Why I Am Boycotting Ruffles & Their Poker Night Commercial

By Guest Writer | Thursday, June 7, 2012 | 50 Comments

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By Leeland Lee

As a proud yellow-blooded Asian American male, it warmed my heart recently to see this Ruffles commercial featuring not one, but two—two!—Asian Americans playing that quintessential all-American game, Texas Hold’em. This was especially gratifying because for awhile I’ve been troubled by the media’s portrayal of Asian Americans. But after seeing this ad, all my lingering doubts dissipated faster than a bunch of slanty-eyed misfits at a college frat party.

Which is to say, we Asians have really made it in the US of A.

To start with the obvious, I’m especially proud of my Asian American brother (Mike Park) and his award winning one-syllable performance.

“Call,” he utters.

Say it with me now: “Call.”

Again: “Call.”

“Call what?” you might ask. My mom? My grandma? Done and done. Hard as it is to believe, there’s only one thing in the world that runs deeper than the ridges on those Ruffles—and that’s my unwavering commitment to filial piety.

Anyway, did I already mention how glad I was to see Asian Americans on TV? I mean, that Asian girl (Emily Chang) looks like she’s really made it in life, with her white boyfriend and all. He looks like one of those secret billionaires you always read about who lives like a hobo. I bet he owns some really fabulous tech stocks!

You might think I’m jealous of this hipster, but really I’m not. Why would I be jealous? Because his Asian American girlfriend adores him and appears to have talents besides eating and violin-playing? Because he looks like he can afford to keep her happy with a dozen (authentic) Gucci bags? Get out of here!

I mean, why would I be jealous? I’ve got things going for me as well, things that would make any man jealous. Take, for instance, my mutant super power. Okay, since we’re all friends here, I’ll let you in on a little secret: I have the ability to make myself invisible. For real! It’s great because people don’t notice when I’m standing next to them. And some people don’t even notice when I’m talking to them. Like for instance: women.

Now just because I can turn myself invisible and you can’t, doesn’t necessarily mean I’m a slouch at work either. To be honest, I’m the hardest worker at my company, but I actually enjoy being the stoic exploited computer programmer with the shoe print stamped over my face. I’ve even taken a liking to the taste of sole, and I’m not even talking about the fish, if you get my drift.

And just like that super cool Asian dude in the Ruffles commercial, I’m also well-versed in one-syllable words when I’m at work:

“Yes, sir.”

“Of course, sir.”

Needless to say, my life is pretty exhilarating. It’s almost as exhilarating as a roller-coaster, except in reality I’ve never actually been on one since I’m too short to be allowed to ride.

Anyway, enough bragging about my awesome life. After I finish programming this final line of code, I will wipe down my thick prescription glasses, go home by myself, read another chapter of The Game, practice my kung-fu, then fall asleep to anime porn and dream that maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up with pale skin and male pattern baldness so that my lovely Asian American sisters will adore me almost as much as they adore Hello Kitty (who is also white and suffers from male pattern baldness—bet you didn’t know that). Baaa-zing!

And of course, tomorrow I can’t wait to visit my local supermarket to get me a bag of those delicious Ruffles. They go really well with fortune cookies.

By the way, this commercial sucks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee has previously written about the collective marriage choices of Asian American female writers.

Categories:

EntertainmentFood & DrinkObservationsTV

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Facebook Comments (Beta)

http://twitter.com/CinnabonMonster The Cinnabon Monster

what was the point of this article, you just ramble on for an entire page without making any coherent point..
bill poon

This article was more about you than it was about the commercial wasn’t it?
http://profile.yahoo.com/C4HYMS7FK5OY53SKG3E47WN6M4 Hara

you went through all of that just to say that the commercial sucks. well guess what, you suck for uploading such a silly rant.
commanderrobot

whaaaaaaaaaaa

???
http://www.facebook.com/emily.dzenowski Emily Elaine Dzenowski

At first I thought this article was going to be about the lack of lines the male Asian character was given in the commercial. Towards the end however, when I read, “maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up with pale skin and male pattern baldness so that my lovely Asian American sisters will adore me almost as much as they adore Hello Kitty…” I finally got it. What your really trying to say is your not happy about seeing a commercial with a white dude and a Asian girl.
http://www.facebook.com/emily.dzenowski Emily Elaine Dzenowski

I really wish you would have said that in the beginning so I could have skipped over this -_-.
Andy Wong

