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1. In Sylar They Trust: The Racialicious Roundtable vs. Heroes & the Fall TV Season | Racialicious - the intersection of race and pop culture on 21 Sep 2009 at 1:01 pm

   [...] let me correct that: Mr. Cho appeared in two wildly popular film franchises in the last year or so, one of which he was the star. Whereas, his co-star who did get the top spot on this new primetime sci-fi show hasn’t had [...]

Comments

1. atlasien wrote:

   The “Matt Perry” joke in the beginning was hilarious. Everyone is probably thinking, “oh my GOD, I can’t believe Kumar went there.”

   It made me a bit nostalgic. For several years I hung out with an international student crowd in college. It was usually me (Asian-American woman), an African-American guy, and all the rest foreign students, Singaporeans and Israelis, but ring-led by Arab guys (Kuwaitis and Iraqis) who’d been to British schools. We used to just sit around, chainsmoke cigarettes and racially insult each other. No stereotype was left untouched.

   I like that the black guys in Birmingham sequence showed that Harold & Kumar had their own problems with stereotypes.

   The redneck sequence wasn’t as funny, but I still like what they were trying to do.

   The whorehouse scene was horrible. Completely gratuitous misogyny. I hated it.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 11:26 am ¶

2. Amanda wrote:

   I saw the movie this weekend, and my juvenile self laughed out loud all the way through. My one bone to pick with the movie (and with this review of it) is the absolute normalization of the inbreeding ass-backwards hick southerner stereotype.
   It’s actually so normal for us to be referred to and portrayed this way that in the author’s review here of the movie, the only obvious stereotypes that were fulfilled in her mind were the ones about Jews. I understand that we are all on the lookout for racially or ethnic-based stereotypes, but regional ones need to be called into question as well. When I have traveled abroad and meet other Americans from other regions of the country, I cannot count how many times I have been ‘complimented’ on how I don’t have a southern accent.
   This is the SECOND time in the otherwise brilliant H&K movies that a rural person or family is made the absolute ridiculous butt of the joke– remember the sore-covered ‘freakshow’ from the first one?
   Being a southerner, I am sensitive to these jokes, and it seems strange to me that in a forum where stereotypes are deconstructed, we need to address these issues as well.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 11:39 am ¶

3. Amanda wrote:

   Oops, the last sentence was supposed to read– “and it seems to me…that we need to address these issues as well.”

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 11:41 am ¶

4. Latoya Peterson wrote:

   Good catch Amanda! My apologies for missing that.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 11:41 am ¶

5. atlasien wrote:

   OK, as another Southerner, I have to disagree with Amanda on that one. I guess also with that one statement by Latoya, because I think most of the stereotypes in the movie, not just the Jewish one, were both rejected and accepted.

   I think the rural stereotype totally fits the pattern.

   1) Black guys in Birmingham: look menacing, but turn out to be totally peaceful. Stereotyped falsely with ridiculous grape soda ploy, then succumb to stereotype via Kool-Aid call-out.

   2) Rednecks: look primitive and dirty, house turns out to have immaculate decor and DSL. Stereotyped falsely with ridiculous “inbred son in basement” notion; oops, turns out there is an actual inbred son in basement.

   3) Kumar: stereotyped as med student geek, turns out to be stoner. Still kind of a geek.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 11:52 am ¶

6. Amanda wrote:

   No worries, Latoya. Also– FUCK Tom Carson!

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 12:01 pm ¶

7. C.C. wrote:

   I hope this isn’t too off topic, but this post reminded me of how Judd Apatow has talked about ending the nudity inequity in movies, and I wouldn’t exactly consider his movies sexism-free. Anyway, I think it’s interesting that he’s making a point of it, because he’s pretty much the only one.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 1:19 pm ¶

8. stella wrote:

   I kept waiting for it to be funny after the “Matt Perry” scene. The nudity was entirely too much.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 1:27 pm ¶

9. Big Man wrote:

   I enjoyed this movie, as did my wife. We thought there was too much female nudity, but we appreciated how they took some pains to challenge stereotypes.

   At first I was mad when they had the random black dude yelling and acting ridiculous on the plane, but they made up for that with the scene in Alabama.

