So, instead of having an Indian actor voice the character and rein in the stereotypical aspects Indian viewers criticized, they just axed him altogether? Sounds about white.
TV Debate: The Simpsons Finally Responded to the Problem With Apu UPDATE: Apu is GONE! Hank Azaria BIG APOLOGY
- Thread starter playahaitian
- Start date
There's a certain irony to it when part of what you're doing is trying to expose white privilege, but that very same privilege still wins in the end.
They can pick up one of the Indians operating the stores up here to do the voice work. They'd fit in perfect.
The main problem is that Apu was never humanized. He was always a prop. If they used some source material relevant to the people he represented maybe those fans would be pleased.
Getting rid if him is lazy. Evolving him is responsible.
Getting rid if him is lazy. Evolving him is responsible.
It's like trying to make an asshole kid play fair with his ball on his court.
was thinking the same fucking thing... walk into any mr. hero's and that's what you see....
Apu lives! Executive producer on the Simpsons rubbishes claims by an actor and writer that Kwik-E-Mart owner will be axed from the show
PUBLISHED: 22:50 EDT, 29 October 2018 | UPDATED: 08:37 EDT, 30 October 2018
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One of the original writers of the Simpsons has apparently dismissed claims that Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu will be written out of the show.
Last week, producer and Youtuber Adi Shankar claimed that The Simpsons plans to 'drop the Apu character altogether'.
He is one of the shows most well-known characters but a documentary last year entitled The Problem with Apu sparked a fierce debate over his inclusion.
+6
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has been a character on The Simpsons for almost 30 years. He runs the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart and is known for the catchphrase 'Thank you, come again'
+6
+6
Al Jean (left) said that Adi Shankar (right) is not a Simpsons producer and doesn't' speak for the show
The film, made by comedian and film maker Hari Kondabolu, focused on how the Simpons might be stereotyping the South Asian community with the character.
ADVERTISING
Now Al Jean, who is an executive producer, has responded on Twitter saying that Adi Shankar is not a spokesperson for the show.
He tweeted: 'Adi Shankar is not a producer on the Simpsons. I wish him the very best but he does not speak for our show'.
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Shankar responded with a tweet of his own asking for a meeting to discuss the character's future on the show.
He said: 'I wish you well too. Let's work towards common ground.
'Ignoring only fans the flames. The world is polarized & getting more so, and the onus is on us to bring people together.
Al Jean shot down speculation by claiming that Adi Shankar doesn't speak for the show
+6
He is voiced by American actor Hank Azaria who has threatened to quit the show following the controversy
'Engage in a constructive way and this matter will go to bed. I see you, now I'm asking you to see me'.
In his interview last week, he said he believes axing the character entirely would be a big mistake and could be seen as avoiding the controversy entirely.
He said: 'If you are a show about cultural commentary and you are too afraid to comment on the culture, especially when it’s a component of the culture you had a hand in creating, then you are a show about cowardice.
'It’s not a step forward, or step backwards, it’s just a massive step sideways. After having read all these wonderful scripts, I feel like sidestepping this issue doesn’t solve it when the whole purpose of art, I would argue, is to bring us together'.
The Problem with Apu, released in November 2017, took a critical look at the character of Apu on The Simpsons.
- Producer and Youtuber Adi Shankar claimed that the Simpsons plans to axe the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon amid a backlash over Indian stereotyping
- AL Jean, one of the show's original writers apparently dismissed the remarks, saying Adi Shankar 'is not a Simpsons producer and does not speak for our show'
- However he refused to clarify whether Apu would appear in future episodes
- It comes after a 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu by Hari Kondabolu
PUBLISHED: 22:50 EDT, 29 October 2018 | UPDATED: 08:37 EDT, 30 October 2018
- e-mail
243
View comments
One of the original writers of the Simpsons has apparently dismissed claims that Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu will be written out of the show.
Last week, producer and Youtuber Adi Shankar claimed that The Simpsons plans to 'drop the Apu character altogether'.
He is one of the shows most well-known characters but a documentary last year entitled The Problem with Apu sparked a fierce debate over his inclusion.
