04.29.07
Press Release: CONGRESSMAN MIKE HONDA EXPRESSES OUTRAGE OVER 92.3 FREE FM RACIST AND SEXIST RADIO SEGMENT
For Immediate Release
Contact: Gloria Chan: 202.226.9707
gloria.chan@mail.house.gov
April 27, 2007
92.3 FREE FM RACIST AND SEXIST RADIO SEGMENT
Washington, DC – Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), issued the following statement today regarding a recent segment of CBS Radio’s “The Dog House with JV & Elvis,” that involved a prank call to a Chinese restaurant:
“The prank call made by radio personalities JV and Elvis to a Chinese restaurant perpetuated dangerous sexualized racist stereotypes about Asian Americans and showed insensitivity to the immigrant experience. In the segment, the caller, with a computerized voice, asked the restaurant’s female employee, ‘Should I come to your restaurant so that I can see you naked? . . . That way, I can see your hot Asian spicy *ss.’ He told another employee, ‘I need shrimp flied lice’ and ’some old dung.’ The caller said to this male employee, ‘Chinese man, tell me about your tiny egg roll . . . your tiny egg roll in your pants.’ The radio hosts ended the call with: ‘Tell the hot Asian girl that answered the telephone, I would like to tap her *ss.’
“The segment first aired on April 5 – only one day after Don Imus referred to the Scarlet Knights, the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, as ‘nappy-headed hos.’ What is outrageous is that after CBS rightly fired Don Imus on April 12, the segment was aired again on April 19.
“Currently CBS Radio’s sanction, suspension of the radio co-hosts, is a mere slap on the wrist. Mainstream networks should understand the wide influence they wield, and take responsibility to combat rather than perpetuate racial and sexual stereotypes. I call for an apology by CBS and CBS Radio and the immediate firing of JV and Elvis and the show’s producer.”
# # #
JimmyConnors! said,
April 29, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Mike honda? ewwwwww. Quit piggybacking and overblowing this story you stupid politicans. This behavior shown by the DJ’s is not dangerous, its hilarious
G.S. said,
April 30, 2007 at 4:48 am
I know all the people they get to back them all have their own agenda’s… I love how all the blogs online are written by Minorities and support Jv and Elvis..
John Edwards and Mr. Honda just want a few extra votes… I mean they are just stupid left wing idiots.
To bad no one cares about you Mr. Honda, and even with this exposure you will still be a nobody.
G.S. said,
April 30, 2007 at 4:50 am
oh wait he is from California…that explains everything, you cant even yell at someone their anymore without them suing you for emotional and physical damage. Such a nanny state.
BenBenXiong said,
May 1, 2007 at 6:11 pm
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: Robert
Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 12:13 AM
Subject: Albert Wang on CBS Radio “Chinese Food” prank call - EDWARDS STATEMENT ON DEROGATORY RADIO SKIT BY WFNY RADIO HOSTS.pdf
This should NOT be a political event, and should NOT be used by presidential candidates to try to curry favor.
As an Asian American, I believe that Senator John Edwards should not inject himself, “paid for by John Edwards for President,” into this controversy. It is my sincere hope that other aspiring presidential candidates not take side on this matter.
This is not a political issue. This is a legal issue, and politics has no role in resolving this issue. I had no intention of prompting anyone to make this into a political debate when I decided to contact CBS on Saturday morning (April 21, 2007) regarding the Dog House’s “Chinese Food” prank call incident as reported in Ming Pao Daily, a Chinese newspaper. (See attached.)
The real issue is: Given the Freedom of Speech guaranteed by our Constitution, to what extent can the Federal Communications Commission regulate the broadcast of INDECENT material?
In order to participate in this debate, you should become familiar with the definition of “INDECENCY” according to the Pacifica Foundation case decided by the United States Supreme Court in 1978. A presidential candidate simply does not have the authority to compel the U.S. Supreme Court reverse its own decision in Pacifica and change the definition of “Indecency”. Even if the candidate becomes the next President, he still has no authority over the U.S. Supreme Court, nor should he attempts to do so. For our government to function properly, there should be checks and balances among the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.
You might want to get a copy of FCC Indecency Policy Statement, and study the “Candy Wrapper” Song incident, in which the FCC took regulatory sanctions against a San Diego radio station.
