Is the Green Hornet’s Kato Just Another Model Minority Stereotype?

By Guest Writer | Monday, January 17, 2011 | 18 Comments

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jaychougreenhornet Is the Green Hornets Kato Just Another Model Minority Stereotype?

By Jason

I was really excited to see The Green Hornet that just recently came out. I heard a lot of things about it before it came out, including the character, Kato, played by Jay Chou. I am impressed by his initiative to take part in a Hollywood film that is not even in his native language — his English in the movie is fairly decent with an obvious accent, but still understandable. For Jay Chou, I have a completely different image of him now.

While watching the film, I began to get angry because there way were too many of those usual degrading (and model minority) stereotypes. I do not know whether they were put in the film because the position Kato played was a naturally condescending role, the sidekick, compared to the The Green Hornet or if they were intentionally racist. I do not want to pull the racist card, but I do know that this happens way too often to be overlooked.

One of the themes in the film is the inequality between the two characters as they figure out if they are partners or if Kato is a subordinate character. By the end of the film, it concludes that they are “partners,” but it does not seem like it. It still feels like Kato, the Asian character, will always be subordinate to the Caucasian character. He will always be in the background doing all the work, but having no credit. Is this how it is in real life?

I appreciate the fact that a fairly major role was given to an Asian actor; however, it does not do any good when that role projects a negative image. From the film, I also appreciate the fact that it gave me stronger passion for Asian American activism.

ABOUT JASON: I’d like to grow up to be an activist and a catalyst for change. Presently, I am located in Los Angeles busily studying Asian American topics and living the student life.

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http://www.erniehsiung.com/ Ernie H.

Devil advocate: When companies make movies, they aren’t out to only spite white frat boys living in the Mid-west; huge movies like this are made to attract an international audience; there’s a very real reason why they co-stared Jay Chou instead of Harold from Harold and Kumar; because he is, as that link says, “the Taiwanese Justin Timberlake.” This movie was made to showcase Jay Chou as an international star when this gets marketed to Asia, with Seth Rogen for American audiences.

If all of this movie was Jay Chou apologizing to Seth Rogen all the time and this played in Asia, I think a whole boat load of Asians (and all their money) would be pretty pissed. Just saying.

Disclaimer: I have not seen this movie yet.
Maxteezie

@ErnieHsiung
The movie is “Jay Chou apologizing to Seth Rogen all the time” basically. Seth Rogen is condescending the whole time and Kato literally does all of the work (makes the cars, weapons, does all of the fighting….). In the end Kato forgives him because The green hornet whispers sorry to him once.

Disclaimer: Iv seen it.
http://www.merchantsmirror.com darkmoon

@Maxteezie@ErnieHsiung Uhh. Isn’t this true to the original GH though? This isn’t like some AA rights movie. It’s friggin GH. Let’s also not forget that the origins of GH came from the 1930s radio show, up to the 1950s. I think the film itself was pretty true to that, with a little bit more modernization tied to it.

I mean if we read into every movie from a “rights movement” perspective, then forget even bothering with the movie industry. For example, why can’t GH be native American? How come Captain America isn’t native American? I mean, he’s the Captain, and from a rights perspective, I don’t see enough of those types of people except for Tonto in the Lone Ranger. Etc etc.

If we start dissecting all Asians in movies, then I have to say that we’re screwed in the Lethal Weapon series cuz we’re all a bunch of Triad kungfu crazies that get our butts handed to us by a totally whacko Caucasian cop. Or driving rice rockets due to Tokyo Drift (whom I might add is upstaged by a white dude). I mean really? It’s JUST a movie.
redbully

To the Guest Writer,

You’re trying to hard to hate on the film and the race card simply doesn’t apply here. Seth Rogen’s character, like the father, is a dick with a big ego, it’s that simple. While Jay Chou was the “sidekick” he was actually the more legit superhero. If you watch Dragon with Jason Scott Lee, they had a scene where Bruce Lee stole the show from the lead actor in the Green Hornet TV series….Even if that didn’t happen in real life, that’s what Jay Chou did in the Green Hornet. Whether or not Seth Rogen did that on purpose, it’s quite obvious that he was the bubbling idiot and the comic relief while Jay Chou (a dick in real life) was the bad ass who did everything well.

If anything, the chemistry between the two reminds me of the main characters in Pineapple Express. One of them was the “subservient” pot head and the other a likable douchebag who all become bffs at the end of the film…and Seth Rogen helped pen that movie as well.

So yeah, stop being so sensitive.
http://tinabot.blogspot.com/ TinaTsai

I just watched the movie last night, and I gotta say I could not stop laughing. It was one of the funniest films I have ever seen, and I really just had fun with it. It probably helped that I had REALLY low expectations for it, but regardless, the jokes were well-timed and perfectly delivered. There wasn’t a dull or draggy moment.

