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Author Topic: Banzai protest  (Read 7011 times)

BrandonFG

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Banzai protest
« on: July 18, 2003, 12:49:02 PM »
Donegan called it in another post...he wins the grand prize of not a damn thing. :-)
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from yahoo

Asian-American Media Group Protests Fox's 'Banzai'
By Ben Berkowitz

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An Asian-American media group on Thursday
protested the Fox network's airing of \"Banzai,\" a parody of a Japanese
game show, saying it demeans and stereotypes Asian people.

Outside a network presentation in Hollywood, about 20 members of the
Media Action Network for Asian Americans carried signs and shouted
into bullhorns, protesting the show.

The program, which debuted to strong ratings last Sunday, features an
off-screen announcer speaking in a clipped parody of a Japanese
accent, fake Japanese language graphics, and a karate-chopping
middle-aged Asian host known as Mr. Banzai.

The show first ran on Channel 4 in Britain.

\"It's just all the backward images of Asian-American people,\" Guy
Aoki, co-founder of the group, which monitors the depiction of Asian
Americans in media, told Reuters.

This is like an Asian minstrel show,\" Aoki said. \"Can you imagine the
black version of Banzai?\"

The protest came as Fox's senior executives prepared to make a
presentation at the Television Critics Association summer tour for
press, during which they preview their new fall lineups.

The demonstrators were confined to an area on the sidewalk in front of
the hotel where the tour is taking place.

One of those senior executives, Gail Berman, the president of
entertainment for Fox Broadcasting, was a creator of the ABC 1994
sitcom \"All-American Girl,\" the first broadcast show with a
predominantly Asian cast, starring Margaret Cho (news).

\"We've received an entire range of comments on the show, both pro and
con,\" Fox spokesman Scott Grogin told Reuters. \"It's a satire, a
parody of Japanese game shows. It's very tongue-in-cheek and should
not be viewed as anything but.\"

Carrying a sign that read, \"Fox puts profit before people,\" Aoki said
his group held two meetings with the network about \"Banzai,\" asking
that it not be aired, but said Fox executives declined to address
their concerns.

He said that Fox indicated if Banzai comes back for a second season,
they may add a disclaimer at the beginning of the show.

But Aoki said a disclaimer was not enough to assuage his group's
concerns. They want the show to be canceled and for Fox to apologize
for airing it in the first place.

Fox is a unit of News Corp. Ltd.
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

Now celebrating his 22nd season on GSF!

jalman

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Banzai protest
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2003, 01:20:31 PM »
Rhetorical (?) question:

Where were they when USA's Bonzai Movie Friday was on the air?

Clarence

uncamark

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Banzai protest
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2003, 02:28:17 PM »
Quote
Rhetorical (?) question:
Where were they when USA's Bonzai Movie Friday was on the air?


As unaware of it as the vast majority of the U.S. viewing public (which only saw it in the listings as \"Oh, God, they're showing 'The Waterboy' again?\").  On the other hand, even if you've watched Fox only once in the last month, you've come across those promos--it's probably the most promoted next to \"The O.C.\" of their summer shows (and I assume that they've aired on Fox's sister cable channels, as well).

BTW, at least Guy Aoki is in the business--he's one of Casey Kasem's producers and has worked for the Countdown King for about 20 years, going from Watermark to Westwood One to AMFM to their current home at Premiere/Clear Channel.  As you may know, Kasem has been a fervent activist against Arab-American discrimination, which of course has taken on a new relevance in the events of the last few years.

ChuckNet

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Banzai protest
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2003, 01:31:13 AM »
Quote
Donegan called it in another post...he wins the grand prize of not a damn thing. :-)



But I digress...are we on the boards the only people taking the show's humor at face value and not seeing it as perpetuating any kind of negative stereotypes?

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

Matt Ottinger

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Banzai protest
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2003, 12:20:32 PM »
Quote
But I digress...are we on the boards the only people taking the show's humor at face value and not seeing it as perpetuating any kind of negative stereotypes?
I think not.  Remember, it doesn't take very many people to stage a protest.  I think if the public at large thought it was offensive, there would be a lot more media attention given to the protests.  All the stories I've read just refer to how silly the whole thing is.

