I have 4 kids and all of them love "Avatar: The Last Airbender". As most of you know, I am of filipino heritage and I am offended at the blatant racism that Paramount and M Night Shamaylan has done in casting this movie. I love the series just like my kids but I cannot in good conscience see this flick.
http://www.racebending.com/v3/
i feel your objection to the prevalent "white washing" in Hollywood films bro, & i totally agree... the Asian male is regularly emasculated & usually only cast in non-romantic, non-lead roles... it's a shame that films only cast Asian males in significant roles as old, wise martial arts teachers, or as villains... the rare instances where younger Asian males will get leading roles in films, it's almost always because the movie is about kungfu fighting or Asian mafia wars, & you never see them represented with women of other races in romantic scenarios... on the other hand, Asian women are often shown as sexual objects catering to males of other races with no speaking roles... this sort of stuff has been going on in Hollywood for decades & yet it's a crime that there has been zero uproar over it.
in the case of Avatar, i seriously don't get why they would steer clear of representing the lead characters as Asian, since the original story is based on Asian characters... what, they couldn't find capable Asian actors & actresses that could speak fluent English & play these roles effectively?
TMS, I mostly agree with you but your ALBA count is pretty high dude!
i have no idea what my Alba post count has to do with my last post... care to explain the joke?
Posting pictures of women in positions of submission as objects. A lot of pictures.
Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
Nalod wrote:Posting pictures of women in positions of submission as objects. A lot of pictures.
wtf does that have to do with Hollywood's objectification of Asian women? do i influence mainstream opinions in this country the way Hollywood does? stop trying to draw these ridiculous parallels.
Allanfan20 wrote:Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
I have mixed feelings about this, while I am disgusted at the process, I am also not blaming these actors that are going after these parts. They are just trying to make a living and perform their craft.
Now, in regards with M Night and Paramount they have failed miserably. This is their casting call for "The Last Airbender" .. "Caucasians or any other ethnicity".
John Cho hooked up with this chick:
in Harold and Kumar Goto White Castle. TMS, your theory is dead 
I caught that show a couple of times because my nephew is a big fan. I never knew what the characters ethnicity was really suppose to be. I still can't believe that idiot Cameron was allowed to steal Avatar. It sucks that a movie now just has to be billed as the Last Airbender. People will get the wrong idea about the movie.
TMS wrote:Nalod wrote:Posting pictures of women in positions of submission as objects. A lot of pictures.
wtf does that have to do with Hollywood's objectification of Asian women? do i influence mainstream opinions in this country the way Hollywood does? stop trying to draw these ridiculous parallels.
You perpetuate a stereoptype.
Don't sweat it man, so does every normal male.
You think posting pictures of pretty young women with "Bukkake" comments enhances a womens stature?
Music videos degrade women all the time. It sells to the demographic desires. IN fact, think of most music videos over time. They are targeted at teens who learn from an early age. Rap or Rock, does not matter. Both do it.
BUt TMS, c'mon man, Don't most Asian cultures favor the male over the female? China in 30 years is going to have a huge drop in population because there are too many males.
Do you influence mainstream opinion? Yeah you do. You like what you like.
Pharzeone wrote:I caught that show a couple of times because my nephew is a big fan. I never knew what the characters ethnicity was really suppose to be. I still can't believe that idiot Cameron was allowed to steal Avatar. It sucks that a movie now just has to be billed as the Last Airbender. People will get the wrong idea about the movie.
Yeah, the are asian, pacific rim, inuit. They based it on manga and anime art hence the big eyes.
Nalod wrote:TMS wrote:Nalod wrote:Posting pictures of women in positions of submission as objects. A lot of pictures.
wtf does that have to do with Hollywood's objectification of Asian women? do i influence mainstream opinions in this country the way Hollywood does? stop trying to draw these ridiculous parallels.
You perpetuate a stereoptype.
Don't sweat it man, so does every normal male.
You think posting pictures of pretty young women with "Bukkake" comments enhances a womens stature?
Music videos degrade women all the time. It sells to the demographic desires. IN fact, think of most music videos over time. They are targeted at teens who learn from an early age. Rap or Rock, does not matter. Both do it.
BUt TMS, c'mon man, Don't most Asian cultures favor the male over the female? China in 30 years is going to have a huge drop in population because there are too many males.
Do you influence mainstream opinion? Yeah you do. You like what you like.
