Hollywood fails ethnic realism test

Hollywood fails ethnic realism test

Margaret Tran
May 23, 2008

As an Australian-born Asian I am well-versed on the Asian stereotypes that plague the Western film industry. The nerdy Asian guy, the exotic dragon lady, the perpetual foreigner type - the list goes on. Racial caricatures often have little if any basis in truth, but their impact continues to permeate society.

When I heard that Ben Mezrich’s book Bringing Down The House was being made into a film I was stoked. Here was a story with the potential to be a positive step against typecasting Asians in film. The book tells the true story of how six MIT students, mainly Asian-Americans, perfected a card-counting tactic and reaped millions of dollars from several Las Vegas casinos. The film adaptation, 21, was picked up by Sony Pictures and the Australian director Robert Luketic.

The ethnicity of the main players of the team was crucial to the story. In his book, Mezrich explicitly states that a Caucasian guy walking into a casino with huge sums of money would be more conspicuous than a non-Caucasian doing the same thing - “A geeky Asian kid with $100,000 in his wallet didn’t raise any eyebrows.”

In the film the lead roles were given to white actors. The role of Jill Taylor, based on Jane Willis (who told The Boston Globe the team was mostly Asian and male), was elevated to a leading role, despite being a minor member of the original team. The up-and-coming British actor Jim Sturgess was cast as the team leader, Ben Campbell, who was named Kevin Lewis in the book. Sturgess required coaching to perfect an American accent. In reality Lewis was Jeff Ma, an Asian-American Massachusetts Institute of Technology student who, with his Asian-American friends Mike Aponte and John Chang, took on the casinos.

In response to the casting, Mezrich said that even as Asian actors were entering more mainstream films, such as Better Luck Tomorrow and Memoirs of a Geisha, stereotypes of Asians still existed. Numerous internet forums erupted over what many deemed a “whitewashing” of an Asian-American story.

Amid the controversy the Asian-American actors Aaron Yoo and Lisa Lapira were cast as secondary characters. This happened well into the production schedule, possibly to throw token Asians into the mix. Their characters were nothing more than kleptomaniacs.

Film is a powerfully persuasive medium. By saying something is “based on a true story”, factual evidence is immediately implied. Unfortunately, Hollywood films are based on how marketable - and ultimately how much money can be made - from the story and the actors. To this end the industry dictates when and how ethnic actors can make it in the mostly white middle-class bubble that is the film industry. In the event that they do, ethnic actors are reduced to stereotypes.

More and more non-Caucasian actors - in this case Asians - are being cast in roles that leave little room to diversify.

Arguments pointing to the casting of apparently minority actors such as Will Smith in I Am Legend or John Cho and Kal Penn in Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle are unconvincing. These films did not depend on the role of ethnicity to drive the story. They were successful because their stories appealed to a general audience even though their leads happened to be non-white.

The core of Bringing Down The House was based on the group’s ability to use society’s perception of them to their advantage. By changing the part-Asian characters - Kevin Lewis and Mickey Rosa - into white Americans, the point of the story is contradicted.

Such a decision has significant implications for the portrayals of Asians in the film and media industry. An opportunity to show assertive, intelligent and real Asian-American characters to a mainstream audience was lost.

The studio’s decision to change the characters’ ethnicities is a glaring insight into the Hollywood of the 21st century. Despite the casting of Aaron Yoo in the film, some argue that producers were merely looking for the best actor for the role, or that there were no Asian-American actors good or profitable enough to carry the film.

It is a disturbing assessment of society, as similar financial reasoning is often applied to justify everyday gender and racial discrimination in the workforce.

The cultural myopia of Hollywood continues to ignore the multicultural melting pot that makes up many Western nations. It appears an Asian lead is just not Western enough for a Hollywood film.

Margaret Tran is a freelance writer.

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/22/1211182996664.html

Japanophiles and their Uyouku masters are useful idiots indeed.

