Buckley blog: Ohio gozai masu (Good morning in Japanese)
5:28 AM May 30, 2008
On Sunday, a group of Japanese American news anchors, reporters and a sports anchor will receive Ambassador awards from the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC).
The recipients and their names are Japanese American. The recipients are David Ono and Rob Fukuzaki from KABC, Gordon Tokumatsu from KNBC and Susan Hirasuna from KTTV. And, me, Frank Buckley. Buckley?
I know. Buckley isn't exactly a traditional Japanese name. But yes, my mom is Japanese and I am proud of that part of my heritage. To be recognized by such an important institution in the Japanese American community is something I appreciate a great deal.
I haven't worn the Japanese side of myself on my sleeve and I didn't adopt my mom's Japanese surname as my professional name (as some of my friends have) because the name on my birth certificate, the name I was given, is Frank Buckley.
I am proud of who I am and I believe I'm richer for having two cultures (American and Japanese) in my background. I got to learn the customs and traditions of two countries. I learned two languages. In our home growing up, I enjoyed comfort foods from two countries that ranged from my dad's favorite pinto beans and cornbread to my mom's specialties like tonkatsu and curry rice.
I've been fortunate to be embraced by the Japanese American community in Southern California and I frequently donate my time to various non-profit organizations as a way of giving back.
Still, as a kid, being a person of mixed ethnicity was tough at times because people were always trying to put me into this category or that. At times, it was confusing.
We lived in Japan for a few years during my childhood and my parents like to tell a story that illustrated the confusion I experienced when I was four years old. I spoke Japanese with my mother, my grandmother and other relatives. There were Japanese people all around us. Everyone on TV spoke in Japanese. In my four-year-old mind, I was Japanese.
Back in the late 60s and early 70s, it wasn't nearly as common as it is today for a Japanese child to see westerners from America or Europe in Japan. So frequently, Japanese children upon seeing an American, would yell out: "Gaijin da!" Which, loosely translated, meant: "Foreigner!"
One day when we were out in town, I saw a white guy and I yelled out: "Gaijin da!" Which made my parents and relatives laugh. After all, my dad was a gaijin. I was a gaijiin. I suppose that's when I realized I was a little different--a kid from two different worlds.
As I grew up, I was occasionally asked: "Are you American or Japanese?" Or: "Are you white or Japanese?" It was rarely asked with any ill-intent, but it was a question I hated. Why, I wondered, did I have to define myself as one or the other?
The truth was and is: I am all of the above. I think increasingly many of us are all of the above. We are a bit of this and a bit of that. We bring different cultures (and foods!) to the table. We communicate in several languages. We are proudly Americans by nationality and a mix of things in ethnicity. I think it makes us better as a society. It certainly makes life more interesting to me.
Like I said before, I'm not one of those people who wears my ethnicity on my sleeve and I only share this with you now because I'm receiving an award as part of a group of Japanese American TV news people and I thought I should explain.
The truth is, I would never want my ethnicity or yours to be the first thing we talk about when we meet. I'm more interested in who you are and what you think. But as we're getting to know each other, I wanted you to know that a part of me is Japanese.
Posted by Frank Buckley | Permalink | Comments (35) | TrackBack (0)
Previous Entry
FRANK, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR HERITAGE, AND WHO YOU ARE, YOU
ARE VERY SPECIAL, AND IN GOD'S
EYES YOU ARE PERFECT.
FRANK, DON'T EVER HIDE WHO
YOU ARE, AND WHERE YOU CAME
FROM.
BOB
Posted by: BOB PALMER | May 30, 2008 at 07:25 AM
Good morning.
First of all, congratulations on the news award. Enjoy the ceremony.
As I read your post Barack Obama came to mind. It must have been equally confusing for him growing the son of an African father and a white mother raised by white grandparents, even in the melting pot of Hawaii. People must have continually asked his ethnicity. He must have felt like a "Gaijin da" everywhere he went. And yet he's accomplished so much. Maybe his very difference is what led to his will to excel.
Chances are he'll bring all that promise and hope to the White House if he becomes our next president.
Posted by: jozielee | May 30, 2008 at 07:37 AM
Wow, thanks for sharing your heritage with us. I think it is great that a lot of us of bi/tri races can really confuse people because they cannot put us into a racial "category".
