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April 27, 2007
JV and Elvis in the Doghouse with API Groups
Asian American Justice Center Joins Advocacy Groups to Condemn Insensitive On-Air Remarks on CBS Radio, Call for Firings
Washington, D.C. – The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), a leading national civil and human rights organization, and its affiliates – Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Asian Law Caucus and the Asian American Institute – join advocacy groups nationwide in strongly condemning CBS Radio, demanding a more racially sensitive programming ethos, and calling for the firing of two hosts at WFNY, its New York affiliate, following an inexcusably crude and offensive tirade against Chinese restaurant workers on “The Dog House with JV and Elvis.”
In the six-minute segment, which aired on April 5 – and re-aired on April 19 – shock jocks Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay made a call to a Chinese restaurant in which they ordered “shrimp flied lice,” sexually propositioned a female waitress, and referred to another employee’s body part as a “tiny egg roll.”
“While we welcome the prompt apology from the station and suspension of the two employees, we believe this is far from enough, given the very gratuitous nature of this episode,” said AAJC Deputy Director Vincent A. Eng. “We believe the station should terminate them and their producer, and improve and re-issue guidelines for offensive and discriminatory and objectionable terms.”
Asian Pacific American Legal Center Executive Director Stewart Kwoh added, "In addition to developing guidelines on offensive and discriminatory terms, those involved with radio production must be regularly trained and reminded of such guidelines, and the guidelines should be shared with community groups so that the station is accountable to our community."
“CBS Radio needs to take steps to ensure that the industry, and its own employees in particular, uphold standards of professionalism that merit their use of the public airwaves," said Malcolm Yeung, a staff attorney at the Asian Law Caucus. "In granting a license, the federal government requires that radio programming be responsive to community needs. Continuing to employ racist shock jocks violates this criteria.”
"I find it appalling that this kind of outrageous behavior was allowed on the airwaves, and only merits a suspension," said Tuyet Le, executive director of the Asian American Institute in Chicago. "Radio executives should show greater responsibility by firing these employees."
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April 27, 2007 | Permalink
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Comments
Grow up. JV's wife is a korean, they've had a racially diverse staff including a chinese woman, this same type of stunt occurs in india all the time regarding whats obscene and all it is is an attempt be a small group to gain publicity
Posted by: DIETER | May 1, 2007 11:36:33 AM
When a white dude insulted a group of BLACKS, he got fired. When a group of white dudes insulted a chinese gal, they just got suspended. What's up with that?
Posted by: Andrew | May 2, 2007 10:53:49 AM
DOGHOUSE is the best radio show in the country.
Don Imus should not have been fired.
Jv and Elvis should not be suspended.
I do not need a special interest group who doesn't represant shit, to tell me what I am allowed to listen to. I can choose on my own, thank you.
Im glad to say most of the unbiased internet community is behind the doghouse as well as top name tv news anchors.
http://www.thedoghousearmy.com
Posted by: Gsal | May 4, 2007 3:54:05 PM
Fine if it offended you, sure. But who decides what is offensive...Do you not see that no matter what joke, in this case a Prank Call- their will forever be someone who is offended?! Do you not see how this is dangerous to all speech in general??
If this group through their bullying, corporate shake down policy, and scare tactics does indeed get Jv and Elvis taken off the air.. You believe that, that is the right thing? You believe because one group was offended that this entails that NO ONE BE ABLE TO CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO THEM??
This is America, it's freedoms are often taken for granted, its often self hated by Americans but I choose to love and respect my country for all of our rights, we are priveledged to be here as so would die to live in the land of the free, and many do in fact die to have the chance to better themselves here... Yes you have the right to protest what ever you want... But the day you decide what I am allowed to listen to, or deem something inappropriate for me is the day I will show you a frightening America, an America where FREE SPEECH is no longer the case, and substituted for "Approved Speech." When that day comes, the protesting you mentioned will also come to an end.
Changing the dial to another station is the only realistic approach, if enough people were to do this and due to poor ratings they are cancelled- That's one thing but by force, I cannot and will not agree.
As you can see all over the internet, all this has done has further enrage tensions so no matter the outcome nothing will be settled.
-Jv and Elvis...The Doghouse, the best new show in New York.-
http://www.thedoghousearmy.com
Posted by: Gsal | May 4, 2007 3:55:39 PM
I pretty much summed up the fact that most DOGHOUSE SUPPORTERS are: People who immencely enjoys watching, reading or hearing various sorts of vicious attacks toward other human kinds of any race, beliefs, lifestyle and sex, so long as they themselves are not the target. They're usually at the sidelines cheering on the attackers, but prefer to remained anonymous. But when targeted by others themselves, they'll fight claws and nails demanding retribution in the name of fairness, equality and justice, even though they've just told other victims of attacks that pain is just a part of our "freedom" and that we all should take a "chill pill" and swallow that pain. Radio shows like Doghouse are very much their prime source of entertainment in their otherwise extremely dull life of pretending to be a decent human being, they enjoy these shows immensely because it represents the unleashing of their real hidden self and the similar actions they would've taken with enough courage,(or if society doesn't deem it criminal). Therefore if we remove these shows from their lives we severely damage their ego and the power they imagine they have to hurt other human beings without redemption that only exists in their fabulous world. Sooooo, Hell yeah they'll fight to keep Doghouse on without conscience. I would to if I wasn't born with one.
