What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe?

I think that these people that criticized apu should not criticize him because it doesnt matter if the person that voices him is not indian and apu is. I've never heard apus voice but he probably sounds very indian

I understand it can offend South Asian people the way the characters are portrayed and how they act.

I completely understand the fact that many South Asian people are offended by Hollywood’s portrayal of the way these characters talk and portray themselves. The truth is that people think that it is funny, sure maybe it is racist but you should know what you are getting into once you turn on the television. I am not saying that it is right to mock south asian culture through characters like Apu from the simpsons because I definitely see where some people could be extremely offended by this. It is all in the way Apu talks and how it sounds like his tongue is being held back but I wonder what people's opinions would be if Apu was played by a south west asian instead of a caucasian man who “sounds indian.” There are many times when I turn on my phone and I see videos of people making fun of midgets or a “lame” person, this makes me sad because it is a shame that we even consider it funny. I do believe that filmmakers and actors should try and portray people from different cultures in a nice manner that is also historically accurate. The sad truth is that from the last twenty years a lot of our laughter comes from other people's weaknesses, sure you could try and do something about it but as long as someone's laughing and money is being made, characters like Apu probably aren’t going anywhere. So you could try and call attention to this problem by stating shows as Hari Kondabolu did but I believe that it is not going to change anything.

Don't be snowflakes. Of course it's funny. This wouldn't be an issue if people weren't so easily offended.

First of all, stereotypes in TV shows are definitely acceptable in books, movies, and TV shows, if the TV show is meant for older audiences. To give an example, the Simpsons uses stereotypes all the time. They use and Indian guy named Apu, who has the typical accent and mannerisms. Having South Asian characters is acceptable in any form of media. I don't cringe at this sort of thing because it's just what shows and movies do. They've been doing this for years, and have made it funny, and if not funny, acceptable. In terms of Apu, well I don't watch the Simpsons that much, but from what I've seen, he's the character with the comedic timing. Honestly, I think what makes people annoyed by him, is the fact that he's been part of this show since 1989, when it began. When a show goes on for that long, people will get sick of the jokes, because they will get repetitive. I'm not saying that no one should be offended or annoyed by the stereotypes, but what I am saying is that some people might not like it cause the jokes and character have gotten stale.

Writers and filmmakers should definitely change the way in which they portray people of different backgrounds. When we watch movies or TV shows with people of all different cultural backgrounds, we automatically connect that to a stereotype or how we will always see people in our heads. Therefore, when there is a movie or show that racially discriminates against someone of a different background than the other characters, people begin to normalize or just accept these racist stereotypes or remarks. If a writer wants to show the different cultures or backgrounds of a character, they should be more aware of how they could offend those who are going to watch it. I do not think that writers need to always follow the racist stereotypical guidelines that most TV shows and movies try to produce. Most writers who try to make characters the butt of the joke because of their race or nationality are only doing it because they are aware of people who they know will think it is funny. I just think that writers should show different aspects of characters and how they are not just one-sided people who are used to make a racist joke.

Yes, I do believe Hollywood's portrayal of South Asian Characters is problematic because it renforces stereotypes by reflecting them in the characters they present. Personally, I did not grow up watching the Simpsons nor do I currently watch it because my mother believes the show fantasizes bad behavior. Presented with the given facts if you are going to have an Indian character then whoever voices them should be an Indian. The stereotype that makes me cringe is the African American stereotype. In movies, African Americans never play a big role and if they do then they are made a laughing stock. I would not support a show that is offensive or portrays a certain race/religion through a negative stereotype. Yes, I believe calling attention to these stereotypes is necessary in order to raise awareness. Writers and filmmakers should definitely make an effort to have more accurate character representations. They should not base the character off of fact rather than well-known stereotypes.

I think that Hollywood’s portrayal of South Asian characters is extremely problematic because it continues to illustrate a false portrayal that becomes ingrained into the minds of the audience. Although I am an Asian woman, growing up, I was blind to the many stereotypes put in front of me because they constantly bombarded me in my everyday life. I became numb to the stereotypes and failed to notice how they were misrepresenting Asians and grouping them all together into one stereotype. In short, not only are these portrayals bad to the general audience but specifically, this can play a role leading to internalized racism within the South Asian community. Additionally, these stereotypes leave Asians with less representation in the media in general. Asian men are never the roles of the attractive, male protagonist. They are always the shy, passive, nerds. As a result, this idea of Asian men is ingrained into our minds about what an Asian man is. I do think that calling attention to these stereotypes is worthwhile. Stereotypes strengthen people’s implicit bias and the way that the media portrays stereotypes is generally not positive. Stereotypes can enforce inaccurate portrayals of groups of people into children at a young age, making them more susceptible to be prejudiced against a group.

