HUMANITIES 006:
POPULAR CULTURE
WK 8, DAY2: MYTHS OF PERSONAL IDENTITY
MYTHS
In groups of 4 or more, combine all lists onto one
page. If a male pop culture figure is mentioned more
than once, write his name multiple times.
Based on your combined lists, can you see any myths
that might be perpetuated by our popular culture
regarding these groups?
White
Black
Latino
Asian
Gay
Handicapped
“TRYING TO GET BEYOND THE ROLE OF THE MAID”
- MIREYA NAVORRO (2002)
25 years as an actress, Lupe Ontiveros has mostly
played maids:
• Estimates has played a maid over 150 times.
• About auditioning for roles: “When I go in there and speak
perfect English, I don’t get the part.”
“TRYING TO GET BEYOND THE ROLE OF THE MAID”
- MIREYA NAVORRO (2002)
Questions:
• How many of you are of Latin heritage?
• Have you experienced any affects of this myth or similar ones?
• Can you recall how Latinos have been portrayed in films and
television shows on your pop culture list?
• How many recent films and television shows can you list that
are about Latinos, or feature Latinos?
ASIANS
IN POPULAR CULTURE
Jane: Fresh Off the Boat
https://youtu.be/1KhRKkLS_4I?t=56s
INDIANS
IN POPULAR CULTURE
Neal: Big Bang Theory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjNKwEV_QPM
INDIANS
IN POPULAR CULTURE
Zachary: Master of Non
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IHRVdRV4Ys
“TRYING TO GET BEYOND THE ROLE OF THE MAID”
- MIREYA NAVORRO (2002)
25 years as an actress, Lupe Ontiveros has mostly
played maids:
• Notes that film “A Beautiful Mind” made no mention of John
Nash’s wife’s background (El Salvador), and casted a nonLatina in the role.
Ontiveros’ last point applies to other ethnicities as
well..
EXODUS: GOD & KINGS
ALOHA
Anna Ng
Half Asian (Chinese-Hawaiian)
BRING DOWN THE HOUSE
• Best-selling book was about a group of mostly Asian
American males from MIT.
• Film Version: 21
AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN HOLLYWOOD
What was the main idea?
• How many of the following films are centered
around an African-American main character?
• How many of the following films at least features a
prominent African-American character and how is
this character featured?
2015
BOX OFFICE RESULTS
1. Jurassic World
2. Avengers: Age of
Ultron
3. Inside Out
4. Furious 7
5. Minions
6. Cinderella
7. The Martian
8. Mission Impossible –
Rogue Nation
9. Pitch Perfect 2
10. Ant-man
11. Home
12. Fifty Shades of Grey
13. Sponge Bob Movie
14. Hotel Transylvania 2
15. Straight Outta
Compton
16. San Andreas
17. Mad Max
MYTHS
Let’s take a look at the film list again and see how
each of the following groups are represented:
Black
White
Asian
Latino
Handicapped
Gay
Females
2015
BOX OFFICE RESULTS
1. Jurassic World
2. Avengers: Age of
Ultron
3. Inside Out
4. Furious 7
5. Minions
6. Cinderella
7. The Martian
8. Mission Impossible –
Rogue Nation
9. Pitch Perfect 2
10. Ant-man
11. Home
12. Fifty Shades of Grey
13. Sponge Bob Movie
14. Hotel Transylvania 2
15. Straight Outta
Compton
16. San Andreas
17. Mad Max
REPRESENTATION
IN POPULAR CULTURE
Many groups have limited representation in popular
culture artifacts.
• Why might this be a problem?
• How might this negatively impact both those that
are members of these groups and those that are
not?
REPRESENTATION
IN POPULAR CULTURE
•
•
•
•
If myths are the stories that we live by,
And myths are often perpetuated by popular culture,
Then the less representation in popular culture
Means less myths for a person to choose from.
Under representation can unconsciously limit a person’s view of
what is possible for his/her life.
This also limits what other people think is possible for members of
the under represented group.
In general, under representation can negatively influence our
values and beliefs because they are the result of limited
perspectives.
ANDERSON COOPER AND RACE BIAS STUDY
(KENNETH CLARK “DOLL EXPERIMENT”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSdKy2q6pEY