In their press release yesterday, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) has officially expressed their outrage over a scene in the movie “The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” where the main character (Jeremy Piven) uses a racial slur that precipitates a hate crime directed at an Asian character.
'The scene in question shows the Piven character giving a pep talk to his sales team. The members of the sales team include an Asian American and a man who views the Asian character skeptically. The Piven character says, "Don't get me started on Pearl Harbor -- the Japs flying in low and fast. We are Americans and they are the enemy! Never again!" A man looks at the discomfited Asian and says, "Let's get him!" which results in the beating of the Asian. The Piven character then says, "Alright, stop! We have all just participated in a hate crime. Let's get our stories straight. Dang came at us with a samurai sword, fire extinguisher and Chinese throwing stars."'
The producers, Paramount Vantage, call the film a satirical comedy and see nothing wrong with the scene described above. However, JACL sees nothing funny in it and cautions us to what viewers may take away from this, including disseminating that the use of racial slur is acceptable. JACL calls for an apology from the producers because “they crossed a line in thinking they could use a racial slur simply for the sake of a laugh”.
I agree. It’s despicable regardless of motive. I hope the apology comes more quickly than the box office returns the producers expect from their deliberate irresponsibility.
Cheap laugh. Not funny. Agreed.
Posted by: Michael R | 08/18/2009 at 08:28 PM