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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
A New Image for Asian Men?
he original flavor stereotype of Asian men may have its inspiration in Hollywood mockery of the first wave of Chinese immigrants in the Old West. Bonanza's gimpy Hop Sing was the only recurring image of Asian men for most of TV's formative decades. For variety's sake, Hollywood racked its brain and added the coolie, the waiter and the bucktoothed enemy soldier.
Corean soccer star Ahn Jung-hwan
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Fortunately, Hollywood is no longer a one-stop outlet for depictions of Asian men.
Pro sports's $30 billion estimated annual U.S. rake rivals the $35 billion pocketed by Hollywood. Driven by athletic excellence, pro sports allow no room for image jiggering to satisfy racial biases. The exploits of dashing Ahn Jung-hwan in the World Cup wasn't scripted for white American mass audiences. The straight-sets drubbing that a tall young Thai named Paradorn Srichaphan gave Andre Agassi at Wimbledon can't be left on the cutting-room floor. Ichiro's leadoff-hitting and base-stealing can't be imitated with wires and special effects.
Hi-tech and bio-tech -- whose estimated $400 billion annual revenues dwarf the media -- have spawned another set of images that clash with Hollywood's. How do Americans reconcile premiere AIDS researcher David Ho or Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang with Hollywood's Hop Sings and Long Duck Dongs?
Questions arise. Doubts are engendered.
Even modern culture -- commonly tarred by association -- isn't entirely subject to Hollywood's reflexive Asian-male undercutting. Classical music lovers are nourished by Yo-Yo Ma's gourmet cello notes and thrill to the daring rifts of Japan's iron chefs. Younger Americans surrender racial identities to a no-holds-barred universe created by manga artists. Linguists and speed readers frequently abandon Hollywood's relentless quest for the lowest common denominator in favor of films made for Asian sensibilities.
To the extent sports, culture and business enjoy a tighter relationship with reality than does Hollywood, they offer Asian men a fairer, more compelling stage. And these spheres too pack big audiences that take note of the yawning abyss that separates Hollywood's "original flavor" Asian men from the crispier, spicier variety in the real world.
Is America seeing the emergence of a new, improved Asian male image? If so, is it making life easier for Asian American men? Or just stimulating a more determined effort at undercutting?
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WHAT YOU SAY
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(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 04:38:55 AM)
Half Jewish,
How can you be a half Jew. You're either Jewish or not. If your paternally Jewish, you need to go through the conversion process.
AC Dropout
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 09:40:09 (PDT)
Half Jewish,
While I'll agree with much of your post that Jews are people just like anyone else, I have to disagree with a few points. The Jews have always been the most difficult for one to put their finger on, enigmatic almost, perhaps because of the range in character. I think Jews tend to be easy to hate because: (1) They have a tendency to keep to themselves just as others are accused of. (2) They are and have been quite influential in society and history (those involved in the manhattan project, karl marx, einstein (?), and numerous others) and because of this influence, good or bad, they tend to be blamed (of course, blamed more often than given any credit). (3) I think the term "path of least resistance" is applicable here, same goes for asians for obvious reasons.
There have been times when I've discovered after knowing of someone who I liked or didn't like, of finding out they were jewish. And it somehow upsets me, because I feel like someone has lied to me or hidden things. And I certainly associate being lied to, as no damn good for me. Like some of the members of the Keating Five (S&L scandal), Mark Rich, and others. Understandable to some degree, to hide a person's jewishness to curb anti-semitism, but sometimes it's a little excessive. Of course plenty who are cool, in the areas of science/math which most folks wouldn't know about, like lempel & ziv. And yes, Hollywood does seem to have a large percentage of Jews that control it, for good or bad. And I think it's those in hollywood, who overall, might likely have a racial agenda of sorts. Am I sure? And to what extent and whether or not asians are on the agenda if so? How the hell could anyone know, other than what we see in the movies.
And sure, one can argue that demand drives hollywood's market like any other, but the directors/producers (not necessary jewish or anything, most likely not) in hollywood are visionaries of sorts, and it upsets me, or more rather, it is a major let down, that people like myself, asians, are not a part of their 'vision' of the world as it should be. Especially when I thought they were 'cool', but no, I don't really think they're 'cool' anymore. What I do know, is there is something going on in hollywood that I'm not too crazy about. These directors/producers live in a city with all sorts of people from around the world, emersed in it, and yet what do we see? Although I concede that such movies like "Blade Runner" had quite a few asians, not bad for its time and with stereotypes of course, but otherwise, I was happy with it (ehem, after getting in touch with my korean side, if you know what I mean). Probably the closest thing to asian-americans we'll ever see, LoL. Not a whole damn lot to ask for, is it? And no, having asians in a movie isn't a requirement, we're almost used to it by now. And it seemed like things were somehow better back then. I can't say for sure.
