Sequel to hit Hollywood film accused of using ‘racist’ name reminiscent of xenophobic Western tropes of earlier times
The Hollywood filmThe Devil Wears Prada 2is facing accusations of racism in China after it released a clip that shows a nerdy Asian character with a name that allegedly sounds similar to the derogatory “Ching Chong”.
In the clip posted by a Chinese influencer, an Asian assistant character introduces herself as “Jin Chao”, which many online observers believed to sound like “Ching Chong”, a derogatory racist slur used to mock the Chinese language and people.
The character’s name, Jin Chao, was mistakenly referred to as “Chin Chou” in a widely circulated hearsay on social media, a variation that unfortunately sounds even more similar to the racial slur “Ching Chong.”
The offensive phrase circulated in the US amid an anti-Asian, xenophobic sentiment in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Also, some people on Chinese social media expressed disappointment with the character’s nerdy image.
Source: News - South China Morning Post
