I was also on KQED Pacific Time on MANAA's behalf for the "Yes, Dear" incident. But the audio is no longer there, which is probably a good thing since I was like, ohmigawd, like fer sure, like such a lame butt, cuz I'm like from the Valley and using the word "like" a lot. *sigh*

Yes, I'm quoted again. I'm so vain...... Doggone it why not? I have no life, might as well enjoy what I got. ;p

No to ‘Yes, Dear’
Comedy under fire for racist slur

By Sam Chu Lin, Special to AsianWeek, Mar 19, 2004


Emmy Award-winning news cameraman Kristopher Li was relaxing with his family last week, watching Yes, Dear, when he was jolted from his seat.

It wasn’t an earthquake or sudden health emergency, but rather the word “chinaman” that spurred Li to action.

The character responsible for uttering the slur was that of veteran actress Vicki Lawrence in the March 1 Yes, Dear episode, “Owner’s Suite.”

Character 1: Hey, you guys are going to have a blast at the basketball game.
Character 2 (Vicki Lawrence): Now are the Lakers the team that have that giant china - man?
Character 1: No - that’s Yao-Ming! He’s on the Rockets. But the Lakers have their own giant — Shaquille O’Neal.

Seeing the shocked look on his 13-year-old son’s face, Li knew he had to do something.

When Li’s friend who works at a local radio station invited him to go on the air to talk about the episode and its potential impact, he gladly accepted.

And he’s calling on others in the Asian Pacific American community to let their feelings be known.

“A lot of people including mainstream Americans and some [APAs] don’t even know that ‘chinaman’ is offensive,” Li says. “If the network apologizes, then more people will realize this is a word that should not be used.”

Various APA organizations have issued statements, ranging from irate to moderately concerned. But so far, CBS network executives haven’t responded let alone apologized.

The Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), a watchdog organization monitoring the networks and movie studios, has sent a letter of protest to CBS and demanded an apology.

Jennifer Kuo, president of MANAA, says the organization had given the network a list of Asian terms to avoid — including “chinaman” — because of their racial overtones.

“It’s frustrating when something like this happens,” she says. “We’ve sat down with CBS executives to talk about this. We’ve tried to help them out, but it looks like they’re ignoring us. Why do we give them all of these things if they’re not going to read it?”

Shortly after the episode ran, Karen Narasaki, head of the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium in Washington, D.C., called the show’s producers, Greg Garcia and Alan Kirschenbaum.

She says, “They told me they were trying to portray an insensitive, out-of-touch woman.”

She adds, “I told them they should have included people reacting to her comments to make that point, and they agreed.

“They say they will take out the scene before that episode is re-run, and I think that’s good. It’s an education process.”

S.B. Woo, president of 80-20, an APA political activist group, says, “Since they’ve decided to cut out the scene, I’m only moderately satisfied.

“The show, itself, is not really that important. The fact they have ignored the racial slur is more important. I’m willing to give CBS another chance, but if there is a next time, we’ll really go to war!”

John Tateishi, executive director of the Japanese American Citizens League, is angry that the producers and the network have given only a limited response. He believes a slur on one APA group is a slur on all APAs.

“Mainstream America can’t distinguish between the different ethnicities in the Asian communities,” he says. “So what is directed to one group certainly isn’t limited to that one group in the minds of the people who make such stupid comments.”

GO DAIWAN LANG!!!! And I'm quoted. Woo hoo!
Guess the fortune teller was right. (read previous post) AHAHAHAHA.

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Saturday, March 20, 2004
O.C. Taiwanese affected by attack
The assassination attempt on the island's president raises concern here.

By PATRICK VUONG
The Orange County Register


Some voters casting ballots today in the presidential election in Taiwan actually call Orange County home.

Despite living eight time zones away from the island, these Taiwanese Americans maintain dual citizenship and have flown back to the island to vote in the election, which was marred by an assassination attempt on the president and vice president Friday.

"My heart and love is in Taiwan right now," said Sarah Lobin, a Huntington Beach real estate agent.

The 51-year-old Taiwanese native did not return to Taiwan but said many of her clients and friends stay politically active in the country. Lobin hopes President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu will be re-elected to stand up against China, which sees Taiwan as one of its territories.

Chen has been vocal about forging a separate identity for Taiwan despite China's threats of attack if the island seeks independence.

"We're not afraid of China. We're very strong," Lobin said.

The shootings might help Chen's re-election, said Dorothy J. Solinger, a political science professor at the University of California, Irvine.

"The assassination attempt will cause people to sympathize with him, especially among people who hadn't decided to vote yet or who weren't planning to vote for him," Solinger said. "It'll give a sense of empowerment to Chen because he feels he's fighting for a just cause."

Chen's political stance has attracted a following among Orange County's roughly 10,000 Taiwanese Americans, some of whom have been influential in his campaigns.

Fountain Valley aerospace engineer Ching Kuo, who is in Taiwan now, led a contingent of 16 U.S. businessmen to help Chen's first campaign in 2000. That same year, Lu raised $1.2 million during a Southern California visit.

Jennifer Kuo, a member of the nonprofit Taiwanese American Citizens League, said her relatives and friends have returned to their homeland to vote.

"This is a country that does see the value in voting," said Kuo, 26, of Costa Mesa. "I hope this (assassination attempt) doesn't intimidate anyone."

Irvine resident Ching F. Tsai agreed, saying he hopes the attack reinforces democracy in Taiwan.

"We hope people can learn a lesson and condemn this kind of violence," said Tsai, 55. "People should use the ballot instead of bullets."


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CONTACT US: (714) 445-6685 or pvuong@ocregister.com