Filipino references in pop culture

A couple of days ago my brother and I were talking about the many Filipino references that seem to pop up on 30 Rock. Admittedly, I don't know whether or not to laugh or not. I usually don't find too much humor in stereotypes, even if the speaker of the joke is of the targeted group (as I am watching Robin Williams on Ferguson discussing how he offended Australia). References can be both positive and negative, and I usually just let it be and remain a "silent witness."

Oddly, the first time I can really remember hearing "Filipino" in a song was in Motley Crue's "Same Ol' Situation." I thought to myself "What exactly is Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx saying about Filipino women?" and really... just about every song objectified women... and I was just a teenager screaming along to they lyrics without much pause...

College, Life, a near run for a political seat in local politics, teaching have all made me much more aware and sensitive to all aspects of different "-isms." But do I ever really say anything? No. I've wanted to blog about every reference I have heard over the years, but then I felt overwhelmed and lazy and never did.

So, why comment now? Not sure... I'm on spring break and have some time to procrastinate. It's Good Friday, and I was always taught not to enjoy myself, but rather I should contemplate the seriousness of life...

... I woke up this morning not wanting to get out of bed and decided to catch up on the newest Entertainment Weekly, which could fuel all kinds of discussion on pop culture... The first thing I saw was this little blurb that said Glee "is looking for a fifty-something Filipina or Hispanic actress to play... Sue's (presumably long-suffering) maid." Then I began to imagine all the tirades that would emanate from Sue's mouth and how rife with offensiveness they could be. I'm curious how this will be handled.

So after having perked my interest, I see another curious entry from David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. They have a new album called Here Lies Love... the concept for this album... let's read Byrne's own introduction for the CD... “The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person—what makes them tick? How do they make and then remake themselves? I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if—as this piece would be principally composed of clubby dance music—one could experience it in a club setting? Could one bring a ‘story’ and a kind of theater to the disco? Was that possible? If so, wouldn’t that be amazing!”

The featured track on the website is an imagined duet between Imelda Marcos and Estrella, as sung by Cyndi Lauper and Tori Amos (two artists I tend to like). A picture of Imelda graces the cover and the entirety of the album reflects her story. The idea of a theatrical story being told in a dance club does seem interesting, although I don't know how many of the people there will be visualizing the story of Imelda Marcos.

I am curious and will listen to all the short bits on the website linked above on the album title and probably even more on iTunes when the album is released next Tuesday. I probably won't write any review, but I put this out there for some of you to consider. For those curious, EW gave the CD a "B." If you want to hear some of the songs until the CD is released, you can check out NPR. Personally, I'm finding the collection quite intriguing, especially growing up in the age of 70s disco.

Reason #500 to live in San Francisco Bay Area

Much to my surprise last Wednesday morning I picked up my Chronicle in the driveway and found a picture of the X-men on the front. I know comics are becoming more accepted and dare I say mainstream, but for an article to be on the front page of the Datebook was quite surprising. As accommodating as San Francisco is reputed to be, I never really considered the Chronicle to be that way... that's why you read the Bay Guardian and SF Weekly.

Recently, Uncanny X-Men #500 came out. Instead of some big fight with Magneto or top-tier villain, the issue signaled a new beginning as the X-Men move from New York to San Francisco.

Anyways.... here's the picture on the front...

Here is a copy of the article from sfgate.com

X-Men go west, to San Francisco

Peter Hartlaub

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

If you pay attention to the national news, it's been the world against San Francisco lately. If we aren't getting hammered for the city's activism in the gay marriage debate, our role as a "sanctuary city" routinely causes controversy.

But San Francisco just got some pretty big (albeit fictional) allies in its progressive fight for equality: The X-Men have moved to the Bay Area.

This isn't a small deal in the world of comic books. The X-Men, who settled in the Bay Area in the just-released 500th issue of the Uncanny X-Men, are arguably the most popular and recognizable superhero team in comic book history. And they've spent most of their 40-year existence based out of a mansion in Westchester County, N.Y.

But it should be no surprise. The trials of the X-Men, who discover at puberty that they are mutants, and are often forced to hide their true identities out of shame, have a lot in common with left-leaning causes, most notably the gay rights movement. In the comics, the X-Men have had gay and bisexual team members and associates, and their numbers were once decimated by a virus that had strong similarities to the AIDS epidemic.

Marvel Comics Executive Editor Axel Alonso says the city will be more than just a backdrop for the comic.

"The X-Men moving to San Francisco isn't just a physical move, it's a spiritual move. I love San Francisco and we want to see it really represented," says the city native during an interview last week at Isotope Comics in Hayes Valley. "Anyone who looks at the X-Men, the analogy is right there: If you're different in any way due to race or sexual orientation or just being nerdy, there's an X-Men character for you. They're about being different and finding strength in that weakened position."

