-”Guilty Pleasure” related to racial outing
-Keanu Reeves uses white passing to obtain the privileges of a white American
+Identified himself as white in some interviews
-Substitute available for brown rice or vice versa

Does diversity in comedy matter?

Chapter 10 – Miss Cherry Blossom Meets Mainstream America

Interesting chapter in that these Japanese American beauty pageants started out as a way to show they’re just as American as everyone else, yet later on it develops into its own kind of pageant by only allowing those with Japanese ancestry to participate and removing some aspects of the typical American beauty pageant, such as the swimsuit portion and the question and answer bit. The fact that these pageants were criticized by feminists must mean they’re American enough to be targeted. One thing I’ve been wondering about the chapter is what happens to the winners. Are they inspired or urged on to participate in mainstream American pageants?

Chapter 11 – How to Rehabilitate a Mulatto: The Iconography of Tiger Woods

The chapter focused on Tiger Wood’s claim of being a “Cablinasian”, a mix of Caucasian, black, Indian, and Asian. In regards to his ethnicity, Nike used him to advertise a commercial where children said “I am Tiger Woods” rather than say they want to be like him. Children featured in this commercial were of different races and in different areas, some where it looked like it was poverty stricken. It’s interesting that Tiger Woods has gained this type of iconography, rather than other multi-ethnic stars like Mariah Carey. It probably has to do with his career as a professional golf player because when most people envision pro golfers, it’s mostly wealthy Caucasian people that come to mind. Also the term Mulatto is for someone born from a white parent and a black parent, but that’s not really the case with Tiger Woods.

Chapter 14 – Guilty Pleasures: Keanu Reeves, Superman, and Racial Outing

Did not know that Keanu Reeves was part Asian until last quarter in Asian American History in the Pacific Northwest, where I saw his picture at the Wing Luke Museum in a section dedicated to famous people of Asian descent. I liked how they used Smallville to depict a person of two worlds trying to survive in one. I’ve heard of Smallville, but I have never watched it because live-action series are not usually my thing. Even the use of the infamous Kryptonite, both red and green, played a role in “depicting” the different reactions of Clark and how they relate to an “alien” trying to fit into a culture that would probably hate and fear him if they found out his truth.

Chapter 9 – Whose Paradise? Hawai’i, Desire, and the Global-Local Tensions of Popular Culture

This one was kind of a disorienting read. I can’t believe that the media, and probably the people on the U.S. mainland, want Hawai’i to keep up this false image of a paradise with “white sands and swaying palmtrees”. The one thing I remember the most from this chapter is the short-lived series The Byrds. It talked about a family that moves to Hawai’i after the mother died and tries to establish a new life there, learning about the true people living there and the traditions they still hold dear. The Byrds did what no other media series has done at the time and depicted Hawai’i as it really was, no “paradise” image but a place where people lived and worked hard, often relying on pidgin in most of their tasks. Despite this realistic view, the show had low ratings due to no depiction of paradise, but in Hawai’i it was popular.

Chapter 16 – Apu’s Brown Voice: Cultural Inflection and South Asian Accents

The fact that Apu from The Simpsons is voiced by a white man reminds me of Cleveland Brown from another adult cartoon called Family Guy, where a white man voices for a black male. The section talked about how the voice actor, Hank Azaria, established this “South Asian accent” that is now affliated with South Asian Americans. The show even took the character Apu and developed him along the way, resulting in exploration of his culture and lifestyle. Apu is probably the most famous South Asian American character in the media, or at least animated media, so far.

Chapter 17 – Secret Asian Man: Angry Asians and the Politics of Cultural Visibility

I’ll admit, when I first saw this title I kept hearing “Secret Agent Man” playing in my head. Anyways, it seems I can’t stop hearing about Abercrombie and Fitch. First I hear about the CEO having an issue against overweight people and now the whole marketing towards Asian Americans via shirts like “Two Wongs can make it white”. The reading also tells how anger and grief from Asians are used to finally have a voice for once. It was also depicted in some media, for example the scene from Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story showed a young Bruce Lee go to a theater with his future wife Linda and they watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s, up to the part where the movie depicts a Japanese man via yellowface. Disgusted, Lee doesn’t laugh with everyone else in the theater and Linda finally understands and prompts them to leave. Also from this reading I found Tak Toyoshima’s satirical comics quite entertaining and educational. They point out all the things that I’ve seen happen at least once before, with the last one being true as we watched Better Luck Tomorrow a few weeks ago. One thing that made me laugh a bit was the comic strip “Hollywood Thanks” where everyone but the Asian male gets the lady at the end. That’s such a downer to young Asian viewers when they see this kind of thing. I hope it’s not the reason behind why events like this happened.

1/28/14

• Et al. : And all the others (et alia)
• This Friday: Preface and introduction, (read at least 3) Chapters, 6, 10, 11, 14
• Next Tuesday: (read 3 of 5) 4, 9, 13, 16, 17
• Next Thursday: (read all three) 1, 2, 15

1/30/14

• Crisis- Prompt
• Prepare talking points for seminar (questions, comments, musings)
• Make an appointment for next Friday

Slanted Screen

• Epicanthic fold
• “We can’t even play ourselves anymore”
• Slanted (Screwed, distorted)
• The truth can blind a person, so a filter (at times) is necessary
• Tell the truth but tell it slant
• In order to do what you love, sometime you have to play into stereotypes and racial humiliation…

1/31/14

• Types of crisis- Mid life, pop culture, boundary
•  Use the prompt, then relate it to each of the media (texts and movies)
• Boundary- divisions, boarders, lines (trains, pickets, time, sexuality, opportunity, family, generational, identity, tradition, industry, inter racial, actor’s line)

• Chapter 6

• Crack- hand, foundation, a line of sorts
• Many types of queer
• Heteronormity
• Queer vs Queering (an identity vs an action, queer revisionism)
• Time a/effected paradigm shift
• Queer Theory- Any disruption of sex, gender, desire, and any combination of the sort.
• Chapter 10
  • What impact do you think the Nisei generation had on the stereotype for a Nisei week winner?
    • What generations had an impact on the stereotype?
    • In your personal opinion, what is the definition of a Japanese American woman?
      • Should pageants base contestants on ancestry or culture?
      • How did they judge the candidates for who wins Nisei week?
    • Why could the pageants never completely assimilate with American style?
    • How did feminism help or not help the Japanese Americans?
• Chapter 11
  • Racial Identity- Portmanteau cablinasian
  • The case that decides what race you are (separate but not equal)
  • Immigration case

• Black lifestyle
• Beauty Pageants vs Cosplay World Summit

Here is one of my favorite youtubers. He is intelligent, fun, inspirational, thoughtful, etc. The list goes on. I’m not sure if this fits into anything from class but maybe you could find some connections between what he is talking about and your rock category. Art is not limited to masterpieces. Any craft can become an art.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Did you notice the Superbowl halftime show featured Bruno Mars?

Of course you did.

I’ve never heard of him before the game, but I was impressed with his James Brown moves, and the band’s Commodores-esque choreography. The kid’s got talent.

How does this relate to A-Pop?

According to Wikipedia;

“Bruno Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was raised in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu.”

“His father is of half Puerto Rican and half Jewish (from Hungary and Ukraine) descent, and is originally from Brooklyn, New York.[13][14] Mars’ mother immigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines as a child, and was of Filipino, and some Spanish, descent.[13][15][16] His parents met while performing in a show, where his mother was a hula dancer and his father played percussion.[14] At the age of two, he was nicknamed “Bruno” by his father, because of his resemblance to legendary professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino.[17][18][19]“

To put his performance in the proper context, check out those who came before him:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.