Racism in Desperate Housewives finale?
CVK
(Thanks to Brad for this!) I stopped watching this show after the first season ended, so I can’t really comment on its current status. However, the Chicago Sun-Times TV critic Doug Elfman has quite a bit to say about the show’s season finale, including its elements of racial bigotry? Here are some excerpts from his column:
In flashbacks, Matthew’s girlfriend tries to stop him from breaking up with her: “There are advantages to dating someone like me, and you know what I’m talking about.” OK, so she’s of Asian descent. Is this some kind of commentary on Asian women? Really?
8:25 p.m. — Gabrielle (Eva Longoria) begins to get suspicious that her Asian maid/surrogate is having sex with Gabrielle’s hubby Carlos. The surrogate says Carlos is in the house: “He in kitchen.” Why does this show hate Asians?
5/22 UPDATE: Hehe… Check out Oliver’s Top 10 Stereotypes I Learned From Desperate Housewives over at Poplicks. Among them: “Retarded black men cannot resist white nubile girls” and “Mexican men and their Mexican gardeners love pregnant Asian housekeepers.” — CVK
culturist wrote:
hmm…
Posted 23 May 2006 at 12:56 pm ¶
Brad wrote:
And let’s not forget the Elfman’s comments on the shooting of Matthew wherein he notes another needless portrayal of a violent black man shot by the police.
I do wonder about Mark Cherry, the show’s creator and chief writer. None of the women are good feminist models, most of the men are sleazy, and the gay son is a sociopath (no remorse for a hit-and-run that killed an older woman and delights in causing his mom pain).
Of course, there’s the whole depiction of the Mexican-American Solis family: the husband is a shady businessman/criminal and the wife is an oversexed prima donna. So, trafficking in stereotypes is par for the course.
It’s weird to think of this show in comparison to “Grey’s Anatomy” and its incredible blend of a multiracial cast of doctors, their lovers, and patients.
Posted 23 May 2006 at 1:08 pm ¶
Jay wrote:
Grey’s Anatomy was created by a black woman, who’s aware of race issues. Desperate Housewives isn’t. My guess is that almost all the writers on that show are white men (just like almost every other show in hollywood.)
Posted 23 May 2006 at 1:25 pm ¶
Charlette wrote:
what a dumb A show glad I don’t watch it.
Posted 23 May 2006 at 9:30 pm ¶
Bohwe wrote:
Desperate Housewives is extremely racist. It took them how long, to create a black character.And she was the stereotypical black woman. And A-sexual, as not to outshine the white or latina desperate wives. And look at the son, the minute he arrives in the neighborhood, some skanky teenager sleeps with him, to make her mom upset. Or whatever.
And why is it that a black woman couldn’t be a sex symbol? Oh that’s right, Hollywood caters to the closed minded white woman, who feels threaten by a black woman sex appeal. This show is racists. And I’m glad, I don’t watch this pathetic show. I miss Dynasty.
And as far as Grey’s Anatomy. That’s the joint. But why is it that the one black woman has to be the comedienne of the show. Why does she have to be Big Mamma. The other women aren’t sex symbols, but why couldn’t a sexy black woman be casted as a doctor?
Hollywood is racist because America is racist.
And the only women in America that have a right to complain are African American, Arab women and Asian Pacific women, American Indian. We are not represented at all. Latina women are on the same level as white women, they shouldn’t be complaining. Thier white skin gets them in the door quicker than anyone else.
Posted 24 May 2006 at 1:48 pm ¶
Rubberbiegeman wrote:
Bohwe? How many Latinas are on tv? I mean really?
Posted 24 May 2006 at 5:05 pm ¶
Carrie wrote:
Though Grey’s Anatomy is better, it still suffers with its poor and stereotypical depictions of Asian men.
Posted 24 May 2006 at 5:26 pm ¶
Anonymous wrote:
Can we acknowledge that Melanie Foster, the debutante, ended up being an asian rather than white– as I know I’d expected.
Moreover, instead of being some kind of subvervient stereotypical asian character, she certainly wasn’t. And temporarily escaping the realm of race relations, the thought of a “debutante” being a sex vixen– regardless of race, is all about askew.
