Heard all the buzz about the first Asian to win the Best Director Oscar?
I didn't think so. But I clearly remember the buzz around Halle Berry winning Best Actress (not to begrudge her that, of course).
When looking in Google news for "first Asian" "Ang Lee" and "Best Director" I find the following venues with stories:
Shanghai Daily
Journal Online, Phillipines
China Post, Taiwan
Radio Free Asia
Apparently, only Asians care about Asians. Maybe Lee should've started sobbing. Or gotten kissed by Adrien Brody - which might have been strangely appropriate.
4 comments:
Look, if you people would just stick to what you're good at -- martial arts flicks-- then none of this would happen. The nerve! An oriental making films of good ol', down home cowboys!?
It is perhaps an even worse example of America's overt racism against African-Americans when a first from any other marginalized group is hardly noticed, let alone celebrated. On the one hand, there is that constant invisibility issue that the "model minority" regularly faces but the hyper-visibility of African-Americans and their accomplishments is blatantly amplified by award shows in their rush to congratulate themselves on being at the forefront of racial harmony. Mr. Clooney's speech comes to mind. One can argue that even the selection of best picture this year is wrapped up in this particular obsession. "Don't worry about Asians and homosexuals, they'll be fine. But I swear, I never cross the street when I see a black man walking toward me. Never."
Part of George Clooney's Academy Award acceptance speech (in response to Jon Stewart's jokes about Hollywood, I think):
"And finally, I would say that, you know, we are a little bit out of touch in Hollywood every once in a while. I think it's probably a good thing. We're the ones who talk about AIDS when it was just being whispered, and we talked about civil rights when it wasn't really popular. And we, you know, we bring up subjects. This Academy, this group of people gave Hattie McDaniel an Oscar in 1939 when blacks were still sitting in the backs of theaters. I'm proud to be a part of this Academy, proud to be part of this community, and proud to be out of touch."
Thank god for the good people of Hollywood, America's true heroes!
That's the spirit!
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