General Discussion

Lydia Leftcoast

(48,223 posts)

93. There's a long tradition of making fun of Asian languages

Fri Jul 19, 2013, 09:04 AM

Jul 2013

and I'd say that the average American is pretty ignorant about Asia and doesn't mind being ignorant (about that or anything else).

I'm reminded of the incident on King of the Hill in which Hank asks his new Asian immigrant neighbor, "Are you Chinese or Japanese?"

"We're from Cambodia."

(Pause). "So are you Chinese or Japanese?"

This sounds like an exaggeration, but I've heard things almost as stupid.

This incident was especially offensive because someone snuck these fake names into reports of an incident in which two (now three) Chinese teenagers (most likely their parents' only children) died and many people were seriously injured. Barrel of laughs.

Imagine a news report in which someone tried to sneak in fake African-American names or fake Jewish names or fake Latino names. How would that go over?

The Asiana pilots had real names:Li Kangguk and Li Jungmin. NOT

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Is anyone who finds the "Sum Ting Wong" / "Wi Tu Lo" joke funny automatically a racist? [View all] Nye Bevan Jul 2013 OP

Hard to say treestar Jul 2013 #1

I wonder what Psy thinks? (nt) Nye Bevan Jul 2013 #2

Would be interesting to know treestar Jul 2013 #5

I asked Stu Piddassole pintobean Jul 2013 #21

No, it's not racist. It's a joke. NaturalHigh Jul 2013 #3

Are there not racist jokes? PsychoBunny Jul 2013 #22

Did you hear the one about the penguin whose truck broke down? NaturalHigh Jul 2013 #35

No. Iggo Jul 2013 #4

When you walk around with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. jessie04 Jul 2013 #6

To me, it's like "Fifty Yard Dash to the Outhouse" by Willie Makitt, winter is coming Jul 2013 #7

or the Closing Credits to the Car Talk radio show PADemD Jul 2013 #65

No. MrSlayer Jul 2013 #8

Only if they all came from Phuket. MineralMan Jul 2013 #9

Not racist, just lame. Chan790 Jul 2013 #23

Actually, though, it is. It's on the order of "Ching Chong Chinaman." MineralMan Jul 2013 #28

Not any more racist than someone that finds these names funny... PoliticAverse Jul 2013 #10

Now thats racist. jessie04 Jul 2013 #15

There are multiple examples here of the same kind of name-pun humor. This is a good LuckyLib Jul 2013 #60

It reminds me of Bart Simpson's prank calls. Do we know the race of the prankster in this case? arcane1 Jul 2013 #11

What about Abbot and Costello's "Who's on First"? FSogol Jul 2013 #49

i did not think the joke itself was funny ProdigalJunkMail Jul 2013 #12

All I will say is the anchorwoman was brilliant BeyondGeography Jul 2013 #13

I kind of got the impression that that's when she realized it was fake. Nye Bevan Jul 2013 #19

One of the archer things about the prank is by that point BeyondGeography Jul 2013 #24

tells me she knew there was something wrong with the names but went along with it. iow, not HiPointDem Jul 2013 #90

The funny part is that the joke is on the news station. Quantess Jul 2013 #14

I know. Even a 5 year-old would have looked at those names and said... Joke Names! nt TheBlackAdder Jul 2013 #51

Have they never seen The Simpsons? Quantess Jul 2013 #54

I have a gwate fwend in Wome named Biggus... Dickus... DefenseLawyer Jul 2013 #78

And it's the go-to news station in the Bay Area. KamaAina Jul 2013 #66

It's beyond belief, to me, that it made it all the way to the newscaster. Quantess Jul 2013 #71

I thought it was hilarious. A news reader didn't get it but I did Autumn Jul 2013 #16

How about Long Duck Dong from'Sixteen Candles'? alittlelark Jul 2013 #17

finally somebody remembers 16 candles hfojvt Jul 2013 #109

There was a joke told when I worked in a bookstore. We used to title books and authors Cleita Jul 2013 #18

It's all about context Maximumnegro Jul 2013 #20

I agree anomiep Jul 2013 #33

i have to wonder if they would find jokes about Sandy Hook amusing.. allin99 Jul 2013 #25

Perhaps the "funny" in it is in our ethnocentric perception of other languages. 1monster Jul 2013 #26

Dick Hertz found it funny and he's no racist! n/t zappaman Jul 2013 #27

wow. I'm shocked anyone found that piece of crap juvenalia funny cali Jul 2013 #29

What makes you think I found it funny? Nye Bevan Jul 2013 #39

lighten up francis scheming daemons Jul 2013 #100

Anybody who can't laugh at that tularetom Jul 2013 #30

whats funny to me d_r Jul 2013 #31

we laugh to protect ourselves from the pains in life olddots Jul 2013 #32

It was funny as hell Amaya Jul 2013 #34

Whats funny about it is... bunnies Jul 2013 #36

This is why we need NEWS PEOPLE..not prompter-readers SoCalDem Jul 2013 #64

I think the fact that those names were read on the air is hilarious. ZombieHorde Jul 2013 #37

