Asian kid’s had no clue Chris Rock’s Oscars joke would be racist.
The Oscars had their high points and low points throughout the evening. Chris Rock tackled diversity in Hollywood head on and despite Christian Bale saying he “loves” Rock’s performance, many people were equally offended by Chris Rock. In fact, some viewers even called Chris Rock “racist to white people.” But, one of the lowest points in the evening came when Chris Rock used Asian American kids as a racist joke. Poking fun at Asian stereotypes while three children were on stage in front of millions of people.
As it turns out, at least one of the young kids on stage, 8-year-old Estie Kung, wasn’t aware that the oke Rock would make while they were on stage would be racist, according to SFGate. In fact, her mother was not told before she signed the contract.
The joke, which was intended to mention that Pricewaterhousecoopers, an accounting firm, would be counting the Academy Awards votes came off harshly, leading many people to bash the Oscars on Twitter.
“As always, the results of tonight’s Academy Awards have been tabulated by the accounting house of Pricewaterhousecoopers. They sent us their most dedicated, accurate and hard-working representatives. I want you to please welcome Ming Zhu, Bao Ling, and David Moskowitz,” he said, as the children walked out on stage in suits and holding briefcases.
“I did wonder, ‘Why all Asians?'” she said. “But I assumed there was a bigger picture, a more complex joke given all the emphasis placed on diversity at the Oscars this year.”
Kung’s mother Laura was told her daughter would be playing an “accountant,” but was not given any more information about the scene. When her daughter appeared for rehearsal, the context of the joke became abundantly clear. “I did wonder, ‘Why all Asians?'” she said. “But I assumed there was a bigger picture, a more complex joke given all the emphasis placed on diversity at the Oscars this year.”
Estie, who is white and Chinese American, has appeared in several other TV shows and movies, but was especially excited about this opportunity. Consequently, her mother decided not to take her daughter out of the production at the last minute. As Public Radio International noted, Laura thought that Estie’s presence might at least “provoke a difficult public conversation” which “may be preferable if the status-quo alternative was to have no Asian presence at all.”
“It’s hard seeing pictures of your daughter’s very serious face on stage associated with all of this,”
“It’s hard seeing pictures of your daughter’s very serious face on stage associated with all of this,” Laura said. “It’s definitely been a damper to all the joy she felt just being there.”
You can watch the video of the joke here.