I hope you didn't see any of these posts as anti-semitism, although obviously you did, we aren't out ta get you or whatever, sheese. Besides, I thought it was the japanese who got put into concentration camps here in the 'states, and nobody thought that was a big goddamn deal. But I am baffled and at a loss as to what the hell to think of that whole industry (hollywood). More so, than certain of anything. And to assume good intentions? Should we be less cynical? Hell no : ) We have enough sh*t stacked against us here in America, not just in hollywood. When given the opportunities to do right or wrong, so many with power or influence choose to do wrong, then hide behind their lawyers or whatever, and when 'caught', they'll just try harder to cover things up. Regular as clockwork. And no, I'm not referring to jews.
I can't really say much about any kind of jewish infatuation with asians, so I'll just have to take your word for it :-) But, yes I do notice similarities too. BTW, I thought to be jewish your mother has to be a jew, that is, it has a female lineage. So your kids wouldn't be jewish? How does that work? just curious.
kimchi u.y.a.
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 03:30:09 (PDT)
To Half Jewish (Loves Yisrael married to Chinese woman.
I have nothing against Jews I find their culture very facinating as a matter of fact. I have Jewish friends and have attended Jewish synagogues out of interest. Their are alot of similarities between asian especially chinese and jewish culture.
I did mention that not just Jews but 'any and all' type of hollywood director would want to maximise profits. If Asians were portrayed non-stereotypically who would buy their shows. It just happens that alot of their directors are jewish.
Without repeating myself I mentioned the success of shows like crouching tiger hidden dragon having all asian casts and still succeeding in western countries and not asian countries.
Another point I would like to mention is that with the infiltration of Chinese directors like John Wu going mainstream, I wonder if he would still portray asians stereotypically. My guess is that he probably would but to a lesser extent just so to sell shows. I would like to be proved wrong.
JJ
JJ
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 02:07:23 (PDT)
TO HALF JEWISH,now wait a second my friend. The tirades leveled at Jews in Hollywood and the media are not aimed at you.I'm sure you've met many Asians already because of your wife.Most men with Asian wives have spent many trips to the Asian groceries,restaurants and eateries. So you have come into plenty of contact with Asians and you know full well that Asians arent hateful of Jews as a whole.But those devils in the media are a separate breed from all of the good Jewish folks in the world.I'm sure you're fully aware of this. Those in the media are definitely not a credit to their race and you are smart to distance yourself from them.
TOY SUNNER
Monday, July 08, 2002 at 00:54:25 (PDT)
TO: Kimchi u.y.a.
"And also, why should I even watch another movie from Hollywood unless they start cleaning up their act w/r to asians."
If I were Asian I'd be pissed off too about how Hollywood dismiss and mischaracterize Asian Americans in US film and television productions. It's a disgrace when you notice so few positive, historically truthful images.
All races in the US expend other races in order to make arguments to white people and Hollywood entertainment executives/movie moguls. It's only fair for me to acknowledge that.
What I generally take exception to is when Asians use African American people not merely as a point of reference, but as the main target - target mind you! It's not fair to all the law abiding, hard working black people who are not part of the problem.
I get the same anger when black people talk dirt about Asian Americans without even trying to understand Asian cultures and acknowledge the significant positive constributions that Asians make to the USA. There's violence and gangs in all quarters of the US, in all ethnic enclaves and all races engage criminal activity.
Asian Americans consistently produce great things in our country and they are consistenly rewarded by the media as being disloyal, foreigners and nerds. It's been my observation that Asians feel compelled to constantly articulate and demonstrate their loyalty.
"Sure, early on I blindly sided with koreans. But later I at least read how blacks felt about it, even though I'm still siding with the koreans on this one :-)"
Kimchi, I feel very strongly that the Korean American storeowners in LA were completely within their rights to defend themselves and their businesses. Yes, I'm sure that cultural differences created tension between blacks and Koreans in LA, but violence can never be used as a bargaining tool. To victimize peaceful, law abiding citizens (black, Asian, whoever) is an even greater sin. It's unacceptable.
Geoff DB
GeoffDB02@aol.com
Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 22:04:39 (PDT)
kimchi,
the average height in the Netherland (aka Holland) is 183cm, or 6 feet to the dot. It is not 5'11" (180 cm). Just wanted you to know.
Hey!
Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 21:41:13 (PDT)
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