Watch: Akaash Singh Wants To “Bring Back Apu” In New Stand-Up Comedy Special

 

Yes, it’s time to bring back Apu. The wheels of cancel culture are slowly shimmying off of it’s axles, and one of the beacons of that culture are no doubt Hari Kondoabolu and his documentary The Problem with Apu. 

The Problem with Apu is a 2017 documentary film written by and starring comedian Hari Kondabolu and produced and directed by Michael Melamedoff. It focuses on the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, an Indian immigrant in the animated sitcom The Simpsons who, for a period, was the only figure of Indian heritage to appear regularly on mainstream U.S. television. The film explores encounters with negative stereotypes, minstrelsy, racial microaggressions, and slurs against people of Indian and South Asian heritage.

Since the release of this film, a number of the interview subjects, themselves, have been canceled in various extents. Comedian Aziz Ansari was accused of sexual misconduct and nearly run out of the business. Just today, Whoopie Goldberg, was suspended for two weeks after making inflammatory remarks about the Holocaust. That said, this was the initial domino that led to Hank Azaria and a number of white voice actors relinquishing their roles as BIPOC characters. One guy who wants to see Apu come back?

Comedian Akaash Singh who today launches his new Youtube stand-up special Bring Back Apu where he goes right at Hari’s claims of being bullied in school only he doesn’t blame Apu. In fact, most people never had a problem with Apu and would agree that it’s been too long since we’ve seen the classic character from The Simpsons.