# Much Apu About Nothing

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"Proposition 24" redirects here. For the 2010 California business tax proposal, see [2010 California Proposition 24](/source/2010_California_Proposition_24). For the 2020 California consumer privacy proposal, see [2020 California Proposition 24](/source/2020_California_Proposition_24).

Not to be confused with [Much Apu About Something](/source/Much_Apu_About_Something).

23rd episode of the 7th season of The Simpsons

"Much Apu About Nothing" The Simpsons episode Episode no. Season 7 Episode 23 Directed by Susie Dietter[1] Written by David X. Cohen[1] Production code 3F20 Original air date May 5, 1996 (1996-05-05)[1] Guest appearance Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony[2] Episode features Couch gag Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie are mounted moose heads on the wall and Homer is a bearskin rug on the floor. A game hunter sits on the couch and smokes a pipe.[2] Commentary Matt Groening Bill Oakley Josh Weinstein David X. Cohen Susie Dietter Episode chronology ← Previous "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" Next → "Homerpalooza" The Simpsons season 7 List of episodes

"**Much Apu About Nothing**" is the twenty-third episode of the [seventh season](/source/The_Simpsons_season_7) of the American animated television series *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*. It originally aired on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the United States on May 5, 1996. In the episode, a [referendum](/source/Referendum) is placed on the ballot that will require all [illegal immigrants](/source/Illegal_immigrant) in [Springfield](/source/Springfield_(The_Simpsons)) to be [deported](/source/Deportation). After learning that [Apu](/source/Apu_Nahasapeemapetilon) will be deported if the measure passes, [Homer](/source/Homer_Simpson) helps him prepare for a [United States citizenship test](/source/United_States_citizenship_test) so that he can become a legal citizen.

The episode was written by [David X. Cohen](/source/David_X._Cohen), and directed by [Susie Dietter](/source/Susie_Dietter). [Joe Mantegna](/source/Joe_Mantegna) guest stars in the episode as [Fat Tony](/source/Fat_Tony_(The_Simpsons)). The title of the episode is a parody of [William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare)'s play *[Much Ado About Nothing](/source/Much_Ado_About_Nothing)*.

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. It acquired a [Nielsen rating](/source/Nielsen_rating) of 8.2, and was the fourth highest-rated show on the Fox network the week it aired.

## Plot

A [brown bear](/source/Brown_bear) roams the streets of Springfield, frightening the townspeople despite its docile and curious, rather than aggressive, behavior. After Homer leaves home to purchase beer (ignoring official advice to remain indoors), he comes face-to-face with the bear after failing to get into his car by climbing across the power line, whereupon the police tranquilize the animal. Despite this being an unprecedented sight in Springfield, Homer leads a march of angry citizens to city hall, where they demand [Mayor Quimby](/source/Mayor_Quimby) do something to protect them from bears. After Quimby deploys a bear patrol, which involves the use of high tech vehicles, including [B2 Spirit](/source/B2_Spirit) aircraft, Homer is angry to learn his [taxes](/source/Tax) have increased by $5 to maintain it. Another crowd of angry citizens marches to the mayor's office demanding lower taxes. To appease them, Quimby blames the higher taxes on [illegal immigrants](/source/Illegal_immigrants). He creates [Proposition](/source/Referendum) 24, which will force all illegal immigrants in Springfield to be [deported](/source/Deported).

Springfield residents start to harass local immigrants, regardless of status. At the [Kwik-E-Mart](/source/Kwik-E-Mart), Apu confides in Homer that he is also an illegal immigrant. Apu fears that if Proposition 24 passes, he will be forced to leave the United States, since his [visa](/source/Visa_(document)) originally issued for his computer science studies expired many years before. After enquiring about [Kearney](/source/List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Kearney_Zzyzwicz)'s fake ID, Apu visits [Fat Tony](/source/Fat_Tony_(The_Simpsons)) to obtain false [citizenship](/source/Citizenship_of_the_United_States). At Tony's urging, Apu pretends to be an American citizen, even speaking in a faux American accent, but soon feels guilty about committing fraud and abandoning his [Indian](/source/Indian_citizenship) heritage, and destroys his [fake passport](/source/Fake_passport).

After seeing how distraught Apu is at the prospect of being deported, Homer vows that he and his family will help him. [Lisa](/source/Lisa_Simpson) discovers that Apu, as a long-term resident in the U.S., will not have to leave if he passes a [citizenship test](/source/United_States_nationality_law#Citizenship_test). Homer agrees to tutor Apu, but is unable to teach him accurate facts regarding U.S. history or political science needed to pass the exam. After falling asleep and forgetting everything Homer taught him, Apu passes the test and becomes a US citizen. At a congratulatory party, Homer tells his guests deporting immigrants is awful because they help the country thrive. He inspires them to vote no on Proposition 24, but it still passes with 95% of the vote. When Proposition 24 is enacted, [Groundskeeper Willie](/source/Groundskeeper_Willie) is the only resident deported.

