The movie was great, It was defently not racist

it's just a movie and sometimes it's funny to see how crackers portray asians. offended by being called a "cracker"? you should be, cos it offends us by stereotyping the asian minority into one lady who speaks bad english. not all asians are like that and yes WE DO HAVE FEELINGS!

Oww woooo, Rosalind Chao is so hot!! I mean she's sod amn pretty

Bottom line - It's racist. Not that big a deal, but sometimes I wonder if that is the only image of Asian people that Americans in the red states have.

Question - Why are Asians the only people who can't speak English in commercials? They never show black people speaking Swahili or something ridiculous like that.

When movies, advertisement, and the media in general use Asain Americans, they cast them into the Asian American stereotype. Being concerned about the portrayal of minorities is not because one is hypersensitive, or being too PC; it's a genuine concern about how the media subtly puts these stereotypes into our heads. They are, if you will, subliminal messages telling people that this is the way that all Asian Americans are. And if you want to be proud of Asian Americans getting movie roles, make sure that they aren't promoting the 'model minority' or any other Asian American stereotypes. Yeah, it's funny when someone on TV accuses an Asian American of eating their dog, but when someone says it to you, it's not as funny.
The fact that it's a movie, and you can go see it or not, is not relevant. Asian Americans aren't concerned about seeing it themselves, they are concerned about other ignorant people seeing it and the promotion of stereotypes. This issue isn't the same as profanity on television where you can just change the channel. Racism is everywhere, and if you just consider a movie as something that has no impact on American life, then you are sadly mistaken.
Asian Americans need to stand up for themselves and fight in the battle where ever it may occur. Because, if you don't do it, who will?
"Evil prevails when good men do nothing" What are you doing?

this movie like totally rules its the best eva. you seriously need to get a life if you dont like this movie

I am pretty sad to read all these posts saying 'whatever', let it go. This site is all about raising awareness about asian american politics. The first step towards changing things is to be hypersensitive so you can prevent Hitler from gaining power. It's people like you who probably never cared about America's presence in Iraq until you saw some crazy photos on the web or a dude getting beheaded. Feeding misrepresentations of Asians to children through film is detrimental to the Asian-American community. I have nothing against people who believe the film is NOT racist, but don't tell me and other angry people to chill out. Don't promote ignorance by chastising us who see things you don't. If you are bothered by people who find Freaky Friday offensive, you obviously don't understand the concept of protesting misrepresentation.

did you guys see the MTV Music awards tonight? D12 - Eminimem's band was doing a live performance which was them mimmicking their music video - when suddenly at the very end,

a bunch of Asian girls with samurai swords dressed as school girls come out onto the stage for no apparent reason.

there was nothing in the song about hot asian girls with samurai swords - and one of the rap artists even came onto the stage dressed in a rice hat and silk pajamas with his chest showing and his belly flowing.

umm... maybe it's great that the african-american rap community are fascinated by asian culture and its people, but do you somehow feel they are exploiting asian women merely a sex tool?

maybe the asian community should do something about fighting the exploitation of the asian female in hip hop/rap culture instead of worrying about fortune cookies in disney movies.

its not a racial comment...thats stupid who eevr came up with thta im chinese

it's just a movie people! if you don't like it, don't watch it. =)...people take movies so seriously sometimes.

speaking of MEAN GIRLS - i'm surprised no one was offended by that movie? is there a racist clash among the asian community? if a movie uses a chinese stereotype, then its bad, but if its a vietnamese or cambodian stereotype, its okay?

fascinating.

Lindsay Lohan is hot - she's got that quirky, cute redhead thing going - have u seen MEAN GIRLS? she's hot in that too

nope

NO! you guys are stupid its just a movie how stupid do you have to be to think that.

You know you and many others should really evaluate your/their hypersensitivity towards racism. In today's age everyone is searching desperately for things to take offense to, all the while raising cain over the slightest reference to race, religion, sex, etc. It's a sad day when the freedom of speech is threatened not by the government, but by hypersensitive people, trained and taught that "politically correct" statements are the only acceptable statements and anything else is racist or of bigotry nature.

You discredit your cause and give yourself a bad name by overreacting to such things. It's much akin to the parable of the boy who cried wolf. When there is actually injustice done, no one will listen due to previous instances of misleading statements.

i loved it is was so good !!!!!

ok seriously its not racist in any way! Kids loved it, I loved it. I know whats a controversy, this is the opposite. so stop making a big deal out of little things.

