Letters to the Editor
July 25, 2003
Mad as Hell about ‘Banzai’
DEAR EDITOR: Although I have not seen Banzai (”‘Banzai’ Boycotted,” and “Fox Ain’t Feeling the Love,” July 24), the night it aired, I did see its commercials. I do not approve of the fact that Fox broadcasting company allowed actors to use thick Asian accents even when the actors are capable of speaking English fluently. My opinion is that they are actually promoting racial discrimination against Asians by stereotyping the Asian culture and their ability to speak.
It is quite obvious why they would air a person wearing karate robes and exaggerate that character to a point that it’s ridiculous. They are again stereotyping the APA community that we will just express our anger in a polite way. Fox, in return, will nod us off and this will all just fade in due time. Doesnít it feel like a double slap on the hand? Apparently Fox networks really donít care because in the end itís all about ratings.
Lisa Diep
Via e-mail
DEAR EDITOR: Peter Chernin, the Fox group’s chairman and CEO, said on his corporate website that “[Fox’s] future rests in our collective ability to embrace change and leverage diversity … diversity is critical to our business strategy, and will improve our competitiveness and prospects for long-term success.”
Yeah, right! I am absolutely infuriated with Fox’s new production Banzai, which airs here in Philadelphia on Sunday nights (”‘Banzai’ Boycotted,” and “Fox Ain’t Feeling the Love,” July 24).
The program is named using a Japanese word, hosted by someone with a strong and obvious Japanese accent, utilizes footage from Japan and shots of contestants answering the hostís challenge in pigeon Japanese. Yet Fox intersperses its program with obviously Korean (or pseudo-Korean) Hangul and mangled Chinese/Japanese characters, uses ìgongî sound effects and provides Chinese outfits for its contestants. The Banzai host also makes grammatical mistakes in line with native Mandarin speakers of English as a second language.
Considering Banzai’s mishmash of Asian cultures and stereotypes, Fox is displaying cultural insensitivity and arrogance that severely hurt Fox’s image as a corporation embracing diversity. Fox’s “entertainment” mocks other cultures to amuse audiences hearing non-native, accented English.
Banzai is shocking for its cultural insensitivity and racial slurs. I am offended and humiliated to be an American when Americaís Fox network believes this programming is palatable to the American audience - of which 3.6 percent of which are Asian Pacific American viewers.
I have respectfully requested that Fox cancel this offensive program immediately or have its ìAsianî content removed. Fox should publicly apologize to all Asians. Until such action is taken, I, my friends and family (including those in Tokyo) will be boycotting all Fox channels, movies and sponsors’ products. I am sure the Japanese market for Fox television and movies would love to hear how a Fox program here in America mocks and insults the Japanese culture.
Carly J. Cais
Philadelphia
DEAR EDITOR: Banzai (”‘Banzai’ Boycotted,” and “Fox Ain’t Feeling the Love,” July 24) is a cunning show with serious racist undertones to undermine, ridicule and insult the APAs who are mostly silent lambs in the United States. [Fox] would not dare to make similar shows to laugh at the whites, blacks and Latinos anymore. What are you dumb cowards waiting for? No response?
A. Nihonjin
Via e-mail
Racism Ends with Ourselves
DEAR EDITOR: I am a loyal reader of AsianWeek because I believe your staff has articulated well on issues concerning APAs. Loan Ly’s written work on racism (Floss Talk, July 17) brought back memories of my experiences, for I have traveled and lived in many parts of America.
Racism is alive and everywhere and in everyone. As an APA who has survived labor and refugee camps, I can fairly say that APAs can be as racist as the clean-cut, bespectacled white man. I am a regular shopper on Irving Street between 19th and 25th avenues, and I have seen many racist behaviors from the shop owners toward the Mexican helpers. I have seen yelling, pushing and name calling (”You stupid and lazy” Mexican). When I saw these racist behaviors, I thought they must have been the same kinds of acts the whites must have said to APAs who came here many years ago to find work in this country.
While we like to think we are not racist, APAs are as bigoted and racist as anyone. We all know how the Chinese mistreated the Vietnamese immigrants in the Sunset district in San Francisco and how the Taiwanese mistreated the Cantonese in Mountain View. As much as I am for standing up for APA rights, I like to remind you to look within yourself to find your humanity. How can we expect others to treat us humanely when we canít find our own humanity. Being victimized is a reminder for us to be kinder, but instead we turn the hurt and pain toward other marginalized groups. Yes, we are a people with our own history and experience in this country, which includes our own acts of bigotry and discrimination.
Grey Chang
San Francisco
Correction
The July 10 picture of the Yau Kung Moon lion dancers was of Team A, which finished second in the 2003 National Freestyle Lion Dance Championships. Team B for Yau Kung Moon won the competition.
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