## Production

[David X. Cohen](/source/David_X._Cohen) wrote the episode. The final version did not differ greatly from his first draft.

"Much Apu About Nothing" was written by [David X. Cohen](/source/David_X._Cohen) and directed by [Susie Dietter](/source/Susie_Dietter).[1] [Joe Mantegna](/source/Joe_Mantegna) guest stars in the episode as [Fat Tony](/source/Fat_Tony_(The_Simpsons)).[2] Much of the inspiration for the episode came from news reports of bears roaming streets in [Southern California](/source/Southern_California) around the time when the episode was in production.[3] Cohen said that when a bear swims in somebody's pool or goes in somebody's garbage can, it becomes a popular news item in California.[4] The [show runner](/source/Show_runner) of *The Simpsons* at the time, [Bill Oakley](/source/Bill_Oakley), commented that the news reports often create an anti-bear hysteria, and that is one of the inspirations for the episode.[3] Another inspiration for the episode came from California's [Proposition 187](/source/California_Proposition_187_(1994)), which proposed the rescinding of employment rights and benefits from illegal immigrants.[2] Cohen decided to name the referendum "Proposition 24" because 24 was the number he had on his [Little League Baseball](/source/Little_League_Baseball) uniform. Cohen commented that the bear and illegal immigration themes were "yanked from the California headlines."[4]

Apu studying [computer science](/source/Computer_science) is based on Cohen's own academic background, where he met and became friends with Indian people in the department. Similarly, the scene where Apu does an in-depth explanation of what caused the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War), only for the test taker to respond with "just say slavery", is something that actually happened to a friend of Cohen when she took her citizenship test.[4] Apu attends the Springfield Heights Institute of Technology, with the acronym SHIT; [Matt Groening](/source/Matt_Groening) and Cohen were happy that the joke was not censored.[5]

Cohen said that the episode changed very little from the first draft to the final aired edition. Oakley commented that while some writers' scripts get rewritten many times, Cohen's scripts are not often re-written because they are of high quality. Oakley added that Cohen has a very distinctive comedy style and some jokes in the episode "just really sound like Cohen".[3]

Something Oakley and his partner [Josh Weinstein](/source/Josh_Weinstein) wanted to do while they were show runners of *The Simpsons* was to explore side-characters, such as Apu, "a little deeper". Apu's origin is revealed in this episode, and Oakley is proud of being the one who suggested that. Another character that was explored deeper in their period as show runners was [Ned Flanders](/source/Ned_Flanders) in the episode "[Hurricane Neddy](/source/Hurricane_Neddy)".[3]

## Cultural references

The episode's title is based on [William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare)'s play *[Much Ado About Nothing](/source/Much_Ado_About_Nothing)*. The original title for the episode was going to be "The Anti-Immigrant Song", in reference to [Led Zeppelin](/source/Led_Zeppelin)'s "[Immigrant Song](/source/Immigrant_Song)".[4] A sign held by a protester outside the Kwik-E-Mart says "The only good foreigner is [Rod Stewart](/source/Rod_Stewart)!", a reference to the British singer.[1] [Brad Bird](/source/Brad_Bird), an American director who has worked as executive consultant and director on *The Simpsons*, can briefly be seen in the crowd that complains to Mayor Quimby.[3] [Chief Wiggum](/source/Chief_Wiggum) references [Emma Lazarus](/source/Emma_Lazarus)'s poem "[The New Colossus](/source/The_New_Colossus)": "First we'll be rounding up your tired, then your poor, then your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…"[6]

## Reception

In its original broadcast, "Much Apu About Nothing" finished 49th in the ratings for the week of April 29 to May 5, 1996, with a [Nielsen rating](/source/Nielsen_ratings) of 8.2.[7] The episode was the fourth-highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following *[The X-Files](/source/The_X-Files)*, *[Beverly Hills, 90210](/source/Beverly_Hills%2C_90210)*, and *[Melrose Place](/source/Melrose_Place)*.[7]

