A few weeks ago, my brother showed me a YouTube video of comedian Lance Krall making a “Vietnamese” prank phone call. It’s actually from 2006, so many of you might’ve seen it already. If you haven’t, here it is below: Lance Krall's "Vietnamese" Prank Call Even though I was laughing my head off while watching this video, my brother felt the need to qualify Lance Krall’s … [Read more...] about Open Discussion: Drawing the line between funny and offensive
Hello, my name is Phuc, A. Bich, or A. Ho
At the end of 2009, the New York Times ran an article titled “Whitening the Resume” in their “Week in Review” section. In it, writer Michael Luo discusses a growing tendency among African Americans to “whiten” their job applications by removing elements with clear ethnic origins from their resumes, in hopes of improving chances at a callback or interview. For instance, one of … [Read more...] about Hello, my name is Phuc, A. Bich, or A. Ho
Asian in Media: Mr. Hyunh – demeaning stereotype or source of comfort?
When I was in elementary school, a playground squabble with a non-Vietnamese classmate left me consciously suppressing my Vietnamese identity thereafter. I was just a kid then, so when said classmate threw a petty racial slur at me, it was really unsettling, and a sort of ethnic chagrin stayed with me. But, when you’re growing up in a Vietnamese family, eating Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Asian in Media: Mr. Hyunh – demeaning stereotype or source of comfort?