8 Asians

What next?

• Subscribe to this feed
• Leave a comment

Other posts you may be interested in:

1. Asian American Groups to Protest Racist Scene in ‘The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard’
2. Hate Crimes are Not Funny: Asian American Groups Protest The Goods
3. San Jose Giveaway: 18MMW at the 9th Annual Asian Comedy Night
4. PENN: Asian American Studies department funding
5. Gay interracial relationships: On being “sticky rice” and loving other Asian men

• stan
  I agree... while I agree that soem content can be used as a punchline, it should not have been dragged out so long.....
• Jason
  I don't think it was racist -- you could replace Ken Wo with a white guy named "Ken Smith" and use the exact same dialog. Nothing racist was said about Ken Wo, and I don't think that Ken Wo was made to say any demeaning lines. Considering that SNL could have gotten an easy laugh with an edgey V-Tech reference, it could have been a lot worse.
  
  One could argue that we should be happy that the role of "nerdy college room-mate" was played by an asian-american actor instead of a white actor, just because that's one more asian-american actor with work and a paycheck.
• Moye
  I didn't find it offensive at all. Plus, Ken Wo looks pretty cute. It's probably just the glasses.
• Mae
  I don't think this was racist. I think it plays into stereotypes that society may have about Asian guys or Asians in general... but aren't there stereotypes about most all races out there? Stereotypes exist. We can't deny that. Acknowleding that they exist doesn't mean you agree that they are true.
• Rob
  While a role can be played by any race, it can become a stereotype if a certain race plays a certain role.
  
  A computer engineer role and a sports jock role can be played by any race. Having an Asian guy play the jock and the black guy play the engineer are not stereotypes. They are if it's vice versa.
  
  Do I honestly need to explain this?
  
  OT: I've also noticed that when black men are playing "nerdy" roles, they end up looking normal whereas Asian men playing these roles have a certain look such as bad haircut, glasses, stupid smile, etc.
• jun
  angry asian man syndrome...
  
  it wouldnt be funny if the asian doesnt play the asexual nerd...
  it wouldnt be funny if the white female doesnt play the dumb blonde...
  it wouldnt be funny if the black guy doesnt play the ignorant gangster...
  
  yes these stereotypes CAN be racist, but SNL has the pedigree to carry these stereotypical jokes tastefully and I am not quick to question them much like I dont question stereotypical jokes from the Daily Show or the Colbert Report. Its all in how you present them
• Jason
  Rob wrote:
  "A computer engineer role and a sports jock role can be played by any race. Having an Asian guy play the jock and the black guy play the engineer are not stereotypes. They are if it’s vice versa. Do I honestly need to explain this?"
  
  Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Saying "the majority of asians are computer engineers" is not the same as saying "the majority of computer engineers are asian", just like saying "the majority of African-Americans are excellent athletes" is not the same as saying "the majority of excellent athletes are African-American".
  
  Rob also wrote:
  "I’ve also noticed that when black men are playing “nerdy” roles, they end up looking normal"
  
  Urkel
• rocketfuel
  Russell Peters thinks you're overreacting. Asian American men need to stop being overly sensitive and instead say..."damn straight I'm smarter than you."
• Tom
  Stereotypical, yes. Racist? Racist is the system that doesn't help people to see how that is a stereotype, or how weird it is that there aren't any Asian writers on SNL.
• A Friend of Ken
  Well, SNL knows that. That guy is an ACTOR.
• John
  Of course he is an actor. SNL chose an actor to perpetuate the stereotype.
• Asjjl
  Is this the first time they have an Asian guy on SNL? I don't think they ever have Asian guy on that show. Oh...I am glad I missed that show. FU SNL.
• number6
  >or how weird it is that there aren’t any Asian writers on SNL.
  
  Heck if they did, AngryAsianMan would be blogging in his own subtextual racist style about how SNL finally has some intelligent writers, or writers with the asian genetics he approves of.