On Sunday's episode of the longest-running animated sitcom The Simpsons, Lisa tackled the hot topic of political correctness by asking "What would you do?"
The episode titled "No Good Read Goes Unpunished" was an attempt to address the controversy surrounding the Indian immigrant character, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
In response, Twitter user Amar Shah compared growing up with a father like Apu after the show's attempt to address racial profiling frustrated viewers.
The caricatured portrayal of Apu was the subject of comedian Hari Kondabolu's November 19th documentary, The Problem With Apu, in which he discussed the marginalization of South Asians.
Kondabolu comments on racial stereotyping and how he grew up with a lack of South Asian role models.
In 'The Problem with Apu,' I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the representation of marginalized groups," Kondabolu thumbed out in a tweet. "The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress.
In “The Problem with Apu,” I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the represe… https://t.co/EkFE38ScY8— Hari Kondabolu (@Hari Kondabolu)1523250840.0
In the episode, the typically liberal character of Lisa asked Marge to read from her favorite book, which was rife with racial stereotyping. Marge, attempting her best to remain politically correct by changing the story line featuring a cisgender protagonist, proves futile when Lisa asks, "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?"
The focus shifts to a photo of Apu signed with the words, "Don't have a cow. Apu."
#TheSimpsons completely toothless response to @harikondabolu #TheProblemWithApu about the racist character Apu: "S… https://t.co/R8T4WaFBLt— Soham (@Soham)1523248289.0
Kondabolu responded to the episode, saying, "The Simpsons response tonight is not a jab at me, but at what many of us consider progress."
In “The Problem with Apu,” I used Apu & The Simpsons as an entry point into a larger conversation about the represe… https://t.co/EkFE38ScY8— Hari Kondabolu (@Hari Kondabolu)1523250840.0
Amar Shah joined the conversation by sharing his own experiences growing up with a father who tried to make a better life for his family. "Everybody has an opinion about Apu," he wrote on Twitter. "But did they ever talk to someone who owned a convenience store or gas station or work in one or grow up in one? You know, like my dad and I?"
Everybody has an opinion about Apu, but did they ever talk to someone who owned a convenience store or gas station… https://t.co/R4O1o6M2IB— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523309419.0
As someone who spent many weekday afternoons after school in the freezing cooler of my dad's Texaco reading or fini… https://t.co/VOhpeJ6XYN— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523309859.0
This story starts in 1968, when my dad came here at age 17, the youngest of four brothers who would all emigrate fr… https://t.co/VrPXn9CSJW— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523310336.0
while he got his electrical engineering degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He did learn English by listening… https://t.co/TUqI72k7it— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523310453.0
Then he got married in 1975 to my mom who was 19. He was 25. My dad worked for different engineering firms, inclu… https://t.co/nEOHLQNI4d— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523310548.0
Like Apu, Shah's father became a proprietor of his own business. Later, a desire to leave the cold weather led the family to Deland, Florida.
So in the early 80's, while still working he bought his first store called Famous in Scotch Plains, NJ. He learned… https://t.co/bDrtUnfFKL— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523310729.0
I remember spending many hours at the store. A sweet old man named Earl lived on the property in his RV. After s… https://t.co/cYtcRKbKFf— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523311153.0
My dad and mom worked both shifts. To this day I think we still have cctv tapes of those endless hours of customer… https://t.co/xBBM4h98Ye— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523311242.0
His father eventually moved the family to Orlando where he purchased a Texaco. Shah recounted the memories of practically growing up in the store. Some were pleasant, others were odd encounters with various customers.
Oh, I remember incidents. Drunk customers or those that were drugged up asking for cigarettes or more liquor. Occas… https://t.co/1g4Qe8lM3d— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523312003.0
Something bigger than some dumb ignoramous with a confederate flag chewing skoal could never understand. And I adm… https://t.co/kFluYHnx6e— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523312204.0
Comparisons to the character of Apu became a usual part of a conversation.
I had friends whose parents were doctors or lawyers and peers at school would crack the inevitable Apu joke. Part o… https://t.co/REdIIAP5GL— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523312462.0
But, the strangers who came into their lives were forever ingrained in his childhood.
Gas station life introduced me to America. People I wouldn't see or interact with every day. These were the peopl… https://t.co/6CmTFi7MTD— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523312825.0
who always offered my dad great advice and succumbed to cancer, or John, the DJ or Herb who became my dad's best fr… https://t.co/jzg0h5idW6— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523312920.0
Working at the store carried risks and only reinforced the hardships his father endured.
The saddest day was when one of my dad's closest friends and co-owners was shot in the head by a drugged up, disgru… https://t.co/YBh9rHMP51— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523313078.0
This wasn't a stereotypical depiction of Chester Turley. This was a hard life. I could have followed in my dad's f… https://t.co/xmEGEpu2xK— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523313228.0
Shah addressed Kondabolu in one of his last tweets in the thread. "So yeah, I agree with some of your points @harikondabolu, but this is much more than some stereotype. For some of us, we lived this life. It was our story. It's my story."
The engineer, the pizza man, the gas station owner. Each is a wonderful story that inspires me everyday. https://t.co/L5MI6DRP41— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523315914.0
Need I mention I will never be as cool as my parents. https://t.co/F7ytLHuBLT— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523329749.0
Ever! https://t.co/AqNXCrFFZT— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523330133.0
My dad's 67 now. He still wakes up at 5 in the morning, still loves WWE, still has that Harrison Ford flintiness wh… https://t.co/V6mROVh5je— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523334176.0
And tomorrow he'll do the same thing.— Amar Shah (@Amar Shah)1523334245.0
Twitter praised Shah's tweet, which amassed over 1.5 thousand likes.
@amarshahism @harikondabolu So dope and inspiring!— Ab 🤢 (@Ab 🤢)1523407291.0
@amarshahism Thank you for sharing your parents story. They are what America is about. Hard work and determination !!!— JenniferDeansBitch (@JenniferDeansBitch)1523375100.0
@amarshahism Much respect and love to you & your folks. Thanks for sharing your story.— Stagecoach Mary Fields (@Stagecoach Mary Fields)1523449449.0
@amarshahism Dude, that was such an incredibly inspiring story, so real. Much respect to you & your family— Carlos Palomino (@Carlos Palomino)1523408531.0
Kondabolu did interview local small business owners for his documentary, but those footage wound up on the cutting room floor due to time constraints. "Brother, thank you for sharing," he wrote Shah. "We interviewed Desi small business owners & it was left on the cutting room floor due to time. This still haunts me. There's nothing wrong with working in a gas station or store. These stories should be told with the honesty & care you just showed."