It looks like some Japanophiles and Uyouku posted my blog on a Japanese-language Korean BBS.  This would explain why I had almost 1,000 hits viewing my entries that are tagged under “korea”.  It’s funny because most of them were poking fun at StarCraft 2, Japanese government’s denial of comfort women, and some random tidbits about East Asian linguistics.

I’m glad I disappointed these clowns, but I do appreciate their stupidity in creating a spike in yesterday’s web traffic.  This way enough people will stumble upon the China earthquake relief posts.

~LiM

Korean nationalists and the Olympic Torch relay

Recently I learned Koreans made a very big deal of minor scuffles at the Seoul torch relay. According to the BBC, several pro-Tibetan or anti-Chinese protesters had tried to jump the Olympic torchrunners at various points in Seoul. At the same time, dozens of ethnic Chinese or international students followed the torch as it made its way around Seoul.

Eventually there were some scuffles between the Chinese students and the pro-Tibetan and anti-Chinese protesters. For some reason, the Seoul riot police were not able to contain them and were overpowered according to Korean youtube videos. Furthermore, the Korean bloggers claim the Chinese embassy in Seoul encouraged Chinese people to gather around the torch relay and to defend the torch.

I really like how Korean nationalists often make things up just for the sake of trying to win an argument or undeserved sympathy. Sure I felt bad for those pro-Tibet protesters who got roughed up by the Chinese protesters, yet I am shocked how the Seoul riot police, which has much experience in putting down riots that numbered in the tens of thousands, can’t put down a group of Chinese kids that numbered at 6,500 (if the Korean nationalists are correct).

At the same time, it’s also great how they jump to conclusions and generalise all Chinese people as backward barbarians or violence-prone. It’s ironic because these are the same arguments used by Japanophiles and Japanese nationalists to bash Koreans. Besides, people are people and this means Koreans are no more special than Americans, Chinese, Mexicans or even Japanese (GASP!).

So anyway, I recently got into an argument over a Korean nationalist’s superficial conclusions on the Seoul relay. First I said Sinophobia will become quite popular after the Beijing Olympics based on my observations to which she replies should be encouraged. After I pointed out Sinophobia is a fancy word for anti-Chinese sentiment, she backtracked and ranted about how Chinese people need to apologise for their savagery in the Seoul torch relay.

Later the argument involved technicalities. She claims I still supported the Chinese protesters despite condemning violence in general and supporting the Seoul police’s right to arrest them for breaking local laws. For some reason, she claimed that Koreans are all well-behaved and nice people until I pointed out how they trashed the Swiss embassy when they eliminated the ROK in the 2006 World Cup. She countered with technicalities in that they only trashed a building while Chinese people beat up Koreans.

Anyway, she took pride in how she cut of all of her Chinese friends because they disagreed with her on this Seoul torch scuffle, which is just petty and sad. At the end of the argument, she repeatedly made ad hominem attacks and petty remarks that give me the impression that she and other Korean nationalists actually believe they are a chosen people. As such they act with a false sense of entitlement whenever something bad happens to Koreans regardless of the insignificance of such events in the short and long-term.

It’s no wonder why Asianphiles would eventually develop negative attitudes towards Koreans and create such sites like www.occidentalism.org…Korean nationalists promote negative Korean stereotypes and fuel anti-Korean sentiment around the world.

I actually appreciate the research done by the two actors for their Korean History Channel sketch even more after that discussion with that Korean nationalist

Friday Night Revelations from the Past

It was a good Friday night out watching Harold and Kumar 2, eating out in Koreatown and eventually going out for a night of karaoke again.

It has been said that things happen for a certain reason. Maybe that’s true or maybe not. Then again, what are the odds I would actually meet someone from my distant past in a place like New York City? A place with a population of over 20 million with hundreds of thousands if not millions of people traveling in and out of the city on an almost hourly basis.

