How Race is Portrayed in The Simpsons

          Since the release of its first episode in 1989, Matt Groening’s animated television show The Simpsons has captured the hearts of millions of viewers. Although it is now the longest-running animated show on television, it once was a new program which needed to catch the attention of initial viewers. To do this, Groening decided most of the characters would have yellow skin. This color would catch the eye of those skimming through channels, leading to a larger audience. Some characters in the series, such as Apu and Carl however, would have brown skin, setting them apart as members of different races than everyone else in the show. Although this, combined with the personalities of some of these characters, has led to controversy, in other cases it has been used to demonstrate racial equality.

            One of the largest arguments criticizing the issue of race in The Simpsons comes from the way Apu is portrayed. Although he is usually a kind person in the show, his character is often the subject of heated debate over how Indian Americans are stereotypically portrayed. This includes his thick accent and his job managing the Kwik-E-Mart, but it also extends to the fact he is voiced by Hank Azaria, a Caucasian. Many people find this portrayal of an Indian person to be highly offensive because it plays off of stereotypes while neglecting what life is truly like for these people. 

Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism could be used to justify the argument against Apu. According to Said, people report on the East using their own perspectives, which often makes the region appear to be uncivilized and exotic. At the same time, they condense these values to make them easier for people to understand. The result is a society in which people live believing the West is a place filled with uncivilized people who are different from the majority. This appears to be true in the series, where Apu's behavior, culture, and appearance sets him apart from the other characters. Herbert Marcuse’s belief of mass culture repressing people also comes into play here. According to Marcuse, society produces media with a series of meanings and values. People accept the rules and beliefs of these items when they experience mass culture. This leads to a population where political repression occurs through the influence of the media. As Apu continues to be portrayed as a stereotypical Indian American, some worry about how this will affect the treatment of these people in the United States. This provokes many people to rally together to get his character changed or removed from the beloved television show. 

          In light of the growing controversy regarding Apu, Matt Groening has addressed the matter in various ways. During an interview, he once stated, “I love Apu. I love the character, and it makes me feel bad that it makes other people feel bad.” Groening has even pointed out that given the nature of cartooning, stereotypes often make their ways into shows. An episode in the spring of 2018 even tried to address this, but people became upset when it shrugged off the issue and refused to offer any solutions to the problem.

 To noticeably deal with the polarizing issue, Groening has sidelined the controversial character for the past two years and only gave him an occasional appearance on the show. This would help defer tensions by making Apu’s presence less common. The creator even admitted this will continue unless a story comes along which allows Apu to make a decent presence in the show. Furthermore, Hank Azaria, the character’s voice actor, even offered to step down to let someone of South Asian descent play the role. As Apu’s presence continues to perturb some viewers, the production team for The Simpsons will continue to make adjustments so he can be better accepted.

            Although Apu currently may not be depicted in a respectable manner, Carl is a character in The Simpsons who is well-portrayed despite being a member of a minority. Despite being an African American, he is accepted by his peers and often spends time with them in the break room at work or at Moe’s Tavern.

He also has a job working with Lenny at the city’s power plant. This suggests that although Carl is not the same race as most of the other characters in the show, he has the ability to fit in. He is treated just as well as any other employee at the power plant, and there are no African American stereotypes used to define his character. Interestingly enough, a similar case could be made for Smithers in the third episode of the first season. In this episode Smithers’ skin is a brown color, even though in all other episodes he has yellow skin. 

He is still respected, however, when giving Bart’s class a tour of the power plant. Even though some characters may be poorly represented due to their race, others have the ability to thrive and fit in with society despite being a member of a minority.

            Although The Simpsons continues to be loved by millions of people, it still lies covered in controversy for how some of its characters are portrayed. One such individual is Apu, whose image as a stereotypical Indian American is upsetting to many. However, the program is making measures to make the show adequately cover the issues of diversity among all races. They have limited how much Apu is present in new episodes, publicly addressed concerns over how their characters are depicted, and have treated other minorities, such as African Americans, as well as other main characters. Although The Simpsons may not perfectly display racial equality, it is making strides to make their show more socially acceptable.

Sources:

Beeden, Alexandra, and Miezan Van Zyl. The Sociology Book. DK, Penguin Random House, 2015.

Bradley, Laura. "Simpsons Creator Proves, Again, That He Doesn’t Get the Problem with Apu". Vanity Fair, 18 Jul. 2018. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/07/simpsons-apu-controversy-matt-groening-stereotypes-problem-with-apu

Lawler, Kelly. "Fox execs address Apu controversy and the future of 'The Simpsons'". USA Today,  3 Aug. 2018. www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2018/08/02/simpsons-fox-execs-address-shows-future-and-apu-controversy/890780002

The Simpsons: The Complete First Season. Created by Matt Groening, Twentieth Century Fox, 1989-1990.

Watchmojo.com. "Top 5 Simpsons Facts You Probably Didn't Know." YouTube, 12 Mar. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZGfGMR87IA.