Kelly Hu plays high school valedictorian turned masseuse
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Horrendous. Angry Asian Man reports on a new sitcom that brings us a stereotype double whammy:
I’ve been seeing commercials for this new ABC midseason comedy In Case of Emergency, starring Kelly Hu. As reported here previously, she plays Dara Lee, a once-high school valedictorian, now a hooker in a Korean massage parlor. WONDERFUL. Indeed, it is possible to portray not one, but two opposite Asian stereotypes in one role. And man, don’t get me started about the red dress they have here wearing in the photo here. For the curious, the show is scheduled to premiere on January 3rd.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Rob wrote:
Why in the world do Asians still give Kelly Hu a free pass? Time and time again, she’s proven to be the worst type of sellout and even goes out of her way to perpetuate stereotypes.
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 11:45 am ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
Who’s handing out these free passes that you speak of?
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 12:17 pm ¶
Rob wrote:
Browse around some message boards such as forums.yellowworld.org and imdb.com and you’ll find plenty that state she’s just doing what needs to be done to get more Asians in Hollywood as if her gestures were so noble rather than self benefitting.
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 3:51 pm ¶
SolShine7 wrote:
Yikes!
The real news should be that Aunt Becky returns! Uncle Jessie is on ER. Who knows, maybe the Olsen twins will have a show next.
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 4:02 pm ¶
naoimi slapbell wrote:
I think Kelly HU is so beautiful. I don’t get why she never took off .
Posted 12 Dec 2006 at 6:12 pm ¶
Koko wrote:
That is so messed up. Hollywood will never learn.
Posted 14 Dec 2006 at 1:01 am ¶
angry asian american wrote:
I am Asian. I am an American. Red, White, and Blue bleeds through my veins. And as one of my civil duties to America I will make sure Asians are given a better light in this country one small step at a time. “In Case of Emergency,” when I first saw a commercial for this show, I was outraged. Kelly Hu is doing nothing more than perpetuating negative stereotypes within America. Her character’s stereotype even has a name, the ‘china doll’ stereotype. Asians socially in America are practically at the bottom of the totem pole. The only group of people who could be lower are those of Middle Eastern or Arab descent, particularly due to the more recent events of 9/11, but that’s a whole other story. We all know Asian American men have been more or less demonized and 110% emasculated socially and Kelly hu reinforces these stereotypes in many interviews. She is a sellout; doing anything she can to escalate her career. She was once trying to bring forth Asian Americans. Her character on her most recent show is a stereotype with a capital ‘S’. It’s sad that this actress who was once a part of a bigger whole, which was an Asian American movement, is now nothing more than a submissive lapdog to the white man. How do you like that stereotype!?
Posted 24 Jan 2007 at 2:52 am ¶
kimchi dumpling wrote:
Why does Kelly Hu, who is of Chinese, English, and Hawaiian descent, want to portray a Korean American massage parlor “therapist” when she isn’t even Korean? It’s one thing to reinforce an issue that is negatively stereotyped in society, but the fact that she is helping society continue to look at Koreans and Chinese alike because they are Asian and in a negative light is just embarassing. Why couldn’t she play a Chinese massage therapist?
Posted 01 Feb 2007 at 2:32 am ¶