Author Archives: Yui Shinohara

1. In the article “Apu’s Brown Voice”, written by Shilpa Dave, the author discusses how accents has an influence on representation through television of Southern Asians with example of “Brown voice” of Apu, the Indian character of The simpsons. Apu not only gained popularity thanks to humor of “Brown voice” but also shows the image of South Asians as model minority in the US to audience.

2. Apu represents a stereotypical successful case of South Asian immigrant who have successed because of their hardworking efforts. Moreover, He plays an active role without regard to race. He is essential character of The simpsons and very popular character. Apu symbolize the South American’s stereotypical success and racial privilage in the Us. However, he is one of the only South Asian on the TV and there is no other type of South Asian people on TV. Therefore, his image of South Asian has a great power and influence on how South Asian cultural identity is seen in the US even though he is played by white, not authentic Indian. As Shilpa stated, “Indian accents imply a model minority and multicultural politics this is the type of minority the United States wants to promote because they fit the entrepreneurs, computer engineers, and successful immigrants in general.” (318) Apu and his accents represent not only South Asian immigrat’s success in the US as model minority but also these images can reinforce them to be like Apu as ideal way to be accepted in the US.

3. The important term in this article is “brown voice”. According to Shilpa, it “identifies specific racializing trait among South Asians which simultaneously connotes foreignness and class and cultural privilege.” (314) It means that South Asians are accepted as model minority and privileged ethnic group comparison to other Asian groups in the US because of their political and economic consequence they have achieved and their particular historical background. Brown voice makes us think about how we see and racial identity and how we process the cultural meaning of accent beyond the visual.

4. The ideas presented in this chapter connects to the ideas in the Crazy Rich Asians. It achieved big success as a movie which all performers are Asian. However, there are a lot of arguments because there is a difference in how each Asians are descripted in the movie. this movie is particular about performing by only Asians, but, there are lot of East Asian actors (in particular Chinese Americans) and there are few Southeast Asian actors even though this film is set in Singapore. Moreover, almost all of characters speak British or American English. Some Singaporean speak English with accent and it is well known as “Singlish”. However, few characters speak Singlish in the film.

1. In the article “ If we are Asian, then are we funny?” written by Sarah Moon, Cassinelli examines “All-American Girls” which is the first Asian American family sitcom on the television. The directors of All-American Girls tried to portray Kim family as authentic Asian American family. However, the show portrays them as a stereotypical Asian American family because they focused on identifying ethnic and cultural identity too much rather than a specific comedic form.

2. According to Cassinelli, “The show seemed to over emphasize the character’s Asianness making the Asian face, body, and family structure as decidedly uncanny.” (131) Cho played Margaret Kim as herself, a real Asian American girl in the All-American Girl. However, the director forced her to lose weight to express Asianness in the show. She was afflicted both mentally and physically for a long time because of strict diet to be “Asian face”. Like this, Kim family in All-American Girl is not realistic presentations of an average Asian American family.

3. The key term in this article is “authenticity”. In general, the term “authenticity” means the quality of being real or true. However, it means how the characters of the show fit to the what Asian Americans should be which expected by American audience in this article. Cho was forced to be Asian face by losing weight to fit the ideal image of Asian American girl which directors and audience have. According to Cassinelli, “the real racism is wrapped up in the audience’s expectation of an ‘authentic’ Asian American family, especially in consideration to sitcom comedy.” (132) That is, Asian American authenticity has a influence on how Asian Americans portrayed in the TV shows and rendition of Asian Americans.

4. Cho’s experience is similar to the Connie Chun’s episode in Slaying the dragon. She played an active part as Asian American anchor and reporter in the U.S. television news networks. When She appear on TV, her make up artist tried to maker her look more exotic. The makeup artist overemphasized her Asian face just because she is Asian American even though she is just an anchor same as American anchors. Asian Americans are often forced to be Asian look too much in the media.

