Outsourced Ben Rappaport

Before the first episode even aired, I've already heard from people how this show is supposed to negatively stereotype Indian people and that it's a kind of show that shouldn't be encouraged. So I started watching it with low expectations...

It's actually very, very good. Hilarious, even! My family's from the Indian continent and I watch tons of Bollywood movies, and I did not see anything that could be construed as negative stereotypes. The show got a lot of the cultural aspects and mannerism right, and the jokes I've seen have appeared in Bollywood flicks as well. But I guess in the naysayers' mind, they watch only the previews and think, "There's a lot of Indians on the show - there MUST be stereotypes going on!" This is simply NOT true. If anything, a lot of people I know are ecstatic that Indians are finally making a foray into American television - and during primetime, no less (Although I've heard there's hope the show will reflect more modernized/westernized aspects of Indian culture as well, but I think we'll get there). The Indian characters are portrayed as equals to their American counterparts, and in some cases are more sympathetic and likable while an American character (Diedrich Bader) is portrayed as being close-minded. The Indian assistant boss, Rajiv, might seem a little over-the-top and cruel, but I have seen his type of character in Bollywood flicks many times and he occasionally shows flashes of his good side (when he yelled at Madhuri to stay after work as a clever ruse to give her a place to sleep for the night).

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