MetroDad, one of my favorite blogs, follows the adventures of Pierre Kim and his thoughts on life, marriage, and fatherhood. It's incredibly thoughtful, funny and well-written, and I've been a fan for years. In his latest post, he brings up some very frank observations on race, and discloses some very interesting news: Oriental is a Rug: Five Quick Thoughts on Race.
Here's the cool part. Pierre is currently is discussions with several production companies to turn MetroDad into a network television sitcom. All three companies are apparently big time, and their interest has resulted in Pierre getting agency representation and a potential book deal (it's about time, in my opinon).
What's most interesting to me is the question he poses at the end the post: How strong should he be willing to push to keep the main character Asian American? He obviously feels strongly about the need for the media to portray a better representation of Asian American men -- we all know this.
But Pierre also knows the score. The sad reality is that no network is likely to pick up the sitcom if the lead character is Asian American. We all know this too. But hey, what if? If the characters are compelling, and the material is funny enough, should it even matter?
Personally, I think it's worth fighting for. Cast a guy like John Cho (a relatively new father himself) to star, or another funny up-and-comer, and hey, you've got a potential hit on your hands. And heck, get Peanut to play Peanut. She's adorable enough. Anyway, Pierre is inviting readers to weigh in on his dilemma in the comments. Go here to read all about it.
*