Posted 24 May 2006 at 6:34 pm ¶
Adrianna wrote:
they play on a lot of stereotypes on that show!! the subservient Asian housemaid, the violent black man , hot sexy latina, and the asexual black female. I’d say grey anatomy’s is the same when it comes to depicting it’s black female lead character as a though cookie !!! you know the neck rolling kind it’s troublesome.
Posted 24 May 2006 at 8:19 pm ¶
Mike wrote:
Bohwe,
And yet you still watch it enough to know all the characters and their plotlines.
Vote with your eyeballs.
Posted 24 May 2006 at 9:27 pm ¶
DAB wrote:
I knew things were bad when the maid said, “If I go back to China my uncle will sell me into slavery”
And why did she have to be the poor immigrant? Why couldn’t they cast an Asian American in the role, sans horrible accent?
Posted 27 May 2006 at 9:34 am ¶
Anonymous wrote:
How do you “vote with your eyeballs”?
They don’t work without your brain.
Posted 27 May 2006 at 2:51 pm ¶
Brad wrote:
I disagree about Grey’s Dr. Bailey. Yes, Chandra Wilson isn’t a slinky sex kitten. Instead, she is a highly respected, powerful, MARRIED woman. Hello! She is a happily married black woman who is the chief intern! Dr. Bailey is not a fat, black mama. The actress who plays the character was pregnant. Grey is ground breaking television. How many black female doctors in a leadership position can you name? The woman is clearly not a motherly character! Her nickname is the Nazi, hardly a term of endearment, it supposed to invoke the fear and respect people have for her competence and authority.
And, here again, Dr. Bailey is a married woman who is balancing a family and pursuing her career! This woman is a feminist icon in the making!!! She can bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan!
As for a negative portrayal of Asian men? Um, what Asian men have been portrayed stereotypically? Do you mean John Chow who played Doctor Marshall Stone or do you mean Meredith Grey’s one night stand with the South Asian man? How many times have you seen a South Asian man as the one-night stand of a television show’s lead white actress? I think the answer is never!
What about the Asian man whose wife was dying of cancer but decided not to seek chemo but haver her child? Again, the man was married to a Caucasian woman. Obviously, he wasn’t playing the stereotypic asexual Asian man.
Finally, I think that there are very few Latinas on TV. In particular, there are very few with Indigenous (Native American) features. Most Latina/os are mestizo with Caucasian features. Even they are cast in the oversexed roles. How many dark brown or copper-skinned Latino/as can you think of on TV? George Lopez, right? Hell, do you think George Lopez would ever have a show on most Hispanic channels in America? Telemundo and Univision have extremely European-looking actors given the strong presence of Indigenous and African peoples in Latin America.
Posted 28 May 2006 at 5:37 pm ¶
Anonymous wrote:
I like Grey’s Anatomy. The first episode I watched was the one with Isobel paging Christina so that the latter could help to translate when a Chinese illegal immigrant could not speak English.
Christina retorted by saying that she’s not Chinese, she’s Korean. I thought it was amazing and appropriate that the writer highlighted a common issue every Asian faces living in America or in my case, Europe. Halfway through conversations, I will get asked if I were Japanese, Korean, Chinese etc. It’s strange because I never ask the white people if they were from Germany, France, Sweden etc. I see these for who they are… “Oh, you work for so and so?” or “You have a daughter this age too?”
With most Caucasians, why can’t I just be me? Is it that important in our first meeting/ the beginning of a friendship that racial identity is established?
Grey’s Anatomy is great too for all the reasons Brad listed.
Posted 29 May 2006 at 7:07 am ¶
Theejew wrote:
I dont undretsand why evryone is upset that the show does not have great characters from different races ? So each show should have a perfect example of whites , blacks , hispanics, asians men and women to be something that we should watch. The show is full of shady characters being whites or otherwise with their mistakes and imperfections and that whats make it funny and closer to reality than so many other shows that try to follow strickt guidlines of political correctness and pleaseing everyone and not offending anyone. The truth is there are places where not a lot of blac people live , currently I live in central Wisconson in an area of 300 thousand people plus with very few blacks and hispancs, should a show that will be done about this area not reflect that so it will make each and every race happy?
Thats why I always thought that probably the best show ever that depikate true america is the Simpson’s …
Posted 30 May 2006 at 12:30 am ¶