Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

PEOPLE/ARTS Wednesday 13 september 2017
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Study finds Asian-American characters “tokens” on TV

By LYNN ELBER Boat” and “Dr. Ken” and means that many viewers
AP Television Writer Netflix’s “Master of None,” never see an Asian-Amer-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — TV’s all starring and focused ican on screen, which the
Asian-American charac- on Asian-Americans, said study says “effectively eras-
ters are so frequently slight- Nancy Wang Yuen, a Biola es” them from a large part
ed that even programs set University associate profes- of the TV landscape.
in the biggest, most diverse sor and one of the study’s There are 155 shows that
cities leave them out of the authors. lack a single Asian-Amer-
picture, a new study found. “It felt like, ‘Oh, we’re finally ican character, includ-
For “Tokens on the Small making it,’” Yuen said in an ing 63 of broadcast and
Screen,” professors and interview. “But even (“Dr. basic cable series and 74
scholars at six California Ken” star) Ken Jeong said, percent of premium cable
universities looked at 242 “Of this many shows, we shows, the study found.
broadcast, cable and only have three?’” The exclusion is startling on
digital platform shows that The cancellations of shows set in urban areas.
aired during the 2015-16 Jeong’s sitcom and the Among all New York-based
season and tallied the Netflix historical drama shows, which has an Asian-
numbers, screen time and “Marco Polo,” which fea- American population of In this image released by ABC, Randall Park, left, and Constance
portrayals of characters tured a hefty number of 13 percent, 70 percent of Wu appear in a scene from the new comedy series “Fresh Off
the Boat.”
of Asian or Pacific Islander Asian characters, showed shows lacked a single se-
descent among 2,000 TV how tenuous the hold on ries regular of that ethnic- black, 13.3 percent; Latino, of Asian-American series
characters. representation is, the study ity. More than 50 percent 17.8 percent, Asian-Ameri- regulars are on screen for
The report released Tues- said.A third (34.5 percent) of shows set in Los Angeles, cans, 5.9 percent. less than half an episode,
day, a follow-up to broad- of all Asian or Asian-Ameri- with a population that’s 14 — Four Pacific Islanders with white series regulars on
cast TV studies done in can characters were found percent Asian, lacked any were found to be series screen three times longer
2005 and 2006, found in- to be on just 11 shows — such characters. regulars, including Dwayne than their Asian-American
creasing opportunities for with the 14 characters on Other study findings: Johnson of “Ballers”; Uli counterparts.
Asian-American actors but “Marco Polo” alone mak- — Among all series regulars, Latukefu of “Marco Polo”; Besides Biola, the study in-
concluded they are still un- ing up 10 percent of the white characters repre- Keisha Castle-Hughes of cluded participants from
derrepresented and “their total — which sets up a sent 69.5 percent; African- “Roadies,” and Cliff Cur- California State University,
characters remain margin- “risk of greater decimation Americans 14 percent; Lati- tis of “Fear the Walking Fullerton; University of Cali-
alized and tokenized on when networks decide to nos, 5.9 percent, and Asian Dead.” That represents 0.2 fornia, Los Angeles; Thomas
screen.” cancel even one show,” and Pacific Islanders were percent, or half of their Jefferson School of Law;
There was a sense of opti- according to the report. 4.3 percent. Their numbers slice of the U.S. population, San Jose State University,
mism with the emergence The concentration of char- among the U.S. popula- the report said. and the University of San
of ABC’s “Fresh Off the acters on a few shows also tions: white, 61.3 percent; — Eighty-seven percent Francisco.q
Stephen Colbert rolls out red carpet for political Emmy show

By SANDY COHEN of the rug’s features (“It’s Where’s the investiga-
AP Entertainment Writer a Stainmaster carpet. It’s tion of that? Where was
LOS ANGELES (AP) — indoor-outdoor.”) And James Comey on that?”
If this whole TV thing he sang a carpet com- And does the host ex-
doesn’t work out for Ste- pany’s advertising jingle, pect the president (and
phen Colbert, he has a which he referred to as previous Emmy nomi-
bright future in carpet “our Emmys red carpet nee) to tune into Sun-
sales. rollout national anthem,” day’s show?
The first-time Emmy before the promotional “He might care about
Awards host helped roll rollout. who wins the reality-
out the show’s ceremo- No sooner had he and show category,” Colbert
nial red carpet Tuesday the producers finished said. “’Amazing Race’ is
at L.A. Live alongside unrolling it, a pair of nominated, and that’s
telecast producers, say- workers swooped in to who he lost to every year
ing that while it’s an hon- roll it back up and haul for ‘The Apprentice.’
or to host the show, “it’s it away. Ricky Kirshner, from left, Glenn Weiss, Stephen Colbert, Jack So he might want to see
even more of an honor (The real red carpet used Sussman and Hayma Washington participate in the 2017 Prime- them go down. He might
to be installing the car- by celebrities on Sunday time Emmy Red Carpet Rollout at the Microsoft Theater on Tues- still have hard feelings.
pet.” will be installed several day, Sept. 12, 2017, in Los Angeles. He seems like a guy who
“I’m glad there are cam- feet away, in front of the holds a grudge.
eras here because so Microsoft Theater.) “If you lose, it’s an enor- Colbert said the Emmys “He actually said in one
few people know just Colbert, who has won mous waste of time,” he are about celebrating of the debates with Hill-
how much manual labor multiple Emmys for his said. television, “and the big- ary Clinton — she said
is involved with hosting work on “The Colbert “But everyone’s going to gest television star of the like, ‘And then after
the Emmys every year,” Report” and “The Daily win this year. I’ve talked last year was Donald he lost the Emmys, he
Colbert said. Show” and is nominated with these guys and we Trump.” complained they were
“If you like this, stick again Sunday for “The want everyone to have “The fact that he’s not rigged.’
around because I’m go- Late Show,” described fun, so everyone will nominated, it’s a crime,” And he goes, ‘I should
ing to go re-grout the the Emmy ceremony as win the Emmys this year. Colbert said. have won.’
bathrooms right after “an incredibly fun show Spoiler. Spoiler alert.” “It’s a high crime and a So he cares! You know
this.” to go to every year when When asked how politi- misdemeanor that you he cares. We know you
Colbert also noted some you win.” cal the show could get, are not nominated, sir. care.”q