The Lisa Scene On The Simpsons That Went Too Far – Looper

In Season 29, Episode 15 ("NoGoodReadGoes Unpunished"), the show's writers and producers addressed the budding controversy about white actor Hank Azaria's portrayal of Indian shopkeeper ApuNahasapeemapetilonby having Marge share a classic story from her own childhood with Lisa. After discovering problematic passages in the book, Marge makes her own edits.

Lisa notes that Marge's revised main character, Clara, "starts out pretty perfect. But since she's already evolved, she doesn't really have an emotional journey to complete. Kinda means there's no point to the book." Marge asks what she should have done, and Lisa turns and addresses the camera to deliver a defensive sermon on behalf of the show's creative forces, saying, "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?" Marge tells her "Some things will be dealt with at a later date," and Lisa responds, "if at all" and the pair give the camera a very long, glum look.

The scene is preachy, forced, and out of place. The moment is clumsy and uses the show's only true progressive voice to defend its most problematic characterization. Azaria later apologized, and the show recast Apu and other characters of color that had been portrayed by white actors (via TheHollywoodReporter). But in this moment, the show's creators and Lisa, its most sensitive character were obnoxiously and needlessly defiant.

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The Lisa Scene On The Simpsons That Went Too Far - Looper