Race Relations on American TV
The Ninja and I were eating dinner the other night, and while doing so we sat down with her family to watch some television. Due to the “Free” trade agreement we have with the US, Australian TV stations now buy American TV shows rather than developing their own. As such, we were ended up watching some American TV. It was pretty bloody awful, but at the same time it was so bad that the Ninja and I just ran commentary over the top of it and laughed our arses off at how unintentionally amusing it all was.
The Ninja is, quite obviously, Asian. As such the complete lack of Asian characters on these programs was commented on a few times. I decided to do a little research in the demographics of the US and work out just how many Asians were there, and it turns out that it’s just over four percent of the population. That’s not many, statistically speaking, but it’s still around twelve million or so. I figured, “Oh well, I guess there aren’t that many anyway,” but then I remembered that there had been a Jewish character on one of the programs that we’d been watching. I then remembered that Jewish characters are quite prevalent in many American shows, and thus I decided to look into what percentage of the US population was Jewish.
It turns out that there aren’t that many. There’s just over six million over there, or about two percent of the total population. It’s pretty much half that of the Asian population in the US. This got me thinking. Statistically speaking, shouldn’t twice as many Asians be on American TV than there are Jews?
Thus you have this, a comparison between Jewish representation and Asian representation on American TV programs, in terms of main characters. Do enjoy.
NCIS
This is the first one that actually had me notice this occurrence, and thus the outcome isn’t very good. Wikipedia lists the main characters of the show, and amongst them is a Jewish character, Ziva David. There are no Asians in the main cast list, and the one Asian character that is listed as a minor character ended up being a spy. So that we can discount the inherent problem with that, let’s just say that there isn’t any Asian representation on the show.
Jews – 1
Asians – 0
House
A great show, set around doctors. You’d expect that both Asians and Jews are going to be well represented here, as Asian and Jewish doctors are something of a stereotype. Well, there’s certainly a Jewish character, being Chris Taub, but no Asians. Whoops!
Jews – 2
Asians – 0
Numb3rs
Apparently one of the main characters, Charlie Eppes, is Jewish. I guess that would also make his brother, Don Eppes, and father, Alan Eppes, Jewish also. There is an actress with some Asian ancestry in the show, Aya Sumika, but she plays a character that shows no indication of having Asian ancestry, Liz Warner. Seeing we’re going for characters rather than actors here, it doesn’t count. If anyone actually watches this show and can tell me otherwise, do let me know.
Until then let’s keep the count.
Jews – 3 (We’re counting in terms of programs, not number of characters)
Asians – 0
Lie To Me
So far we have nothing either way. They may expand it as the series moves on, if it moves on. There were some shocking racial claims in the show, with the last episode of the season involving a bunch of American raised Muslims being blown up by one of their associates who was, naturally, a terrorist. The positioning was very slight, though, with it being revealed in one line of dialogue that he was brought to America from Jordan. The subtext, clearly, is that no one raised in the US could commit an act of terrorism. Jingoistic crap.
In any case it’s a zero either way.
Jews – 3
Asians – 0
Grey’s Anatomy
This is very interesting. Cristina Yang is clearly Asian, yet she’s been raised Jewish. Looks like they both get a tick here with the one cast member.
Jews – 4
Asians – 1
The Big Bang Theory
Looks good on the Jewish front, with one of the main characters being Jewish. No Asian representation, though.
Jews – 5
Asians – 1
Law & Order
Apparently Adam Schiff is Jewish, and even works on the Holocaust Project in his free time. Cool. No Asians that I can see. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Jews – 6
Asians – 1
Futurama
This one has been suggested, and as such I’m certainly going to have to give it a score for Amy Wong. Main character, Fry’s love interest at one point, usually brutalised for comedic effect. Score one for Asians here.
There’s also a score for the Jews here, too, in a roundabout way. Doctor Zoidberg has a lot of Jewish characteristics, including the accent (other than the tentacle warble in his voice), and when he ran to the embassy for his planet it was clearly Jewish. He was barred from a bot-mitzva, though, as shellfish aren’t kosher.
Man, that show was awesome.
Jews – 7
Asians – 2
Ally McBeal
I’m pretty sure I’ve got this summed up right, but do correct me if I’m wrong. No Jewish representation in the main cast list (remember, we’re only going for main cast, not side characters), despite Ally dating a rabbi at one point. There is most certainly a score for the Asians, though. Ling Woo, as played by Lucy Liu, was one of the most popular characters in the show, and her leaving the program is attributed to it ending by a lot of people.
Jews – 7
Asians – 3
Law & Order: SVU
As has been pointed out by others, B. D. Wong plays George Huang the forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler. B. D. Wong played one of my favourite characters in Oz, so it shames me to have forgotten him here.
On the Jewish front we have John Munch the detective, so scores all around for diversity. Fuck, I may actually watch some of this shit at some point.
Jews – 8
Asians – 4
Dexter
People keep telling me to watch this. I’ve looked up the cast, though, and spoilt a lot of it for myself. See what I do for you people? Cunts. Anyway, there is certainly an Asian there, Vincent "Vince" Masuka. No Jews as far as I can tell.
Jews – 8
Asians – 5
Seinfeld
Jews – 9
Asians – 5
Friends
Apparently there was an Asian character there for a few episodes, but we’re looking for main characters. Ross and Monica Geller are both Jewish.
Jews – 10
Asians – 5
Lost
I can find no reference to any of the characters being Jewish, but with the way they write that show who the fuck knows? There is certainly Asian representation, though. Jin-Soo Kwon, Sun-Hwa Kwon and Miles Straume. There may be more, but I don’t watch it. I simply watch the reviews of the seasons getting more and more confused.
