http://raceandmedia.org/
Above is a link to a blog site (powered by WordPress) where multiple revelant aspects are discussed that fall under the umbrella of Race in the Media. The tag line on the page is "a blog on race and media...and why it matters." This statement is the simplest expression of what those involved with this blog site do. The basis of this site is the discussion of the way in which race is portrayed within the media. Much like my own blog, they have entries addressing certain aspects of their topic, but the site has a much larger base. On the home page one can search through their blog entries chronologically, by category, or by entering terms into a search bar. It is evident from the categories included in their list, that many more of the blogs as of late have addressed the upcoming presidential elections. This is not surprising due to society's interest in this election because of the current economic climate and the possibility of a president of color entering the White House. This site offers much more than just one persons views. You can read the blogs of many people addressing each topic, and you can even click on a link and watch "Meet the Bloggers," a show where guests who are knowledgable about the current topic come in and have discussions with a few bloggers who have done extensive writing on the subject matter.
The most recent topic is titled, "Race in the Presidential Race." They have included work by the bloggers who will be featured on the show as well as video clips from YouTube which address the issue at hand. I found the site to be quite interesting. I read the work of multiple bloggers, and found that their thought were often well-articulated, and that they had done much research into the topic. Many of the blogs discussed the idea of whether or not there is a "Bradley Effect" at work in this election, with the majority of the blogs leaning toward a "no." Other topics that were discussed was the cantidates' exclusion of race from their main points within their campaigns, and the discussion of whether of not Sen John McCain is racist. This blog topic has been well discussed by the individual bloggers, and I feel that it represents the overall work done within the blog well. All-in-all, I found the blog to be quite informative and I admire the work that those involved have put into it.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Typecasting of Ethnic Minorities in Film
Each ethnicity has been represented by the media in a different way. African Americans and Latino/as are more often portrayed as criminals, “gang-bangers,” and prostitutes, Asian Americans are presented as being bookworms, geeks, or horny schoolgirls, and Native Americans are portrayed as alcoholics. A common theme among these representations is that all people of color are manifested as the “other.” They are the “inferior” people within the dichotomous structure of race within the United States and many parts of the world. A perplexing aspect of this placement of Caucasian people within the “superior” role is that, among the world’s population, they are, in fact, in the minority. Nevertheless, people of color have been represented as the minority and “inferior” people within society.
Due to their cumulative placement on the so-called inferior end of the dichotomy of race in society, it is not an unheard-of or absurd conclusion that an individual person of color would be used to represent all other people of color within their ethnic group. For example, certain actors have been representative of all people of the same ethnicity within film. There have also been instances when actors of color have portrayed a person from within an entirely separate ethnic minority.
One example of this type of representation has been within the show M*A*S*H. The idea for this extremely popular show grew from the movie of the same name directed by Robert Altman in 1970 and the novel by R
ichard Hooker. The show was set in South Korea during the Korean War and reached millions of viewers over its eleven seasons (eight years longer than the Korean War actually lasted). Many of the extras on this show played Koreans on both sides of the war. However, it is a commonly known fact that the actors chosen to play these roles were often not of Korean descent. People whose families originated in many different Asian countries filled these roles during the course of M*A*S*H. Actors of Chinese, Japanese, Laotian, Vietnamese, and Cambodian descent were often substitutes for Korean actors. While this may have occurred due to a lack of Korean actors in the areas where the show was filmed it, at times, seems as if the show’s directors and producers felt that the American public viewed all people of Asian descent as the same. This contradicts the idea of so-called individuality in American culture because it ignores the fact that the hundreds of actors used in the show were from many separate countries and presents the idea that each Asian person is equivalent to every other person of Asian descent in their cultural beliefs, appearance, and customs.
Many actors beyond the extras in M*A*S*H who are of Asian decent have been typecast within roles which ignore
their cultural heritages. The famous Chinese actress Lucy Liu has played characters of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean descent. Rosalind Chao, who appeared on M*A*S*H as an extra, is a first- generation Chinese American actress who has played Chinese and Korean characters. Michelle Krusiec (pictured at right), a Taiwanese American actress who had her first leading role in the 2004 film Saving Face, has also played roles in which she portrayed Chinese and Japanese women. The most recent and one of the most famous incidents of this type of cross-cultural portrayal by an actress was in the film Memoirs of a Geisha. In the film Ziyi Zhang, an accomplished Chinese actress and martial artist, portrayed the main character, Sayuri, a Japanese geisha.
