Asian academy members protest Oscar's Asian jokes

Comedian Chris Rock and three Asian American children at the 88th Oscars. [Photo/SIPA]

Documentary filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña said she and other Asian Academy members were surprised to see jokes of such nature in a year where a call for diversity was at the center of attention.

"Everybody was excited because we knew that the academy was responding to #OscarsSoWhite," Tajima-Peña said. "We were excited to see the telecast to see what was gonna happen. It kind of blindsided us. It was such a contrast to the language of moving forward, recognizing that this culture is multi-racial, multi-ethnic. It wasn't even funny. It's just dredging up really idiotic stereotypes."

In the letter dated March 9, 25 members asked the board to respond to their criticism and take "concrete steps" to "preclude such unconscious or outright bias and racism toward any group in future Oscar telecasts."

A spokeswoman of the academy has responded through a statement.

"The Academy appreciates the concerns stated, and regrets that any aspect of the Oscar telecast was offensive," the statement read. "We are committed to doing our best to ensure that material in future shows be more culturally sensitive."

David Magdael, a member of the Academy in its public relations branch, said he was surprised when he saw the show.

"When that skit came up in the middle of the Oscars, we all went like, 'What?' There was a collective, 'That didn't just happen.' We found a lot of people who said, 'We're not going to accept this sort of joke anymore,' especially right after Cheryl Boone Isaacs gave that speech about diversity," comments Magdael during an interview with The Hollywood Reporters.

A complete list of academy's members is not on public records, however according to a 2016 Times analysis, Asians account for just over two percent of the academy's membership.

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