Rage Against the Hollywood Machine?

[jedifreac]

Last month, I presented on Avatar: The Last Airbender--yes, a kid's animated TV series--to the Media Action Network for Asian Americans in downtown Chinatown. Before you start laughing at the absurdity of a 22 year old woman presenting to the ADL of APAs on a kid's cartoon, I guess I want to note that people have started to take any hint of racism

Comments

[caterfree10]

GAWD, how often I've heard that argument. Let's not forget the "people are most comfortable seeing others of their own skin color" bullshit. I've gotten that SO MUCH on Twilight Sucks and the blockheads continue to use that damn argument. So I can't sympathize with any of the characters in Battle Royale simply because they're Japanese and I'm not? Other people can't sympathize with the characters in Slumdog Millionaire simply because they're Indian? I just- ARGH!! *Pulls hair in frustration*

....I so did not mean to go TL;DR like that. Heh. ^^;

[jedifreac]

I think some people ARE more comfortable seeing others of their own skin color. Young minority children certainly feel more affinity towards, say, Dora the Explorer if she looks like them--but blonde hair blue eyed kids love her, too.

The people who will only see a movie if others of their own skin color is in it? Those are the people Paramount wants money from, at the cost of losing "P-C" people like us?

[caterfree10]

Point taken. But still, people already loved Avatar when it had a multicultural cast. I could understand if this business model was being brought up in the 50s, but damn, surely we've evolved past this already. *headdesk*

That's what I don't get. They want to make money, but they won't stick to the formula that made Avatar money in the first place? Nick wants Avatar to be their Harry Potter yet they ignore the concerns of the fans? I do not understand the logic of Paramount. Really, I don't.

[aaronjv]

Here's my lame honky-ass attempt to explain Paramount's logic:

1. Most people see movies based on recognizable actors.

2. Ergo, get the most recognizable actors possible.

3. The most recognizable actors to the widest audience are not, alas, usually of Asian heritage. Past Jackie Chan, Michele Yeoh, and Lucy Liu, are there others? I wish there were.

FYI, I don't think Paramount is intentionally being racist (they are, but they aren't seeing it that way), I think they are being stupid, like most Hollywood studios are stupid. Warner Bros. decided to cast brunette American Keanu Reaves as blonde Brit Constantine, who was created based on Sting.

Some other advice for resistance: see if there is going to be ANY Avatar panels at Comic-Con this year or next. Be sure to stage a protest at it. Record it, email it to Paramount and the production/casting offices. Daily.

Finally, our "enlightened" LJ crowd is really a rarity. The majority of America is full of greedy racist, sexist homophobes who believe God is on their sideBut as the

[caterfree10]

I don't think they're being intentionally racist either. Like you said, all they give a damn about is money and since the most recognizable actors are white, they cast white actors in the roles.

And we have no idea if we're going to have a panel at SDCC this year. Heck, last year, I don't think we knew until a few weeks prior to the con and when we did know, day passes sold out in less than 24 hours.

I believe that part. I mean, you only have to go as far as ONTD to find that out. Yes change is on the way as the younger generation takes the reins, but it'll still take a long while. *nod nod*