The King of the Hill Revival Needs to Address the Show’s Kahn Problem
King of the Hill is coming back to TV, thanks to a Hulu revival, with most of the original cast returning — but there’s one character who’s conspicuously missing.
Hank, Peggy, Bobby, Bill, Dale and Boomhauer will all be back and voiced by the same actors from the original 1997-2009 Fox run of the animated comedy. Hank’s niece Luanne is understandably absent, since Brittany Murphy tragically passed away in 2009. But Hank’s nemesis Kahn, the status-chasing Laotian dad who moved in next door, is nowhere to be found in the revival. And there’s an obvious reason why: Kahn was an Asian character, but he was voiced by a white actor, Toby Huss, during the show’s Fox run. (TVLine has reached out to Hulu to see if the role will be recast.)
Now a lot has changed since 2009: The Simpsons‘ Hank Azaria has famously stepped aside from voicing Indian immigrant Apu on that animated series after an uproar sparked by the Hari Kondabolu documentary The Problem With Apu, and several other white actors voicing Black animated characters have since been replaced by Black actors. It’s a long overdue shift for an industry that has too often marginalized people of color, but it does put the King of the Hill producers in something of a bind. They want to bring back as much of the original cast as possible, but Huss continuing to play Kahn, with his exaggerated accent and mangled English, simply would not fly today.
That doesn’t mean Kahn should be erased from the Arlen landscape entirely, though. The revival is bringing back Lauren Tom (an Asian American actress who also played Julie on Friends) as Kahn’s wife Minh and daughter Connie, but makes no mention of Kahn. So will the revival’s producers simply write Kahn out to save themselves the trouble? That’d be a shame, actually, because Kahn served as a great foil to Hank and his Texas buddies, offering a sharp and salty contrast to their yee-haw way of life. Kahn wasn’t just a broad stereotype, either: He was an ambitious career man who longed to be accepted into America’s upper crust, with relatable faults and fears. Voiced by the right Asian actor, Kahn could be a fantastic addition to the new King of the Hill.
We understand not bringing back Luanne, both to honor Murphy’s legacy and to acknowledge that no one could equal her pitch-perfect performance as the lovably ditzy blonde. But not bringing back Kahn — and trying to sweep the original series’ Apu-like problem under the rug — would be a mistake. Arlen just wouldn’t be the same without him.
Do you think Kahn should return for the King of the Hill revival? Sound off in the comments.
Similarly, to connect to another Lauren Tom-starring Hulu revival, I look forward to who replaces Billy West as Leo Wong on Futurama
With only 10 episodes in the season, it’s likely we won’t see Amy’s parents at all, but that’s not really comparable since Leo only appeared in 12 of the 140 previous Futurama episodes, compared to Kahn’s 164 appearances out of 258 King of the Hill episodes.
I really don’t get it..isn’t this racist thinking that one’s voice is connected to one’s colour of skin?
Wouldn’t it be better if people of colour should voice white roles, too or better said everybody should voice anybody? We should not see race or colour or gender in a voice. I think it’s stupid. If you want diversity in animation why accept these limitations.
I get your point, but this argument would hold a lot more water if people of colour were hired to voice white roles, and they very rarely are compared to the amount of white people who are hired to voice pocs. It’s not racist thinking, it’s giving opportunities to actors who tend to be sidelined/marginalized, and it also adds a layer of authenticity to the voice-acting.
Yeah, I get what you’re saying. It’s not a perfect world…yet. There has to be more POC voice acting.
But your last sentence with the authenticity..well, that’s my point. Could a blind person identify a voice as white, black or asian? I would say no..so I am still not quite sure about the need of this particular authenticity level of a voice, sorry.
I get it though hat before a POC can voice a white person, the POC animation roles need to be cast by POCs, so we can totally agree to this.
Why are you calling them colored people
Is Kathy Najimy from Montana? I bet she knows nothing about what it’s like to grow up there. How on earth can she voice Peggy with any kind of “authenticity”?
ACTING!
