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Tonight NBC aired the season three finale of Community, so we’re happy to share our brief interviews with some of the folks behind the show!
At the WonderCon 2012 press line, Racebending.com managed to squeeze in a few questions to the creator and some of the actors of NBC’s show Community. The cast and creators were in good spirits that day and the room was packed! Community had just returned to TV, and it’s mid-season premiere had delivered NBC’s highest non-sports ratings in its time slot in the past 14 months. Not only was the show up 38% from it’s season average, it also scored a 2.2/7 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic.
with Gillian Jacobs, who plays Britta Perry
RACEBENDING.COM: I was excited to see the 2.2 rating. Finally!
GILLIAN JACOBS: We beat American Idol in certain demographics!
RACEBENDING.COM: I think I read somewhere that Community was the “highest rated comedy!” So, we have one question. Community takes characters that could easily become stereotypes and really fleshes them out. What would you like to see other studios do to create more roles like Britta?
GILIIAN JACOBS: Oh, wow. Well, I think it’d really great when a character gets to be both principled, and selfish. I think her hypocrisy is what makes her really fun, because you know, two things can kind of exist simultaneously. So more, complex, funny, and messed up people!
With Yvette Nicole Brown, who plays Shirley Bennett
RACEBENDING:I wanted to congratulate you on the ratings. It’s incredible!
YVETTE NICOLE BROWN:Thank you, dear.
RACEBENDING: So I just wanted to ask one question…
YVETTE NICOLE BROWN: Okay!
RACEBENDING:…which is, Community takes characters that could easily become stereotypical and really fleshes them out so they are in no way that. I wanted to ask you as an actor of color, what would you like to see other studios do to bring on more roles like Shirley?
YVETTE NICOLE BROWN: I’d like them just to cast some black people. I don’t know why… Can they cast some black folk? I mean, I know that that’s simplistic. But I do think that it would be great if every show would represent the world. There’s Asians, there’s Native Americans, there’s black people, there’s Latinas–there’s more than just white people in the world. If you’re gonna do a show in a metropolitan area like New York, you need to have some color. Pick your color, it doesn’t matter, just put some color. I think more people of color, all the races that are underrepresented need to be more on television,period.
Actor and comedian Aasif Mandvi spoke out this week about Hollywood’s practice of “whitewashing” (a subset of the practice we’ve nicknamed ‘racebending’ on our website.) Guns blazing, too!
Mandvi opened with a satirical editorial on Salon.com, parodying the mindset of Hollywood executives. We’ve posted an excerpt below but make sure to read the entire editorial at Salon!
“All I have to say is that whitewashing has been going on since as long as Hollywood has existed — it’s a tradition — and rather than non-white people complaining about it, they should embrace it. It will make going to the movies so much easier and more fun. But there are just a few things you need to understand.
“First, stop watching movies as ethnic people and start watching them as white people. There’s nothing that white people like more than seeing other white people in movies and on television. When you go to the movies with your ethnic “judgment” eyes, you miss my point. Watch as a white person, and suddenly your outrage turns to understanding and laughter.
“…My point is, I’m not the bad guy. I’m just the rich guy. When you look at it through my studio executive lens, you understand how important it is that both white people and non-white people believe that Indians, Asians, Mexicans and Arabs are truly just white people in brown makeup.
“…I am even prepared to make a deal with you ethnic people out there. Every time you let me cast a non-Caucasian character with a Caucasian actor, I will give you two or three non-white actors in smaller supporting roles. Why not lead roles? Because I’m trying to make a living here. I have spent a lot of time and money throughout history convincing everyone that white is normal. I have even convinced non-white people that white is better, prettier, smarter, stronger, and that only white people can truly be the heroes. Everyone has bought into it, and now you want me to just abandon all my hard work?”
Aasif Mandvi is best known for his role as a correspondent on The Daily Show; he was also cast as Commander Zhao in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender adaptation that launched our website. Mandvi is also the co-writer and star of the foodie film Today’s Special, inspired by his Obie-winning one-man play, Sakina’s Restaurant..
“The Immortal Rules” book cover whitewashed, optioned for movie adaptation
April 27th, 2012 by Marissa LeeDeadline reports that Julie Kagawa’s book, The Immortal Rules, has already managed to sell screen rights. The book was published by Harlequin Teen this week. The story is set in the future United States and is about a girl named Allie Sekemoto who is turned into a vampire.
The review at Kirkus notes the disconnect between the book cover and excerpts from the book where other characters explicitly describe Allie as Asian.
