Michael Patrick King, the creator of CBS’ latest sitcom success, was “very surprised” by the line and tenor of criticisms directed at 2 Broke Girls during its Television Critics Association winter press tour panel, which featured him and series lead Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs.
King led off the discussion by hailing Broke Girls as “a big ballsy comedy” that “has a bigger heart than it has balls. It is broad and brash and very current.”
Nonetheless, numerous questions that proceeded repeatedly surfaced the fact that characters such as Oleg-the-lecherous-immigrant-chef (played by Jonathan Kite) and Han-the-diminutive-Asian-diner-boss (Matthew Moy) were frequently offensive, at-times racist and, frankly, unfunny stereotypes.
To read more click here
2 Broke Girls - Show's creator on recent criticism
Jan 11, 2012
Two Broke Girls
Sign Up for the SpoilerTV Newsletter where we talk all things TV!
Hopefully, they fix the issues that the critics brought up.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the type of dirty humor this show has relative to its time slot. That's okay with me. I do, however, believe that the critics have a legitimate beef with Han and, to a lesser extent, Oleg.
ReplyDeleteHan is a wellspring of unfunny Asian stereotype humor. Oleg is not really that stereotypical (except for the unhygienic, sexually aggressive, Slavic guy thing) but he's rarely ever funny.
Major fail he really has no clue and seems to think those kind of stereotypes are acceptable. They are not. By the sound of it they won't be stopping them either.
ReplyDeleteEPs are rarely ever clueless. He's just taking the negative and spinning it the best he can.
ReplyDeleteHe comes across a real asshole though, there is a write up of the panel here
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/press-tour-2-broke-girls-panel-turns-ugly-with-racism-raunchiness-charges with more quotes and details for anyone interested.
He does come off badly and it doesn't help that the article is more of a critique of Michael Patrick King than a recap of events. Getting defensive sure can bring out the worst in people.
ReplyDeletePlease someone cancel Whitney for so many reasons ha
ReplyDeleteWe all know this wont happend, since its CBS, and not The Good Wife this show.
ReplyDeleteI completely see the EP's point even if I am not a fan of stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteCharacters can be more than just stereotypes and still exhibit stereotype-like traits. To go out of the way to avoid all racial stereotypes is falling prey to overdoing political correctness.Some real life people I know are like stereotypical caricatures.
I've worked in the restaurant business off and on for decades and there is almost always one line cook that is similar to Oleg flirting inappropriately with the staff and just annoying, but kept on because he does his job well (or has dirt on the owner...).
That said the EP came off as abrasive and argumentative which is usually a bad thing. In this case it is somewhat bad, but I say I say good for him! When reporters press issues that have already been covered trying to get a controversial quote to sell media they are the ones in the wrong.
They asked. He answered. Move on to a new topic.
I have to admit, I do kind of enjoy the show. But I hope they can improve on Oleg and Han's characters.
ReplyDeleteI liek the humor and have no issue with the sexuality of it either. Han is somewhat of a stereotype and could be shown to be more than just those trait, but I have no issue with the role honestly. Some people do come off as sterotypes in the real world. OF course they are more than JUST that, but they may have those traits and appear that way at first.
ReplyDeleteOleg may not be a racial stereotype but he is a stereotypical line cook! XD I've worked with 4 or 5 cooks just about like him.. all different races, but I would swear in a court of law they were all the inspiration for Oleg! XD
Look I quite enjoy the show, and I do think that (even through all the sterotyping and crassness) it does have heart, but really all the points brought up by the reportes are rather fair and to the point!
ReplyDeleteMPK is no position to be offended and dismissive. He should just own up to it say that's his show and end it there. This whole "trying to spin it so the points seem invalid" doesn't sit well with me.
I enjoy this show stereotypes and all. Its funny, they spread it across equally I think. I make stereotypical comments everyday so it doesn't bother me to see it in a tv show that i watch. I rather appreciate a person with my point of view/ since of humor.
ReplyDeleteNot for nothing but I would totally befriend a guy like Oleg, stereotypes or not. A real life version of that guy would probably be a riot.
ReplyDeleteDoes this guy look at the numbers and nothing else? What am I saying, he's a producer - of course he does! He has no clue at all. I watched two minutes of the first episode, which had the three stereotypes in the diner and a studio audience. It feels like this show would have been more at home in the eighties!
ReplyDeleteI love 2 Broke Girls. That being said, I'm surprised that the show is the only one being targeted, when to a certain extent all tv show have stereotypes of some kind. As for the humor and jokes, just look at all the other comedies. Almost all of them have a certain raunchiness attached to them. The difference between each one of them, is that you can be crude and funny or just the complete opposite.So basically, 2 Broke Girls shouldn't be the only target being assaulted.
ReplyDeleteAhaha... Wow, that article was a million times funnier than the show itself... What a terrible spectacle. He'll have the network heads up his arse for a while..
ReplyDeleteThe
ReplyDeletestereotypes might be an issue but I don't think that the dirty humor it's a bad thing. Why girls can't make those kind of jokes?