Lisa Chan, Actress In Pete Hoekstra China Ad, Apologizes: 'It Was Absolutely A Mistake'

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON -- Lisa Chan, the actress who appeared in a political ad that was widely criticized for furthering negative stereotypes of Asian-Americans, has apologized, calling her participation "a mistake."

The ad, broadcast in Michigan on Super Bowl Sunday and removed from circulation later that week, showed a woman, played by Chan, bicycling through a landscape of rice paddies dressed in khakis and a yellow shirt -- apparently the reason for an unfortunate typo that labeled her as "yellowgirl" in an Internet html code.

As she approached the camera, the actress thanked "Michigan Senator Debbie Spend-it-Now" for supposedly spending too much money, in turn helping the Chinese economy. "Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good," she said in broken and stereotypically accented English.

"I am deeply sorry for any pain that the character I portrayed brought to my communities," Chan wrote on her Facebook page, as first reported by the Angry Asian Man blog. "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."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/lisa-chan-pete-hoekstra-apologizes_n_1280271.html

[seabeyond]

1. good for her. i admire the woman. she knows how to apologize and take responsibility. nt

[Loudmxr]

2. I forgive you. That is what we do.

But don't expect to be forgiven by the RW who will call you a dirty Asian whore. That is what they do.

[Moosepoop]

3. Kudos to her.

Ms. Chan gave an honest and sincere apology. I applaud her for that.

[valerief]

4. Just saying you're sorry won't cut it. Go all out to support a progressive and I'll think about

forgiving you.

[glinda]

17. Conservatives' M.O. Do something crappy then apologize later.

She chose poorly.

[lunasun]

26. of course just apologize

did she give back or donate her pay?

[TheWraith]

28. You're going to assume she could?

Out of curiosity, how many recent college graduates in this economy do you think could afford to turn down a job? Probably one that paid reasonably well, too, for not a ton of work. Unless you've never taken a job you didn't feel 100% wonderful about, I wouldn't hurry to blame the girl for thinking she could take the check and run. Better people have done worse.

[valerief]

41. Doesn't fly. There are other jobs. Or no jobs. nt

[tabasco]

5. Did she give the money back?

Maybe she didn't feel THAT bad about it.

[GoCubsGo]

42. I hope not.

Why give the money back to that turd, Hoekstra, so that he can roll it into yet another shitty commercial?

[Jim Lane]

6. Given the effect of the ad, I'm not sure she should apologize

Most political ads are worthless crap. This one was very informative, in that it exposed Pete Hoekstra for what he is.

She may not have had this in mind when she agreed to make the ad. Looking back on it with the benefit of hindsight, though, I'd say her participation was giving Hoekstra the rope with which to hang himself.

[rocktivity]

7. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

rocktivity

[immoderate]

8. She does a lousy Chinese pidgin...

I knew she was faking.


-imm

[zappaman]

12. "stupid bimbo"?

I find her apology, her awareness of her mistake and her demeanor to be far more incisive and well-written than your post.

[efhmc]

15. Taking responsibility for ones mistakes is not the action of a bimbo.

[stevenleser]

13. Please consider removing the slur against women. nt

[zbdent]

10. maybe, as an "apology" ...

she should appear in an advertisement supporting "Debbie Spend-It-Now", and, in clear, unbroken, unaccented ("Americanized) English (her true first language), explain how she was paid to act like that.

[BeHereNow]

18. EXCELLENT suggestion- and for free

With plenty of emphasis on what the director/producer told her
they wanted from her performance. ( I can just imagine)
It would certainly encourage people to not vote for Pete.
What a racist disgusting ad it is.

BHN

[pa28]

11. She made a mistake and offered a sincere apology.

For somebody that young, in need of money or really wanting to get some acting credits it might be easy to overlook what was happening. The reality of what she participated in might only have been clear to her when she saw the finished product.

I say good for her. The easiest thing would have been to double down and offer a defense of the ad to cover herself.

[sarcasmo]

14. Right on, Lisa Chan.

[itsrobert]

16. Good for her

She's young. People make mistakes. The ad did more harm to the republican. She was exploited. She can keep the money as far as I am concern.

[handmade34]

19. a respectful apology

she's young, she made a mistake and she is mature enough to apologize for it... I respect her for that and hope the lesson learned will stay with her...

[Suji to Seoul]

20. Things people will sell-out for for pennies on the dollar

She didn't think poorly of it while she was doing it. Now that there is a firestorm, she feels bad???

Things people will do for money.

[philly_bob]

21. Well-handled apology (after an unfortunate choice) n/t

[MrBig]

22. Good for Her

Very honorable for her to take this action.

While some may criticize her for having done the ad in the first place, I know nothing about her and what compelled her to do the ad and I choose not to make judgmental assumptions about her motives. Maybe she's a die hard conservative? Maybe she desperately needed the money in these difficult times? Who knows.

But this was a mature act on her part.

[AnnieBW]

23. Good for her!

I know that she's a kid just out of college, and looking for her first "real" acting job. So, everybody cut her a break. We all did stupid things when we were 21.