Given the katana-wielding heroine has already been whitewashed on the book cover, this doesn’t bode very well for the movie.
Supporting character whitewashed in film adaptation of “Warm Bodies”
April 21st, 2012 by Marissa LeeIssac Marion’s zombie love story novel Warm Bodies is being adapted into a Hollywood film, but some of the diversity in the novel won’t be following it to the big screen.
Warm Bodies was acquired by Summit Entertainment (the same studio that produced The Twilight Saga before Summit Entertainment merged with Lionsgate (the studio that produced The Hunger Games)
In the novel, the best friend of the female lead is a woman named Nora. In the book, Nora is described as half black and half white, with brown skin. In the film, she will be played by white American figure skater, actress, and fashion model Analeigh Tipton.
In the book, Nora is clearly described as having brown skin and being of Ethiopian descent:
Although this is a bit late, it’s still noteworthy! Last month, Racebending.com attended to WonderCon in Anaheim! Like last year, we were the only Avatar: The Last Airbender fan group with an official table, so we were really excited, especially since The Track Team was there to present the full opening of The Legend of Korra. We also got to meet fabulous Korra and Aang cosplayers!
Our table was set up in the back of the floor, but that didn’t deter con-goers from showing up to say hi. We had a drawing for prizes including Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise Part 1, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Lost Adventures, and Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology. Participants had to play a matching game where they matched several characters of color to the actors Hollywood has (or had!) cast them in.
With the advent of a new Avatar and the premiere of The Legend of Korra, long distance Racebending.com co-founders and collaborators Lori Sammy and Marissa Lee got together to watch the online premiere together…on instant message!
In what we hope will be the first in a series, we gush over and break down the concepts presented in The Legend of Korra using a racebending lens! What do the Equalists have in common with the X-Men? Why are Mako and Bolin fresh and juicy? And where exactly does one find lychee juice?
Read on for our chat transcript! The images were created from our own screencaps, as well as pulled from tags on tumblr, including Korra-Gifs.tumblr.com.
Episode 1: Welcome to Republic City
Marissa: Opening credits… that’s definitely Aang right.
Lori: YES. I saw a gif of him in slow-mo and ID’d him with his jaw-beard.
Marissa: I like how he has the same beard as Mike di Martino.
Lori: ahaha is that how it works? Brilliant.
Marissa: “United Republic of Nations”. I really wonder how this is governed? Like does the earth kingdom have an advantage because the capital is there, and was there a reason why they chose this port city to be the capital…is it because it is equidistant to the other three capitals? And do the nations rule equally?
Lori: It’s by the water, at least. But I’m surprised that Aang thought that having a central city like this was a good idea. Considering how badly it went for Ba Sing Se.
Marissa: I think the city of Yu Dao (from The Promise) becomes Republic City.
Marissa: Oh man, random White Lotus people…do they have a national affiliation?
Lori: I love how everyone knows who they are now.
Marissa: And was it always their role to look for the Avatar? Did they just go into hiding after Aang went missing?
Lori: I’m not sure, but I like that theory.
Review of Eisner-nominated PrinceLess, and interview with writer Jeremy Whitley!
April 12th, 2012 by Tony Le
The covers of Princeless.
In the midst of a comic book world that feature the dark, grim alleys of Gotham and the ever-growing list of Hulks, Princeless is a brightly-colored and often hilarious four-issue mini that follows the adventures of Princess Adrienne and her trusty pet dragon, Sparky. And boy–do they have adventures.
Whitley (writer) and Goodwin (artist)’s Princeless offers a fresh and literally bright view of the young, female heroine of color and her struggle to create her own sense of agency in a world where princesses wait for princes to rescue them. Princeless comments on the various issues facing women in comic books today, from impractical outfits juxtaposed by slapstick humor and jokes that entertain all ages.
Princeless is a fast read, not only because of its target audience of young girls, but also because of its exciting pacing and plot. Adrienne, trapped in her own castle, breaks free and decides to rescue all her other sisters from the clutches of tower guardians. She develops her own sense of her world, through her eyes, while questioning the old traditions that play out over and over again in comic books and popular media, such as, “Why do girls have to be rescued by men?” and “Why should a woman’s armor have to show cleavage or stomach?”
Adrienne’s story is not hers alone, however. Like any hero in a story, she is joined by a large cast of family and friends, including the half-dwarf, half-human, Bedelia; her brother, Devin, who is more interested in poetry and plays than he is in swords and combat; and her trusty animal sidekick, the dragon Sparky. Whitley crafts a good story in that each of these characters struggles against the norms that are set out from them, with Adrienne’s strong personality at the forefront of the story.
