Asians on American TV | Asian American Poll

HOW THE TV NETS TREAT ASIANS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:08:11 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Which U.S. TV network is most Asian-Friendly?
ABC | 24%
CBS | 28%
FOX | 27%
NBC | 21%

Which U.S. TV network is least Asian-Friendly?
ABC | 28%
CBS | 20%
FOX | 26%
NBC | 26%

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

sorry to report a very retrograde slur in Playboy Dec 2001. I wonder if things will ever get better.
From Party Jokes, page 118:
"A woman was distraught because she had not dated in a long time. Her doctor suggested she visit a Chinese sex therapist, Dr. Wang. Upon entering the examination room, Dr. Wang said, "OK take off your crows". The woman did so and stood naked before him. "Now", Dr. Wang said, "get down on your knees and craw very fast from me to the other side of the room." She got down on all fours and crawled away from him. "Now craw back", he said. She did as he asked. "Your probrem is very bad. You have Ed Zachary disease. Worse case I ever saw. That's why you don't have dates."
"
end quote.
reader Tuesday, December 04, 2001 at 01:41:05 (PST)

WOW, asians don't like Russell Wong? Personally, I find it FAR better for asian females to love him rather than Brad Pitt.
Kevin Yang Wednesday, November 28, 2001 at 10:31:48 (PST)

I agree with Marginal Man. This poll is pretty sad when you look at the results, almost even for the four networks - they are all doing a piss poor job when it comes to minority representation.

It would be nice to get to the point where there is at least a "token" Asian on an Ensemble show the way there is at least a "token" Black. Latinos have it even worse than us. They make up a bigger %age of the non-white U.S. population yet are vastly underrepresented and just as much stereotyped as Asian-Americans.

What can we do about it, aside from starting a BET/Telemundo/Univision station of our own? (An excellent idea, but who's going to fund it?)

1. Confront negative ethnic stereotypes every chance you get, write letters and email complaints to the networks. Better they think we're uppity and obnoxious than we continue to have our wants ignored.

2. Support shows that feature AA characters. The obvious choices: ER, Arli$$, Ally McBeal, Smallville, even the View. But I also watch less obvious choices like "VIP" b/c of Dustin Nguyen. Far from being a bimbo, Pam Anderson, as creator and executive producer of the show, is smart enough to know that we live in a multi-cultural world. By presenting an AA male in a positive supporting role, she's increasing visibilty among her (I would imagine) mostly young, male viewing audience and dispelling some of the sterotypes of the "nerdy" AA.

3. Support LOCAL Asian-American talent. On the Coasts, there are usually AA theatre groups that have sprung for AA actors, writers & directors to have their work seen in the community. AND encourage young people to get into the entertainment industry, as interns, writers, editors, directors, producers, in Management and in Scouting. Behind the scene is where the REAL work is done and where the REAL decisions are made.

4. STOP complaining about your fellow AA entertainers like Lucy Liu, Lisa Ling, Margaret Cho, Russell Wong (seem to be most maligned) etc. Especially about what they look like, for Christ's sake. Non-support of these AAs by the AA community doesn't necessarily give a job to another AA, it makes it harder, because there is one less visible AA in the entertainment industry working!

5. Finally, learn and become allies with other minority groups. I cannot stress this enough. Their battles become our battles. When we all come together, we're no longer "minorities."

The WB show John Cho is on is called "Off Center."
LA Woman (not in the industry) Monday, November 26, 2001 at 20:40:27 (PST)

USA Gal..Brace yourself...we are going from the pathetic " black and white " television to the grand and glorious world of "color tv". You will need to do some channel clicking baby....getting tired of those white jokes and insults and racist comments spewing out at you. Oh there are so many of them! Like, for example.... umm.....well...last night on tv I heard...wait..hmmm.... cannot seem to recollect an anti-white or anti-black remark made on tv this past week by an asian actor/actress. Lordy lordy, maybe we will be stuck in b&w land after all. Here..someone take my remote and throw it out the window.
You can flame me but never tame me, cos the jokes is YOU Friday, November 23, 2001 at 23:12:25 (PST)

ac,
Is not just the white americans that are hypocrites & narrow minded. Is all the people that see dogs only as a pet and not on a plate. I always tell them that "is ok to eat the ass of a pig but not a dog?"

