Mischa Blok regrets that Marieke Elsinga has contributed to the stereotyping of Asian people with her TV show Alles is Muziek. “I don’t think that’s of this time anymore.”
Marieke Elsinga has caused disappointment by performing two obese Asian men who do crazy tricks with their bodies in her ratings flop Alles is Muziek. Asian people are severely under-represented in the media and critics consider it inappropriate to single them out if they can do a crazy trick.
Miss disappointed
RTL 4 has chosen to remove the act of these Asian men, Yumbo Dumb, from the next episode. And that, according to Mischa Blok, who was born in South Korea and was adopted at the age of three by a Dutch couple from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, is a good thing.
Mischa is disturbed by Marieke’s faux-pas. She says in Show news: “I can be bothered by the Asian stereotypes. I thought we were past that time, right? I am sorry that it still happens. I actually don’t think it’s of this time at all anymore.”
Mary evil?
It is not the case that Marieke has bad intentions, thinks Mischa. “I also understand that Marieke Elsinga does not do it consciously, but I think it is good that we are going to think more about how we portray Asians in the media. And I still think there are too few Asians in the Dutch media.”
Anouk Smulders says in the Shownieuws studio that she has mixed feelings about it. “I totally agree with her, don’t I? But these are also two grown men who are asked to do this and they say yes, right?”
Natacha Harlequin: “I don’t find it pleasant to watch anyway.”