1 - i post pictures of all types of women, not just Asian (& i don't post pics of Asian women bedding non-Asian dudes)
2 - i'm a random shmuck posting on the internet that doesn't have the public eye
3 - the bukkake comments are a joke of a persona i'm playing up on a SPORTS message forum
different scenarios i think.
as for Asian cultures favoring the male over the female, that is an entirely different topic here... my objection is on the way Hollywood portrays Asian women as sexual objects for men of other races to use & exploit... i'm all for the appreciation of female beauty & sexuality, but when they're consistently cast as whores in a massage parlor, or call girl floozies hanging out with influential, rich & powerful white dudes in the movies i watch, it irks me... when i see a beautiful Asian woman cast in a romantic scene with an Asian male in a mainstream Hollywood movie, it will be the first time.
nyk4ever wrote:John Cho hooked up with this chick:
in Harold and Kumar Goto White Castle. TMS, your theory is dead
i think that was a fantasy scenario where he made out with her in the elevator... the character John Cho played was a potsmoking overworked nerd who got taken advantage of & bullied by his white co-workers... not exactly a favorable image of the Asian male being portrayed there i'd say.
not that i didn't love the movie, it was hilarious... but a comedy is a comedy.
NYKBocker wrote:Allanfan20 wrote:Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
I have mixed feelings about this, while I am disgusted at the process, I am also not blaming these actors that are going after these parts. They are just trying to make a living and perform their craft.
Now, in regards with M Night and Paramount they have failed miserably. This is their casting call for "The Last Airbender" .. "Caucasians or any other ethnicity".
i don't blame the actors, they're all trying to pay their bills like the rest of us are... i'm sure there are countless Asian actors & actresses that audition for bigger roles in movies & are rejected... either there are no talented Asian actors in this country, or the Hollywood studios are practicing a selective form of racism when casting their movies.
TMS wrote:NYKBocker wrote:Allanfan20 wrote:Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
I have mixed feelings about this, while I am disgusted at the process, I am also not blaming these actors that are going after these parts. They are just trying to make a living and perform their craft.
Now, in regards with M Night and Paramount they have failed miserably. This is their casting call for "The Last Airbender" .. "Caucasians or any other ethnicity".
i don't blame the actors, they're all trying to pay their bills like the rest of us are... i'm sure there are countless Asian actors & actresses that audition for bigger roles in movies & are rejected... either there are no talented Asian actors in this country, or the Hollywood studios are practicing a selective form of racism when casting their movies.
The last asian that was cast as a hero in hollywood and had non-asian leading ladies was Brandon Lee (RIP).
EDIT: Come to think of it, I think he is the ONLY asian cast by hollywood as a hero with non-asian leading ladies. You can't count Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
NYKBocker wrote:TMS wrote:NYKBocker wrote:Allanfan20 wrote:Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
I have mixed feelings about this, while I am disgusted at the process, I am also not blaming these actors that are going after these parts. They are just trying to make a living and perform their craft.
Now, in regards with M Night and Paramount they have failed miserably. This is their casting call for "The Last Airbender" .. "Caucasians or any other ethnicity".
i don't blame the actors, they're all trying to pay their bills like the rest of us are... i'm sure there are countless Asian actors & actresses that audition for bigger roles in movies & are rejected... either there are no talented Asian actors in this country, or the Hollywood studios are practicing a selective form of racism when casting their movies.
The last asian that was cast as a hero in hollywood and had non-asian leading ladies was Brandon Lee (RIP).
EDIT: Come to think of it, I think he is the ONLY asian cast by hollywood as a hero with non-asian leading ladies. You can't count Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
are you really surprised by this? What's the count of leading white males making movies in Asia?
TMS, Hollywood caters to the american taste.
Didn't Pierce bronson's last Bond movie he had an Asian women who could fight and helped him? She was a hero.
Im not saying your not right, but HOllywood makes movies for Western consumption.
I think you'd have to look at Asian made movies for the asian perspective, not american made movies.
Is that fair? ITs what people want to see and where they are watching from. American movies have always been popular overseas because of the big budget and special effects. I would say the Asian market is huge and lots of movies made have the bigger budget. I do rent foriegn movies a bit and the characters are quite complex at times.
Regarding your tastes and posting pics of pretty women you can justify it as your values but they are posted as sex objects and not as mothers, school teachers, or any intelectual quality. Men do this. Nothing wrong, but look at the snaggle tooth school girl look women. Its revered in some cultures but kinda creepy in another.
Just Rap and Rock and Roll portray women as sluts. Italians and Russians are mobsters, Jews are petty, Irish are drinkers, Wasps are uptight, and Asians are good with gadgets or martial art experts. White males are the hero, the villian, the winner and the losers.
