UPDATE:
Asian Media Watch reported last week that Hyundai Motor America and Cingular Wireless have withdrawn their advertising from NJ 101.5. A press release stated that, "Hyundai Motor America shares the outrage of many in the Asian and general communities about the racial slurs made on radio station WKXW on the 'The Jersey Guys' show on April 25, 2005... the company is deeply offended by the program and would never want to be associated with insensitive statements that reflect negatively on the Korean and Asian communities."
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
"Ching chong, ching chong, ching chong!"
A lot of Asian groups are up in arms over a radio broadcast on Trenton, New Jersey, radio station 101.5's "The Jersey Guys." Below is a transcript (courtesy of Asian Media Watch, a group whose opinions about what is problematic I don't entirely agree with) of the offending material by hosts Craig Carton and Ray Rossi.
Is this the true America (and I'm not asking this rhetorically)? Do these guys represent what the average White dude and dudette thinks? My heart would say, "Oh, please, God, I hope not," which would be supported by hundreds of non-Asian friends and relatives who simply don't think this way, but sometimes--based partly on some of things I've seen and heard with my own eyes and ears--I wonder if this is not the way a lot of Caucasians in the US talk and act behind closed doors or when they think no one non-White is listening.
In Korea I here complaints that the Koreans (or the Japanese) harbor racist, superioristic, condescending attitutudes toward the "foreigners" in their midst. And it is no doubt true that many Koreans are racist, superioristic, and condescending toward 외국인, with some being in your face about it and others keeping it to themselves. This keeping it ton oneself while presenting a more pleasant and acceptable public face contributes to the old stereotype of "the Inscrutable Oriental." Well, I guess I have to ask, is there a corresponding "Inscrutable Occidental," and did these guys just out every one of them?
You be the judge.
[Continued]
Craig Carton: "Would you really vote for someone named Jun Choi [said in fast-paced, high-pitched, squeaky voice]?"
[Continued]
Craig Carton: I’m using Jun Choi [said in fast-paced, high-pitched, squeaky voice] as an example of a larger problem.
Ray Rossi: and you know…
Carton: We’re forgetting the fact that we’re Americans.
Rossi : You know that he’s going to get the… whatever that vote is
Carton : And here’s the bottom line... no specific minority group or foreign group should ever ever dictate the outcome of an American election. I don’t care if the Chinese population in Edison has quadrupled in the last year, Chinese should never dictate the outcome of an election, Americans should.
Rossi: Americans should, exactly
Craig : And it’s offensive to me… not that I have anything against uh Asians…I really don’t… i don’t like the fact that they crowd the goddamn black jack tables in Atlantic City with their little chain smoking and little pocket protectors..
Rossi: Now now now..that’s an issue with me..
Carton: I’m just saying, now that’s all Asians, not just Koreans…you know… you got Pai-Gaw poker playing.
Carton: My point is on a much larger stand..
Rossi: I understand… but you see you had to put that out there…
Carton: We’re bending over backwards to cater to fringe groups of people and I don’t like it!
Rossi: As long as we understand where you’re coming from… with the, uh poker table group...
Carton: Well go to AC for one week and try and get a table… ‘ching chong, ching chong, ching chong [Mimics Chinese accent..] hehe you hit it on 17 you stupid bitch… the dealer’s got a 5..im holding an 18…what’re you hitting for… you know? They do it all day and night…they got their little beady pocketbooks with the little beads on it… they take out wads of 100s… ching chong ching chong [accent] they don’t know how to play the game… eh, honey i got a 13 and I’m playing against a 6…
Rossi: Hehe, their money is green too!
[Laughter]
Carton: There should be like Asian-only rooms in casinos… but just to be fair, I have nothing against them…
Rossi: No, of course not
[laughter]
Carton: Very good people… very nice people...
[Commercial Break]
Carton: Asian Americans factoring in the Edison race, Korean native and mayor both court the growing segment… uh I’ve said it about the Arabs about 4 months ago, I’ve said it about uh… you name a group that’s suddenly important in politics, other than Americans as a whole and I got a problem with it… I’m not nitpicking any one specific group... I don’t like… like when Corzine came out and said…I’m counting on the Arab community to get me elected… right then and there you lost my vote!
Rossi: Well, but… you see what it is…
Carton: He was over at the Nordic lodge of Rhode Island… cuz I go to this place where its like 60 bucks for all you can eat… and I thought he was lying to me
[Unrelated Topic]
Caller: Good, hi are you guys?
