Guy Aoki facts for kids

Guy Aoki was born on May 12, 1962. He is an American civil rights activist. This means he works to make sure everyone is treated fairly. He leads an organization called the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA). He helped start MANAA in 1992. Mr. Aoki also writes for a newspaper called the Rafu Shimpo. He often talks in public about issues important to Asian Americans.

Guy Aoki's Media Work

Working in Radio

In the 1980s, Guy Aoki worked on a popular radio show. This show was called American Top 40. He was part of the team that helped produce the program.

Appearing on TV Shows

In 2017, Mr. Aoki appeared in a TV documentary. It was part of a CNN series called The History of Comedy. His episode was titled "One Nation, Under Comedy."

How Guy Aoki Sees Media Portrayals

Praising Positive Asian American Roles

Guy Aoki believes it is important for Asian Americans to be shown fairly in movies and TV. He has praised some works for doing a good job.

Movies Like Harold & Kumar

Mr. Aoki liked the movie Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. He also liked its sequel, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. He praised these films because they had Asian actors in main roles. He said the characters were "relatable" and "regular guys." This showed Asian Americans in a normal, positive way.

The TV Show Bachelor Father

Mr. Aoki also praised an older TV show from the 1950s. It was called Bachelor Father. This show often featured Asian actors and stories. He liked that it showed comedian Sammee Tong. It also featured Victor Sen Yung as "Uncle Charlie." Mr. Aoki thought it was great that audiences saw a Chinese American acting "just like anyone else" back then.

Campaigns Against Negative Media

Guy Aoki is concerned when Asian people are shown in a bad way in the media. He has started several campaigns to speak out about this.

Concerns About Nightline

Mr. Aoki criticized an episode of the TV show Nightline. He felt it did not show Korean Americans fairly. He also noted that not enough Korean Americans were interviewed. He said it was not responsible journalism. Later, the show included more Korean American viewpoints.

Protesting the Film Rising Sun

Mr. Aoki and MANAA protested the 1993 movie Rising Sun. They protested before, during, and after the movie came out. Mr. Aoki was worried that the Japanese villains in the film would create bad ideas about Asian Americans. He pointed out that the Internment of Japanese Americans began with negative media portrayals.