Mia Goodwin’s wonderful art also enhances the story, adding layers of depth and nuance to each of the characters. There is never a repetitive or boring panel; each one pops off the page with the same vibrancy and light that the dialogue and thought-boxes offer. While the art is cartoon in nature, it highlights Adrienne’s adventure as a young girl: optimistic and bright, filled with wonderful friends and faces.
With its excellent writing and stellar art, Princeless is a must-read. It’s no surprise that Princeless is up for several comic book awards this year, including the 2012 Eisner Awards and the 2012 Glyph Comics Awards.
As a special treat, Racebending.com not only has a review of Princeless, but an interview with its writer, Jeremy Whitley, as well. He spoke to us about the many layers and depths of Princeless, offering insight into his writing style and the background behind Adrienne’s compelling story and her future in comic book stores.
Interview with The Track Team: The musicians behind The Legend of Korra
March 27th, 2012 by Marissa LeeThe Track Team is a music and sound design production company co-founded by Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn. They are the talented composers behind the music and sound for the Golden Reel-nominated animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Track Team has been on the Avatar project since the very beginning and they are now working on seasons one and two of The Legend of Korra–the sequel to Avatar that premiered online this weekend at KorraNation.com. Beyond Avatar, the Track Team has also written for film, television, commercials, and video games, including for DC Showcase and Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.
The Track Team– Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn–at Wondercon 2012 in Anaheim, CA
Racebending.com co-founder Marissa Lee was invited to interview The Track Team at Wondercon 2012, before the duo’s presentation of the opening credits of The Legend of Korra at the “Famous TV Theme Music” panel.
RACEBENDING.COM: How did you get started working on Avatar: The Last Airbender?
WYNN: Let’s see…Well, I was good friends with [series co-creator] Bryan Konietzko. And he knew of–you know, I was living with him when I was going to school at CalArts (California Institute of the Arts), where Jeremy [Zuckerman] was as well–that was where the two of us met, and we were working together on a few various things. Bryan and Mike [DiMartino] were in development for the show and when they got greenlit, he basically asked us if we wanted to be involved. We said sure, not knowing what we were doing or what we were getting ourselves into. We were like, “Of course! No problem!”
ZUCKERMAN: We knew it would be an awesome project.
WYNN: Yeah.
ZUCKERMAN: We could see all the work from stage one. [Bryan] would be like check out this character! Check out this “Aang”! Check out Appa–this is going to be Appa! I think that Appa might have been called something else, maybe? I can’t remember.
WYNN: Well, Katara had a different name.
ZUCKERMAN: Kya.
WYNN: I mean, I am sure some of the stuff in that book [Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of the Animated Series was drawn at our kitchen table. I’d be like, “Oh, that’s pretty cool, man.”
ZUCKERMAN: Ben and I would be working in the room one over, and Bryan would be doing something beautiful on–what was that thing, he had this…
WYNN: A light box, an animators light box.
ZUCKERMAN: We were totally immersed in it, which is a great way to start a project. We really understood it, from the ground up.
The Avatar: The Last Airbender opening music
WYNN: One of the things they talked about early on was a lot of World Music influences. At CalArts, we were just lucky enough to be able to study some of that stuff. And Bryan would come to some of those concerts and really engage with gamelan(an Indonesian music ensemble) music and some West African music. So, I think he just–it was Bryan’s sort of vision that we would do the music and sound and that it would be great.
After months of anticipation and a recent flurry of viral marketing, Nickelodeon has finally announced the airdate for The Legend of Korra, the sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender! The new animated series will air on April 14th at 11am on Nickelodeon.
From the official press release:
The Legend of Korra, in which the mythology of the beloved animated franchise from Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko continues.
The series centers around a new Avatar named Korra, a 17-year-old headstrong and rebellious girl who continually challenges and bucks tradition on her quest to become a fully realized Avatar in a world where benders are under attack.
The half-hour series will debut on Saturday, April 14, at 11:00 a.m. (all times ET/PT), as part of Nickelodeon’s Saturday morning block (8AM-Noon), which has been the number-one destination for Kids 2-11 for 12 consecutive years and currently delivers more than three million total viewers each week. The Legend of Korra will air regularly on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
Series creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino were on hand at the New York City Upfronts to introduce the show to the industry and press.
The duo (known affectionately to fans as “Bryke“), also introduced one of two new trailers for the series! This new trailer features a first look at the character of Amon, Korra’s nemesis.