Carton: Doing good, babe.
Caller: It’s government for the people of the people and by the people and as long as you guys became American citizens and now have the right to vote, why not have them vote for someone who they feel comfortable with and will take care of their issues…
Carton: Well… I’m glad you called with that… god-forsaken disgusting liberal viewpoint, uh mickey…
Caller: I’m not a liberal at all… it’s by the constitution of New Jersey…
Carton: Well, you are a liberal by definition… by definition you are a liberal….if they’re here legally and they’re Americans, I think they ought to vote for… [mocking falsetto voice] no no no…that’s liberal by definition… so let me explain to you what the problem is with it mickey so you can be a little bit brighter at the dinner table tonight, ok?
Caller: Ok
Carton: They are Americans, they have every right to vote. I will never deny them that, you know my grandparents came over here, they wound up with the right to vote and they’re very proud of it… same with Ray’s and most of our listeners’… they also have the right to run once they become Americans, and I don’t begrudge them that either, my problem is this: when we start focusing our campaigns on the minority of people and not the majority of people, I find that to be problematic… anybody running for office, whether it’s the Mayor of Edison or the Governor of New jersey, the focus should be what’s good for the breadth of people, what’s good for everybody, and its obnoxious to me, although I understand it’s a business, and its how you can get elected, if you say out loud, well if I can simply get the Asian vote I can win the election..
Rossi: Now that’s what it is…
Carton: And that’s what problematic to me… much as like we give DMV exams in Spanish, and French, and in Swahili, we’re getting away from what our core is and that is America..
Rossi: Which is true…
Carton: And I’m troubled by it… and I don’t wanna hear a candidate, whether they’re Chinese, or white, or black, saying oh if I can only get the Chinese vote I can win… well what about me? I’m… see… I’m the average guy, that’s why we’re successful, Ray and I represent the average guy in NJ, blue collar white people…
Rossi: There you go.
Carton: And no one gives a damn about us anymore…
Rossi: That’s right.
Carton: And if we cry about it… you know what’s brought up? Slavery... or if we cry about it… well you know, ching chong, ching chong [Mimics Chinese accent] you bombed us [Chinese accent] you know? The fact is, I don’t care if whites are a minority, it doesn’t matter to me, there’s no voice of the average blue collar white guy anymore, cuz all these politicians are worried about the fringe groups.
Rossi: Well that’s the thing…
Carton: God forbid you offend an Asian, really! And I hate it… god forbid that a politician was out here and offends Asians, or blacks, or old people… but at the end of
the day, I’m the guy that’s gonna get them elected…
Rossi: There you go.
Carton: And they don’t give a damn about me!
Rossi: Nope.
Carton: Well the second Thursday in May they will… cuz Ray and I are hosting the only in-state debate amongst at least the Republican candidates…
Rossi: That’s right
Carton: Almost all of them confirmed, is that right , C-dog?
C-Dog: That’s right.
Carton: It’ll be myself, Ray Rossi and Bob Ingle of the Gannet newspaper chain and every guy running for uh... governor on the Republican side will be here in studio because you know… we care! And were not gonna let these guys cater to minority groups simply cuz it makes them look good.
Rossi: Exactly
Carton: You have to cater to me, bitches.
Rossi: Hmmm, that’s it.
Carton: I’m the rain maker.
Rossi: Look at that, the rainmaker
Carton: Well, that’s a little cocky though
Rossi: Well, no, that’s a tad on the cocky tip but that’s alright, that’s okay.
Carton: It’s May 12th by the way, 4pm… If you’re running for governor, you’re invited but you have to go through C-dog cuz I don’t know want weedman showing up… ‘No, you guys said I was invited, I’m running… Typical keeping it brother… No he’ll wanna ask some of the questions… [Mimics voice]
Rossi: Right
[Laughter]
Carton: All right… here’s Sharon in Edison NJ on 101.5. How you doin’ Sharon?
Caller: Hi, I love you
Carton: Thank you.
Caller: You just said it all, the last couple of … callers, I guess they don’t know that they live in America and we’re being overrun. I had just moved out of Edison because of what has happened in the past 10 years… Orientals are all along, the whole complete route 27. And Indians have taken over Edison in north and all over.
Carton: Damn Orientals and Indians.
