As Beijing?s influence in Asia and around the world has grown, their common interests have forced Tokyo and New Delhi to begin warming their historically chilly relationship and to start forging closer economic ties. ?The key issue facing the whole region is how to accommodate the rise of China,? said Suman Bery, the director general of the National Council of Applied Economic Research, a New Delhi research group. Indian economists estimate that Japanese investment in India will reach $5.5 billion by 2011, compared with just $515 million in the 2006 fiscal year. [link]

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So Nikhil left a comment on my post about Apu and the 7-Eleven/Kwik-E-Mart promotion. He said:

I see your point about the negative stereotypes, but that’s the whole point isn’t it? Aren’t all the characters stereotypes? Yes, the accent is inaccurate, and the character is two-dimensional, but….it’s a cartoon (one of the definitions of which – from Webster’s dictionary- is “a ludicrously simplistic, unrealistic, or one-dimensional portrayal”.

Maybe I’m not analyzing this intellectually enough, but I just don’t understand why people are offended. I seriously doubt this is going to take us back to “Jim Crow’s America”, as Manish thinks it will. [link]

I’m really glad he left this comment. I mentioned briefly in the original post that the point of the cartoon (and satire, in general) is to exaggerate the ridiculous. When I began to elaborate, I found I was writing enough for another post. So here goes.

It is not so much the cartoon itself that I am offended by. In fact, I used to watch The Simpsons back home in India and even in my early years here, and I never thought twice about Apu. It is only later on that he started to annoy and then offend me. And it is not so much the character itself that began to get my goat. It was more in the way that I saw Americans perceive him – as this funny-talking, dirty, dishonest “Hindi” (sic) who worships funny-looking, blue creatures with many arms. This perception of the cartoon character began to replace reality, and Americans who claimed to be my friends (and some who were my enemies) came up to me spouting “Thank you, come again!” in that bud bud ding ding accent. This is when it really began to tick me off. And, to clarify, it’s not so much the phrase itself, but the manner in which it’s been used that’s my peeve.

I think the point is best illustrated by something I read on Greatbong‘s post about this whole thing.

…a few weeks ago I was watching ?Transformers? in a packed theater with the raucous crowd that was laughing and cheering at every point. Well nothing got them as going as the bit where one of the heroes saving the world from the Decepticon scorpion makes a call and gets stuck with an Indian call center worker who with his Apu-type accent and indecipherable mumblings keeps delaying the hero. The entire crowd exploded at presumably this ?subtle bit of racial humor? and I would have also been laughing (being someone who understands ?sarcasm?) when a voice rose above the din with a boisterous ?Motherf**** dothead?.

And then it happened.

As the connection with the call center operator was terminated by the impatient hero, someone to my right laughed out:

“Thank you, come again.” [link]

Now, I’m inclined to give Groening the benefit of the doubt. Let’s assume that he was unaware that this would be the reaction to his caricature. So let’s overlook the Computer Science Ph.D. and assume that it’s not deliberate stereotyping.

Moving on to the 7-Eleven/Kwik-E-Mart promotion. Given that we know now that this phrase is used in everyday language to ridicule and deride desis, I cannot help but be absolutely repulsed by the fact that 7-Eleven is actually paying Indians to say, “Thank you, come again”. The repercussions of this on how the desi community is perceived by American mainstream society will be extremely damaging. It’s almost equivalent to paying a member of any minority – be it Black-American, Asian-American or whatever – to have themselves say to a customer “Sir, please call me [insert racial slur here]“.

I could just overlook the issue and say that it’s just a cartoon, and a satire. And, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t be wrong. But given that I know all this, and have borne the brunt of it, I feel compelled to write something about it and, if nothing else, at least raise some awareness about it.

Seems like everywhere I look, people are talking about the 7-Elevens that are turning themselves into Kwik-E-Marts as a promotion for the upcoming Simpsons movie. Manish at Ultrabrown is far and above at the forefront of the opposition movement to this conversion. Kudos to him. I highly recommend you read what he’s written, particularly his piece for The Guardian blog.

