Joe Wong on 'The Ellen Show.'
Joe Wong on the ‘Late Show with David Letterman’
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD0s7gfTotk&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
By Emil Guillermo
They walk funny. They dress funny. And that accent. Definitely, they talk funny.
So is it okay to laugh at them?
I refer, of course, to the majority of our immigrant community, especially the members of that very unique subset often dubbed as “FOBs.” (And no, it doesn’t matter if technically they came by plane).
Often a great source of humor at family gatherings, making fun of Uncle Gun-woo in the right places can be (with the right touch) a form of ingratiation, and an oddly affectionate way of showing love and understanding. But bring it out into the public, and is it all that funny? Would you sell the dignity of your Uncle Gun for a yuk at his expense in mixed company?
I’d say it’s unlikely, simply as a matter of self-respect.
So what is a modern Asian American to do when late night comic David Letterman laughs at immigrant naiveté as a form of human stupidity? Is he embracing the immigrant as his comic foil (perhaps like he embraced his young tender production assistants)?
Perhaps Letterman just needed a willing Asian to pimp as the butt of the joke. And now he has found one: Joe Wong.
“The kid is nothing but funny,” Letterman said last month as he presented Wong, a young up-and-coming comedian who performs as an awkward, timid immigrant character who makes jokes about his stupidity.
His opener? In the thickest immigrant accent, he says, “Hello everybody…” and gets a three-second laugh. (Standard accented person joke.)
But wait, there’s more.
“The other day I saw the sign, ‘Employees must wash their hands before returning to work,’” Wong mused.
“But what about the owners?” (Small titters.)
“I think this sign is a message of inspiration,” he continued. “If you work hard, you don’t have to wash your hands.” (A rousing eight seconds of laughter, an eternity on network TV.)
And then the topper.
“I wash my hands every time I use the bathroom,” Wong said, “so my children don’t have to.” (The crowd gave it a gut-busting eight-second laugh.)
A star is born? Letterman was really just giving mainstream America the green light to go after a brand new target with glee. Just in time for the recession and the increased competition for jobs and services.
Need to feel superior? Here are some folks to laugh at.
Is there anything funny about that?
THE ASIAN STEPIN’ FETCHIT?
Blacks certainly wouldn’t welcome a modern reprise of racist pick-a-ninny jokes nor the second coming of Stepin’ Fetchit-type humor. So why should Asian Americans? That’s the trouble with Letterman selling Joe Wong as the face of Asian American comedy.
If Joe Wong taps into some universal truth, it’s stupidity. But when you’re barely represented in the media and stupid is all people see, an image problem is created. No one thinks all white people are like the Simpsons. Besides, they’re cartoons drawn in Korea. But for many, the only Asian they might see could be Joe Wong. When people laugh at Wong, an Asian immigrant lost in American society, they are laughing at and glorifying the everyday examples of racism.
Letterman actually gave Wong his network debut last year. This year, Letterman proudly plugged Wong’s upcoming performance for President Obama at the Radio & TV Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington. This is the hot ticket on March 17 where political luminaries mix with showbiz stars and media heavies. It’s the place where the comedian on display often makes news. Stephen Colbert did playing court jester in 2006. Shock jock Don Imus did when he bombed for the Clintons in 1996.
Now, it’s Wong’s turn, as the dumb Asian immigrant.
How will Obama’s Asian American brother-in-law Conrad feel? I wonder how the politically astute president will react?
FUN WITH SELF-DEPRECATION
Certainly, self-effacing, self-deprecating humor can be useful. For Congressman Norm Mineta, it was standard to open every speech with a self-deprecating joke. But when you’re one of the most influential Asian Americans in Washington, you can afford the self-deprecation. Besides, the audience always saw it as charming.
But when you’re lowly Joe Wong, the self-deprecation is merely a re-affirmation of your lowliness. And Wong takes every Asian American down with him. With this everyman, we’re all the butt of the joke.
Whatever happened to smart edgy Asian American comedy?
Lately, I’ve come to appreciate the gifts of comedienne Margaret Cho. The comic genius continues to boldly shock and challenge cultural assumptions. Another Korean American, Tina Kim, never stoops to the stupid accent.
The correspondents’ dinner in Washington should represent quite a contrast. The Obama administration has done much to raise the Asian American profile. But all it takes is one Joe Wong in such a high-profile venue to imprint a new negative image within American pop culture. We no longer have to worry about white shock jocks doing accented ching-chong comedy bits anymore. (Hey, that’s racist.) Now, we have one of our own all too willing to debase us.
