It was clearly an over-the-top homage to old kung-fu flicks (in-show, it was an exaggerated story within what's already an exaggerated story, so contextually it was going to be heavily stereotyped and over the top), but I'm not sure if it was out and out racism. Definitely racially insensitive and a missed opportunity to cast actual PoC in roles (though I'm not sure how much better that would have been given the heavily stereotyped nature of the roles, but at least it's visibility), but I think the reaction has been more severe than it needs to be. Labeling what was done as yellowface doesn't seem accurate to me, dressing in stereotypical Asian attire and restyling hair really isn't on the same level as Engrish and pulled eyelids. It's not necessarily good, but I don't know that it was a big deal either.
I mean the storyline was dumb and it was racially insensitive, but I think the reaction to it has been more dramatic than it deserves.
As an Asian American, it didn't really affect me. After all, I clearly understood the reference to the kung fu movies. I also understand that in context, Marshal's version of the story was suppose to freak Barney out so it was kind of over the top.
As an Asian American, it didn't really affect me. After all, I clearly understood the reference to the kung fu movies. I also understand that in context, Marshal's version of the story was suppose to freak Barney out so it was kind of over the top.
There's a difference between tolerating racism and stereotypes and and acknowledging it being there. I think Asians are better at tolerating stereotypes and racism than African Americans because we don't have the same degree of negative history/slavery/jim crow oppression that they had.
Our racism is really more stereotyping based on ignorance than on anything else. Rather than being outright hateful, my life experience has found it to be more outright stupid.
And alot of us, regardless of race, day to day deal with outright stupidity. It's easier to tolerate than other forms of racism/stereotyping, and tends to get lost in the laundry list of things to ignore. But I do recognize the form it took in How I met your mother for what it is.
The last ep of HIMYM was playing off stereotypes off Asians. We can ignore these kinds of stereotypes as we often do. But we only have to take a step of ignoring it or enjoying something in spite of it because it was there to begin with.
I don't think the creators of HIMYM harbor any degree of animus towards Asians in particular. I can even enjoy a few episodes in spite of some stereotyping.
But I don't want these images and stereotypes perpetuated based on our race. I've dealt with enough stupidity like
"Me love you loong time" and making Japanese/Chinese/Korean shaped eyes
that I would rather these stereotypes be condemned than extolled for comedy or worse taken as acceptable in the future by virtue of our tolerance and silence.
But I don't want these images and stereotypes perpetuated based on our race. I've dealt with enough stupidity like
Note that they didn't actually go there. No slanty eye or engrish. The most you could get them for is the Fu Manchu moustache but if Pai Mei from Kill Bill 2 had one and went free of controversy, then so should this episode.
The rest is honestly an homage to kung fu movies. Literally a page straight from those 70's B movies from Hong Kong
The rest is honestly an homage to kung fu movies. Literally a page straight from those 70's B movies from Hong Kong
I agree with this completely. The question is whether or not the episode played off stereotypes about Asians, or stereotypes about kung fu movies. It seems like the former only because the latter are based on and tied to Asian culture.
It'd be like a TV show making fun of KFC (fried chicken) and claiming that the show offends African Americans.
Another Monday night, another weak Season 9 episode of HIMYM. It's gotten to the point where the show doesn't make me laugh at all, and I'm watching it purely to see the storylines wrapped up. I know I'm just repeating myself, but it's truly depressing to see how far this show has fallen. I rewatch early season episodes and they still make me crack up, despite the fact that I've seen them all at least twice.
I haven't watched this week's yet but I am in the group that had a problem with the Kung-Fu episode. As a fan of comedy, I found it profoundly offensive. I have a feeling I'll have the same reaction to this week's episode.
I didn't hate this episode. At the very least, it revealed some information and started moving things along. I mean, it wasn't funny, but at least it wasn't pointless filler. Which is sort of high praise for HIMYM these days.
I didn't hate this episode. At the very least, it revealed some information and started moving things along. I mean, it wasn't funny, but at least it wasn't pointless filler. Which is sort of high praise for HIMYM these days.
