7-Elevens Bought Out by Apu
by Lina Trivedi
July 22, 2007
In the day and age of mergers and acquisitions, it is no wonder that Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from the Simpsons has made headlines with the recent marketing tactic employed by 7-Eleven stores to convert several locations into The Simpson's caricature of convenience stores called "Kwik-E-Mart." There are mixed feelings on this ploy, as some race relation leaders claim that this tactic is racist and makes a mockery of the entire Indian experience. Already Indian convenience store owners battle with stereotypes and this sort of campaign forces Indian convenience store owners to play into those very stereotypes that often pose as barriers to us. Some Indians are offended at the fact these marketing tactics associate Indians with improper English, working 90-hour shifts, cheating customers and overall mockeries of our traditions. Such associations downplay our positive contributions to medicine, science and technology. Furthermore, it is reinforced that our people all work in convenience stores. We don't just work in convenience stores, we own them! The fact that we are business-masterminds is also overlooked for a few jokes that affect the minds of Americans and what their perceptions of being Indian is all about. I wrote about the Simpsons several years ago and asked the India Tribune audience about their take on Apu. Overwhelmingly, our community seems to love Apu. I did not really find that as a surprise, because I love Apu. I have an Apu t-shirt and I have Apu wallpaper on one of my computers. My white friends all love Apu as well, and never have any of my friends had an expectation that my father was anything like Apu. It is a little hard to get mad at the Simpsons when everyone that is depicted on their cartoon is a big moron. Look at Homer Simpson! I was on a forum where one Internet user commented that we all have to calm down. White people don't get mad at how white people are portrayed on the Simpsons. So why should we? If the Indian community were to lobby and ask all of us to boycott Apu and the Simpsons, I would have a hard time. I watch The Simpsons, and Apu always makes me laugh. I watch the creators of this show desecrate our traditions. Should I feel guilty for laughing at Homer running around in a Ganesh costume? It is bad, but doesn't American media make everyone fair game for satire? There is The Boondocks, Mr. Wong, and look at all the groups that South Park has attacked. Is there anyone who has ever been safe from a South Park portrayal? So some people say that we should chill out, however when I see pictures and footage of Indian 7-Eleven employees wearing Kwik-E-Mart shirts standing next to products that are designed to parody the lack of upkeep in Desi-owned convenience stores, it hurts a little bit. Some Desi convenience store owners commented on Google groups with comments such as "I am not bashing The Simpsons, but I am criticizing our company's involvement in this promotion knowing very well that the vast majority of [franchisees] are immigrants. I am not proud to be part of this promotion." Also commentary found on Google Groups show white people defending the marketing tactic, claiming it to be harmless. Is it really up to white people to say that the tactic is harmless? That is like an abusive husband claiming his strikes to be harmless. As a community, we should be unified in our position. It is easy to sit in our living room and find a dumb cartoon amusing, but when you walk into a store that personifies racism, and you see our uncles dressed in t-shirts that represent stereotypes, it crosses the fine line between fantasy and reality. When do bars transition into Moe's and feature fat white guys drinking beer and eating donuts? Maybe then the 7-Eleven transition will sit right with me. When I used to look at my Apu-bobblehead, I would see a cartoon, but now I see faces of real Indian people. And that hurts. Cartoons are not supposed to be a reality, and what was amusing satire is now a real live experience. I have not yet visited a Kwik-E-Mart, however I hope to God that there is no Ganesh next to the cash register with a sign that says "Please do not offer my God a peanut." That would definitely be crossing the line.