Anybody see the second one?
This has been another installment of Matt Ottinger's Masters of the Obvious.
Stay tuned for all the obsessive-compulsive fun of Words Have Meanings.

BrandonFG

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Banzai protest
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2003, 12:28:43 PM »
[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 12:31 AM\']
Quote
Donegan called it in another post...he wins the grand prize of not a damn thing. :-)

<bows deeply>

But I digress...are we on the boards the only people taking the show's humor at face value and not seeing it as perpetuating any kind of negative stereotypes?

 [/quote]
 Rec.arts.tv mentioned it in a few posts, but most of them seem to slam the show, not the \"stereotypes\", no one there found any humor. Surprised me...
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

Now celebrating his 22nd season on GSF!

Chelsea Thrasher

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Banzai protest
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2003, 12:40:53 PM »
Watched it last night.  ACtually thought it was pretty funny.    Didn't expect to, but did (I also expected to hate Cram, but I don't)

Timsterino

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Banzai protest
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2003, 12:50:58 PM »
I watched it last night. I did not like it too much. Too wild, too crazy for me. I prefer shows that do not run on that much sugar.

Tim :-)

clemon79

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Banzai protest
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2003, 02:04:03 PM »
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 09:20 AM\'] Anybody see the second one? [/quote]
 You betcha. I was not at all surprised to see Shake Hands Man remain engaged with Bill Murray as long as he did.
Chris Lemon, King Fool, Director of Suck Consolidation
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Email: clemon79@outlook.com  |  Skype: FredSmythe

GS Warehouse

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Banzai protest
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2003, 03:35:23 PM »
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 11:28 AM\'] Rec.arts.tv mentioned it in a few posts, but most of them seem to slam the show, not the "stereotypes", no one there found any humor. Surprised me... [/quote]
 As a former member, I can safely say that newsgroup slams everything.

BrandonFG

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Banzai protest
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2003, 03:37:02 PM »
[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 02:35 PM\'] [quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 11:28 AM\'] Rec.arts.tv mentioned it in a few posts, but most of them seem to slam the show, not the "stereotypes", no one there found any humor. Surprised me... [/quote]
As a former member, I can safely say that newsgroup slams everything. [/quote]
 So I've seen...there's even a guy who slams SNL every single week.

ObGameShow: Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour...the show sucked, but the theme was great.
"They're both Norman Jewison movies, Troy, but we did think of one Jew more famous than Tevye."

Now celebrating his 22nd season on GSF!

PeterMarshallFan

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Banzai protest
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2003, 03:42:21 PM »
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 02:37 PM\'] ObGameShow: Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour...the show sucked, but the theme was great. [/quote]
Watch it, buddy.... :)

ObMG/HSHour: NBC was dumb to take it off when they did. Damn soap operas.....

uncamark

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Banzai protest
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2003, 03:48:18 PM »
Quote
ObMG/HSHour: NBC was dumb to take it off when they did. Damn soap operas.....


MGP went into \"MG/HSH\" knowing that \"Santa Barbara\" was in the wings and that its show was simply a filler, since it takes at least a year to develop a soap before it hits air.  They simply accepted the worst and hoped for the best.  It didn't happen, but they weren't surprised that it didn't.  Remember, the show was NBC's idea, not MGP.

clemon79

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Banzai protest
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2003, 04:17:31 PM »
[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jul 21 2003, 12:48 PM\'] It didn't happen, but they weren't surprised that it didn't.  Remember, the show was NBC's idea, not MGP. [/quote]
 Yes, but if not for MGHSH, what is probably my second favorite game show theme in the world (#1 being the front theme / Gauntlet win for \"Whew!\") would be Just Another Car Cue....
Chris Lemon, King Fool, Director of Suck Consolidation
http://fredsmythe.com
Email: clemon79@outlook.com  |  Skype: FredSmythe