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The Talons of Weng-Chiang (TV story): Difference between revisions
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→Racial overtones and issues
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* [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] cited Fu Manchu to [[Robert Holmes]] as an item to use as inspiration for writing ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang''.<ref>http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4s.html</ref> This decision, and its subsequent impact upon the story as an influence, has been since the source of significant criticism. Most of this controversy in the years immediately following its creation was in the US and Canada, where the racial stereotyping and usage of "yellowface" (a practice where yellow makeup and prosthetics are applied to make an individual appear Asian) had already fallen into disfavour many years earlier. It has also been pointed out that Fu Manchu was a depiction that Chinese people had been campaigning and protesting against since the 1920s.<ref>''"Yellow Peril, Dark Hero: Fu Manchu and the 'Gothic Bedevilment' of Racist Intent"'', Karen Kingsbury, pg. 105 (published in 2004 as part of ''The Gothic Other: Racial and Social Constructions in the Literary Imaginations,'' edited by Ruth Bienstock Anolik and Douglas L. Howard, by McFarland & Co.)</ref><ref>''The Chinese in Britain, 1800-Present: Economy, Transnationalism, Identity'', Gregor Benton and Edmund Terence Gomez, pg. 313 (published 2008 by Palgrave MacMillan)</ref> | * [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] cited Fu Manchu to [[Robert Holmes]] as an item to use as inspiration for writing ''The Talons of Weng-Chiang''.<ref>http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/4s.html</ref> This decision, and its subsequent impact upon the story as an influence, has been since the source of significant criticism. Most of this controversy in the years immediately following its creation was in the US and Canada, where the racial stereotyping and usage of "yellowface" (a practice where yellow makeup and prosthetics are applied to make an individual appear Asian) had already fallen into disfavour many years earlier. It has also been pointed out that Fu Manchu was a depiction that Chinese people had been campaigning and protesting against since the 1920s.<ref>''"Yellow Peril, Dark Hero: Fu Manchu and the 'Gothic Bedevilment' of Racist Intent"'', Karen Kingsbury, pg. 105 (published in 2004 as part of ''The Gothic Other: Racial and Social Constructions in the Literary Imaginations,'' edited by Ruth Bienstock Anolik and Douglas L. Howard, by McFarland & Co.)</ref><ref>''The Chinese in Britain, 1800-Present: Economy, Transnationalism, Identity'', Gregor Benton and Edmund Terence Gomez, pg. 313 (published 2008 by Palgrave MacMillan)</ref> | ||
** The Canadian syndication run on TVOntario in 1980 dropped the story and did not air it, due to complaints from the local Chinese Canadian community. In their complaint to TVOntario, the Chinese Canadian National Council described Talons as "dangerous, offensive, racist stereotyping to associate the Chinese with everything fearful and despicable".<ref>Chinese object to Dr. Who". ''Regina Leader-Post''. 7 November 1980. p. 12. Archival copy at https://www.newspapers.com/image/495995728/</ref> Specifically, the CCNC's Dr. Joseph Wong also highlighted the Fu Manchu element as one of the issues.<ref>https://torontoist.com/2013/11/next-on-tvontario-doctor-who/</ref><ref>"TVOntario cancels the rest of Dr. Who", ''The Canadian Press'', 7th November 1980</ref> | ** The Canadian syndication run on TVOntario in 1980 dropped the story and did not air it, due to complaints from the local Chinese Canadian community. In their complaint to TVOntario, the Chinese Canadian National Council described Talons as "dangerous, offensive, racist stereotyping to associate the Chinese with everything fearful and despicable".<ref>Chinese object to Dr. Who". ''Regina Leader-Post''. 7 November 1980. p. 12. Archival copy at https://www.newspapers.com/image/495995728/</ref> Specifically, the CCNC's Dr. Joseph Wong also highlighted the Fu Manchu element as one of the issues.<ref>https://torontoist.com/2013/11/next-on-tvontario-doctor-who/</ref><ref>"TVOntario cancels the rest of Dr. Who", ''The Canadian Press'', 7th November 1980</ref> According to [[Peter Ware (editor)|Peter Ware]] (who is half-Chinese), this protest partly came as a result of TVOntario showing the story to a focus group of Chinese locals, who took strong offence.