Please talk to legal scholars and hopefully they will not contradict my analysis. I am a lawyer, but not a civil rights lawyer.
We need justice. Justice should be impartial. Politics has no role in this matter.
Albert Wang
The lawyer who got some impartial justice for the First Baby of the Year.
from San Diego, California
BenBenXiong said,
May 1, 2007 at 6:11 pm
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: Albert Wang ; tchiusano@cbs.com ; Vicki Shu ; Yudkin, Greg ; Leo Y Lee ; Jerry Cheng ; LizOuYang@aol.com ; john.mainelli@cbsradio.com ; karen.mateo@cbsradio.com
Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: NY Area OCA Chapters Outraged by 92.3FreeFM — Station owned by CBS
Correction -
It would be a more productive use of our time to work together, instead of coercing CBS to terminate two of its employees - which is definitely NOT the end result I intended when I brought up this issue last Saturday.
My Position - We should defer to CBS’ decision, since CBS is a reputable company and has acted responsibly on Monday, and is in a much better position to do internal factfinding. Let’s not act out of emotions, and let’s be impartial, reasonable and courteous with each other. As an individual, I am not taking any side, but will remain independent and impartial, and hopefully inject some reasonableness and friendliness into this conversation.
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: tchiusano@cbs.com ; Vicki Shu ; Yudkin, Greg ; Leo Y Lee ; Jerry Cheng ; LizOuYang@aol.com ; john.mainelli@cbsradio.com ; karen.mateo@cbsradio.com
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 7:05 PM
Subject: Re: NY Area OCA Chapters Outraged by 92.3FreeFM — Station owned by CBS
TO ERR IS HUMAN.
TO FORGIVE, DIVINE.
It is time to work together with CBS and move forward.
According to CBS’s website (see attached), the effort and commitment that CBS places in areas like community outreach, public service announcements, responsible programming and diversity are initiatives that CBS takes very seriously at CBS Corporation – they are the core of what it means to be a public trust.
All of us should give CBS the opportunity to show that it takes very seriously the responsibility that comes in being a global mass media company.
Let’s work with CBS and help CBS to strengthen its community outreach to Asian American communities and take Asian Americans into proper consideration as CBS continues to promote diversity within CBS companies.
It would be a more productive use of our time to work together, instead of coercing CBS to terminate two of its employees - which is definitely the end result I intended when I brought up this issue last Saturday.
P.S. If you have time, please take a look at the 100+ page Social Responsibility Report on its corporate website. http://www.cbscorporation.com/our_company/corporate/responsibility/index.php. I read part of it, and believe that we should work with CBS constructively instead of destructively continuing this fight.
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: tchiusano@cbs.com
Cc: Maggie Zeng
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 8:18 AM
Subject: Fw: NY Area OCA Chapters Outraged by 92.3FreeFM — Station owned by CBS
When you make a mistake, the right thing to do is to apologize. To err is human. To ask for forgiveness, divine.
BenBenXiong said,
May 1, 2007 at 6:12 pm
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: Vicki Shu
Cc:
Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 5:42 PM
Subject: Albert Wang’s position re CBS Radio: Please DO NOT fire Dog House’s hosts
Albert Wang’s position re CBS Radio: Please DO NOT fire Dog House’s hosts
As the first reader of Ming Pao Daily News who brought the “Chinese Food” prank call incident to the attention of OCA-NY, and as the first concerned citizen who brought Ming Pao’s news articles to the attention of CBS Radio and engendered the current controversy, I believe that I also have a social responsibility to try to inject some reason and attempt to quickly end this controversy with a “win-win” proposal.
We should not rectify a mistake by creating another mistake. Based on my personal personal observations in the past week, and after reviewing CBS’s most recent annual Social Responsibility Report and CBS’ statement of Business Conduct, I believe that we should defer to CBS’ internal decision on what disciplinary sanction the Dog House hosts should accept.
It appears to me that CBS, in good faith, has promptly taken remedial actions against the Dog House hosts, and is probably in the middle of completing its internal investigation. CBS appears to be a socially responsible company and is proactively rectifying this careless (but not harmless) mistake. Therefore, it is inappropriate to use or racial or political pressure to coerce CBS into terminating the employment of the Dog House hosts, if such termination would be effected without cause.
