In April, a casting call went out for an Asian American Jersey Shore. Earlier this month, the cast was announced, and this video was leaked:
Some people are saying that this is good news for Asian Americans– its breaking the stereotypes of the quiet nerdy Asians, and showing the world that we, too, can act like the lowest common denominator. Detractors say that being depicted as trashy is even worse than being seen as a stereotype, and that the characters in the show should be ashamed to portray the Asian American community like that.
Reality shows are parodies of real life. Casting directors pick the people with the most explosive personalities who are most likely to do anything they can to get some screen time, or otherwise embarrass themselves. It’s true, whether the show is Jersey Shore, the Bachelorette, or the Real Housewives of _________.
Most people don’t believe that reality shows really reflect reality, so why should this show really reflect Asian America? I hope that if/when this show gets picked up, people don’t watch it and think all Asian Americans are that shallow.
Let’s look at the damage anyway, at this group of twenty something Asians, partying every night in K-town:
The men are tall and muscular and confident. Between handsome FBI agent John Cho on fast forward, awesome dancer Harry Shum Jr. on Glee, and Bro #2 Kendall Cho in the Mentalist, Asian American men might be breaking away from the slim super brain stereotype.
The women are petit and sexy. Two of them include semi-nude pictures of themselves on the cast reel. Between overachiever Sandra Oh on Grey’s Anatomy, sexy half-Asian Michaela Conlin on Bones, and shy girl Jenna Ushkowitz on Glee, Asian women everywhere are petit and sexy! And dating non-Asian men! I miss Jin and Sun from Lost. And I wonder if the girls of K-town will be chasing Asian boys.
” I hope that if/when this show gets picked up, people don’t watch it and think all Asian Americans are that shallow.”
The sad truth is, there will be a segment who watch it who will generalize about an entire group because they see a small representation.
I probably do this more than I’d want to admit. The other day I had to catch myself thinking something about all Korean-Americans because I’ve seen a few display a certain tendency.