Letters to the Editor
-
Ethnic jokes aren't so bad
Whether ethnic humor is acceptable or not really depends on the intended effect - on whether it's intended to include or exclude the object of the joke. It's a subtle call and sometimes it's impossible to agree upon the joker's intentions, so the "insiders only" rule is sensible enough. But sometimes breaking that rule is a wonderful thing. Apu rocks, because he's an accepted part of the Springfield community, although it's a pity that Hank Azaria's version of an "Indian accent" (which is nothing like any real Indian accent, unlike Peter Sellers' performance in THE PARTY) has come to represent how Indians speak English.
Being of Indian origin myself, I enjoy occasionally breaking into an Indian accent or telling a desi joke with a straight face in the classroom. My students, who are mostly non-Indian, become very nervous, giving each other "Uh, should we laugh?" looks and laughing only when they see the Indian students start to giggle. That, of course, is exactly the right response.