Asian portrayal was left out of the discussion

Once again, the Los Angeles Times Calendar section proves it doesn’t care about the Asian American perspective [“Is This What a Future Oscar Winner Looks Like?” Feb. 8]. This article focused on the outrage of some black activists over the film “Norbit” perpetuating stereotypes about black people.

Nowhere was it mentioned that one of the three characters Eddie Murphy portrays is a Chinese character, Mr. Wong.

Historically, non-Asian actors putting on “yellow face” (Shirley MacLaine, Marlon Brando, Jonathan Pryce, for instance) has resulted in gross racial caricatures of what Asian people are supposed to look or sound like.

If an Asian actor put on “blackface” to play a black man, you can bet there would be articles discussing if it was offensive or responsible.

For the record, MANAA [Media Action Network for Asian Americans] felt Murphy’s makeup, applied by Kazuhiro Tsuji, did not lapse into racial caricature and was respectfully done, and the actor’s portrayal, though often stereotypical, was overall respectful, even moving at times.

Not that we’d encourage other non-Asians to don “yellow face.”

But that’s not the point.

The issue should have been discussed.

GUY AOKI

Los Angeles

*

Aoki is the founding president of Media Action Network for Asian Americans.