Greg Daniels’s and Michael Schur’s Parks and Recreation’s Tom Haverford is an
Indian character who does not conform to a racial stereotype. However, the show does not
often touch on the concept of race after the first season. Tom Haverford’s character is, as
a result, detached from his race for the majority of the series. In one episode, Haverford is
asked where he is from, ethnically speaking, but he diverts the question by stating his origins
growing up in the United States. Similar to Parks and Recreation, Elizabeth Meriwether’s
New Girl has an Indian character, Cece Parikh, whose race is alluded to often but does not
define her as a person. Instead of pursuing a STEM career in the manner that Indian
characters are often expected to, Cece pursues a career in modeling. Another character,
Schmidt, refers to her race every so often as a fun one-liner rather than as a plot point.
When Cece decides to marry outside of her race, however, the racial issues of Indian
tradition surface and the series starts to focus on Cece’s relationship with her mother as
her mother initially refuses to attend her daughter’s wedding but eventually concedes.
The wedding and following marriage demonstrate a combination of Jewish and Indian
cultures, including the naming of their first house “Jaipur Aviv."
Contrasting with The Office’s, Parks and Recreation’s, and New Girl’s portrayal
of an Indian character and the presence Indian people in its writers room, we have CBS’s
The Big Bang Theory. One main characters on the show is Raj Koothrappali, a walking
Indian stereotype complete with the accent used as the butt on jokes, meekness, and
incompetence around women. The show features primarily white characters with a few
token characters thrown in for the sake of diversity. Raj develops his character, improving
himself as a person. However, his self-care efforts appear to correspond to the effeminate
gay stereotype. One episode goes as far as to imply Raj is gay according to stereotypes. As
the show goes on, however, Raj is seen less as a racially-charged stereotype and more as
a regular character with his own personality, while remaining scholarly. To the show’s credit,
Kunal Nayyar, the actor who portrays Raj, has confirmed that Raj’s accent is authentic rather
than exaggerated, as many Indian actors have to perform.
Indian character who does not conform to a racial stereotype. However, the show does not
often touch on the concept of race after the first season. Tom Haverford’s character is, as
a result, detached from his race for the majority of the series. In one episode, Haverford is
asked where he is from, ethnically speaking, but he diverts the question by stating his origins
growing up in the United States. Similar to Parks and Recreation, Elizabeth Meriwether’s
New Girl has an Indian character, Cece Parikh, whose race is alluded to often but does not
define her as a person. Instead of pursuing a STEM career in the manner that Indian
characters are often expected to, Cece pursues a career in modeling. Another character,
Schmidt, refers to her race every so often as a fun one-liner rather than as a plot point.
When Cece decides to marry outside of her race, however, the racial issues of Indian
tradition surface and the series starts to focus on Cece’s relationship with her mother as
her mother initially refuses to attend her daughter’s wedding but eventually concedes.
The wedding and following marriage demonstrate a combination of Jewish and Indian
cultures, including the naming of their first house “Jaipur Aviv."
Contrasting with The Office’s, Parks and Recreation’s, and New Girl’s portrayal
of an Indian character and the presence Indian people in its writers room, we have CBS’s
The Big Bang Theory. One main characters on the show is Raj Koothrappali, a walking
Indian stereotype complete with the accent used as the butt on jokes, meekness, and
incompetence around women. The show features primarily white characters with a few
token characters thrown in for the sake of diversity. Raj develops his character, improving
himself as a person. However, his self-care efforts appear to correspond to the effeminate
gay stereotype. One episode goes as far as to imply Raj is gay according to stereotypes. As
the show goes on, however, Raj is seen less as a racially-charged stereotype and more as
a regular character with his own personality, while remaining scholarly. To the show’s credit,
Kunal Nayyar, the actor who portrays Raj, has confirmed that Raj’s accent is authentic rather
than exaggerated, as many Indian actors have to perform.
