apu is a lovable, funny cartoon character from the simpsons, voiced by hank azaria. he also happens to be voiced by a white guy doing an impression of another white guy’s brownface impression of an indian man.
Indian-american hari kondabolu grows up haunted by Apu. he makes a documentary about it, spending years trying to get hank azaria to sit down with him, to talk about the impact apu has had on him. azaria says no.
six years later, they finally talk. on the record. and what gets said is more interesting than either man coming out looking good or bad. it’s about who gets to choose how they’re seen, and who never gets that choice at all.
as always, this one is personal, too. i have my own version of apu, and i still don’t have a clean answer for what to do with it.

links from this episode:

1. the problem with apu
2. NPR code switch: the fallout of a callout
3. man enough: hank azaria's journey to radical accountability
4. unpacking the invisible knapsack by peggy mcintosh
5. soul focused group
6. human solidarity project

white people, black music, and liberation is an independent podcast exploring race, music, and what it means to move from *programming* into liberation. 
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have a thought, a question, or a story of your own? reach out at whitepeopleblackmusic@gmail.com 
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follow the journey at whitepeopleblackmusic.com
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