‘The Simpsons’: Apu Voice Actor Hank Azaria Responds To Claim The Character Promotes Racial Stereotyping

'It’s really upsetting that it was offensive or hurtful to anybody.'

‘The Simpsons’ voice actor Hank Azaria has responded to discussions about whether popular Apu Nahasapeemapetilon promotes racial stereotypes, following the release of documentary ‘The Problem With Apu’.

Made by comedian Hari Kondabolu, the film explores the “one-dimensional” Kwik-E Mart worker through interviews, as Hari speaks to famous Indian and Indian-American actors about racial-stereotyping and whether they find Apu offensive.

Hank - a white actor who has voiced Apu since 1989 - declined to be interviewed for Hari’s film, but has now responded in a short interview with TMZ.

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Following the documentary’s release, Hari has explained his reasons for making it on multiple occasions.

On Sunday (3 December), he took to Twitter, writing: “Apu doesn’t ‘offend’ me, he ‘insults’ me...and my community. I’m an adult with bigger things to deal with.

“My film was meant to tell you to go fuck yourself & discuss why I want you to go fuck yourself & how we can prevent future incidents of people wishing others “self-fuckery.” [sic]