Cheers for speaking out that which is on the minds of many an Asian American when being portrayed as such by Hollywood. Those who did not get it, well perhaps they are enjoying a more privileged lifestyle.
http://twitter.com/CinnabonMonster The Cinnabon Monster

It ain’t about privilege, it’s about a coherent argument. This article is not coherent.
m_wei

was Leeland high when he wrote it? it’s actually kind of amusing. ^_^
http://profile.yahoo.com/7YJ3QIOAOX2BPTHC2DOU7KT3FM keith

How did this article get approved by the editors? Yes, this article will bring tons of traffic and comments because its all about the WMAF issue but come on, this is a bit over the top about a harmless commercial.
http://profile.yahoo.com/4BRWH542C2ESKSC4HV6P7HBFKM James

I, too, am also often bothered by the media representation of Asian males. But at some point in the post, I began to wonder: Are you more upset with the way the media represents Asians, or are you more upset with the choices of our Asian-American sisters?

What do you think “we” should do to keep “our” women from making the bad decisions of going out with white guys? Or maybe it’s this sort of underlying insecurity that women of all ethnic backgrounds try to avoid?
http://twitter.com/FeoChin Feodor Chin

Though it’s not explicitly stated, I strongly suspect that the author could have made his point much more succinctly had he merely written: “Oh God, I’d really like to have sex with a woman at least once before I die.”
misterround

Yes: interracial dating is evil. Down with miscegenation. Racial purity forever! (That’s what you’re saying, right?)
m_wei

hear hear! it’s 2012 and black sports celebrities should have as many blonde trophy wives as they can afford!
m_wei

very keen subtext analysis. you should be working for the FBI
m_wei

”our” women denotes ownership and property. AF are free to make their own perfectly independent dating decisions as influenced by mass media and social pressures.

likewise AM should seek their own partners elsewhere.
KAMIKAZIPILOT

It’s not that simple. You have to look at history (colonization of Asia, discrimination of asians) playing a role in large number of AF dating WM and not the other way around. If it were that simple there would be an equal amount of AM/WF relationships as there are WM/AF. The author feels that WM/AF relationships are at the expense of people like him.
KAMIKAZIPILOT

The author is basically against the portrayal of WM/AF in the media therefore he’s boycotting Ruffles. BUt I also agree with you that he’s just ranting, kind of making him look like a loser.
KAMIKAZIPILOT

I share the same sentiments as the author in that I don’t like the way asians are portrayed in the media (after all have you ever seen a commercial with a AM/WF couple, compared to the multitude of WM/AF protrayals). But I also feel the author is just ranting needlessly, making himself look like a total loser. Yes there is discrimination against asian males in the dating world but that doens’t mean you should just complain without doing anything about it.
misterround

So…Asian women shouldn’t be allowed to date white men because it’s unfair to Asian men. Right? This all sounds totally reasonable.
m_wei

Asian men didn’t create those anti-miscegnation laws in the first place and intentionally kept out Asian women and created bachelor societies that still continue to this day.

in fact, back in the day white men said Asian women were nothing but deviant prostitutes.

but hey, now that mainstream media says the AF is submissive then inter-racial marriage is completely promoted as love is colorblind.

which is why it’s awesome so many black sports stars are marrying blondes!
m_wei

when they have a WF/BM commercial that aired during the superbowl white boys went completely nuts with complaints about “indecency”

why the hate for WF/BM if IR is promoted for AF/WM?
misterround

So you’re saying that there’s an interracial couple in this commercial because the mainstream media has decided that Asian women are submissive? Congratulations! You’re a paranoid wingnut!
misterround

P.S. What’s your obsession with black sports stars and blondes? Are you operating on the assumption that this commercial was made by white racists who are terrified of black people?
http://twitter.com/FeoChin Feodor Chin

Great, you just blew my fucking cover!
m_wei

sorry; but private sector is where the real money’s at. ^_^
m_wei

I was giving you a crash lesson in US history anti-miscegnation laws 101 and didn’t say anything about the commercial itself.

your comment is what’s known as a “strawman argument” in debate class.

and just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get me. ^_^
m_wei

I simply love how black sports stars are able to have a coterie of trophy blonde wives. I dream of the day when the average black guy can also get blonde models.

think about it, what says “post racial America” than black men getting with farmers’ daughters as payback for slavery.

it gives me hope that we’re truly moved on past race when the media constantly promotes BM/WF couples like they do for WM/AF now.

weren’t you devastated when Seal and Heidi Klum broke up? they looked so cute together and had such gorgeous babies!
misterround

Thank you so much for the crash courses in history and debate. You’re clearly way smarter and more educated than I am. Here’s all I have to say, and I’m done:

Is it unfair and annoying that there are so many more AF/WM couples than WF/AM couples? Yes. Is racism to blame? At least partly, yes. But as soon as you start going after Asian women for dating white men or condemning commercials that depict these not at all uncommon couples, you should start getting sized for hoods because you’re well on your way toward founding the Asian KKK.
m_wei

where’s the Asian KKK? I’ve been looking for such an organization and haven’t found any!