Due to their cumulative placement on the so-called inferior end of the dichotomy of race in society, it is not an unheard-of or absurd conclusion that an individual person of color would be used to represent all other people of color within their ethnic group. For example, certain actors have been representative of all people of the same ethnicity within film. There have also been instances when actors of color have portrayed a person from within an entirely separate ethnic minority.
One example of this type of representation has been within the show M*A*S*H. The idea for this extremely popular show grew from the movie of the same name directed by Robert Altman in 1970 and the novel by R
ichard Hooker. The show was set in South Korea during the Korean War and reached millions of viewers over its eleven seasons (eight years longer than the Korean War actually lasted). Many of the extras on this show played Koreans on both sides of the war. However, it is a commonly known fact that the actors chosen to play these roles were often not of Korean descent. People whose families originated in many different Asian countries filled these roles during the course of M*A*S*H. Actors of Chinese, Japanese, Laotian, Vietnamese, and Cambodian descent were often substitutes for Korean actors. While this may have occurred due to a lack of Korean actors in the areas where the show was filmed it, at times, seems as if the show’s directors and producers felt that the American public viewed all people of Asian descent as the same. This contradicts the idea of so-called individuality in American culture because it ignores the fact that the hundreds of actors used in the show were from many separate countries and presents the idea that each Asian person is equivalent to every other person of Asian descent in their cultural beliefs, appearance, and customs.Many actors beyond the extras in M*A*S*H who are of Asian decent have been typecast within roles which ignore
their cultural heritages. The famous Chinese actress Lucy Liu has played characters of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean descent. Rosalind Chao, who appeared on M*A*S*H as an extra, is a first- generation Chinese American actress who has played Chinese and Korean characters. Michelle Krusiec (pictured at right), a Taiwanese American actress who had her first leading role in the 2004 film Saving Face, has also played roles in which she portrayed Chinese and Japanese women. The most recent and one of the most famous incidents of this type of cross-cultural portrayal by an actress was in the film Memoirs of a Geisha. In the film Ziyi Zhang, an accomplished Chinese actress and martial artist, portrayed the main character, Sayuri, a Japanese geisha.
This theme is also common among the Latin American acting community. Salma Hayek (pictured at right), one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood, is of Lebanese and Mexican descent and has played characters from Mexico as well as various countries in Latin and South America. Antonio Banderas was born in Spain and has played Spanish, Mexican, and Argentinean characters. Paz Vega (far right), also born in Spain, was made famous in America through her portrayal of a Mexican immigrant in the 2004 film Spangish, directed by James L. Brooks.
Other cross-cultural portrayals by actors have been by actors such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who has starred as African American and American Samoan characters as well as the Egyptian male lead in The Scorpion King, and Oded Fehr (pictured at right) has starred as Egyptian, Hispanic, and other characters of Middle Eastern descent.
These portrayals of people of color within film have created a somewhat disturbing trend in Hollywood. With so many actors being typecast according to their minority status, it is no wonder that so many Americans have been influenced by the media to further generalize all people of color as the “other” not only in film, but also in everyday life.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Issue of Race Rears Its Head
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032561
The representation of race within the media machine is an ongoing issue in the U.S. and in the world today. As societies advance in technology, communication, and education, the media is always present and is more than willing to put in their opinions of current events, trends, and almost everything else out on the market. In an article I found at msnbc online, the media is now putting in its critique of the issue of race within the presidential campaign. The link above is the direct link to the article.
As the article states, race has not, as of yet, come up as a major factor within either the Democratic or the Republican presidential campaigns. Both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain have avoided bringing race into their run for the presidency in a substantial way. Representatives from both camps have stated that they feel that race will not be as large of a deciding factor for voters as many would believe. With all of the other issues on the table right now, such as the economic crisis and the war in Iraq, both candidates have demonstrated that they find race to be a much less mitigating factor in the election process than it has been in the past.
