In 1997, a cover of National Review featured President William Jefferson Clinton, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore in yellowface, completed with buck-teeth, squinty eyes, and stereotypical Asian accessories and wardrobe (e.g., a straw “Coolie” hat, a Maoist Red Guard uniform). In 2004, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle featured two Asian-American leads, both of whom played stereotypical Asian roles. The identity of Asian Americans has long been constructed through popular culture. This paper seeks to analyze how Asian American identity is constructed in popular culture by examining Asian American identity through a theoretical approach, as well as in sports and literature.
Through a theoretical approach, the identity …show more content…
However, NBA player Jeremy Lin changed that. In 2012, Lin, who was the fourth-string point guard at the time, helped the New York Knicks obtain victory over the New Jersey Nets. This eventually led to the phenomenon of Linsanity. News about Lin and Linsanity grew at an exponential rate. Oliver Wang’s Everybody Loves an Underdog argued that Lin’s popularity stemmed from his position as the underdog. He was undrafted after graduating from Harvard. He is the first Asian-American to play in the NBA. He is not a stereotypical basketball player, as he a smaller physique than many NBA players. However, he is a hard worker and due to his work ethic, he was able to make it into the NBA. He was an affirmation of the attainability of the American Dream. Lin’s Asian background also reinforced the image of Asian Americans as the model minority (i.e., the minority that are perceived achieve a higher degree of socioeconomic success.) He was highly intelligent, having graduated from an Ivy League school. He quietly trained and worked hard until he made it into the NBA, and continued to have a strong work ethic. He did not complain when he did not receive playing time. He was humble and modest, consistently giving credit to the team for their wins. Knicks’ coach Mike D’antoni praised Lin for playing “in the context of team basketball.” As a point guard, he passed the ball to his teammates rather than shooting it himself. Yet, despite reinforcing the image of Asian Americans as the model minorities, Lin was also able to deconstruct the stereotypical identity of an Asian American. He defied the stereotype of non-athletic Asians, having proven that he was a good basketball player. He defied the stereotype of the effeminate, weak, passive Asian male, having made aggressive plays on the court. Lin had changed
Through a theoretical approach, the identity …show more content…
However, NBA player Jeremy Lin changed that. In 2012, Lin, who was the fourth-string point guard at the time, helped the New York Knicks obtain victory over the New Jersey Nets. This eventually led to the phenomenon of Linsanity. News about Lin and Linsanity grew at an exponential rate. Oliver Wang’s Everybody Loves an Underdog argued that Lin’s popularity stemmed from his position as the underdog. He was undrafted after graduating from Harvard. He is the first Asian-American to play in the NBA. He is not a stereotypical basketball player, as he a smaller physique than many NBA players. However, he is a hard worker and due to his work ethic, he was able to make it into the NBA. He was an affirmation of the attainability of the American Dream. Lin’s Asian background also reinforced the image of Asian Americans as the model minority (i.e., the minority that are perceived achieve a higher degree of socioeconomic success.) He was highly intelligent, having graduated from an Ivy League school. He quietly trained and worked hard until he made it into the NBA, and continued to have a strong work ethic. He did not complain when he did not receive playing time. He was humble and modest, consistently giving credit to the team for their wins. Knicks’ coach Mike D’antoni praised Lin for playing “in the context of team basketball.” As a point guard, he passed the ball to his teammates rather than shooting it himself. Yet, despite reinforcing the image of Asian Americans as the model minorities, Lin was also able to deconstruct the stereotypical identity of an Asian American. He defied the stereotype of non-athletic Asians, having proven that he was a good basketball player. He defied the stereotype of the effeminate, weak, passive Asian male, having made aggressive plays on the court. Lin had changed