Desperate Housewives’ Desperation
“…before we go any further, can I check those diplomas cause I would just like to make sure that they’re not from some med school in the Philippines.�
This was Teri Hatcher’s line for the Desperate Housewives Season 4 premier.
Now, let me take this opportunity to post something away from fashion but has something to do with entertainment, rather, its responsibility to the public.
I was doing a post for today’s entry when I saw this report about Teri Hatcher’s insulting remarks about Filipino doctors in her hit show Desperate Housewives. I have to search it up in YouTube to really get to see that discriminatory remark. And when I did, I just could not help my self doing this post instead of the previous one I planned.
Yes, this isn’t about celebrity fashion, not how those celebs hit or missed the fashion scene. But I guess this would be the most important post I’d have to do in my 451Press blogging experience.
For one, I am a Filipino. My emotions are raging with that remark made insensitively against my fellowmen; against those Filipino doctors who have to leave their country, their families and loved ones just to serve the American people.
Did she just question the quality of education in my country?
Sure, compared to USA, the American’s educational system may be better if not the best. But our doctors, nurses, and caregivers are among the best in the world; thousands of them serving, treating, and taking care of the US people.
I’m honestly not a fan of the show but I know a lot of Filipinos who are. Some say the show is a hit because of its mature and “intelligent� approach to the audience. Now with that, I guess we should all review what is mature and what is intelligent.
The rude remark was just a sign of irresponsible entertainment. Racism is never a witty and funny way of entertainment. If this is one of the show’s desperate ways to get ratings, then they’re getting one hell of controversy here.
Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives, Filipinos, racism, doctors
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:59 am
I pity the writer of the show’s ignorance, I guess he or she’s the one whose educational background needs to be evaluated. I guess everybody on that show is just plain ignorant and unaware that the people treating them in hospitals are Filipinos. Bet they’re too busy making stupid scripts and making women and mothers look like sex-starved beings who would breed with the nearest living thing in sight.
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:16 am
If the show got nothing else to add on their script, they better shut their mouth or better stop the show !!!
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:27 am
What an insult to my nation! our medical technology maybe behind from other country specially the US, but our service and dedication to serve which have been known to the whole world does not deserve an insult like this roach uttering.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:14 am
Interesting how this was taken as racism. I thought the line was said to show the characters ignorance, not an insult to Filipinos at all, but rather they just happen to be used as an example of the character not being so bright/educated.
Something like the channel BET is where real true racism shines imo. I have ranted about this here http://www.xbox360rally.com/racism-still-strong-on-xbox-live/ so I don’t want to write too much in this comment box, cause I can’t rant for hours how real true prejudice is still out there in the forms of things like “Black History Month” .. where as her character (just watched the clip) seems to not be so bright, thus the writers would have her say something not so bright like the comment she made. Was the writing so good it provoked emotions with you all?
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:37 am
I agree that the comment was probably meant to show the character’s ignorance, but it could have been done in a better way. If people are questioning the comment because they don’t know how it was “meant,” then it obviously wasn’t done well.
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:18 pm
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October 3rd, 2007 at 8:02 pm
Ok, that’s pretty bad. I don’t watch the show, but the first thing I thought of was this.
Could that be a way of showing the character’s attitudes? I wouldn’t blame the entire show for that. Yes, people like that do exist and there are going to be characters on TV like that as well.
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:12 pm
There are many ways to show a character’s ignorance, but to ridicule another country’s educational system and undermine the competence and credibility of its graduates is certainly not one of those. With the reach and influence of media, ABC should exercise caution in the production of their shows.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Firstly, we are over OVER reacting. Balat-sibuyas talaga ang mga Pinoy. Let’s think about other jokes involving other countries, nationalities and tribes. They don’t make a big deal out of humour like this. When a certain TV show’s character a few months back said: “You war freak! You belong in Russia… you’ll fit nicely there…”, this was said in humour and did we hear Russia post something on YouTube? No. Because some people (unlike us), know when the hit is below the belt. We consider every hit below the belt. Balat-sibuyas nga.
Please watch this response video.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Please watch this response video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b4SVS_C7Nk
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I ask myself if you watched the whole episode… ‘Cause if you had, you’d know that just the word “menopause” scares her like no other…
Oh, other thing… She said: “…that they’re not from SOME med school…”
Well, ANYWHERE you find SOME med school, and not just in Phillipines, I think that the intention was not say that ALL med schools in Phillipines are bad…
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
To Claypotter; I guess your basis for your reaction was the response video. Well I don’t think that’s enough as basis for “Let’s think about other jokes involving other countries, nationalities and tribes. They don’t make a big deal out of humour like this.” I believe you should look up Don Imus’ radio show which was canceled because of racism and the uproar it brought. Sometimes it’s easy to say balat sibuyas (onion skin) because we certainly do not understand the depth of the issue. And maybe because you do not have a relative, a loved one who works abroad and serve that nation.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:47 pm
pinoys need to worry about the status of the corrupt philippine gov. and how they take money from their own people and deposit it overseas, not a show from america…now thats some bullshit you flips need to worry about..
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:56 pm
To rech: I am a med student and my entire family is in the USA. Even I do not take any offense. You are entitled to your opinion as we are entitled to ours. This will eventually die down and I hope we Filipinos will focus on more “important” matters than our lack of humour. I’m sure people also take joy in seeing Bush with girly make-up on the internet and other political bullshit like that. That’s why Americans are stronger than us because we let something as small as that tick us off. Pleasant day.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Claypotter: You’re just like the show’s writer, ignorant. Are you aware of how popular the show is? Well if you do, you should know that in one way or another, it can influence some people’s views about Filipinos working in the health industry.
If we just keep on shrugging off jokes such as this, then we have let some people make a laughing stock out of each and every Filipino.
Russians or any other nationality or race
may not have reacted publicly about these types of joke but that doesn’t mean they don’t think such lines are deplorable and racist, elitist or whatever you may call them. Besides, can you support your claim that those people didn’t post anything on the web. You can’t speak or read Russia’s language, do you? Your basis is so shallow.
It’s natural for Filipinos to react because Uncle Sam is so dying to hire more and more Filipinos to work in their hospitals and nursing homes.
And just like that scriptwriter, educate yourself. Try to understand rippling effects. Better yet, try taking a course that could help you understand the depth and impact of poorly researched/written scripts.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:17 pm
whoa..tsk tsk.. calm down guys. two sides of the story. i agree that claypotter is entitled to his/her own opinion on this matter as we are to ours. we Filipinos CAN sometimes get too worked up about stuff like these.
as i read the comments on youtube, i came upon a user who remarked: “as if you would choose a filipino doctor over an american”.
it really made me think. is this the kind of reputation we have overseas? if so, we should think of ways to change this. we have so many filipinos who have brought shame to our name because of fake diplomas, swindling, etc. and as “light” a humour as this is, it is a direct hit to our ego..and to our medical industry.
maybe for the show, a little more sensitivity.. and for us filipinos, a little more work on how we can show other countries that we can be competent in the medical world and in other areas as well.
October 4th, 2007 at 1:23 am
[...] really appreciated her latest entry, Desperate Housewives’ Desperation. Being a Filipino herself, I can see her being offended by a derisive remark from a television [...]
October 8th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Judging by the number of comments, you have really touched a nerve here Rechelle. I agree with you that it was an insulting, racist line. Why do so many people consider small minded ridicule humorous?
October 10th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
[...] every time someone makes fun of a particular group, we tend to become insensitive to real-life examples of racism, sexism and hack ethnic comedy. My brush with advertising history occurred on a normal day. I was at home the other evening, [...]