Regarding the API issues, I didn’t feel the Kato character was subordinate at all. It was clear to me that Kato was the badass martial artist and mech genius, Britt Reid was the dumbass rich spoiled brat, and Lenore was the brains. Together they made the Green Hornet entity. Reid even makes a joke recognizing Kato’s superiority “We’re completely wasting our potential…you a little more than me.” The fight scene between the two is hilarious because Kato clearly is the stronger one, and if he was really serious, he could have easily killed Reid, but instead they were just having a little bromance trouble. The Reid character is repeatedly shown to be completely incompetent, and his one saving grace is that his self-centered-ness drives the story and the characters forward.

If anything, this film was a total commentary on the original TV series, poking fun at the accessory role a great martial artist like Bruce Lee had to play and how the girl secretary was just a pretty face accessory too. This film flipped all of that upside down and inside out and did it was a smile.

My only complaints are that the fight scenes got a little murky, which is probably stylistic, but I’m kind of a martial arts film geek so quality fight choreography is very important to me.

And for goodness sake, someone teach Kato how to swim! O_O >_<
DinoRay

Let’s just all take a deep breath and realize the most important thing about this movie: I GOT TO DRIVE BLACK BEAUTY!

http://www.8asians.com/2011/01/05/the-green-hornet-taking-a-joy-ride-in-black-beauty/
http://tinabot.blogspot.com/ TinaTsai

@DinoRay Lucky!
Here are some rides I’d like to have in my garage:

Tron’s Lightcycle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivPheV77JcU

Back to the Future DeLorean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2S7J_JBWds&feature=channel

Batmobile (Tumbler)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JIsWOzRi-8&feature=related

Nissan Terranaut
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/02/15/pics-of-nissan-terranaut-reveal-vehicle-perfect-for-picard-and-h/
http://rayhawkreview.com/ JonathanTB

While you have a valid point you kind of have to remember that this is based off of the TV series from the 1960s that aired around the same time as the original Batman show with Adam West. So it is not that surprising that these version of the characters are the same way. The story was written in a time where there was alot of racial inequality and negative stereotypes portrayed in the media. When Bruce Lee played the original Kato many viewers felt the same way that he played the thankless subordinate who did all the leg work and was happy to do it. Is it bothersome that the relationship is portrayed that way? Yes, but I don’t know how they could’ve rewritten it without completely changing the dynamic of the story. The show and the movie are called the Green Hornet so the main focus is on the life of Britt Reid/Green Hornet and while he calls him his “partner” we all, regardless of race, buy into the idea of the super hero and the side kick. Like Batman and Robin, Mario and Luigi, Sonic and Tails, etc. The story doesn’t really work if someone doesn’t take the lead and somone takes the sidekick role especially since Western culture teaches us to strive for an individualistic behavior and lifestyle . The point is the Green Hornet is a story whose characters were based on a ceratain period of the time and while we may not agree with it a dramatic change like that would unravel the story. Nobody liked seeing Bruce Lee, Patrick Vo, and now Jay Chou take a backseat to the heroic exploits of the main character, but I personally wouldn’t let the issue ruin my ability to enjoy a good movie.

On a related note if you want to see a great movie that was inspired by the Kato character go watch Jet Li’s movie Black Mask (1996).
http://tinabot.blogspot.com/ TinaTsai

@JonathanTB Well, I wouldn’t call Black Mask a great movie. It’s a great kung fu movie, but as a film, it’s cliche and campy at best. I didn’t know it was inspired by the Kato character though. ^O^ Go Jet Li!
Ed

@darkmoon @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung You’re a laugh darkmoon. This isn’t the 1930′s nor the 1950′s so it doesn’t have to be true to anything except modern day. It’s our responsibility to disect every portrayal of Asians especially those orginated in American media because of an obvious history of marginalization, discrimination and stereotyping. Movies are never just movies, they project messages subliminal or otherwise. Now you’re going to tell me the “Joy Luck Club” was JUST a movie.
http://www.merchantsmirror.com darkmoon

@Ed @darkmoon @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung First, let me point out something. It’s not my responsibility to do anything with entertainment except…. wait for it…… entertain me. You want to get on you high horse and not support movies, music, and anything else that have some secret hidden message, be my guest. I’m not stopping you.

But then again, I just don’t see some secret hidden messages in movies. Unless the Dark Knight is supposed to tell me that it’s okay to go out as a vigilante when you’re some rich disturbed white dude that could be bordering on psychopathic,… but it’s okay… he’s helping to catch other psychopaths. Or something like that. Nope. I just see it as Batman.

I’d hate to see the hidden message behind Transformers too. Fear of big robots flying in from space?

Joy Luck Club? Just a movie to me. A good movie, but entertainment nonetheless. If I wanted to be all serious about movies and how they portrayed Asians, I would have quit watching American movies a long time ago with all the crappy translations when they mixed Cantonese with Mandarin and the subtitles said nothing of what the people said. But I don’t. So … yeah… just a movie. Then again, people don’t really think that the Twilight series is “just a movie” either. You’re one of them, aren’t you….
Ed

@darkmoon @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung Ahhh darkmoon, accept everything at face value. If that’s good enough for you so be it. There are many who realise the what’s happening systematically. If it wasn’t for your avatar I would have thought you were one of those asian chicks who exclusively date white dudes.

