Simpsons creator Matt Groening has dismissed criticism of Apu and doesn't appear to have any plans to make the changes which some fans have been calling for.

Hank Azaria, the voice of Apu, may have admitted that it might be a good idea to rethink having an Indian character voiced by a white American actor, but The Simpsons creator defended the decision.

Asked if he had any thoughts on recent criticism of Apu as a broad and crass stereotype by USA Today, Groening said: "Not really. I’m proud of what we do on the show. And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended."

When he was pressed on the scene in a recent Simpsons episode in which Lisa and Marge discuss the ongoing controversy (ICYMI: Marge said that, "Some things will be addressed at a later date," Lisa replied, "If at all," to which many fans asked, "Why are you using these beloved characters to pointedly ridicule people who feel uncomfortable with a white bloke doing a dodgy Indian accent?") Groening was blunt.

"We’ll let the show speak for itself," he said.

Comedian and long-time Simpsons fan Hari Kondabolu's 2017 film The Problem With Apu was the catalyst for the discussion around Apu, and pulled up the problems with Apu's character and Azaria's performance of it.

Kondabolu struggled to pin down Azaria for comment in his film, but Azaria did tell Stephen Colbert last week that he would be "perfectly willing to step aside. It just feels like the right thing to do to me."

He also said that bullying of "anyone, young or old, past or present" using the tropes and catchphrases minted by Apu - which Kondabolu talked about at length in his film - made him feel "very sad".