[tech_smythe]

25. she's just an actress reciting lines

i see neither reason to condemn or forgive her.
she took a job that probably paid a fair bit of money.
and in this economy, which one of us really had the luxury of turning that down?

[Figaro78]

39. Too late, Lisa, too late

Just an actress reciting lines? Tell that to the Tea Party morons who'll take her performance at face value and vote accordingly.
At 21, she knew exactly what she was doing--unless she's mentally deficient--and her apology is worthless.

[HuckleB]

24. Sounds like a great opportunity for Stabenow to turn the tables.

Hire her for a response ad. Hoekstra would be dead in the water.

[Mz Pip]

27. I used to do some acting

Years ago I got a call to do an ad for Reagan's reelction. I didn't do it. I know it's a tough business and very competitive but I really didn't want to be portrayed as someone who loved Reagan.

[regnaD kciN]

29. Thank you for having principles...

There's a big difference between taking a stand at cost to yourself, as opposed to selling out and then "apologizing" after it's too late to undo the damage and you suddenly realize lots of people are mad at you.

[MADem]

30. You can't always get the lead role in the Shakespeare play, but good for her to apologize.

I was appalled at the racism in the advertisement, and I wondered if this was a starving actress or someone who didn't have the context to go along with the script.

I like her apology--it's no BS, straightforward, none of that "If I have offended anyone" nonsense--just a flat out "I fucked up and I feel lousy about it." Good on her.

And the real silver lining?

Stabenow, on the other hand, raised a significant amount of money as a result of backlash to the spot.

[SemperEadem]

31. I'm glad to read she said this

this is what an apology sounds like. Many, many MANY people need to take notes and learn and thing or two.

It'd be far better that they didn't do what they did in the first place, but to issue non-apologies as a stand in for apologies is worse than for them to have done the deed in the first place. This woman understands the reasons WHY an apology was warranted and she stepped up--or in the vernacular "woman-upped"--and apologized for what she took part in. I applaud her for her integrity.

[Shankapotomus]

32. Apology accepted

I hope she can get a Daily Show or Colbert appearance out of this. I would love it if they had her do a couple of spinoff spoofs of her mistake.

Colbert to Miss Chan: "Apparently, this wasn't the only ad you've done for Hoekstra."

Miss Chan: "That's right, Steven."

Colbert: "Jim, roll the tape."

"Oh me so horny, Michigan voter. Vote for Hoekstra and me love you long time."

[Javaman]

33. sounds like someone is trying to save a career...

Having worked for many years in the film industry out in Los Angeles, I can tell you, she knew exactly what she was getting into.

It's the negetive blowback that has forced her to appologize.

From time to time, I would get an opportunity to work on European cigerette commericals. They would pay big bucks. But I would turn them all down. I couldn't help promote something I am firmly against.

The casting process for any commercial is a grueling ordeal. It usually goes through several casting sessions, which is usually set up by one's agent. Especially if the production company is signatory.

Yeah, she made a colossal mistake, yeah she's appologizinig for it, but let's be truthful, she knew exactly what she was doing and now is paying the price.

She's trying to save a career that she just screwed up.

[mr.ed]

34. 21

I'm wondering if, at age 21, she had any idea about whom she was denigrating, including herself. Her apology seemed more sincere than any politician in memory. I think that after a time, her career will return, and she'll learn to do a little research before she takes on a role.

[Javaman]

35. Yes she did.

if she has an agent, which she more than likely does. And if the production company was signatory, which more than likely it was (it was a national spot)

And when she went into for the casting call, every single person reads the script.

You don't get a job on a commercial wouthout reading the script.

Also, she knew before hand what the commerical was about, because any agent has to run the content of the commercial past their client before the client can agree to the casting call.

she knew perfectly well what she was getting into.

And as for her age, 21 is old in hollywood. I worked with some kids under 15 that would put most adults to shame.

Age has zero to due with it.

[TwilightGardener]

36. Now that's a real apology, not an "I'm sorry you were offended" apology. Good on her.

[zipplewrath]

37. Good first step

Sister Dorthy used to say there were five steps to forgiveness

1) Admit the wrong

Check

2) Apologize

Check

3) If possible correct/compensate the wrong

A few good suggestions around here including making some commercial for the target of the ad.

4) Commit to not repeating the wrong.

She might want to spend some time considering what she will and won't "do" in her career. Many an actor has had to make these choices. Everything from nudity to gratuitous protrayals of their own ethnicity or gender.

5) Penance/Act of Contrition (well, Sister Dorthy was a nun)

An act, independent of restitution/compensation, that improves self and/or ones community. Sounds like she's already involved in some causes, maybe volunteer some additional time.

[yellowcanine]

38. That's nice but she is just earning a living. Hoekstra is the one who should apologize.

[Figaro78]

40. Nice defense, Lisa, but...

...don't call us; we'll call you. Especially if we need a willing little accessory to a vile slime attack.