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Lisa Chan (file)
The actress identified as Lisa Chan is now apologizing for taking part in a racially charged political campaign ad. She issued the following statement on Facebook:
I am deeply sorry for any pain that the character I portrayed brought to my communities. As a recent college grad who has spent time working to improve communities and empower those without a voice, this role is not in any way representative of who I am. It was absolutely a mistake on my part and one that, over time, I hope can be forgiven. I feel horrible about my participation and I am determined to resolve my actions.
Just to refresh your memory, Republican Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra hired the Asian actress to essentially mock her own culture, resulting in one of the worst campaign ads ever.
Chan starred in the controversial super bowl ad targeting Michigan incumbent Debbie Stabenow. Our very own Lawrence O'Donnell covered the story in last week's Rewrite segment.
In the ad, Chan says in very broken English, "Debbie spend so much American money you borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie spend-it-now." And she's standing in a rice paddy.
The ad seems to have backfired on Hoekstra. A new PPP poll shows Stabenow in the lead with 51 percent of the vote, and Hoekstra coming in a distant second with 37 percent.
Another survey by PPP found 45 percent of voters in Michigan are now less likely to vote for Hoekstra.
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Maybe as pennance, Lisa Chan can offer to do a political ad for Debbie Stabenow. Her apology is enough for me, wish her a successful acting career.
AS LOD already pointed out, it's tough being a young actress and trying to find work. Ms. Chan will be redeemed. My guess is Hoekstra will not.
My guess is Hoekstra will not.
Not what? Find work?
It's a shame she can't explain how the character she portrayed was a sarcastic, ironic commentary on whites's stereotypes of Chinese people, well recognized as such in the LA young Chinese community. But when you have big-time cyberstalkers like Lawrence coming after you, its easier to just go with the flow and do the boilerplate apology. A sad day for anti-racist irony, but that's the PC bully-dominated world we live in. So it goes....
Hi, Lawrence. Good information on the Pete Hoekstra ad/Lisa Chan apology story. Enjoy the updates. Pete Hoekstra's last name is correctly pronounced (HOOK'-struh), "Hook" rhyming with "book". And Debbie Stabenow's last name is pronounced (STAB'-uh-now), not Stab-uh-noe. Thanks, James Gemmell - News/Talk 1340 WJRW, Grand Rapids, MI.
Lawrence: Good story on the Lisa Chan apology, per the Pete Hoekstra ad. I do want to clarify the pronunciation of the former Congressman's last name. It is HOOK'-struh ("HOOK" rhymes with "book"). For some reason, people on the east side of Michigan mispronounce it as HOAK'-struh. I know Pete, so I can assure you it is not pronounced that way. Also, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow's last name is pronounced STAB'-uh-now, not STAB'-uh-noe. :-) --James Gemmell, News/Talk 1340 WJRW, Grand Rapids, MI.
It's very reassuring to see such a young woman do such a mature thing as to publicly apologize, without equivocation. She doesn't need to do a single thing more than that sincere apology. I wish her much success in her career and I hope she suffers no backlash from the ad. Thank you L.O. for reporting it and for excellent commentary regarding it. I wish more folks would follow Lisa's example, like participants of reality TV. Lisa, KUDOS to YOU!
I am not racist, but i know the truth when i hear it. the truth is that our government is borrowing to spend it on dept or a war that shoud not have happened, and they are letting all our companies go off shores and still sell to the American people. Our government doesn't care about us. They are screwing was with out even saying thank you. That does not make the comersial okay it just makes Lawrence wrong for acting so affended like it would never happen when it is happening now! The big important truth is that the economy is weak!
Dept of War? All our companies go off shores? How young is the young american? How educated is the young american? Where do you get your information and could you please provide evidence of the existence of the Dept of War? Evidence that ALL companies are going off shores? (I used your words, grammatically wrong as they are.) Please refrain from announcing your ignorance so forcefully! Thank you.
Lisa. Lawrence O'Donnell is wrong. You should be commended for your work in the Hoekstra ad. You, like many other actors played a roll and channeled an ugly, racist and bigoted ideology of the sponsor of the message. No one should or could project that on you personally. To the contrary, without your work the constituents of Hoekstra may not have realized his real views and distorted socio-political perspectives. Your work was able to expose those views to the electorate and now they are responding, In this case to Hoekstra's detriment. He, through you, revealed his real persona.
Do not apologize for using your talent to, in this case, channel the ugly side of a politician. I hope that other actors will come to your defense and that Mr. O'Donnell, who I respect, will see the error in his views on your involvement in the Hoekstra ad, and change his criticism to commendation for helping to expose him.
regards and best wishes
Good points, match2blue. Lawrence seems to have a totally tin ear for this kind of subtle irony. Lisa is a brave person, and deserves our support for going out on a limb like she did.
Wonderful analysis. Made me realize I had not thought this through. All the best.
Match2Blue, you give an eloquent view of the intricacies in social politics, but to give the actress credit for helping expose Hoekstra as if that was her intent is to give credit where none is due. Clearly she didn't intend to perpetuate a racial stereotype, nor did she intend to expose Hoekstra as a bigot. What she intended to do was to earn a paycheck and get work in her career field. She's neither guilty or innocent, but had the personal integrity to realize that she MAY have made a mistake. The thing she really should be commended for is the unequivocal apology she offered. No excuses, no rationalization, just amends and for that she earns redemption as well as a big fat KUDOS!
To blame a child, Lisa is so young, for America's dirty politicking practices seems misplaced from a media used by the cleptocracy to spread terror in a war of biggest clepotcratic criminal wins.
Absolutely a mistake on Mr O'Donnell's part to not put the blame squarely on the advertiser who paid Lisa, but use her as a scapegoat for an endemic rot.
Seriously, how can you blame this poor girl for doing this, when the 'actors' on FAUX News get paid for repeating political lies every day?
wow Lawrence, are you telling me you are a free agent and everything you say is in your own words - that you are not paid to follow the line of your owners and sponsors.
Shame on you, this girl is an actress and was doing a job - you have no right to criticize her. No actor or actress should be demonized for a role they have played. You sir are wrong. My son is an actor, an Asian American, and I have had to bite my tongues, and talk myself through some of the roles he has played. I have even asked him once not to do a role, but after much thought went back and gave him my support 100%
Lisa Chan you should be applauded for feeling uncomfortable about this role, but you should never have to apologize.
A couple of things..... the burden of the blame should be on Pete Hoekstra for creating the ad. Pointing out the ad was a good thing, but the actress was just playing a part......
To read between the lines more, corporations who have been allowed to move their operations--jobs and money outside the USA to China, Mexico, Malaysia, etc, etc... due to labor costs. In additions, these same corporate headquarters hide their money in offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes and then donate their money to political heavy hitters in Congress. They create an unfair advantage and the rationale is, its just "part of doing business".
Should we again refer ( we have in past!) to the Banking Senator from...., or IT House member from..... or the oil Senator from....? Is our democracy for sale?
Should we again refer ( we have in past!) to the Banking Senator from....
I think pur senators and congresspersons should wear company jackets, patches and caps that show their actual corporate affiliations. Come out of the closet, guys!
and have their cars adorned with their sponsors ala nascar style