Mr. James : McDonald’s Japan has a gaijin clown
The white guy in the photo above is Mr. James, the mascot for 4 new burgers of McDonald’s “Nippon All-Stars” series. Residents of Japan who have been riding JR trains or passing by McDonald’s restaurants have probably already seen his face on advertisements. In his TV commercials, Mr. James speaks annoying foreigner Japanese (not unlike the wacky foreigner who spoke NIPPONGO in a recent Sony Commercial). Print advertisements convey his goofy gaijin Japanese by rendering everything he says in katakana.
Mr. James has an official blog chronicling his love for Japan and McDonalds. Its blog posts, no doubt written by a Japanese employee of McDonald’s Japan’s marketing department, put everything in a mix of katakana and hiragana. One blog post contains a special video of Mr. James acting like a moron while reading aloud from a fake Japanese phrasebook [actually an altered version of the book Dirty Japanese].
Judging from this page on his blog, McDonald’s Japan plans to send Mr. James to franchises across the country, allowing him to make lots of blog posts about the places he goes and the people he meets. As of today, he’s only visited Shibuya, but that map should fill up as the campaign gets underway. We can only guess what passing foreigners thought about Mr. James as he stood around handing out fans and speaking wacky broken Japanese.
Not surprisingly, Arudou Debito and the readers of his blog are outraged by the existence of Mr. James. Debito believes that the character reinforces negative stereotypes about foreigners and has compared the actor who plays Mr. James to Stepin Fetchit, a black American who made a became a millionaire in the early 20th century by playing dumb negro characters in Hollywood films. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the dude certainly is acting like the “jackass” Debito believes him to be.
Complaints can be sent to McDonald’s Japan through this contact information. Or you can go over their heads and complain directly to the U.S. head office of McDonald’s.
- Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
- dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
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but then again, some foreign countries stereotype japanese also. so we just have to get use to it seeing these kinds of things
But, if you see non-Westerners being stereotyped in Western lands, someone’s going to get fired, and someone’ll probably get sued.
“… in Western lands, someone’s going to get fired, and someone’ll probably get sued”
By “Western lands” you actually meant “the USA”. I live in Spain and I can assure you that in most Western countries stereotypes are still used in advertising and nobody gets sued.
nobody gets sued….exept by japaneses !
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20030516b5.html
Another more important problem with Japanese at
frij.net and crnjapan.net..
Save our childrens from Japaneses!!
To Harold,
I guess you haven’t seen or heard the numerous racist portrayals of people of Asian descent in many American shows and movies, and on radio, have you?
There’s the hate crime against a “J–” in The Goods movie, which also was shown in the trailers. And, yes, the word J– is used. But Ken Jeong’s character is Korean-American, and then the characters who beat him up, then decide to stage it so they can blame him, saying he attacked them first.
Then there’s the glut of gay Asian characters in TV shows and movies.
Then there’s the portrayals of Asians in commercials for such companies as Six Flags, Wendy’s and KFC, which present stereotypical Asians, speaking in broken English, while all other races shown speak in “normal” American English.
Then there’s the infamous Tsunami song, which was broadcast on the radio on Hot 97, which uttered a number
of racist terms against Asians.
In all these cases no one was fired.
Even such terms as “Chinaman” were used on regular television, and, again, no one was fired.
People of Asian descent are regularly portrayed in the most stereotypical of ways on American TV and cable and in movies, and no one’s fired or disciplined for such portrayals.
In such movies as Raiders of the Lost Ark, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Norbit, non-Asian actors put on yellowface, and again, no one was punished, no one was fired.
Do I also need to bring up the infamous Long Duk Dong character in Sixteen Candles? No one was fired over that one either.
And Hollywood is also filling roles for Asian characters with white actors — (Last Airbender, King of Fighters, Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li, 21, and Dragonball, just to name some recent ones).
Need I continue?
Well said… thank you. Why is it O.K. to produce racist crap at non-white people’s expense but the minute the shoe is on the other foot white people are whining about it?