+6
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon has been a character on The Simpsons for almost 30 years. He runs the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart and is known for the catchphrase 'Thank you, come again'
+6
+6
Al Jean (left) said that Adi Shankar (right) is not a Simpsons producer and doesn't' speak for the show
The film, made by comedian and film maker Hari Kondabolu, focused on how the Simpons might be stereotyping the South Asian community with the character.
ADVERTISING
Now Al Jean, who is an executive producer, has responded on Twitter saying that Adi Shankar is not a spokesperson for the show.
He tweeted: 'Adi Shankar is not a producer on the Simpsons. I wish him the very best but he does not speak for our show'.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
In the surreal world of The Simpsons, Hindu shopkeeper Apu...
So dope! The Simpsons foresaw Canada legalizing cannabis...
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Shankar responded with a tweet of his own asking for a meeting to discuss the character's future on the show.
He said: 'I wish you well too. Let's work towards common ground.
'Ignoring only fans the flames. The world is polarized & getting more so, and the onus is on us to bring people together.
Al Jean shot down speculation by claiming that Adi Shankar doesn't speak for the show
+6
He is voiced by American actor Hank Azaria who has threatened to quit the show following the controversy
'Engage in a constructive way and this matter will go to bed. I see you, now I'm asking you to see me'.
In his interview last week, he said he believes axing the character entirely would be a big mistake and could be seen as avoiding the controversy entirely.
He said: 'If you are a show about cultural commentary and you are too afraid to comment on the culture, especially when it’s a component of the culture you had a hand in creating, then you are a show about cowardice.
'It’s not a step forward, or step backwards, it’s just a massive step sideways. After having read all these wonderful scripts, I feel like sidestepping this issue doesn’t solve it when the whole purpose of art, I would argue, is to bring us together'.
The Problem with Apu, released in November 2017, took a critical look at the character of Apu on The Simpsons.
I fuck with Apu
Hank Azaria Says He Will No Longer Voice Apu on The Simpsons
By Megh Wright@megh_wright
Hank Azaria. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
It appears that Hank Azaria has made a final decision about his future with The Simpsons character Apu. Speaking to Slashfilm at TCA, the actor revealed that he’s chosen to stop voicing the character going forward. “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” he said. “What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore.” Azaria added that it was a “mutual decision” between him and the show, adding that they “all feel like it’s the right thing and good about it.” A rep for The Simpsons declined to confirm the news or respond to Azaria’s comments.
Azaria’s longtime role voicing Apu on The Simpsons became the center of a controversy back in 2017, when comedian Hari Kondabolu released a documentary on the topic titled The Problem With Apu exploring the implications of the Apu role — something many South Asians viewed as a racist caricature. “It’s weird to love something but to have it hurt you in this way. It’s weird that I was embarrassed by the way my parents spoke because of it … I knew that it was going to be harder to create things and be an entertainer because expectations were often based on it,” Kondabolu told Splitsider after the documentary’s release. “And yet, I still love the show. It gave me more than I took away.”
Both Azaria and The Simpsons responded to the documentary soon after, with Azaria calling it “a lot to digest” and The Simpsons, in early 2018, airing a clip of Marge and Lisa that ended with the thinly veiled reference: “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Speaking to Stephen Colbert in April 2018, Azaria said he was giving the issue “a lot of thought,” and after calling for more South Asian representation in the Simpsons writers’ room, he said he’d be open to stepping down from voicing Apu: “I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new. I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
Simpsons creator Matt Groening weighed in a few months later, telling the New York Times he thought “people feel so aggrieved and crazed and powerless that they’re picking the wrong battles … I am sorry that The Simpsons would be criticized for having an Indian character that, because of our extraordinary popularity — I expected other people to do it. I go, maybe he’s a problem, but who’s better? Who’s a better Indian animated character in the last 30 years?” Still, now that it appears that Azaria has walked away from the character, that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing Apu in the future — Groening confirmed to fans last August there were no plans to write Apu off the show, saying, “Yes. We love Apu. We’re proud of Apu.” Guess we’ll all have to watch The Simpsons to find out.
