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GOLDSEA |
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
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 04:38:55 AM)
I'd have to agree (to a point) that asian's in other arenas (primarily sports) are helping out the asian male image.
You've got a japanese (Ichiro) player as one of the poster boys of baseball right now. Yao Ming is the latest "hot" property from China.
And these guys aren't your "stereotypical" asians. Ichiro may be fairly "short" (5'10" or 5'11") but he likes to sport a goatee or beard. Yao is a 7'5" giant. How many Chinese have you seen are that tall around the US?
These guys along with the many other asian athletes are proving Asian males DO exist despite hollywood's lack of asian faces.
It will take time, but I believe asian males will be recognized in time
Don
Saturday, August 10, 2002 at 17:24:00 (PDT)
AC,
Not having to pay income tax probably makes them feel better too, and that's from people who treated them with more fairness than the U.S. did (that's the case in Ontario).
It might've sucked then, but they're using it to their full advantage now.
Although they still get little respect.
...now back to the topic...
Which is something different, Asian men a slowing getting more respect because we're earning it. There's no "I've got it bad, now gimmer something". It's more like, I got it bad (and crying about it isn't going to do jack), so it gives me more incentive to surpass everything you are.
huu76
Saturday, August 10, 2002 at 16:50:26 (PDT)
In the last week (August 5-9, 2002),
I saw two advertisements -- one an electric bill autoplay brochure and
a Circuit City advertisement --
which featured white male/asian
female couples. This reveals to
me the deep seated bias that still
exists in American society.
bombarded am
Friday, August 09, 2002 at 16:45:17 (PDT)
[Interesting. Can we get back on topic? --Ed]
huu76,
Theoretically bumblebees can't fly either. But by setting aside 9 seats in legislation you at least assure their representation in federal gov't. Under this system the aboriginal people in Taiwan can also theoretically get 100% of the seats. The USA has nothing like this in place. Our system perpetuates incumbants remaining in office indefinitely.
Actually, PRC one child rules have a few exceptions
1. Ethnic minority do not need to follow it.
2. Farmers who first child is a girl are allow to have another child without penality
3. If individuals in a marriage are only-childs, they are allow to have more than 1 child.
These are 3 exceptions I'm aware of. There are many others, I'm sure. China, for people who actually been there, is a highly beaucratic nation. Similar to the USA, they have laws and exceptions to laws. I'm just dumbfounded by people who have these vicarious biases. But then I'm just as dumbfounded in asia when I hear rumors about life in the USA from the people who never lived in the USA.
AC Dropout
Friday, August 09, 2002 at 06:27:08 (PDT)
MESSAGE: Hey, the Native Americans are getting their money back from whitey (and a lot of Asians) by opening their casinos.
Actually TSJ, the money comes from Asians-92% and Whitey-7%. But uncle sam takes 54% and better right off the top. If you've ever been to any of these casinos you'll know what I mean percentage wise.
Just Go for The Food
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 17:09:30 (PDT)
TSJ,
True, casinos are big cash cows. Plus, they're allowed to ignore work-place laws (equality etc.), most of the sensitive positions where I work have atleast 1 native american.
AC,
Just 9 seats? Theoretically, in the west, minorities can win 100% of the seats.
Country folk don't follow the 1 child rule because China needs farmers.
Dumpling,
Remind us to watch closer to the date, if it's no trouble. I'll probably end up forgetting.
Angular Perspecitive,
You have a good tone, maybe MLK will listen to you if you tell her that.
huu76
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 16:51:26 (PDT)
TSJ,
Yes the gaming business is lucrative.
And it is nice to be able to buy and play with fire works on reservations, since most states ban them.
But if you think that makes up for the injustice of systematic theft, rape, and killing of native americans.....I'm just speachless.
AC Dropout
Wednesday, August 07, 2002 at 15:03:36 (PDT)
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