December 9, 2006
AND PC ISN'T FUNNY:
ROSIE TO ASIANS: LOOSEN UP (Richard Johnson, December 9, 2006, NY Post)
HEY, all you Chinese-speakers out there in TV land - Rosie O'Donnell thinks you should get a sense of humor! The Asian-American Journalists Association was fuming after O'Donnell went on "The View" Thursday and said that Danny DeVito's drunk turn on the show days earlier was "international news! In China it was like, 'Ching chong, ching-ching-chong, Danny DeVito!' " In a statement yesterday, the AAJA said, "We consider this a mockery of the Chinese language and, in effect, a perpetration of stereotypes of Asian-Americans as foreigners or second-class citizens. The use of the distorted phrases is insulting to the Chinese and Chinese-Americans, and gives the impression that they are a group that is substandard to English-speaking people." But a rep for O'Donnell said, "She's a comedian..."
Which requires making fun of people who are different. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 9, 2006 10:04 AM
And also makes Rosie into a massive hypocrite, as she is entirely humorless about homosexuality.
Posted by: Bryan at December 9, 2006 11:23 AM"She's a comedian" Not really. She, like Roseanne, rose to fame basically attacking middle america. Unlike Roseanne, Rosie hasn't had the good sense to fade into the woodwork.
Posted by: AWW at December 9, 2006 11:37 AMRosie O'Donnell is funny? Who knew?
Posted by: Mike Morley at December 9, 2006 1:03 PMI'll never forget how mind-blowing it was to be sitting with a bunch of Japanese friends (in Japan), drinking, to be sure, and seeing them do the equivalent of what Rosie did, making fun of the way Chinese talk by essentially going, "Ching-chong, ching-chong, Debiito-chan, omae wa baka da naaaa!"
Making fun of how furriners talk is an essential human characteristic. Rude and ignorant, yes, but god help us if we forbid our jesters not to be rude and ignorant.
Posted by: John Ziemba at December 9, 2006 5:43 PMJohn Z is right. They need to lighten up.
Everybody tells Polack jokes, except Polaks. As I recall my grandfather's humor, we tell Swede jokes.
It makes a difference how it is delivered, and in what spirit. Back in the day, television comedians did Mexican routines. Jack Benny and Mel Blanc did ir well with the "Tiajuana Strings" routine; Bob Reiner's, "My name Jose' Jimenez" bit was embarassingly cruel.
Posted by: Lou Gots at December 9, 2006 11:09 PMSince some of you are so clueless, I'll explain why Asians are offended.
"Ching chong" is how Americans antagonize and make fun of Asians. It's second to taking one's fingers and slanting the eyes. I'm an Asian American and I can't tell you how many times growing up I've had complete strangers randomly and viciously antagonize me with "ching chong ching chong". It's an unmistakable slur whether Rosie intends it or not, knows or not.
But isn't Rosie a New Yorker? She should know better than that. If she thinks being so ignorant or insensitive is ok, then she should shut her pie hole up and retire. She's a hypocrite.
Posted by: AreYouGuysThatIgnorant at December 11, 2006 5:56 AM