By Megh Wright@megh_wright
Hank Azaria. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
It appears that Hank Azaria has made a final decision about his future with The Simpsons character Apu. Speaking to Slashfilm at TCA, the actor revealed that he’s chosen to stop voicing the character going forward. “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” he said. “What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore.” Azaria added that it was a “mutual decision” between him and the show, adding that they “all feel like it’s the right thing and good about it.” A rep for The Simpsons declined to confirm the news or respond to Azaria’s comments.
Azaria’s longtime role voicing Apu on The Simpsons became the center of a controversy back in 2017, when comedian Hari Kondabolu released a documentary on the topic titled The Problem With Apu exploring the implications of the Apu role — something many South Asians viewed as a racist caricature. “It’s weird to love something but to have it hurt you in this way. It’s weird that I was embarrassed by the way my parents spoke because of it … I knew that it was going to be harder to create things and be an entertainer because expectations were often based on it,” Kondabolu told Splitsider after the documentary’s release. “And yet, I still love the show. It gave me more than I took away.”
Both Azaria and The Simpsons responded to the documentary soon after, with Azaria calling it “a lot to digest” and The Simpsons, in early 2018, airing a clip of Marge and Lisa that ended with the thinly veiled reference: “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Speaking to Stephen Colbert in April 2018, Azaria said he was giving the issue “a lot of thought,” and after calling for more South Asian representation in the Simpsons writers’ room, he said he’d be open to stepping down from voicing Apu: “I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new. I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
Simpsons creator Matt Groening weighed in a few months later, telling the New York Times he thought “people feel so aggrieved and crazed and powerless that they’re picking the wrong battles … I am sorry that The Simpsons would be criticized for having an Indian character that, because of our extraordinary popularity — I expected other people to do it. I go, maybe he’s a problem, but who’s better? Who’s a better Indian animated character in the last 30 years?” Still, now that it appears that Azaria has walked away from the character, that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing Apu in the future — Groening confirmed to fans last August there were no plans to write Apu off the show, saying, “Yes. We love Apu. We’re proud of Apu.” Guess we’ll all have to watch The Simpsons to find out.
I agree. There needs to be some diversity in the writing room, because otherwise you have stereotypical things going as the norm.
There was a quick Mart ironically in my city and before he died, he was almost identical to Apu. Many stereotypes were born from reality
As to why they didn't have an Indian actor do the voice, people on The Simpsons do multiple voices. It keeps the cost down and everybody can do somebody else. If you go to the IMDb page, most characters on The Simpsons do 5 to 10 other voices
papa_spank32
BANNED
I never saw Ali as a stereotype. Cleveland brown now that's a stereotype although an intentional stereotype.
I keep telling yall the modern internet doesn't respond well to your ntelligent balanced thoughtful and responses
Its hate it or love it.
TO be real.. after 30 years does it really matter.
Yeah Cleveland was a stereotype... especially since a white man was voicing him.
Apparently it does
that documentary had dudes in tears and still angry over this.
I know its wrong to dismiss it offhand because we as black people have been victims of this before their was even motion pictures...
So i fully empathize
But the literal avalanche of sh*t like this black folk have/had/and continue to suffer thru not only in entertainment but mass media, news and the judicial system based in negative imagery proliferation?
I'm sorry Apu is NOT the worse thing ever to me.
But i fully understand and support their feelings
Sidebar...
Again i NEVER saw Apu as negative he was very very smart a proud father loyal husband family man and hard working as hell
Boom...
Hell the doctor was a cosby caricature obviously
But was almost portrayed as clueless as dr. Nick at times
Hold on
Why weren't asians offended by HIM?
And the Scottish about Willie or devout Christians about Flanders or the eldery about grandpa or rednecks southerners about Cletus?
The whole damn show could be dissected.
It's time for the Simpsons to wrap it up. They've lost a good number of characters over the years because the voice actors are dying left and right.
Hank Azaria Says He Will No Longer Voice Apu on The Simpsons
By Megh Wright@megh_wright
Hank Azaria. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
It appears that Hank Azaria has made a final decision about his future with The Simpsons character Apu. Speaking to Slashfilm at TCA, the actor revealed that he’s chosen to stop voicing the character going forward. “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” he said. “What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore.” Azaria added that it was a “mutual decision” between him and the show, adding that they “all feel like it’s the right thing and good about it.” A rep for The Simpsons declined to confirm the news or respond to Azaria’s comments.
