Asian-americans breaking through the entertainment barrier

America is a white-bread nation, at least culturally, and on television. Sure, cultural others are shown on television, but they are often parded out as cultural stereotypes - Indian grocer, Chinese over-achieving academic automatons, Japanese ninjas, black gang-members, gay-queens.

But over the years, certain groups have managed to detach themselves from being token stock characters, to becoming normalized - acceptable as real characters on television, where their experiences as people trumps their experience as a minority group. Think Bill Cosby and Will & Grace.

The next break-out group is the Asians. My question is then, where are the mainstream Asian-american acts?

Well, I think I found them - on NBC's show "American's Got Talent.", a variety talent show, a kind of uber-vaudeville where the judges include Brandy and David Hasselhoff (think Baywatch for you younger readers).

They are At Last, an asian boy band from LA. They sing great, have great charisma, and are poised to win a major American talent show. They are on the brink of stardom, and if they do, my bet is that they will finally normalize Asian americans on TV.

But best of all, they innovate: they sing accapella harmonies, barber-shop quartet style, fused with human beatbox, and crazy rythmic vocallings.

Can Americans finally embrace Asian-americans culturally?

From the June 26th semi-final (Aint No Sunshine):



Pay attention to the interview that captures their rupture from the old asian stereo-type, and embracing the american entertainment big-time:

"Our family and friends were really suportive of us, in the beginning they were a little hesitant because they wanted us to pursue profession careers ..in law, in medicine, and stuff like that.. but now they're our biggest fan club."

Bonus: watch Brandy's reaction when the boys start singing. Priceless.

The semifinal on July 20 (Let's Stay Together):