Damn the latest episode was such a great episode. I wished they expanded on this instead of making it a single episode.
Agreed. I think a big part of the reason it was so much better than the rest of this season is because it didn't have much of the regular cast dialing in their terrible performances. Man they've been bad this season.
Honestly, I think they're going about this all wrong. When you have a show that everyone wants to watch
with a storyline that everyone is interested in. The wrong thing to do is have a bunch of stupid filler
before giving people the story. It's better to just give people what they want and move on to more engaging story.
They could have easily finished the meeting with the mother last season and then simply extended the series another season
to focus on the dating life together.
Or just do how I met your father as the last season. Seriously, that one episode that was Mother-centric could've been a great final season if they stretched out the story. Believe me, her story was very interesting and she plays the part effortlessly.
Or just do how I met your father as the last season. Seriously, that one episode that was Mother-centric could've been a great final season if they stretched out the story. Believe me, her story was very interesting and she plays the part effortlessly.
This would have been a great "twist"
Or it could have had the mother narrate "How I married your father" Show us all the regular cast in a completely different light, as someone outside of the group would see them as.
Or just do how I met your father as the last season. Seriously, that one episode that was Mother-centric could've been a great final season if they stretched out the story. Believe me, her story was very interesting and she plays the part effortlessly.
This would have been a great "twist"
Or it could have had the mother narrate "How I married your father" Show us all the regular cast in a completely different light, as someone outside of the group would see them as.
Not sure if Barney would have been as funny. A lot of his antics were downright cruel, but he seems to have mellowed a little as the show progressed.
Is anyone else just watching the show to find out the explanation of that pineapple? That is all i really want to know of right now. Last episode seemed to tie up a lot of loose ends except for that, i imagine it will be the final episode or something though.
Is anyone else just watching the show to find out the explanation of that pineapple? That is all i really want to know of right now. Last episode seemed to tie up a lot of loose ends except for that, i imagine it will be the final episode or something though.
Very unlikely that we will get an answer to that. They said at the end of that episode that he never did figure it out. The writers even admitted that they shouldn't have written themselves into a corner like that.
"I think the fact that we wrote that made us sort of correct ourselves in future episodes. I think we learned the lesson: never say something like that."
Is anyone else just watching the show to find out the explanation of that pineapple? That is all i really want to know of right now. Last episode seemed to tie up a lot of loose ends except for that, i imagine it will be the final episode or something though.
Very unlikely that we will get an answer to that. They said at the end of that episode that he never did figure it out. The writers even admitted that they shouldn't have written themselves into a corner like that.
"I think the fact that we wrote that made us sort of correct ourselves in future episodes. I think we learned the lesson: never say something like that."
Well that is just disheartening. I really wanted to know. I remember in the commercials for the show that it was something that would be explained. But im glad the show is finally coming to an end. It was a great show and i loved it, but recently it feels like it was being drawn out.
O.k., so, um... I ******* hated the finale. Detested it. Reminded me why I don't watch T.V. shows to begin with.
Do not read the spoilers if you don't want the finale spoiled. I'm going to just write everything that I hated about it.
1) Wtf is up with Robin and Barney splitting? The reasons for their split is totally understandable and reasonable, but then WTF was the point with the entire season? The entirety of Barney's transformation?
2) Wtf is up with Barney? Why did he make that transformation, only to completely revert back? WHY MAKE A ******* GRAND GESTURE ABOUT BURNING AND THEN PASSING ON THE PLAYBOOK, ONLY TO MAKE PLAYBOOK #2?
I get that you wanted to make a point that Barney's only and true love could have been his own flesh and blood. That scene was touching, and it is good to see that.
But, again, IT COMPLETELY RENDERS POINTLESS THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS. WTF.
3) Who exactly is Ted's true love? Tracy? Robin? Why make that ******* grand speech about how you fell absolutely in love with Tracy, and decided to spend every waking moment of your life in love with her, only to come to the point that this entire thing was about Robin?
It just seems like such a clash. The entire point of the last season seemed to be Ted finally getting over Robin... And he does. He gets over her with Tracy.