Oh my goodness...suck it up people...if we all spent half the energy we use in the over analysis of political correctness in things like harmless disney films, and concentrated it on feeding the hungry, or helping the needy, or even just loving the people closest to you, the world would be a better place. If you're offended by the stereotyping in the movie...then do something about it...stop complaining about it and prove to the world that you are nothing like your stereotype. Become a doctor or a scientist or a firefighter...ugh...we are such a stupid species...

Freaky Friday was a decent movie - it was for kids. i liked it.

but u guys are right: fortune cookie bad! i wont eat another fortune cookie again.

on another note. dont u think its good that at least there are more roles for asian-americans to play? i mean. at least she go to say some lines, right?

I am such a fan of your movie you guys are the best Guess what I am doing a power point on you guys you are the best and I love your movie its awesome

im proud that at least this incident is getting some notice. at least it shows that things will not go undetected in cinema. however, i do not believe this to be racist. it was an effort to set a scene. the asian influence just added to the paazaz. it is were an indian restaurant with its bollywood sparkles, i doubt the board would be so active. this isnt racist, but at least people are evaluating its validity.

Thomas Yellich doesn't seem to get the point. Most people don't. "Eastern ways...deep and meaningful.."?? And your 30 years of travel taught you to appreciate films from Asia. What are you talking about? What does that have to do with American movies? Look around you, people are speaking out, taking action, shouting even.

I loved your movie it was the best i liked it so much i am doing a play about it!!

Awsome movie. I love it. I think it would be so much fun to be in my mothers body...SHOPPING SPEE

what do they say when they are reading the fortune cookie?I have to know for a play i am doing

this is just extremely offensive for a disney movie. asian roles like the one in freaky friday will perpectuate racist stereotypes for ages. you have to be pretty ignorant not to realize how inappropriate the asian role is. yes, it is humorous, but would you still laugh along with the crowd if it was your mother putting on a thick accent to play such a demeaning role? freaky friday does provide a lot of exposure for the asian american actors, but it sets hollywood back decades in its progession into fair representation. hollywood hasn't progressed at all since the 1920's. i am disturbed that american kids of asian descent who are watching freaky friday are subconsciously soaking in the prejudice. disgusting.

no its no big deal. its not rasict. people are getting offended for no reason.

i think its fine. how could giving something 2 sumone be racist? i mean shes just givig em a cookie.............GOD!! give the producers a break 4 christs sake!
seriiously u need 2 lighten up how could this offend anyone!! its a chinese resturant you r supposed to do that! they give you cookies. when you go there dont you get offered a fortune cookie? and chinese people went 4 the part anyway. so obviously it isnt.

What? The FCC and the extreme and proving themselves wrong liberals are at it again. I mean, I'm a liberal, but you can be too liberal. They are in a Chinese restaurant and an old Chinese woman in traditional clothing is serving them tricked out cookies. Racism? Are you kidding me?

[Section deleted due to profanity. - Ed.]

yes.

YES...people will just laugh and think thats what what all chinese ladies are like...which is no acceptable.

hello, i'm philip
i'm french and i like the film "freaky friday". The film is exiting and the actors...

That scene, those scenes in the Chinese restaurant, really offended me. I was appalled. You can remake a film without remaking the racism of generations past. Let's not forget that this is a kids movie either. This kind of thing can create racist additudes in children who haven't had enough exposure to the world to know what a grossly inaccurate portrayal this is.

Honestly, if it was a film for adults I might see humour in seeing the stereotypes, but this movie caters to children. Children are impressionable. Yes, I was offended. I'm not a child, but I am asian, and it saddens me that the film makers had to cheapen the movie in that way.

disney is the most foul and racist corporation in the west. the bigot who plays that asian lady should be arrested and deported back to nazi germany where she belongs. stupid racist.

1. Fortune cookies aren't chinese.
2. A greater outrage is the Jan Stephenson attack on Asian-American athletes.
3. It only goes to show how Disney is going down the drain, hence willing to do anything for an extra laugh. Oh, and in the process only instilling intolerable racist stereotypes in the minds of our future generations.

That's all. No harm done, eh?

I'm not Asian, but I did feel that this scene, especially in its portrayal of overly done Chinese accents for comedic effect, was racist. Not too funny, which is too bad because I liked the movie overall.