Normally, I don’t have too much to say about these kinds of things. This time though, it’s got me thinking. Perhaps it’s because throughout my college years I had irritating American kids come up to me and quote Apu expecting me to applaud their brilliant wit. Perhaps also, it’s because I saw some of my desi friends rationalize it, and others pretend they were being enlightened by laughing at it, but always a little extra loud. Or perhaps it’s because I always felt something was amiss and never really did anything back then. It could be any, all or none of the three – I’m not quite sure. I should also add I did regularly watch The Simpsons and other than those aspects of Apu that ticked me off, I did enjoy it. Lately though, the show seems to have lost its edge and the humor has stopped outweighing the negative stereotyping.

To begin with, there is little doubt in my mind that immigrants are being exploited for the promotion. This starts with the character of Apu itself, who was created to exploit and exaggerate desi immigrants’ (sometimes nonexistent) characteristics to get a quick, easy and insensitive laugh. The accent is inaccurate and Apu is two-dimensional, badly researched and the worst of it is that he perpetuates negative and inaccurate stereotypes. Yes, Apu has a Ph.D. which is somewhat redeeming, but Groening gives him one in computer science because that’s all desis can do – I.T. And run Kwik-E-Marts, of course.

Now, one can argue that this is a cartoon and a satire. And that the whole point is to exaggerate the ridiculous to satirize society. But having wracked my brains, I can’t see what is being lampooned by creating this character as such, other than the fact that immigrants “talk funny” which adds great value to the general culture, I’m sure. As an Indian in America, it’s hard enough having to fight to be taken seriously in mainstream society. These irritating obstacles certainly don’t make that task any easier.

Even if we assume for one second that Apu is nothing more than a bad joke, should we really take this joke into the real world? I think not. That the 7-Eleven company has actually done it and further, paid desis to say “Thank you, come again” and other silly lines is downright repulsive. Manish compares it to Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben.

Pancake mascot Aunt Jemima and rice maven Uncle Ben survived only after being softened and morphed into avuncular friends. Apu too has been grandfathered into America?s affections after 19 years on television. But as Slate magazine wrote, ?It?s worth remembering what these spokescharacters truly are: a final, living vestige of Jim Crow America.? [link]

I don’t know if I would go that far, but I do shudder to think of the consequences. And while several desi store-owners are enjoying the increased profits of the promotions, not all have agreed to convert their stores to Kwik-E-Marts.

Back home in India, you get quite used to hearing about these sorts of inequities and exploitations in society, but I was under the impression that we were in the “enlightened West”. At times like these, I can only remember Mahatma Gandhi’s response when he was asked what he thought of Western civilization. He said, “I think it would be a very good idea.”

Methinks that India is sending several spices in small quantities (compared to the stuff coming in from China, say) and that results in more containers being stopped at the ports. In dollar-terms, China is well above the des. And, it’s Mexico that’s tops the list at $9.8b.

It seems that Kuldip Singh Nag, a Sikh-American, and a Bronze Star holder from the first Gulf War (no less) living in Joilet, IL (quite near to where I have relatives) was questioned at his own house by an officer who happened to be making rounds, about a van with expired registration stickers in his own driveway. When asked to move the van into the garage, Mr. Nag politely refused saying it was impossible (the van was inoperable – Nag’s wife had informed the officer of this earlier) and besides, the driveway was his property. Upon hearing this, the officer, well, read for yourself:

At this moment, the officer pulled out his pepper spray and attacked Mr. Nag. As Mr. Nag screamed in agony, the officer removed his baton and violently struck Mr. Nag numerous times until he fell to the ground. While the assault ensued, the officer was reported by both Mr. and Mrs. Nag as saying, ?You f****** Arab! You f***** immigrant, go back to you f****** country before I kill you!? [link]

All this in front of his wife and six-year old child, after which he had to be hospitalized, the poor guy.

Mr. Nag’s wife and six year-old child both witnessed the violent assault, which resulted in Mr. Nag immediately being admitted to the hospital where he stayed for five days due to complaints of intense pain and head trauma. Mr. Nag also received numerous bruises and a serious head injury which have caused him to go blind for several minutes at a time. [link]

Three words: What the fuck?! One doesn’t have to be a psychoanalyst to see that this cop has some serious issues.

