Hollywood Reporter: The Media Action Network for Asian Americans fires off a letter to executives, criticizing the comedy’s “racial and sexual stereotypes” and blasting co-creator Alec Sulkin for an insensitive tweet he wrote in reference to the tsunami that hit Japan two years ago.
Two weeks after producers were put on the defensive at the Television Critics Association press tour over the show’s controversial nature, the Media Action Network for Asian Americans fired off a letter asking that “racist” scenes be reshot before the show premieres.STORY: ‘Dads’ EPs Defend Fox Comedy: ‘There Are Things We’d Like to Change’Guy Aoki, founding president of MANAA, which touts itself as “the only group solely dedicated to being a media watchdog for Asian American media issues,” sent the letter addressed to Fox entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly, COO Joe Earley, senior vp comedy Marcus Wiley and senior vp current programming James Oh.Writing about the show’s “racial and sexual stereotypes,” Aoki cited such moments as actress Brenda Song dressing up as a “sexy Asian schoolgirl” when the main characters were about to meet with Chinese businessmen and Martin Mull’s character calling Asians “Orientals.”Aoki also referenced a tweet written by Dads co-creator Alec Sulkin on March 11, 2011, the day a tsunami hit Japan, killing thousands of people: “If you wanna feel better about this earthquake in Japan, google ‘Pearl Harbor death toll.’ ” STORY: It’s Not Just Fox’s ‘Dads’ – Can Any Show Bank on Patience in This TV Landscape? (Analysis)Meanwhile, early buzz on the show hasn’t been kind. For example, Aoki’s letter cited The Hollywood Reporter chief TV critic Tim Goodman’s take on the series: “Not only is the show not funny, it has heavily racist overtones for Asians.”
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