White People Like to Do Yellowface

So I got an email from a reader about a club event in St. Louis called UCD!! Shanghai Showdown!. Here's what he said:

hi i am writing to you about a party that is being hosted in st louis at a night club that i feel is extremely culturally insensitive and racist. i have been trying to educate the people on facebook, but they have taken down every link i have posted and reported me to facebook for harassment. i plan on protesting at the club on friday night and was wondering if u can help me at all

the link to the event page on facebook is

UCD!! Shanghai Showdown!

and a quote from the event if u can not see it is:

"...The theme for this party is SHANGHAI SHOWDOWN, so get creative and bust out your best asian themed costumes to get your discounted admission before 12! Think geisha, ninjas, samurai, dragons, koi, pandas, or even a giant takeout box! Remember: When you dress up, you're not just at the party; you're a part of it!"

this is a 97% caucasion club that has thrown a party in the past called cinco de massacre in which they dressed up like mexican stereotypes


Yes, white folks do love to do the Yellowface, don't they? As well as Blackface, Redface and apparently Brownface. Way to go St. Louis: YOU SUCK!

Everybody go to their Facebook link and tell these racist fucktards they can go to hell.

Comments

Anonymous said…
yellowface? that's more racist than anything they have posted on their event page, and how did you determine that this club's crowd is 97% caucasian? Take a door tally? Sounds like you're just pulling statisics out of your a$$
Anonymous said…
For one-The title is misleading, the club is not doing "yellowface" and never has. It's a celebration via dance and drag of these things. It's the theme of the night.

Furthermore why would you even post an email from a grammatically challenged individual who can't substantiate or back up his claims from the UCD page? Every time he tried to validate and back up his position he lost more ground.

Ask some of the Asian-American performers and patrons, they're not offended by this.

And lastly-that percentage is just completely wrong. And not in the least accurate. Many times when I've been at the Complex, I've seen less caucasian and more black and Asian persons.

Complete fail on your part.
Anonymous said…
Wow. Are you serious? I think you guys are just looking for something to bitch about. Get with the program and join the fun. Or have fun standing out in the cold.
Unknown said…
Ok...I'm sorry that this has offended you...but just to be clear....I go to this club every Friday night. There is a diverse group of people that go there...they are not all white. Some of the performers who are doing this show are of different Asian descents. This was not meant to offend anyone.It was just a party where everyone could have fun. Please don't take things so seriously.
Anonymous said…
'caucasion'. can't even spell 'asian' correctly.... good job!!!
Anonymous said…
You obviously have no creativity and are very close minded. You hear of a group of people having a themed party of another culture and you attack them. You are the one here who sounds racist here both bluntly (yellowface) and inferred from how you showed your anger and the cause of your anger. If anything a party which gathers people together to learn of another culture, in this case their fashion, should be appreciated in America. After all do we not have St. Patrick's day in which everyone wears green and gets wasted (good times but pretty offensive). You should be proud a club gets people involved in a positive way and Just Shut the Fuck Up.
Anonymous said…
I am a Chinese college student that lives in St. Louis with many friends that go to this club. When I saw the Facebook invitation, I thought it was a cute idea and not at all offended.

The club has these parties so it's more like Halloween dress up than it is "Let's make fun of these people!"

Thanks for being offended on my behalf, but it's okay.
Anonymous said…
The name "Alpha Asian" gives you less credibility as you complain. You're immediately saying that you are the first and the best, which is not true. ALL races can have pride in themselves, but we are all first when it comes to the beautiful aspects we have brought to the world TOGETHER. I don't know how people would treat me if I made a blog entitled "Alpha African". What would they say? I have shown this blog to a few friends, one Asian, one African and one Mexican. They all received the vibe that you have a "higher than thou" perception of self, which in turn makes your race look bad when it actually is beautiful. One thing about this club (which I have frequented as a bystander) is that they are not what you are making them out to be. This event truly will celebrate the beauty of Asian design, as drag queens have an awesome penchant for bringing beauty to their transformations. I would consider it a compliment. Now, if people were running around taping their eyes back and saying derogatory terms such as "Veddy Nice How Much?!" THEN the middle school term 'fucktard' would be of appropriate use.

I think you have a great thing going here with the site. The name just throws a few people off. Your about area is the good part. But you just can't judge them like this. And if you haven't guessed yet, I'm African American, and the main ethnic makeup of that place is black, asian, and latino, THEN white. In no particular order but to show you that they are as DIVERSE as a bag of jelly beans!
MojoRider said…
I'm a contributor and occasional co-blogger to this site. I am not going to speak for my partner, he can do that for himself if he wants to.

I don't know if the email sent to him was part of a prank or what. I don't know whether there was a quick jump to a conclusion without knowing all the details or not.

I'll take a more kinder view of this only because I know that there is a heightened sensitivity when people try to showcase something like an Asian night or Asian themed night.

The knee jerk reactions come into play because more often than not, these type of events fall into stereotyping.

This site exists to counter act the never ending bombardment of negative media stereotypes when it comes to Asians and Asian American males. We try to promote positive images of Asians and Asian Americans excelling and doing good things.

We're not the only ones to get stereotyped, and we're not always whining about it. It's no different than what African Americans have to deal with--being portrayed as criminals, pimps, and drug addicts by Hollwyood. We have to take our lumps and deal with our own adversity and hope we can see progress in how we are viewed by others.

So were we fed bad info about this event? I dunno. But I hope I shed some light on why the initial reaction. As a group, when you see example after example of offensive stereotyping or bad portrayals, you get a little prickly, ya know. You get a little guarded and defensive. I mean, wouldn't you?

