‘Silicon Valley’ Star Jimmy O. Yang Embraces Asian Stereotypes For a Good Reason

[hewontgo]

#SiliconValley Star Jimmy O. Yang Embraces Asian Stereotypes For a Good Reason https://t.co/bufQC9DTVE pic.twitter.com/KwrlrwD0cE
- IndieWire (@IndieWire) March 29, 2018
Jimmy O. Yang plays a heavily accented Chinese immigrant on “Silicon Valley

Comments

[iznanassi]

i remember in middle school those kids who used to (and still do as adults) make fun of accents to put down those who don't assimilate, so i understand where he's coming from. i think though that ultimately either way it's about humanization. if the character doesn't have an accent bc they want to try and downplay their heritage it's problematic, if they have an accent bc it's supposed to be ~funny and ~othering then it's problematic.

[minutesaway]

yeah, ia it's a difficult balance with accents and character portrayal

[zazie_toujours]

I like this.

I haven't seen this but i watched the brilliant dark comedy series Flowers, which was written and directed by Will Sharpe who's half Japanese and he had a supporting role which felt super retrograde, thick accent and all, but the show eventually turned it around and fleshed the char out in a v satisfying way. It really played w the viewers assumptions.

[mrs_dalliard]

yeah, good point. as long as the character isn#t made fun of because of said accent. that i hate, because it comes usually from people that only speak one language, and even that not properly.

that said, Jian-Yang is an asshole tho.

[evett]

Erlich and Richard are even bigger assholes so Jian-Yang being a dick to them is totally fine with me.

[mrs_dalliard]

all the men on that show are assholes tbh. except sweet jared ofc. they don't deserve him

[edie]

he’s super funny, he and zack woods are the only reason I’m still watching

[doriiansz]

Tbfh

[mrs_dalliard]

sweet jared is the only reason i'm even bothering with that mess anymore.

[edie]

I love when we get glimpses of his past and personal life lol

[soul_amazinn]

I get what he's saying. I think it's fine as long as it's not an exaggerated accent.