Thank you again!
Posted by: Shawna W | May 30, 2008 at 08:32 AM
Omena toh (Phonetic, misspelled phrase meaning Congratulations) Buckley San. While you acknowledged Okasan (Mother) and Obasan (Grandmother) you neglected Otosan, your Pop.s. Let the viewers know that he was a Navy Corpsman, I life giver and a breed of sailor that even Marines respected. Heck, if you are still looking for a Trip on a Tank, bring the boys down to the USS Midway Museum. Show them Sick Bay, a place that is representative of where your father might have worked "Back in the day" Let them climb into Static Display cockpits from a MIG and a Navy Jet.
Got Freedom? Hug or Thank a Veteran.
Old Man Buckley Rocks and KTLA is a better station, for employing you.
Posted by: Bill from San Diego | May 30, 2008 at 08:48 AM
Frank, you are so eloquent with your words. I absolutely loved this blog. "We are proudly Americans by nationality and a mix of things in ethnicity." Wow and thank you.
Posted by: Melanie | May 30, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Frank!
Omedeto gozaimasu! You deserve recognition for the fantastic and professional work you do. Thank you for sharing a little about your heritage.
Enjoy Sunday's ceremony at the JACCC.
Jya mata!
Posted by: Marino | May 30, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Frank you are truly the best at KTLA. You and Eric are the absolute finest in the business. I hope that they realize exactly what they have in you! Old Man Buckley ROCKS! Once again a superb blog!
Posted by: Dan | May 30, 2008 at 09:11 AM
Frank, You are truly an awesome individual. Thanks for sharing bits and pieces about your personal life with us. Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Monztro | May 30, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Congrats on the award. I have a son who wishes he was Japanese. He was fortunate enough to be a Rotary exchange student in Japan over the summer for 3 weeks. He LOVED the culture, the food, everything. He is a junior in high school and just finished taking a Japanese language course at the junior college in our town. He is planning his senior trip back to Japan.
Posted by: Georgia Huisenga | May 30, 2008 at 09:27 AM
Frank, thank you for your latest blog. You are such a genuine person and KTLA are very lucky to have you as an anchor. It was so interesting to read about your heritage and to peep into your life as a child growing up both in Japan and here in the US. Your parents must have been very strong and loving to have raised such a fine and level-headed person as you are.
Congratulations on your Ambassador's award.
Posted by: Maria | May 30, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Bill - thank you for your service
Frank - I'm pretty much Irish-Swedish background with some English, French and German thrown in; on my 1980's 3-case/1-month jury duty assignment in OC Santa Ana, I was told by the cafeteria cashier (on St. Patrick's Day, when she saw my "Irish" pin) that she had thought I was Eurasian!
I certainly hope KTLA gives you some good "face time" next week to acknowledge your award!
Posted by: Idaho | May 30, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Frank you are one class act! I don't think anyone at KTLA can compare to you. Thank you so much for your informative and educational blogs each week.
If they'd only bring you back in for the full 9 o'clock hour, I'd watch again!
Posted by: Jason | May 30, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Congratulations on your award and thanks again for giving us another peek into your life. As a mail carrier I had the pleasure of meeting people from different ethnic mixes. I don't know why but it seems that the kids always come out looking very beautiful. If I ever see the rock group Foreigner play in concert again I'll have to remember to yell out "Gaijin da." It'll be fun to see people look at me strangely as if saying, "What the hell is that guy talking about."
Posted by: George the Rat | May 30, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Frank-
I was recently inspired to write my first comment on another blog, unfortunately it was out of frustration on other subjects. However, today I am inspired to write to let you know that you constantly write brief tidbits about you, your family, or current events, that are (pardon the pun) quite FRANKLY very enjoyable to read!
I'm writing to let you know that your views and information that you share are appreciated. It's amazing how a simple exercise in connecting with the viewer is overlooked by so many at your station. Well, please know that "not-so"-old man Buckley "gets it."
Speaking of getting "it". congratulations on being a recipient.
For the record and for whatever its worth, I have no Japanese heritage and the only thing we may have in common (that I know so far) is that you have respect for the viewers and that is why you have earned my respect as an anchor.
