Glee S2E1
I don't watch Glee too often (the unused minorities in the background make me cry), but I checked this one out because Filipino pride demanded that I watch anything with Charice in it.
Also, because I feared they would treat her badly.
Scene #1: In a montage of interviews, a nosy blogger asks Tina and Mike Chang if they're dating. Tina denies it, saying "that's racist" to assume such a thing. Mike echoes her, but they are later seen holding hands as they walk past a distraught Artie.
Thoughts: I didn't have problems with this scene. My quibble might be the callous use of "that's racist" on an issue that really isn't, but I do think it is odd to assume the two Asian-American characters are dating when we didn't have any hints of it previously.
My bigger problem with the Tina-Mike relationship at this point is that it's all about Artie. Artie does talk to Tina about why she's with Mike now instead of him: I wasn't 100% listening, but I think the answer was "his abs." :-| Harry Shum does have very nice abs, but I hope they flesh the relationship out as much as they've fleshed out Artie's reaction to it. Right now, it does feel like the show has thrown Tina and Mike together because they're the token Asians, and that makes this joke less funny. (~Oh, haha, we realize what we're doing is kinda insulting, but we're going to be ironic and do it anyway~)
ETA: Rewatching the scene, Tina claims that she broke with Artie because they're too different, and that Mike tries to be into what she's into. We don't actually have proof that this is true, for now.
Scene #2: Rachel corners Charice in the bathroom. Having learned that she is a foreign exchange student, Rachel speaks slowly...
Thoughts: UGH! Here's what Rachel got wrong:
-assuming Charice/Sunshine Corazon can't understand English just because she's a foreign exchange student
-speaking poor English grammar just because you're slowing it down. I might give a pass to slowing down your speech to be better understood (this is coming from my own experiences where I've needed people to slow it down for me too) but saying something like "Me sing" instead of "I sing" is just mockery. (It also makes you look dumb.)
-not apologizing after Charice explains that her English is just fine, tyvm
The exchange is supposed to be funny, but say it with me: ~Oh, haha, we realize what we're doing is kinda insulting, but we're going to be ironic and do it anyway~
This is all before Rachel learns about Charice's amazing voice and becomes jealous, so this is supposed to be "nice" Rachel.
Scene #3: It is revealed that Tina and Mike started their relationship at "Asian camp" where they were counselors to "tech savvy Asian" kids.
Thoughts: This just rubs me the wrong way. The idea of "Asian camp" puts me in mind of Chinese school which some of the my friends had to attend on the weekends so I kinda get what they might have been aiming for. But see how it's "Chinese school" and not "Asian school"? I don't see why you would necessarily want to go to a camp for Asians/Asian-Americans instead of a more general camp. Unless it had some specific affirmative action kind of purpose...
So why would you call it an "Asian camp"?
-Why not call it by its purpose, ex. the "Science and Technology Camp for Minorities"?
-Why not specify what ethnicity runs the camp? [I feel like you're more likely to find a "Korean camp" or a "Chinese camp" than an "Asian camp" or even an "Asian-American camp."]
-Why not just call it camp?!
An "Asian camp" sounds like an elitist institution for snobby Asians to train their children to take over the world (or at least take good [white] American jobs).
In comparison, the purpose of a place like Chinese school is to try and preserve culture and language in the next generation. White Americans (and other Americans) aren't going to Chinese school because those snobby Chinese people don't want you there. It's because it isn't any use to you. (And if it happened to be, they'd probably let you in if you asked them.)
Scene #4: Tina and Mike out Rachel's machinations towards Charice to the rest of the Glee club, citing "the Asian community is tight" for how they knew Rachel had sent Charice to a crack house.
Thoughts: First off, Charice really is a foreigner. Tina and Mike are not. Then let's throw in the fact that Charice is Filipino and Tina and Mike are not.
There is no reason for them to be "tight." There's no indication that they all belong at an Asian-American Center or even went to camp together. There's even a scene where they talk to each other. (But that would require lines.)
...Now, I'm pissed. I appreciate that Charice was identified as Filipino and that they left a window open for her to come back to the show. But that's kind of it. It's still all about the white people with Glee.
