YouTubers Explore What It Means to Be Asian American In Today's Society Through YouTube Series Titled "Yappie"
Every since I first gained access to YouTube in the sixth grade, I was automatically drawn to the Asian influencers in the YouTube community. Growing up I had not seen many Asians in movies or Tv shows, and it was a huge surprise for me to see that Asian content creators, such as Michelle Phan and Ryan Higa, had such a big following. I had been used to Asian actors and actresses constantly playing the same four minor roles: the nerd, the foreigner, the dumb rich girl, and the master of Kung Fu. It was refreshing and somewhat eye opening to see to these Asian Americans being successful in terms of the media, because I had not known of many who had done so previously. Soon after, I discovered hundreds of other popular Asian influencers, such as Kevjumba, WongFu Productions, the Fungbros, and Sam Tsui. These YouTubers are what fundamentally gave Asians a greater platform, and helped millions of Asian kids, such as myself, see that they can be successful in the entertainment industry, without being limited to one line.
I have been following the YouTube duo of Philip Wang and Wesley Chan for the past three years now, and I was extremely excited when they first announced that they were creating a YouTube original series of their own. They announced that the show was going to be called "Yappie,"named after the commonly used term, which essentially means a "Young, Asian, Professional." This initial announcement, along with various teasers and livestreams explaining what the show's premises was, caught the attention of not only myself, but many of my Asian friends and WongFu supporters.
"Yappie" explores the racial and social issues faced by many Asian Americans, and gives audience members of every background a glimpse into the lives of Asian Americans in today's society. Some of the topics addressed throughout this series were the division and conflict between different Asian American ethnic groups, the traditional social standards held by previous generations, and the idea that Asians are disregarded as a minority by other minority groups. These topics were approached and conveyed in a very meaningful way, and left many supporters of this "Remodel Minority" movement proud to be an Asian American. My siblings and I grew very passionate towards these issues as the show continued on, since we could relate to the characters and their struggles on many levels.
One thing that stood out the most to me when watching the series, was how the members of WongFu were able to include the struggles of more than one group of Asian Americans in their episodes. There were many episodes where they showed Asian people of various ethnic groups meeting and discussing their views on the way they are treated in society, which brings up the issue of many Asian Americans feeling unrecognized as Asian. There are also episodes which talk about interracial dating, which I believe is a huge topic of discussion in the Asian community, as older generations are often still against it. I think that by discussing important issues in our community in a lighthearted way, people get a chance to connect themselves emotionally to the characters, and better understand not only the way society portrays them, but how they want to be portrayed by society.
While I could continue on for hours about why I have become so fond of this production company and its content, I think I have made it clear as to why I am so passionate towards this topic. Being able to see people like yourself, facing the same issues you face on a daily basis is something that makes you feel more included in your community, and ultimately gives you a sense of identity. The fact that these influencers have dedicated their career to discussing what they are most passionate about is amazing to see, and I see only bright things for the future of their careers. Whether you are Asian American or of any cultural background, I would highly suggest that you check out this series for yourself. At the end of the day, we all watch hundreds of YouTube videos a day, why not add a couple more to that list?
Click here to check out the Yappie Series: https://youtu.be/iOntet85kBw
I love Wong Fu Productions, and especially enjoyed watching this series! I appreciate that Wong Fu is trying to promote awareness about the Asian American community through the use of media. As an Asian American, I feel that we are always stereotyped as weak and inferior to the other races. . Think about how many Asian actors there are compared to the vast amount of actors who are white. Asians in the U.S. often face institutionalized racism in their workplace in which they get passed over for promotions and job opportunities because of the stereotypes stating Asians lack communication and leadership skills. But here’s the thing, Asians are capable of executing things if not just as much or more as white people. They may be seen as inferior, but they have proved that they are more than just adorable, innocent, and smart. I hope that this series will come out on Netflix or even on the T.V. because people need to become more aware and understand the reality of the Asian American community as they see things from their perspective and immerse themselves in an Asian's life. By continuing to make videos like these, viewers will create new relationships that would allow them to network and strengthen ties between the Asian American community and othe races.
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