Asians React to Yellowface

In this BuzzFeed video, we offer some thoughts on Hollywood's greatest racist hits.



Not that we needed a reminder of how friggin' racist Hollywood can be.... In this BuzzFeed video, Asians react to yellowface. They recently got some Asian American folks, including me and my pal Jenny Yang, to sit down, watch and react to various movie and TV clips in which white actors were made up to look like some form of "Asian," like Marlon Brando in Teahouse of the August Moon, Mickey Rooney in Breakfast and Tiffany's and more. I think we reacted pretty much as expected.

Take a look:

How I Met Your Mother creators sorry for all the racism

Hit sitcom's latest "Slap Bet" episode went full faux-riental



Outrage over this week's How I Met Your Mother, which featured some lazy stereotypes and totally awesome yellowface, has picked up steam, thanks to some widely circulated screenshots and the catchy, clever Twitter hashtag #HowIMetYourRacism. In case you missed, the episode featured a clunky tale about one of the characters seeking to learn a faux-riental slap technique. Stereotypes ensued.

As someone who's watched and enjoyed How I Met Your Mother in the past, this was disappointing. But as someone who's watched a lot of television and movies, you know, in general, it wasn't surprising. Racist shit on the teevee? Seen a lot of it. That said, you did get the show's attention.

This afternoon, How I Met Your Mother co-creator Carter Bays took to Twitter to address the negative reaction to the episode, and offered an apology of sorts:

What's up with the yellowface on How I Met Your Mother?

CBS sitcom's latest "Slapsgiving" episode features lots of wind chimes and shit



Catch last night's episode of How I Met Your Mother? Then I gotta ask -- what was up with all the yellowface?

The hit CBS sitcom has had an ongoing seven-year joke about a series of allocated slaps that Marshall can "collect" from Barney -- payment for losing a now-infamous season two Slap Bet. On last night's show, in an attempt to deliver a devastating second-to-last slap to Barney, Marshall explains how he mastered the "Slap of a Million Exploding Suns." This ended up being an excuse for the show to do some yellowface kungfoolery.

To learn the powerful slap, Marshall must seek the wisdom of three great masters who can teach him mighty virtues of slapistry: speed, strength and accuracy. These Kill Bill-esque "masters," of course, are played by the show's stars, Colbie Smulders, Josh Radnor and Alyson Hannigan... rocking some mild yellowface looks, oriental orientalism and random background Asians. Lots of wind chimes and shit.

At least nobody had their eyes taped back.