   The grape pop joke seemed kind of stupid. But funny too.

   Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 1:54 pm ¶

10. Erin wrote:

    ermmm…kool-aid? grape pop? apparently that’s a stereotype that I’m completely unaware of – anyone care to explain?

    Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 2:50 pm ¶

11. lunanoire wrote:

    C.C.

    I haven’t watched too many Apatow movies, but are the men who are nude the physical equivalent (young, conventionally attractive, fit) of the typical nude women shown in movies? When Will Farrell strips, it’s more for laughs than sex appeal.

    Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 4:29 pm ¶

12. JaliliMaster wrote:

    I haven’t watched too many Apatow movies, but are the men who are nude the physical equivalent (young, conventionally attractive, fit) of the typical nude women shown in movies? When Will Farrell strips, it’s more for laughs than sex appeal.

    —————————-

    So true. Whenevr I hear these film makers go on about putting male nudity on screen the way they do with females, I always react with a ‘yeah, whatever’. If you’re going to give me a naked Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry, Jessica Alba etc., then give me a naked Gerad Butler, Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt etc. Don’t give me Will Ferrel, Jack Black (eww) and tell me it’s equality. Or atleast, be willing to put a naked Rosie O’Donnell on screen. Or Monique.

    Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 6:45 pm ¶

13. Jay wrote:

    I haven’t watched too many Apatow movies, but are the men who are nude the physical equivalent (young, conventionally attractive, fit) of the typical nude women shown in movies? When Will Farrell strips, it’s more for laughs than sex appeal.

    Well, his protagonists certainly don’t fit that mold. In fact, that’s almost the point of his films (all of his protagonists have some sort of awkwardness or another). And I don’t actually remember any “physical equivalents” appearing in his movies either.

    Posted 28 Apr 2008 at 8:43 pm ¶

14. richard wrote:

    Loved: The Square Root Of 3 poem.
    Emo-Goth John Cho.
    The timing of the soundtrack.

    Hated: The brothel scene (except when the men get vulnerable). It was not only horrible to see a woman get branded, but to have to experience people in the theater laughing at that.

    I do appreciate that the movie puts subjects like racial profiling, misguided patriotism and govermnent sanctioned torture in the limelight, all wrapped in a frat humor style… perhaps the people who really need to think about these things will actually be able to assimilate these concepts easier when you add a big spoonful of misogyny and bathroom humor…

    also, i noted a reversal of a long tradition, where the men of color always die in the movie. The two feds (the “white ally” and the “asshole”) both died (apparently, since they had no parachute). But still, as a friend pointed out, the first to die was the “terrorist/hero” in “G-Bay”.

    **on related note, did ANYONE stay till the end of the credits? to see Neal Patrick Harris awaken from being shot with a 12 gauge??

    Posted 29 Apr 2008 at 8:03 am ¶

15. Latoya Peterson wrote:

    Richard -

    No way! He got up after that elaborate death scene? Are you serious?

    Posted 29 Apr 2008 at 8:39 am ¶

16. Gay dude wrote:

    I haven’t seen the second, but I was definitely put off by the first. Neil Patrick Harris talking about getting some pussy was definitely a little offensive (well he is a gay actor, so in my backwards mind I would think he should steer clear of a film obviously intended for heterosexual young male adults). Your comment about needing some real penis in films is so very true. How many films will feature women bare-breasted, but you only get a shot of the mens asses? I’m sure as soon as it comes out on DVD, somebody will convince me to smoke enough pot to tolerate it, so thanks for the heads up.

    Posted 29 Apr 2008 at 6:36 pm ¶

17. jmn wrote:

    This movie had the most sympathetic portrayal of GWBush that I have ever seen. Of course, it paints GWB as a pot smoking frat boy, which is probably not that inaccurate, except instead of smoking pot, GWB did cocaine instead.

