blog 3 – If we are asian, then are we funny? – Sarah Casinelli

This article argues that the first comedy on screen with all Asian American cast in the U.S. put too much emphasis into the racial identity and ethnic authenticity rather than focusing on a specific comedic form. For example, the show kind of overemphasized the Asian characteristics through the mark of face, body, and family structure.

One of the examples is the “adversarial relationship” the protagonist has with the mother character. Most of the jokes are produced around the clashing between the daughter and the mother, where “these adversarial jokes between the two characters are generational conflicts of culture and assimilation” (pg. 132) Those jokes are created from the old Asian American stereotypes which doesn’t help represent the Asian American community in the U.S., neither is it interesting for the audience. The jokes are said to be too obvious and stale without enough non-racial materials for audience to relate to, therefore, is mocking its Asian audience and antagonizing its non-Asian ones. One of the jokes used in the show was Yoko Ono, which was said to be a “too-commonly-known” reference in the racial jokes.

Authenticity by definition means the quality of being real, original, and genuine, but here, it has very little to do with historical or cultural accuracy due to the purpose of the show. So, is this show played to show how foreign Asians are still although they were born in the U.S. or to actually entertain people as a comedy? “As echoed by Tina Chen, ‘one of the defining characteristics of the public identity Asian Americans have been assigned is that of perpetual foreignness’” (pg. 135). To achieve the perfect main Asian role, Cho, the protagonist, was pressured to lose a lot of weight through some unhealthy work of extreme exercise, starvation, and diet pills over the course of the season. Furthermore, the show, intended to portray many stereotypical Asian characteristics, did not do it all the way, because the main character, Margaret, in the show was portrayed against the image of model minority (what Asian American community is known for): obedience, self-control, individualism, and loyalty. She, instead, was portrayed as rebellious, Americanized free spirit, and such.

The name of the show of course created a lot of controversies by putting Asian cast for a name “All-American Girl”, but at least it helped to put Asian Americans out there on screen to make people more aware of the situation of Asian Americans in the U.S. society.

-Xiangtian Rey Luo