While reading this article I couldn’t help but wonder why those in the media felt compelled to write the piece. It seems to me that they are almost pushing for race to become a bigger issue within the election.
There is truth in the fact that other people within the Democratic and Republican parties have used language which has pertained to race and racism. Comments such as those by Congressman John Lewis and Governor Sarah Palin have been seen as being racially motivated. Indeed one could see how these comments might influence the public, but the question then becomes: To what extent? Will these loaded comments from other politicians influence the overall public views of Obama and McCain, or is it that extensive media coverage of these topics will influence voters?
Only time will tell for certain whether or not race will play a significant role in this presidential election. However, it seems obvious to me that articles like this one will always exist as a way in which the media can flex its influential muscles. After all, if the media did not spread the word about the comments made by these politicians outside of the presidential campaign or write stories pertaining to the topic of a candidate’s race, would it be as big of an issue in the U.S.?
The representation of race within the media machine is an ongoing issue in the U.S. and in the world today. As societies advance in technology, communication, and education, the media is always present and is more than willing to put in their opinions of current events, trends, and almost everything else out on the market. In an article I found at msnbc online, the media is now putting in its critique of the issue of race within the presidential campaign. The link above is the direct link to the article.
As the article states, race has not, as of yet, come up as a major factor within either the Democratic or the Republican presidential campaigns. Both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain have avoided bringing race into their run for the presidency in a substantial way. Representatives from both camps have stated that they feel that race will not be as large of a deciding factor for voters as many would believe. With all of the other issues on the table right now, such as the economic crisis and the war in Iraq, both candidates have demonstrated that they find race to be a much less mitigating factor in the election process than it has been in the past.
While reading this article I couldn’t help but wonder why those in the media felt compelled to write the piece. It seems to me that they are almost pushing for race to become a bigger issue within the election.
There is truth in the fact that other people within the Democratic and Republican parties have used language which has pertained to race and racism. Comments such as those by Congressman John Lewis and Governor Sarah Palin have been seen as being racially motivated. Indeed one could see how these comments might influence the public, but the question then becomes: To what extent? Will these loaded comments from other politicians influence the overall public views of Obama and McCain, or is it that extensive media coverage of these topics will influence voters?
Only time will tell for certain whether or not race will play a significant role in this presidential election. However, it seems obvious to me that articles like this one will always exist as a way in which the media can flex its influential muscles. After all, if the media did not spread the word about the comments made by these politicians outside of the presidential campaign or write stories pertaining to the topic of a candidate’s race, would it be as big of an issue in the U.S.?
Saturday, October 4, 2008
She Licks Your Boots or Shoots Pool Naked?!
For my post this week I have decided to examine the portrayal of the female body within advertising. I must warn you that these images may be considered offensive or vulgar and consideration should be taken before a child sees them.
While most people go about their day not contemplating the impact that advertising truly has on the American consumer, there are many who have seen the images these ads contain and are repulsed, disgusted, offended, or at least confused by the messages that are sent. One cannot help but wonder why designer companies like Versace, Adam’s Boots, and Christian Dior would continuously exploit the female body within their advertisements. The answer is simple: profits. These types of ads work on two levels to suck the dollars out of the American consumer’s pocket.
For men, these ads state that if they buy the advertised products, then women who look like the models in these images will be attracted to them. Take, for instance a magazine advertisement for Versace couture containing a nude woman. This ad is used to market clothing but, perplexingly, the woman in the picture isn’t wearing any. The answer to the question of her portrayal within in the ad is clear. It alludes to an equation used by many advertising agencies to boost sales:
Man + Sexy Ad = Profits, Profits, PROFITS!
This Versace ad is meant to lead men to daydreams in which wearing Versace makes naked, pool-playing women appear. I don’t know about other people, but I can surely state that I have never seen a woman play pool naked, let alone a model.