Imus doesn’t seem that bad now, does he? At least he’s being fired. As for our friend up there, it being the good ol’ Midwest, I am sure the officer will probably be let off with a slap on his wrist and have to undergo some kind of mandatory therapy which, of course, will be utterly pointless. He’ll be back on the street beating up other brown men (turbaned or otherwise) soon enough.

Anyhow, the one easy thing that we can do right now is shout about it. And shout loudly. Please tell as many people about this as possible, especially if they are in the area. At the very least, this sort of behavior shouldn’t be swept under the rug.

I just saw The Departed. A few months late and a few dollars short (thanks to Netflix) but it was on purpose, because I wanted to watch Infernal Affairs first. I’m glad I waited. It?s unfortunate that Martin Scorsese has resorted to making big budget blockbusters in the last few years, because it has diluted his body of work.

This is not to say that there?s anything wrong with big budget blockbusters; it?s just that the ones that Scorcese has been making in the last few years are pretty flat compared with his earlier stuff. While it was tightly shot, with decent cinematography, The Departed seemed shallow and unreal overall. More importantly, it did not fare well against its elder twin Infernal Affairs for three main reasons.

First of all, the plot for the latter was completely original ? something that very few moviegoers had ever had the chance to see. Secondly, the actors brought out an incredible level of depth and complexity in their characters, which was not seen with The Departed. And third, and most importantly, the concept of loyalty ? on which the entire plot hinges ? seemed so much more culturally believable in Hong Kong, than it was in Boston. As a bonus, audiences for Infernal Affairs had no soft landing in the end – the finale was more powerful, more realistic and consequently, more cynical than The Departed‘s. When comparing the two, Infernal Affairs comes out head and shoulders above The Departed, all of its Oscars notwithstanding.

While Infernal Affairs has had the privilege of being remade by Martin Scorsese, not all films coming out of East and Southeast Asia share this honor. Over the last ten years or so, especially since the economies there have started to pick up, the film industries have been booming. As a result, there have been some real gems that have been created on that side of the Pacific. Too many other films deserve the exposure that Infernal Affairs received, and quite frankly, almost all of them are not going to get it.

Most likely, several of you reading this will miss out on some examples of excellent cinema only because you never get the chance to hear of a particular film. Readers in the Bay Area however, need not despair. An excellent opportunity is only a few days away. I?m talking, of course, about the Asian American Film Festival that?s showing in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose, from March 15th through the 25th. Some of the finest films shot in the last decade are going to be previewed there, including some which have never received any prior western exposure, either in the form of widespread DVD availability or in the form of theatrical release.

The Day A Pig Fell Into The Well

One of the striking features of the festival is a Hong Sang-soo retrospective. Sang-soo is a South Korean filmmaker who received critical recognition with his debut directorial feature The Day A Pig Fell Into The Well released in 1996. His latest feature is Woman on the Beach which was released last year. The Festival is featuring a complete screening of all his films.

A recurrent theme in all of Sang-soo?s films is the alienation and stunted emotional growth experienced by his characters. They all relate to others in a unique and particular way, which clearly shows how they can be members of society but yet remain completely detached from it. These people are sociopaths on some level, creating a world for themselves which is completely isolated from the real world. What is interesting is to see how they react to each other, and to their own handicap especially since they themselves are unaware of it.

What is disturbing is that if their detachment were not so extreme and their emotional void not quite so empty, they might just be people like you or me. If you believe in accidents, then it is a small twist of fate that has made these characters the way they are and it is just as likely they could have gone another way, in which case, ended up quite normal. This fragility is what makes Hong?s movies so enticingly repulsive. If you are interested in the complexities of human nature, Hong?s films are for you.

Blackout

But we need not delve into the seamy underbelly of the human unconscious to enjoy a good movie. The Festival is also showcasing some of the best action thrillers. Of note is the Filipino film, Blackout about an alcoholic, single father who wakes up to see his rear bumper bloodied after one of his blackouts. Directed by whiz kid Ato Bautista, the movie blurs the line between reality and unreality as we unravel the mystery.

