Indian Accent

We all watch sitcoms on television, where Indians are portrayed with “typical accent”.  Do we really sound like that? Does it annoy you, anger or humor you? Or are you one of those “desi” who defend yourself saying “I do not sound like that and comment such a FOB (fresh off the boat). 

Be it Simpson’s Apu to Family Guy or the series of outsourced focus on Desi with their funny accents. Good news about this is we are in lime light. Past seven or eight years trend has been catering to South Asian Community. Even our vice president was imitating our accent on some comment about job outsourcing.

If you Google the term “Indian Accent” search page comes up with Russell Peters to Simpsons. We all know Russell who imitates Indian Accent for his father and his famous line of “somebody gonna get hurt”. I give credit to Russell for “familizaring” desi community to locals here in USA.

There are classes being offered to learn our Indian Accent. I believe we are in such a lime light because of outsourced jobs and the focus is about how badly we sound on the phone. Earlier our accent did not matter, is the anger that resulted in mimicking our accent or some way of getting back to us?

I asked my friends community and their quip was its just stereotyped. American Media does that to everyone. Like Chinese Mrs. Swan Mexican Harardo with heavy accented words do not make any sense. Initially I use to get angry but later realized the humor and irony of it.  It is fairly difficult to crack a funny joke without resorting to stereotyping of some kind.

Even in our Indian Media there is a regional character portrayed like for North Indian it is that heavy accented Punjabi guy or that “Madrasi” guys who dresses in lungi and have a certain pronunciation with funny accent. End goal of such stereotyping is to humor people. Good thing is “There is no such thing as bad publicity”. On this account I do want to mention that so far India Media is behind on stereotyping “Americans” wonder would the stereotype character be all clueless, ignorant and blazing guns with Levi Dungarees and Coke can in the other hand. That would be an interesting watch.

So should we blame the media or people?  Is it for pure entertainment or there is more to that. I would like to hear from you guys. Please comment @