Despite its blatant intent to attract men, this advertisement also works to bring in women consumers. The image perpetuates the American ideal of the woman’s body. It teaches women that this is the way in which their bodies should look. Many women who see this ad will begin to believe that, by this logic, they are less of a woman because they do not look like the model featured here. To compensate they may develop eating disorders or obsessive dieting and exercising strategies. Women may also decide that the buying of Versace products will, in a way, make them sexier and thus more attractive to the opposite sex.
The underlying message of this advertisement for Adam’s Boots would be hard to mistake: “Buy our products and she will get down on her hands and knees and lick your boots.” This advertisement is a clear example of the portrayal of the woman’s body in the media. She is depicted here as subservient and animalistic. She is posed in an almost dog-like fashion with her face low to the ground and her tongue extended. This type of animalization is not uncommon in advertisements containing women of color.
While most people go about their day not contemplating the impact that advertising truly has on the American consumer, there are many who have seen the images these ads contain and are repulsed, disgusted, offended, or at least confused by the messages that are sent. One cannot help but wonder why designer companies like Versace, Adam’s Boots, and Christian Dior would continuously exploit the female body within their advertisements. The answer is simple: profits. These types of ads work on two levels to suck the dollars out of the American consumer’s pocket.
For men, these ads state that if they buy the advertised products, then women who look like the models in these images will be attracted to them. Take, for instance a magazine advertisement for Versace couture containing a nude woman. This ad is used to market clothing but, perplexingly, the woman in the picture isn’t wearing any. The answer to the question of her portrayal within in the ad is clear. It alludes to an equation used by many advertising agencies to boost sales:
Man + Sexy Ad = Profits, Profits, PROFITS!
This Versace ad is meant to lead men to daydreams in which wearing Versace makes naked, pool-playing women appear. I don’t know about other people, but I can surely state that I have never seen a woman play pool naked, let alone a model.
Despite its blatant intent to attract men, this advertisement also works to bring in women consumers. The image perpetuates the American ideal of the woman’s body. It teaches women that this is the way in which their bodies should look. Many women who see this ad will begin to believe that, by this logic, they are less of a woman because they do not look like the model featured here. To compensate they may develop eating disorders or obsessive dieting and exercising strategies. Women may also decide that the buying of Versace products will, in a way, make them sexier and thus more attractive to the opposite sex.
The underlying message of this advertisement for Adam’s Boots would be hard to mistake: “Buy our products and she will get down on her hands and knees and lick your boots.” This advertisement is a clear example of the portrayal of the woman’s body in the media. She is depicted here as subservient and animalistic. She is posed in an almost dog-like fashion with her face low to the ground and her tongue extended. This type of animalization is not uncommon in advertisements containing women of color.
While all female bodies are portrayed as being inferior to those of men, the bodies of women of color are also portrayed as being less civilized than those of white women. This is done mos
t notably by placing the body of a woman of color in a scene where she is either with an animal, is posed like an animal, or she is exclusively in the surroundings of nature. The equating of the bodies of women of color with nature is saying that, in a way, they are inferior to white bodies in the same way that nature is inferior to the "civilized," modern world. This image of Adriana Lima, a Brazilian supermodel, was featured in GQ. It is a prime example of the way in which the body of a woman of color is made more inferior by its portrayal. Not only is she surrounded by nature, but she is also nude. Nudity is also shown within the media to portray an inherent inferiority to "modern living" in which people wear clothing to cover their bodies--though the amount of clothing need to be considered "decent" has been changing drastically over the years.
t notably by placing the body of a woman of color in a scene where she is either with an animal, is posed like an animal, or she is exclusively in the surroundings of nature. The equating of the bodies of women of color with nature is saying that, in a way, they are inferior to white bodies in the same way that nature is inferior to the "civilized," modern world. This image of Adriana Lima, a Brazilian supermodel, was featured in GQ. It is a prime example of the way in which the body of a woman of color is made more inferior by its portrayal. Not only is she surrounded by nature, but she is also nude. Nudity is also shown within the media to portray an inherent inferiority to "modern living" in which people wear clothing to cover their bodies--though the amount of clothing need to be considered "decent" has been changing drastically over the years.With the multitude of ads such as these that I found while researching for this blog, it is a wonder that more people aren't parading around spouting blatantly biased comments as it concerns the bodies of women, especially those of women of color.
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