The Simpsons writer calls Trump "a shot in the arm for the show," defends calling The Problem with Apu "a nasty little documentary"

Salon.com

"I'll get right to it: I mean, the Trump years have been a shot in the arm for the show," says longtime Simpsons writer Mike Reiss, author of the new book Springfield Confidential. "They've really been great for us. The show's quality or its creativity have always pegged to how weird the news is and how crazy society has gotten and it's never been better. The proof of this is, Donald Trump was elected President on November 8, 2016; on November 9 Fox called us and said, 'You're picked up for two more years.' He really is a job creator." (Actually, The Simpsons was renewed for two seasons on Nov. 4, four days before Election Day.) As for Hari Kondabolu's documentary The Problem with Apu, Reiss says: "First up, I agree with him. I have no problem with this point; it's given us great pause. It's a nasty documentary. The documentary ends with them stabbing a picture of Apu. I just think that's gross and weird and a little sick. He's just a cartoon character. Don't stab him; don't stab anyone." He adds that Apu was addressed two years ago and "for all the outrage about Apu, he hasn't had a line in three years."

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