I can’t say smarter, but I’ll definitely say I got a better education from the public schools – which works!

so writing about AF/WM marriages is the same as “going after” them?

is talking about race the same as being a racist, then?

as for going after commercials: have you condemned the white males who were raging on the intarnets over that superbowl commercial that featured a BM and WF getting “indecent” for simply having bathing towels on?
KAMIKAZIPILOT

Well I wouldn’t say that whites go nuts when seeing a WF/BM couple but they probably don’t like it, just like most men of all races don’t like it when women of their race date interracially. When woman leave men of their race for another race, it usually means that there is some sort of oppression occurring (ex. war, colonism, discrimination in the media).
Mary Smith

This is the dumbest, most overly analyzed blog post I have ever read. Are you SURE you are qualified to be writing articles? Were you REALLY that desperate for something to write about, that you had to rant about a RUFFLES COMMERCIAL THAT IS LESS THAN 30 SECONDS LONG!?!?!? This is why the internet sucks… This site just lost credibility because of this post. I know I’m not supposed to attack any fellow comments or users, but I’m sorry, you’re the author of this post, and your editor should be notified how nonsensical this all was.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1028851545 Lmno M Plasta

I find it funny how all the Asian guys are losing the battle horribly to white guys, all the Asian women seem to not have any pride anymore and just sell out to anyone who has white skin, I mean its funny because they are so brain washed thinking a white guy will solve all their I HAVE MADE IT overrated stero type. I mean a white guy can be a felon, rapist, a child molester, a drug dealer, wife beater and looks like he just walked out of a trash can, a white guy can even step right out of jail and walk into an Asian club and take home the hottest Asian girl, now that’s sad…but joke of you Asian guys for trying to idolize white ways and try to be the cool friend in the safe zone….but this whole Asian white washed problem is going to catch up to ya when you become the more in the mainstream eye and whites will tear you down…so transparent Asian girls are when white guys are around. lol…just my thoughts.
L. S.

haha … I like people’s comments
L. S.

The picture that went with this article’s priceless. Look at the expression on everyone’s faces. Look at the expression on the Asian guy. Picture’s worth a million words
L. S.

btw I also thought the article was a little over the top but its satire so whatever.
http://profile.yahoo.com/RUMKEZNXOYB4WZIEXMFEZ3XN7A Brian

First off, sarcasm and satire are no good for communicating with people who don’t share the same thinking and knowledge as you do. To them something like this post at best comes off as weird venting, at worse helpless whining.

I think it’s much more effective to be earnest and analytical when breaking down a situation like this beyond preaching to the choir. So let me help out and spell out what’s wrong with this commercial given the established pattern of US media objectifying Asian women and denigrating Asian men.

The Asian female character is a dragon lady caricature of real life Asian American female poker players and cute yet supercompetitive Tiger mom types. Even though it is pigeon-holing, it is in a way empowering, so I don’t have a problem so far.

She is with a loser-ish white guy. All the guys in this ad are loser-ish. It is fair to question why the Asian female isn’t with an Asian male, which happens more frequently in real life than an Asian female being with a white male. This is more of the same bias from US media pairing white men with women of all ethnicities while men of other races especially Asian males often don’t get paired up at all.

The biggest problem I see is that the Asian female is supposed to be dominating the game, which would be against all other players. Only the Asian and black guys are visually shown and have lines indicating they are losing. What about the white boyfriend and the other white guy? They would be losing too if the Asian female is dominating the game, so why not show the white guys losing? More subtle, but even more racist right there.
APBrian17

I was wondering, can we get some commentary from the 8A editors? I must’ve missed something. How does posting this piece contribute to a discussion topic that many of you already say is sooo exhausting? I even read that link at the end of the article. That was flame bait too. What’s the point of featuring the “bitter/angry Asian guy”? Twice. Is that the deal? Does featuring another bitter Asian guy really contribute to the IR discussion?