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson commented positively on the episode, and said that "if any show's taken a more unusual path to a story about [xenophobia](/source/Xenophobia), I've not seen it." He praised the bear scenes, which he thought was the episode's most "amusing" part. The review continued, "The parts with the immigrants are also good, especially since they make their point deftly. Add to that the hilarious sound of 'American Apu' and this is a strong program."[8] Jennifer Malkowski gave the episode a grade of B+.[9] The episode received a negative review from Dave Foster of DVD Times. He considered "Much Apu About Nothing" to be one of the season's most "tiring" episodes, and that Apu is not a strong enough character to carry an episode. Foster commented that the episode deals with a political issue which is too complex to cover in twenty minutes, leading to a rushed ending.[10]

[James Gill](/source/James_Gill_(columnist)) of [*Spiked*](/source/Spiked_(magazine)) and Les Chappell of *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)* praised the scene in which Apu, an undocumented migrant, is shown to have a vastly superior knowledge of American history than Homer, who was born in the country.[5][11] Gill said that this scene is evidence against [Hari Kondabolu](/source/Hari_Kondabolu)'s assertion that *Simpsons* writers do not use Apu to mock ignorance by white Americans;[11] Sam Thielman of *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* called the episode the best argument against accusations that Apu is a racist stereotype.[12] Chappell and Yianni Agisilaou of [*Metro*](/source/Metro_(British_newspaper)) commented that the episode is a good example of how Springfield's citizens are easily whipped up into a crowd mentality, as previously portrayed in episodes such as "[Marge vs. the Monorail](/source/Marge_vs._the_Monorail)" and "[Marge in Chains](/source/Marge_in_Chains)".[13]

The authors of the book *I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide*, [Gary Russell](/source/Gary_Russell) and [Gareth Roberts](/source/Gareth_Roberts_(writer)),[14] wrote: "One of the most outspoken, and certainly angriest of episodes succeeds as a savage satire on the scapegoating of immigrants. Homer has never been so frighteningly dumb, although he does come through with a rousing liberal speech."[2] In 2000, *The Simpsons* creator [Matt Groening](/source/Matt_Groening) named this his third favorite episode of the show.[6] Thielman listed the episode at number 3 in a 2016 list of the best episodes.[12] The episode has become study material for sociology courses at [University of California Berkeley](/source/University_of_California_Berkeley), where it is used to "examine issues of the production and reception of cultural objects, in this case, a satirical cartoon show".[15]

Chappell praises the portrayal of Springfield: "There's hypocrisy from the worst of them (Moe's protest-too-much attitude hiding his own citizenship woes) and the best of them (Apu's tearful joy at and subsequent discarding of a jury duty notice). It's an episode that knows there's no easy answers to big questions, and it focuses on the large and small of those people caught up in those questions—a move that cements it as yet another Simpsons season seven triumph."[5]

## Legacy

In the episode, after the creation of the Bear Patrol, bear sightings decrease to zero, so Homer concludes that the Bear Patrol must be working. Lisa attempts to demonstrate Homer's [logical fallacy](/source/Logical_fallacy) by the example of a tiger-repellent rock, but it goes over his head. Scott Anthony of the *[Harvard Business Review](/source/Harvard_Business_Review)* describes this scene as a "classic example" of the [informal fallacy](/source/Informal_fallacy) of assuming that [correlation implies causation](/source/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation).[16] [Mike Moffatt](/source/Mike_Moffatt) also called it "the best all-time discussion of faulty reasoning".[17]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-book_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-book_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-book_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-book_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-book_1-4) [Groening, Matt](/source/Matt_Groening) (1997). [Richmond, Ray](/source/Ray_Richmond); Coffman, Antonia (eds.). *[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family](/source/The_Simpsons_episode_guides#The_Simpsons:_A_Complete_Guide_to_Our_Favorite_Family)* (1st ed.). New York: [HarperPerennial](/source/HarperPerennial). p. [205](https://archive.org/details/simpsonscomplete00groe/page/205). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-06-095252-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-06-095252-5). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [98141857](https://lccn.loc.gov/98141857). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [37796735](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/37796735). [OL](/source/OL_(identifier)) [433519M](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL433519M)..