In other countries, tons and tons of non-White actors play and voice White characters, and even here in America, it’s pretty common. One big example was Alexander Hamilton. Another example was Constantine XI. In the movie Troy: Fall of a City, a Black man named David Gyasi plays the Greek mythological hero, Achilles, so that argument is pretty weak. The opposition to White voice actors voicing non-White characters is more about people trying to seize power and control, and obliterating classic comedy to do it. Sorry Atsuko Okatsuka, your comedy stinks.
Kinda like affirmative action for voice actors
I honestly don’t really care about the culture problem with kahns voice actor. Don’t mess with success, the original actor was awesome in his role. Plus it’s not fair to the original voice actor. So Everyone else gets to revive their roles, but he misses out on the fun just because times have changed? That’s not really fair either.
Look, first, yes be fair and if they can find an Asian actor to nail the role then great! but if not, Huss is probably going to be available on the backburner for a reading and if he’s still got the gold then hire him. Or put the best Asian VA against the original and pick the best out of the two and just deal with society. These guys don’t need to cave to every dang issue like high schoolers caving to peer pressure. The producers should have all the say on reviving thier gem. Everyone else can butt out, before they screw up the show. Disney already made the mistake of listening to the masses and look how crappy their revival movies are! Some of thier revival series are ok but those are far few and in-between.
Phil LaMarr does Samurai Jacks voice and he does does a ton of white characters
Cree Summer played Penny in Inspector gadget. Phil LaMar and Kevin Richardson have also voiced not just white characters but just other non-black roles. Even independently, ProZD and YongYea have professionally voiced several non-Asian characters.
Kahn, specifically, is not a disrespectful character. Much like Apu he’s a deeply driven character who shows far more ambition and passion than most of the main cast.
The first pro tip though: even if Kahn was to be voiced by an authentic Laotian, he’s still going to give a cartoonishly exaggerated accent regardless, because it’s a bombastic character in a cartoon after all. But that raises an interesting question doesn’t it, in that should a person of Chinese descent like Lauren Tom really ought to be voicing a Laotian? Laos has more to do with Vietnamese and Thai people than Chinese do. I mean, really, Indian people are also Asian, would a man from India be ok to play a Japanese or Thai character? How about a Japanese person playing an Indian character? It really should be “yes” to all of the above.
Just like how it’s perfectly fine for a grown black woman like Cree to play a white pre-teen character, it should be ok for a Japanese man to play a Russian, it should be ok for a Danish person to play a Dutch person, it should be ok for an Indian to play a Caucasian, it should stand to reason it should be ok for a Caucasian to play a play a non-white character too.
The real pro tip is this: no one really, actually, cares what skin colour someone has when voicing a character. Does the voice “gel” with the character on screen? Excellent. Is the character supposed to disparage an entire race or culture? Then the character shouldn’t exist In the first place.
Could the voice actors industry use a more diverse talent pool? Yes. Of course. No one can argue that.
But anybody who sits there and complains about a white guy playing a beloved Asian man but isn’t then going to bat to argue that black people should then only ever be voicing black roles, is a racist hypocrite. But if you believe that an actor shouldn’t ever play a character that doesn’t share their same skin colour and cultural background, you’re still doing a racism but at least youre not a hypocrite.
A character in a non-film role is going to be remembered for their voice, primarily, and design secondarily.
We seem to be saying we’re ok with a Frenchman voicing an Italian plumber, and we’re ok with a Chinese woman voicing a Laotian, and we’re ok with an African-American voicing a Jamaican, all ranging somewhat to very incompatible cultures and backgrounds but just because the skin colour matches, then everything is ok right?
What if, for example, a man who is of 50/50 Indian and white, born and grew up in America, has the accent of the state he grew up in, has the skin color that swayed to his white side, and barely associates with his Indian heritage. Is he then no longer considerable for a role like Apu? Is he too white to qualify? What about the same person but his skin color swayed more to his Indian side. Is he more considerable for the role of Apu now? The current attitude of todays criticism suggests that yes, that would indeed make him more hireable for the role, despite the fact that the voice performance wouldn’t have changed at all.
