Producer challenges people to write 'Simpsons' episode solving Apu problem

The Simpsons has an issue that's getting harder and harder to ignore.

Last year, a documentary titled The Problem with Apu, examining the stereotypical representation of the show's recurring character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, was released.

As well as sparking discussion amongst the show's fans, the documentary -- and the issues it raises -- has clearly not gone unnoticed by the people behind The Simpsons.

Last week Hank Azaria, who voices Apu, said he'd be "perfectly willing and happy to step aside, or help transition into something new", when asked about the character. Creator Matt Groening, meanwhile, drew criticism on Friday with his response, in which he blamed "people who love to pretend they're offended".

Despite Groening's attempted dismissal, though, the problem is not going away.

On Monday, producer Adi Shankar announced that he's running a screenwriting contest for people to re-write Apu's character.

Shankar spoke about the competition, and his reasons for organising it, in a video shared by Kanye West on Twitter:

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"Apu has an accent that no Indian person on this planet has," says Shankar in the clip above. "He has a last name that no Indian person on this planet has.

"This is not a stereotype. It is a mockery."

Shankar is asking people to submit 21-23 minute spec scripts which revolve around Apu's character as part of the contest.

"Use The Simpsons' cannon," he says. "Give us your ideas. And the winning script will get made -- either boy Fox, or unofficially as a fan film that I will personally finance."

Shankar said the idea for the project came about when Kanye, who also shared a link to the contest on his Twitter feed, asked him what he'd like to do about it.

"We spend a lot of time fighting," continues Shankar. "We fight each other. We need to stop fighting and come together and find solutions.

"If a group of people are saying that hey, this made me feel uncomfortable, or hey, this made me feel hurt, instead of telling them hey, you're pretending to be hurt, talk to them. Figure out a solution together. We don't need to throw sticks and stones at each other, we just need to talk to one another and come together as humans."

The contest is free to enter and the deadline is 30 June 2018.