Also showing is Chris Chan Lee?s Undoing, a neo-noir film based in (where else?) LA, about crooked cops, blackmail and a fugitive who returns home for some revenge. It stars Sung Kang of The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift fame, in a strikingly different role.

And finally, the Canadian drama Dragon Boys tells the story of a Chinese Canadian cop who wants to take on the Vancouver triad. Directed by Jerry Ciccoritti, it showcases talent from the US, Canada and Hong Kong, and has been compared with The Sopranos and The Wire.

The Year of the Fish

For the more romantic types, we have David Kaplan?s The Year of the Fish, a rotoscoped fantasy film about a young Chinese immigrant, showcasing New York City like you?ve never seen it before. There?s also the racy and sexually charged Summer Palace which has director Lou Ye tell the story of two Beijing University students over the period of ten years. Noteworthy documentaries like Duc Nguyen?s Bolinao 52 showcase the story of a boat of ill-fated Vietnamese refugees who leave the country in the hopes of escaping persecution in 1980 Vietnam. There are even shorts from South Asia like the striking chapters from Sita Sings the Blues which takes stories from the Indian epic, The Ramayana, and retells them in short, animation form.

It?s impossible to highlight every good movie showing at the festival. This is just a handful of noticeable films and for each one mentioned here, there are about three or four films which are just as good. My only advice is: If you?re in the Bay Area, check it out. You won?t want to miss it.

John Inman of the long-running Brit-Com Are You Being Served? has died at age 71. He played the flamboyant menswear salesman who’s catchphrase “I’m Free!” entered into pop culture. Says, the Beeb:

John Inman, who has died in a London hospital aged 71, belonged to an era of comedy which shunned satire for broad slapstick and sexual innuendo.

But any criticism of Mr Humphries, the camp, sharp-tongued sales assistant in Are You Being Served? was overwhelmed by public popularity.

Inman won BBC TV personality of the year in 1976 and was voted funniest man on television by TV Times readers.

The show attracted up to 22 million viewers and his shrill “I’m free!” hardly faded from the public’s imagination. [link]

I was trying my best to avoid blogging about it. I mean, The Great Ganesha has standards, for god’s sake. Well, okay, I don’t have any standards. But even I would have laid this to rest weeks ago. The 24/7 cable news channel coverage of anything and everything related to it is a bit much. Why drag it on for so long? And I didn’t really want to add to the garbage produced by the cable news channels.

But then I read this obit in The Economist. And in classic Economist style, they distill the issue down to its bare minimum, enhancing the important points, and yet bringing to the fore, the naked truth. So I had to share.

…what you saw first, on meeting Ms Smith, were the Breasts. There were only two of them, but they made a whole frontage: huge, compelling, pneumatic. They burst out of tight red dresses?preferably red?or teased among feather boas, or flanked a dizzying cleavage that plunged to tantalising depths. These were celebrated, American breasts, engineered by silicon to be as broad and bountiful as the prairie. With them, a girl from nowhere?or from Houston, Texas?could do anything. The body behind them waxed and waned, sometimes stout as a stevedore’s and sometimes almost waif-like, matching the little-girl voice; but the Breasts remained. ?Everything I have?, Ms Smith admitted, ?is because of them.?

…

She acted too, though it was the Breasts that stole every scene, full in Leslie Nielsen’s astonished face in ?Naked Gun 33 1/3?. The spotlight loved her, but unlike Marilyn she was not favoured by high-flying politicians; there was always too much of the tabloid queen about her, besides her tendency to start slurring and stumbling and writhing, as if on something illegal, in the presence of a microphone. Her fame came, in the end, from being in court. [link]

What can I say? That’s what I love about The Economist – they just call it as they see it.

After 20 years, vehement denials by all three members, and consistent rumours over the past decade, The Police have finally announced a reunion tour. Which means it’s official. They’re opening in Vancouver on May 28th this year, and touring the US with confirmed dates in Boston, New York and more. There is a stopover planned for San Francisco, and I imagine it’s going to be in the *shudder* Oakland Oracle Arena. Because I think that’s the biggest thing they’ve got this side of the Mississippi (I’m trying to convince myself LA doesn’t exist). Either that or Shoreline. Will keep you posted once I hear of tickets going on sale. After I buy mine, of course…