Stereotypes are more intersting then mainstream I suppose. Its what sells.
martin wrote:NYKBocker wrote:TMS wrote:NYKBocker wrote:Allanfan20 wrote:Nalod and TMS, you both have very good points, but in terms of movies, aren't the actors and actresses and models partaking in those roles equally as guilty?
I have mixed feelings about this, while I am disgusted at the process, I am also not blaming these actors that are going after these parts. They are just trying to make a living and perform their craft.
Now, in regards with M Night and Paramount they have failed miserably. This is their casting call for "The Last Airbender" .. "Caucasians or any other ethnicity".
i don't blame the actors, they're all trying to pay their bills like the rest of us are... i'm sure there are countless Asian actors & actresses that audition for bigger roles in movies & are rejected... either there are no talented Asian actors in this country, or the Hollywood studios are practicing a selective form of racism when casting their movies.
The last asian that was cast as a hero in hollywood and had non-asian leading ladies was Brandon Lee (RIP).
EDIT: Come to think of it, I think he is the ONLY asian cast by hollywood as a hero with non-asian leading ladies. You can't count Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
are you really surprised by this? What's the count of leading white males making movies in Asia?
Actually, there were more than a handful of white actors that starred in asia with asian production. Richard Norton was big in the late 80s and early 90s. Same with Cynthia Rothrock in the same time. During my childhood a lot of american born actors were big in the philippines. They spoke the native language but they were not pure filipino.
The argument here is that "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is based on people from asia, the pacific rim and the inuit people. Casting the movie based on a specific race with white actors is just plain dumb, ignorant and arrogant.
Nalod wrote:TMS, Hollywood caters to the american taste.Didn't Pierce bronson's last Bond movie he had an Asian women who could fight and helped him? She was a hero.
Im not saying your not right, but HOllywood makes movies for Western consumption.
I think you'd have to look at Asian made movies for the asian perspective, not american made movies.
Is that fair? ITs what people want to see and where they are watching from. American movies have always been popular overseas because of the big budget and special effects. I would say the Asian market is huge and lots of movies made have the bigger budget. I do rent foriegn movies a bit and the characters are quite complex at times.
Regarding your tastes and posting pics of pretty women you can justify it as your values but they are posted as sex objects and not as mothers, school teachers, or any intelectual quality. Men do this. Nothing wrong, but look at the snaggle tooth school girl look women. Its revered in some cultures but kinda creepy in another.
Just Rap and Rock and Roll portray women as sluts. Italians and Russians are mobsters, Jews are petty, Irish are drinkers, Wasps are uptight, and Asians are good with gadgets or martial art experts. White males are the hero, the villian, the winner and the losers.
Stereotypes are more intersting then mainstream I suppose. Its what sells.
Michele Yeoh was cast as a special agent for the Chinese Government. They got the casting on this one right.
Western consumption? So white america is the only consumer for hollywood?
When they casted the primary players for the movie they were looking for caucascian actors. When they needed extras they were looking for ethnic people. Nice.
NYKBocker wrote:Nalod wrote:TMS, Hollywood caters to the american taste.Didn't Pierce bronson's last Bond movie he had an Asian women who could fight and helped him? She was a hero.
Im not saying your not right, but HOllywood makes movies for Western consumption.
I think you'd have to look at Asian made movies for the asian perspective, not american made movies.
Is that fair? ITs what people want to see and where they are watching from. American movies have always been popular overseas because of the big budget and special effects. I would say the Asian market is huge and lots of movies made have the bigger budget. I do rent foriegn movies a bit and the characters are quite complex at times.
Regarding your tastes and posting pics of pretty women you can justify it as your values but they are posted as sex objects and not as mothers, school teachers, or any intelectual quality. Men do this. Nothing wrong, but look at the snaggle tooth school girl look women. Its revered in some cultures but kinda creepy in another.
Just Rap and Rock and Roll portray women as sluts. Italians and Russians are mobsters, Jews are petty, Irish are drinkers, Wasps are uptight, and Asians are good with gadgets or martial art experts. White males are the hero, the villian, the winner and the losers.
Stereotypes are more intersting then mainstream I suppose. Its what sells.
Michele Yeoh was cast as a special agent for the Chinese Government. They got the casting on this one right.
Western consumption? So white america is the only consumer for hollywood?
When they casted the primary players for the movie they were looking for caucascian actors. When they needed extras they were looking for ethnic people. Nice.
Bocker, Nalod and I have been talking about movies in general, you keep focusing on "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Of course it's stupid to hire white people to play ethnic roles especially when the role itself is defined by it as with the movie you refer to.
In general, movies made by Hollywood do often-times focus on the largest potential audience, ie white folk.
