From: kerryg@stat.rice.edu (Kerry Go)
Subject: Re: One more time on this (AA spokesperson)
Organization: Dept. of Statistics, Rice University
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 17:27:33 GMT

In article <1992Apr16.070516.17855@watserv1.waterloo.edu> rtang@sunee.waterloo.edu (He who must not be Named.) writes:
>but I suspect everyone into this
>scene eventually wants to make it in film.

I wouldn't go *that* far to say everyone wants to make it into film.  I
suppose if you wanted to be a big star, it would be a good career move,
though.  I would hope, at least, that some people enjoy stand-up comedy
just like some musicians enjoy playing the clubs and coffeehouses without
needing to sell out to the pop scene.

>I would say the same for
>North American comics too.  As for Asian American comedians,
>its rare but they are starting to emerge, snce its now that some
>are finally branching out to non traditional asian american professions.

That's encouraging... if you know any AA comics appearing on TV, please let
us know.

>I sometimes get the feeling americans think they are the only ones in the
>world who has a pop culture/ entertainment industry.  ie) Not a lot
>of Americans ever heard of any Asian celebraties etc.

Do these Asian celebrities perform in English?  They would have a hard time
selling to mainstream America anyway, but I find little point in following
a performer who does not perform in English.  (Or at least has subtitles!)

I've heard in Asian countries, the pop scene is *more* a part of the culture
than it is here.  In other words, there are lots of alternative cutures here,
and there are many singer/songwriters that have a following, though they
don't care to be pop icons, whereas there is it more likely that someone
writes a song, then gets some good-looking pop star to sing it for them (and
has some pretty model on the cover of the album).  Is this really true?  Do
Asian countries have the equivalent of Off-off-broadway plays, for example?
The equivalent of the singer/songwriter coffeehouse circuit?  (For those
interested in flaming this paragraph, just answer the questions.  Not every
question is a challenge of your credibility.)

>  I know
>before I went to Japan, I never knew or was interested in the 
>Japanese pop music scene.   Like people in North America seem to forget
>there's a world out there.  ie) there is ONLY American movies and music
>and EVERYONE in the world ONLY enjoys that.  (exaggerations, but you get
>that kind of feeling sometimes)  Indeed American entertainment is
>popular world wide, but that isnt ALL thats popular.  Seems like a lot
>of stuff never reach americans.  I dont know if this is my accident or
>by choice.  <- I guess both is true in some cases.

Many of the best movies are foreign, but you have to develop an appreciation
for other cultures to get into this, and most Americans (this does not mean
white Americans; this means people who live in the U.S.) do not care about
the people beyond their borders.  But it is not only Asian movies I'd like
to see more of; I've seen movies from Israel, Germany, France, Sweden,
Spain, Italy, etc., and would like to see more of those, too.  (I don't know
about foreign entertainment of other media, so I can't comment on that.)

>Sorry for rambling like this.

Don't be sorry!  I've enjoyed reading.  For one thing, you got through a
whole post without insulting anyone (a lot)--a endangered species.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american