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BBC_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-BBC_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-BBC_2-4) [Martyn, Warren](/source/Gary_Russell); [Wood, Adrian](/source/Gareth_Roberts_(writer)) (2000). ["Much Apu About Nothing"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040406024022/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page23.shtml). [British Broadcasting Corporation](/source/BBC). Archived from [the original](https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page23.shtml) on April 6, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Oakley_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Oakley_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Oakley_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Oakley_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Oakley_3-4) Oakley, Bill (2005). *The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Much Apu About Nothing"* (DVD). 20th Century Fox.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cohen_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cohen_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Cohen_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Cohen_4-3) Cohen, David (2005). *The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Much Apu About Nothing"* (DVD). 20th Century Fox.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-avc_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-avc_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-avc_5-2) Chappell, Les (July 13, 2014). ["The Simpsons (Classic): "Much Apu About Nothing""](https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-much-apu-about-nothing-1798181143). *[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)*. Retrieved November 18, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Springfield_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Springfield_6-1) Snierson, Dan (January 14, 2000). ["Springfield of Dreams"](https://ew.com/article/2000/01/14/springfield-dreams/). [Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly). Retrieved May 5, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ratings_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ratings_7-1) "Nielsen Ratings". *[The Tampa Tribune](/source/The_Tampa_Tribune)*. May 9, 1996. p. 4. Retrieved on January 2, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dvdmovieguide_8-0)** Jacobson, Colin (January 5, 2006). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season (1995)"](http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonseven.shtml). DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved December 1, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Malkowski, Judge (January 16, 2006). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081204055914/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php). DVD Verdict. Archived from [the original](http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason7.php) on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Foster, Dave (February 25, 2006). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season"](http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=60554). DVD Times. Retrieved December 1, 2008.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-spiked_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-spiked_11-1) Gill, James (January 8, 2018). ["In defence of Apu"](https://www.spiked-online.com/2018/01/08/in-defence-of-apu/). *Spiked*. Retrieved November 18, 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-thielman_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-thielman_12-1) ["The Simpsons Thanksgiving marathon: the 25 best episodes to gorge on"](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/nov/24/the-simpsons-25-best-episodes-guide-thanksgiving). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. November 24, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Agisilaou, Yianni (October 5, 2017). ["4 things The Simpsons taught me about life"](https://metro.co.uk/2017/10/05/4-things-the-simpsons-taught-me-about-life-6978611/). *Metro*. Retrieved November 18, 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Preddle, Jon (June 1997). ["Gary Russell: From Peladon to Placebos"](http://doctorwho.org.nz/archive/tsv51/garyrussell.html). *Time Space Visualiser*. No. 51. The New Zealand Doctor Who Fan Club. Retrieved August 20, 2020. I've just done my first non-fiction book, Oh No It's A Completely Unofficial Simpsons Guide for Virgin, co-authored with Gareth Roberts which has, to be frank, been more of a nightmare than it needed to be [the book was published as I Can't Believe It's An Unofficial Simpsons Guide, with Gary and Gareth writing under the pseudonyms Warren Martyn & Adrian Wood].

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Thomas B. Gold (2008). ["The Simpsons Global Mirror"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090407081710/http://sociology.berkeley.edu/documents/undergrads/syllabi/Soc190_1.pdf) (PDF). University of California Berkeley. Archived from [the original](http://sociology.berkeley.edu/documents/undergrads/syllabi/Soc190_1.pdf) (PDF) on April 7, 2009. Retrieved July 18, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HBR_16-0)** Anthony, Scott (August 12, 2008). ["Innovation lessons from Lisa's rock"](http://blogs.hbr.org/anthony/2008/08/innovation_lessons_from_lisas.html). *[Harvard Business Review](/source/Harvard_Business_Review) Blog Network*. Retrieved August 12, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Moffatt, Mike (April 3, 2009). ["Tiger Repelling Rocks and Stimulus Packages"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120816030102/http://economics.about.com/b/2009/04/03/tiger-repelling-rocks-and-stimulus-packages.htm). *[About.com](/source/About.com)*. Archived from [the original](http://economics.about.com/b/2009/04/03/tiger-repelling-rocks-and-stimulus-packages.htm) on August 16, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***["Much Apu About Nothing"](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_7#Much_Apu_About_Nothing)***.

- [The Simpsons portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_Simpsons)

- ["Much Apu About Nothing episode capsule"](http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/3F20.html). *[The Simpsons Archive](/source/The_Simpsons_Archive)*.

- ["Much Apu About Nothing"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0774432/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

v t e The Simpsons episodes Seasons 1–20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Season 21–present 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Season 7 "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)" "Radioactive Man" "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily" "Bart Sells His Soul" "Lisa the Vegetarian" "Treehouse of Horror VI" "King-Size Homer" "Mother Simpson" "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" "Marge Be Not Proud" "Team Homer" "Two Bad Neighbors" "Scenes from the Class Struggle in Springfield" "Bart the Fink" "Lisa the Iconoclast" "Homer the Smithers" "The Day the Violence Died" "A Fish Called Selma" "Bart on the Road" "22 Short Films About Springfield" "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" "Much Apu About Nothing" "Homerpalooza" "Summer of 4 Ft. 2" See also Treehouse of Horror list The Simpsons episode guides "The Simpsons Guy" Category

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