I don't eat fourtune cookies, i jus don't see it as a necessary habit after you eat asian food. I'm pinoy and when i eat at asian restaurants with someone who isn't asain they always ask me why I don't eat them and i give 'em my reason. Some have gone as far as to say it's not a "Oriental" meal with out a fortune cookie for desert. Giv'me a break!! Then they try to be funny with it and add "in bed" after words. Please..... Am I alone on this?? oh and for the ? at hand it is a big deal to me and its a perfect example of sterotyping...

I would say cut down on the coffee folks. Sure it was a no nothing movie, but appreciate that the Eastern ways of the Asian Community for thousands of years is deep and meaningfull. This just exhibits an understanding of spirit that western thought does not display. Simple or not. Hollywood sells one thing- profit. It is not about art per say, if it fits in a box and they can sell it, they are not concerned with anything else. Anger and resentment fuels sales, it is free advertisement. Anyone can be a racist, skin and hair color, eye shape do not set the boundries. The actors and the actresss in the movie are working and they decided, not you, if that is good for them. If you do not like what you see, then make change, don't whine. Your words are meaningless without action to support them. 30 years of travel throughout Asia has taught me this. You want to see good movies than rent "To Live" with Gong Li, or " The Scent of Green Papaya", or "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and appreciate the story and how it is told, but if you watch what comes out of Hollywood than you will be sadly let down. Heng Hao Xie Xie

i think it was great it brought the movie together we rented it last night and i thought the movie was great i can totally realate to the girl!!

I thouhgt It Was The Most Important Part Of The Movie when The First Part Of The "Mayhem" Starts.Thats What I Think.

I had the misfortune of watching this piece of shit film when it first came out. To put it simply the two Asian actresses in the movie were a minstrel sideshow. Instead of black face, these women wore slope face and they sell their slanted eyes to their white masters whenever it's convenient. Rosalind Chao is a good actress and I was proud to see her in her previous roles. But there's no excuse for this kind of whoring out, whether is an actor/actress in their first roles or someone like Gong Li. This piece of shit film is a result of a white supremist mentality that continues to be perpetuated from generation to generation. This mentality is not limited to a particular race. When an Asian woman pays thousands of dollars to have her eyes "Caucasianized," is she doing this for beauty, or because she wants to be white. To those wastes of flesh who made the movie: fuck you. For those of you who don't agree and think I’m being racist in my own critique and/or too sensitive, my response is this: Fuck you waste of flesh. Learn some fucking history.

Yes it's bad enough that in the early 60's and 50's the Asian culture had to deal with specific stereotypes. Now to "hide" it in a Disney movie, like everything is okay, that's really sad. Not all Asian woman speak like that, and in that manner, maybe some, but in the past I had some Caucasian friends who when they repeated what my mom said they used an accent. My mom does have an accent,but they emphasize on it too much based on their assumptions. I told them to quit, and they don't do it anymore. We need to make sure people don't let things like this "hide" in the things we do. And yes I'm one who IS going to do something about it, I already am when I work in the community.

Even though that scene in the movie may be insignificant to other people, it does count for me; I am a japanese-american mixed with other races. I spend most of my time around the non-asian side of the family. I have younger nieces and siblings that watch that kind of movies. I dontwant them to get the impression that every asian is chinese, and that all we do is work in restaurants. My father was placed in relocation camp during WW2. He now is a very educated and well rounded person. He has gone to top schools in the country, and so has many of his relatives. He doesnt speak english with an accent, he doesnt have buck teeth, he doesnt smell and he doesnt sell chinese food for a living (Im not trying to be offensive in anyway to the people who do make a living that way) In american movies, asians are always seen as servants of the white men. I find that upsetting. In class rooms around the world teachers will always talk about the jews, russians, irish, italian...but they never talk about the asians. In text books all you can find on asias is half a section from a 5 page chapter.

Smokalotapotamus:
I agree with you that racism and stereotypes are not going to ever disappear. But the point is not to "battle racists", as you say. The point is to use movies to make asians the most powerful and envied race in the world.

