Immigrant of the Day: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Jr., Ph.D., is a fictional character featured on The Simpsons television series. Hank Azaria is Apu’s voice.

Apu owns the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart (a subsidiary of Nordyne Defense Dynamics) (called Stop-O-Mart in Ohio), a local convenience store. An immigrant from India who arrived in 1988, he is, like most Simpsons characters, a caricature of a common stereotype — in his case, that of the Indian convenience-store owner. His most defining characteristics are his exaggerated Indian English, and his indefatigable immigrant work ethic. His catchphrase is “Thank you, come again!” — cheerfully and dutifully repeated to customers (no matter how unpleasant) after each transaction, even after a robbery.

His first name is an homage to the main character in the Apu trilogy directed by Satyajit Ray. Many of his mannerisms, his intelligence, and even the appearance of his parents mirror this character. His surname, Nahasapeemapetilon, is a morphophonological blend of the name Pahasadee Napetilon, the full name of a schoolmate of Simpsons writer Jeff Martin.

Don’t miss Apu in The Simpsons Movie!  For more information about him, click here.

UPDATE:  Alejandra reminds us of the following “facts” about Apu’s background:

I had to chuckle while I read the little biography about Apu. Still, you forgot one little fact. Apu was for a small period of time an undocumented immigrant. He graduated from a technical school and overstayed his student visa. He later was help by “nativist” Homer to apply and obtain his green card. I don’t remember which episode it was but it was a very old one and they have not re-aired for a long time.

KJ