Lack of Asian-American representation in the media? Stop whining.

College Confidential Community
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<p>This thread is in response to the comical Disney Channel thread. I started a new thread because I thought it was important for people to understand WHY there is a lack of representation for us Asian-Americans in the first place. Prepkid, you can't seriously be blaming the Disney Channel for this, now can you? I mean, these shows represent Asians based on ignorance. It's not purposely meant to be offensive or racial; the media just doesn't know any better. AND IT IS OUR FAULT that Asians are portrayed the way they are. Here's something I came across:</p>

<p>
[quote]
What is wrong with us Asians? Can't just SOME of us deal with a little financial hardship for the greater good of Asian representation in the arts here in America? Must everyone toss their dreams out the window for a steady income? Everyone bemoans the fact that there is not enough Asian representation in media. I mean everyone. But so very few actually step out and take a shot at the problem, then after a couple of years (if that) of struggling, most give up and go back to investment banking. </p>

<p>We are the most educated group in the United States with the highest per family income. That is the curse of Asian American art. Many Asian artists could easily do anything else and make a better living. And they do. I never wanted to say this and it is a generalization, but out of all the racial groups that I have worked with in the entertainment industry, Asians are the LEAST commited to their art. It has nothing to do with talent. The talent is there, but the perseverance is not. Asians always have something else and always cave in to that something else. The OPTION to do something more lucrative bankrupts our creative voice in society. Those of us who are gifted must CHOOSE to dedicate ourselves to our art... But few do. </p>

<p>Listen up. If you are an artist, you do art and not too much else. It is your life and everything in it. You devote everything to it. Fully. Unequivacably. It is the undeniable center of your life to you and to everyone who knows you. If you do not, you are a wannabe. </p>

<p>Some people will read that last sentance and be angry. Nothing new to me. Here's an important distinction: There are very many talented people, but few full time artists. Just because you are talented and make a work of art every now and then, doesn't mean you are an artist. It means you are a talented and artistic person. </p>

<p>For those in the entertainment industry, being a talented and artistic person means nothing. It's like someone who can give mouth to mouth and knows first aid. That's nice, but you're not a doctor buddy. Like a doctor, you've got to fully commit to your occupation to be taken seriously in your field. Artists and entertainers don't need to go to 7 years of school, but they'll probably have to pay dues for about as long. </p>

<p>Forget that raise that will demand a longer workweek. Forget that new car. Those new clothes. Ignore what your parents say. What your girlfriend/boyfriend says. Forget how much more everyone makes than you. Forget all that. If you are truly an artist, none of that should matter enough to derail you from your dream. </p>

<p>If you are truly talented - regardless of whether you're Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or whatever else - if you are a real artist, you need to share your gifts with the world. That consulting job can be done by anyone else. yes, there is a void in Asian Media. Someone has to sacrifice to fill it.

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</p>

<p>It is the TRUTH.</p>

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<p>THANK YOU! The truth hurts to some people.</p>

<p>OMG, the other thread was driving me insane with some of the responses.</p>

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<p>too much generalization in that excerpt</p>

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<p>Maybe so, but I'm quite up to date on the Asian-American music scene here in the US, and I have to say that the passage is predominantly true.</p>

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<p>Tila Tequila is the Myspace queen, what you talking about foo (ps I am not serious)</p>

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<p>I'm usually baffled by how Asians overestimate the talent of Hollywood hacks who can't even create believable white characters, much less Asian ones. What do they honestly expect from these people?</p>

<p>At least you seem to realize that the most dedicated and talented DO NOT make it to the top in the entertainment biz. Take a look at the top stars: you think they got there because they were best actors in some obscure yet challenging off-Broadway play, or because they were the best students at NYU's film school? If only. Today's top stars are there because studio execs decided that they were bankable and worth promoting. What does bankable exactly mean? Most of the time, it means white ("all-American") and good-looking. Asians can certainly fulfill one of those requirements, but they'll never be the other one. What I'm trying to say is that while your point has validity (too many Asians staying away from fields like politics and entertainment, then complaining about being misrepresented), it's a crooked system to begin with. Just because an Asian person is talented and committed means jack in most cases. Just look at Chow Yun Fat: a charismatic, handsome, and talented actor who's treated like crap in Hollywood. He's HK royalty, but in Hollywood, he's only good enough to be Seann William Scott's sidekick. While there should be some responsibility in the earlier generation of Asians who were mainly concerned with assimilating to mainstream American middle-class society, there also has to acknowledgment of a system that has yet to prove itself willing to allow fair Asian representation.</p>

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<p>You are wrong about Chow Yun Fat. If you have read most of the reviews for Anna and the King and most of his movies you will realize that he is well loved by a lot of critics. I consider him as talented as Tom Hanks, although he may not have the name recognition of Tom Hanks.</p>

<p>He is one of my favorite actors.</p>

<p>He is not a sidekick to anybody.</p>

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<p>Response to the title: </p>

<p>Lack of African-American representation in college? Stop whining.</p>

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<p>Anyways... who can forget B.D. Wong as "Dr. Hwang" in Law & Order SVU? He does a great job; kudos to him! (I actually find all the characters in SVU to be cast amazingly)</p>

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<p>a778999 and diehldun, stop with the attacks on African-Americans. Either stay on topic and discuss intelligently, or don't post at all. The purpose of this thread is to RESPOND to the assertion that the media is responsible for the lack of Asian-American representation in the entertainment industry, not to bash or serve as a battle ground for irrelevant ad hominem banter.</p>

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<p>Oh please, although we live in an absolutely ridicluous age of political correctness, I would HARDLY consider those as attacks on blacks, but clearly that's your opinion, not mine.</p>