Caller: I..i moved out..36 years I’ve lived in Edison
Carton: And what was the biggest problem you had with the Orientals and the Indians ?
Caller: I can’t handle them! There’s no American people anymore.
Carton: Eh..
Caller: There shoving us the hell out!
Carton: It’s like you’re a foreigner in your own country isn’t it?
Caller: You go to own store and you can’t even see American people, you don’t see our own kids, American kids, working in stores anymore…
Carton: Like the next time you see an American, you think you’ll probably hug him or high five him or something?
Caller: Oh, that’s why where I moved too, that’s all I have, thank god for now anyways.
Carton: Yeah I’m with you… Sharon, we’re just the voice of the people, and I appreciate your call.
Caller: Keep up the good work.
Carton: All right, you got it baby… I think the quote was damn ‘Orientals and Indians.’
[Child rendition of American anthem on and fades into background]
Carton: That’s right baby, who wrote this, a white guy did!
Carton: By the way, did you see the girl singing the national anthem in the Canadian/US hockey game over the weekend?
[Unrelated Topic]
Carton: Listen I love my country, I’ll never make any excuses for that… and I think the majority should be catered to, not the minority
Rossi: Correct That’s how I feel… ["America, The Beautiful" song on and fades into background]
[Commercial Break]
Carton: Alright, in Edison, this is just another example of us losing our own country…the uh… Asian American candidate "Jun Choi" [said in fast-paced, high-pitched, squeaky voice] and uh… he’s capitalizing on the rapid growth of the Asian community in Edison, but so is his uh… I guess so is his competitor…
Rossi: Well, his competitor is doing the same thing.
Carton: Spadoro says " I’ve got the Asians on lockdown."
Rossi: Right exactly
Carton: Now if I was an Asian I guess I don’t know I’d vote for the Asian. Well I mean haven’t you done that before?
Rossi: Who knows my needs better than…
Carton: Haven’t you?
Rossi: Yeah, I used to vote for the Italian…
Carton: You know what?
Carton: Yeah, thinking that his corrupt ways would benefit me in the long way run.
Rossi: So did I, when I didn’t know what the hell they stood for I just say (phh) go Italian.
Carton: Look how good that did us. Look at the hole we’re in now. Nice move jack ass thanks.
Rossi: Well what do you want me to tell ya, I tried.
Carton: You da one responsible for Florio.
Let's just hope that the U.S. does not go to a war with North Korea or China.
ReplyDeleteThings could go a lot worse.
I think this kind of sums up the problem:
ReplyDelete"what about me? I’m the average guy, that’s why we’re successful, Ray and I represent the average guy in NJ, blue collar white people…And no one gives a damn about us anymore… The fact is, I don’t care if whites are a minority, it doesn’t matter to me, there’s no voice of the average blue collar white guy anymore, cuz all these politicians are worried about the fringe groups. God forbid you offend an Asian, really! And I hate it… god forbid that a politician was out here and offends Asians, or blacks, or old people… but at the end of the day, I’m the guy that’s gonna get them elected…"
They're scared about their loss of collective power. And they're racist and stupid. And Republicans. ;) But mostly, I think it's that no one is paying as much attention to them as they're used to, because THEY are increasingly the minority, and they can't really handle that. They can't take the exclusion they've been dishing out for years. Sorry pal, but your "blue collar white guy" *is* a fringe group. Better get used to it.
Ummm... that's not the way white people talk.
ReplyDeleteThat's the way assholes talk.
Keep it in mind.
Are blue-collar White people a fringe group? I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI do know that some White people talk as if they are being disenfranchised. I'm not so sure they are, since Asians, Whites, Blacks, etc., each have one vote.
Anyway, anonymous, I know that this is not the way most White people talk. Or at least I hope it's not. Sometimes I wonder. In California, where I'm from, I know that many people hold quite different attitudes about race and 'foreigners' than in some other parts of the country. When Gray Davis (a Democrat, by the way), made fun of Arnold Schwarzeneggar's inability to pronounce California like an English native, he probably earned votes for Arnie. Not so sure if that would be the case in a lot of other places.
Anyway, I look at this the way I do when racial issues bubble to the surface here in Korea: yes, there is probably a significant portion of the population that thinks this way, but I don't think it's the representative opinion. I think there are many, many people in the "majority" who are as appalled as I am about this kind of thing.