I believe in the Freedom of Speech guaranteed under our Constitution. Dog House hosts are free to say anything that do not constitute defamation, extortion or other torts. CBS Radio, as their employer, is responsible for editing the content of Dog House talk shows before their broadcast. What happened might be merely and unintended “glitch” in CBS Radio’s quality control system.
Our collective focus should be how all of us can work constructively to reduce such “glitches” and prevent future harms to Asian Americans, Hispanics, Blacks, gays and lesbians and other minority groups. Firing the Dog House hosts is not the optimal solution. Moreover, such termination might have the adverse effect of creating more divisiveness in our American society.
As an aspiring seeker of TRUTH, LIBERTY and JUSTICE, I feel compelled to ask everyone concerned to be reasonable and rational, focus on our commonalities, and work together for a better tomorrow.
Last Saturday, I brought this incident to CBS’ and OCA-NY’s attention, because I sincerely hoped to correct an injustice. Let’s not create another injustice by summarily terminating the Dog House hosts without cause.
Let’s keep our sense of humor, and play some healthy jokes on each other.
Albert Wang,
The lawyer who got some impartial justice for the First Baby of the Year.
BenBenXiong said,
May 1, 2007 at 6:12 pm
—– Original Message —–
From: Albert Wang
To: albertwang221@hotmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2007 6:30 AM
Subject: Fwd: Radio ’shock jocks’ make waves - Controversial hosts fired after national response - By: Elyssa Thome
Albert Wang’s suggestions:
1. Federal Communications Commission has the regulatory authority to investigate CBS RADIO to make a determination of whether the BROADCAST and the REBROADCAST of Dog House’s “Chinese Food” prank call violated INDECENCY regulations. FCC should make the determination of whether CBS RADIO should be sanctioned, e.g., $10,000 for the BROADCAST and $15,000 for the REBROADCAST. If you are upset by the “Chinese Food” prank call, contact the FCC by sending an e-mail to fccinfo@fcc.gov. Ask FCC to protect children from unwanted INDECENT, OBSCENE, PROFANE, and, yes, also VIOLENT, material involuntarily transmitted by TV stations and Radio Stations into our homes, especially during daytime (6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.). We also have the right to privacy in our own homes.
2. DOG HOUSE hosts should NOT be fired without cause. Don’t bark at the wrong tree. Do you want to go to a comedy show where the comedian is focusing on compliance with each and every imaginable federal, state, local and judge-made law and regulations? Let’s give comedians some artistic licence, and allow them to be funny. If CBS Radio is pressured into firing Dog House hosts without cause, more than 90% of Americans, including myself, would believe that another injustice has been created . We should not commit an INJUSTICE in response to a prior INJUSTICE. Let’s be FORGIVING, and not REVENGEFUL.
3. Let’s reaffirm our LOYALTY to the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. Let’s reaffirm FREEDOM OF SPEECH under the FIRST AMENDMENT. Let me be blunt: I am ethnic Chinese and a naturalized American citizen, and came here and choose to live here because I like it here and respects our LEGAL SYSTEM. If you don’t like our CONSTITUTION and have no respect for our LEGA SYSTEM, you can vote in the next election and try to make a difference through the electoral process, petition your Senators, House Representatives, State Assemblymen or Assemblywomen, City Councilmen or Councilwomen, or, if nothing works through the LEGAL PROCESS, you can exercise your CONSTITUTIONAL right to travel by moving to Canada, Mexico, Cuba, China or any other country of your choice.
WE CHOSE AMERICA. LET’S BE AMERICAN. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Albert Wang………..a Romantic Realist
aspiring to be a valiant seeker of TRUTH, LIBERTY and JUSTICE
(a/k/a the lawyer who got some impartial justice for the First Baby of the Year)
p.s. If you like what I just said, or if you are upset by what I just said, before you make any comment, or criticism, educate yourself on these “Freedom Of Speech?,” “Indecency?” “Social Responsibility?” “Racism?” issues instead of making a lot of irrelevant and/or irreverent “Ben Ben” noises. Get educated first. If you like to get educated by me, go to my Blog, “BenBenXiong” ( i.e., “Stupid Foolish Bear”) at Wenxuecity.com.
P.P.S. I am not the BenBen one, i.e., I am neither Stupid or Foolish. Draw your own conclusion as to whether anyone is Stupid or Foolish.