Asian Americans Not Ready for Prime Time

Harry Mok
August 28, 2006

Highlights from the report:

APIAs comprise only 2.6% of all prime time television regulars.

Among the 102 prime time programs, only 14 feature at least one APIA regular,
and only one program (ABC’s Lost) includes more than one. These numbers are
similar to the 2004 season.

APIA regulars remain absent from shows set in heavily APIA-populated cities such as
Los Angeles and New York.

While missing from 2004 prime time situational comedies, APIA actors are featured
on three sitcoms in the 2005 season: Hot Properties (ABC), That ‘70s Show (FOX),
and Half and Half (UPN).

In contrast to 2004, APIA regulars in the 2005 season are just as likely as their
non-APIA counterparts to be involved in intimate relationships.

In general, APIA actors feature less prominently than non-APIA actors as indicated by
significantly lower screen time.

In contrast to 2004 when APIA men fared better than APIA women in character
prominence and quality, the 2005 prime time lineup reveals a reversal of this trend.

Despite improvements in character prominence and quality, the lack of numerical
representation renders APIAs largely invisible on prime time television.

No suprises in this report, which says some strides have been made and singles out Lost and Grey's Anatomy for featuring the most realistic Asian American characters. Enough said. Even I'm getting a bit tired of talking about this.

Contributor: 

Harry Mok

Editor in chief

Editor in Chief Harry Mok wrote about growing up on a Chinese vegetable farm for the second issue of Hyphen and has been a volunteer editor since 2004. As a board member of the San Francisco and New York chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, Harry has recruited and organized events for student members. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also a graduate student instructor in the Asian American Studies Department.

Comments

Comments

B.Takahashi wrote on Sat, 09/09/2006 - 7:09pm
Yeah, it's the same-o, same-o.No wonder considering that the Asians who "made it" are only too eager to appease the Man for lame morsels of bits and parts. Since these Asian actresses, actors, playwrights and writers all benefit from the Asian community by exploiting Asians while enjoying support from them (in various ways, including moral support, particularly from the "we'll take anything even if it's an Asian control-freak husband who can hunt fish and make sushi by instinct married to a sly, sneaky Asian wife who would rather be with some other man -- preferably non-Asian -- and possessing some ancient Chinese herbal secrets, as long as they are found on primetime tv, even if they are lost on some stupid island).Not only are the stats the same, the status of Asians in America are still the same -- FOB (in LOST, FOP),If only these Asian "celebrities" did something. But that would be like blaming my dog for wagging its tail when I toss him leftovers...Too much to ask, I guess.
DAB wrote on Wed, 09/13/2006 - 1:57am
And how are you changing anything by talking shit about these actors? Oh that's right you aren't.
Anonymous wrote on Wed, 09/13/2006 - 8:44pm
I said it a million times, why do asians put faith in Hollywood, go inndependent and make movies for Asians. Asian writers, producers and such. Thats the only way to kill the stereotypes