Joz just discussed those who wish they weren’t Asian and now Boston Progress Radio (BPR) writes about those who perhaps wish they were. BPR is an online radio station dedicated to featuring Asian-American music, and they recently posted this humorous list of 7 Mainstream Artists You Thought Were Asian but Aren’t.
Some artists made the list thanks to rumors, others thanks to their um, paying homage to elements of Asian culture via wardrobe or the set of their music videos or concerts. I wonder, is this imitation the ultimate form of flattery or is it kind of insulting? I think it depends.
One example that comes to mind is Quentin Tarantino. Or should I say, that motherfucker Quentin Tarantino, if only to use his own played out vernacular. I am seriously annoyed with Tarantino lately, especially after this lame spread in GQ. Dude, QT, I get it. You dig a certain genre of Asian films. You’ve worked hard to rip them off pay tribute to them and have been mildly entertaining at times. But you have crossed the line, the line of respect and common sense, and it is not motherfucking cool. It’s like watching an adolescent boy who doesn’t know how to express his feelings for a girl beat her up.
So some unsolicited advice to those who would um, pay homage to other cultures or even represent*: be mindful. It’s a fine line between imitation and mockery, flattery and jackassery.
*see what I mean
thanks to AngryAsianMan for this entry, which led me to the scans of the GQ spread on ampha, which eviscerates QT far better than I ever could.
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jozjozjoz wrote:
It always kind of amuses me that QT and Margaret Cho dated at one point. What a couple.
Posted on 26-Jun-07 at 9:42 am | Permalink
Akrypti wrote:
Joz - they WHAT?!? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA. I learned something new today. Useful or not, yet to be determined…
Hey Claire, I’m curious about what you think of that music video with that all-white male band where they’re in imperial China dressed up like warriors… Thirty seconds to Mars? Or something like that?
Posted on 26-Jun-07 at 10:57 am | Permalink
Claire wrote:
Oh dear gawd, I am as unhip as QT, for I have not seen this video. But is that Jared Leto’s aka Jordan Catalano’s band? Now I’m truly dating myself. I’ll reserve judgment until I see this video but my instincts say….oh no, just no.
Posted on 26-Jun-07 at 11:19 am | Permalink
Xxxtine wrote:
This is the reason why I don’t watch broadcast television and watch YouTube instead. Gotta love those melodramatic Korean music videos.
Posted on 27-Jun-07 at 6:53 am | Permalink
delia wrote:
hey, thanks for the shoutout.
have i been totally living under a rock? (or maybe just sans tv) margaret coh dated QT? seriously?
Posted on 05-Jul-07 at 11:35 am | Permalink