Action movie fans will note that the X-Men and their nemeses have already been to San Francisco, destroying the Golden Gate Bridge and much of Alcatraz in the 2006 film "X-Men: The Last Stand." But for that sequel, the filmmakers didn't do any meaningful filming in the Bay Area. The movie was shot in Vancouver, and visual effects were used to add a few landmarks to the background.

The comic has much more of an insider's vibe. Marvel Comics artists will be visiting San Francisco frequently to get a feel for the fashion, architecture and even the way residents walk and talk. There are no cable cars in the first issue, but the artists did include a KRON TV news truck and a panel where the iconic mutant Wolverine walks through Noe Valley. The heroes make their base in the concrete bunkers beneath the Marin Headlands and join the protest of a controversial art installation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Perhaps most significant, they seem to appreciate San Francisco's much publicized (and recently criticized) role as a sanctuary city.

"San Francisco is now a mutant sanctuary," X-Men group leader Cyclops proclaims, near the end of Issue 500. "Any of you - and your family or loved ones - are invited to join us here, and know safety and protection our kind has never known."

Of course, this being a comic book featuring a guy who looks like a giant blue cat, there are a few moments of pure fantasy. While the leader of San Francisco in both worlds is a young attractive politician with great hair who seems more than a bit starstruck, in the comics, the mayor is a woman not named Gavin Newsom. And the X-Men somehow establish their enormous base without a historical society protest or a single tree-sitter in sight - although, to be fair, they do set up a hippie-friendly hydrokinetic power plant, presumably using tidal power from the ocean.

"We believe that homo sapiens superior represent the future, so we better start living like it," says X-Men member Beast, sounding as if he's about to run for governor. "Soon the X-center won't just be green, it'll be positively viridian."

Whether the X-Men will settle here for the next four decades isn't known, although Alonso says the story arc is mapped out for at least a year. Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada says the length of their stay has a lot to do with reader reaction.

"Temporary or permanent is a weird thing in the world of comics," Quesada says. "As far as we're playing it right now, we just got to San Francisco. We're not planning to leave any time soon."

X-Men and the sanctuary city

Parallels between the X-Men and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movement have been so strong that some real-life conservative groups have denounced the comics and movies for being pro-gay rights. Here are a few themes from the X-Men comics:

-- The X-Men don't discover their super powers until puberty. They often try to hide their differences until finding others like themselves.

-- The mutants suffered (mostly in 1990s comics) from the Legacy Virus, which wasn't understood at first and killed many mutants before treatment was found.

-- Anti-mutant slurs are frequently heard in the Marvel Universe. ("Mutie" is a common one.)

-- Efforts have been made to "cure" mutants by changing them back into nonpowered humans.

-- One of the biggest struggles for the X-Men is a political: establishing rights for mutants that are equal to humans without powers.

- Peter Hartlaub

E-mail Peter Hartlaub at phartlaub@sfchronicle.com.

A second article also appears with an interview with the editor of the X-Men with his explanation.

Axel Alonso: the man behind the X-Men move

Peter Hartlaub

Axel Alonso, the driving force behind the X-Men's move to San Francisco, was born in the city. He fell in love with comics as a preteen, making regular trips to the old Best of Two Worlds comic book shop near 19th and Irving. Alonso is an executive editor at Marvel Comics and is the group editor overseeing the X-Men franchise.

Looking very much like a San Franciscan, in a Mission District "The City" T-shirt, Alonso, 42, who still visits his mother regularly in his old Sunset District home, met with a Chronicle reporter at Isotope Comics on Fell Street in San Francisco. We didn't get to ponder whether Nightcrawler might be able to take the Kenyans in the Bay to Breakers, but covered just about everything else, including the odds of 12 Galaxies placard holder Frank Chu showing up in a panel and the possibility of an X-Men character coming out during their stay.

Q: Was it a hard sell to get the X-Men moved to San Francisco?

A: Once the idea was said out loud, it made perfect sense. Why is it that all the big superhero teams are in New York? You've got Spider-Man. You've got the Avengers. You've got the X-Men up in Westchester. Where are the superheroes to defend San Francisco if little green men come down to take over the planet?

Q: How far are you willing to go when it comes to including local landmarks and Bay Area minutiae in the books?

A: All the way. For me, I want to see the X-Men eating at La Taqueria on 26th and Mission and enjoying the carne asada taco. I want to see (X-Men member) Emma Frost getting out of bed in a Monta Ellis Golden State Warriors jersey. I want to feel that culture.

Q: San Francisco has a hot mayor in the comic, but she's female. Was there any thought of just using Gavin Newsom?

A: There was. But I think we function best when we're taking some latitude and having some fun. I know some people in (San Francisco) government and I think he would have been receptive and had some fun with it. By the same token, you want to exist in the real world, but you don't want to be reality. What if we decide that we want the mayor kidnapped? What if the writer wants him to be put in a coma? There's only so far you can go.