Posted by: Sakura | May 6, 2007 3:45:10 PM
I pretty much summed up the fact that most DOGHOUSE SUPPORTERS are: People who immencely enjoys watching, reading or hearing various sorts of vicious attacks toward other human kinds of any race, beliefs, lifestyle and sex, so long as they themselves are not the target. They're usually at the sidelines cheering on the attackers, but prefer to remained anonymous. But when targeted by others themselves, they'll fight claws and nails demanding retribution in the name of fairness, equality and justice, even though they've just told other victims of attacks that pain is just a part of our "freedom" and that we all should take a "chill pill" and swallow that pain. Radio shows like Doghouse are very much their prime source of entertainment in their otherwise extremely dull life of pretending to be a decent human being, they enjoy these shows immensely because it represents the unleashing of their real hidden self and the similar actions they would've taken with enough courage,(or if society doesn't deem it criminal). Therefore if we remove these shows from their lives we severely damage their ego and the power they imagine they have to hurt other human beings without redemption that only exists in their fabulous world. Sooooo, Hell yeah they'll fight to keep Doghouse on without conscience. I would to if I wasn't born with one.
Posted by: Sakura | May 6, 2007 3:48:44 PM
I pretty much summed up the fact that most DOGHOUSE SUPPORTERS are: People who immencely enjoys watching, reading or hearing various sorts of vicious attacks toward other human kinds of any race, beliefs, lifestyle and sex, so long as they themselves are not the target. They're usually at the sidelines cheering on the attackers, but prefer to remained anonymous. But when targeted by others themselves, they'll fight claws and nails demanding retribution in the name of fairness, equality and justice, even though they've just told other victims of attacks that pain is just a part of our "freedom" and that we all should take a "chill pill" and swallow that pain. Radio shows like Doghouse are very much their prime source of entertainment in their otherwise extremely dull life of pretending to be a decent human being, they enjoy these shows immensely because it represents the unleashing of their real hidden self and the similar actions they would've taken with enough courage,(or if society doesn't deem it criminal). Therefore if we remove these shows from their lives we severely damage their ego and the power they imagine they have to hurt other human beings without redemption that only exists in their fabulous world. Sooooo, Hell yeah they'll fight to keep Doghouse on without conscience. I would to if I wasn't born with one.
Posted by: Sakura | May 6, 2007 3:51:09 PM
This just makes me hate those uptight Asian a$$holes who are so pathetic and insecure that they can't even allow ANYONE to poke fun at them. I heard the bit, it was very funny and not at ALL racist. These guys are my all-time favorite radio personalities because, as these self-righteous protesters would know if they bothered to LISTEN to JV and Elvis, the biggest target for their humor is themselves.
I am truly crushed that this show, which has made me laugh and feel better on many a blue day, is being taken away by a handful of small-minded people who give their race a bad name.
BRING BACK THE DOGHOUSE!!!!!!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Posted by: Chris Hewitt | May 6, 2007 8:04:17 PM
Aren't prank calls illegal, not to mention the impediment to that business' ability to make money? I believe in freedom of speech, but I don't think you are allowed to interfere with someone's business like that, public or private. Those comments were racist too. Obviously, blantantly racist.
Posted by: John | May 7, 2007 1:11:31 PM
Oh, and another thing. Just because someone has an asian wife, friend, or acquaintance, doesn't make it less hateful.
Posted by: John | May 7, 2007 1:13:11 PM
John - get over yourself already. Was it "racist" when they had the computer voice tell the worker "You are a nice Chinese man"?
Are you so stupid that you can't tell the difference between, on the one hand, someone calling an Asian person something truly hateful, like a "gook" or "slanty-eyed" or some other ignorant, stupid and clearly malicious insult, and a HUMOR RADIO SHOW doing an obviously absurd prank, involving a COMPUTER-GENERATED VOICE (not even a human being) saying things like "I want some food, bitch" - whcih might not have been funny if a regular voice said it, but which became really bizarre and funny when done with a computer?
Are you so completely unable to distinguish between goofball humor and hate speech?
As a liberal who has spent a good part of my life supporting groups like the ACLU and promoting immigrants' rights, I find the actions of these thought-police groups like the OCA to be the most reprehensible conduct of all. I also find myself less and less inclined to blindly support these groups, when they reveal themselves to be so opposed to basic American principles of free speech and tolerance.
It's truly a sad day for free thinkers when a handful of Asians who don't even listen to the JV and Elvis show are somehow able to take the show away from the majority of us. Pathetic, narrow-minded, childish insecurity should NOT dictate what people may choose to listen to.
Posted by: Chris Hewitt | May 9, 2007 8:12:48 AM
What makes the segment racist is that it perpetuates negative stereotypes of asians. Many Dog House supporters are saying that if we don't like what we hear we should change the station but that is a childish way of looking at the situation. Even if we were to ignore racist broadcasting like this radio show, it doesn't mean that it won't affect us. Just because you see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil doesn't mean there is no evil. Even if we didn't listen to the show, for the people who do listen to it, the show will further their belief that asian can't speak english, they are all foreigners, its ok to degrad asian men, and exocitize asian females. I may not listen to shows like this but it it because of shows like this that I have people telling me I speak english well, and asking me where I'm really from, even though I was born and raised in this country and speak english better than I speak chinese. Or when I walk down the street and guys shout things like hey, chinadoll, or me love you long time. The point is the first it is racist broadcasting, then its direct racist insults and then its racist actions.
Posted by: LL | May 14, 2007 12:47:36 PM