Azaria’s longtime role voicing Apu on The Simpsons became the center of a controversy back in 2017, when comedian Hari Kondabolu released a documentary on the topic titled The Problem With Apu exploring the implications of the Apu role — something many South Asians viewed as a racist caricature. “It’s weird to love something but to have it hurt you in this way. It’s weird that I was embarrassed by the way my parents spoke because of it … I knew that it was going to be harder to create things and be an entertainer because expectations were often based on it,” Kondabolu told Splitsider after the documentary’s release. “And yet, I still love the show. It gave me more than I took away.”
Both Azaria and The Simpsons responded to the documentary soon after, with Azaria calling it “a lot to digest” and The Simpsons, in early 2018, airing a clip of Marge and Lisa that ended with the thinly veiled reference: “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Speaking to Stephen Colbert in April 2018, Azaria said he was giving the issue “a lot of thought,” and after calling for more South Asian representation in the Simpsons writers’ room, he said he’d be open to stepping down from voicing Apu: “I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new. I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
Simpsons creator Matt Groening weighed in a few months later, telling the New York Times he thought “people feel so aggrieved and crazed and powerless that they’re picking the wrong battles … I am sorry that The Simpsons would be criticized for having an Indian character that, because of our extraordinary popularity — I expected other people to do it. I go, maybe he’s a problem, but who’s better? Who’s a better Indian animated character in the last 30 years?” Still, now that it appears that Azaria has walked away from the character, that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing Apu in the future — Groening confirmed to fans last August there were no plans to write Apu off the show, saying, “Yes. We love Apu. We’re proud of Apu.” Guess we’ll all have to watch The Simpsons to find out.
Update Tuesday, February 25 at 7:30 a.m.: Azaria explained his decision to the New York Times, adding that it took years of learning and thinking to come to this conclusion. “Once I realized that that was the way this character was thought of, I just didn’t want to participate in it anymore,” he said. “It just didn’t feel right.” In a statement to the Times, the show said, “We respect Hank’s journey in regard to Apu. We have granted his wish to no longer voice the character.” As for the Kwik-E-Mart owner? “Apu is beloved worldwide,” they added cryptically. “We love him too. Stay tuned.”
By Megh Wright@megh_wright
Hank Azaria. Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images
It appears that Hank Azaria has made a final decision about his future with The Simpsons character Apu. Speaking to Slashfilm at TCA, the actor revealed that he’s chosen to stop voicing the character going forward. “All we know there is I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something,” he said. “What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet. All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore.” Azaria added that it was a “mutual decision” between him and the show, adding that they “all feel like it’s the right thing and good about it.” A rep for The Simpsons declined to confirm the news or respond to Azaria’s comments.
Azaria’s longtime role voicing Apu on The Simpsons became the center of a controversy back in 2017, when comedian Hari Kondabolu released a documentary on the topic titled The Problem With Apu exploring the implications of the Apu role — something many South Asians viewed as a racist caricature. “It’s weird to love something but to have it hurt you in this way. It’s weird that I was embarrassed by the way my parents spoke because of it … I knew that it was going to be harder to create things and be an entertainer because expectations were often based on it,” Kondabolu told Splitsider after the documentary’s release. “And yet, I still love the show. It gave me more than I took away.”
Both Azaria and The Simpsons responded to the documentary soon after, with Azaria calling it “a lot to digest” and The Simpsons, in early 2018, airing a clip of Marge and Lisa that ended with the thinly veiled reference: “Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” Speaking to Stephen Colbert in April 2018, Azaria said he was giving the issue “a lot of thought,” and after calling for more South Asian representation in the Simpsons writers’ room, he said he’d be open to stepping down from voicing Apu: “I’m perfectly willing and happy to step aside or help transition it into something new. I really hope that’s what The Simpsons does. It not only makes sense, but it just feels like the right thing to do to me.”
Simpsons creator Matt Groening weighed in a few months later, telling the New York Times he thought “people feel so aggrieved and crazed and powerless that they’re picking the wrong battles … I am sorry that The Simpsons would be criticized for having an Indian character that, because of our extraordinary popularity — I expected other people to do it. I go, maybe he’s a problem, but who’s better? Who’s a better Indian animated character in the last 30 years?” Still, now that it appears that Azaria has walked away from the character, that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing Apu in the future — Groening confirmed to fans last August there were no plans to write Apu off the show, saying, “Yes. We love Apu. We’re proud of Apu.” Guess we’ll all have to watch The Simpsons to find out.