    Posted 30 Apr 2008 at 7:46 am ¶

18. Hadeem wrote:

    I don’t think it’s misogynistic if the purpose is comedy and not degrading and objectifying women. The guys go after and love the women’s bodies cause it’s just hot and generally more agreeable. They like their respective girlfriends for the mind and personality and whatnot. You overanalyze, you iss the point. This movie was too funny and disgusting and better than the first, even though I love the first. Emo Harold made me laugh so hard I am desperately trying to find a wallpaper of it. The linger was classic. I love him in Kitchen Confidential

    Posted 02 May 2008 at 10:11 pm ¶

19. DivergentDana wrote:

    What? You act as if the degradation of women can’t be used as a comedic device and that they’re mutually exclusive, Hadeem. I would go deeper with you on this, but I can’t even read the post — or for that matter have you explain thoroughly — because of spoilers… * mind drifts off to thoughts of Kal*

    Posted 03 May 2008 at 1:54 am ¶

20. Luis wrote:

    to those that dont understand the “grape pop” stereotype or in some areas its referred to as grape drink its just supposed to be a ghetto, knock-off brand of grape soda and here in southern california the stereotype is somewhat well known. i beleive it was brought up in dave chappelles comedies too. Great movie

    Posted 03 May 2008 at 3:31 am ¶

21. Luis wrote:

    ohh i found a clip, youtube search grape drink and its the first one

    Posted 03 May 2008 at 4:04 pm ¶

22. john d wrote:

    anyone seen the movie?
    The scene where the homeland security guy wipes his ass on the 5th amendment and the guys says..

    “why the hell is your ass so dirty? dont you wipe?”

    was too fucking funny.. I could not stop laughing for a week after that scene.

    Posted 08 May 2008 at 10:47 am ¶

23. Celesteab2001@yahoo. wrote:

    Emo Harold killed me!!

    Posted 09 May 2008 at 1:16 am ¶

24. richard wrote:

    Latoya! sorry to take so long to respond, but YES i am 100% serious, after allllllll of the credits, it cuts back to Neal Patrick Harris face down on the lawn, then he starts to get up, blood leaking from his wounds. its like a 5 second close out clip. i think 3 people were in the theater to see it.

    Hadeem….ummm…. “I don’t think it’s misogynistic if the purpose is comedy and not degrading and objectifying women.” does the same go far racist jokes? Islamophobic jokes? That’s a pretty big hall pass to give comedians, comedy is the arena where most oppressive messages are downloaded into the psyche. its pretty chilling to me when a crowd of people can laugh at a woman getting branded on the butt as if she was livestock or enslaved property. I heard different laughters too, the one that was like “ooooo… no he didn’t!” and a more freeflow open mouthed laughter like that was really just funny material. the latter response was really disturbing to hear.

    I once saw an elder black man do spoken word at an open mike. He talked about finally looking at his homophobia really late in life. one of the most profound lines he had, directed towards queer folks was “tv taught me to laugh at you.”

    Posted 10 May 2008 at 10:22 am ¶

25. lydz wrote:

    just came back from seeing the movie. i liked some of it and disliked/was made uncomfortable alot of it… but somehow overall i just cant resist harold and kumar (!). would like to take note homophobia though, which no one seems to have addressed- and also the trivialization of rape in prisons (guards making the prisoners eat “cock sandwich”
    when harold and kumar are on the plane for the second time and they are sharing in a sweet friend moment the guard sneezes “queer!” or something like that (dont remember the exact word) and i swear that got one of the biggest laughs in the whole movie at my theatre. just wanted to put in my 2 cents. i too would have loved more of emo harold and i loved seeing dorky kumar! peace

    Posted 15 May 2008 at 12:37 am ¶

26. Padraigin wrote:

    I didn’t like Kumar’s romance. I really wasn’t feeling it. It was too forced and old. Every movie has “cool, but immature guy, falls for girl in a relationship with a cocky rich asshole. Guy charms and obtains girl. End.” He either needed not to have a “romance,” or to have a completely different one.

    I liked Harold with Maria in the first one. I thought it was sweet, and very genuine. In the second one, though, he was an ass. He goes all out on this guy over a woman he’d basically just met, in a very territorial display. I understand jealousy, but DAMN.

    I thought that had some fucked up ownership issues.

    Posted 24 Jul 2008 at 9:21 pm ¶

27. ovexaptex wrote:

    Just wanted to say hello all. This is my first post.

    I expect to learn a lot here.

    Posted 16 Sep 2009 at 8:47 pm ¶