Good Will Riker
Admiral
In response to a hypothetical Star Trek: Voyager movie discussed recently in the VOY forum:
Why waste good money on casting Garrett Wang as the "token" Asian American, when we already have John Cho.
Cho must be doing something right in Hollywood with all of the hardwork and the right connections he has in getting all of the non-stereotypical Asian American roles (No fucking kung fu, waiters, or delivery boy, but a regular portrayal of a human being like you and me) in Hollywood.
Cho has screen presence. He has that certain "something" that allows the Asian American demographic (Meaning, Americans of Asian descent who grew up in modern day, mainstream America.) to flock to watch his films in theatres in large numbers. It is a start, and Garrett Wang as a supporting actor on a television show just didn't have that certain "something" to elevate him to feature films.
The proof is in the pudding, no fellow Asian Americans that I know of tuned into "Star Trek: Voyager" to watch Garrett Wang (
). Infact, most Asian Americans that I know of infact did not watch Star Trek at all after the popularity of TNG during the early-1990's, and moved onto other things such as tuning into NBA games.
Most Asian Americans who I have spoken to just did not know who Garrett Wang was. When I mentioned his name to my fellow Asian American friends or relatives during the 1990's, it felt like to them I pulled some Asian guy out of the bottom of the Hollywood totem (like "Power Rangers") in mentioning him and their responses have always been like this:
"Garrett Who?"
The Asian American parents (in their 60's in age) do not know who John Cho (and, definitely not Garrett Wang
) is because they grew up in their Asian countries well into their late-teens, 20's, and 30's when they flew by a commercial airliner (Not some junk or shrimpboat!) to the United States with their young elementary school aged school children (Who are "American" citizens, not those yak pulling, chinky eyed stereotype of old Hollywood!) or children who were born in the USA as "American" citizens.
But, those Asian Americans who are hamburger eating, rock and roll listening, white woman fucking Americans like you and me know who John Cho is and Asian Americans as "regular Americans" like you and me will be the model for Asian Americans for years to come rather that "Noodle slurping, rice eating, rickshaw pulling, fu manchu stereotype" of yesteryear.
Seoul, South Korea - present day
We can leave the whole cast out!
Guest stars only
Why waste good money on casting Garrett Wang as the "token" Asian American, when we already have John Cho.
The Korean American motion picture actor/rock musician John Cho got his big break by coining the term "MILF!" in American Pie (1999).
Cho must be doing something right in Hollywood with all of the hardwork and the right connections he has in getting all of the non-stereotypical Asian American roles (No fucking kung fu, waiters, or delivery boy, but a regular portrayal of a human being like you and me) in Hollywood.
Cho has screen presence. He has that certain "something" that allows the Asian American demographic (Meaning, Americans of Asian descent who grew up in modern day, mainstream America.) to flock to watch his films in theatres in large numbers. It is a start, and Garrett Wang as a supporting actor on a television show just didn't have that certain "something" to elevate him to feature films.
The proof is in the pudding, no fellow Asian Americans that I know of tuned into "Star Trek: Voyager" to watch Garrett Wang (
). Infact, most Asian Americans that I know of infact did not watch Star Trek at all after the popularity of TNG during the early-1990's, and moved onto other things such as tuning into NBA games.Most Asian Americans who I have spoken to just did not know who Garrett Wang was. When I mentioned his name to my fellow Asian American friends or relatives during the 1990's, it felt like to them I pulled some Asian guy out of the bottom of the Hollywood totem (like "Power Rangers") in mentioning him and their responses have always been like this:
"Garrett Who?"
The Asian American parents (in their 60's in age) do not know who John Cho (and, definitely not Garrett Wang
) is because they grew up in their Asian countries well into their late-teens, 20's, and 30's when they flew by a commercial airliner (Not some junk or shrimpboat!) to the United States with their young elementary school aged school children (Who are "American" citizens, not those yak pulling, chinky eyed stereotype of old Hollywood!) or children who were born in the USA as "American" citizens. But, those Asian Americans who are hamburger eating, rock and roll listening, white woman fucking Americans like you and me know who John Cho is and Asian Americans as "regular Americans" like you and me will be the model for Asian Americans for years to come rather that "Noodle slurping, rice eating, rickshaw pulling, fu manchu stereotype" of yesteryear.
Seoul, South Korea - present day
