'Simpsons' creator Matt Groening once again fails to address Apu criticisms

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has proved once and for all that he really doesn't want to talk about or learn from the criticism around the series' most controversial character: Apu.

Groening addressed the Apu controversy in a recent interview with The New York Times, adding basically nothing of value to the conversation that gained widespread traction after the 2017 documentary The Problem With Apu by comedian Hari Kondabolu. Apu, an Indian convenience store owner with a stereotypical accent done by white actor Hank Azaria, has long drawn oft-ignored criticism.

Earlier this year, Groening and The Simpsons responded to the points brought up in The Problem With Apu with an episode in which Lisa Simpson addresses the audience directly, saying: "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?"

This response was not received well.

Shortly thereafter, Groening said regarding the situation that people "pretend to be offended" in an interview with USA Today.

In his latest conversation about Apu, Groening almost seemed to have a change of heart, but then quickly doubled back and avoided directly addressing the criticisms around Apu, downplaying the critiques that he and the show have received.

"I love Apu. I love the character, and it makes me feel bad that it makes other people feel bad," Groening told the Times, "But on the other hand, it’s tainted now — the conversation, there’s no nuance to the conversation now. It seems very, very clunky. I love the character. I love the show."

Groening almost immediately says that the conversation can't be had, because, for some reason, "it's tainted now."

When asked about his earlier comment about people pretending to be offended, Groening told the Times, "That wasn’t specifically about Apu. That was about our culture in general. And that’s something I’ve noticed for the last 25 years. There is the outrage of the week and it comes and goes ... I think particularly right now, people feel so aggrieved and crazed and powerless that they’re picking the wrong battles."

Groening additionally noted that he has been to India twice, loves Indian culture, movies, and music, as if that excuses the stereotypical portrayal of an Indian character.