Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 4 auguSt 2018
Fox passes decisions on Apu character to 'Simpsons' team

BY LYNN ELBER "They were very hand- Donald Trump, Allen told TV
BETH HARRIS some," she said, smiling. critics.
Associated Press Hinds got mistakenly shot in Series executive producer
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) the back as a 16-year-old Kevin Abbott described Al-
— A roundup of news Thurs- walking home from school len's character as a conser-
day from the Television in New York by a suspect vative Republican, but he
Critics Association summer chasing another man. said it's unlikely the show
meeting, at which TV net- "It didn't even register that will address Trump one way
works and streaming ser- I had been shot," she said. or the other.
vices are presenting details "It felt kind of like a stiletto, Allen chimed in teasingly,
on upcoming programs. like a really sharp stiletto saying, "Oh yes, we will."
APU IN THE SPOTLIGHT just piercing, and really, re- A change of network won't
Creators of "The Simpsons" ally hot." change the show, which
have the freedom to han- The bullet grazed her aorta will remain familiar to fans
dle the show's depiction of and she ended up losing of its ABC run, Abbott said:
Indian shop owner Apu in a kidney. Both of the men "The show was beloved
the right way for their show, involved ended up dying by a large audience, and
a top Fox executive said. within a couple years of the we want to keep that au-
Apu, the Kwik-E-Mart clerk incident. dience and we hope ex-
who has sold expired food "So here I am, the lone sur- pand it a little bit."
and ripped off customers in vivor of that entire experi- His fellow executive pro-
the long-running animated ence," Hinds said. "Truly, ducer, Matt Berry, said "Last
Fox series, has come under truly I have to give credit Man Standing" and "Rose-
fire as racist and stereo- to the very fast response of anne" can't really be com-
typical. The criticism flared 911 in my neighborhood." pared.
after the recent release "24" MULTIPLIED? "The only similarities with the
of the documentary "The Fox is developing two po- 'Roseanne' show is we're
Trouble with Apu." This image released by Fox shows the character Apu, an tential new series for its "24" a family sitcom and the
"We have had conversa- Indian shop owner featured on "The Simpsons," animated drama franchise. central character has a
tions with (executive pro- series. Associated Press Fox executives Dana more conservative view,"
ducer) Jim Brooks and his Walden and Gary Newman Berry said. But the revived
team, and basically we've that started decades ago it into account as they fur- told a TV critics' meeting "Roseanne" was an "issue-
left it up to them," Fox Tele- and was applauded and ther address the character. that veteran "24" producers of-the-week" comedy, and
vision Group Chairman and inoffensive is now politi- Hank Azaria, the cast mem- Howard Gordon and Brian "we don't do issues of the
CEO Dana Walden told a cally incorrect. What can ber of "The Simpsons" who Grazier are working on the week. We consider our-
TV critics' meeting. you do?" A photo of Apu voices Apu, said publicly ideas. selves a family show with a
"They've treated the char- appears, and Marge says, in April he hopes the show One is a prequel to the orig- traditional character at the
acters with so much re- "Some things will be dealt makes a change and he's inal series and involves "24" center."
spect, we definitely trust with at a later date" and willing to step away from creators Joel Surnow and Barr's series, in which the
them to handle it in a way Lisa adds, "if at all." the role, saying it feels like Bob Cochran, said Walden. star's support for Trump was
that will be best for their Comedian Hari Kondabolu, the right thing to do. The other series is set in the mirrored by her character,
show," Walden said. She's who wrote "The Problem "9-1-1" STARS CALL REAL legal world and would be a was canceled by ABC after
unaware of their plans, but With Apu" documentary to 911 new take on the franchise, one hit season when Barr
"we all decided that was address how marginalized Angela Bassett once resort- she said. The action unfolds posted a racist tweet about
their decision." groups are represented in ed to dialing 911 for help in the 24 hours before a former Obama adviser Val-
"The Simpsons," now in its pop culture, attacked the when she had trouble with prisoner's execution and erie Jarrett. Barr has both
30th year, made a stab show's response as sad and a fireplace at home. Aisha involves high "emotional apologized for and denied
at responding to critics in misguided. He was joined Hinds needed help for a stakes," Newman said. knowing it would be seen
an episode that aired last by a chorus of online pro- life-threatening emergen- They didn't share further as bigoted.
April. Mom Marge is sharing tests. cy as a teenager. details. A spin-off, "The Conners,"
a book she enjoyed as a Walden had a measured The actresses co-star on Kiefer Sutherland starred in will air this coming season
child with daughter Lisa but response when asked Fox's "9-1-1" series about the the original "24" that aired on ABC with the "Rose-
finds herself editing its slurs about the episode's back- pressurized world of police, from 2001 to 2010 and in anne" cast minus Barr.
against people of Irish and lash. She called it "good in- firefighters and dispatchers a limited 2014 version. The Abbott and Allen said they
Latin American descent as formation" for the creators, who are thrust into a variety short-lived 2016-17 reboot were surprised by ABC's
she goes. who she said focused on it of high-stress situations. "24: Legacy" featured Co- abrupt 2017 decision to
Lisa's response: "Something and undoubtedly will take Bassett told a TV critics rey Hawkins. cancel "Last Man Stand-
meeting that she once THE TRUMP FACTOR ing" after six seasons, which
called for help when a fire Last Man Standing" isn't Allen said was "very poorly
she and a friend started rushing to pick up the "Rose- handled."
got out of hand. It wouldn't anne" pro-Trump mantle Allen said at the time that
extinguish after being when it starts life at its new his personal politics — he
doused with water and she network this fall. attended Trump's inaugu-
had trouble using a spatula Tim Allen, star of the com- ration — might have played
to toss the burning log out- edy that was axed by ABC a role, and on Thursday he
side. and picked up by Fox, said said if there was a politi-
"I'm a Florida girl, so fire- his character is a centrist cal motivation the network
places aren't usually a who would support Trump certainly wouldn't admit it.
thing," she said. administration policies that But he added that it was a
Much to Bassett's relief, fire- help his business. But Mike "financial decision on ABC's
fighters in full gear arrived Baxter probably isn't a vo- part."q
and took care of it. cal defender of President