01.25.08
Is subtle racism more effective, we’d like you to weigh in
FIRST, A COUPLE EXAMPLES
In the 2006 remake of “The Pink Panther”, Kevin Kline plays a detective who, upon learning that a suspect in a high profile murder case may have been Chinese, states something to the effect of: “go to China and round up and question every Chinaman there.”
Understand:
- It’s a lighthearted comedy
- It’s not meant to be taken seriously
- It was designed to make the detective (Kline) look moronic
- It was an isolated incident (within that particular movie)
Do the points above make you feel any better about it?
In Rush Hour 3, a conversation between Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan goes something like:
Tucker: “I’m half Chinese.”
Chan: “YOU’RE half Chinese?”
<Tucker then looks down at his crotch>
Tucker: “From the waist up”
Why a martial artist would let some clown disrespect him throughout 3 consecutive films is another topic altogether.
Understand:
- It’s a lighthearted comedy
- It’s not meant to be taken seriously
- The topic wasn’t a focal point of the film
- Interracial jokes are an integral part of the Rush hour series
Again, do the points above make you feel any better about it?
AGREE OR DISAGREE?
When a blatant racist attack is launched (E.G. Sarah Silverman/Conan O’Brian, O’Shea Jackson (aka “Ice Cube”), Eddie Murphy, The Bloodhound Gang, et al) there is an obvious argument against it and a reason (for those who have a sack) to stand up to it.
However, when the degradation is subtle and in passing (as in the aforementioned examples), it is as effective (if not more so), yet more difficult to defend against as there is less proverbial meat to grab a hold of.
ARE APA FILMS OVERLY PASSIVE?
With all this Asian stereotyping, racism, etc. in the media, an APA rapper or film really has “carte blanche” to produce “no holds barred” recordings/films.
Where David Chang (creator of Ghettopoly) made his mistake was using a different medium. In other words, he couldn’t use the “defense” that “other board games degrade Asians”.
But since nothing’s been off limits against APAs (our culture, our physical features, our language, our names, our countries of origin, etc.) in film or music, shouldn’t we be justified in “returning the favor”?
187bych said,
January 25, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Guess who the dehumanized baddies are in the new Rambo movie, In Your Blood, are?
John Smith said,
January 27, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I’m surprised that you didn’t pick up on the Rush Hour movies sooner. Tucker’s abuse of Chan is nonstop and again proves what we’ve been noticing. The onslaught of PC speech control w/ regard to race is not applicable to Asians, they are fair game for jokes.
Quan Tranh said,
January 27, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Nothing to see here folks. The writers get paid to make this stuff up. Chan and Tucker get paid to act. I don’t see anyone coming down on Chan for **accepting the role** in the Rush Hour films. In addition, Tucker was not abusing Chan. The script was abusing his character. These guys get paid to do what the writers create. Free market at work. If Chan really believed that the he was causing harm, then he wouldn’t have accepted the pay check. There is a definite boundary between fiction and real life. If you can’t separate the two you really need to work on your perception of reality, and for the sake of the rest of us, don’t watch any Friday the 13th movies.
filipinopalomino said,
January 30, 2008 at 3:41 am
whoa Quan… did you say the WRITERS are to blame?
If that’s the case, I hope those writers starve to death.
JustAGal said,
April 9, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Sometimes I wonder if Chan even understands half of what tucker has said to him. I honestly think the subtleties of the barbs have completely gone over his head. Chang is not Chinese american. He doesn’t live in this country and learning english isn’t a top priority to him. He doesn’t even like making movies like Rush Hour. Maybe he signed on due to contractual obligations or other pressures. Maybe it’s the only way he can break into the American market.
Either way, i’m glad I didn’t watch rush hour 3. Chris tucker is not my fav actor because his voice grates on my nerves.