And let’s not split hairs here either. I’ve heard James Hong talk normally, as a Chinese man himself in a cartoon where he plays a Chinese character in a Chinese setting, Mr Ping still speaks with a flamboyant bombastic exaggerated Chinese accent in the movie of Kung Fu panda. Jackie Chan playing Monkey though, doesn’t. And Which character is more endeared? Po’s adoptive Dad: Mr. Ping, or Member of the important Furious Five: Monkey?
Who’s to say if Kahn was voiced by an bonafide Laotian, that the performance wouldn’t come out the same way? Because that’s part of Kahn’s personality: louder and more spirited than everyone else in the room. But Connie? Speaks softer, with less accent. But Minh? She’s conniving and almost as loud as Kahn, but that accent is strongly present. Both voiced by Lauren Tom. But no, it’s Kahn’s “troubling accent” That’s a problem, because the voice actor playing him doesn’t have family that stems from the continent of Asia, but is of German and Italian heritage.
If only everyone could see things this way.
Well said.
Very well said….Just allow the original voice actor to return. King of the hill is one of my favorite shows and it will not be the same without Kahn. Everything does not have to be about appropriation….it’s entertainment; there’s no offense. It reminds me of the Cleveland Show Mike Henry thing. He was perfect and beloved no matter his skin color. I wish everyone saw it that way.
They sure will replace white characters with POC ones though.
I think actors should be allowed to act. That is what acting is all about… playing a role, not yourself. But, if the industry insist on casting poc animated characters with only poc actors, then white animated characters should only be voiced by white actors. No double standards.
What about when the character is really insulting and incites racist harassment of people like Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
Rooney’s character incited racist harrassment?
Yes.
It’s an imperfect solution for an imperfect world. I do think the needle is tipped too far when people are losing jobs they already have over it. Doing better with casting in the future should be enough.
The reason POC should be cast to voice POC characters is because POC have had very few opportunities in the past to voice ANY characters. The Simpsons had no POC voice talent for years. The main Black character on Family Guy was originally voiced by a white guy with none of the white characters being voiced by POC.
The best way to start to get appropriate representation of POC into these shows is to, at the very least, use POC talent to voice POC characters. Once POC have access to the same number of roles as white actors have had for decades, we can start discussing using white actors to play non-white characters again, but we’re nowhere near that point yet.
Cleveland was not only voiced by a “white guy”, the characters voice was lovingly created by Mike Henry and Arif Zahir only mimicks Mike’s wonderful work.
I don’t disagree there is a lack of color in the industry but this argument is one dimensional.
I agree! It should just go to whoever nails the voice better as the writer intended. If a white guy matches more of what the director was going for then why not? Its not like exaggerated tones actually makes us like the race less. If anything its just poked fun at the sterotypes and on KotH they do it to ALL of us. From white rednecks to asians that speak broken english to am arrogant Vet that exaggerates his war stories to a womanizing native American n so on. Its not targeting one group n making them feel like less than us. It pokes fun at us all equally. N i think one of the issues we need to fix with people nowdays is people (esp younger gen) are too serious and want everyone else but them to b butt of the joke. The dont get comedy and only want to laugh on people they hate rather than having a chuckle at outselves as well as the tropes of today n before. Which is what comedy is, roasting anyone n everyone not cuz theyre bad but cuz the comic can. People need to just chill out and learn to laugh at themselves again as well as stop looking for ways to be offended by every little thing.
I am so looking forward to this revival! I agree that Kahn was a great foil for Hank. I really hope they don’t get rid of the character. There must be somebody to voice him that won’t get people upset, right? Personally, I liked the voice he had in the original series.
Why exactly wouldn’t it fly today?
Because some ninnys would go online and whine about it?
Haha! Yes! Because we live in a world of whiners and ninnys (great word BTW 😉)
And look at what you’re doing. XD
Were you looking in a mirror when you said that? If not, look in one right now.
I don’t want to see a MAGA Hank. And there’s no way he’s not MAGA. I don’t want to see a QAnon Dale. And there’s no way he’s not QAnon.
Dale probabley thinks Qanon itself is a false flag designed to throw people off the real conspiracies.