The second trailer is also now online…
Select members of the press were invited to an online screening room for the first episode; bootleg copies from this screening are now circulating the internet. Initial buzz has been very positive.
Fans who have been following the production closely will note that Nickelodeon has revised the title of the show, removing both the “Avatar” and “The Last Airbender” titles and making the subtitle, “The Legend of Korra” the full title of the series.
Viral Marketing with Korra Nation!
In addition to airing commercials on the Nickelodeon channel, over the last few weeks, Nickelodoen has been aggressively marketing The Legend of Korra to the online Avatar fanbase through its Korra Nation campaign. Fans can join Korra Nation via Facebook to access and share new content on Facebook and Twitter and earn points to win prizes.
Last week, Korra Nation also challenged fans to 100,000 new likes and shares by March 24th–if fans are successful, Nickelodeon will release the first episode of the series early!
Korra on Tumblr
The Korra Nation is also posting released content on tumblr.
Some of the creative minds behind Korra have also landed on tumblr. They include series co-creator Bryan Konietzko (bryankonietzko.tumblr.com), director Joaquim Dos Santos (2-cents.tumblr.com) and martial arts consultant Sifu Kisu (sifu-kisu.tumblr.com). Make sure to check them out!
With so much momentum on tumblr, Racebending.com has jumped on board as well. Fellow tumblr users can follow and reblog us at racebending.tumblr.com!
Anyone going to WonderCon? (It’s next weekend, March 16th through 18th, in Anaheim, CA) There’s a lot of programming available for Avatar: The Last Airbender fans and Racebending.com supporters this year!
CONVENTION FLOOR
Although Nickelodeon and Dark Horse comics are NOT exhibiting this year, Racebending.com will host our fan table (Booth F-09)
We’ll have lots of giveaways (past giveaways include stuffed Appas and Momos, pins with Aang and Korra, comic books, etc.) t-shirts for sale, and information about The Legend of Korra. We’ll also have our interactive photo collage running!
Artists Alley will also boast some A:TLA artists, including Joshua Middleton (AA-093), who is currently working on The Legend of Korra. You’ll also be able to find fan artist DJ ‘Dark Kenjie’ Welch (AA-049) in the alley.
PROGRAMMING
- “Pitching Diversity”
Friday, March 16 1:30 – 2:30pm Room 208AB
You made it through the iron gates to pitch your project. When do you bring up the diversity of your characters? Forcefully at the outset, scribbled on a well-hidden Post-It note, or in a closing utterance as you flee out the door? How do diverse actors pitch themselves for all roles? Widelantern.com delves into this topic as its writer Ken Choy moderates a roundtable discussion with Brandon Easton (Shadowlaw, Thundercats), Randall Park (Supah Ninjas), Teresa Huang (Knight Rider remake), Charles Howard (Producers Guild of America Diversity Committee), Adam Wolman (Widelantern co-founder; creative consultant), and Frank Gonzalez (director, talent development and diversity, Disney/ABC Television Group). - “Famous TV Theme Music”
Friday, March 16 5:00-6:00 Room 213
Composers of popular television theme songs discuss their writing process and their influences to their craft. Charles Fox (The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, Love Boat, Happy Days), Parry Gripp (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Jeremy Zuckerman & Benjamin Wynn (Avatar the Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra), will discuss their contributions to TV theme music. Attendees will get to see a select clip from the new series The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra. Room 213
- DC Nation Special Video Presentation and Q&A
Friday, March 16 5:00-6:00 Room 204
Avatar: The Last Airbender director Giancarlo Volpe will be on the panel presenting on DC Nation.
- “Geek Slant: How the East Meets West”
Saturday, March 17 4:30-5:30 Room 207
From comics and film to television and new media, Asian Americans have been making their mark on pop culture. Racebending-Media Consumers for Entertainment Equality hosts this no-holds-barred conversation featuring Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man), Jen Wang and Diana Nguyen (Disgrasian), Freddie Wong (YouTube’s freddiew), and other mavens of their industry to discuss the state of Asian Pacific Americans in niche and mainstream media.
- “Comic Arts Conference Session 10: Adaptation and Media”
Sunday, March 18 2:00-3:00 Room 210
Among the many presentations on adaptation will be one on The Last Airbender. Kathryn M. Frank (University of Michigan) discusses the controversy surrounding the casting of M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender to uncover industry logics regarding casting and the potential success of comics/animation-to-live-action adaptations.
(Please let us know if we’ve missed anything!)
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