Also, miss me with that “You’re more than welcome to submit an article on something you would like to blah blah blerp derp …”
WhaaaaaaaaatThe

What annoys me the most, isn’t Hollywood in LA?? I mean, last I checked. I live here.. the south bay is 20 minutes south, san gabriel 20 minutes east… couldn’t at least ONE person in the casting office over on La Cienega hop in their BMW to drive 20 minutes( okay with traffic an hour) and just PICK anyone in the freaking land of “LA asian american couples who seem decently confident and able to play a fake poker game for 30 seconds??”

I mean, me and my girlfriend look perfectly acceptable, and in my 30+ years of living in LA, not once, ever… have I met anyone ask or suggest.. you guys should be on TV? Want to audition?

if I was making a commercial, and I wanted to include some Mexicans, you know how easy it would be to drive to any place.. taco truck, whatever, and just be like HEY! We got a commerical… Who wants to audition?!

So freakin easy… Commericals don’t need TRAINED ACTORS they are simply for image anyway…
bo jackson

Aw man, not another ‘crazy lonely Asian guy’ article. Now some Asian female’s gonna do another ‘sarcastic response’ article to try and make Asian guys that have these issues look even worse.

“Lee” or whatever your name is (wouldn’t be surprised if it was a white guy trollin’), I feel your pain but whining about stuff like this not only doesn’t get you anywhere but it just makes Asian guys look bad. Yes, idiots or people on the verge of being idiots are going to read this and think all Asian guys think like this. Next time, keep these thoughts to yourself. Yeah, lots of Asian girls only go out with white dudes. Move on, get over it, and make the best out your life.

8A: how can you let crap like this go through?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1391272129 Alex Ko

I had feelings about that commercial, too, but it wasn’t about the WMAF thing at all. What did bother me was how the Asian girl was made to be the “star” of the commercial, where the Asian guy was pretty much reduced to furniture. Try and make the same commercial with the two roles reversed, it would never see the light of day, even with a much less loser-looking Asian guy.
Aaron L Asay

I am a white American and my fiance is Ecuadorian and will continue to live/practice in her country after we marry.
I would just like to gain some understanding why I would be disliked for this. I have never been more welcomed by the family and friends of a girlfriend in my whole life (15 years of dating!)… to tell you the truth. I am a student and I work, so obviously I am no ‘Golden Ticket’ for any girl… I just do not believe the majority of any race is so petty to categorically shun any interracial relationship. The real racism comes from those so insecure to realize this is a very small world, and you are wasting your lives with the hate and bitterness. Maybe you should go ask one of these mysterious beauties out…?
SteveAsat

How DARE you question an Internetter’s right to ramble without purpose? Next you’ll be complaining that he doesn’t know what words mean when he uses them.
azlefty

I bet you have a small peener also!

Perhaps I should be upset that her date is a Droky balding white guy
http://www.facebook.com/jerishermaine Jerish Shermaine Goffney Almei

because you are white, duh.
Aaron L. Asay

…still my favorite commercial this year
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Mlsflt

Wow, you people are slow. Dont you undestand the media is out to break up any group that historically stays within its race when dating and getting married?

White’s were first, they went after us, they started pushing white women with black men in tv’s shows, commercials, books, etc. After that, they started on Black women being with white men. The next group to go after is, the Asian community.
No community is more closed to inter-racial relationships than Asians, they are going after them by portaying asian women with white men and not black men. First instance of this I recall was in the movie “Full Metal Jacket” when the Vietnamese hooker refused to have sex with the black guy but was ok with white men.
Next will be the Latino communtiy. The thing you need to take away from this is, who are the losers in this situation every time. Its the men. White men lose their women to black men, asian men lose their women to white men, etc.
We live in a world where the powers that be have one agenda and that is to create a society of one nationality, one color, one ethnicity. Blacks mix with whites, their kids mix with asians, their kids with latinos, until, we all look the same, there are no more religions, no colors, no language differences, just one big world full of people that all look the same.
Any group that expresses pride in keeping their race and culture alive are considered racist and become a target. The only group in the USA that can get away with being proud of their race and keep it pure if they choose to are African Americans. Someone yells Asian Pride and they are called a gangmember, same for Latinos and God forbid your white and you show any attempt to be proud of your heritage, you are attacked and called a racist, a kkk member, a redneck, etc etc etc.
This is a messed up world we live in and until we can all learn to celebrate our differences and be ok with everyone being different but equal, the PC police will be attacking people for cultural pride and the pc people will be pushing their interacial mixing agenda.
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