The protesting of Mr. James is just another example of the current societal trend of “playing the victim”. It seems everywhere I go, people are trying to make a case of how they are being discriminated against. Sensitivity has just gotten way out of control.
Instead of blaming the actor, who isn’t quite on the level of Fetchit just yet, we ought to look at what makes McDonalds think this kind of ad campaign is effective. What’s going on in some Japanese peoples’ minds that would make this sort of ad appeal to them?
@Jordan:
Must admit, it did not occur to me while reading the article, and I continue to be conflicted as to whether I should be offended by this campaign or not.
I applaud you for your insight. Not sure what conclusions can be drawn from the use of this particular stereotype to schlep burgers and what this says about how the U.S. is perceived by other cultures…but it certainly does make one think.
Outstanding observation.
Thank you GOB.
America has plenty examples of movies, TV shows, radio broadcasts and, yes, commercials which present very stereotypical and often racist portrayals of people of Asian descent.
So what’s going on in the minds of white Americans that they think such racist portrayals of Asians would appeal to Americans?
Furthermore, there are Americans of Asian descent, who were born and raised in America. Is that shocking to you?
KFC, Six Flags and Wendy’s are just a number of companies that have stereotypical portrayals of Asians.
Given his apparently befuddled state on the streets of Shibuya, I’m surprised Mr. James wasn’t invited to provide a voluntary urine sample.
And with his buck teeth, squinting eyes and round glasses, I’d say McDonald’s advertising gurus are a little confused with their range of available stereotypes…
Maybe it’s just me…but…
It really just looks like they were greatly inspired by most western tourists / J-bloggers.
Pretentious glasses? Check.
Bad style? Check.
Bad haircut? Check.
KY behavior? Check.
Bad Japanese accent? Check.
I honestly would not know what most western J-bloggers look like. But I can bet this was chosen for its Cuteness value above all, being about as unthreatening as you can get. But this “Mr + first name” (though he could be like Clive James) annoys me too. I am constantly having to correct it.
I solved that problem by literally switching my first and last names around, like it’s written on my passport anyway. Now everyone addresses me properly.
I, on the other hand, ask people to call me by my first name – which happens to be much easier for them to pronounce correctly.
nihonjon:
yup
I think the outrage about this will be more significant than the campaign itself. The ads aren’t THAT bad. Sure they are dumb and unfunny but what advert isn’t. Currently I’m about the same level of spoken Japanese anyway so I’ll partly reinforce the image next time I visit. I’ll just look a whole lot better than Mr. James while I do.
NHKWorld already have dumb gaikokujin characters such as this so it’s nothing new. Recently in one 2008 recorded episode the american character learning about Japanese culture was so amazed by mobile phones that could take pictures that he almost wet himself. He thought they were magic. Literally.
Here in the UK we still have ads that stereotype Japanese in a similar way. One example would be the Oasis soft drink ads where vaguely Japanese screaming girlies cower under a Godzilla style rubber duck alongside stupid jpop style music and that oriental looking font. See the ad at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO5A8XTUg0Q and consider the comments underneath. If it’s any consolation I was offended by that ad but mainly on behalf of my wife and not enough to do anything about it.
Having said that the outrage could do some good if it gets media coverage. Certain issues such as being called firstname-san should really be addressed.
Hey, I thought that advert was pretty funny myself. They all spoke Japanese – if they were hamming it up in broken English you might have a fair comparison.
Oh come on. Does nobody know how to laugh at themselves? That Oasis commercial was hilarious; it’s not unlikely to see that sort of commercial on JAPANESE TV. And this Gaijin guy is funny, too — it’s funny because it’s so often true. If you don’t like it, shrug it off and move on. Or you can realize taht at one point in time, you probably garbled off broken Japanglish, too, and just laugh at yourself, because it’s funny.
Yes, Brian. And I think everyone has forgotten that the character in these commercials has just come over from the U.S., and rightly so, doesn’t speak Japanese. He is not depicted as a “Gaijin” living in Japan, or one who is teaching English here. Lighten up folks, he a comedic character along the lines of Mr. Bean.