What is the point of trying to battle racists. Racism is going to exist for a very long time, longer than our lifetimes. Who gives a shit if the film portrays racial stereotypes? What are you gonna do about it? Sue them? NO. You can't really do shit. Posting this stuff on the internet doesn't help either, we're all asians reading these posts. So go write a damn book or movie portraying what "real" asians are (if there is such a thing as a real asian). Stereotypes will exist until eternity I believe, it's just human nature do judge things like that. I bet most of you have your own stereotypes about certain people, places or things, but you might just keep them to yourself. Anyway you can't really combat Hollywood, all of us in these posts put together wouldn't have the resources and intellect to do that. So let's just hope for the future when our society is more heterogenous people will become more aware of certain cultures. For the present, there isnt too much we can do individiually other than bitch and whine =(.

Reading some of the older comments, I have to say that neither the original book nor the Jodie Foster 1956 movie had the Chinese stereotypes. The origins of the freaky switch were left ambiguous.

First of all, let me say I enjoyed "Freaky Friday." As a college student, I liked it. I grew up with the books and the original movie with Jodie Foster and I liked this new interpretation.

I do agree that the Chinese roles in "Freaky Friday" were extremely stereotypical. At the same time, I didn't find them offensive. It was amusing for me, as a Chinese-American, to see the stereotypes played out. Of course the creators of the movie knew these were very old racial caricatures, and I'm sure that no-one in the audience came out of the theatre thinking that Asians truly do have magical powers, etc. etc.

However, I found it slightly more disturbing that Rosalind Chao, who as we know from her role in "Joy Luck Club" speaks perfect English, had to put on a heavy accent. I also thought it was more offensive that she was seen as somewhat money-grubbing and far too eager, so much that it was almost rude, to cater Jamie Lee Curtis's character's wedding.

I think it's the subtle stereotypes in films like "Freaky Friday" as well as those by Asian filmmakers like "Better Luck Tomorrow" that are much more dangerous, and those are the ones we should watch out for.

Since when has Disney ever gotten anything historically correct. Pocahontas met John Smith when she was 13 and did not have an affair with him. He did rape her however. Hercules did not have loving parents, in fact Hera was frequently taking attempts at his life. I would not have expected any better for Freaky Friday. Disapointed yes, surprised, I guess not. The world needs to get less stupid. =o(

i was on the ouiji board yesterday and it said that asians were gona take over Hollywood in the next two yers. jus hang in dere boys we're almost there!

In response to the previous post: money is not the only force driving "hollywood being evil". Do you think Oliver Stone produced Joy Luck Club because he was gonna make bank? The dude loves asian women and probably got off bigtime during the auditions. "Rush Hour" was probably the most calculated risk ever--no shit we know that... put two goofy minority clowns together and laugh your fucking balls off. My point? Disney doesn't make more money from basing a storyline on a slant-eye dragon lady and a fortune cookie. Hollywood isn't being racist for money. They're making movies for money. The racist part comes from inside and has many factors influencing it.
So what the fuck does that mean to us? There's two battles to be fought: one is to fight the racist shit that comes out and two is to make good shit. Choose one first. Do not mix the two... unless you are ready to deal with both. What do I mean? You better be a master of film, marketing and other shit to be a leader. Start with a vision. Do you want to be a filmmaker or preacher? A rich asian or a famous asian? A funny cat or a good lay? Catch my drift? Then when you make it big you can carry out your revenge effectively. Battle stations!

it's all about the money...asianamericans...cmon! you look at it as hollywood being evil muahahahahaha...what it comes down to is money you can't blame a business for trying to make more $(that's what business do). If you think about it, it's probably better for hollywood to produce foreign films to market the asians(not asian americans)because of the population of asians as opposed to asian americans.

It's just like the first time "rush hour" trailers were being presented. Jackie chan and Chris tucker teaming up?!~who would have thought?
I'm assuming they took a calculated risk which leaned toward positive side for hollywood. Hypothetically the film bombed in America(which turned out to be the opposite) the film would have definitely made some money in the Asia market(supporting jackie).

I would love to see more asian american actors but it's just not going to happen for a while(we are progressing) unless we grow in population and make extremely better films. We can't make just a good film...we need to make a great film to stay in the market. And when that is achieved don't get all emotional and sensitive when you see some lady on the screen who has broken English!
-unless America closes it's doors K-Town China Town Tokyo Town Vietnamese Filipino etc etc will always exist!~ and to that... tank you berri much-eh

see...keep acting like blacks*blame blame blame*...move on with life, stop being a sensitive baby, and start making better films to show the other "truth" of what asians(americans) are like. Fact of the matter is immigrants from all over the world will come to the "land of the free" especially asians so the called "stereotypical" roles will still have truth to them-face the facts and accept it.

