asians

"Ching Chong Chinaman" Pose Spreads To South America

Hamilton Nolan · 08/19/08 09:18AM

Astoundingly, even more Olympians have been photographed in the "Slanty-eyed Asian" pose that caused an international uproar when the Spanish Olympic Basketball team did it just last week. Spain argued that hey, just because their basketball team and their national tennis team did the slit-eye, it didn't mean everyone should pick on them. And maybe they were right! Because now some of Argentina's female Olympic soccer players have been photographed in the same pose. Can there be a memo issued about this or something (Text: "Don't do.")? Full photo below:

Some Of Spain's Best Friends Are Asian!

Hamilton Nolan · 08/13/08 09:20AM

It was quite an embarrassment for the nation of Spain yesterday when an ad surfaced showing their entire national Olympic basketball team posing in the "Slanty-eyed Asian" position, pulling their eyelids back. We imagine the photo shoot was followed by several minutes of mimed karate moves and Enter The Dragon reenactments, only adding to the awkwardness. So the entire nation of China has been waiting expectantly for an apology. And today they got...outrage that anyone would think Spain is racist! Why, some of their closest friends are from China or somewhere like that!

Martin Bashir Tells Crowd About His Boner

Hamilton Nolan · 08/01/08 01:54PM

When the Asian American Journalists association announced that ABC's Nightline host Martin Bashir would be the keynote speaker at its July 25 Gala, the group's executive director said "We're excited to have Martin this year who is — so to speak —one of our own." It's true, because deep down the cancer-stricken Michael Jackson interviewer Bashir is just like you: A dude who wants to bone all of the women in his general vicinity, and is not afraid to go into detail about the causes of his erection on stage in front of a large crowd:

Learning A Lesson: Five Ads That Died For Their Sins

Hamilton Nolan · 07/28/08 12:37PM

Perhaps you've heard the news that Nike has pulled its "That Ain't Right" balls-in-face ads after an outpouring of outrage sparked largely by this very website (though we weren't the first to address it). Are you proud of yourselves, commentariat? You are feared in all corners of corporate America. But the larger point here is that advertising is getting to be a very touchy business; companies are making fools of themselves nearly every week because of the crackheaded work of one of their ad agencies. After the jump, we look at five ads that had to be yanked recently, where they went wrong, and who came out ahead. Read and learn:

Asian People: Interchangeable

Hamilton Nolan · 05/27/08 11:59AM

State Farm ran this painfully ordinary ad recently showing a happy Asian couple holding a baby, posed in front of their typical suburban home, voicing thoughts about saving money on insurance. Perfectly tedious. But Multicult Classics finds another version of the ad—same house, same car, same happy family pose—featuring a different (Filipino?) couple. They're also thinking about insurance! People have always said that all Asians look alike, but really; not even a different stroller? Below, both of the ads:

"You Bite the Very Short Asian Girl On the Neck..."

Richard Lawson · 05/09/08 04:08PM

The big news of the week (for me, what are "primaries"?) was Gossip Girl's epic stunner of an episode in which, in the thumping crazy final seconds, we discovered that newly pious Serena van der Woodsen was a murderer. Murder! Big news! The news today is, as it is every Friday, that, like a pack of crazed blond millionaires, you guys continue to slay us. (This is the worst introduction ever, I realize. But I'm all nerves about this "Summit" tonight and can't think straight.) So after the jump, find six of the week's best tippy-typing.

Asian Girl Leaves Gossip Girl Because of Bitchy Girl?

Richard Lawson · 04/09/08 08:53AM

Do you remember the two conspicuously silent token minorities on Gossip Girl? One is Asian, the other is black, and they say nothing. Sometimes the black girl will give funny looks or the Asian girl will giggle at her cell phone (as is expected of all Asian girls), but that's about it. Well now one of them has left and there are conspiracies afoot. Nan Zhang, who plays the oddly-named Kati Farkas, recently left the show abruptly, reportedly because she enrolled at Brown University during the writer's strike, and failed to tell anyone . Good for her! (Though, Providence! Sorry!) Buttttt, people on the set are whispering that there was a more sinister reason for her sudden departure.

'NYT' Goes Three-For-Five In Asian Illo

balk · 04/17/07 01:41PM

Here's the image that the Times got when it hired Bob Kessel to illustrate an article about "kantoku shou," the Japanese tradition of rewarding baseball players with gifts (including cash) for superior performance. It's pretty good: Rising sun? Check! Bowing? Check! Slanty eyes? Check! In fact, the only bit we're missing is a bowl of rice and a samurai sword. Nice! Click to enlarge.

More Than a Handshake Deal for Japanese Baseball Players [NYT]

Distracting Asian Models On The Outs!

Choire · 03/04/07 01:48PM

Are people who don't quite look like us as talented? As pretty? As interesting? Perfect questions for some weekend rumination, and today's Times Sunday Styles doesn't disappoint. The lead story, "Trying to Crack The Hot 100" asks the eternal question of why there aren't more Asians in American pop music. Probably, it's racism! But wait—it turns out America is right to rebuff the would-be star Asians, because Asian faces are so totally last year.

Gawker Helps Bring Blacks And Asians Together

abalk2 · 03/01/07 04:05PM

Like the rest of you, we've been deeply disturbed by the recent controversy concerning Kenneth Eng's infamous "I Hate Blacks" column. (Eng was dismissed from his position at Asian Week yesterday.) But then it occurred to us that we have two members of the Gawker family who might be able to help us heal the breach, or at least begin a dialogue, between blacks and Asians. We asked The Assimilated Negro and Spinachdip to get to the bottom of the enmity between the two communities. The results will make everyone feel a little better. Except maybe the gays.