But, once Tracy dies, he's back with Robin again. it makes sense, sure, but it just... I don't... I don't even know how to put my feelings on words right now.
I know that the show runners had the ending in mind the entire time. Then why craft the show like this? This isn't even clever. It feels incredibly artificial and makes every seemingly human aspects of the show and the development of the characters completely and utterly pointless in the end.
...
Why have Ted, Robin, and Barney develop and grow as characters, only to see all that growth just disappear? Why have them just come back exactly to their original spot?
Ted is still the sappy, "universe" guy. Robin is still the person who keeps her career ahead of her love-life, literally to the point that it destroys her marriage (literally the reason the show has for Barney and Robin splitting). Barney is still... Barney. Until he randomly has a daughter. The mother of the child isn't even mentioned, because she really is irrelevant. I see you artificial character development; I see you.
It just seems so pointless, and that's what pisses me off the most.
Not sure if Barney would have been as funny. A lot of his antics were downright cruel, but he seems to have mellowed a little as the show progressed.
A very late reply.
Anyways, that's what makes Barney interesting. He really is a terribly unlikable person. He literally is a monster, but the point is that friends tolerate monsters. So long as the monster doesn't inflict any serious pain on, and occasionally acts as a savior for, the friends.
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as an Asian male, all I can say was Holy Hell was that Racist.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/showbiz/how-i-met-your-mother-controversy/index.html?hpt=hp_bn9
It was clearly an over-the-top homage to old kung-fu flicks (in-show, it was an exaggerated story within what's already an exaggerated story, so contextually it was going to be heavily stereotyped and over the top), but I'm not sure if it was out and out racism. Definitely racially insensitive and a missed opportunity to cast actual PoC in roles (though I'm not sure how much better that would have been given the heavily stereotyped nature of the roles, but at least it's visibility), but I think the reaction has been more severe than it needs to be. Labeling what was done as yellowface doesn't seem accurate to me, dressing in stereotypical Asian attire and restyling hair really isn't on the same level as Engrish and pulled eyelids. It's not necessarily good, but I don't know that it was a big deal either.
I mean the storyline was dumb and it was racially insensitive, but I think the reaction to it has been more dramatic than it deserves.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
As an Asian American, it didn't really affect me. After all, I clearly understood the reference to the kung fu movies. I also understand that in context, Marshal's version of the story was suppose to freak Barney out so it was kind of over the top.
Nope. I'm also an Asian male and I thought it was one of the funniest episodes this season.
There's a difference between tolerating racism and stereotypes and and acknowledging it being there. I think Asians are better at tolerating stereotypes and racism than African Americans because we don't have the same degree of negative history/slavery/jim crow oppression that they had.
Our racism is really more stereotyping based on ignorance than on anything else. Rather than being outright hateful, my life experience has found it to be more outright stupid.
And alot of us, regardless of race, day to day deal with outright stupidity. It's easier to tolerate than other forms of racism/stereotyping, and tends to get lost in the laundry list of things to ignore. But I do recognize the form it took in How I met your mother for what it is.
The last ep of HIMYM was playing off stereotypes off Asians. We can ignore these kinds of stereotypes as we often do. But we only have to take a step of ignoring it or enjoying something in spite of it because it was there to begin with.
I don't think the creators of HIMYM harbor any degree of animus towards Asians in particular. I can even enjoy a few episodes in spite of some stereotyping.
But I don't want these images and stereotypes perpetuated based on our race. I've dealt with enough stupidity like
"Me love you loong time" and making Japanese/Chinese/Korean shaped eyes
that I would rather these stereotypes be condemned than extolled for comedy or worse taken as acceptable in the future by virtue of our tolerance and silence.
Note that they didn't actually go there. No slanty eye or engrish. The most you could get them for is the Fu Manchu moustache but if Pai Mei from Kill Bill 2 had one and went free of controversy, then so should this episode.
The rest is honestly an homage to kung fu movies. Literally a page straight from those 70's B movies from Hong Kong
I agree with this completely. The question is whether or not the episode played off stereotypes about Asians, or stereotypes about kung fu movies. It seems like the former only because the latter are based on and tied to Asian culture.