Mark Waters’s iconic film Mean Girls explores and spoofs several stereotypes, namely
in the scene in which the token lesbian and the token gay character introduce the main character
Cady to the different cliques at school, some with racial associations, such as “Nerdy Asians,”
“Cool Asians,” and “Unfriendly Black Hotties.” Mathlete Kevin Gnapoor is an recognizable
character in the movie who appears to be a stereotypical Indian nerd initially but later on proves
to be an individual who is well-respected by his peers. He goes on to perform an impressive rap
at a show at his school. He also tells Cady near the end of Mean Girls, “Don’t let the haters stop
you from doing your thang,” which can be interpreted as advice for breaking stereotypes, both
for fictional characters and for the audience.
in the scene in which the token lesbian and the token gay character introduce the main character
Cady to the different cliques at school, some with racial associations, such as “Nerdy Asians,”
“Cool Asians,” and “Unfriendly Black Hotties.” Mathlete Kevin Gnapoor is an recognizable
character in the movie who appears to be a stereotypical Indian nerd initially but later on proves
to be an individual who is well-respected by his peers. He goes on to perform an impressive rap
at a show at his school. He also tells Cady near the end of Mean Girls, “Don’t let the haters stop
you from doing your thang,” which can be interpreted as advice for breaking stereotypes, both
for fictional characters and for the audience.
Additionally, people are exposed to Indian stereotypes at a young age. Disney Channel, a
well-known channel whose demographic is primarily children, often employs a token Indian
character in order to employ diversity. For example, Jessie is a show in which they have a
character of Indian origin, Ravi, whom the show portrays as an dissimilated, uncool immigrant
who is unable to make friends or partake in relationships the way that his white, American
peers do effortlessly. He also has an over-exaggerated accent in order to demonstrate how
different he is due to his culture in an attempt to isolate him from his peers. For example, one
episode demonstrates Ravi’s lack of cultural understanding regarding America as he decides
to wear a traditional Indian sherwani—which the show pronounces as “sherkani”—to his first
day of school despite the fact that he wears traditional American clothes daily. Even in India,
boys of Ravi’s age generally wear a t-shirt and shorts, so there would be no reason for Ravi
to drastically change the way he dresses other than cheap comedic effect. Disney’s Wizards
of Waverly Place, by contrast, has a recurring character who also has an accent; however,
the accent is considered to be acceptable due to the fact that it is a natural British accent,
ie. an accent known for being used primarily by white people. Similarly, Disney’s Phineas
and Ferb, a show older than Jessie, features an Indian kid named Baljeet who is also a walking
Indian stereotype, as he is uncool and nerdy and is bullied often; however, Baljeet is a different
type of Indian stereotype because he embarks on journeys that people of an Indian stereotype
would be too afraid to do. As the show progresses, so does the portrayal of the character.
Phineas and Ferb makes fun of the bully-victim relationship between Buford and Baljeet. The
show does not revolve around the children’s relationships because they are too young to delve
into deep, meaningful relationships. However, some episodes focus on Baljeet’s romantic life
and end up with him in mutual love with a childhood friend. Conversely, Indians in many
comedy TV shows find romance hard to handle due to their nerdiness.
-Puja
well-known channel whose demographic is primarily children, often employs a token Indian
character in order to employ diversity. For example, Jessie is a show in which they have a
character of Indian origin, Ravi, whom the show portrays as an dissimilated, uncool immigrant
who is unable to make friends or partake in relationships the way that his white, American
peers do effortlessly. He also has an over-exaggerated accent in order to demonstrate how
different he is due to his culture in an attempt to isolate him from his peers. For example, one
episode demonstrates Ravi’s lack of cultural understanding regarding America as he decides
to wear a traditional Indian sherwani—which the show pronounces as “sherkani”—to his first
day of school despite the fact that he wears traditional American clothes daily. Even in India,
boys of Ravi’s age generally wear a t-shirt and shorts, so there would be no reason for Ravi
to drastically change the way he dresses other than cheap comedic effect. Disney’s Wizards
of Waverly Place, by contrast, has a recurring character who also has an accent; however,
the accent is considered to be acceptable due to the fact that it is a natural British accent,
ie. an accent known for being used primarily by white people. Similarly, Disney’s Phineas
and Ferb, a show older than Jessie, features an Indian kid named Baljeet who is also a walking
Indian stereotype, as he is uncool and nerdy and is bullied often; however, Baljeet is a different
type of Indian stereotype because he embarks on journeys that people of an Indian stereotype
would be too afraid to do. As the show progresses, so does the portrayal of the character.
Phineas and Ferb makes fun of the bully-victim relationship between Buford and Baljeet. The
show does not revolve around the children’s relationships because they are too young to delve
into deep, meaningful relationships. However, some episodes focus on Baljeet’s romantic life
and end up with him in mutual love with a childhood friend. Conversely, Indians in many
comedy TV shows find romance hard to handle due to their nerdiness.
-Puja
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