Jews – 10
Asians – 6
The West Wing
Well, it IS based around American politics, so the result isn’t that surprising. No Asians, and Toby Ziegler is certainly Jewish. There may be more, but until someone actually lends me the boxed sets of it I’m not digging. Fuck you! You’re ruining these series for me!
Ah fuck it, I’m not going to watch them anyway.
Jews – 11
Asians – 6
All American Girl
Jesus, Ben. How much TV do you store in your fucking head? I hadn’t even heard of this before, which is no surprise seeing as it only lasted a single season. It’s certainly got ticks on the Asian category. Margaret Cho? That would have been awesome!
At least it WOULD have been, had not the entire cast been replaced with white people by the end of it, bar Margaret Cho and Amy Hill. It does get a tick in the Asian category, but it doesn’t really help race relations.
Jews – 11
Asians – 7
Heroes
I hear such good things about this show, but I couldn’t get past the second episode as the acting was so fucking terrible. The exception to that was Masi Oka playing Hiro Nakamura. Even he couldn’t get me past the second episode, though.
I have no idea if any of the other characters are Jewish. If they are, let me know.
Jews – 11
Asians – 8
The Simpsons
No Asians, at least not as main characters, but there is certainly a Jew in the main cast. Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofski, better known as Krusty the Clown.
Jews – 12
Asians – 8
King of the Hill
We have a tick for the Asians here with the Souphanousinphone family next door. I don’t really watch the show that much, so I have no idea how big a role Gary, Hank’s mother’s Jewish boyfriend, plays in the whole show, but I doubt very much that it counts. Thus it’s one for the Asians only:
Jews – 12
Asians – 9
Gilmore Girls
Well the list of characters on this show is pretty diverse. As such we have a tick in the Asian category with Lane Kim, and a tick in the Jewish category with Paris Geller. Go diversity!
Jews – 13
Asians – 10
The Mentalist
It’s good to have some of you Americans providing me with examples here, as I haven’t heard of half of this shit. From what I can gather there’s a tick on the Asian category with Kimball Cho, and no Jews to speak of.
Jews – 13
Asians – 11
Northern Exposure
Great show, set in Northern Alaska, not much call for diversity here. Lots of Native Americans, though. Joel Fleischman is Jewish.
Jews – 14
Asians – 11
Twin Peaks
I refuse to watch this on the grounds that David Lynch stole hours of my life by making Lost Highway. Fuck him. Fuck him dead with a cactus in the arse. However, Josie Packard is played by Joan Chen! I had no idea, and she was fucking awesome in The Salute of the Jugger, being one of the few female leads in a movie that wasn’t just there as a sex toy/love interest in an action film.
In any case, I can’t find any character that’s explicitly Jewish, although I could assume that some of them are from last names. Can’t back it up, though, so it’s a no.
Jews – 14
Asians – 12
Will & Grace
Grace Adler is certainly Jewish. No Asians from what I can tell. I’d say more about it, but what the fuck do I know about a show like this? Why would I watch this when I could be playing Nintendo?
Jews – 15
Asians – 12
Felicity
Sean Blumberg is Jewish. No Asians as far as I can tell.
Jews – 16
Asians – 12
Dharma & Greg
Dharma Finkelstein, apparently. Who knew? No Asians.
Jews – 17
Asians – 12
Hawaii Five-O
Hell of a lot of Asians in the cast here. There’s also a Doc Bergman, but they don’t seem to be a main character and there isn’t much reference to them. No score for the Jews.
Jews – 17
Asians – 13
Happy Days
Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi was certainly in the cast right from the beginning, although they got rid of him for a long while and brought in Al Delvecchio instead. Ten years of Delvecchio, two years of Takahashi. I’m still going to count it, though.
No Jewish characters. The Fonze said “Ayyyye!” not “Oiiiii!”
Jews – 17
Asians – 14
McHale’s Navy
Tex, you’ve almost levelled the playing field with your knowledge of Asian content on American TV. Fuji Kobiaji is most certainly Asian, and I can’t see any Jews.
Jews – 17
Asians – 15
The Closer
I’ve never even heard of this show before. Michael Tao is Asian. No references to anyone being Jewish.
Jews – 17
Asians – 16
The O.C.
Sandy Cohen is Jewish. Can’t see any Asians about.
Jews – 18
Asians – 16
South Park
How could I forget Kyle? No Asian characters as main or main reoccurring, but it has been a long while since I watched it. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Jews – 19
Asians – 16
The Nanny
Sometimes I miss things that are just too bloody obvious.
Jews – 20
Asians – 16
Buffy
Willow is Jewish, and none of the core cast are Asian. And the last two seasons sucked.
Jews – 21
Asians – 16
Battlestar Galactica
Boomer is most certainly Asian, and as Lia says Judaism doesn’t exist in that universe.
Jews – 21
Asians – 17
Deadwood
Sol Star is Jewish and there’s a whole Chinatown run by Mr. Wu. A tick for both.
Jews – 22
Asians – 18
Mad Men
No Jews or Asians in the main cast, and seeing as I’ve never heard of this show before I have no idea if Rachel Menken is enough of a character to count. I’ll say no.
Jews – 22
Asians – 18
Sons of Anarchy
Holy shit, Ron Perlman’s in this? Never seen it, but it seems that Bobby Munson is Jewish, and I can’t see any Asians in the main cast. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Jews – 23
Asians – 18
Babylon 5
You know, I thought that these Sci-Fi series would bypass Judaism due to the futuristic setting. They don’t, though. Susan Ivanova is Jewish, and I’m pretty sure there aren’t any Asians in the main cast. Many of my readers watched a lot of this, though, so will know better than me. Do tell me if I’m wrong.
Jews – 24
Asians – 18
That’s it for now, keep them rolling in and keep telling me which characters are what.
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