Q: Marvel frequently gives real-life figures cameos in its books. Will you be willing to use someone like the 12 Galaxies guy (Frank Chu) or the San Francisco Twins?

A: Absolutely. ... I get e-mails from people all the time who say 'Yo, Axel, I love this book. Can I be in it?' Or 'I'm a big fan of X-Men. Any chance I can show up?' And when it works we accommodate.

Q: You've got to get Frank Chu. Put him in some random panel in each issue, just standing in the background with his protest sign. No one else will understand it, but every single San Francisco reader will love you.

A: I can see it. I can definitely see it. I'll give that strong consideration.

Q: The Marin Headlands is an interesting base for the X-Men.

A: As a kid, I used to spelunk those caves with my friends. I remember them well. I always thought it would make a great secret hideout. It's off the grid. Nobody knows about it. Every time someone has a gripe with mutants they don't know what door to knock on.

Q: The mutants seem to be blending into the city easily. During a Gay Pride Parade or Bay to Breakers, their colorful costumes will seem almost understated.

A: Look at (X-Men member) Angel. Now he can walk down the street with his wings out. I think you're going to see a bunch of characters that are enjoying their newfound freedoms, because their differences are embraced by the culture.

Q: Is there a chance we might see one of the X-Men come out?

A: Yes. Yes. The city being what it is, certain characters whose sexuality might have been ambiguous are going to feel free to be who they are. I will qualify and say that I never go into the situation with a mandate or an agenda. It has to come along naturally. We're not going to rush into it. But I see it happening.

"You Bring Out the Asian American in Me"

So the great thing about being sick is that I have opportunity to catch up on mundane things like the newspaper and email. So here's the first thing I received and gave me something to smile about...

1. The Giants are hosting their first Filipino night... I'm not getting a ticket because I have one anyways with my season tickets, but those of you who want a collectible T-shirt should go.

Filipino Heritage Night
Wednesday, May 14 - Filipino families and businesses are recognized and welcomed for the 1st annual Filipino Heritage Night at AT&T Park! Be one of the founding fans to attend this new heritage night by coming out to support your culture, your heritage and your San Francisco Giants as they take on the Houston Astros.
Learn more and purchase tickets »


2. Then I read this article on the front of Wednesday's Datebook. It just made me wonder about the status of Asian Americans in all aspects of our society. At today's track meet, a couple of the athletes and I got into an interesting discussion about how hard it is or isn't for Chinese Americans to get into Berkeley. This talk was prompted by the fact our school has been promoting College Awareness Week--complete with speakers from different schools and organizations talking about a variety of topics (financial aid was today's focus).

Goodbye yellowface, hello whiteout?

Sandip Roy, Special to The Chronicle

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Asian American Actors

In Hollywood

Goodbye yellowface, hello whiteout? (4/23)

Paul Muni and Luise Rainer made a very unlikely Chinese peasant couple in "The Good Earth." But that was 1937 Hollywood. Today, it's hard to imagine, say, Charlize Theron wearing yellowface. Yet there's a different problem. In "21," based on an MIT professor teaching his students to beat the odds in Las Vegas casinos, Jim Sturgess ("Across the Universe") is star

student Ben Campbell. The real-life Campbell was an Asian American named Jeff Ma.

Goodbye yellowface, hello whiteout?

Phil Lee, president of Media Action Network for Asian Americans, thinks so. As soon as word got around of the switcheroo, MANAA contacted Sony. But the group says it was rebuffed. Asian hits like "The Ring" and "Infernal Affairs" are routinely Americanized. "But '21' was based on a true story involving a number of Asian Americans," says Lee by phone. "It was a lost opportunity, especially given the lack of strong Asian roles."

More of the same?

For MANAA, it was a sense of deja vu. In the 1970s, pioneering Korean journalist K.W. Lee wrote more than 120 articles that helped free a young Korean American wrongly accused of a gangland murder. That story inspired the 1989 movie "True Believer." But who got to play the heroic crusader? James Woods.

"While '21' is inspired by a true story, the film is fictionalized," stresses Steve Elzer, Sony's senior vice president for media relations. He points out that there are two Asian Americans in the five-member ensemble. "They are prominently featured in the motion picture and they also appear in the trailers, on the posters, billboards," Elzer says in an e-mail. He adds that as a consultant to "21," Ma himself "has vigorously supported the producers' casting choices."

Not everyone buys the colorblind "it's about the best actor for the role" argument. "Are you kidding me? A movie about math, MIT and gambling, and the lead was made white? Have you ever seen the pai gow tables in Vegas?" exclaims Manish on the blog Ultrabrown. "... You can just imagine the studio meeting: 'Asian won't sell. If you want the movie made, we have to re-cast the leads.' "

"This is pretty outrageous, and just as questionable as having Brian Dennehy play Kublai Khan in (Hallmark's) recent 'Marco Polo' movie," writes Alvin on the Hypen Magazine blog.

