10 Times The Simpsons Got Political

8. Much Apu About Nothing

Much Apu About Nothing The Simpsons
Fox

Season seventeen's Much Apu About Nothing tackles the immigration issue in America, framing it through the eyes of Kwik-E-Mart operator Apu. In the episode, a referendum is held with the aim of deporting all illegal immigrants from Springfield, something Homer is on board with until he finds out that his friend Apu is himself an illegal. He then decides to help Apu prepare for the citizenship test to prevent him from getting the boot.

The episode does a fantastic job of underlining the flimsy premise at the core of "citizenship" (really, the nation was built on immigration) - especially when Apu takes the "kick the bums out" approach as soon as he becomes an American himself.

Much Apu About Nothing (the title of which is an obvious play on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing) took its inspiration from California's Proposition 187, the aim of which was to rescind employment rights and benefits for illegal immigrants. The proposition was passed in 1994, though unenforceable provisions were repealed in 2014.

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Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.