I still go in korean restaurants and they can't speak English!~ btw(obviously asian)

wtf...where is my posting. No respect for the asian nigga'. fucking hollywood sell outs!!!!! victims of media propaganda.

Indeed, I was shocked by Rosalind Chao's thick accent and the woman who played her mother. The mother's character is, beneath the surface, a cartoonish version of a dragon lady with mischievious power. This time, the portrayal is dumbed down without the conniving characteristics. Anyhow, it is offensive and I was not at all surprised that this is from Disney's. People, wake up! Disney is not the same image that you and your parents once knew.
Secondly, this is the same summer that major Asian organizations choose to focus on a small, tiny show called Bonzai. Thanks to the vocalization of the community, the show becomes more popular and known. Now, we all jump on the freaking bandwagon and promote "Freaky Friday."
Our focus should be internal. We should demand or pressure the executives or decision makers to make more movies/shows with more diversified representations of Asian Americans. Don't get me wrong, it is good to vocalize our collective voices against these unfair images of Asian Americans. However, it may bring attention to the issue but not necessarily stop the proliferation of these negative images. Where are the Asian American writers? Where are the scripts about Asian Americans? What are those Asian American executives doing to open more doors to Asian American artists and writers? NONE! Why can't we attack the issue at its core instead of hanging around the edge and barking like a bunch of nagging dogs.
Furthermore, thanks to the Hong Kong action stars (Jackie Chan, Jet Li, John Woo), once again, we are reinforced as emotionally shallow beings with Kung Phooey tendencies. Nonetheless, these folks are NOT Asian American artists who are struggling to make it in this unstable industry. It is tough to be in this business. Imagine, being an Asian American and an artist in Hollywood.
We can talk, discuss, and write to dead about this cancerous problem. Unfortunately, nothing will change unless we begin to alter within the system. There are numerous Asian American executives within the system who unfortunately have not the courage to make bold moves and open more doors to Asian American artists.
Finally, I think the Asian American community is so fragmentd as far as our political activism is concerned. We ride on the coat tail of the Black and Hispanic organizations. We're content to be non-controversial and protest over some small show and shun our actors for making a living. I'll be brave and say it: we are too f--king materialistic to be concerned about the community as a whole. We crave for named designers who happily exploit our sisters and brothers over in Asia.
Here we are griping over what is expected of Hollywood. The impact is so tiny. Use our dollars and show them. Don't support films/shows that are grossly offensive to our community (I think it's hard for us to do that). We hardly support Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow, Gene Guyjean's (spelling!) The Debut. Instead, we celebrate the Jet Lis, the Jackie Chans, and all other Kung Fu craps.
So there!

I took my daughter and her friend to see "Freaky Friday" on Saturday. I was shocked at the horrific Charlie Chan-like characters. Heavy chinese accents from actors I know are American and can speak perfect English. The stereotyping was so unnecessary for the overall plot I was stunned that Disney would do something like this. This is one of the worst films I've seen in years. A real step backwards. I'm writing to Disney to protest and I hope others do the same.

I think its a good idea. I don't see how this re-inforces Asian stereotypes.

Another example of Hollywood execs always, always, always exploiting Asian stereotypes for their own good. Disgusting. When will it end? I'm about to write a movie script that'll change the face of the industry. Anyone interested?

Can't Hollywood stop with the mystic Chinese stuff. As far as BLT goes, I think the director (Justin Lin)want to add shock value to attract attention. After all, he wants to catch the audience out of hand with the content, which in the process may 'overlook' the stereotypes.

This photo is a no-brainer. I'm actually a bit disappointed that this is on AsianAmericanFilm.com. As a frequent visitor of the site, I'd like to be challenged a little more. Every asian knows a story with a fortune cookie is going to suck and be offensive.

My question is... why the sudden attack on Freaky Friday? I would like to "make the call" on films which people actually go see. Or better yet, I'd like to see what people think about controversial scenes in so-called Asian-American cinema, ie. Better Luck Tomorrow or Charlotte Sometimes.

Everyone's pretty much summed up my thoughts and emotions about the scene, I mean, even the still above sums it all up. The Woman in the background is exotic looking, all knowing, and almost devious in her intentions. For a culture that is supposedly responsible for magical powers and Gremlins (remember?), you'd think we'd be all over.