The odds are incredibly low given that no other person besides me would have known the exact places, events, people and even streets from my so-called hometown. It’s a so-called hometown because I don’t identify with it in any way, shape or form even though I lived there for several years. If anyone asked in the past, I simply tell them my hometown is around Ontario and go out of my way to distance myself from French Canada.

It was interesting because the things that happened there really affected how I saw myself for several years. This is also one of the reasons why I am so interested in Asian-American issues and their goal to destroy all stereotypes associated with the White-imposed “Model Minority” view of Asians.

Whenever, I talk about my real background, people either tell me I need more “imagination”, claim I lifted my account from a disadvantaged minority (Black or Hispanic) or say I completely fabricated it. Then my so-called fellow “Model Minorities” often dismiss me as a reject because I completely deviated from their cookie-cutter Asian-American background.

I really don’t like talking about that aspect of my life. It’s unpleasant and really can bring the worst out of me. Yet, it is a crude reminder on why I am still here and moving along. It also a reason why I had to purge myself of my knowledge of the French language, abandon my Catholic upbringing from the missionaries who regularly visited the Quebecois schools (I gradually lost faith in God from my time in America), and why I went out of my way to changing myself.

I think the person I met may have been in my kindergarten class back in the day if I think she is who I think she is. I know the story was a bit outrageous at first and there was a need to find my grade school pictures on facebook, which was on record. She found me and a flood of emotions and memories started coming again. People I knew back then seemed to have turned out fine based on their present-day pictures on facebook.

The nice girl I knew still looked the same and a bit older. The asshole I knew from the past still looked like an asshole and a wannabe Eurotrash while the shy girl looked friendlier. The red-haired girl also turned out ok and I think she was the only Anglophone in that class I actually talked to. This may explain why certain names and personalities seemed to resonate when I was in America. It must be from some residual memories that still lingered from all these years.

Facebook can be interesting and some must be surprised that I was tagged on the old pictures and the girl who posted them must be wondering who the hell I am since I never went by my current name in the past. I essentially disappeared after first grade and no one from that school would have heard from me ever since. It wasn’t so much the discrimination though that actually worsened after I transferred from the Canadian school to the Quebecois school, but the fact I was living in a very broken home.

This was the reason why I was such a jerk to the girls. Chucking snowballs, pranks and assorted antics on the girls and being picked on by most of the French kids at that time. The then-father didn’t care since he just dismissed me as the person who started the fights and told the administration not to bother if anything happened to me. Failed nearly every exam and rarely got any real work done, which meant I learned nothing at that time.

Well, they can be assured that I am still living and breathing and still sane despite living in America for nearly a decade. They should know I did not drop out of high school, get hooked on drugs or alcohol and did not get some girl pregnant, or involved in organised crime (or worse). They can know that I did graduate from both high school and college with scholarships, lived in a stable home for the most part, and better off than before. Most of all, I am more content with my life that I was in years.

I honestly believe the school administration failed to intervene since they just dismissed the problem as just a difference in culture or they just didn’t have the means to deal with it at the time. The fact that nearly every organized institution from the public or the family unit has failed me in my life is one reason why I am so distrustful of institutions and more individualistic than others.

It was suggested that I talk about these things on a blog or something along those lines. There was a time when I did this during my college days, and the things I wrote were used against me by my then-friends, people professing to be pious Christians and immature girls. People used it to put me down or used the information to harm me for their own benefit.

So I will not go in depth on myself and I rather talk in person with people I trust or like for now. I think this will be enough for tonight and I look forward to a pleasant and warm Sunday.

Free Tibet…From Retarded Protesters

1. Free Tibet… from the education system, healthcare system, and flourishing infrastructure that China introduced?

2. Free Tibet… from the secular government that abolished Tibet’s traditional feudal theocracy?

3. Free Tibet… from the roughly 2.5 billion dollars that China pumps into Tibet each year to build its infrastructure and fund its government expenditures?