I think it is very much appropriate to call attention to the stereotypes within books, movies, and television shows because through these productions, it is very influential on how the youth watching or reading creating racial stereotypes or any other stereotypes based on wrongly represented characters. The ironic situation with the role of Abu from the Simpsons made such a huge impact on certain communities and calling it out was a good call for reevaluating other shows or movies that are portraying characters that hold stereotypes.

I think Hollywood's portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic and ignorant. Apu in The Simpsons, for instance, is the quintessential stereotype of how foreigners are portrayed in American culture. They are seen as lesser, are often times dumbfounded, and are consistently seen as a joke. Many of the foreign characters in The Simpsons are the products of this Americanization. While at times offensive, it won't necessarily deter me from watching the show. However, if a character is blatantly and intentionally discriminated against, I will most likely change channels. I think calling attention to these stereotypes is absolutely worthwhile. It is important to discuss issues like this, because honestly, from what I have seen most Americans could care less. Some of this stuff can be extremely offensive and there is no place for it in 2017. Every creator should do extensive research into a particular culture if they are attempting to portray it. If the Simpsons had an Indian man write and act as Apu, there wouldn't be an issue. It is a simple fix that will have a great impact.

Yes, the portrayal of South Asain characters is problematic because it shows society a false image of Asain Americans by exercising the use of stereotypes. The movie Training Day that came out in 2001 portrayed Denzel Washington as a corrupted policemen. He planted drugs and worked with the opposition. This makes me cringe becauce it portrayed a black man as a trickster and untrustworthy. Denzel Washington won an Oscar for this performance although he played roles in a lot of other great movies such as Malcolm X, GLory, Cry Freedom, and Philadelphia. Articles like these are worth it because it is bringing more attention and making more people aware of the problem. Filmmakers should definitely try harder to portray people of different backgrounds better because it will result in a wider audience.

The portrayal of South Asian character is incredibly problematic. Hurtful stereotypes can be passed off as a joke. This is an intense form of passive aggressive, by not openly being mean and racist and doing it with a smile. I think racist jokes must stop and should be regarded to in a serious manner. In TV shows and movies I hate seeing women being portrayed as weak and dumb. It makes me cringe to know that people believe that. I would stop watching something if it offended me. I think it's important to call attention to things like this, so lessons can be learned and people can grow from their mistakes. Yes. Representation is everything. Filmmakers must make an effort since they have such a large impact on our society and youth.

I think that the portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic because it creates negative stereotypes and makes it seem socially acceptable to stereotype certain races of human beings. Although I personally have not experienced this type of stereotyping, I have heard and seen examples of how South Asain characters are used to portray a different and stereotypical version of what Hollywood "thinks" people of this culture are like. South Asia is a huge combination of different people and cultures and in many shows, like the Simpsons, they are blended into one stereotype to fit the whole area. Aside from the fact that South Asian characters are commonly stereotyped, there are other cultures like the African American and Latino cultures who are commonly used as thugs, gang members, rapists, etc. in many Hollywood films and TV shows. This portrayal of certain races makes viewers more likely to associate these negative connotations with these races and cultures and create a divide between human beings. When watching these shows, it is clear that there is a common trend of making certain cultures such as South Asians, African Americans, and Latinos into a joke or villain.

I think that the portrayal of South Asian characters can be problematic if they are not depicted as they truly are in their own culture. According to the article, the portrayal of Apu, an Indian man, is done so in a way that reinforces stereotypes in regards to South Asian culture. For example, he has a thick accent and the fact that he is Indian is depicted as a joke. Stereotypes that make me cringe are in TV shows are when there is a dominant white cast, and one of the main characters has that "one black friend". It just goes to stereotype that someone needs a minority friend to show that they are diverse or can say that affiliate with another culture. I do think that calling attention to these stereotypes is extremely important because people need to be aware of how prevalent they are in society. Once people are aware, they become more careful of the way they make generalizations. Writers and filmmakers should definitely make an effort to accurately represent different backgrounds in their characters to emphasize diversity and respect of cultures. They should do this by portraying characters in a respectful way without making humor of their ethnicity.

Stereotypes in Hollywood have become so easy to make fun of that it has become almost grueling to watch in shows and movies. This problem has not only perpetuated many stereotypes such as those seen in Apu from The Simpsons but also created a block for many actors/actresses attempting to break into the industry with stereotypes holding them back. Consistently creating stereotypical jokes that are simple variations of each other are very easy to do and should not be praised. I think calling attention to these stereotypes should be done and is very worthwhile. It not only calls for creators to stop perpetuating this stereotype but also expands the creativity of these creators to show they can go beyond such simple jokes. Writers and filmmakers could easily stop this misrepresentation by simply cutting out stereotypes in general. Everyone is different so no stereotype can accurately define a person. These negative stereotypes have just become corny and inaccurate.