Disney has had a long history of embracing other races and cultures while bastardizing it at the same time. Their programming and movies have incorporate a strong mix of diversity, but at the same time has butchered almost every animated story that it has adapted from other cultures. I think it's a lack of responsibility on the part of the filmmakers to let this one slide.

From the MANAA article "Asian Stereotypes":

[Asian stereotype:] Asianness as an "explanation" for the magical or supernatural.

Asia is often used as a quick and convenient reason for something having magical or supernatural properties. For years, the radio hero "The Shadow" was said to have acquired his powers of invisibility from "the mysterious East." No further explanation was necessary. More recently, the Woody Allen movie "Alice" accounted for the magical powers of an elixir by having the white title character buy it from an Asian herbalist. Assumption: Asian cultures are so strange and unknowable that they can defy the physical realities of the Western world. Granted, Asian magic can sometimes be portrayed positively in fiction. But without more realistic images to provide balance, this other-worldly conception of Asia risks painting a mystifying and misleading picture of Asian cultures and Asian people.

Stereotype-Buster: Asian cultures as no more or less magical than other cultures.

Fortune cookie? I GUESS it's problematic in nature. But don't forget that the fortune cookie was invented in America, by a Japanese American. Try asking for a fortune cookie in Hong Kong and you'll get looked at funny. If taken literally, a magical fortune cookie is parallel to a magical Oreo. So the fortune cookie itself isn't offensive, but the whole sense of it depicting a "mystical oriental aura" is. The reason it is a fortune cookie (rather than an Oreo or after-dinner mint) is due to the exotification of the Chinese culture. In fact, a fortune cookie has NOTHING to do with Chinese culture, even if it has become embedded into some aspects of Chinese AMERICAN culture. It's another example of blending Asian and Asian American cultures as two identical things, despite the fact that they're progressively different. The film's depiction of a fortune cookie (Chinese American stereotype) being "magical" and "exotic" (foreign Chinese stereotype) shows that the producers are unable to differentiate the differences between the two cultures, and are ignorant of how they contrast in many ways.

pfft! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!! Chinese people work at Chinese restauraunts! It's just something to make the restauraunt have it's own feel!!!!! If this offends anybody, speak up!!!!!!

This is definitely an offensive example of racial stereotyping. You'd think that with this remake, the film plot could adapt to a changing society... or has society not changed yet? Remakes should reflect the society's current views. Otherwise, why make a remake at all?

It didn't have to be a mystical fortune cookie! But then again, as someone who works in the film industry (and mind you, I've been having a hard time landing any roles due to my prodominantly asian look and directors have even told me so in audition), the "ancient Chinese secret" BS seems to be the easy way to go. Western society is just used to taking that route.

If I did the Freaky Friday remake, I wouldn't change the plot to use funky voodoo or Egyptian things (like The Hot Chick) either. That's just pointing fingers at other non-majority ethnic groups in the West. No, I would use something more witchcraft'ish or druidic as the cause of the Freaky Friday switch. After all, mysticism exists in Europe too.

But then I'd have to ask myself... if the cast were two Chinese female leads, would it be ok if it were a mystic fortune cookie then? I would have to say yes. Plus, wouldn't it be great to have Chinese female leads for Freaky Friday? Well... as long as they're playing "American" and not "Chinese!"

Regardless, the whole "ancient Chinese secret" thing has long been overplayed anyway. There were other ways around it. It didn't have to be done this way.

Boy, you are so sensitive!

funny storyline, funny jamie lee curtis. the problem: the "freaky" fortune cookie, and lack of any other asian characters other than the typical fortune cookie woman. ok, so it's a remake. they've tailored everything else to coincide with present-day reality, but they don't bother to change what the asian lady wears? who walks into an everyday asian restaurant and is served by women in cheongsam? are asians supposted to be stereotypically cast in american media until the end of freakin' time?! or is this their way of pushing us towards our own projects (BLT, Charlotte Sometimes, etc), seperate and away from mainstream media?

all i would've like to see are ADDITIONAL asians casted in the movie as characters OTHER than the stereotypical subservient roles (re: fortune cookie lady) i mean, come on! i FORTUNE COOKIE!?! having THAT much "freaky" power? think about it, people.. what does this connote? how subliminal is THAT?! even if it IS a remake, the least they could do is tailor it to present-day realities..

also, it's not because we're actively "looking" for racial sterotyping "at every turn." we wouldn't have the emotions and opinions we have if they weren't moved/hurt/upset/disturbed in one way or another by such things.

