When I blogged about the racist scene in "The Goods" on August 14th as the film was opening, I was told by publicists for Paramount Pictures that I was the only journalist in America who had raised the issue with them. Really, I thought? How can that be?
The scene is so terribly racist--using the term "Jap" for a punch line and having auto salesmen beat up an Asian man for a laugh in a scene reminiscent of the real-life beating death in 1982 of Chinese-American Vincent Chin by out of work American auto workers. Critics in the mainstream media wouldn't let Paramount get away with using the "n" word or lynchings as punch lines would they? So why did Paramount get a pass from critics from mainstream media outlets who screened the film ahead of its release when "Jap" and the beating of an Asian man were used as punch lines in not just the film, but the trailer for the film?
It took Japanese American and Asian American media outlets and bloggers and organizations like the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) and Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) with support from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and OCA, the Asian Pacific American advocacy group, to force Paramount executives to finally get a clue. On Friday, just as the JACL and other organizations were preparing to gather outside of Paramount Pictures to protest the racist scene, Paramount President and CEO Adam Goodman apologized in a letter sent to the JACL. It reads in part:
"On behalf of the studio, I want to extend our sincerest apologies to the Japanese American Citizens League and the greater Asian American community for the racially demeaning language used in the scenes depicted in the film."
JACL CEO and National Executive Director Floyd Mori says Goodman goes on to invite the JACL and other leaders in the Asian American community to a "continuing dialog" on the issue.
Paramount took the offending scene out of the trailer on its website but sadly, the scene will apparently remain in the film when it goes to DVD and cable and to an airplane screen near you. That's unfortunate. Because while most viewers will probably see it for what it is--lazy, dumb and racist humor by the filmmakers--there are others who will take it as validation of their own racist views. It will continue to perpetuate negative stereotypes of Asian Americans and it will give some of these folks the green light to make their own racist jokes in which people of Asian descent are the butt of jokes.
I hope Goodman is sincere when he promises a "continuing dialog" on the issue. Hollywood has a long history of portraying Asians in a negative light, using them as a punch line for jokes and perpetuating stereotypes that are harmful. I've offered my services to the JACL as a moderator or as a participant in those talks and I extend the same invitation to Paramount.
It saddens me though that in 2009, a local TV news anchor in Los Angeles was the only mainstream journalist in America to ask Paramount why this kind of racist humor was considered OK. I'm hopeful however that future racist portrayals of Asian Americans will cause some mainstream film critics and writers to at least consider asking the same question.
I can so understand your point,but it seems that the old adage "if you can't laugh at yourself who can". I believe it was meant as just plan comedy. I think it will be seen just as that, a comedy movie.
Posted by: trish | September 01, 2009 at 05:33 AM
Good for you, Frank, and it is quite suprising that only a "local tv news anchorman" would bring this subject to light. May I remind that there are 2 things at work here though. First, this, unfortunately, is how a lot of corporations do think, whereas when attention is brought to bear on a stinging subject then and only then is it that they realize, "hey, we didn't know." Second, it comes down to free advertising for them. That is worth millions of dollars. The more we discuss it in the media, the more free advertising they receive. Sometimes, you have to wonder if it is indeed done on purpose somewhere in corporate hallways just for that free advertising. Just from the scenes in the trailers I have seen so far, this movie would seem to need all of the free advertising and help it can muster, even with Jeremy Piven as one of the stars.
On another note, we are sorry we missed you, Frank, in the Nisei Week parade. I'm sure you were just FANTASMO!!! We were out of town, but we will continue to watch you and the gang on the KTLA Morning Show!!!
Posted by: Dougster | August 26, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Frank, I can't believe that the paramount studios let this kind of words on the scenes. If they want to do something good, why they didn't do it. What do They expect? Well, I think that they will loose more than money, and off course the followers of their movies. So if they don't want to change it they will loose more, and they will think better next time they want to do a new movie.
Posted by: angeles napoles | August 25, 2009 at 07:17 PM
dont think i have the correct link but just saw you comments about "tips" and they were saying we are not tipping enough and we were just like "stealing" from them by not tipping enought!!! are you kidding me!! do these people even know that tips means? it is and came about " TO INSURE PROUMT SERVICE" that is where it came from. pwople have forgotten that. they use to tip before hand .we are paying out the nose and then get mimimal service. and then they want a hugh tips? in these times i would be going over the top to ensure my customers were taken care of. i work in the service industry and know how important it is to make them happy. people are lazy and just expect it because someone deemed the tip should be XX amount.. it is not our responsibily to pay your bills step up to the game!! ps of course you will always have the cheap ones
Posted by: kitty hite | August 24, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Frank:
Thank you for the follow-up blog. "The Power of the Pen . . ." or in this case "The Power of the Blog!"
I agree with Jared. For my birthday one year, my friend treated me to dinner and a show at a local comedy store, and we saw Carlos Mencia. We both love going to comedy clubs, but we were both disappointed in Carlos' show. What a terrible waste of money and time. The show included his usual racial slurs and his constant reference to his dirty underwear that his wife has to launder. Mencia cracked himself up more than he did any member of the audience. His show was the worst we have ever seen.
But back to my original point . . . way to go, Frank!
Posted by: Helen | August 24, 2009 at 05:26 PM
Boycott the studio..
Boycott the video...
Don't buy the DVD..
as long as there is a market for such items, film makers will still produce films with racial slurs..
this is another reason i won't support comedians such as Carlos Mencia... His website is billed as The Official Site of Carlos Mencia - Equal Opportunity Offender...
Why is it funny to offend someone else? I don't see it as funny...
I remember the NBC PSA ad the "The More you Know" on racial jokes as a form of hate..
From the More you know web site..
Say something
Speak out against jokes and comments that target certain groups; silence implies agreement.
An interesting article From Hyphen Magazine.com
The Joke's On Us
Written by Monya De
Thursday, 11 December 2008
http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/content/view/137/1/
Last 2 paragraphs..
Not one of the comedians interviewed for this story expressed an inclination to self-censor—whether in deference to taste or to mitigate offense—when addressing race relations or secular cultural behaviors.
Peters recalls how a fellow comedian berated him for swearing in front of elderly "aunties and uncles" in the audience.
"Screw him," Peters says of the comedian. "They [the elderly audience members] were laughing. If you come to a comedy show, that's how it is. But if you're going to stop to censor yourself, you can't really be yourself. I'm up there talking about my observations and what I think, so I express myself that way."
I remember about a year ago I posted about Carlos Mencia..
And people here called me humorless.. And made statements that if we can't laugh at ourselves then who can we laugh at..
Once again why is making fun of how other people are or act funny?
wadada
Posted by: Jared | August 23, 2009 at 08:13 PM
Good for you, Frank, for pointing out the term and demeaning situation, and for your continuing work in regards to Asians in America.
You know, last week when John Hughes died the KTLA poll question was about our favorite John Hughes movie. I selected Sixteen Candles. So a few days later when it turned up on cable I watched it again and was surprised to see the cast included a buffonish Asian character. I'd completely forgotten him. Selective memory or he didn't resonate with me. I knew his character was a joke so it didn't offend me. Hopefully that will happen in The Goods - audiences will see it for what it is, a joke, and look for the next scene. In the meantime, film makers will think twice before including such a demeaning scene in future films. Keep fighting the good fight.
Posted by: jozielee | August 23, 2009 at 11:13 AM