I think that Hollywood's portrayal of South Asian characters is a problem. Media has a huge influence on how we see others in our community. By portraying a person of a certain ethnic background as a stereotype, people are more likely to want to reinforce these stereotypes in real life. What I mean is: society's views of an ethnic background force others into boxes in which they play out these stereotypes. Thus, preventing humans from being themselves and they suffer from racial discrimination on a daily basis. I do not like watching movies or television shows that portray women as dumb, sexual objects. The movie "white chicks" portrays white women as unintelligent and primarily focused on the superficial parts of life, like shopping and makeup. It also portrays women in general as objects that are willing to please men at all costs. It would be hard for me to watch movies that use this stereotype. I do think calling attention to these situations is important and most definitely worthwhile. It calls upon the people of society to realize their role in discrimination and prejudice. I believe that filmmakers should make a substantial effort to accurately represent people of different backgrounds. Instead of using their own opinions, consult with one of that specific ethnicity on how they want to be portrayed.

I think that Hollywood’s portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic because of the consistent attention that, specifically, the character Apu gets on the show, The Simpsons. Even though I do not think the intention of having an Indian character on the show is bad, I do believe that the constant stereotyping of the character being cheap, for instance, can get annoying for to those of the Indian ethnicity. I feel that I personally can relate very much to Hari Kondabolu, especially since I am of Russian descent. Many people joke around with me, stating jokes about the Russian people, the culture, etc. I usually am not offended when people state such comments but only when it gets to a certain degree of seriousness. One example of a movie making me cringe was the movie The Conqueror, in which John Wayne was featured playing the role of Genghis Khan. I do not think I would not watch a movie just because of a somewhat “slightly inaccurate” portrayal of a character by an actor. I think calling attention to some of the issues as Hari Kondabolu is doing is worthwhile because it informs people of what others think and feel. I believe that movie writers and filmmakers should make more accurate portrayals of movie characters because I think it is simply, right. I believe that film creators should spend more time researching and less time stereotyping.

Writers and filmmakers should make an effort to more accurately represent different ethnicities and cultures not only to add authenticity but to show them that they are valued by taking the time to represent them correctly. A great way to start is research and if that hits a wall, then finding someone available to chat about their culture. I think there’s value in diversity and I don’t understand why that is not reflected in television or in books. Not only does the misrepresentation confuse those struggling to find their own identity, but also younger children who are trying to understand the world. By making this change, hopefully, the false stereotypes and negative portrayals of different ethnicities will begin to dissipate.

I think that Hollywood's portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic because it's offensive to portray a race with someone who's not that particular race. In Tyler Perry's movie Daddy's Little Girls, the main character struggles with custody problems with his ex wife. The ex wife's boyfriend plays a role as a "thug" who's involved in gangs, drugs and alcohol, but seems to get passed the police. Tyler Perry has been one of the actors I watch almost every time one of his movies or plays come on. His productions send out various of different messages to our community about how African-Americans are viewed. At the same time, he also incorporates his own life stories giving a much broader lesson to his audience. I feel that calling attention to these stereotypes are worthwhile because it lets us viewers understand how people like them are getting portrayed in a different manner. Filmmakers and writers should make more of an effort to represent people of different backgrounds, but they should do it with people of the race and not have somebody else play that role. Having different races cast a role in movies or television shows, with the same amount of camera time will also give them more viewers to watch their productions. Intertwining different races in productions will be a lead way to all races.

Hollywood’s portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic. While it may seem harmless to think that the Simpson’s portrayal of one South Asian character could really impact how people view the entire South Asian population. The truth is that the media we consume affects how we view the world. The more time people spend consuming media, the more likely they are to believe social reality aligns with reality portrayed in that media. Studies have found that individuals who are told a lie will believe it more the more they are told it. The lie, in this case, is the negative portrayal of minorities. Evidence of this can be seen in the movie a birth of a nation that portrayed black men as unintelligent and wanting to rape white women. While also glorifying the KKK as a group that could stop these black men. After the year 1915 (when the movie was released) the amount of KKK members rose dramatically. The question isn't whether or not these characters are problematic, but why do we still have them? Finally, I think calling attention to these stereotypes does not help. The reasoning is because exposing a problem and not fixing it helps no one. After Hari Kondabolu made the documentary on Apu it might have helped some people see the negative effects, but many more people still watch the Simpsons and are experiencing these stereotypes. Instead, we should create media that purposely portrays minorities in a positive light.