1. In John Fong’s article “Beyond Finishing The Game: A Look At Asian American Grassroots Outreach,” he argues that there were a lot of challenges for Asian Americans to find the way to make their films to be seen by a lot of people although Asian American films have been successful today. He shows some examples of success of Asian American Films. The effective solution to deal with the struggles for Asian American films is “grassroots marketing”. Asian American filmmakers utilized their own community to market their films by this strategy.

2.As John Fong states, “Via emails from film directors asking for support, campus visit, connections with community-based organization, opening night parties, entire screenings bought out by employee groups, street teams, major on line/social networking pushes and appearances by cast and crew, this labor-intensive approach, while not perfect, has evolved into useful tool”. (4)  That is, Asian American filmmakers market their films without relying on the supporting from big budget companies. Instead of it, they focused on Asian American community for the targeted audience. They made labor-intensive approach to market their films in the Asian American community as shown in the example. Therefore, they attract more people to see their films and made profit to continue to play the movies as long as possible.

3. A key term in this article “grassroots marketing”. Big budget companies refused to invest into Asian American Films because they don’t know much about how to market to Asian Americans. Therefore, Asian American filmmakers focused on Asian American community to market their films and get people into the theaters. For example, Lin, director of FINISHING THE GAME “asked cast and crew for their personal time to travel and promote the film, and moving city to city, mobilizing their base audience”. (8) That is, Asian American films have to do labor-intensive approach to the audience. In this way, they utilized their own community to advertise their movies and make money.

4. In “Of Myths and Men: ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’ and the Mainstreaming of Asian America Cinema” by Margaret Hillenbrand, the author discusses the problems of how Asian Americans represented in the American movies by using the example of ‘Better Luck Tomorrow’. Asian Americans often play stereotypical characters in the American movies. They are not represented completely in these films as Asian Americans. Similar to the movies discussed by John Fong, they struggle with challenge to make films as Asian Americans and be accepted in the US.

1. In “Assimilation” by Lisa Sun-Hee Park, she discusses the definition of the term “assimilation” of Asian Americans and its usage in the US. There are a lot of view of definition of assimilation. However, it is clear that assimilation is not a social phenomenon which happens naturally on the society. From the view point of assimilation into the US, Asian Americans are in a complicated position in the US. They seemingly succeed to assimilate into the US, but actually it is not true. Assimilation cannot make all race equally completely. Moreover, it creates racial inequality and stereotype of minorities. Assimilation into the US is not so simple.

2. As Park states, “In this way, assimilation actually reinforces established racial inequalities and imposes on even subsequent generations of Asian American born in the US a precarious defensive dilemma in which they must constantly prove their worth as “real” Americans. ” (17) The term “assimilation” lexicographic means to “take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully” (14). However, actually assimilation makes Asian Americans’ position complicated and create racial inequality.They cannot be American essentially by assimilation.

3.The important term of assimilation is “model minority myth”. “Asian Americans are models of assimilation, enjoying high educational achievement, good (white) neighborhood, and interracial marriages to whites.” (16) That is, they were the models for other minorities. This model minority of myth looks to be their success as minority in the US. However, actually this idea of Asian Americans as the model minority is not true. Moreover, this concept is still entrenched in the US. As Park states, “Asian Americans must be foreign in order to fit into the United States.” (17) That is, Asian Americans can not assimilate into the US essentially and be “real” Americans.

4.In the “Slaying the Dragon”, we can see that how Asian Americans were described in the Hollywood movies and TV programs in the US. Asian Americans were enforced to play the role of “Asian” which is ideal image for white people in the media. The image is exotic, mysterious, and obedient. The roles of Asians made by white people reflect the stereotype of Asians. Actually, it is not a role Asian Americans want to play as Asian, but it is a role that white people regard as ideal of Asians. Similarly, model minority myth of Asian American was created white people as a model of assimilation into the US for other minorities. After all, these myths have made Asian Americans “foreign” and actually reinforce racial inequalities.