Hank has a low tolerance for nonsense so he probably just smiles along and writes in his favorite living Dallas Cowboys coaches/Qbs.
Peggy describes herself as a libertarian.
Boomhauer went to a Hillary ralley to meet girls but liked what he heard.
Bill went to a Qanon ralley to meet girls, is afraid to dumb one of them, and ends up driving a bus to the DC on January 6th.
While I hope they don’t write in an actual event like Jan. 6th, and keep things more fictional in terms of candidates/etc., I can totally see see this or generalized versions of this for the characters.
I think Hank is a traditionalist and would be appalled by MAGA’s casual cruelty and definitely wouldn’t put up with the lies (I’m reminded of his whole crusade in the video store porn case to expose the truth haha). Dale is crazier than Q and would think they are a false flag operation.
If I remember correctly, Hank was a fan of Ann Richards, the Democratic governor of Texas, and disliked Bush Jr, on account of his limp handshake.
Hank is definitely not MAGA. Hank is more like Jeb. Dale is QAnon though
Hank is a Raegen Republican/Conservative.
Don’t forget he got super conflicted about Bush Jr just because his hand shake was limp, and this was pre-9/11.
Going by that alone, I’d say Hank still likely voted Republican, but wouldn’t subscribe to the MAGA movement. Trump has said and done a lot of things Hank wouldn’t endorse in any shape or form, and given the opportunity to do so would probably opt to kick Trumps ass than shake his hand.
Bobby Hill is voiced by a female adult. Isn’t that sexist and ageist?
No, it’s sexist and ageist to not think a woman of a certain age can’t voice a boy – you going to take issue with Nancy Cartwright too? And the difference here – compared to points made above by the likes of Summer about opportunities – is that it’s not depriving white men for roles given who voices the likes of Linda & Tina Belcher. As for age, casting voice actors the age of Bart and Bobby, they’d have to keep recasting due to puberty and uh I don’t think this is really an issue other than you thinking you’re making some kind of point but being completely ignorant.
No. My point is still valid, just because your insanity over a cartoon doesn’t make my comment ‘ignorant’.
Is your first name Karen?
Oh yeah, you’re worth the time. Make a fuss, then call someone a name that’s meant for people making a fuss. * Aubrey Plaza level eye roll here *
But if you feel the need to for others, go on and explain just why that casting is sexist and ageist. I’m sure others are dying to know your reasoning.
If the revival is set years after the original series ended, it’s not sexist or ageist to suggest that Bobby shouldn’t have the same voice if he’s not a kid anymore or even gone through puberty.
Bart Simpson is still a kid, so your comparison is ‘completely ignorant.’
If Bobby is a teenager or a young adult your suggestion is depriving roles for white voice actors, who apparently can’t provide the voices to anyone other than white characters. Except you now also seem to be saying not even then can they get that job.
That’s a nice heads I win, tails you lose dynamic you’ve got there…
The revival to my knowledge isn’t set years after but will have Bobby and Connie around the same age, thus the same actors. And so no, the comparison to Bart is not wrong. Where are you seeing any confirmation that they have aged up the kids? They are moving the setting to present time, but Hank, Nancy, everyone is going to be the same age. I also gave specific examples where men were voicing female roles – Linda and Tina Belcher – so the rest of your argument is just a lot of huffing and puffing. By the way, I’m a white male myself.
I don’t disagree with your premise or ideology, but if you didn’t know that the characters would be aged up then you basically know nothing about this revival. All Mike judge and Greg Daniels have talked about for 2 years now is that their pitch was that all of the characters have aged approximately the same amount of years that have passed since the finale. So Bobby would be 27~.
Your leftist hypocrisy is showing. Apparently, it’s wrong to have a VA from a different sex, race, or age to play a role….unless the role of the character from a hated demographic is going to a demographic that leftists loves.
Pretty soon, we’ll need to have actual dead people playing dead people on CSI
If they recast, Toby should get a new character to voice.
They should at least do a flashback episode with Cotton and have him reprise that. But he could also easily voice a new employee at Strickland or something for a character we might see more.
Keep Kahn. You are going to be missing Luanne and Lucky as the voices ate dead.
