Introduction

If everyone sees the world in terms of situations that are presented on television, then poor waitresses could sass customers all day at their job without getting fired, and to return home to a large apartment in Brooklyn with a horse living in the backyard, as seen on 2 Broke Girls. In addition, world renowned scientists could spend most of their time visiting the comic stores, instead of working on world-changing projects, as presented in The Big Bang Theory. Although many viewers understand that these plotlines are constructed to emphasize the dramatic effects within televisions, yet when Asian Americans are depicted in a negative and stereotypical manner, many audiences perceive them as entertaining, humorous, and most importantly, plausible. Within the United States, there is a lack of positive Asian American role models, which remains for the most part unfulfilled by the U.S. mainstream media. In reflection of these depictions, although very few, it is evident that this nation’s sitcom has had a negative portrayal of the Asian American community in general.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian “was the nation’s fastest-growing race or ethnic group in 2012.” In addition, the Screen Actors Guild casting data reports that in 2008, Asian Pacific Island actors portrayed only 3.8% of all television and theatrical roles. The Office of Management and Budget, "Asian" is defined as "a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the India subcontinent including Cambodia, China, India, and Vietnam" (Office of Management and Budget, 1997). Only a selected few Asian Pacific Islanders are consider to be successful in Hollywood, including John Cho (Harold and Kumar), Lucy Liu (Elementary), Maggie Q (Nikkita), Kunal Nayyar (Big Bang Theory), Bruno Mars, Steven Yuen (The Walking Dead), and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost). This is a clear indicator that Asian Americans are underrepresented in the media as opposed to other ethnic groups. Since there are so few Asian American characters presented in sitcoms, my primary focus will be on Korean and Indians roles within the television programs. However, this is not to neglect that some of the stereotypical images applies to other groups of Asian Americans as well.

Through four contemporary television shows, All-American Girl (1994), The Big Bang Theory (2007), The Mindy Project (2012), and 2 Broke Girls (2011), I will explore and determine how these distasteful portrayals and qualities continue to paint caricatures of Asian Americans in stereotypical manners. These shows were selected because in one way or another, each of them embodies the stereotypical images in which Asian Americans are depicted as onscreen over the course of the history of situation comedies. By examining these sitcoms, which have aired over a span of two decades, it can be suggested that there is a little progression within many of the Asian American characters as their treatment and portrayals of the characters are very generic.  

All-American Girl: The Kim Family

In the late 1990’s, the standup comedian, Margaret Cho received the opportunity to starred in her own sitcom called All-American Girl, which was also the first American sitcom to feature an Asian American family. Perhaps many people will believe this was a perfect chance to improve the portrayal of Korean-Americans, and Asian Americans in general. However, that is not the case.

All-American Girl (1994-1995) is a sitcom that revolves around the Kim family who resides in San Francisco. The main protagonist name Margaret Kim lives with her parents, a younger and an older brother, and her paternal grandmother. The show exemplifies a typical Asian American family in which plotlines are primarily focused on old world values versus new world values. All-American Girl centers around everyday problems dealing specifically with the adjustments as a Korean family within the United States. The main protagonist is at a constant struggle with her role as a Korean American and the child of an immigrant family. Margaret’s parents, especially her traditional mother, wishes her to have a professional career as a lawyer or a doctor, yet we learn that she envisions a different life for herself as either a club promoter or an artist. Being the first on screen Asian American family on sitcom, the show attempts to depict the family as realistic as possible, yet only three of the eleven writers on the ABC sitcom were of Asian American origin.

Throughout the sitcom, each episode introduces Margaret defying her parents’ traditional values and high expectations, to which her parents get very upset and disappointed. Her rebelliousness and defiance usually leads to her and her mother often having quarrels that serve as the climactic point of the narrative. Margaret’s character is witty, frivolous, and impudent. Although the depiction of her character challenges the traditional Asian American female roles, she is often the butt of her family’s jokes due to her continuous attempt to pave her own path despite the relentless pressures deriving from her parents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_35OnSvdqyE

In the episode “Redesining Women”, Amy who is the fiancée of Margaret’s older brother visits the Kim family. While preparing for food, Margaret’s mother compliments Amy that she has always wanted a daughter like Amy. This scene also suggests that Amy is Margaret’s foil because Amy is a proper young woman who is 'perfect' in the eyes of the Kim family. Amy understands the importance of a good education, values family, and cares about the Korean community. Hollywood has a tendency of portraying Asian women as subservient, compliant, and eager to please. Such perpetual stereotypes forces viewers to believe that perhaps Asian American women are truly weak or passive. However, Margaret eventually 'corrupts' Amy by taking her to a night of partying before her wedding. This scene challenges the traditional archetype of what it means to be a young Korean woman in an American culture. At the same time, it seems that in order to defy the standardized Asian female image, one must be recognized as wild or rebellious. In essence, it seems as if Asian Americans in sitcoms are always having to prove their ‘Americanness.’