Yes, I do believe that writers and flimmakers should make an effort to more accurately represent people of different backgrounds because a lot of writers and flimmakers use different cultural stereotype to make there show. I feel like these flimmakers and writers should use another way to show these different cultures. For example, The Cleveland Show by Seth MacFarland, Richard Appel, Mike Henry and written by Jonathan Greenberg and Kirker Butler use the typical black stereotype. The writers of this show are not even black and are trying target black people to watch this show. In one of the episodes Lester is trying to find Cleveland who is a black man and Lester goes up to a random black man calling Cleveland name then noticed it was not Cleveland. Goes up to another black man saying Cleveland noticed it was not him then goes to the next black man yelling Clevelands name then saying " Damn they are so many of you people here" the man says what do you mean so many of you. Lester than says "you know you are all a bunch of". The writers of the Cleveland Show did not have to try and show black culture in this way. That is very racist and is saying that all black people look the same which is not true everyone is different in there own way. Ways that writers and filmmakers can show culture in positive ways is getting away from the typical black stereotype that they all look the same.

Yes, I do believe that writers and filmmakers should make an effort to more accurately represent people of different backgrounds because a lot of writers and filmmakers use different cultural stereotype to make there show. I feel like these filmmakers and writers should use another way to show these different cultures. For example, The Cleveland Show by Seth MacFarland, RIchard Appel, Mike Henry and written by Jonathan Greenberg and Kirker Butler use the typical black stereotype. The writers of this show are not even black and are trying target black people to watch this show. In one of the episodes Lester is trying to find Cleveland who is a black man and Lester goes up to a random black man calling Cleveland name then noticed it was not Cleveland. Goes up to another black man saying Cleveland noticed it was not him then goes to the next black man yelling Clevelands name then saying "Damn they are so many of you people here" the man says what do you mean so many of you. Lester than says "you know you are all a bunch of". The writers of the Cleveland Show did not have to try and show black culture in this way. That is very racist and is saying that all black people look the same which is not true everyone is different in there own way. Ways that writers and filmmakers can show culture in positive ways is getting away from the typical black stereotype that they all look the same.

The portrayal of South Asian characters in Hollywood is problematic because it reinforces stereotypes and fails to bring positive diversity. As an Asian American woman, I am very disturbed when I see how other Asian characters are portrayed in mainstream media. Many are cast as the nerdy, weird, uncivilized, outsider mainly for comedic relief. By promoting such stereotypes, Hollywood is normalizing it and telling viewers that not only is it okay to label people and cultures, but it is also okay to laugh because they are all just a big joke. When I see such characters, I question and wonder if this is what everyone else sees my culture as. Do they really only see Asians as all the same accented, frugal, geeks? I become ashamed knowing these rich cultures are reduced to mere offensive one-dimension mockeries. In school, we learn America is “The Great Melting Pot” and everyone’s cultures and differences should be celebrated and shared by all. However, the media lumps together different groups and negatively portrays them, labeling them in a way that does not celebrate or share their diversity. These contradictory forces are both confusing and insulting. I believe shedding light on these types of characters is a way to improve on more accurate representation because it forces the media to acknowledge that such character portrayals are wrong. Through acknowledgment, hopefully, Hollywood will take more measures to ensure that diversity is more accurately represented.

I believe that the portrayal of South Asian characters in mainstream media is problematic. Too often South Asian characters are defined solely by their race, or their traits and actions fall into negative stereotypes. Hollywood puts Indian characters into boxes and ignores the diverse reality of South Asain people. This kind of stereotypical character is one that really bothers me when I watch TV or movies. I find it incredibly distracting and very boring to watch one-dimensional characters that are defined by a singular or very simple trait. Not only is it indicative of poor writing but these kinds of characters perpetuate hurtful or negative associations and stereotypes within Western media and culture. I believe that calling attention to these characters is worthwhile as it is a way bring attention to the fact that what we see on TV is not an accurate representation of reality.

Hollywood’s portrayal of South Asian characters is problematic because it normalizes this sort of stereotyping for not only South Asians but for other races as well (e.g. African Americans and White people). This is problematic because in my own everyday life I notice this sort of labelling, “acting”, and offensive portrayal of a certain race that is only fueled by the prominent stereotypes in society. TV shows such as The Simpsons contributes to the advertisement of these stereotypes and promotes this new normal for people. Many women in the Tyler Perry productions are portrayed as women with unbearable attitudes, bossy personalities, insecurities, and a stubborn mindset. This mindset is also an underlying theme throughout the movie because all of the women in some way or another are trying to overcome this “unhealthy” mindset. Yes, I do believe that calling attention to these stereotypes is worthwhile because someone will always listen and if no one says anything than society will only dig itself into a deeper hole. Yes, I do believe that in most cases filmmakers and writers should more accurately represent people of different backgrounds. They should consent with real-life people who fit the characteristics of the character or person that they are looking for and they should interview the people they find in order to record true facts in order to refer to throughout their writing or filming.