Also, because I feared they would treat her badly.
Scene #1: In a montage of interviews, a nosy blogger asks Tina and Mike Chang if they're dating. Tina denies it, saying "that's racist" to assume such a thing. Mike echoes her, but they are later seen holding hands as they walk past a distraught Artie.
Thoughts: I didn't have problems with this scene. My quibble might be the callous use of "that's racist" on an issue that really isn't, but I do think it is odd to assume the two Asian-American characters are dating when we didn't have any hints of it previously.
My bigger problem with the Tina-Mike relationship at this point is that it's all about Artie. Artie does talk to Tina about why she's with Mike now instead of him: I wasn't 100% listening, but I think the answer was "his abs." :-| Harry Shum does have very nice abs, but I hope they flesh the relationship out as much as they've fleshed out Artie's reaction to it. Right now, it does feel like the show has thrown Tina and Mike together because they're the token Asians, and that makes this joke less funny. (~Oh, haha, we realize what we're doing is kinda insulting, but we're going to be ironic and do it anyway~)
ETA: Rewatching the scene, Tina claims that she broke with Artie because they're too different, and that Mike tries to be into what she's into. We don't actually have proof that this is true, for now.
Scene #2: Rachel corners Charice in the bathroom. Having learned that she is a foreign exchange student, Rachel speaks slowly...
Thoughts: UGH! Here's what Rachel got wrong:
-assuming Charice/Sunshine Corazon can't understand English just because she's a foreign exchange student
-speaking poor English grammar just because you're slowing it down. I might give a pass to slowing down your speech to be better understood (this is coming from my own experiences where I've needed people to slow it down for me too) but saying something like "Me sing" instead of "I sing" is just mockery. (It also makes you look dumb.)
-not apologizing after Charice explains that her English is just fine, tyvm
The exchange is supposed to be funny, but say it with me: ~Oh, haha, we realize what we're doing is kinda insulting, but we're going to be ironic and do it anyway~
This is all before Rachel learns about Charice's amazing voice and becomes jealous, so this is supposed to be "nice" Rachel.
Scene #3: It is revealed that Tina and Mike started their relationship at "Asian camp" where they were counselors to "tech savvy Asian" kids.
Thoughts: This just rubs me the wrong way. The idea of "Asian camp" puts me in mind of Chinese school which some of the my friends had to attend on the weekends so I kinda get what they might have been aiming for. But see how it's "Chinese school" and not "Asian school"? I don't see why you would necessarily want to go to a camp for Asians/Asian-Americans instead of a more general camp. Unless it had some specific affirmative action kind of purpose...
So why would you call it an "Asian camp"?
-Why not call it by its purpose, ex. the "Science and Technology Camp for Minorities"?
-Why not specify what ethnicity runs the camp? [I feel like you're more likely to find a "Korean camp" or a "Chinese camp" than an "Asian camp" or even an "Asian-American camp."]
-Why not just call it camp?!
An "Asian camp" sounds like an elitist institution for snobby Asians to train their children to take over the world (or at least take good [white] American jobs).
In comparison, the purpose of a place like Chinese school is to try and preserve culture and language in the next generation. White Americans (and other Americans) aren't going to Chinese school because those snobby Chinese people don't want you there. It's because it isn't any use to you. (And if it happened to be, they'd probably let you in if you asked them.)
Scene #4: Tina and Mike out Rachel's machinations towards Charice to the rest of the Glee club, citing "the Asian community is tight" for how they knew Rachel had sent Charice to a crack house.
Thoughts: First off, Charice really is a foreigner. Tina and Mike are not. Then let's throw in the fact that Charice is Filipino and Tina and Mike are not.
There is no reason for them to be "tight." There's no indication that they all belong at an Asian-American Center or even went to camp together. There's even a scene where they talk to each other. (But that would require lines.)
...Now, I'm pissed. I appreciate that Charice was identified as Filipino and that they left a window open for her to come back to the show. But that's kind of it. It's still all about the white people with Glee.