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than to have to think”

-M L King

Since you clearly don’t want to think, I’m just going to leave the first two initials of the persons name. Though I doubt you have the brains to come up with it. I can assure you if I’m on a horse you’re on Clydesdale. Oh, like the Twilight reference, irrelevant but entertaining.
http://www.merchantsmirror.com darkmoon

@Ed @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung Again, failure to read baffles me, but here it is in simple easy to understand terms. Not “everything” is at face value. “Entertainment” is meant for entertaining.

You want to engage me on critical thinking? Fine.

You’re basically trying to tell me that you think critically about everything that’s entertaining, and there isn’t a moment in your life you don’t take something at face value for a laugh or what not. Yet, you take my avatar at face value. And obviously you have some issues with asian chicks that exclusively date white dudes for whatever reason. To top it all off, you mask your insecurities with a MLK quote, which in itself is amusing. But whatever floats your boat.

Don’t get me wrong, I applaud your passion about your APA activism. Really. But shoving your ideals onto others and then bashing them because someone disagrees with those ideals? Hmm. Sounds like… a conservative. But if that’s your cup of tea, by all means. Go forth, and conquer.
http://www.merchantsmirror.com darkmoon

@Ed @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung One more thing while I’m thinking about it. Next time, don’t use absolutes. It degrades your argument. Words like: everything, nothing, all, none, etc.
Ed

@darkmoon @Ed @Maxteezie @ErnieHsiung Oh Darkmoonie, please, the only absolute I used was when I described you accepting everything at face value. However, I do agree with you absolutes have degraded your argument, so thanks for handling my response to you on your own. Your responses tend to have no cohesion. If memory serves you were the one who bashed ErnieHsuing and Maxteesie for pointing the subtle but discriminatory undertone in GH. And yet I’m the one shoving my ideals down people’s throat!! You really should follow your own advice. Hahaha, I know one thing you’re definitely entertaining.

As for insecurities, it’s commendable your pursuit to be the model minority. That must be what the “mod” stands for by your avatar. Oh and your retort is one of the funniest I’ve ever come across. Yes, I guess I’m “masking” my insecurities because I quoted a great man. Hahaha!! Not sure what world you come from but perhaps the president needs to be told he’s masking his insecurities. Lol!!

What you need to understand is that entertainment is never JUST entertaining. There are messages intentional or not that are part of the images and the story being told. Please tell me that you do not have any children or that you’re not responsible for the upbringing of any young children. Because with your frame of mind you’re liable to influence the next generation of Paris Hiltons. Read the Narcissm Epidemic and tell me again that entertainment is JUST entertaining.
alabanya

Dragonball Z, Avatar, anyone? I’m sure there’s a lot more where that came from. Back in the day white guys played Asian roles, and they still do… This movie should just be retitled: Kato. Seth Rogen didn’t even have a purpose in this movie, other than being the slobby rich guy.
powerbee1

@JonathanTB I know where you’re coming from, and in no way I am disagreeing with you. However, this is now 2011, this is not the sixties or even in the early 1900s with first radio broadcast of the Green Hornet. There are many films these days like the X-Men movies where the characters and the stories are not exactly like the comics, but it still became a huge success. Bryan Singer (X-Men director) was able to let the audience connect with the characters, like you didn’t really feel like you were watching a superhero film even though it was. Why couldn’t Seth Rogen have written the characters to be more contemporary without changing too much of their personality traits? No offense to Jay Chou fans (and I really like him as an actor like in the movie Curse of the Golden Flower), but the negative stereotype would’ve been less if the actor spoke English clearly like Will Yun Lee or John Cho. That would’ve changed the perception more if Kato was seen as more of an Asian-American rather than a foreign speaking, hardworking, nerdy, martial art’s expert who doesn’t get the ladies, although I understand the actor can’t get rid of the accent entirely and that’s how the story is with TV show and comic… I’m just saying, the perception of an Asian man in movies would seem lees foreign and possibly less of a subordinate like The Legend of the Lone Ranger movie where Michael Horse’s character Tonto gave more of a dignity and equality to the character even though that movie flopped (though I think it was more bad PR, than the film, I didn’t think the movie was all that bad). And I’m not praising any kind of stereotype, because Tonto is a stereotype too, which Michael Horse was glad that the film flopped, because he didn’t want to be typecast. I just think if the character is a sidekick, especially if they’re a minority, the filmmaker should try to make the character as fairly represented as possible (or at least give some appreciation of Bruce Lee who tried to avoid the negative stereotype even though that was the only role he can get).
powerbee1

@redbully You nailed it when you mention Pineapple Express, and I think that’s what’s part of the problem. Rogen wrote the story like too much of himself that he plays in every movie. The other part of the problem is Jay Chou’s accent (no offense to his fans). I understand it’s not his fault (and I have nothing against him), but there would’ve been a less stereotype if he didn’t have an accent at all. And no, I disagree that this writer was playing the race card, this writer even says he recognizes himself as not trying to play the race card.

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