4. Free Tibet… from taxes? What taxes? There are no taxes! The Chinese government pours its own money into assisting and improving Tibet without even levying taxes in return.

5. Free Tibet… by charging and assaulting a disabled Olympic torch bearer and attempting to wrestle the Olympic torch from her?

6. Free Tibet… by trampling on the rights of athletes, organizers, volunteers, and everyone who put so much work into the 2008 Olympics to enjoy the fruits of their labor?

7. Free Tibet… by vocally and violently sowing the seeds of dissent and division at a venue that is supposed to promote unity?

8. Free Tibet… by pulling publicity stunts that agitate the Chinese government, anger the Chinese people, and thus cause those currently governing Tibet to resent Tibet even more?

9. Free Tibet… by wildly waving around the flag of Tibet like a handkerchief of Eurocentric righteousness (by the way, those flags are probably made in China so you’re actually supporting the Chinese government)?

10. Free Tibet… by inappropriately and unabashedly using the Olympic Games as a bulletin board for sensationalist “FREE [insert word here]” slogans?

Come on, at least bother to look up Tibet on Wikipedia before running your mouth about “freeing” Tibet. The idea of “freeing” Tibet so it can return to its feudal (5% aristocracy, 95% slaves / serfs) theocracy (ruled by the Dalai Lama and monks) in the name of democracy and human rights tickles me.

The idea of promoting “human rights” by disrespecting the rights of athletes, organizers, volunteers, and everyone who worked so hard for the 2008 Olympic Games to enjoy the fruits of their labor reeks of hypocrisy.

Finally, and most importantly, the 2008 Beijing Olympics is a cultural event, not a political one, and in attacking it, you are not protesting a government, but disrespecting a people. In America, you have the freedom of speech, but I do not recall the freedom of stupidity.

I believe that China has made tremendous progress as a nation, in the world and in Tibet. I concede that it has its shortcomings, but in that sense, they are not so different from other world powers.

This whole China-Tibet / Beijing Olympics fiasco has placed unduly, undeservedly, and unnecessarily excessive negative attention on China. It does neither helps the Tibetans nor the Olympics, but unifies people against each other.

It is to my belief that their actions are both ineffective to the Tibetan cause and infuriating to the Chinese people. Their arguments only reflect their ignorance, gullibility, prejudice, hypocrisy, and sensationalism.

The China-Tibet issue is periphery; the protestor problem is secondary. The true and core issue at hand is ignorance.

A Poem Dedicated to the last 150 years of this planet.

By a Silent, Silent Chinese.

When we were called the Sick Man of Asia, we were the Yellow Peril.
When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are a threat.

When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to our markets.
When we embraced Free Trade, you blame us for taking away your jobs.

When we were falling apart, you marched in your troops and wanted your “fair share”.
When we were putting the broken pieces together again, “Free Tibet” you scream, “it was an invasion!”

So, we tried communism, you hated us for being communists
When we embraced capitalism, you hate us for being capitalists.

When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.
When we tried limiting our numbers, you said it is human rights abuse.

When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.
When we loan you cash, you blame us for your debts.

When we build our industries, you called us polluters.
When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.

When we buy oil, you call that exploitation and genocide.
When you fight for oil, you call that liberation and democracy.

When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you wanted rule of law for us.
When we uphold law and order against violence, you call that violating human rights.

When we were silent, you said you want us to have free speech.
When we were silent no more, you say we are brainwashed racists.

Why do you hate us so much? We asked.
“No,” you answered, “We don’t hate You.”

We don’t hate you either,
But do you understand us?

“Of course we do,” You said,
“We have NBC, CNN and BBCs…”

What do you really want from us?
Think hard first, then answer…

Because you only get so many chances,
Enough is enough, enough Hypocrisy for this one world.

We want one world, one dream, and peace on Earth.
This big blue Earth is big enough for all of Us.