For what it's worth, my wife is pure Korean taught_me_patience Jul 2013 #38

I AM Asian.... AsahinaKimi Jul 2013 #61

Jack Meoff thought it was funny and he's no racist! n/t zappaman Jul 2013 #40

Unfortunately the same can't be said for Ben Dover. Arugula Latte Jul 2013 #101

its playing with language. so, are I. P. Daley and Harry Bottom racist as well then? msongs Jul 2013 #41

it might have been funny warrprayer Jul 2013 #42

I didnt find the joke itself funny PD Turk Jul 2013 #43

The joke itself wasn't funny Spirochete Jul 2013 #44

When I was working tech support, we had a Vietnamese customer named Phuk Boi. X_Digger Jul 2013 #45

I admit it, I laughed when I first heard about it distantearlywarning Jul 2013 #46

No, but they likely need to get out more nt NoGOPZone Jul 2013 #47

I just fond it juvenile and sophomoric. bluedigger Jul 2013 #48

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2013 #50

The part I found funny is how clueless the Pox anchorette is Warpy Jul 2013 #52

The joke delighted my inner 13 year old Happyhippychick Jul 2013 #53

anyone who has ever laughed at anything is a racist markiv Jul 2013 #55

You get the gold star Warpy Jul 2013 #58

Context ThoughtCriminal Jul 2013 #56

No, not a racist but really insensitive and stupid. Whisp Jul 2013 #57

we've learned that '2 wongs dont make a wright(brother)' nt markiv Jul 2013 #59

Pepe Roni thought it was funny and he's no rascist! n/t zappaman Jul 2013 #62

How about pipi_k Jul 2013 #63

reminds me of this arely staircase Jul 2013 #67

Juvenile, but not racist. As kids in Germany, we used to make up Russian names as jokes Blaukraut Jul 2013 #68

I just thought it was juvenile and stupid (n/t) MadrasT Jul 2013 #69

Go fuck yourself, San Diego. DefenseLawyer Jul 2013 #70

Keep fucking that chicken. name not needed Jul 2013 #73

You stay classy DefenseLawyer! n/t PoliticAverse Jul 2013 #74

i should just back away from the keyboard slowly. grntuscarora Jul 2013 #75

It's funny, just not in this context. tarheelsunc Jul 2013 #72

The joke is plainly racist. MADem Jul 2013 #76

The fact that it passed so many levels of lax scrutiny is amusing. blogslut Jul 2013 #77

Asians get it Brooklyns_Finest Jul 2013 #79

Asians get it? grntuscarora Jul 2013 #81

We have an American women of Chinese descent on my gay softball team dbackjon Jul 2013 #111

I didn't find it funny, but I don't think it's inherently racist mythology Jul 2013 #80

USA Today Article On Zimmerman Verdict Quotes A “Howie Felterbush” PoliticAverse Jul 2013 #82

It's funny they didn't figure it out and reported it. Inkfreak Jul 2013 #83

Not by itself. But when considered in the context morningfog Jul 2013 #84

right off hand I found it funny - but I would have to differ to the opinion of Koreans on the matter Douglas Carpenter Jul 2013 #85

Yes. And i say this as someone who laughed at it. 6000eliot Jul 2013 #86

Asiana Airlines considers legal action against TV station, NTSB PoliticAverse Jul 2013 #87

I doubt that they will really want to pursue that too much. It is a very strong possibility that the Douglas Carpenter Jul 2013 #88

Sorry, Frank, under the bus you go... Buns_of_Fire Jul 2013 #89

No, Nimean_Tiger Jul 2013 #91

Welcome to DU. May your stay be educational. uppityperson Jul 2013 #95

Not racist, but incredibly insensitive and juvenile -and shockingly LeftinOH Jul 2013 #92

There's a long tradition of making fun of Asian languages Lydia Leftcoast Jul 2013 #93

I like to think I'm not racist and try not to be, and I think the answer is "no". Hosnon Jul 2013 #94

This thread is going to be Wi Tu Long snooper2 Jul 2013 #96

I don't believe so pokerfan Jul 2013 #97

Not necessarily racist. But insensitive. onenote Jul 2013 #98

This is why you shouldn't piss off an intern. nt. NCTraveler Jul 2013 #99

It was not funny..it was meant to be hurtful..THINK, when was the last time you heard one of those.. Tikki Jul 2013 #102

Other possibilities exist. Idiot. Ignorant. Not very good at speaking English. LanternWaste Jul 2013 #103

Colbert summed it up perfectly... Glassunion Jul 2013 #104

The ONLY victim was the news reader! Bay Boy Jul 2013 #105

I Suspect They Have Jokes About Caucasians, Too Vogon_Glory Jul 2013 #106

My friend Dixie Normous thinks its funny and she's no racist! n/t zappaman Jul 2013 #107

I'm Asian and that was funny as all hell Xyzse Jul 2013 #108

No, but it does mean that you're automatically in the 7th Grade. Jeff In Milwaukee Jul 2013 #110