If you folks are doing it with an appreciation for Asian culture and with respect, then fine, go have a great time.
Brian Ray said…
You should apologize. You called reputable, successful club promoters "racist fucktards" which is much more offensive, negative, and hurtful than anything we ever said or did. You received ONE EMAIL from an extremist and did ABSOLUTELY NO RESEARCH into this club or the event and still posted. You should be ashamed. We'll await you're apologly.
AleenaAverly said…
For one, the comment about how the "white people" love to do different "faces", was racist. And the rant throughout is based off a quick angry reaction. If they did their proper research, they would see that there has been many themes. And they are not something that they base on race all of the time. No one there is going out of their way to insult anyone. That is a place of acceptance where everyone is free to express themselves. That is the point of the events, to give a theme to them just as a way to bring everyone together in a creative manner. It is always just a party theme, not an offensive theme. it makes it to where the creative minded people who love expressing themselves through their many "arts" are able to take an idea and make it unique, beautiful and expressive. How can that be observed as hate? Of Course I guess anything can be when you want to see it that way.

We also had an Easter/Zombie Apocalypse. Bunnies and brain eaters should be soooo offended? But their slight amount of research into these events was to pick out two titles that they could say were offensive and racist? Right. Let's target a group of people who are always targeted for many things and are made up of many races, and call THEM racist. Ok. How original.

To bash on them you would have to bash on anyone who celebrates Halloween, loves fashion shows, loves tv or anything else that uses a theme and designs around it. Oh wait, that would mean hating the world, which sadly whether you are meaning this too or not, just comes across as you do. Maybe you should be a little less angry and a little more open minded and see that they are running with the beauty of Asian design and considering that Asia has so many wonderful cosplayers and gamers with every character and costume you can think of? You would think this would be a little less offensive to be "cosplaying" almost. Not mocking. But again. Perception is everything. Sadly, your's was clearly dark.
Miya said…
I understand where you are coming from with your "race" constantly being bashed/culture being misunderstood, but if you did just the smallest amount of research on this "tip" you would have easily seen that no one is a "racist fucktard" here, except for you.

If statistic you received said 35% Asian would you have flipped out as much? Would those people be "fucktards" then?

I am living in Asia right now, and if I were to protest in front of every single "hip-hop" club and snatched up the afro wig every other Asian is wearing, I would be wasting my breath.

So what do I do?
I pick my afro out as big as it can be and show them how it is properly done.

So maybe you should just loosen up a bit, and go party in my behalf, since I am on the other side of the world.
Anonymous said…
I just want to say BWONGGGGG!! And see how you felt about that..
Nik Oktober said…
It's funny to me that when I went to leave a comment on here it says clearly above "Spam is not tolerated". Seems that this post from "Alpha Asian" is exactly that, SPAM. As an entertainer in the show, your ignorance to how our shows are carried out or our crowd ratio just makes me laugh and take you less seriously than I already would.

Nik Oktober (and you can find me on facebook if you'd like to waist your time leaving ridiculous comments on someone's page)
Jenn Skeleton said…
First off, This whole site is racist in itself, just saying.

Now secondly and more importantly I would like to advise you to research things before you go around talking trash on GOOD people who you obviously know nothing about. I would like to teach you a saying I learned as a child. Don't assuming things because when you assume you just make as ass out of u and me. So how about before you assume that ONE person who sends you an email bitching about an event that is being thrown knows what he is talking about. Remember that saying so you don't make an ass out of yourself and everyone around you.

I would also like to add that people bitching about this event from what I have seen are ALL WHITE! The people who don't care are everyone else, including Asians. Which I also find it racist that you are trying to say that 97% of the people who go are white that isn't true at all. There are an equal amount of African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians (learn to spell btw).

Last but not least, I have noticed that this blog has gotten more attention then the rest of your site put together. I just felt like putting that out there.

Anyway have a lovely day you racist you. ;)

P.S I put my facebook name and a link to my facebook if you would like to spew some more racist crap to someone. ;)
Anonymous said…
As one of the performers in the show that is also of Japanese descent, I found the current theme to be rather exciting as a motif for art, costumes and a party.

My heritage has influenced everything from my everyday fashion choices, to cuisine, to my household decor. It has also had a tremendous influence on my career as a cross dresser, drag king, or gender illusionist--whatever you want to call me. Consequently, I was thrilled to be able to combine my chosen art form (drag) with my dominant cultural influence to help create an amazing visual show and fantastic party. I even researched my costumes to be culturally and historically accurate.

This event is a celebration of culture, not a spoof of the asian culture as some would like people to think. If this party is racist than previous parties indicate that the promoters hate jocks, video gamers, christians, astronauts, victorian england, etc. etc.

All I have to say is do your research--as a blog you have a responsiblity to fact check--and lets all party on!

~Rydyr~
Marla Finley said…
I am a teacher at an International Studies Elementary here in St. Louis. We have an International Festival each year wear students and teachers dress in ethnic clothes, try ethnic foods, and display ethnic themed items. So am I racist because of this? Are the students racist as well? It is the exact same thing as this event. They are not making fun of asians but celebrating a beautiful culture. Get over it and move on. I can't decide if you are a homophobe or if u just hate club kids. I have never been to this club but I look at their facebook pictures each week. The group is VERY racial diverse. Before you make claims.....check your facts.
J said…
I'm sensitve? 16 comments from people who told me to,

"Shut the fuck up."

"You're racist for pointing out our racism."

and

"I'm offended that you're offended!"

Your event poster has the title "Shanghai Showdown" with a picture of a ninja. Shanghai is China, ninjas are from Japan, but who cares? All Asian cultures are the same, and there really isn't much to Asian cultures other than geishas, dragons, pandas and Chinese takeout. Right?

Did I jump the gun and fail to do my research? Well so far I'm not finding anything from you guys that contradicts what you have on your own Facebook page.

Enjoy your Asian celebration.

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