Should writers and filmmakers make an effort to more accurately represent people of different backgrounds? Yes, I think the writers and filmmakers should make an effort to more accurately represent people of different backgrounds. In movies and television shows, we see people from different countries being put down for certain things, small or big, it’s still an issue. One of the most common mistakes these filmmakers make is by using accents to represent a country. It’s true that everyone have their own accents, but it’s very wrong to exaggerate their accents to prove to the viewers that they belong to a certain country. These writers should find better and more appropriate ways to represent a country instead of mocking it, indirectly. Also, for writers, the facts stated on their novels are usually very old. They seem to still be more focused on the past then the present, because the present is pretty different from the past. Technology has improved many things, and with its help, the countries are able to more forward. Sadly, the writers and filmmakers fail to see this change, or maybe they just don’t want to. Whatever it is, if they do a little more research about people’s different background, they would be more successful and have more knowledge from right to wrong.

Another stereotypical character like Apu is Mr. Kim from Seth McFarland's TV show South park. His very thick, very racist accent turns his l’s into r’s so please sounds like "prease". This isn’t the only racist representation of Asians as the four main characters try to become Asian spies. But many other races are targeted by this show like Hispanics or African Americans. However most shows only have this for a couple minutes of the show so I continue to watch and wait for it to end. I don’t think that calling attention to these racist representations of people are worth it due to the fact that it will just keep happening like an endless cycle. I feel like if part of the show is exaggeration of certain issues like racism and there is a warning beforehand than they should not change for accuracy and let it be and people should watch other things.

- I think that the Hollywood portrayal of South Asian characters is not problematic. In my opinion I think is is insanely accurate and that is why he is a funny character. Based off my experience of traveling around the states,almost every hotel, and every gas station is owned, or run by a South Asian family, predominantly Indian. - I do not think it is worth the effort to make a documentary on the subject because a lot of people grew up with the Simpsons and think the show is funny as it is. The shows stereotypes and the fact that everything in the show is basically "politically incorrect" is what makes the show funny to viewers.

Mr. Kondabolu himself stereotypes Hank Azaria when he describes him as "a white guy doing an impression...of my father." I'm a bit older than Mr. Azaria, and when we were growing up, I don't think he would have been described as white. He looks "brown", and if Wikipedia is right, he has a very interesting family background. Is Apu any less annoying if he's being voiced by another brown guy? Is it easier to paint Mr. Azaria as the bad guy if he's white?

The character that absolutely made me cringe when I first learned about it was Le Fou, from the newer, live action version of Beauty and the Beast. He is supposed to be gay, and while gay representation is very much needed, it was executed incredibly poorly. This proves that not all representation is good representation, especially when the first openly gay character in an entire franchise is a villain and a general idiot. Disney has been known to write their villains to resemble a stereotypical gay man (Jafar from Aladdin and Scar from The Lion King are two common examples) and this just makes it worse. Ursula, the villain from The Little Mermaid, was based on the drag queen Divine, and if you look up pictures of Divine, the resemblance is clear. Another villain character who is supposed to resemble a gay man (yes, Divine was a female character, but was played by a gay man.) I would rather there be no gay characters than there being a gay character that enforces stereotypes to children. Kids learn to associate "female" behavior in men as gay before they even know what gay really means. No matter how many characters in Disney are gay, if they are never shown positively with love and care, children will internalize the message that girly=gay=villain.

Yes some do make me cringe but they are not meant to make people offended they are meant to make people laugh you cant make everyone happy. I mean yes sometimes they can take it too far but i dont think all of it is a problem

i think that they need to take in to consideration that what they are having these characters say is not right and inappropriate and some people take it a being offensive and not funny that what i think about that.

One thing that I find cringy in stereotypical characters is how Asians are almost always casted as either the smart, geeky person or the outsider. Another stereotype I find cringy is that white blonde girls are mostly portrayed as the "dumb blonde." I think that we need to call out to stereotypes like these to stop labeling people. If Hollywood puts labels on people in a fantasy world, then people will also be labeled in the real world. I think that writers and filmmakers should make the effort to make character personalities and traits more diverse.