Keep up the tremendous work!
Not all is bad at your station!!!
-m
Posted by: mike | May 30, 2008 at 04:19 PM
私は生命ジェシカに与えて利用できる! 私は一致するためにかわいいBLONDESおよび赤ん坊を愛する! 私はどこで参加するか。秘密に
Posted by: BrettNOC | May 30, 2008 at 04:49 PM
私は生命ジェシカに与えて利用できる! 私は一致するためにかわいいBLONDESおよび赤ん坊を愛する! 私はどこで参加するか。秘密に
Posted by: BrettNOC | May 30, 2008 at 04:49 PM
Frank,
You're a Buckley because you've kept your father's name. Some of the reporters you've mentioned were accused a decade ago or so of going back two or three generations in order to sound more ethnically diverse.
My son is a Rodriguez, a bi-racial or bi-cultural child as he can be. But he'd switch his dad or me in a minute to be Japanese too (and I'm not even going to get into being a female Angel Rodriguez who is Hispanic only by marriage). Two years of college Japanese while in high school haven't been enough for my son, so now we're looking at foreign exchange during college. So if a Rodriguez can speak better Japanese than he speaks Spanish (and he's had three years of that too), so be it. The more you know the more you can understand. The more you understand, the less you fear.
Have a great weekend.
Posted by: Angel | May 30, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Frank, congratulations on your award. You do a great job and your blog is interesting as well. It's nice to hear about you and your family. Again, congrats on a job well done. Sure hope that KTLA appreciates what a valued and respected newsman you are.
Posted by: Judy | June 01, 2008 at 05:29 PM
Omedeto Frank Buckley!
We saw the clip on the evening news! Your Japanese was very impressive!
We hope that you enjoy your award.
Sincerely,
The Tamura Family!
Posted by: mika, eugene & kumi tamura | June 01, 2008 at 11:08 PM
Frank, In college I adopted a new policy. I am 100% of everything. No more 50% this or 25% that. It was so empowering and helped me embrace and be proud of my mixed heritage. You are so right about rising above the categories people constantly try to place us in. We need to teach and preach and definitely lead by example on this issue. As multi-cultural families become more and more the norm, I hope people realize how utterly inconsequential the question "What are you" sounds.
Posted by: Mary | June 02, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Frank Buckley, a.k.a "Old Man Buckly" A flash light in a vast darkness that is now KTLA @9. It is just a shame that his name and likeness are associated with the current Hen Fest.
Hey Bulgarian Princess and John "Grow a set" How's the 27% loss of viewers sitting with the home office? I wonder what Mr. Zell is thinking and who, on the current morning staff is being viewed as "...overhead..." I think the Fat Lady is just off stage, warming her vocal cords and is about ready to sing.
Posted by: Bill from San Diego | June 02, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Thanks for sharing tape of the event on the Morning News.
Trisha Toyota - a name I haven't heard in years. Great to hear she's doing well.
Posted by: jozielee | June 02, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Frank, I know you are truly too humble to post it, so I'm going to ask, no beg!
Could you possibly post the video of the coverage of the event - I missed it this morning!
Posted by: Dan | June 02, 2008 at 06:49 PM
Frank let me start by saying CONGRATS!!! I was a bit upset when Carlos defected...LOL But you have brought so much to the morning news a new fresh face. YOU ROCK!!! We truly have become a melting pot of cultures and we are blessed that in this country we can celebrate them all, even if we aren't that particular ethnicity. We are all a part of a race, the human race.... God Bless and can't wait to see you in the morning!!!
Posted by: Julia | June 02, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Congratulations on your award Frank!
I always look forward to reading your blogs. I appreciate you on the morning news and can't get enough of you!
The "suits" have made great strides with the morning format. I refuse to change the station and have faith that while the suits may not be able to make all the viewers happy, they will make the changes that would benefit the majority of the "true viewers."
Thank you for opening up to us and allowing us a glance into your life and thank you for the times that you turn into "old man Buckley!" I respect you for all your contributions to the show and look forward to watching you every morning. Keep up the great work!
P.S. I can't wait until the women start blogging again!
Posted by: B.N. from Carson | June 02, 2008 at 08:09 PM