Sorry for nothing
Hank Azaria, the voice of Apu on The Simpsons has apologised for voicing the character, and his role in structural racism
. It's about time, Hank, you bastard!
Now, what we really need from you, and everyone else involved in this travesty, is an apology for running a once-great cartoon into the ground. The Simpsons has been circling the drain for over twenty years. The only reason? Money!
The same reason that you voiced Apu, Hank.
And it's only now that you're bending the knee. Not for your role in the destruction of a once-beloved franchise, but for the sake of some pathetic butthurts who can be nothing but self-imagined victims. While the controversy surrounding Apu first kicked off with accusations of racial stereotyping, which is a relevant concern, that in itself only reflects how the character is written into the story; it has nothing to do with the ethnicity of the voice actor per se.
Apu can no longer be played by Azaria, a voice actor, but by someone else, who most people won't care about. Carl Carlson and Dr Hibbert also.
Azaria went on to say that he thought characters of color should be voiced by actors of color, arguing that they can bring greater authenticity in the role, and adding, “Let’s not take jobs away from people who don’t have enough.” The role of race in voice casting entered the spotlight last year, as white actors walked away from characters of color on high-profile series — including The Simpsons — in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
Alex Dudok de Wit, Cartoon Brew
I suppose the point of actors acting is lost on these boneheads. Otherwise, how can Nancy Cartwright expect to play a boy? Is it acceptable for her to take jobs from people of youth, and of penis for that matter? Think of the number of up-and-coming voice actors who've been denied their big break over the last thirty-plus years because of her selfish hypocrisy. (rolleyes)
The best of The Simpsons lies in the distant past though. The show has long been becoming irrelevant, and it's well beyond its best-before date. But the classic episodes will always be available for those who enjoy them, unadulterated by the butthurt and revisionism.
You either die a Futurama, or you live long enough to see yourself become The Simpsons. Fact.