The “Free Tibet” Protesters

Earlier today, some “Free Tibet” crowds and stereotypical Frenchmen decided to crash the apolitical Olympic torch relay. Many of them just protested and gave the torch runners a very hard time while a few were dumb enough to bring fire extinguishers to kill the Olympic flame.

That’s smart. Really, really smart guys. Even if you guys manage to extinguish the Olympic flame and brag all about it in the name of human rights or Tibet, nothing will change in Tibet before, during and after the fact. Actually the Olympic flame was extinguished three times during the Paris leg of the relay and they had to resort to secure backup flames to keep the momentum going.

In one instance, rioters ruthlessly attack a handicapped female torch bearer, who attempts to shield the torch with her body. This is simply disgusting, filthy, vile, and contemptible especially from the “Free Tibet” movement.

Was Tibet magically liberated as a result of these Olympic “riots” with monks, nuns, and nomads singing and dancing while clubbing random Han Chinese to death? I think not; but random Chinese people and private property are still being ravaged by pissed-off Tibetans.

It’s really one thing to protest at the Chinese government for mistreating them. I really have no objections to Tibetans doing a peaceful, non-violent protest targeted specifically at government buildings or uniformed officials. Hell, I would even back them or write to support the Tibetans if they actually went about their struggle in this manner.

But no, these kids just took the easy way out. First possibly at the covert approval of the Dalai Lama and the CIA, disgruntled Tibetans started first destroying businesses and private property in various cities, randomly attacked anyone who was either Chinese or did not “look” Tibetan, yet avoided confronting the government they so loathed. Seriously, this is just a cop out and a move to simply bait the Chinese government into a violent reaction, which worked to an extent.

Things got so bad that not even a sane Tibetan bothered to go out in the streets for fear of being randomly attacked, and some Tibetans went out of their way to put up white flags near their property to let others know they really are Tibetan (so they won’t get thrashed).

Ultimately, the people in France who wanted to see this rare relay missed out, and the “Free Tibet” activists claim another hollow victory. It’s a hollow victory because there are no immediate positive outcomes and no long-term benefits to Tibetans despite the empty claims of victory. It will only reaffirm the CCP’s need to take stronger measures against Tibetans and it may even generate disgust at their movement from non-Chinese.

When freaky-deaky equals hara-kiri

When freaky-deaky equals hara-kiri
By William Sparrow

BANGKOK - The Japanese population is believed to have peaked at about 127.5 million in 2005. Since then the figure has declined, with some estimates suggesting the population could shrink to 105 million by 2050. The drop is feared to have negative impacts on the nation’s labor force and grave social and economic consequences. Recent reports seem to indicate that the sexual proclivities of Japanese men are contributing adversely to the situation.

More and more men, reports maintain, are turning to masturbation and sex toys rather than to their female counterparts. And further exacerbating an already declining birthrate of 1.29 children per women found in a 2004 survey by The Daily Yomiuri, is the fact that some men are increasingly turning their backs on sex.

“Sex is just way too much trouble,” a 35-year-old Japanese man told Shukan Asahi this week, adding that ever since he used masturbation as a teenager, he’s never desired a woman again. “As long as I have a sex toy available, I don’t need women. I can’t come when I have sex, and you’ve got to put a lot of emotion into dealing with women. Self-pleasure is a hell of a lot less demanding than trying to please somebody else.”

Pornography, masturbation aids, Internet porn sites and social networks that lead to “virtual relationships”, soaplands and Japan’s widespread prostitution industry all allow men outlets for sexual fulfillment while not fulfilling other needs, such as procreation. The alarming trend has led medical experts in Japan to coin a new term for a condition they call “vaginal ejaculation dysfunctional disorder”.