Exactly. I think some people blow this way out of proportion.
Also I thin the Oasis advert is legendary. ^^
Yeah, it’s not a fair comparison. If they were supiikingu-raiku-zisu in English then it would be a fairer comparison. Oasis are presenting a slightly unfunny stereotype of one side of Japanese culture as depicted by people who are clearly Japanese and acting in an ad which is not dissimilar from ads running on Japanese TV every night. McDonalds, on the other hand…
I hate how the ten-ten used are actually quotation marks. As if Japanese learning English needed another misuse of English punctuation/capitalization to confuse them.
Yeah, the guy looks like a pretty accurate depiction of an average Japan otaku. I’ve met guys just like that.
Yeah, he sure does look like a Japanophile otaku. When I saw him, I was thinking, “Cool! Lewis Skolnick!”
I can only assume the anger comes from Japanophiles not liking having their shit made fun of. Because as far as offensive stereotypes go, this ain’t much of one.
I don’t find this offensive.
In fact it could be portraying a positive image of the Japanophile American otaku.
He has a positive opinion and is in love with the country, he appears hard working (handing out promo material and shaking hands with a big smile), he’s on his way to learning the spoken language and seems to have pretty much mastered the written language (albeit mixing up hiragana/katakana and avoiding kanji altogether, or maybe he does that on purpose to be cool).
You go Mr.ジェームス!
Maybe McDonald’s is ahead of it’s time, and considers this stereotype to be safe territory now. And Americans to be a valued, well established part of Japanese society, and are able to laugh at themselves, and not take things too seriously.
Sweet mate!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0fuMlDbppI
etc.
But I could be wrong…
Never truer said.
I saw his cutout in my local McD’s and thought “what a bad physique to be advertising fast food!” Pudgy, unhealthy and geekish – was it the burgers who made this man I see before me? Fact is, this campaign will have zero (0) impact on sales. With this recession/depression people are flocking more and more to the 100yen Burger Palace both here and in the US. What worries me is that the evil and overpaid advertising firm (I’ve worked with a few of these fckers) will rattle their gold bangles and medallions and stroke their pony tails and goatees (not a stereotype: a fact) and try to claim credit for a rise in sales.
And you know who they’ll blame, as they wander off with their Tsukimi Burger gripped between their fingers…
“Hey, that junk will kill you. Where’d you get it?”
“Huh? Oh, uh, I got it from some foreigner in Shibuya…”
Well, how do Americans want to be portrayed then? The cowboy look?
Well sah, at les’ ba speakin’ da lingo a bit betta, sah. ‘Dis ‘ere pigeon lingo makes all da white fellas in Japan look like dese can’t spik no proper lingo, no sah!
Hmm. He does look similar to Debito… maybe thats why he’s particularly more outraged than normal, heh.
Really though, it’s more the “clueless tourist” angle they’re going after more than anything, not the whole “all non-japanese are obnoxious morons” angle.
Though I can see that people with a certain bias will see it differently.
On a side note, in a good number of Japanese News Blogs (some posts here, most of them on Japan Today, some on Debito.org). Are slightly concerning comments which generally say things like “all Japanese are childish “(which would imply, that they, the westerner among them, is the only adult), or things along that line of thinking. (that they of Western thought have a superior way of doing things/are superior in one way).
We should really be working together to come to a common ground, or help to aid the issues that would eat away at the discrimination that some Japanese may have.
I do agree generally that, there needs to be a public forum where both Japanese, other Asian foreigners, and Westerners alike can discuss these issues.
This is an untruthful way advertise mcdonalds – he should be morbidly obese and wearing an insulin pump.
Bring back grimace the shake monster.
James should set up a survey: How much would you need to be paid to whore yourself like this?
A: No figure is too low – I’m shameless.
B: At least 100,000 yen.
C: A million or so, plus royalties and appearance fees.
D: No figure is high enough – I’d never be that desperate for cash as long I have at least two kidneys.
