My Culture, Not Yours! : The Simpsons Apu dilemma

Cultural impersonation is not a new concept, having been present in many forms of media for several decades. The depiction of international cultures in North American television has long been a point of controversy for many people. The Simpsons character Apu, voiced by a white actor Hank Azaria, has taken the spotlight in recent years concerning this issue. This paper will argue that it is not morally acceptable for The Simpsons to have a non-Indian voice actor use an Indian accent to represent their character Apu in a stereotypical manner. Virtue ethics suggest that this dilemma is…