If you are recasting just because the person is not the same, you have to do it for all. Bobby Hill is not voiced by a male. I don’t think anyone except Pamela Adlon fo his voice. It’s acting, not real life.
There are plenty of actors in Hollywood of South Asian / Pacific Asian heritage.
Cast one of them for the role, and in the first episode, have them mention that Kahn is “coming back from his throat cancer surgery”, and that they have to be nice to him, while he recovers.
No, that’s stupid.
Just keep his original voice.
Don’t like it, watch another show.
Perhaps he is involved but not mentioned due to being recast as speculated. I am wondering if there is a similar reason that no mention has been made of Breckin Meyer voicing mixed-heritage Joseph again (which he did for most of the show’s run, after the character hit puberty – with the late Brittany Murphy having originally been the voice pre-puberty)…. maybe also being recast?
It’s voice acting! It doesn’t matter if the person that voices him is white. He’s the voice of the character! Changing him would be stupid AND ruin the show. Every time they change a voice actor it ruins the content. Every single time, without fail.
No Kahn it’s not king of the hill the whole concept of woke society has just gotten out of hand they’re called actors because they play a character hell chuck Connors played Geronimo once for Christ’s sake
They need to have Kahn back in the show. He was an important part of the show. I can understand the Luanne situation but all they have to do is bring another person to voice him. It’s been a long time since the original show was on and the new viewer wouldn’t know the difference.
This is getting to sad at this point, stop being racist and let white people continue to voice any character they want, there is a reason its called acting!
Woah! Are you simply grouping all Asian peoples together?
You wrote, “But Hank’s nemesis Kahn, the status-chasing Laotian dad who moved in next door, is nowhere to be found in the revival.
…
Voiced by the right Asian actor, Kahn could be a fantastic addition to the new King of the Hill.”
That’s pretty sad how you lumped all Asian peoples together and assume that any single one of them would be good enough to check the box for a Laotian person.
Are you serious?
bring him back with the original actor…. if it were live action I could see needing an Asian to play an Asian but it’s animation. Anyone can voice anyone…. Bobby is voiced by a woman so I don’t see how that is any different.
Christopher Judge recently won an award for voicing, for the second time, Kratos a white guy. Nobody had an issue with it so why do people have an issue if it’s the other way around. It’s double standards. Kahn’s voice actor should be allowed to reprise the role because he was good at it.
So it’s OK that Minh speaks mangled English and has an exaggerated accent? And Asian = Laotian?
The trouble with people like the author of this story is that they aren’t able to think for themselves. They repeat arguments fed to them by the far left as if they’re fact, and clearly don’t have the critical thinking abilities to defend such nonsense.
BRING BACK KAHN!!!! HE IS VERY FUNNY!!!!
Luanne was hands down my favourite character. I hope they bring her back as an honour to Brittany Murphy.
Of courase Khan should be a part of rhw reboot. He was as funny as the rest of rhw guys. We needs to quit walking around on egg shells. I am watching the old episodes on Hulu now and it is still halirous
Kahn wasn’t an original character but if minh and Connie are back maybe Kahn has passed or is in a institution remember he had a mental illness I think bipolar don’t remember maybe he’s getting help? Either way I’m sure the show creators will handle in a great way can’t wait to hear air date then I’ll subscribe to hulu
Its not an issue till white people make it an issue. If you’re going to recast due to a voice actor not “fitting” a role… recast Bobby.
Cos at the end of the day, only white people matter in AmeriKKKa.
As dumb of a reply as a female voicing a male. Sorry, just being as petty as the “upset” side.
They might as well just take him out of the show. If people really get so offended by the fact he’s voiced by a non asian… just don’t even bother. That’s like me being offended by Mike voicing Octavio… smh.
I think it would be a crying shame to leave our Kahn; and, I think that is the pertussis have made a strong effort to replace the voice actor and cannot then they should go with the original actor. It is not necessary to have an actor share life circumstances with their character. It’s acting. The purpose of hiring same-race actors is too hard against marginalizing people of color. If they’re isn’t a person of color who can do a dogfish job than eliminating the character is just performative b.s.