2 Broke Girls: Han Bryce Lee

The CBS sitcom focuses on two young women who comes from two different worlds and dream of starting a cupcake business of their own, while temporarily waitressing together at a greasy diner in the heart of Brooklyn, New York.  Due to their financial circumstances, the girls are forced to interact with a collection of colorful characters from all walks of life such as Oleg, the perverted Ukrainian cook whose sole role on the show is to be lecherous and onerous. He is frequently being portrayed to be flirting with the girls in an extremely sexual fashion. Then there is Earl, a charmingly rambunctious African American cashier with a Black Southern accent. However, the worst of all them, Han Bryce Lee, a Korean immigrant diner owner, whom the two girls work for. Han Bryce Lee’s character is presented in a negative manner because he is represented as a short, asexual, and always failing to understand the American culture.

In this scene, Caroline and Maxwell greets Mama Han who have travelled all the way from Korea to visit her son. Han's mother seems to be pleased with Caroline's Korean. On the other hand, Han's mother quickly makes the most condemning expression at the very sight of Maxwell due to her exposed cleavage. Then Mama Han questions the whereabouts of Han Lee's so-called 'girlfriend'. As it turns out Han Lee lies to his mother that his imaginary girlfriend is of Korean ethnicity and is really well-rounded. Han explains that his girlfriend has a very busy schedule due to the fact that she is a brain surgeon and is overwhelmed with church matters. In this episode, Han Lee is forced to makeup an imaginary girlfriend due to his mother's high expectation of her son. From this one scene, one can infer that Korean characters are depicted as those who strive to meet their parents' exceedingly high criteria and expectations of becoming a doctor or lawyer, or to date someone with either occupation.

Every time when there is a scene involves Han Lee on the sitcom, the nuance is that it’s entertaining and humorous because he is always speaking English with a generic Asian accent, adding to his short and geekiness. Ironically, Matthew Moy who plays the character, Han Bryce Lee, is actually a Chinese American who speaks perfect English.

 In this short clip, Maxwell pokes fun at Han Lee’s actual age and makes a reference to the film A Case of Benjamin Button because of Han’s petite size and mature face. Maxwell is surprise to learn that Han is 29 years old though he looks like he is 53 years old. Similarly, Caroline joins in by critiquing Han’s physical features, the clothes he wears, and the five-dollar check, which she receives as a birthday gift. Essentially, Han Lee is being poked fun at due to his petite size and his outdated clothes, which suggests the stereotypical images of Asian men being small in everything. This scene also propagates the misrepresented image of Asian males being subservient and subordinate to occidental men. It also further contributes to the emasculation of Asian American males as the 'foreigner' stereotype. 

While sexual innuendo is found in many television programs, and can be utilized as the butt of a joke sometimes, 2 Broke Girls pokes fun of Han Lee’s asexuality and his lack of experience with girls.

Every time when there is a scene involves Han Lee on the sitcom, the nuance is that it’s entertaining and humorous because he is always speaking English with a generic Asian accent, adding to his short and geekiness. Ironically, Matthew Moy who plays the character, Han Bryce Lee, is actually a Chinese American who speaks perfect English.

Han Lee waits excitedly for his blind date that he was paired up with via an online dating service, but Maxwell discredits Han and believes she is not real. Throughout the series, Maxwell constantly brings up the fact that Han Lee is a virgin and has no luck with girls. Then a tall white blonde walks through the diner, but quickly leaves at the sight of the small-framed Han Lee. His character essentially reinforces the nerdy Asian image with little to no experience with females. Ultimately, Han Lee is perceived as a regressive portrayal because the show continues to promote the ‘perpetual foreigner’ myth within Asian males. His character also cultivates a stereotype of the Asian American males as asexual.