Excited
If you have been following the latest season of The Amazing Race, you’ve noticed the Asian American brother-sister team, Tammy & Victor Jih. The last time I recall The Amazing Race having an Asian American team was when father-daughter team Ronald & Christina made it to the finale, but ultimately didn’t win in the end, coming in second. This past Sunday in the second episode, Tammy & Victor came in first in the latest leg of The Amazing Race. In a sneak peak, the third episode shows some sibling rivalry and friction between Tammy & Victor.
But when reality television shows cast Asian Americans, are they now trying to typecast and perpetuate the “Model Minority” myth? The previous season of The Amazing Race had Christina going to Duke and Princeton and working for the State Department. Survivor’s Yul Kwon went to Stanford and Yale Law and had worked at McKinsey & Google prior to going on the show. And now, Tammy & Victor, they both went to Stanford undergrad and Harvard Law School (a decade apart – HLS ’06 and HLS’96 respectively). Victor is a 35-year-old partner at the Los Angeles-based law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Tammy is an associate at the law firm Quinn Emanuel.
Is this better than how typically Asian Americans are portrayed in television and film, like Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles?
I do think that it is great that Yul Kwon and Victor Jih have come across as totally down-to-earth and photogenic, giving Asian Amerian males a much needed image boost to the steroetypical “geek” image that has been portrayed in the past. And yes, I *totally* have a crush on Tammy; she’s super cute and maybe I’ll be lucky and get to meet her in person one of these days like I have with Yul.
How does this post make you feel?
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
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When I was watching the Amazing Race, I knew most of the locations in central Beijing u00e5u008cu0097u00e4u00bau00ac where Tammy & Victor went to, except the the restaurantu00efu00bcu008cwhich would be near the Forbidden City. They started in u00e4u00b8u009cu00e5u008du0095u00efu00bcu008cwent to the Southwest entrance of the Forbidden City, u00e5u008fu00a4u00e7u00aeu00a1u00e5u008du0097u00e9u0097u00a8. Then to the u00e7u008eu008bu00e4u00bbu0098u00e4u00bau0095 Food Street, and then took the taxi to the u00e5u00a5u00a5u00e6u009eu0097u00e5u008cu00b9 Olympic Park in the Northwest section of Beijing.
I think this portion of the show was filmed in late October 2008 The portable bathrooms which the two sisters went into were there in mid to late October, but were removed by early November 2008.
Congratulations u00e6u0081u00adu00e5u0096u009cu00efu00bcu008cu00e6u0081u00adu00e5u0096u009c to Tammy and Victor Jih u00e5u008au00a0u00e6u00b2u00b9 for winning the Amazing Race. It's my favourite TV show.
will u00e6u009du008e
u00e5u008au00a0u00e5u00b7u009eu00e6u0097u00a7u00e9u0087u0091u00e5u00b1u00b1 San Francisco,
u00e4u00b8u00adu00e5u009bu00bdu00e4u00bau00bau00e5u008au00a0u00e6u00b2u00b9u00e3u0080u0082
When I was watching the Amazing Race, I knew most of the locations in central Beijing u00e5u008cu0097u00e4u00bau00ac where Tammy & Victor went to, except the the restaurantu00efu00bcu008cwhich would be near the Forbidden City. They started in u00e4u00b8u009cu00e5u008du0095u00efu00bcu008cwent to the Southwest entrance of the Forbidden City, u00e5u008fu00a4u00e7u00aeu00a1u00e5u008du0097u00e9u0097u00a8. Then to the u00e7u008eu008bu00e4u00bbu0098u00e4u00bau0095 Food Street, and then took the taxi to the u00e5u00a5u00a5u00e6u009eu0097u00e5u008cu00b9 Olympic Park in the Northwest section of Beijing.
I think this portion of the show was filmed in late October 2008 The portable bathrooms which the two sisters went into were there in mid to late October, but were removed by early November 2008.
Congratulations u00e6u0081u00adu00e5u0096u009cu00efu00bcu008cu00e6u0081u00adu00e5u0096u009c to Tammy and Victor Jih u00e5u008au00a0u00e6u00b2u00b9 for winning the Amazing Race. It's my favourite TV show.
will u00e6u009du008e
u00e5u008au00a0u00e5u00b7u009eu00e6u0097u00a7u00e9u0087u0091u00e5u00b1u00b1 San Francisco,
Asians are no better or worse than anyone else. We are ALL individuals, however, Blacks and Hispanics are just as educated yet the stereotype is often far worse. Asian's are enjoying American Hype at this time and seem not to care about other minorities. Blacks and Hispanics are appreciative and happy that minorities are raising teh bar here, but are very disappointed in the stereotyping that occurs. I know an Asian friend who didn't go to college and works at a low level job. He is a good man who has stated why is it when people meet him, they think he is college educated without even talking to him - when they meet his Mexican friend they assume he is not. He is and and works for a top company. As a good person, Aisan or not, he thinks the sterotyping that Americans seem to love is very idiotic. He supports other minorities.
Asians are no better or worse than anyone else. We are ALL individuals, however, Blacks and Hispanics are just as educated yet the stereotype is often far worse. Asian's are enjoying American Hype at this time and seem not to care about other minorities. Blacks and Hispanics are appreciative and happy that minorities are raising teh bar here, but are very disappointed in the stereotyping that occurs. I know an Asian friend who didn't go to college and works at a low level job. He is a good man who has stated why is it when people meet him, they think he is college educated without even talking to him - when they meet his Mexican friend they assume he is not. He is and and works for a top company. As a good person, Aisan or not, he thinks the sterotyping that Americans seem to love is very idiotic. He supports other minorities.
