youtu.be/w1X9a2X-oaI

idunnosomename

Quote from: Blinder Data on April 11, 2018, 02:39:40 PM
Was that the bit where the Indian character did an American accent and one of the other characters did an Indian one back at him? The weird thing was the joke seemed to be the Indian's attempt was poor while the American character's was better, when they were both pretty crap (the Indian guy's one was better, if anything).

Did I say "weird"? Sorry, I meant racist.

Here it is: https://youtu.be/w1X9a2X-oaI

Fuckin hell is that how bad that show is. That laugh track is fucking annoying.

Yes, that whole joke is remarkably mean-spirited to the point where you can call it racist. Maybe they intend it to be that the Indian impression is so poor that the joke is that it's unexpected that he think it's dead on (when actually it's absurd that he would) but... well. The whole chain of events is twisted against him where his serviceable American accent is trashed despite it being fine. But oh no, no one can do an American accent!!

momatt

Ah, that's a shame.  If both did shit accents, or both did really accurate ones it could be quite funny.
Not a massive fan of the show, but any scene with Penny is usually a bit shit, derisive and annoying.

SavageHedgehog

It was a different bit I was talking about, just before [SPOILER I GUESS] Penny & Raj sleep together. As far as I recall Raj doesn't do an American accent in the scene.

BritishHobo

I'm pretty sure CaB is where I found this article, but if you haven't read it, it's good stuff:

https://catapult.co/stories/the-wanking-foreigner-from-the-big-bang-theory

newbridge

Quote from: Blumf on April 11, 2018, 10:17:17 AM
Because the Simpsons is filmed live on the day of broadcast?

I think 8 months is about the lead time for a production cycle, possibly a bit short, you wouldn't expect a response faster than that really. You would expect a better response though.

That was the joke. The Simpsons is notoriously outdated and irrelevant at this point because they try to comment on current events about 1-2 years after the fact. Meanwhile South Park can animate episodes the same week.

popcorn

Quote from: Blinder Data on April 11, 2018, 02:39:40 PM
Was that the bit where the Indian character did an American accent and one of the other characters did an Indian one back at him? The weird thing was the joke seemed to be the Indian's attempt was poor while the American character's was better, when they were both pretty crap (the Indian guy's one was better, if anything).

Did I say "weird"? Sorry, I meant racist.

Here it is: https://youtu.be/w1X9a2X-oaI

As an aside, this line: "I was thinking of writing a book called A Brief History of the Time I Made Stephen Hawking Cry Like a Little Girl". Jesus Christ, that is the shittest fucking line.

idunnosomename

Quote from: popcorn on April 12, 2018, 04:30:48 AM
As an aside, this line: "I was thinking of writing a book called A Brief History of the Time I Made Stephen Hawking Cry Like a Little Girl". Jesus Christ, that is the shittest fucking line.

Made even worse by the very distracting eating throughout. What the fuck are they eating.

sevendaughters

is Citizen Khan worse than Apu because he's less likeable, or better because Adil Ray is of Pakistani heritage?

rm2kmaster

Considering how much criticism the simpson writers have taken on baord over the past 20 years (none), i don't think they're really going to give *that* much of a fuck about this.

momatt

Quote from: sevendaughters on April 12, 2018, 09:44:16 AM
is Citizen Khan worse than Apu because he's less likeable, or better because Adil Ray is of Pakistani heritage?

Less likable and a lot less funny.

Jockice

Quote from: Blinder Data on April 11, 2018, 02:39:40 PM
Was that the bit where the Indian character did an American accent and one of the other characters did an Indian one back at him? The weird thing was the joke seemed to be the Indian's attempt was poor while the American character's was better, when they were both pretty crap (the Indian guy's one was better, if anything).

Did I say "weird"? Sorry, I meant racist.

Here it is: https://youtu.be/w1X9a2X-oaI

I'm not interested in The Simpsons but the only person I can tolerate doing the whole fake Scottish accent bit that some English people are so fond of is my closest platonic female friend, who happens to be of Pakistani origin. She goes: "Och aye the noo" and I reply: "Oh dearie dearie me,'' while wiggling my head. Then we both laugh.

If anyone else does it I want to hit them. Really want to hit them. And I'm sure she feels the same way about her particular stereotype as I do about mine. But it's a personal thing between pals.

Don't know what this adds to the conversation though, but I just thought I'd tell you.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Jockice on April 12, 2018, 11:30:15 AM
I'm not interested in The Simpsons but the only person I can tolerate doing the whole fake Scottish accent bit that some English people are so fond of is my closest platonic female friend, who happens to be of Pakistani origin. She goes: "Och aye the noo" and I reply: "Oh dearie dearie me,'' while wiggling my head. Then we both laugh.

If anyone else does it I want to hit them. Really want to hit them.

I've just bought you tickets for Richard Herring's new show.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: Jockice on April 12, 2018, 11:30:15 AM

If anyone else does it I want to hit them. Really want to hit them.

Be honest, it would only be white people from the South East you'd really want to hit if they did a silly Scottish accent in your presence.

Danger Man

Quote from: sevendaughters on April 12, 2018, 09:44:16 AM
is Citizen Khan worse than Apu because he's less likeable, or better because Adil Ray is of Pakistani heritage?

His mother is from Kenya, so if he's using her genes to create Citizen Khan then that makes him a racist.

Twed

The funniest thing about that Big Bang Theory clip was "It's been three days. Why hasn't Stephen Hawking played a word?"

Because he's date maste.