It'd be like a TV show making fun of KFC (fried chicken) and claiming that the show offends African Americans.
Archatmos
Excellion
Fracture: Israfiel (WBR), Wujal (URG), Valedon (GUB), Amduat (BGW), Paladris (RWU)
Collision (Set Two of the Fracture Block)
Quest for the Forsaken (Set Two of the Excellion Block)
Katingal: Plane of Chains
Pretty much this. It wasnt awful at all.
Agreed. I think a big part of the reason it was so much better than the rest of this season is because it didn't have much of the regular cast dialing in their terrible performances. Man they've been bad this season.
Honestly, I think they're going about this all wrong. When you have a show that everyone wants to watch
with a storyline that everyone is interested in. The wrong thing to do is have a bunch of stupid filler
before giving people the story. It's better to just give people what they want and move on to more engaging story.
They could have easily finished the meeting with the mother last season and then simply extended the series another season
to focus on the dating life together.
This would have been a great "twist"
Or it could have had the mother narrate "How I married your father" Show us all the regular cast in a completely different light, as someone outside of the group would see them as.
Not sure if Barney would have been as funny. A lot of his antics were downright cruel, but he seems to have mellowed a little as the show progressed.
Very unlikely that we will get an answer to that. They said at the end of that episode that he never did figure it out. The writers even admitted that they shouldn't have written themselves into a corner like that.
"I think the fact that we wrote that made us sort of correct ourselves in future episodes. I think we learned the lesson: never say something like that."
WURMiraclesRWU
UBRCruel ControlRBU
If you're having fun, I'm not.
Well that is just disheartening. I really wanted to know. I remember in the commercials for the show that it was something that would be explained. But im glad the show is finally coming to an end. It was a great show and i loved it, but recently it feels like it was being drawn out.
Do not read the spoilers if you don't want the finale spoiled. I'm going to just write everything that I hated about it.
1) Wtf is up with Robin and Barney splitting? The reasons for their split is totally understandable and reasonable, but then WTF was the point with the entire season? The entirety of Barney's transformation?
2) Wtf is up with Barney? Why did he make that transformation, only to completely revert back? WHY MAKE A ******* GRAND GESTURE ABOUT BURNING AND THEN PASSING ON THE PLAYBOOK, ONLY TO MAKE PLAYBOOK #2?
I get that you wanted to make a point that Barney's only and true love could have been his own flesh and blood. That scene was touching, and it is good to see that.
But, again, IT COMPLETELY RENDERS POINTLESS THE LAST COUPLE OF SEASONS. WTF.
3) Who exactly is Ted's true love? Tracy? Robin? Why make that ******* grand speech about how you fell absolutely in love with Tracy, and decided to spend every waking moment of your life in love with her, only to come to the point that this entire thing was about Robin?
It just seems like such a clash. The entire point of the last season seemed to be Ted finally getting over Robin... And he does. He gets over her with Tracy.
But, once Tracy dies, he's back with Robin again. it makes sense, sure, but it just... I don't... I don't even know how to put my feelings on words right now.
I know that the show runners had the ending in mind the entire time. Then why craft the show like this? This isn't even clever. It feels incredibly artificial and makes every seemingly human aspects of the show and the development of the characters completely and utterly pointless in the end.
...
Why have Ted, Robin, and Barney develop and grow as characters, only to see all that growth just disappear? Why have them just come back exactly to their original spot?
Ted is still the sappy, "universe" guy. Robin is still the person who keeps her career ahead of her love-life, literally to the point that it destroys her marriage (literally the reason the show has for Barney and Robin splitting). Barney is still... Barney. Until he randomly has a daughter. The mother of the child isn't even mentioned, because she really is irrelevant. I see you artificial character development; I see you.
It just seems so pointless, and that's what pisses me off the most.
A very late reply.
Anyways, that's what makes Barney interesting. He really is a terribly unlikable person. He literally is a monster, but the point is that friends tolerate monsters. So long as the monster doesn't inflict any serious pain on, and occasionally acts as a savior for, the friends.