As-Ams in Sports

Sabrina, The Teenage Writer

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:01:00 -0400

Click on the link above to check our Michelle Kwan’s (brief) appearance on Season 3 of Sabrina, The Teenage Witch. Fast-forward to 1:20 if you’re impatient, like we are!

Lin & Christianity

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:24:00 -0400

While doing our research, we learned that Jeremy Lin has not only become the face of the Asian-American community, but also the Christian one. Take a look at his “secret handshake” with Landry Fields that he describes as a testimony of his faith: Click here.

But we also thought it necessary to question his potential impact had he not come from where he did…

What if Jeremy Lin were to have gotten drafted straight from high school, didn’t attend Harvard, and wasn’t of Christian faith? This would diminish several elements of the model minority myth that he currently possesses. Would he have gained such a large fan base?

What are your thoughts?

Kwan guest stars in Season 16 of The Simpsons

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 07:55:00 -0400

Kwan guest stars in Season 16 of The Simpsons

SNL: Linsanity

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 02:15:00 -0400

SNL: Linsanity:

Take a look into the “Linsanity” rage as presented by Saturday Night Live!

Photo

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 21:58:00 -0400

Anthony Kim loves to flash his obnoxious belt…

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:22:00 -0400

Anthony Kim loves to flash his obnoxious belt…

Lin & Stereotypes

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:43:00 -0400

Stereotypes of Asians have been a staple of American popular culture since the 19th century, from newspaper cartoons of menacing, images of buck-toothed Chinese to film characters like the evil Dr. Fu Manchu and the bowing, pidgin-speaking Charlie Chan.

In contemporary America, Asians—when and if they appear at all—are generally depicted as comical foreigners with “ching-chong” accents, from exchange student Long Duk Dong (“What’s happening, hot stuff?”) in Sixteen Candles to Han Lee, the stereotyped Korean restaurant
owner in CBS’s new comedy 2 Broke Girls.

David Leonard states that over Lin’s recent moments in the spotlight, the idea of race is playing out within the media and fan reception of the Asian American superstar. Further, Blackness is at the center of basketball, and Lin’s success forces people to “retreat into traditional storylines.”

The media continues to cast Lin in a “model minority” role whose intellect, personality, and ethnicity offer an alternative to the blackness in basketball. In this way, Lin has yet to transcend race, but is perhaps on his way…

But why is Jeremy Lin’s race/ethnicity such a major component representations of him in the first place?

People stand up and take note whenever someone of a particular race does something the public perceives as unusual for that particular race. There are numerous examples within the sporting world: When a quarterback is African-American, when the No. 1 golfer in the world is of multiple ethnicities, when a caucasian is a wide receiver and when a point guard is Asian-American, it violates preconceived notions and draws attention to that particular individual.

But while he has yet to “transcend” his skin color, Lin’s story has been embraced by the American public, with fans of all races cheering him on. But, we have also been reminded of the ugliness with which Asians have often been depicted in American culture and the media. Jeremy Lin’s success has nothing to do with his race. He is just dominating compared to any standard. His performance would be remarkable if he was black, or white, or whatever else.

I am Tiger Woods

Thu, 31 May 2012 20:03:00 -0400

I am Tiger Woods:

But are you really?

A look into Tiger Woods’ first-ever Nike commercial.

Kristi Yamaguchi and her oh-so-glorious and oh-so-nineties...

Wed, 30 May 2012 20:45:00 -0400

Kristi Yamaguchi and her oh-so-glorious and oh-so-nineties magazine covers.

Click on image for the full “linfographic.”

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:20:00 -0400

Click on image for the full “linfographic.”

Is Michelle Kwan American?

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:04:00 -0400

Is Michelle Kwan American?:

The Seattle Times responds to an online source that once stated Kwan isn’t American. Take a look!