# Banzai - racist or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845 "2003-07-07T20:22:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/41 "2003-07-14T23:26:28Z")
I watched it but wondered what the japanese writing was? It was a little bit funny & pushed the boundaries a bit, using handicapped people & seniors. Plus the chicken had a fishing line attached to it. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/42 "2003-07-14T23:47:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jeevmon \* > **Throughout childhood, I was very hesitant to identify as “Indian.” Why? Well, it might have had something to do with other kids asking me if I went home to my tee-pee or wigwam, […] Couldn’t have been because Christopher Columbus screwed it up 500 years ago and his mistake lives on in our popular culture? […] > Chinese, Japanese and Korean kids I grew up with were always asked to show off their kung fu skills, and kids would taunt them with that freaky yell thing that Bruce Lee did in his movies.** Throughout childhood, I was very hestiant to speak to people with whom I was unfamiliar. Why? Well, it might have had something to do with people assuming that because of my accent I was a redneck and was inherently stupid or racist. Couldn’t have been because the southern states screwed it up 150 years ago by trying to secede from the union and their mistake lives on in our popular culture? In other words: cry me a freaking river. People stereotype other people. It happens, and the best you can do is treat it for what it is: ignorance. The only way to counter ignorance is with a realistic portrayal. And everyone having to constantly walk on eggshells for fear of offending anyone is not reality. I don’t want to get into Pit territory, but all this axe-grinding really, really bugs me. This thread stopped being about “Banzai” several posts ago and turned into a catch-all attempt at martyrdom. A similar thread about Asian Women/White Men Pairings In Popular Media Are the Most Horrible Scourge To Our Planet devolved into the exact same thing. And when I tried to present the most reasoned counter-argument I could, that lumping every culture from one entire half of the planet into one big homogenous mass was no more beneficial than the stereotypes themselves, I was screamed down by the OP. I’m not offended by Apu from the Simpsons or by the portrayal of Japanese in “Banzai!” That means I’m part of the problem! I couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to grow up a victim of prejudice because I’m a privileged white man! Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Azael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Azael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azael)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/43 "2003-07-15T00:03:45Z")
> [@](#): > > _Posted by jeevmon_\*\*the ultimate sexual prize in our culture - white men. \*\* 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/44 "2003-07-15T00:15:48Z")
I watched it in a room with about five Asian friends. None of them were offended - we were all equally nonplussed, and changed the channel. I think it suffers from “trying too hard” disease. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/45 "2003-07-21T23:23:32Z")
Out of curiousity, I found out through [www.imdb.com](http://www.imdb.com) that the main announcer of this program is Burt Kwouk. Could that explain anything, by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/46 "2003-07-22T03:20:47Z")
jeevmon: > [@](#): > > And everyone knows that if it had been African-Americans instead of Asian-Americans, it would have never seen the light of day. But it’s still considered OK to denigrate the Asians. Why do you keep saying Asian? They’re not Asian-Americans, they’re Japanese, as in foreigners. Americans always make fun of foreigners, be they Thai, Tueton, or Anglo-Saxon, and it doesn’t matter 'cause they’re all the way over there. A better parallel would be an show called _Mach Schnell_ (I’m laughing already thinking about it) and I’m certain such a show would have no problem being greenlighted. Foreigners will always be funny. They have funny accents and mangle our grammar (as we do theirs). They do funny things like wag their fingers like scolding nannies while being grown men at the same time and grab their growing grandchildren’s genital’s to note their progress. They say funny things like “oh la la” and “mashy pots”. Why should they be so hurt from us making fun of them? They’ve got whole entire countries to themselves; they’ll be alright. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/47 "2003-07-22T03:52:01Z")
**jeevmon** , speaking only for myself, I seek to denigrate the Asians on a daily basis. Seriously though, is there a single hyphonated Americanism that makes less sense than Asian-American? What does someone whose ancestors came from Japan have in common with someone whose ancestors came from Nepal? Poor me another Vodka, my Asian-American comrade! ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/48 "2003-07-22T03:59:45Z")
I like this thread title…it reminded me of the show itsself. BANZAI: Racist or Not? Prace bets now! ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/49 "2003-07-22T05:59:10Z")
> [@](#): > > I watched it but wondered what the japanese writing was? From my half-assed knowledge of Chinese writing, the Japanese writing I saw seemed bogus, probably nonsensical, and at least unrelated to the show. I could be wrong though, my knowledge is half-assed. And I find it funny for some reason, and I’m prejudiced against non-animated Fox shows on Sunday nights. So that says something. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/50 "2003-07-22T07:11:39Z")
I watched Banzai for about 5 minutes. It was a rotting, festering, smelly pile of shit. Could very well be the worst show I have ever seen, and I’m including _Mr. Belvedere_ when I say that. ---
**Author:** ![culov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@culov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/culov)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/51 "2003-07-22T07:41:21Z")
It was DEFINATELY the world show ive ever seen. If you are going to make a show that is utterly pointless, at least make it funny. FOX is pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/52 "2003-07-22T08:25:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jeevmon \* > \*\*I mean, it’s clearly not the repetitive depictions of people of Asian descent as having thick accents and speaking broken or stilted English. The defense of “Banzai” here, Charlie Chan elsewhere on the Board, and of Apu in “The Simpsons” clearly shows that portraying Asians as thick-accented goofy talking outsiders is perfectly A-OK, and to complain about it is simply being “hypersensitive” or “thin-skinned.” > > So, tell me, please. When is our offense justified? Is there a line that can be crossed where we don’t have to sit back and be quiet anymore? When we are raising legitimate gripes, and not just “making noise to be heard”? Please tell me where that line is, so I can just go back to my convenience store counter and shut up until the time comes. \*\* When you apply criticism evenly. For instance, you’re condemning the defence of Apu’s portrayal in The Simpsons as thick-accented and goofy-talking. Maybe you should also condemn their portraying of Homer or Moe _in exactly the same fucking way_ while you’re at it? Or is racial equality an argument that only applies when you get the short end of the stick? \*\* > [@](#): > > (And, to clarify - my main beef with “Banzai” has to do with the voices. In each of the video clips, the commentator speaks with a stereotypically thick accent and in poor English. If they did a better dub, or spoke in Japanese with subtitles, it would probably not bother me nearly as much.) \*\* Get a fucking clue, already. 1. The show isn’t dubbed. Mr Shake Hands Man and Lady One Question are almost assuredly speaking English as best they can. Japanese people almost exclusively have immense difficulty learning English because the syllable structure is so radically different. (Japanese has no L, X or TH, and all syllables end with a vowel or N.) 2. Do you really think these _ethnically Oriental_ people would work on the show if they thought there was any hint of racial denigration? 3. Compared to some of the Japanese game shows it parodies, Banzai is positively tame. You want to know when it’s OK for you to open your mouth? It is not OK for you to say something is racially offensive when you would not say an equivalent something was offensive to the people saying it. It is also not OK for you to say something when what is being said is _true_. ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845/53 "2003-07-22T12:39:09Z")
Just to clarify, Banzai isn’t at all Japanese, it is merely created to give that impression. I can’t find an authoratative source, but this site seems to agree with me: [http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-13326/](http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-13326/) The incomparable Burt Kwouk is of course also “Kato” from the Inspector Clouseau films. J. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/banzai-racist-or-not/186845.md?page=2)