Tony: No, you're not qualified to say what you said. You have a RIGHT to say it, but you're not QUALIFIED to say it. Being married to an Asian is not the same as being Asian (or Asian American or Asian Canadian). Growing up white, you saw plenty of people of your race on television and all types of media. It was a given. When I see an Asian American team on the Amazing Race, I (and other bloggers) pay special attention because..they're the only Asians on the team. There aren't many of us on reality shows (or any shows for that matter). The spotlight's on the very few we see, so of course we're going to dissect and discuss them.
Tony: No, you're not qualified to say what you said. You have a RIGHT to say it, but you're not QUALIFIED to say it. Being married to an Asian is not the same as being Asian (or Asian American or Asian Canadian). Growing up white, you saw plenty of people of your race on television and all types of media. It was a given. When I see an Asian American team on the Amazing Race, I (and other bloggers) pay special attention because..they're the only Asians on the team. There aren't many of us on reality shows (or any shows for that matter). The spotlight's on the very few we see, so of course we're going to dissect and discuss them.
I'm white, my wife is Thai, and I speak Mandarin. There, now I feel qualified to say what I'm gonna say: I feel that you (the Asian American bloggers) are just typical Americans trying to find something to complain about. And we all know what a hot-button topic that race is in America.
We all have things we can complain about, but this article about Asian Americans on reality shows is reeeeeealy stretching it.
Zaijian!
Sayunara!
La gorn klab!
I'm white, my wife is Thai, and I speak Mandarin. There, now I feel qualified to say what I'm gonna say: I feel that you (the Asian American bloggers) are just typical Americans trying to find something to complain about. And we all know what a hot-button topic that race is in America.
We all have things we can complain about, but this article about Asian Americans on reality shows is reeeeeealy stretching it.
Zaijian!
Sayunara!
La gorn klab!
Africa is a country. Duh.
But seriously, I'm not sure why this happens so often, I myself have been compelled to make the same mistake, I think it has something to do with the fact that we rarely hear about individual countries, they don't make the headlines. Instead the media focuses on Africa as a whole and its communal problems like AIDS and poverty.
Africa is a country. Duh.
But seriously, I'm not sure why this happens so often, I myself have been compelled to make the same mistake, I think it has something to do with the fact that we rarely hear about individual countries, they don't make the headlines. Instead the media focuses on Africa as a whole and its communal problems like AIDS and poverty.
@Roger - I didn't catch Season 10 with Erwin and Godwin.
@Linda - I think the Jih's are Chinese. I will have to investigate further...
@Roger - I didn't catch Season 10 with Erwin and Godwin.
@Linda - I think the Jih's are Chinese. I will have to investigate further...
Roger: It was Sarah Palin.
Roger: It was Sarah Palin.
What about geeky Californian brothers Erwin and Godwin from season 10? They were totally responsible.
and yeah, what IS the deal with the references to Africa as a country? Didn't some politician do that recently, too?
What about geeky Californian brothers Erwin and Godwin from season 10? They were totally responsible.
and yeah, what IS the deal with the references to Africa as a country? Didn't some politician do that recently, too?
Did anyone else catch victor refer to the Continent of Africa as a country twice?
Did anyone else catch victor refer to the Continent of Africa as a country twice?
Does anyone know what their ethnicity is (Chinese?)?
Does anyone know what their ethnicity is (Chinese?)?
Superficially: I appreciate bookish yet quite attractive Asian-Americans being represented on TV. I like that they are both engaging, easy on the eyes, and well spoken.
Not so superficially: You have a point about the typecasting into "Model Minority" myth. Generally, we're portrayed as being responsible, bookish, smart, goal-oriented. Even in their interviews, both mention how their lives are all about work, studying, work etc and they needed the push to do something other than work.
As much as it would be more ideal to not typecast Asian-Americans into a certain category, I'm glad for any exposure and portrayal of us in the media that isn't anywhere linked to the representation we had in "Sixteen Candles" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
Superficially: I appreciate bookish yet quite attractive Asian-Americans being represented on TV. I like that they are both engaging, easy on the eyes, and well spoken.
Not so superficially: You have a point about the typecasting into "Model Minority" myth. Generally, we're portrayed as being responsible, bookish, smart, goal-oriented. Even in their interviews, both mention how their lives are all about work, studying, work etc and they needed the push to do something other than work.
As much as it would be more ideal to not typecast Asian-Americans into a certain category, I'm glad for any exposure and portrayal of us in the media that isn't anywhere linked to the representation we had in "Sixteen Candles" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's."
my gaydar just went off :)
my gaydar just went off :)
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[...] Model Minorities in Reality TV: The Amazing Race’s Tammy & Victor Jih: The token Asian team on The Amazing Race this season are attractive sibling lawyers, and you’re sitting at home watching them eating a bag of potato chips. [...]
[...] Last February, I had blogged about the premiere of the fourteenth season of The Amazing Race with Tammy & Victor being an Asian American older brother & young sister team. Well, Tammy & Victor are the victors, winning one million dollars and the various travel prizes they won coming in first in various legs of the race. Congratulations to them both! [...]