I’d say think of it this way… you’re a funny looking white dude in Japan trying to make it by… then some Japanese TV rep approaches you and says Hey, we’ll make you look ridiculous, but you’ll be famous and you’ll get a fat paycheck for it!
I dunno, with the economy the way it is, its an offer that would be hard to refuse, i think
I’d do it for free… But only at the McDonalds closest to Debito’s house.
looks like that dude from shibuya 246 or whatever. i lived in japan for 2 years, and was disappointed to find that most of the foreigners i met were not cosmopolitan, globe-trotting hipsters but instead, by and large, looked like this guy. if gaijin want to improve their image in japan they need to start with themselves. (apologies if you’re one of the 1 in 100 cool foreigners in japan).
I think I just found Ward Wallach!!
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=11969
Ebihara was too expensive so they got this guy instead
Wow, I didn’t know there was this whole campaign featuring the guy. I had only see the commercial where his daughter says she wants to study abroad in Japan and he says “I”ll go too!” which I thought was cute XD What a shame.
Oh, and someone on Debito’s blog pointed out this short “movie” of Mr. James before going to Japan:
http://mcdonalds.dtmp.jp/blog/movie.html
As much as I agree with most everyone here, I”ll admit this had me laughing. Like the part with the tongue twister – he sounds it out slowly at first and then is like ohh, okay and then proceeds to say it perfectly. LOL. This guy can obviously speak Japanese.
That was hilarious!
That clip had me in stitches. This guy is hilarious, and he’s not making a fool of himself any more than Jerry Lewis or Peter Sellers did.
Peter Sellers of course always had trouble getting a “ryooom”, and I remember a hysterical scene from an old Jerry Lewis movie in which he plays a police cadet learning self-defense from Togo, who appears as a “sumo wrestler” dressed in some kind of hakama, who procedes to do pseudo karate, judo and pro wrestling moves. Finally, Jerry Lewis has a conversation with him in pseudo Japanese that sounds a lot closer to Chinese.
Sometimes offense should be taken, even when it’s comedy, but for the most part, comedy is just supposed to make you laugh…so laugh.
Well, in that case he won’t be here longer than three months, hopefully.
Tee hee. It’s not you, James of Japan Probe moonlighting is it? Your readers should know THE TRUTH!
Hey guys, I think Mr.James is a stereo type too.
However, you see tons of over-beautiful White people, and Blacks too, in Japanese media. On the other hand, you do not see many Asians in U.S. media, and if you see, they are extreme negative stereo types as if no handsome Asian male exists in this world and all pretty Asian females must be whores or love to serve White men.
Well, I guess too many beautiful White people in Japanese media is a sort of stereo typing too. But it is still a whole lot better than everybody thinks Asians are ugly dorks.
Don’t you agree?
I started to write “god, what a ridiculous looking dude, how is this effective marketing??” then I realized… if an otaku dude speaking broken English was in McDonald’s commercials in America, I bet people would be all over it (except for a number of Japanese-Americans who may likely be horrified and offended o_o just like Arudou Debito is to this Japanese version…)
McDonald’s could have chosen a young, buff, hottie instead, but that wouldn’t represent us English speakers very well, either ^^;
Not helping the stereotype at all, but this guy would probably be laughed at in America, too
Is it the same James in the cardboard cutout and the real guy in the flesh? He actually looks British there, and sort-of reminds me of someone.
Someone must know who he is!
He actually looks exactly like an acquaintance (same style of glasses, clothes) of mine who lives in Yokohama. So, if they were going for a stereotypical view, they hit it right on the head.
The spelling video was quite hillarious.
As for the debito crowd, its just baffling that they don’t seem to realize how horrible bad taste it is to compare the situation of white people in Japan to the ones Blacks faced the racist and seggregationist US of yesteryear.
Thats just like the PETA guys comparing livestock farming with the holocaust.
no kidding. never ceases to amaze me, the faux parallels.
ah well.
I have no idea why Debito would be pissed off.
“Mr. James” clearly looks and dresses better than he does.
And as for “Mr. James” Japanese, it’s at least couple notches above Debito.