“There has been a definite increase in the number of men showing signs of vaginal ejaculation dysfunction disorder, which includes such afflictions as premature and delayed ejaculation. There are physical reasons believed to be behind this, including prejudice against women, past trauma and overuse of masturbatory aids so that a vagina is unable to provide sufficient stimulation,” Dr Tsuneo Akaeda, head of the Akaeda Clinic in Tokyo’s Roppongi entertainment district, told Shukan Asahi.

“Some of the masturbation aids coming out nowadays are absolutely incredible. Guys become used to using these and there is no doubt that many men are unable to obtain the necessary satisfaction from a female vagina that they need to ejaculate.”

Meanwhile, Japan is quickly becoming the world’s oldest population. By 2025, 27.3%, or 33.2 million people, will be aged over 60, a study titled “The Illusion of Immigration Control” found.

Low birth rate coupled with the aforementioned sexual dysfunctions make the problems that Japan faces immediate and daunting.

“With Japan’s labor force expected to decrease by 10% in the next 25 years, the economic outlook is far from bright. In all likelihood, the domestic market will shrink, production will fall, the government’s revenue base will contract inexorably and it will struggle to meet welfare and medical payments for an increasing number of elderly as the dependency ratio (the number of workers supporting the elderly) will shift dramatically. In 1950, one elderly person was supported by 12 members of the working population, by 1990 it was 5.5 workers, and by 2020 it is estimated to be 2.3 workers. Naturally, the government is concerned about such a scenario,” Julian Chapple wrote in a 2005 study titled “The Dilemma Posed by Japan’s Population Decline”.

The government has put forward a number of proposals to reverse the trend. These have included the “Plus 1″ (indicating the increase the government hopes to see to the birthrate), softening of immigration laws, child care initiatives, subsidies to parents for medical care and child care and working with Japanese employers to allow more “flex” time for parents. While the government has given the situation the appropriate attention, so far most of the initiatives have made little change and failed to stem the decline.

Japan, like many societies, can at times struggle with open communication and education about sex. So, perhaps the answer is being overlooked: encourage more sex between partners and husbands and wives through better communication and education.

William Sparrow has been an occasional contributor to Asia Times Online and now joins Asia Times Online with a weekly column. Sparrow is editor in chief of Asian Sex Gazette and has reported on sex in Asia for over five years. To contact him send question or comments to Letters@atimes.com.

North Korea detains Russian ship

North Korea detains Russian ship
A Russian cargo ship has been detained and boarded by armed coastguard agents in North Korean waters, Russian maritime officials say.

The Lida Demesh, carrying a consignment of cars from Japan, was heading for the Russian port of Vladivostok when it was stopped by patrol near Cape Musudan.

No reason was given for the search, but Russian sources said the ship may have gone too close to a missile test site.

A similar incident in 2005 took 15 days to resolve through diplomatic channels.

The ship had sought shelter from a storm in North Korean territorial waters.

Strong winds

On Saturday, an official at Vladivostok’s maritime rescue centre, Vladimir Yeroshkin, said the Lida Demesh had been detained and boarded by the North Korean coastguard about 3-5 nautical miles (5.5km) from Cape Musudan.

“An armed group boarded the ship and ordered the captain to change course and go to a North Korean port [Chongjin],” he told the Russian NTV network.

Mr Yeroshkin said the centre had been told the ship’s 25 crew-members were fine and that there had been no threat to their lives.

North Korean officials in Russia said they were not aware of the reasons for the detention, but Mr Yeroshkin said strong winds might have accidentally forced the vessel into North Korean territorial waters.

“The forecast for our region is a N-NW wind, 15-18 metres per second,” he said.

“This is a small two-hold ship. It is quite possible that weather conditions forced it to move closer to the coast.”

Most countries claim an area extending 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from their coast as territorial waters.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7260534.stm

Published: 2008/02/23 14:02:38 GMT

Why are the North Koreans dumb enough to mess with the Russians?

Ron Paul was Right.

Save the Date for the Ron Paul for Congress April Fools Money Bomb!