--- description: Hank Azaria says he'd be willing to "step aside" from voicing Apu on 'The Simpsons' following recent criticism about the character title: 'The Simpsons' Hank Azaria Says He'd 'Step Aside' From Apu image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt23e20879d225f741/69892e98656a3f689dbd43c7/gettyimages-691029824.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Television](/tag/television/) ## Television Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Hank Azaria Is Willing to 'Step Aside' From Voicing Apu on _The Simpsons_ Following Controversy by [Casey Quackenbush](/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:20 PM CUTPublished: Apr 25, 2018 8:23 AM CUT  Hank Azaria at Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, Calif. on May 31, 2017\. Azaria addressed the controversy over 'The Simpson's character Apu with Stephen Colbert on the 'Late Show'. Hank Azaria at Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, Calif. on May 31, 2017\. Azaria addressed the controversy over 'The Simpson's character Apu with Stephen Colbert on the 'Late Show'.Matt Winkelmeyer—Getty Images by [Casey Quackenbush](/author/casey-quackenbush/) ## Casey Quackenbush Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:20 PM CUTPublished: Apr 25, 2018 8:23 AM CUT Hank Azaria told Stephen Colbert on _The Late Show_ Tuesday that he would be willing to “step aside” from voicing one of his characters following recent criticism. Azaria voices Indian shopkeeper Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, who has been a character on the Fox television series since 1990\. Controversy has brewed around the role since the release of a documentary last year called _The Problem with Apu_. Between the mannerisms and exaggerated accent, the documentary’s writer Hari Kondabolu said the character embodies racial stereotypes. _The Simpsons_ showrunners were largely silent about the criticism until one of the main characters appeared to make a passive reference to it in an episode that aired earlier this month, Variety [reports](http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/hank-azaria-apu-step-aside-1202786117/ "undefined"). In the episode, ‘No Good Read Goes Unpunished,’ Lisa said, “something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect.” The remark drew more criticism, with many saying _The Simpsons_ insufficiently addressed the problem. > [](https://twitter.com/colbertlateshow/status/988991809723318272) Azaria apologized on _The Late Show_ to anyone who was “hurt and offended.” “I had nothing to do with the writing or the voicing \[in that episode\]. I think if anyone came away from that segment thinking they need to lighten up … that’s definitely not the message that I want to send,” Azaria [told Colbert](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/hank-azaria-says-hed-be-willing-step-simpsons-apu-role-controversy-1105496 "undefined"), according to the _Hollywood Reporter_.  Homer and Marge, and Manjula and Apu on 'Much Apu About Something' episode of THE SIMPSONS airing Jan. 17. FOX/Getty Images Azaria added, “I think the most important thing is to listen to South Asian people, Indian people in this country when they talk about what they feel and how they think about the character, and what their American experience of it has been.” “I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the writers room … including how \[Apu\] is voiced or not voiced. I’m perfectly willing to step aside. It just feels like the right thing to do to me,” he said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5253884/hank-azaria-the-simpsons-apu/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5253884/hank-azaria-the-simpsons-apu/"},"headline":"Hank Azaria Is Willing to 'Step Aside' From Voicing Apu on The Simpsons Following Controversy","datePublished":"2018-04-25T08:23:44.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T20:20:27.000Z","description":"Critics say Apu embodies Indian stereotypes","url":"https://time.com/5253884/hank-azaria-the-simpsons-apu/","keywords":["Television","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt23e20879d225f741/69892e98656a3f689dbd43c7/gettyimages-691029824.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Casey Quackenbush","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/casey-quackenbush/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt23e20879d225f741/69892e98656a3f689dbd43c7/gettyimages-691029824.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"FYC Event For IFC's \"Brockmire\" And \"Documentary Now!\" - Arrivals","caption":"FYC Event For IFC's \"Brockmire\" And \"Documentary Now!\" - Arrivals","creditText":"Matt Winkelmeyer—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/television/","name":"Television"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5253884/hank-azaria-the-simpsons-apu/","name":"Hank Azaria Is Willing to 'Step Aside' From Voicing Apu on The Simpsons Following Controversy"}}]}] ```