A two-way street?

But shouldn't colorblindness cut both ways? If Asian Americans want to play Hamlet (Joan Chen's role in "Twin Peaks" was written for an Italian), shouldn't Sturgess have a shot at "21"?

"There are a limited number of Asian roles and plenty of hungry actors," says Arthur Dong, director of the new documentary "Hollywood Chinese." "When a non-Asian gets an Asian role, it's a slap in the face." And when Nicolas Cage parodies Fu Manchu in "Grindhouse" in 2007, it stings even more. "Sure it's satire, that's the excuse," says Dong. "But would anyone dare do that with Amos and Andy?"

Stephen Gong, executive director of the Center for Asian American Media, says stories like "21" don't really surprise him. "Films are constructed to make money," Gong says by phone. "I'm

sure the producers were more interested in making a film about cheating Las Vegas rather than the subtleties of the Asian American experience."

But where does that leave Asian American actors?

"I'm working, but not much in Hollywood," says Chen, though she sees more roles around than when she started 25 years ago. Then she was offered plenty of "cartoonish chop-chop action movies." "I turned those down," Chen says by phone. "But I regret it a little now. I thought they were mindless, but they were not meant to be serious. I was being too serious."

Something to prove

"As an ethnic actor, you have to work a million times harder than anyone else just to get your foot in the door," says Kal Penn in a phone conversation. Penn balked at playing a character named Taj Mahal in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder." He vividly remembers how schoolmates in New Jersey avoided him at lunch after seeing Indians wolfing monkey brains in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." But a friend advised him to find a dozen cliched scenes he just couldn't stomach and suggest alternatives instead of rejecting National Lampoon. That film

eventually helped him land "Harold & Kumar" and "The Namesake."

In 2008, Sony can say that if there were an Asian American actor with the box-office buzz of Sturgess, Ben Campbell could have stayed Asian. That sounds like the same argument as when Rainer was chosen over Anna May Wong for "The Good Earth."

Dong says it's possible that 1930s Asian American stars like Wong didn't yet have the dramatic chops for a role like "The Good Earth." "But you can argue that she was never given the chance to nurture that talent," he says. "It's a classic catch-22." After all, says Center for Asian American Media's Gong, "I'm sure John Cho could have done '21' in his sleep."

Sidelined in Hollywood, many Asian American actors are eyeing the global market. Bay Area native Daniel Wu is an A-lister in Hong Kong. "He could be the next Jackie Chan," Gong says. "He can speak Mandarin, Cantonese, knows martial arts." And he doesn't have to worry about an accent.

Wu isn't alone. Hawaii native Maggie Q made it in Hong Kong before starring in "Live Free or Die Hard." Lee-Hom Wan of "Lust Caution" was born in Rochester, N.Y.

Asian American actors, once the stepchildren of both Hollywood and Asia, are becoming

"bankable" for American productions by pursuing a career in Asia first, writes the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival's Taro Goto. Others like B.D. Wong, Sandra Oh, Vic Chao are popping up regularly on television.

Variety

"It's not just about positive roles, it's about more variety," says Lee of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans. That's where he feels "21" missed the boat. But Dong says he worries more about films like "Juno" than "21." In that indie hit, an Asian is shown picketing an

abortion clinic. "She has an accent, I think she's the only Asian in the film, and as I watched it, I thought, 'When that film shows in the Midwest, I'd hate to be the only Asian student in the auditorium,' " says Dong. "That really perpetuates the otherness of Asians. You make sure they are still seen as outsiders."

Video clips

Here are Web sites for video excerpts of some of the movies mentioned in this article:

The Good Earth: links.sfgate.com/ZDDE

21: links.sfgate.com/ZDDF

True Believer: links.sfgate.com/ZDDG

Infernal Affairs: links.sfgate.com/ZDDH

Hollywood Chinese: links.sfgate.com/ZDDI

Lust Caution: links.sfgate.com/ZDDJ

E-mail Sandip Roy at datebook@sfchronicle.com.

extra article link on John Cho in the same paper

John Cho rises to the top, with Harold's help (4/23)

if you are more curious on the topic, you should check out the documentary Slanted Screen.

D & D (teachers doing spoken word... sorta)

I just can't say no to anything this year. I had to support our first ever E.Y.E. hip hop/spoken word showcase. If you read my earlier blogs, you'll know that I was too busy to try and write a piece just for this evening. However, my teacher buddy neighbor had an idea. Let's do a piece in which we poke fun of the students and comment on their comments to us. Say our little poem is called "Do You Have Any Questions?"