comedian

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) presents its highly-anticipated “CAPE Soiree” at Vibiana (210 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012), December 2, 2010; 6:30-11:00pm.

This year’s celebration honors Comedian Ken Jeong (The Hangover) and CBS President of Entertainment, Nina Tassler, for their efforts in advancing Asian Pacific Americans in front of and behind the camera.

Joining the prestigious celebration are Dancing with the Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba, and both Sulus from Star Trek, George Takei and John Cho. Besides the awards show, the evening includes a silent auction, red carpet photo opportunities, and cuisine provided by some of LA’s finest dining establishments.

By Jeff Yang, Special to SF Gate
Thursday, February 25, 2010

The notion that Asians and Jews are two shoots from the same cultural rootstock is an old but evergreen meme.

You see it in fringe theories about the Lost Tribes of Israel -- there's an entire body of cryptoarchaeological canon that uses similarities between customs, language and naming convention to "prove" that the ancient vanished Jewish clans ended up in China, India or Japan. (Japan's 50,000-member Makuya sect, which has as its central dogma that the Japanese are descendants of a lost Jewish tribe, keep kosher, speak Hebrew and use the seven-armed menorah as their symbol.)

For American-born Chinese, it really doesn't matter how white their heart is and how much they have adopted Western values – when they deal with their "motherland," China, their yellow skin always defines them.

In an era when China is becoming such an important global force, this can be a big advantage, but there are also some downsides.

For the positives, you just have to see how US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, both ethnic Chinese born in the US, have been treated on recent trips to China.

When they were in China together in July, they were treated like rock stars. There is a lot of pride among Chinese to see two of their own at the top of the administration of the superpower.

They didn't give them a completely free pass. Chu's speech at Tsinghua University was considered too scientific and not much fun. And Locke has been described as too serious and not interested in "small talk." There is also disappointment that neither can speak much Chinese.

Examiner.com - Doctor turned comedian turned actor, Ken Jeong, who first hit the big screen playing a short-tempered doctor in “Knocked Up,” can be seen portraying an angry Asian crime boss in the new comedy “The Hangover."

Those who have seen the movie will probably agree that Jeong's character Mr. Chow is quite possibly the most blatantly over-the-top racial stereotype of an Asian man since Mickey Rooney put on "Yellow Face" makeup to play a "crazy Jap in the upstairs apartment" for the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Racism should never become just a normal way of life
By Ray Hanania, AAJA member, Chicago Chapter
June 10, 2008

Rosie: Over One Billion Offended?

Mon., Dec. 11, 2006 1:56 PM PST by Gina Serpe

Apparently, offending Kelly Ripa and the whole of the Claynation was just a warm-up for Rosie O'Donnell.

The loose-lipped View master completed her alienation hat trick last Thursday, managing to offend some in the Chinese-American community with an impromptu impersonation.