The damaging legacy of Apu

ApuThe damaging legacy of Apu Comedian Hari Kondabolu  confronts his cartoon  nemesis – and minority media representation in ‘The Problem with Apu’ which will premiere on truTV Sunday, November 19 at 10PM ET/PT and will be available on all platforms following its linear premiere on truTV on November 19.In this highly-personal, insightful and timely exploration of minority media representation, Kondabolu speaks with prominent South Asian actors about the damaging legacy of Apu – an animated character voiced by a white actor with a heavily exaggerated, stereotypical Indian accent.

Aziz Ansari, Kal Penn, Aasif Mandvi, Hasan Minjaj, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Aparna Nancherla, Russell Peters, Sakina Jaffrey and Maulik Pancholy share poignant stories about their own experiences with Apu and the broader questions about the comedy and representation he evokes. With additional interviews with EGOT-winner Whoopi Goldberg, W. Kamau Bell, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Mallika Rao, and many more, The Problem with Apu takes a humorous look at how even a beloved television series can have a blind spot.Hailed as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today” by The New York Times, Brooklyn-based comedian Kondabolu is the host of the popular podcast “Politically Re-Active” alongside W. Kamau Bell.

The Problem with Apu is executive produced by Kondabolu, Marobru, Inc.’s Michele Armour and Avalon Television’s Isaac Horne, David Martin, Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday. Michael Melamedoff serves as director.