<p>My god, and I even agreed with you on your original post!</p>

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<p>So I'm attacking blacks but you're not attacking Asians? Right.</p>

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<p>Wait, are you ignorant? Or are you ignorant? Maybe you're not capable of reading basic words, but I clearly said at the beginning of my post that that excerpt was something that "I came across." I am not attacking anyone; I'm merely siding with the original author of the passage that I pilfered.</p>

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<p>A lot of my friends like Jackie Chan.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I'm usually baffled by how Asians overestimate the talent of Hollywood hacks who can't even create believable white characters, much less Asian ones. What do they honestly expect from these people?</p>

<p>At least you seem to realize that the most dedicated and talented DO NOT make it to the top in the entertainment biz. Take a look at the top stars: you think they got there because they were best actors in some obscure yet challenging off-Broadway play, or because they were the best students at NYU's film school? If only. Today's top stars are there because studio execs decided that they were bankable and worth promoting. What does bankable exactly mean? Most of the time, it means white ("all-American") and good-looking. Asians can certainly fulfill one of those requirements, but they'll never be the other one. What I'm trying to say is that while your point has validity (too many Asians staying away from fields like politics and entertainment, then complaining about being misrepresented), it's a crooked system to begin with. Just because an Asian person is talented and committed means jack in most cases. Just look at Chow Yun Fat: a charismatic, handsome, and talented actor who's treated like crap in Hollywood. He's HK royalty, but in Hollywood, he's only good enough to be Seann William Scott's sidekick. While there should be some responsibility in the earlier generation of Asians who were mainly concerned with assimilating to mainstream American middle-class society, there also has to acknowledgment of a system that has yet to prove itself willing to allow fair Asian representation.

[/quote]
Perhaps the reason that Asian men aren't bankable in Hollywood is the same reason they have less success with interracial dating than other non-asian males? Perhaps we should have laws outlawing things like personal preference as well? Then we could be one big happy family.</p>

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<p>You're being sarcastic, right?</p>

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<p>About outlawing personal preference? Yes, I'm being sarcastic about that...</p>

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<p>
[quote]
You are wrong about Chow Yun Fat. If you have read most of the reviews for Anna and the King and most of his movies you will realize that he is well loved by a lot of critics. I consider him as talented as Tom Hanks, although he may not have the name recognition of Tom Hanks.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Exactly. If he's as talented, why isn't he as famous as Tom Hanks? Perhaps there's a language barrier (kind of like how Penelope Cruz only gets good roles in Spanish). </p>

<p>
[quote]
Perhaps the reason that Asian men aren't bankable in Hollywood is the same reason they have less success with interracial dating than other non-asian males? Perhaps we should have laws outlawing things like personal preference as well? Then we could be one big happy family.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>An easy answer to a complex problem. You do realize that "personal preferences" are subject to fleeting societal standards? If it were a static thing, then we might expect women to covet men with small *****es (Ancient Greece), or expect men to chase after chubby women (almost every other time period except now). Is that the case today? Anyway, your notion of Asian men being incorrigibly un-bankable and unpopular is refuted by the success of Lost and Survivor: Cook Islands. Daniel Dae Kim and Yul Kwon have added much popularity and sex appeal to their respective shows, and even a dork like Masi Oka (from "Heroes") has contributed much to his show's popularity.</p>

<p>But let's not get too narrow-minded on the broader issue at hand here. Lack of Asian-American representation in the media. Stop whining? Yes, I would agree. Most Asian-Americans now aren't the immigrant outsiders their parents were, and should be well-versed in American culture to have ambitions in areas like politics and entertainment. In a generation or so, we'll see where the new breed of Asians will shape their futures.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
An easy answer to a complex problem. You do realize that "personal preferences" are subject to fleeting societal standards? If it were a static thing, then we might expect women to covet men with small *****es (Ancient Greece), or expect men to chase after chubby women (almost every other time period except now). Is that the case today?

[/quote]
Obviously "preference" is decided by societal standards. I think it's safe to say that some the lack of bankability and the lack of appeal on the dating scene might be correlated. I mean, who seriously could disagree with that? I doubt any would argue that 100% of lack of success in Hollywood can be attributed to racism by the white overclass...</p>

<p>
[quote]
Anyway, your notion of Asian men being incorrigibly un-bankable and unpopular is refuted by the success of Lost and Survivor: Cook Islands. Daniel Dae Kim and Yul Kwon have added much popularity and sex appeal to their respective shows, and even a dork like Masi Oka (from "Heroes") has contributed much to his show's popularity.

[/quote]
Ok, so they are bankable, then why exactly are we having this conversation? Didn't you just say they weren't bankable?</p>

<p>But let's not get too narrow-minded on the broader issue at hand here. Lack of Asian-American representation in the media. Stop whining? Yes, I would agree. Most Asian-Americans now aren't the immigrant outsiders their parents were, and should be well-versed in American culture to have ambitions in areas like politics and entertainment. In a generation or so, we'll see where the new breed of Asians will shape their futures.

[/quote]
I agree. From a per capita standpoint, however, I doubt they will reach the success of Blacks in American media.</p>

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<p>Since I was the OP for the original disney channel thread, i feel the need to say something here.</p>

<p>so hi.</p>

<p>i'm too lazy to read this wole thread, but interesting idea, i think.</p>

<p>You guys, the thread did get a bit off topic later...I was mainly talking about how Asians on TV could give everyone the wrong idea about Asians, not about not having enough Asians or whatnot.</p>

<p>We are not dragons. Not all of us do Kung Fu. I don't give a crap about the Yin and Yang. (Right?) I can't float while sitting down with my eyes closed. I am not related to Jackie Chan. My hair isn't neat. I am not short. Okay, my eyes are not "slanted".</p>