Really? Who is being offended by this? How is this “mascot” any worse? Ronald McDonald is a frikkin clown. And the Hamburgler represents Americans who like hamburgers how? Or pick any of the mascots for any sports franchise. I do have a issue with the Suica Penguin while we’re on the subject. Too fat. And not really native of Japan.
Anything picked would offend someone. If they had chosen an English language teacher overstaying their tourist visa…while representative of some, I’m sure many would have issues. A “long-term” teacher? All the graphic designers would have a fit. And what of all the non-white Americans!
Seriously, lets just get a beige hermaphrodite that wears a wig in a sumo suit (to hide their true weight) on stilts and not allow them to speak, to represent every product in the world. But then the ten people somewhere in the world who actually fit this group might be offended.
He is an actor…and this is what actors do…they act as people they are not. He got some fame AND gots paid. I say congratulations.
Drink some beers and chill out peoples. On that note, I need to grab myself another cold one. brb.
What came first; racial stereotypes in marketing, or the market for the marketing, i.e. the fact that these commercials/characters actually work?
MacDonald’s aren’t some tiny company just trying a new marketing approach, they’ve likely done their research and discovered that the Japanese market (at least) is responsive to this sort of campaign. Look at how popular the Japanese character in Heroes was at the time.
Don’t be offended or angered by the “Mr Jamesu” actor. If it weren’t him, it’d be some other foreigner.
FOCK ME! My name is James. Something tells me Japan is going to become a lot more miserable for me. Any other gaijin out here want to protest with me?? The method I am thinking of is BITCH SLAPPING any and every one who starts speaking katakana-go to me. old people to snide kids, all shall get a stamp to the cheek. (One warning per person…until over a million served.)
umm what about minorities in other countries? You should also start protesting stereotyping in other countries also. Don’t be so selfish and self centered and only begin to care when it effects you. You do not know how hard it is being a minority in the USA.
What happened to Japanesetaxpayers comments?
Japanesetaxpayers’ “I hate gaijins / gaijin=criminals / cockroach get out of Japan” comments are no more welcome here than the “fucking Japs die” comments I also have to delete on a daily basis.
thank you.
Honestly I think that it wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t so annoying. Though it’s a funny concept they could pull it off better, maybe with some slap stick humor? If they’re going to make him an idiot go all the way. I know people like the stereotype this guy is portraying. I say have at it, what’s the big deal? There are a lot of people who act like that. Stereotypes are usually there for a reason because the majority of people are only exposed to a certain type of behavior. In all honesty if you didn’t have foreigners going to Japan and trying to act Japanese and saying things like “Baka Kawaii Neko o Desu wa desu yo ne ka?!” I doubt they’re be as much as a stereotyping.
In any case who cares, it’s not like they are saying deaths to Americans or anything, you know if it was any other race you’d find it mildly amusing.
I, for one, am outraged at the outrageous behavior caused by the outrage exhibited by the (forever) outraged Debito and his ilk. However, I will withold further diatribe and outrage to see what pours sand in their (outrageous) knickers next.
Debito is outraged because he looks like that dude.
Is he trying to look like a dumb down Al Franken?
Like his SNL Stuart Smalley character only with glasses?
hmmmm
I like the advertisements. I don’t find it offensive. I don’t think it is racist. I don’t buy into the theory that this is stereotyping all white foreigners living in Japan. I don’t believe that Japanese people have just one simple view of all non Japanese people living in Japan. To think so shows a hint of cultural insensitivity towards Japanese people. I think it is nothing more than a commercial. Where is the uproar against the dole banana commercial showing Japanese turning into monkeys after eating a banana? If I were to take the logic that is being applied to the McDonalds commercial, I would think…Oh no…Japanese people are so stupid…they will believe they are monkeys if they eat a banana because it was on a commercial…Where is the uproar against the commercials showing beautiful Japanese women…how dare those advertisers portray all woman as beautiful!!!
