Charice Gives ‘Glee’ a New, Cute Asian Voice

By Dino-Ray | Thursday, September 23, 2010 | 18 Comments

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Besides Harry Shum Jr.’s abs, Filipino import pop sensation, Charice was the hot topic of the second season premiere of Glee.

If we sidestep the ignorant comments (which, by the way, were cleverly executed) made by the show’s resident diva, Rachel (Lea Michele), Charice’s character’s blatant Filipino name (Sunshine Corazon) and that hideous Hello Kitty backpack, it is safe to say that the mini diva held her own against the veteran Gleeks. Actually, the writer of this episode played it pretty strategically and totally played to Charice’s strengths. She had a total of about seven lines that were as easy to remember as a five item Ranch 99 grocery list and two musical numbers that blew everything else out of the water — even Rachel’s rendition of “What I Did For Love” couldn’t stand up against Charice’s “Listen.”

I am not a fan of Charice. Never have been. Yes, I am kind of a hater. So for me to say all those things was kind of painful — just like that Parisian beatnik prostitute look she was sporting in her final number. But damn. That Pinay could sing — I ain’t gonna lie about that. And seeing that she got purloined by (spoiler alert) rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline at the very end of the episode, I am thinking we haven’t seen the last of her.

But Charice isn’t the only hot Asian injection that flowed through the veins of Glee’s season premiere. Asian (Jenna Ushkowitz) and Other Asian (Shum Jr.) sparked a relationship at “Asian Camp,” which will lead to a love triangle involving Artie (Kevin McHale).

Juicy stuff.

Asians are taking over Glee. I think I may have a chance to have a recurring role as a cocaine-addicted Bruno Mars-esque character with a heart of gold and an affinity for boy band music from the late ’90s and early 21st century.

P.S. I never attended Asian Camp. Is it fun?

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ComedyEntertainmentMusicTV

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http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ZEXGOXRQNRAP724NWRZ7POTR54 Blipblopblapbloobybloo

I don’t follow her, but I respect and admire her talent. What is it about her that makes you so not a fan that it would be painful to praise her?
DinoRay

I admire and respect her talent to, but I am just not a fan. It’s like how I don’t eat meat. I appreciate the culinary art of carnivores, but I just don’t partake — but that doesn’t mean I won’t be snarky about it.
http://twitter.com/StudioDizon Dennis Dizon Garcia

Well said from a Charice hater. I’ve been a huge fan since I saw her on Star King thinking for the longest time that this pint-size diva was a kimchi-eating Korean. hehehehe

Though I did notice that filipino “fashionistas” don’t partake, as you put it, to the likes of Charice. Talented yet lacking the “fabulousness” of the likes of Beyonce, Gaga, etc…

As for me, I tend to root for the underdogs.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/5KVXLFRKDK3RI23RLZJOK6MW7Q Emma

What I still don’t get is your grounds for, not hating, but, worse, quote, “ABHORRING” Charice, re: the insider email convo that was previously published here. It is as senseless as virtually every time Sarah Palin opens her mouth.
DinoRay

Please refer to the word “snarky” when re-reading that insider email convo. Plus, I have calmed down since then. The word “abhor” has been downgraded to “kind of a hater.”
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_U6QQWDMGQV2TRNBM5MTAIAUDFE barok

“I am not a fan of Charice. Never have been. Yes, I am kind of a hater.”Uh, why hate? What has Charice personally done to you or offend you, enough that you “kind of hate her?” All she did was sing, “literally for supper” initally, until she was discovered, became a success, and is now an international star? Hate? A reaction that is a bit puerile or juvenile don’t you think, considering? Are you 12 years old? What’s the matter, your favorite singer still hasn’t reaped the same international buzz Charice has?I respect the fact that you are not a fan but come on now, I can’t help but think of you having a hissy fit and swipe at Charice instead of GLEE’s production. Wasn’t Charice told what to wear or carry by the show’s costume designer/stylist? Aren’t those a part of the onscreen personality she was directed to project? But I digress…You may don’t like, but stop the hate–well, kind of. Thanks for the semi-retracted claws but spit out that furball.
camo2

not everyone is gonna be afan of her but to say you hate some some without knowing them or them doing something to you its kind of pathetic. most of her so called hates come from her own country and still watching her videos.if you hate r her that much y watch.and as for critising her clothes your an idiot because the show provides the wardrobe its not like she said hey am gonna wear this.i think you need to listen to her song note to god ,but then again you might start liking her which is beneath you moron.get a life most of you haters have never been loved or hugged in your pathetic lives so you hate some who persevered and is now a success .but charice love all her haters tahts the beauty about this kid why some many people adore her ,she doesnt even think she is a star when in fact she is .thats humility . i will pray for you u need therapy .camo.
http://www.littleyellowdifferent.com ErnieAtLYD