At lease we are consistent. We see all animals as a potential meal. They used to think sushi is for bait.

I tried dog once and it was really good. ( slightly gamie taste with texture of oxtail )

We'll just keep hammering those norms and soon you'll see a drive through for dog burger with cat fries. You may want to super size it!

"what do you call a korean with more than 2 dogs?" "a rancher"

// THE PREACHER // Friday, November 23, 2001 at 05:19:43 (PST)

To "the USA gal":

What is wrong with your cracker ass!!!

Guess you've been in a cave too damn long with your boyfriend, Howdy Doody.

Like my joke about your background - cracker?! huh???

BLACKTWINTURBO Thursday, November 22, 2001 at 21:47:42 (PST)

Hey, John Cho (of American Pie fame) is Korean American, and he has a big role in a new WB series. I forget the name of the show though. That guy is f***ing hilarious? Props for bringing young AM into the spotlight. I am confident that the retarded media situation will slowly but surely improve.
Happy Thursday, November 22, 2001 at 20:00:44 (PST)

It's funny how Americans are so apalled by people eating dogs but every day the humane societies in this country are putting thousands to sleep. Remember the Disney movie about the 101 dalmations? The humane societies were euthanizing so many they had to appeal to imbeciles through tv and newspapers to stop buying the dogs.

I say this even though I wouldn't want to eat a dog no matter how good it might taste (unless it meant survival) but Americans think their shit don't stink. And that's a fact.
Marginal Man Thursday, November 22, 2001 at 14:03:15 (PST)

In my mind this poll is a little silly because I can't distinguish any difference among the networks. What asians need is a national network like Telemundo, the spanish language station. That's the only way Asians will ever get fair representation on tv. Until then we will always be excluded and at the mercy of the media establishment.

Blacks, I think, have reached this plateau. There are many black-based sitcoms and dramas. They have accomplished this by social and political activism to the extent that it is virtually politically incorrect not to include at least one black in a script.

Hispanics never really benefitted from the effects of political correctness and neither will asian-americans. Why? It's like a japanese-american women said in a PBS show on the internment of Japanese-Americans. In the aftermath, the internees didn't seek compensation for the criminal denial of their civil rights or loss of their properties, because they didn't think they had suffered worse than other victims of the war. And that's how the American public and media powers see the situation: asians don't really suffer through exclusion and negative stereotyping. It is up to asians to unite and provide ourselves with our own forum: an asian national network! The only problem is that it will take the will of a powerfull individual with a certain dedication. Does that person exist?
Marginal Man Thursday, November 22, 2001 at 13:51:17 (PST)

as an asian,i consider its indeed appaling to kill a dog and eat it like a delicacy. BUT i also think that other forms of animal cruelty in the western world should be highlighted as well. Like how seals and dolphins are killed in the most inhumane and violent way by european trawlers and fishermen who considered these animals as pests for stealing their catch nd detroying their net??? how abt fox hunting which is a sport in some parts of the western world? bull fighting is cruel as well and should be sstopped!!!
MeiMei Wednesday, November 21, 2001 at 19:53:17 (PST)

AC Dropout,

I've seen it too. It was pretty disturbing but what I don't understand, do these "Whites" have some better to do than to meddle with "other" people's affairs. There is no law prohibiting canine meat consumption in NY State yet these people somehow want to make a big deal out of it. I hope those Koreans get some lawyers to see these bastards don't come into their ground and make trouble again.

Yes, America is narrow minded, as it is always known to be. Why do you think this country is currently in such a disarray?

Got better things to do Wednesday, November 21, 2001 at 15:59:13 (PST)

Hellooo! Zack Ward IS acting, because he's an ACTOR. Carroll O'Connor, who played the racist Archie Bunker, was unlike the character he portrayed on T.V. Man! Zack Ward must be a great actor if you guys are convinced he's really like that in real life.
Zack Ward is an actor, and Dave is a character Wednesday, November 21, 2001 at 10:58:19 (PST)

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