So it is a remake of an old film with stereotypes. Don't you get it...when you remake an old film and maintain the stereotypes, you PERPETUATE those ugly stereotypes. If I was a magical mystical Asian, I would most certainly ZAP hollywod's mentality up out of the gutter. Would anyone complain if hollywood did a remake of Birth of a Nation? I challenge hollywood to try and do a "remake" of that movie while maintaining its racial overtones and market it to Afican Americans.

You asked for comments.

The mystical Asian magic cliche has been ingrained in the Hollywood mindset, unfortunately. What angers me most, however, is that fortune cookies are not even a part of Chinese culture - they are just an advertising gimmick for Chinese restaurants in America.

this is preposterous... this is an outrage... this is... oh, who cares... after they let alex borstein and dana carvey go cuckoo for cocoa puffs yellowface style on national tele, i just stopped watching... anyone up for gremlins... mogwai... mogwai... don't feed the son of a bitch after midnight i said... ancient chinese man, looking far older than what is humanly possible is always right... marlon brando should receive and subsequently reject an award for all his kind service to the people of yellow... someone should make a list of the most offensive portrayals of asian americans ever to grace the stuff of hollywood movie magic... and then someone should find the poor saps who had to play them... you know what, i'll do it. anna may wong, i feel you.

Hrmn. Now I'm not a fan of asian racial stereotyping in Hollywood, but you guys need to realize that Freaky Friday was a Disney movie from a LONG time ago. The original movie had the mother and daughter switch bodies via fortune cookie. THIS IS A REMAKE.

No, it's not a big deal. For those people who live such petty little lives that they actively look for racial stereotyping at every turn, I suggest they turn their concentration towards better efforts, like seeking counseling. This film is a remake of a 70's Disney classic and is a reflection of attitudes of the time period. Try promoting some of the wonderful movies such as "Better Luck Tomorrow" or upcoming "Charlotte Sometimes" instead of slamming whimsical, intentionally offbeat fantasy films!

Adding to the overall insult is the Chinatown-quality cheongsahm that the wardrobe department saw fit for the actress to wear! Those are usually reserved for Sinophilles and tourists!

The ongoing portrayals of the guardians of secret Asian wisdom will likely continue so long as the protests remain confined to websites speaking to the Asian-American community. To put this in proper perspective, it is unlikely that we would see African-American portrayals of Voodoo priests or a Santaria practioners slaying chickens taking the place of the aforementioned character.

By default (the relative silence of Asian-American media watchdogs) it was an unfortunate and forgone conclusion of the writers to adopt the "mystic Chinese-American merchant" as the catalyst.

Judging just from the trailer, it seems like a cheap, dumb plot device. Racist? Maybe, but it offends me more because of lazy writing

this scene just serves as another reminder of how stereotypes of asian americans continue to dominate mainstream thought. What is most offensive about it htough, is that, because the part that this woman plays is so "trivial" calling attention to it, then, because interpreted as people being too sensitive, etc etc. Placing this woman into the same box that has defined asian america-accented, exotic, wise-if only to pass down "eastern wisdom" to white people, marginal/background, etc- serves as another example of how america continues to justify its ongoing racism, while fending off statements of being so by placing the blame right back on the very people they are sterotyping and othering.

this is bad but not as bad as the way they portray asian women in "two days in the valley"

the massage parlor scene

I agree -- I think the fortune cookie scene is the least of this film's problems. Honestly, has any child-adult body-switching movie in history ever actually succeeded in convincing you that a real mind switch had taken place (except perhaps for Tom Hanks in BIG)? The actors involved always seem like they're doing a bad imitation of one another, so I never buy the conceit.

It's just so ridiculously over the top, I don't think it's worth wasting my anger on it. The mystical Oriental has been such a standard cliche in movies for so long -- even in contemporary films from Gremlins to Woody Allen's Alice. It doesn't surprise me. It's not even worth boycotting or getting upset over. How many of you were actually interested in seeing this movie anyway? As is my answer to every issue that comes up like this, let's just go out and make our own damn films. Put in mystical mysterious Caucasians who serve magical pork rinds if we want!