Update Tuesday, February 25 at 7:30 a.m.: Azaria explained his decision to the New York Times, adding that it took years of learning and thinking to come to this conclusion. “Once I realized that that was the way this character was thought of, I just didn’t want to participate in it anymore,” he said. “It just didn’t feel right.” In a statement to the Times, the show said, “We respect Hank’s journey in regard to Apu. We have granted his wish to no longer voice the character.” As for the Kwik-E-Mart owner? “Apu is beloved worldwide,” they added cryptically. “We love him too. Stay tuned.”
Why Hank Azaria Won’t Play Apu on ‘The Simpsons’ Anymore (Published 2020)
The veteran “Simpsons” voice actor explains why he stepped away from the character, which has been criticized as a demeaning stereotype.
Because Dr Nick was Hispanic, not Asian
This is fucking stupid. Too early in the morning
Hold on damn i had no idea!
He is Argentinean???
I kinda feel they ALL should be offended now
Better Things Actor Alex Désert Replaces Hank Azaria as The Simpson’s Carl Carlson
By Halle Kiefer@hallekiefer
Photo: JB Lacroix/Getty Images
Not Lenny. Not Lenny. No, literally, we’re not talking about Lenny. Instead, we have news about his dear friend and nuclear power plant coworker Carl Carlson, who will be voiced by a new actor in The Simpsons’s upcoming Season 32 premiere. According to Variety, Better Things actor Alex Désert will play Carl, a Black character voiced by Hank Azaria since the character’s second appearance on the series, on Sunday. It’s not clear as of yet whether Désert will be the show’s permanent Carl, or if he will voice other characters.
Back in February, Azaria also stepped away from voicing The Simpsons’ Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. In June, after several animated series like Big Mouth, The Cleveland Show, and Central Park announced their white performers would no longer voice Black characters, Fox VP Lee Eisner officially announced that, “Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” a promise, it seems, the series is making good on.
While you might know Désert from his appearances in movies like Swingers and High Fidelity, or shows like Becker and Boy Meets World, you may also know his vocal talents from the Spider-Man animated series, Mr. Pickles, and, if you happen to have a toddler, The Stinky & Dirty Show.
By Halle Kiefer@hallekiefer
Photo: JB Lacroix/Getty Images
Not Lenny. Not Lenny. No, literally, we’re not talking about Lenny. Instead, we have news about his dear friend and nuclear power plant coworker Carl Carlson, who will be voiced by a new actor in The Simpsons’s upcoming Season 32 premiere. According to Variety, Better Things actor Alex Désert will play Carl, a Black character voiced by Hank Azaria since the character’s second appearance on the series, on Sunday. It’s not clear as of yet whether Désert will be the show’s permanent Carl, or if he will voice other characters.
Back in February, Azaria also stepped away from voicing The Simpsons’ Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. In June, after several animated series like Big Mouth, The Cleveland Show, and Central Park announced their white performers would no longer voice Black characters, Fox VP Lee Eisner officially announced that, “Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” a promise, it seems, the series is making good on.
While you might know Désert from his appearances in movies like Swingers and High Fidelity, or shows like Becker and Boy Meets World, you may also know his vocal talents from the Spider-Man animated series, Mr. Pickles, and, if you happen to have a toddler, The Stinky & Dirty Show.
Watch them kill Carl off. Smh.
Wonder who they got to voice Cleveland in Family Guy's new season...Better Things Actor Alex Désert Replaces Hank Azaria as The Simpson’s Carl Carlson
By Halle Kiefer@hallekiefer
Photo: JB Lacroix/Getty Images
Not Lenny. Not Lenny. No, literally, we’re not talking about Lenny. Instead, we have news about his dear friend and nuclear power plant coworker Carl Carlson, who will be voiced by a new actor in The Simpsons’s upcoming Season 32 premiere. According to Variety, Better Things actor Alex Désert will play Carl, a Black character voiced by Hank Azaria since the character’s second appearance on the series, on Sunday. It’s not clear as of yet whether Désert will be the show’s permanent Carl, or if he will voice other characters.