<ref name=":3">[[DOC]]: [[Race Against Time (documentary)|''Race Against Time'']]</ref> | ||
** The story was not shown on Los Angeles television after 1985 for similar reasons, this time involving a local sponsor of Asian extraction. And multiple other stations in the US and Canada also declined to air it. {{Fact}} | ** The story was not shown on Los Angeles television after 1985 for similar reasons, this time involving a local sponsor of Asian extraction. And multiple other stations in the US and Canada also declined to air it. {{Fact}} | ||
*Despite the story continuing to be acclaimed by ''Doctor Who'' fans, the story has also garnered controversy in later years for its stereotypical portrayals of the Chinese. | *Despite the story continuing to be acclaimed by ''Doctor Who'' fans, the story has also garnered controversy in later years for its stereotypical portrayals of the Chinese. | ||
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**This point is supported by the camera script for part one, which notes merely "(Speaks Chinese)".<ref name=":2" /> | **This point is supported by the camera script for part one, which notes merely "(Speaks Chinese)".<ref name=":2" /> | ||
*In more recent years, authors like [[Kate Orman]] have noted in critical analysis pieces the significance of the Fu Manchu inspiration upon the negative racial overtones of the story.<ref name=":0" /> Orman also rebuked the notion that it would have been too hard to find an Asian actor to play the part of Li H'Sen Chang (whilst also noting that even a correct racial casting would not have solved the racial issues inherent in the story's writing).<ref name=":0" /> | *In more recent years, authors like [[Kate Orman]] have noted in critical analysis pieces the significance of the Fu Manchu inspiration upon the negative racial overtones of the story.<ref name=":0" /> Orman also rebuked the notion that it would have been too hard to find an Asian actor to play the part of Li H'Sen Chang (whilst also noting that even a correct racial casting would not have solved the racial issues inherent in the story's writing).<ref name=":0" /> | ||
*[[DWM 529]] featured a Time Team section on part one of the story. Within it, the members of the Time Team were notably critical of these aspects. Marcus Hearn, who is half-Chinese, was the editor of DWM at the time and wrote his own feelings about the story within his editorial introduction. | |||
**Hearn's editorial introduction was subject of some fan controversy, with some feeling it was patronising.<ref>https://twitter.com/morelandwriter/status/1031510739587149824</ref> Co-editor Peter Ware stepped in to point out that both Hearn<ref>https://twitter.com/PercyIvorWoo/status/1031567785686720514</ref> & himself were half-Chinese<ref name=":3" />, and that neither would intend dismissing the feeling of other Chinese people regarding the nature of the story, just presenting his own opinion.<ref>https://twitter.com/PercyIvorWoo/status/1031619595235483653</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/PercyIvorWoo/status/1031577718931030018</ref> | |||
***Ware also pointed out his discomfort with some fans' comments, from those who weren't of Chinese descent/heritage, as he felt it inappropriate for them to tell him or Hearn - who were - whether or not they should personally be offended by those portrayals.<ref>https://twitter.com/PercyIvorWoo/status/1031563089802604545</ref> Ware had also previously stated a defence of Chang as a character, making the argument that he felt Chang was three-dimensional compared to most other portrayals of Chinese people as villains during that time period and that Chang does at brief moments make comments lightly mocking the prejudices of those around him.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
*Following fan concerns about [[BritBox]]'s easy access of the story and the decision to continue making it accessible with presence of a racial slur, yellowface and stereotype, BritBox decided to put up a trigger warning saying "Contains stereotypes that some may find offensive" to signpost the nature of the story's content.<ref>https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a31633239/doctor-who-trigger-warnings-britbox/</ref> | *Following fan concerns about [[BritBox]]'s easy access of the story and the decision to continue making it accessible with presence of a racial slur, yellowface and stereotype, BritBox decided to put up a trigger warning saying "Contains stereotypes that some may find offensive" to signpost the nature of the story's content.<ref>https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a31633239/doctor-who-trigger-warnings-britbox/</ref> | ||