Twed


imitationleather

As a white person from the South-East, the only people who can do an impression of my accent and make me think "Hey, they're being a racist!" are North Americans. And even then my main reaction is "Hold on, I don't really sound like that do I?" and then I have to go and buy a dictaphone and record myself saying various things (I am pretty certain I don't say "Can I have a cup of tea please governor?" often enough for it to apparently be a vital piece of shorthand when impersonating me anyway) to assure myself that, no, it is the North Americans who are wrong.

trueusername

Quote from: BritishHobo on August 01, 2017, 08:07:25 PM
And of course, more dislikes than likes on the video, and comments full of people - presumably most of them not Indian - telling everyone in the video to shut up, as if they're the strawman of a white SJW looking for things to be offended by, rather than, you know, a pretty big list of Indian actors from major franchises talking about their real experiences. Let that be a lesson to anyone who believes the 'anti SJW' thing is all about fighting privileged white people who speak for minorities. Just comment after comment of people unwilling to listen to the experiences of Indian people, because to do so would mean dropping the black-and-white nature of their dumb internet agenda.

One year later and it still has more dislikes than likes. What is wrong with people?

up_the_hampipe

Quote from: trueusername on April 12, 2018, 06:10:42 PM
One year later and it still has more dislikes than likes. What is wrong with people?

I'm assuming they don't like something they've enjoyed for many years being considered "problematic", probably because they never gave it a second thought.

St_Eddie

Quote from: idunnosomename on April 11, 2018, 03:04:05 PM
Fuckin hell is that how bad that show is. That laugh track is fucking annoying.

I once posted this clip on another forum.  The response from the fans; "whatever.  You could do that for any show".  No, I'm pretty sure that Fawlty Towers would still be funny, sans a laughter track.

Jockice

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on April 12, 2018, 12:01:21 PM
Be honest, it would only be white people from the South East you'd really want to hit if they did a silly Scottish accent in your presence.

Gor blimey. Strike a light. Would you adam and eve it? Etc.

Brundle-Fly

Och Jimmy, dinnae say that, yer wee bampot, yur looking for a battering, yer ken? EtMc

Noodle Lizard

I'm still on the fence about stereotypes in general, and whether a show which generally makes fun of real-life, relatable observations (almost every character in The Simpsons is some kind of arche/stereotype) should shy away from some of them based on the fact that it may be "problematic".

If you go into any 7-11 in the US, 99% of the time it will be an Indian or Pakistani bloke behind the counter, and he will have "that accent" (in real life, they're often considerably less friendly, as are most people in that kind of job).  So is it inherently wrong to have that common experience represented, especially when the character is (eventually) fleshed out and not portrayed as any worse than anyone else in that universe?  What would the alternative have been?  I take the point that having a white guy do the voice seems dated now, but considering the fact that each of the main cast do multiple voices and, presumably, there weren't very many popular Indian comic actors in the States at the time, what's actually wrong with it?

There may be a case to be made for The Simpsons popularizing using "that voice" as a way of making fun of Indians, but they didn't invent the stereotype.  South Park, likewise, features countless minority stereotypes portrayed by white people, often with a far meaner approach, but for some reason they never get much heat for it (indeed, they seem to have a free pass from the "SJW" crowd somehow).  Apu seems relatively inoffensive in comparison.  Is it just because it's a more popular or iconic show?

Cuellar

Quote from: St_Eddie on April 13, 2018, 12:19:29 AM
I once posted this clip on another forum.  The response from the fans; "whatever.  You could do that for any show".  No, I'm pretty sure that Fawlty Towers would still be funny, sans a laughter track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p4TkRnvNco

Jockice

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on April 13, 2018, 09:16:42 AM
I'm still on the fence about stereotypes in general, and whether a show which generally makes fun of real-life, relatable observations (almost every character in The Simpsons is some kind of arche/stereotype) should shy away from some of them based on the fact that it may be "problematic".

I liked Mind Your Language. Every character a complete national stereotype. Why is that not on anymore?

SavageHedgehog

Quote from: Noodle Lizard on April 13, 2018, 09:16:42 AM
South Park, likewise, features countless minority stereotypes portrayed by white people, often with a far meaner approach, but for some reason they never get much heat for it (indeed, they seem to have a free pass from the "SJW" crowd somehow).

There was a bit of "no surprise there!" feedback/backlash when that anecdote of them saying they're Republicans was doing the rounds for some reason, but yes, on the whole they seem to be strangely teflon.

ajsmith2

Quote from: SavageHedgehog on April 13, 2018, 11:57:51 AM
There was a bit of "no surprise there!" feedback/backlash when that anecdote of them saying they're Republicans was doing the rounds for some reason, but yes, on the whole they seem to be strangely teflon.

Straight Faced Customer

I love South Park, but can't believe some of the shit they get away with, especially with regards to Far Eastern accents.

Am I right in thinking though that black characters aren't often voiced by the usual crew?

Sexton Brackets Drugbust

Quote from: Straight Faced Customer on April 13, 2018, 12:15:47 PM
I love South Park, but can't believe some of the shit they get away with, especially with regards to Far Eastern accents.

Am I right in thinking though that black characters aren't often voiced by the usual crew?

Chef was obviously Isaac Hayes and Token is voiced by Adrian Beard & occasionally they get black actors to play certain one-off characters - just as they get Asian actors to play certain one-off characters - but Trey and Matt do still voice several of the black characters, including Token's dad, Chef's parents, as well as celebrities like Kanye West, R. Kelly and Morgan Freeman, amongst others.