Back in February, Azaria also stepped away from voicing The Simpsons’ Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. In June, after several animated series like Big Mouth, The Cleveland Show, and Central Park announced their white performers would no longer voice Black characters, Fox VP Lee Eisner officially announced that, “Moving forward, The Simpsons will no longer have white actors voice non-white characters,” a promise, it seems, the series is making good on.
While you might know Désert from his appearances in movies like Swingers and High Fidelity, or shows like Becker and Boy Meets World, you may also know his vocal talents from the Spider-Man animated series, Mr. Pickles, and, if you happen to have a toddler, The Stinky & Dirty Show.
Very very good question
Fresh off the presses...
YouTuber Arif Zahir Cast as Cleveland's New Voice on 'Family Guy'
The new voice actor to play Cleveland Brown probably won't skip a beat.
www.tmz.com
"Family Guy" showrunners have found their new Cleveland Brown voice -- it's a Black YouTuber who can handle the role with ease, and probably a few others on the show too.
Arif Zahir has been cast to voice Cleveland for the 19th season come 2021-2022. The former longtime white voice actor for Cleveland, Mike Henry, will have his last go-round for the 18th season, which premieres Sunday. He announced in June he was dropping the role.
Zahir is a great pick ... for one, he's African-American, something 'FG' producers and Henry himself wanted in the new actor to take up the mantle. More importantly, the guy's spot-on with his impression ... something he's showcased on his channel for a while now.
He's famous for his impersonations, which include Cleveland, Obama, Trump, Ted, Stewie Griffin, 21 Savage ... and others. In case you didn't catch it -- that's THREE characters in the MacFarland-verse that Zahir can pull off no problem -- and he could probably do Peter just as easily. So, if Seth was ever sick during a recording day, Arif could potentially fill in.
The point is ... the dude's a catch-all talent, and Henry himself acknowledged as much. He says of the casting, "I welcome Arif to the Family Guy team. Arif’s vocal talent is obvious, but his understanding of Cleveland and his respect for the character give me confidence that he is in the right hands." He adds, "I look forward to getting to know Arif and working with him to make sure Cleveland stays every bit as awesome as he has always been."
Arif himself said he was eternally grateful for the opportunity, and promised fans not to let them down. The change comes on the heels of several animated shows -- including "The Simpsons" -- committing to casting actors of color for roles that coincide with their race.
Fresh off the presses...
YouTuber Arif Zahir Cast as Cleveland's New Voice on 'Family Guy'
The new voice actor to play Cleveland Brown probably won't skip a beat.
"Family Guy" showrunners have found their new Cleveland Brown voice -- it's a Black YouTuber who can handle the role with ease, and probably a few others on the show too.
Arif Zahir has been cast to voice Cleveland for the 19th season come 2021-2022. The former longtime white voice actor for Cleveland, Mike Henry, will have his last go-round for the 18th season, which premieres Sunday. He announced in June he was dropping the role.
Zahir is a great pick ... for one, he's African-American, something 'FG' producers and Henry himself wanted in the new actor to take up the mantle. More importantly, the guy's spot-on with his impression ... something he's showcased on his channel for a while now.
He's famous for his impersonations, which include Cleveland, Obama, Trump, Ted, Stewie Griffin, 21 Savage ... and others. In case you didn't catch it -- that's THREE characters in the MacFarland-verse that Zahir can pull off no problem -- and he could probably do Peter just as easily. So, if Seth was ever sick during a recording day, Arif could potentially fill in.
The point is ... the dude's a catch-all talent, and Henry himself acknowledged as much. He says of the casting, "I welcome Arif to the Family Guy team. Arif’s vocal talent is obvious, but his understanding of Cleveland and his respect for the character give me confidence that he is in the right hands." He adds, "I look forward to getting to know Arif and working with him to make sure Cleveland stays every bit as awesome as he has always been."
Arif himself said he was eternally grateful for the opportunity, and promised fans not to let them down. The change comes on the heels of several animated shows -- including "The Simpsons" -- committing to casting actors of color for roles that coincide with their race.
salute