Asians on American TV | Asian American Poll

HOW THE TV NETS TREAT ASIANS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:08:09 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%

This poll is closed to new input.
Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

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AC Dropout,

I think the fact that we don't see Ming Na and the WM story in One Night Stand is in itself quite significant. People who don't watch it very carefully or those like myself who haven't seen it but have seen the advertisements will get the impression--as wrong as it may be--that WF are much more desirable than AF even if there is the other love affair going on.

But regarding the stereotypes in opera and Broadway, I would kinda disagree. For instance, I would not call any of Mozart's characters stereotypes even if they were based upon them. I think in Puccini's opera, the librettist and composer were trying to create a new template for stereotypes which were beginning to be created and consolidated with the West's most recent arrival in Japan. It's a beautiful opera, but one which has unfortunately come to perpetuate these negative messages:

1. AF will always swoon for an WM
2. WM can trifle with AF like a toy.
3. WF are better looking than AF and more fascinating. (The white female here is said to be betterlooking than a "sun goddess") WF are the real shiznit.
4. Whole scenario helps elevate the WM into sex god. Even if he is mofo ugly.

This is why this opera (apart from the music) has been so appealing for whites and why they rewrote a modern version of it in Miss Saigon.

Frankly, I'd like to see a "Madame Whitey." Asian man falls in love with WF, sees better looking AF, dumps WF, WF commits suicide. Of course, *everyone* would call it "unrealistic" because how could it possibly be that a AM can pull a WF and a AF be more attractive than a WF???
Asian Dominatrix Tuesday, January 22, 2002 at 09:59:36 (PST)

"As Asian American Male has noted here, it's quite telling that the AF is dumped for a WF, not a BF. It seems that the central focus for admiration in Hollywood (and some so-called independent filmmakers) is white."

Actually would have been nice if Wesley Snipes takes off after a black woman. Actually, the movie made a loss. BM going with WF does not sell...AF with WM sells only slightly better. That is why One night stand did not go anywhere and disappeared after about three weeks. If Snipes had run after a black woman, he would have attracted a huge black audience.

Another movie made by an Asian American producer was "White Man's burden" where the roles are reversed...whites live in ghetto and blacks own everything. It had an audience of two or three people in each theater around the country. The only thing that sells with whites being at the bottom and blacks being on top are novels written by crazy writers such as Terry Wakelin and Allan Aldiss in the UK...these guys live in their own world...or perhaps belong to the Nazi party to incite whites against minorities!
Asian American Male Monday, January 21, 2002 at 12:50:13 (PST)

me,

It's true Chris Tucker is smitten with ZZ in RH2, but you gotta admit there was Eric,

Im not talking about newscasters, there are plenty of Asian females as hosts of TV shows and covering the news.

How many times do I gotta say this, There are no asian females in starrring roles in hollywood, for whatever reason that maybe, I think some of it is an unconscience preference for having non Asian actors or actress since this is a majority white nation, that somehow Asian actors and actresses, aren't "bankable", they would probably more bankable if they start writing better scripts for them. Lets face it, Chow Yun Fats Hollywood films, with the exception of Anna and the King are nowhere near as good as his Hong Kong films, because even though director John Woo had intense action scenes in his movies, he didnt neglect the characters, and the screenwriting in his movies, and the acting in them was top notch also. Hollywood sees a HK action film and the can imitate the style, but not the substance.

Hollywood is also very condescending towards established Asian superstars and doesnt know how to handle their lack of ego. Chow Yun-Fat is a major superstar in Hong Kong and John Woo is like Spielberg to the Chinese people and when he gets here is treated like he never directed a movie before and he ever had re-written a script for MI:2, but it was rejected and instead chose the rewrite of some Hollywood screen writers instead. For heaven's sake this man rewrote the screenplay for FACE/OFF and humanized it and added some melodrama, which i am sure wasnt there. I have read that Chow Yun Fat
was helping the film crew set up some equipment and the director Antoine Fuqua yelled at him and told him to stop, I guess he is supposed to have a big ego and a condescending "Im a handsome movie star I dont wanna get myself dirty,that is work for you little people to do." This man is the biggest star in HK yet he goes to the market and rides the subway like everyone else. I had also read of an account where Tony Leung was filming "The Treatment" and one reported observed that it was so odd of a star of his stature to be waiting on tables and filling everyone's water glasses, bet Tom Cruise or Ben Affleck would do that.

So what if Chris Tucker is saying stuff like "you smell good" and crap like about Zhang Ziyi, white males say stuff like that about Chinese people calling them chinks and gooks, yet will see a beautiful Asian lady and lust after them. They still have a prejudice attitude and they will want to screw an Asian woman, but when all is said and done they will still call the males or the less non atractive Asians gooks and chinks, because they cant have sex with them. Just because Asian women ca Look at the other comments Tucker made about Asians "y'all look alike" and other crap like that and that is a prime example of what i mentioned above. I dont think its positive now its hip to Asian women "sex dolls" because they a "hip" person like Chris Tucker does so in a Hollywood film.

Because of this "china doll" stereotype Hollywood has im telling you this is what most white males think of Asian women, trust I know because I used to think it too and thats how my friends talk about them.

Hollywood still has a long way to go for Asian, but Eric, I agree that the only to remedy this is for Asians in Hollywood to work hard and fight the stereotypes.

chowyunpat chowyunpat@aol.com Monday, January 21, 2002 at 09:14:45 (PST)

Asian Dominatrix,

Your right I was thinking of some other story. But just like the other story I was thinking about it is written at the turn of the 20th century (1904?). It's a whole different world back then. I mean everyone is a sterotype in a opera and broadway show. It the only way to get the point across through all that singing.

As for One Night Stand. The emphasis of the movie was that the attractions was due to common interest of each other spouses that forces the divorse and remarriage of the two couples. The fact they were of different races was a secondary fact. Reminds me of a Japanese show of with the same story line.

Couple 1
Snipes - intellectual architect
Ming Na - Corporate executive

Couple 2
WF- Aerospace engineer
WM - Sucessful Real Estate agent

So the nerds decide to be unfaithful and pair up; and so do the yuppies.

What wasn't shown in the movie was that as Snipes and the WF were in the process of seducing each other. The same was going on with their spouse. This all comes out in the end.

But you are right this is the 21st century in the USA we should have some better asian screenwriters
AC dropout Sunday, January 20, 2002 at 13:56:57 (PST)

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