The offense in is them reinforcing stereotypes. A better analogy would be them creating commercials with black people eating watermelon and dancing to Camptown Races. Or commercials with Japanese people made up to look like Warner Bros’ caricatures of Japanese cartoon figures in the 40s. Those would be offensive and everyone here would say so – we’ve seen them respond to similar things with outrage.
Stereotypes are not universal.
The Japanese do not share the stereotypes of black people eating watermelon and dancing to Camptown Races(what is it?) .
Hell, I never heard of the stereotype of blacks eating watermelon and fried chicken until very recently myself.
Ponta: “Camptown Races” is a comedy song taking the piss out of slave dialect:
Camptown ladies sing dis song, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day!
I come down dah with my hat caved in, Doo-dah! doo-dah!
I go back home with a pocket full of tin, Oh, doo-dah day!
Gonna to run all night!
Gonna to run all day!
I’ll bet my money on thee bob-tail nag,
Somebody bet on the bay.
For a wonderfully subversive take on this, I suggest you watch “Blazing Saddles.” In fact I suggest you watch it anyway.
I visit Japan nearly once a year. I’m not offended by McDonald’s “mascot.” He’s very inoffensive. (Stepin Fetchit my ***.) Like many other visitors, I’m sure, I’m treated with respect and friendliness and have no bone to pick with the hospitable Japanese people and their society. I also never voted for Debito to be my Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson, thank you.
If you don’t live in Japan then you don’t have to deal with this stuff. That really is the main difference. There is a huge barrier between being seen as a guest and being seen as a normal contributing member of society in Japan. If you visit, even once a year, of course you’re going to be fine and appreciate the hospitality that everyone shows you, because you are a guest But, once you’ve actually lived here and tried to assimilate somewhat to society here, things change.
So no, Debito and other people that get angered by stuff like this don’t represent you. And your opinions don’t represent us.
And mitotourer, the Mr. James character is a guest in Japan, who has just come over with his daughter to visit Japan, hence, he needs a phrase book and does not speak Japanese. What ’stuff’ are you refering to?
You and I can make the distinction between a tourist who is visiting Japan for a week and someone who has lived here for 15 years, but there are plenty of Japanese that can’t. That’s why, even in the offices of a company that does business entirely in Japanese, I still get a shocked “oh my god it spoke!” reaction after a simple “konnichiwa.”
I get that after I speak English….
“Wow, you really can speak English!”
I very much agree with mitotourer. Ihave never lived in Japan, but I speak japanese and frequently hear about this topic on Mixi. The last times it was brought up was about housing. A lot of (white) people reported problems finding apartments because many landlords said they didn’t want non-Japanese people in their apartments. Now, sure, some people will say it’s because they wanted to be sure they could communicate with the tenant and a lot of white people in Japan don’t speak great Japanese, but the people complaining of this were quite fluent in Japanese, and the landlords did not give a crap how good your Japanese was, if you were not Japanese (or Japanese looking, rather), you could not even be shown those apartments. This was also the case with a Japanese woman who married a man from the UK–the real estate agent said he could not show them a large number of the apartments that were listed because the landlords did not want foreigners living in their buildings–even though she was born and raised in japan.
To say nothing of the other inhospitable behaviors some Japanese have. Seriously, go on Mixi and you’ll find that almost everyone there that hasn’t lived abroad has a very offensive opinion about what Western countries are like, and actually do seem to believe that everyone fits this stereotype.
“Seriously, go on Mixi and you’ll find….”
Well there you go kids – it MUST be true, because it is on the internet!
Seriously, go outside. Play with other kids. Get a frackin’ life already and maybe, just maybe, you’ll find that actual, real Japanese people (not ones hiding behind a keyboard, who might not even be Japanese) are just like people everywhere, and nothing like you imagine them to be based on some anonymous netizens who may or may not have a clue what they are writing about.*
*and all too often, no, they don’t have a clue.
It’s fun to watch and all my kids love it.
Makes me proud to be a James!
Not just a James – a “Mr. James”!
Why do people care so much about the katakana? It’s not any worse than the “asian font” people use for everything asian.
