'Fresh Off The Boat' ABC Cast: Constance Wu Calls Out ‘Idiots’ Who Say Show Laughs At Stereotypes [VIDEO]
ABC's Fresh Off The Boat just premiered a week ago, but as expected has already been hit with backlash after it portrays the life of an Asian American family. Actress Constance Wu has spoken out about criticism the show has received.
The Asian-American sitcom is the first of its kind in two decades.
Given that many eyes are on the show, Wu, who plays Jessica Huang, said she thinks it is important to make sure they don't display stereotypes while still honoring the Asian culture.
"Stereotypes are only dangerous when they are used as the butt of the joke, and our writers have taken great care to never write a single joke that is based upon a stereotype," she said in the newest issue of Time magazine.
She added that the focus is simply on "the wrong thing."
"Some people are like, 'Oh, stereotypical accent!' An accent is an accent. If there were jokes written about the accent, then that would certainly be harmful. But there aren't jokes written about it. It's not even talked about. It's just a fact of life: immigrants have accents," she pointed out.
She went on to call out the "idiots" who claim that the show makes fun of stereotypical Asian-American scenarios and challenges them to find an example. She went on to say that she was "okay" with displaying the accent and even worked with language instructors to make sure she got it right.
Wu also said that she doesn't believe the show should represent the entire Asian community. But she said she is realistic in knowing that Fresh Off The Boat is one of just a handful of shows in which Asians are the star, so they tread lightly.
The show tells a story of a family who relocates from Washington, DC to Orlando, Fla. so the father, Eddie Huang, can pursue his American Dream and open a restaurant. It's based on accounts of Eddie's real life. Check out the official trailer below.
Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.
