AsianWeek fiasco

The AsianWeek fiasco is so upsetting. I enjoyed Neela the former editor's perspective on the Hyphen blog http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archives/2007/02/asianweek_takes.html.

Screenwriters Get No Limelight

While watching the screenwriter for Little Miss Sunshine at the Oscars, and watching interviews with the screenwriter of The Queen, it hit me that screenwriters usually get lost in the mix of things. Especially when they adapt a really famous person's book.

Take the upcoming film The Namesake, directed by Mira Nair, based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri. All the press is all about "Mira Nair's film" -- all films are like that. An apostrophe after the director's name. But in this case, most press is acting as if the book magically jumped from author to director. I looked, and of course there is a screenwriter. Sooni Taraporevala.

Ever hear of her? Her work is amazing- and a lot of it with Mira Nair- Missisissippi Masala, starring Denzel Washington; and of course the Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay. All films dealing with identity, the diaspora, and all that. What a perfect team to do The Nameake. Both from India, both lived in the US for years (although I gather Taraporevala is now loving back in Mumbai). And what a hard job, to trim and trim from a dense novel ,into a screenplay that still feels like the book. I wondered how it was for Kal Penn, very familiar with the book, to act from that screenplay. See my comment to his Namesake blog at
http://thenamesake.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/back_from_the_l.html#comment-62204504

There's so many jobs in a film that get no recognition while the director basks in the limelight. But the screenwriter is so key. I really hope this film does well. If it does, it will be in large part because of the screenwriter.

And Rosie O' Donnell ChingChongGate begins...

The Asian American Journalists Association couldnt do it with a letter (which got a derisive response from Rosie's people).... Unity Journalists Association got limited exposure. It took City Councilman John Liu to make this into a big media issue. Congrats John.

So the media stories are coming round...

And even that harbinger of conservativism, Michelle Malkin (who never admits to being Asian American) trashed Rosie for her racism. Wow Michelle. I'm impressed:
http://michellemalkin.com/archives/006506.htm

Rosie O' Donnell's racist mock "Chinese" accent- on The View

Rosie O' Donnell,
Why?...

Recently, outspoken liberal talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, on the show The View, put on a fake "Chinese accent" when referring to the recent Danny DeVito drunk incident, and how it must be news all over the world, including China.

It was a fake accent that actually used the words "ching chong." You can't make this stuff up! She said:

"The fact is that it’s news all over the world. You know, you can imagine in China it's like, 'Ching chong, ching chong, Danny DeVito, ching chong chong chong chong, drunk, The View, ching chong."

Rosie recently called Kelly Ripa on a percieved homophobic incident with Clay Aiken. So obviously she's comfortable commenting on insensitivity. But I guess Asians don't count in Rosie's world of who deserves respect.

If she ever comments on her stupid, unfunny, unoriginal joke, it'll probably be one of those lame "IF I offended..."

The incident is being commented on many Asian American listserves. Lets see who comments publically, and let's see what media reports on it. So far there's nothing.

One blog comment:
http://newsbusters.org/node/9538

See it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuTspbPmV_g

Desi Comedy Writers and Producers

There's a lot of us out there. Nirali Mag did a good job of highlighting a few of them, and their path.
http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/masti-see-tv/

I liked it that Mindy Kaling of "The Office" is not someone who came through the "desi scene" route, yet is really aware of race issues. And that Veena Sud (who used to be known as Veena Cabreros Sud, and used to be a poet and independent filmmaker) has been around for a lot longer than the other people, and has really made her own way.

Its really cool that its not all men!

Sendhil Ramamurthy: US or UK raised?

I'm wondering how Sendhil Ramamurthy (one of the main characters on NBC's new hot series "Heroes" got to studying in London. This article says he was born in the US, but not if he was raised there. He went to drama school in London, UK, and seems to have (or act) a very English-y Indian accent. I cant seem to find any info that clarifies his growing up experience. Sendhil Ramamurthy is definitely an actor who is good at playing a non-stereotypical Indian (from India) character. He doesnt have a stereotypical accent, for starters. I wonder if any Heroes fans have answers.

http://www.indiapost.com/members/story.php?story_id=5770

I wonder how these new web-based shows by major networks will catch on.

There's "The Papdits" on CBS's Inner Tube:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0826772/fullcredits

Let's see...