"Memoirs of a Geisha": Pandering to American Ignorance

When Margaret Cho wrote about Gwen Stefani and the way she has managed to "accessorize" the Harajuku Girls, she brought up an interesting point. Not only did she bring up the issue of the lack of Asian/Asian American presence in entertainment, but also the fact that the few times that we get to see Asians in any prominent role, we are treated to stereotypical images such as this: Now she has 4 things all together, the Harajuku Girls. I want to like them, and I want to think they are great, but I am not sure if I can. I mean, racial stereotypes are really cute sometimes, and I don't want to bum everyone out by pointing out the minstrel show. I think it is totally acceptable to enjoy the Harajuku girls, because there are not that many other Asian people out there in the media really, so we have to take whatever we can get. Amos 'n Andy had lots of fans, didn't they? At least it is a measure of visibility, which is much better than invisibility. I am so sick of not existing, that I would settle for following any white person around with an umbrella just so I could say I was there. It is weird being Asian American right now, because I don't exactly know what my place is. America is supposed to be for everyone, and people are supposed to treat me like I belong here, and yet you would never know that from watching tv or movies. I still get the questions about where I am really from. Then when I try to explain this feeling of invisibility to those whose every move and moment is entirely visible, they come back at me with, "Maybe Asian Americans don't want to be in entertainment!" Yes he really said that. I just screamed, because there was no other way I could answer without hitting him. Now Hollywood is pushing a new movie for Oscar season, the film version of the novel, Memoirs of a Geisha. While the big question that the media is asking right now is "will the American public be open to seeing a big-budget Hollywood film with an all-Asian cast?" (as if Americans don't have enough of an attention span to sit through a full-length movie unless there are white faces on the screen). There is another question that has not been asked. Why is it that most of the starring cast, of a Japanese-themed story, is made up of Chinese actors? ... casting Ms. Zhang, Ms. Gong and Ms. Yeoh, who are all Chinese, as Japanese geishas was a controversial move. As a result, the film's reception in Asia will be closely watched, though Mr. Lee said those who object should get over it. "American films are less American every day, because you have to please a world audience," he said. "There's less authenticity, so it's more accessible. Do American directors care about Japanese life more than the Japanese? So what? They'll probably still watch it with great interest." (NYT) I suppose we should be grateful that we won't have to revisit the days of having white actors (such as Marlon Brando and Jennifer Jones) being painted up as "orientals" with dramatic eyeliner and dark makeup-- but if so much time, money, and research was invested into the production of this film, was it really impossible for the producers and the director to find some authentic Japanese talent? Or, did it really not matter anyway, since it is assumed that the average American thinks that all Asians are pretty much interchangeable? "The Delicate Job of Transforming a Geisha" (NYT) "Sony Allows Asians to Star in Geisha Movie" (Defamer) "Harajuku Girls" (Margaret Cho)