Which is also stupid, but not as stupid, since it doesn’t imply Asians can’t write English properly.
What gets me is the Japanese hypocrisy. Several years ago a European comedian was doing a Japanese character and the local Japanese Embassy made formal complaints and threatened economic sanctions. You can imagine the reaction if a 4′10″ kamikaze pilot shouting banzai! was advertising the new sumo burger in the US.
Totally agree. Hypocrisy is the outstanding theme here. I remember when the British game show ‘Banzai!’ was pulled in the USA due to pressure from Japanese Americans. It featured Japanese comedians behaving as they would on Japanese TV, but with broken English, and it was considered racist. No problems with Japanese stereotyping others though.
Another feature of this thread is the inevitable tedious and childish swipes at Debito. It’s possible to disagree with someone without behaving like a 9 year-old. It really makes me question the mental state of some J-lovers (who I also suspect would also condemn Banzai! out of hand.)
More or less, it doesn’t come to this hypocrisy, but more if enough people complain to McDonald’s Japan that somehow this Mr. James character represents gaijin in a stereotypical and negative way, I’m sure they would pull it if there is enough complaints/controversy. But, nothing can be done until the company is well aware of this. And, in both of those examples above, Japanese-American groups and the Japanese embassy complained and those got pulled.
I’m surprised no one’s mentioned the Japanese legend gaijin-tarento Kent Dericott to this equation.
Mr. James’ persona is almost a split image of Kent in so many ways. The Japanese for the most part of 80’s and 90’s have adored the lovable and harmless Kent Dericott as the ‘adorable gaijin’ who was more famous than Dave Spector on television at one time before his retirement. People absolutely loved him and his charming and nerdy character.
I’m not surprised one bit McD Japan decided to recreate that similar character, intentionally or unintentionally, as their ‘mascot’ given Japan’s love affair (and past marketing successes) with nerdy white gaijins.
***White male who speaks Japanese here
I really don’t give a shit about this.
1st) This would only bug you if you’re borderline loser, anyway. None of these things are a problem if your cool. This only pisses off the all the ugly, fat, stupid white men who go to Japan to teach English and become popular.
2nd) I make money translating Biotech product manuals from Japanese to English for 40$/hr. I’m tall, athletic, good looking and pork my hot Japanese girlfriend on a regular basis. My accomplishments are self evident.
3) Way to show those Japanese guys what men you are by being whiny little bitches about this.
4) I am a douchebag. I cannot go one day of my life without boring others to death with my own boastful claims of self worth. HEY INTERNET – LOOK AT ME!! I AM IMPORTANT!!!
[Note: This comment may have been edited by site moderators.]
HAHA. Oh my.. The tard-brigade is traipsing about. How lovely.
That being said, this is probably just a troll.
This is an outrage! My white entitlement has been offended! Get over it you candy asses. Man up!
IF YOU SMEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLL.. WHAT THE ROCK… IS COOKING.
How exactly does one offend entitlement?
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This campaign has the *potential* to redeem itself if, by the time it’s over, James’ linguistic ability improves and he ends up speaking good Japanese and not looking like a buffoon.
I’m looking at the more recent blog entries of his and he seems to be getting better already. Either that, or the complaints are coming in, or maybe even the Japanese audience can’t read the katakana-with-quotation-marks that they originally used in the stores.
I am foreigner myself in Japan and when I see that ad it just make me laugh. We also speak between friends in this broken Japanese to make others laugh, even I don’t have any accent when speaking Japanese (we do get longer looks from other foreigners when practicing our altered Japanese in public
).
You people (the people being offended) should also start writing letters protesting stereotyping in other countries also. Don’t be so selfish and self centered and only begin to care when it effects you. You do not know how hard it is being a minority in the USA.
So how does it feel stereotyping blacks, latinos, and now asians all these years and getting away with it?
Karma is one hell of a bitch isn’t it? I’m totally relishing this, and from Mcdonald’s no less! The irony is amazing.
I’m sure this may prohibit some white folks from their relentless pursuit of satisfying their asian fetish in Japan.