Media Watchdog Group Asks Fox's "Dads" To Reshoot "Racist" Scenes
8/15/2013
by Kimberly Nordyke


The hits keep on coming for Fox's forthcoming comedy "Dads".

Two weeks after producers were put on the defensive at the Television Critics Association press tour over the show's controversial nature, the Media Action Network for Asian Americans fired off a letter asking that "racist" scenes be reshot before the show premieres.





Guy Aoki, founding president of MANAA, which touts itself as "the only group solely dedicated to being a media watchdog for Asian American media issues," sent the letter addressed to Fox entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly, COO Joe Earley, senior vp comedy Marcus Wiley and senior vp current programming James Oh.

"Our community can't continue to be the target of racially insensitive jokes," Aoki wrote.

"Fox has an opportunity to fix fatal flaws in the pilot and to improve the show's chances for success when it premieres next month. We are asking you to reshoot the inappropriate scenes of the pilot. Considering the consistent feedback from our community and television critics in general -- and the creators saying they hadn't properly defined their characters nor gotten used to their actors when they shot that first episode -- this sounds like a no-brainer."





Writing about the show's "racial and sexual stereotypes," Aoki cited such moments as actress Brenda Song dressing up as a "sexy Asian schoolgirl" when the main characters were about to meet with Chinese businessmen and Martin Mull's character calling Asians "Orientals."

"No one corrected him (will he later call blacks 'negroes?')," Aoki wrote.

"He later warned his son that he couldn't trust the Chinese, that 'there’s a reason Shanghai's a verb.' Supposedly all was made right when the Chinese agreed to the deal after the 'creepy interpreter' sent a picture of his penis to Song, who, predictably, said that it was tiny."





Aoki also referenced a tweet written by "Dads" co-creator Alec Sulkin on March 11, 2011, the day a tsunami hit Japan, killing thousands of people: "If you wanna feel better about this earthquake in Japan, google 'Pearl Harbor death toll.'"

"Given the level of hostility we felt in the Dads pilot, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Sulkin's involved," wrote Aoki, who also noted that he hasn't received a response to the letter, which Fox brass received Monday, Aug. 13.

However, reps for the network indicated that executives were in the process of responding at the time Aoki made his letter public to the media, Thursday, Aug. 15.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/media-watchdog-group-asks-foxs-607553

Thanks for posting the article. I found it interesting regarding the group's concerns, especially in light of the twitter comment mentioned.

UPDATE: Fox Says No To Asian-American Group That Wants Seth MacFarlane’s "Dads" Pilot Re-Shot
by LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
Tuesday August 20, 2013


Fox has declined the Media Action Network for Asian Americans’ suggestion it re-shoot its "Dads" pilot in order to remove the scene it finds most offensive. In the scene, business partners Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi have Brenda Song’s employee character dress up in sexy Asian Schoolgirl costume and giggle demurely to please Chinese businessmen.

Down the road, Fox execs promised the organization, “You will see that Brenda Song’s character is a strong, intelligent, empowered young woman who basically runs the company, and who almost always gets the upper hand.”

They also said the show, from Seth MacFarlane and team, “is a show that will be evocative and will poke fun at stereotypes and bigotries — sometimes through over-the-top, ridiculous situations,” adding, “The series is based heavily on the executive producers’ own lives, and the relationships between the fathers and sons on Dads will continue to be the main driver of show’s comedic sensibility. Everyone involved with Dads is striving to create a series with humor that works on multiple levels and ‘earns’ its audaciousness.”

http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/asian-american-group-wants-fox-to-re-shoot-seth-macfarlanes-dads-pilot/

I'm watching it now, and Brenda Song definitely looks gorgeous as the "sexy Asian schoolgirl," but I think we can see she's not into this routine. And it's not as if they're giving credibility to the stereotypes.

Just imagine if things were so PC back in the 70s, we would have no "All in the Family" or any of Norman Lear's genius shows.

Screw PC!

i'm confused - why is it racist if an Asian is dressed up as a school girl, but it isn't if the girl is white or black?

Just watched the pilot. Gotta say not the great shows but I'll give the next few episodes a chance. BTW Fox news is way more racist then this show is.

Just watched the pilot. Gotta say not the great shows but I'll give the next few episodes a chance. BTW Fox news is way more racist then this show is.
Sorry, but just because it's right-wing, doesn't make it racist.

sounds like these as....err people of a certain decent have a stick up their ass

I seen the first show and the scene with Brenda Song was an extremely stereotype of asian women, but apparently Brenda didn't object to doing the scene.

Just imagine if things were so PC back in the 70s, we would have no "All in the Family" or any of Norman Lear's genius shows.

Screw PC!
Seth is no Norman Lear and never will be.

The show wasn't great, but I laughed out loud a few times. It was edgy, and some of the jokes were based upon the non-PC remarks the "Dads" made. We've all winced when our older relatives say something sometimes, but I think some of the critics are creating their own drama. Then again, there's no such thing as bad publicity when you are trying to promote a show... ;)

Seth is no Norman Lear and never will be.
keep in mind that he is a product of this generation; the mass audience of 2013 doesn't want good television - they want the flashiest, buzziest, dirtiest, most shocking and lowest common denominator schlock that they can come up with, so comparatively he is today's Norman Lear.

Apparently Fox quietly changed the most outright racist line of the pilot between sending out screeners and airing it (they changed "tiny China penis" to "tiny penis").

To me...this show just seems dumb, dumber than "The Cleveland Show".

I have NO doubt "Dads" will be cancelled before the end of the year....

keep in mind that he is a product of this generation; the mass audience of 2013 doesn't want good television - they want the flashiest, buzziest, dirtiest, most shocking and lowest common denominator schlock that they can come up with, so comparatively he is today's Norman Lear.

Agreed.

But while I don't care (and have never cared for) Seth McFarlane's brand of humor, I give credit to him and Fox for not kow-towing to one group's demands and standing by what they produced.

If I were them, I would reconsider shooting the pilot because there wasn't one funny line in the whole damn thing and it is suppose to be a comedy, right? Unless "train wreck" is a new genre of TV show....

I don't know if this show will get a full season order or not.

If I were them, I would reconsider shooting the pilot because there wasn't one funny line in the whole damn thing and it is suppose to be a comedy, right? Unless "train wreck" is a new genre of TV show....

Well, it's Seth McFarlane...you expected it to be funny?

Well, it's Seth McFarlane...you expected it to be funny?

You're right. He's so smug, arrogant and cocky in interviews, I just don't get it.

You're right. He's so smug, arrogant and cocky in interviews, I just don't get it.

In one respect, I think he's a genius, because he's convinced millions his shows are funny.

While I am not a fan of McFarlane, I did watch his movie Ted and it wasn't bad. I got some chuckles out of it.

They need to bump up Brenda Song's part before it's too late she knows comedy, loved her in The Suite Life of Zac and Cody.

The show has my attention and I will definitely be watching the next episode on Tuesday Night

In one respect, I think he's a genius, because he's convinced millions his shows are funny.

While I am not a fan of McFarlane, I did watch his movie Ted and it wasn't bad. I got some chuckles out of it.

Okay, I saw Ted but I didn't like it too much. However, I do love Seth MacFarlane. I think he's a hoot. And I don't get the earlier comment about him being smug in interviews. I've seen him interviewed, too, and I like his personality. And he's multi-talented:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yYmXgDGl0s

As for this show, I had the TV on for the premiere but was busy doing things around the house so I only saw bits and pieces. But from what little I saw I did enjoy it, mainly because I totally relate to the father-son issues that were depicted.