I'm sitting here watching Hillary Clinton's Senate Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of State, and I thought what better time to write about race relations on Gossip Girl?
Racialicious made a deal about Chuck visiting an opium den and possibly an Asian massage parlor and THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. I don't know. I find it hard to muster any outrage. I mean, he's Chuck Bass... and he was in Thailand. I kind of figured, where the hell else would he go?
However... I do have to complain about Nelly Yuki. Racialicious was annoyed that the old Asian character (who apparently left the show to go back to Brown University and study neuroscience - why aren't they making a deal about that being stereotypically Asian?) wore headbands because somehow that was stereotyping us. Err... does the writer watch the show? Did they look at Blair much during season one? Queen B made headbands famous on the Upper East Side, dahlings... and we're surprised her loyal minions did the same?
So, back to Nelly... I am not bummed that she is Asian and nerdy. I am bummed that she wears tragically ugly glasses and has no backbone.
I don't mean to knock Racialicious because I think they do good work, and I follow the blog. However, I think if we get to a point where we start getting up in arms over every little thing then we won't have any credibility when the real slights happen. I'm sure you can make an argument for marginalization on TV contributing to marginalization in real life, but seriously... if we're thinking that deeply about Gossip Girl, I think we have other issues. Also, on that show money is the class divider, not race.
Anyway, how about that Rufus/Lily twist last night?!
ps. I read yesterday that Vanessa Hudgens auditioned for the role of Leah Clearwater in New Moon. I would like to officially start the protest on that one. Oops, someone already has!
(photo found at i luv gossip girl forever. yes, it's true)
I swear it's in English.
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