Authentic? No, just pathetic.
—
Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist, former host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and author of Amok: Essays From An Asian American Perspective. After 14 years at AsianWeek, he was considered the most widely read columnist on Asian American issues in the United States. He blogs at www.amok.com.
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Its funny how the writer brings up Tina Kim as a shinning example of dignity and self-pride because she does not use the silly Asian accent. However, Emil doesn’t seem to have a problem with the awful racist jokes that she so stupidly and crudely tells about black people. See this Youtube clip of her in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuXr56o7Xsc&feature=related
We have to give respect to get it. If you don’t like ridiculous Asian stereotypes in comedy- drop the ridiculous stereotypes about others. Can we not stop behaving like white supremacist! If not- stop complaining about the Wong’s of the world. Tina Kim- don’t make me laugh.
Good point to the article but I think Joe Wong is not the best source for evidence. His act is more of the “laugh with me” approach, with innocent enough references to being an immigrant that lead to very clever, target-free punchlines. Esther Ku is more guilty culprit, her act is relentless at catering to negative stereotypes (“laugh at me and my culture.”)
I disagree with you Emil. You are telling others that Joe Wong is stupid and what he is doing is ridiculous and racist. He is a quite genius having the know how and witt to do stand-up comedy. Joe is intelligent isn’t?! He did become a U.S. citizen, and by my recollection one needs to study and prepare for a challenging exam for their citizenship. I don’t see his comic act as racist, but you seem to think it is. And that’s a problem you need to resolve. Joe Wong knows he is doing comedy and I commend him on his ability to look at himself and laugh. We all, as individuals, need to be able to laugh at ourselves in one way or another. I like Margaret Cho’s humor as well, and her perspective comes from someone who’s from the U.S. Joe Wong is showing his perspective from a first generation American. I think he will only get better with his comedy as well as his English. I do agree with your comment on assuming that all Asians and Asian-Americans are just like Joe Wong would have a negative impact. And that person who thinks that way, well obiviously they’re ignorant and need to travel around the country as well as the world.
I thought this was just funny, period. He has good setups and good punch-lines. His awkwardness just adds to the humor. I personally don’t think this is something to take racial offense to.
Correction: Joe Wong is not Korean, he’s Chinese. My bad for the mistake.
Also, I thought the baby on board bit was pretty funny.
Every culture has its quirks that are unique to them. I think an important thing to realize is that the Korean immigrant community is a culture distinct from that of the Korean American community. Our upbringing is different, our outlooks are different, and yes, our humor is different.
When I see Joe Wong, I see a Korean immigrant taking the reins and forming humor through his perspective, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We Korean Americans should never be ashamed at the characteristics (including the quirks) that first generation Koreans espouse. Yes, they speak in accents. It’s the truth! Let’s not try to conceal that in any way, because the minute we try to ignore or hide it, we’re admitting that it’s something to be ashamed about. What’s wrong with a guy with a thick Korean accent making jokes about his perception of the world? Isn’t he being who he is, and not hiding it?
It’s interesting that you assume that Joe Wong comes across as stupid. In my opinion, you are projecting your own perceptions of him on other people. When I hear his stand-up, I see a guy from a different culture understandably misunderstanding Americana. And it’s funny because anyone can see why he would be mistaken. In other words, it’s not a “He’s so stupid” moment, it’s a “Hey, what he said could be true if you looked at it like that” moment.
You write, “Perhaps Letterman just needed a willing Asian to pimp as the butt of the joke” but I don’t think that’s what’s going on at all. I don’t see Joe Wong as the butt of the joke, especially when he’s the one that’s making it. It’s actually empowering for a guy like Joe Wong to take control and say “This is who I am”.
I agree with you that it’s dangerous when a person sees Joe Wong and assumes that all Asians and Asian Americans are like him. It’s the same situation as if a person mistook all Black people to be like Tracy Morgan, or all Jewish people to be like Woody Allen. But that’s a problem of prejudice the individual has to work out – it’s no reason to denounce a guy for being who he is (and being good at it!).
I agree with you Emil on this one. It is hard enough for Asian Americans and of course the one that portrays himself as a fool gets the big gigs :(
I just saw the Letterman bit… I think most of his jokes would have worked even if he did not have a thick accent. I did not hear a lot of things that were overtly racist in his delivery or jokes that only he would have gotten away with, or a person with a thick accent.
Granted what you wrote above tends to be a little more on the racier side of things… but again, to each his own.