Rosie O'Donnell Update.

UPDATE: 2.23.07
Rosie actually apologized, through her blog, because of Beau Sia's outstanding video, which I posted here. Don't underestimate the power of positive cultural production to move minds and hearts, no matter how hard it can seem. I think this is another reason why the demise of the Asian American focused MTV stations is a real shame - the production quality on Beau's video was quite good, the distribution was awesome, and he was able to use the medium to make the points very well. I just wish that the stations were maintained for the long-term. Anyway - thought it's nice to actually take note of rosie's turnaround.

Original Post: 12/15/06

See Rosie's "apology" here.

Your ignorance knows no bounds. And your cop out apology was less sincere than Michael Richards' ridiculous "I don't know what came over me."

And for your information "ching chong ching chong" is not making fun of an accent - it's making fun of a language and a people. Throwing in your little Irish comment as an analogy doesn't work either because:

1) I'm assuming, and maybe I'm wrong, but you have some Irish ancestry. Does that mean only people from within the group can say certain things? I don't want to get into it, but is it really that hard to understand? Also...

2) Asian people don't make fun of themselves by saying "ching chong ching chong." You would have gotten laughs (because comedians apparently are "always getting in trouble") if you mixed your "L's" and "R's." It's still offensive, but at least it fits into your broad and vanilla kind of offense, and just boring caricature. When you take it to a different level, you're an idiot, and you're bringing up a lot of shit for a lot of people.

Oh yeah, and the audience shouldn't be your gauge, nor should the two Asian women you point to in the audience. That's just stupid and lame. It's like pointing at the Log Cabin Republicans and saying "see? queer people hate the movement for equal rights." If you're really going to test the water, talk to the kids who were taunted endlessly, felt like outsiders at home and at school, and ended up being quiet and not getting the class participation or other little things that count in school because they were ashamed and embarassed when other kids mocked them.

You should have the grace to understand that you offended people. You care so much for some causes, but don't seem to have the empathy in you to understand that this isn't the fringe talking - and while sure, people can be too sensitive, you're just the schoolyard bully saying "if I think it's funny, it's funny, and you should lighten up." Your experience, and knowledge, is not the universal experience. Can't you understand that?

*sigh*

I just can't understand why someone so damn rich and already comfortable has to get a cheap shot in to get a quick laugh. Why don't you read a book, like The Coming Man, an amazing inquiry into the way that images and words, like some of what you did, led to the scapegoating, exclusion, and violence against Chinese Americans in the 1800s and beyond. Why don't you speak with a scholar who has studied these issues? Or even the school kids who still live with this stuff?

Do you think that Lisa Ling would have been patting you on the back for your great impression of her people? Well, actually, I don't really know that answer to that, but hey, if even Michelle Malkin, my favorite hyper conservative, is getting in on the racist angle, you know it's got to be pretty bad.

Give it a rest, Rosie. You've lost any and all respect I had for you. Your professed ideals regarding equality and civil rights mean nothing if you're just going to relegate someone else to other status.