There is this one really excellent scene in the first season of Modern Family.
Cameron and Mitchell are taking their baby daughter Lily, whom they adopted from a Vietnamese orphanage, to the doctors . The doctor they see is of Asian appearance. And, well, this happens:
Cameron: “You’ll be pleased to know that Mitchell and I are raising Lily with influences from her Asian heritage.”
Doctor: “That is fantastic” *continues with diagnosis*
Cameron: “We’ve hung some art in her room, some Asian art. And when she’s ready for food there is an excellent Pho place right around the corner from our house. Am I pronouncing that right? Is it Pho? It’s a soup.”
Doctor: “I don’t know. I’m from Denver. We don’t eat a lot of Pho there.”
In those twenty seconds, a whole world of socially awkward and inappropriate small-talk is expressed.
But what would happen if the tables were turned?
This video is called ‘What Kind of Asian are You?’ It comes from Youtube star David Ury (of Ken Tanaka fame) and was released as a part of Youtube’s Comedy Week.
And it’s awesome.
Disclaimer: the first half of this video will make you cringe. A lot. But stick with it, because by the end we guarantee that you’ll be fist-pumping:
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Top Comments
I think the problem is the question 'where are you from?'. I have an Italian father but I have naturally blonde hair and fair skin so no-one would ever ask me 'where are you from?' on the basis of my appearance alone. I am from Australia, and the fact that one of my parents was born in a country that I've only ever visited once doesn't change that. However, its a different story when people see my surname and ask 'what is your heritage?' - its genuine curiosity and I enjoy telling people my story. I imagine this is the same for Australian's whose ethnic heritage is reflected in their appearance - the 'where are you from?' question invalidates their identity as an Australian but I doubt that most would mind being asked 'what is your heritage?' from a genuinely curious person.
Geeez! I'm always asking where people are from. Usually because it is a great source of conversation - I have been there / I'd love to go / I don't know much about there, can you tell me more!