Oh, Charice fans. All the craziness of Justin Bieber fans with an Asian
Pacific Islander bent.
kritiko

The title of this article is a deception! As i read through its content, i am bombarded with mostly negative connotations on Charice–hater, hideous, painful, prostitute, etc. What a dirty tactic to attract new readers! May have initially succeeded in this regard, but in the long run the writer won’t ever gain an avid following. The bottom line is laid out crystal-clear: he’s a hater, and i couldn’t care less! After all, he’s just a struggling wannabe trying to make a name at Charice’s expense. How sad..
gotohellosers

Okay so you’re an Asian American. I’ve noticed many people like you hate her. I’ve read it on twitter, blogs and some other articles written by some asian americans who hate Charice but bother to take their precious time to write about her. I’ve read a Twit by some unknown brown monkey who’s trying to be a white monkey saying something nasty stuff about Filipinos just because many were elated about Charice guesting on Glee… and his comment gets a thumbs up from Kev Jumba, another As-Am dude who seems to be “famous” on YouTube. I’m really not a hater. But I don’t like unreasonable haters and young arrogant people who think they’re so high and mighty. Anyway, minus the sarcasm and the hate, your article’s fine. It reinforced my views on the mentality of a particular group of Asian Americans.
http://twitter.com/beccha05 Becky C. Minodin

Good for you Dino to feel the pains, some people had to experience the hard ways before learning tons of lessons in life. About the Rachel’s ” ignorant comments “. Sunshines’s backpacj and the audition’s clothes? hmmnn, it means that it’s still a long way for you to learn a lot in life lessons. Good luck
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ZEXGOXRQNRAP724NWRZ7POTR54 Blipblopblapbloobybloo

Not really. Here’s the thing. I don’t follow Justin Bieber either. I’m not into his music. I’m not into his high-pitched singing. I’m not into the fact that he made it off of youtube despite there being dozens of other talented musicians and singers on youtube who deserved a shot.

But guess what, I don’t hate him. He’s made it big and good for him.

I don’t get what Charice has done to garner this author’s “hatred”. Like I said, I’m not one of her followers, but I can acknowledge she can sing. She has a good screen presence. And she’s done a good job of representing asians.

Would her fawning over a white guy change your mind favorably about her? Because that seems to be the main role that every other asian female in the media seems to be assigned to. Grace Park has sex with a white guy on Battle Star Gallactica then moves on to Hawaii Five-O who is set to build a relationship with…one of the white guys since the only asian guy on the show was written to be her relative.

Brenda Song gets casted in the Facebook movie to be a nerdy white boy’s groupie who jumps his bones just because he copied a concept made earlier by Xanga.

Scott Pilgrim vs the World has an asian girl who falls head over heels over a white guy just because he’s in a band and acts like she’s never heard anyone else play rock music. The white guy cheats on her and yet she still stalks him.

Harry Potter is in a school for wizards. Any asian guy who you see in the background is a fat nerd and the only asian girl is gaga for Harry Potter despite him not really doing anything.

Basically, any asian girl you see in the mainstream media is there to satisfy a white man’s desires. Even the first asian girl in Glee was there to be a white man groupie. Yet, your “hate” is directed towards the only asian girl who is there to showcase actual talent and not to be someone who immediately fawns over any white guy she sees.

So, I’m gonna ask specifically what it is that you “hate” about her? I was specific with what I observe with Justin Bieber even though I don’t “hate” him. Let’s see you lay out real reasons for “hating” on someone who’s doing a pretty good job in representing asians and who’s only, what, 16?
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barok

Are you trying to window dress your image by taking out your original comments? Where are they?
barok

Ah, got it now–Dino Ray, the author and commenter, used the alias “Nobody” instead of his own.
http://twitter.com/JMattHicks JMattHicks

I had never heard of Charice until I saw this episode, but man, she killed it. I was REALLY hoping (semi-spoiler alert!) she’d stay around as a staple, but word on the street is she won’t be back until Episode 6.

Man, I wish she would have stayed a part of the New Directions!
Liway

@ErnieAtLYD Pacific Islander? She is from the Philippines, a part of Asia.
Liway

@Nobody Try looking up what hate means in the dictionary – it’s more than what you think.