BBC Airs “Chinese Burn” Despite Backlash For Racial Stereotypes

BBC has decided to continue to air Chinese Burn, their latest comedy show about Chinese women in London despite the backlash.

Yennis Cheung and Shin-Fei Chen — who wrote and star in the series — claimed the show would tackle stereotypes about Asian people in Western media.

“This show’s stories are straight-from-the-dragon’s-mouth, no-MSG, authentic.

6 billion Chinese can’t all be Wongs. We are more than the stereotypes. We are varied. We are different.

But our stories are universal, so Brits can relate… mate.”

— Yennis Cheung and Shin-Fei Chen 

However, after the pilot aired, audiences begged to differ. Although the show has turned off reviews and disabled comments, audiences shared their takes on Twitter and IMDb.

Not funny at all. Written by a bunch of self hating Asian women who think its OK to degrade their own kind. If there was an option for 0 stars this is what this truly deserves.” 

— IMDb user elchinoltd

I am a Chinese woman who came to the US. to get my Ph.D degree and then stayed here working as a professional.

This type of show disgrace me and my entire ethnicity group. Who on earth do these actresses/producers think they are? Who gave them the consent to represent/portrait the entire Asian population?

It is so shameful and disgraceful that this show was allowed to be casted. Shame on them.”

— maggiehuchina on IMDB

Shin-Fei Chen, one of the writers who also plays Elizabeth on the show, spoke up about the backlash.

“I think for us, we want to – in order to smash stereotypes – you have to offer it up first, and in terms of one of the characters, he’s there to pinpoint Jackie’s racism, because [it happens] sometimes within the East Asian community itself,” she explained.

“She has a white fetish, so he highlights her racism and Elizabeth tells Jackie, ‘Hey, you’re being a racist’.”

— Shin-Fei Chen

You can see the pilot episode here.

Source: Digital Spy and British Comedy Guide