<p>Any guy that tries to buy a girl's affections with ridiculous gifts (i.e. Rolexes) isn't going anywhere, regardless of his race. And Asian guys are usually stereotyped as being cheap, no? Not like it matters, since it's not as if racial stereotypes have much truth anyway. Is it any surprise that they're so inconsistent as well?</p>
<p>Justin Lin not only forced the writers to flesh out the character of Sung Kang more, but he also got the studio to concede the possibility of race-blind casting. That is, if Lin could find an Asian actor who was right for the part, then they'd have to cast him. Ultimately, everybody agreed that Lucas Black was the right guy for the part. But that just goes to show how much change is possible if there are people who are genuinely concerned in eliminating racist portrayals in power.</p>
<p>Main problem in entertainment is that minorities are only given niche roles, that is, roles that a White person couldn't possibly play. Black actors are usually only cast in roles that would be ridiculous (at least in the eyes of Hollywood) for a White actor to play: South Central L.A. resident, Ugandan dictator, Ray Charles, rap mogul, superstar athlete, crack-dealing murderer, jive-talking womanizer, etc. If race does not play a pivotal part in the character's persona, then it's automatically designated as a White role. In fact, there's a whole series of literary criticisms about the fact that if the protagonist of a story is not a middle-class (or above) White male, then there always has to be a good reason for this deviation from the default hero. If it's a woman, then it has to all be about feminism, or if it's a poor person, it has to all be about "the struggle". In contrast, a well-to-do White male hero can do anything and everything. In other words, he's the only one allowed to be three-dimensional and human.</p>
<p>The only Black actor that I can think of who gets regularly casted in race-blind roles is Will Smith, and that was only after he had to prove himself with 5 blockbusters or something. Meanwhile, losers who can't act for **** like Colin Farrell regularly headline big projects.</p>
<p>Anyway, in a romantic sense as seen by Hollywood, Asian men have no niche of their own. At their best (meaning Americanized, well-mannered, respectful, handsome, etc.), Asian men are just like White men. At their worst, Asian men are just short dorks with buck teeth who are either asexual or twisted perverts, and not desirable in any sense. On the other hand, Black and Latino men do have niches of their own, which is that of more masculine and aggressive, albeit more stupid, wooers. Yet in the end, the ideal mate is always shown to be a nice White man. </p>
<p>So if Asian men are essentially competing for the same women as White men, why the hell would White writers let them win? For all of the so-called charms of the Black and Latino men, they're not exactly fighting over the same prey. The Blacks and Latinos are firmly entrenched in their doo-rag wearing, hip-hop listening, shizzle-nizzle talking ghettos, and if there are women who are into that, then let them go. But Asians are "White" in the sense that they generally go to college and aspire to become professionals. In a zero-sum game of sex, an Asian gain would directly result in a White loss, and vice versa, so there is just no room for these Asian invaders. It's not a completely baffling logic, though I'm not trying to pardon it. Why should White men willingly allow another group to fight for the same type of women? White men already hate other White men that they have to compete with: the last thing they need is a billion-plus competitors from around the world. </p>
<p>Case in point: Ever hear any women say that they want guys from Japan, Korea, or China? All the time, you'll hear (to my ceaseless annoyance) about how British, Italian, Spanish, or any European (except maybe some seedy former Bloc countries) guys are soooooo dreamy and how it's their dream to marry one. But with Asian-Asian guys, they have to completely Americanize before they're even to be considered. A European FOB is completely charming, but an Asian one is repulsive. And by the time these Asians Americanize and get rid of everything non-physical that makes them different, they'll be in full competition with the rest of the White American male populace.</p>
<p>But for all the complaints, most of the blame has to rest on the individuals themselves. The media does play an important role in shaping first impressions, but first impressions quickly give away to acquaintances and friendships and romances, and the media can't control all that. If you feel like you're being shortchanged SOLELY due to the fact that you're Asian (and not that you're ugly, shy, racially cliquey, etc.), chances are that there is some other issue that's more important than just your race. If you want it to be, then your race will become a problem, but if you can learn to be yourself first and your ethnicity second, then you're on the right track.</p>
