Take A Look At Eva Longoria And Edward James Olmos’ Thoughts On Being Latino In America
9 October 2009, 12:56 PM. By Alex Alvarez
As you know, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and her new book on the issue, CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien is interviewing Latino stars on what it means for them to be “Latino in America.”
Among the people she interviews are actress, ALMA Awards producer and Chicano studies major Eva Longoria and actor / director Edward James Olmos. So, based on the previews, we guess being Latino in America means being famous, wealthy and of Mexican descent. JK!
Check out a bit of Eva Longoria’s interview:
And some of Edward James Olmos’:
We’ll reserve judgment until we watch the entire special on October 21 and 22, but we have read that it does not include stories from Latinos of African or Asian descent, which is a shame, as these are voices that aren’t often heard in either mainstream American or Latin American media.
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jumping the gun on being offended a little soon, no?
Who’s offended? I said I’m reserving judgment, but have heard the special may be an incomplete look at the Latino population due to the fact it does not include Latinos who are black or Asian. I think that detail is worth noting. It doesn’t mean I’m hurt by it or won’t watch it.
I wonder if the producers did want to include Latinos of obvious African and Asian descent but were shot down with looks of confusion by management who think all Latinos look the same.
Um . . . it’s really sad that you don’t even know your own ancestry. I’m guessing you’re a Hispanic/Latino who is part Amerindian. And anyone of Amerindian descent is genetically very similar to Asians. In fact, some people consider Amerindians to be Asians, which makes sense. So, you’re probably part Asian. Edward James Olmos is also part Asian.
Actually, I consider myself a member of the human race — Asian, African, American, European, Antarctican, whatever. Regarding recent genetics, for ten years now I have professed that most Mexican-Americans — most, not all — are mostly of Asian/Native American stock. In fact, five years ago I wrote a funny diatribe on how I am “Proud to be Asian” and in the end I confessed to actually being African — the starting point of all human civilization. Seriously, I don’t know where you got the idea that I was ignorant of these things.
@Self-loathing Chicano: you said, “I wonder if the producers did want to include Latinos of obvious African and Asian descent but were shot down . . .”
You seem to be suggesting that “management” DID NOT want to include Latinos of obvious Asian descent, and I assume you think that “management” prefers to focus on more stereotypical Latinos, which, according to you, does NOT include people of obvious Asian descent.
However, one of the dominant Latino stereotypes in this country is of the Amerindian Latino, and, as I mentioned before, Amerindians are genetically very similar to Asians. Some consider them to be Asians. So . . . I doubt “management” thinks that all Latinos look the same. And Amerindian (Asian) Latinos are one of the most visible Latinos in the media and in the entertainment industry, compared to other Latino ethnic/racial groups.
Christ. What are you? A moron? You must be, you’re coming to this site for enlightenment. Your better off spending your time reading a book, any book (bar the Bible; nobody needs to read that bilge). But I digress.
Anyway, your inferior intelligence aside, I simply stated that the shit-for-brains who run CNN (and most English-language television news stations in the US) are most likely not going to comprehend the fact that about 20,000 years ago — give or take five thousand years — peoples of what is now called Asia migrated to the Americas via the Bering Straight all the way as far south as present-day Tierra del Fuego and thus giving us our indigenous peoples of the Americas, and therefore just think that most Mexicans (to these news producers, everyone with a Spanish last name with a brown skin tone is a Mexican) are darker just because they spend all day in the sun picking grapes and mowing lawns and pushing their children on the swing at the local park. The idea that there are “Asian” or “Black” or “Jewish” or “funny” Latinos — or, if you prefer, Hispanics — will boggle these program director’s minds worse than the idea of a Guatemalan with a PhD from Harvard. You doubt that news producers don’t think that all Latinos look the same? Have you ever worked in a newsroom? Ask a Hispanic journalist, they’ll back me up.
Of course, this is in regard to Native Americans and their ancestral relation to Asia. When I said “Asian” Latinos I was referring to people that emigrated to the Americas recently, you know, from present-day Asia. For instance, did you know that Havana, Cuba, has one of the largest Chinese populations in the world? What, did you think they happened went to San Francisco?… I could go on, and I would, but I doubt you would understand. In fact, it’s safe to say you don’t understand anything I’m saying now.
And people wonder why I’m bitter and antisocial.
you’re better off, not your better off…
@Self-loathing Chicano: “I simply stated that the shit-for-brains who run CNN are most likely not going to comprehend the fact that about 20,000 years ago . . . peoples of . . . Asia migrated . . .”
LOL. That’s not at all what you said in your first comment. I may be a moron, but even I can see through your bull sh*t, which isn’t hard given your obvious cognitive limitations. Listen, I suggest you “think” before you type. Stop being intellectually lazy. I know it’s appealing to repeat the same crap we’ve all been hearing for years—that “the (white) man” is somehow responsible for all of our problems (expressed in different ways, both directly and indirectly). Fortunately, Obama’s victory has started the process of shattering the myth that all minorities are the same. Many predicted that Obama would lose to McCain because they believed that “Americans are racist and rely too heavily on stereotypes when making assumptions about minorities.” But that turned out to be false, though there is still work to be done by activists and concerned Americans. Obama was victorious! It’s beyond obvious that Obama is an intelligent and competent leader who is more than just a “scary black man.” Many journalists (including some Hispanics) got it wrong. So . . . if I had a question about this or a related issue, a journalist would be the last person I’d go to.
Also, some social behavioral researchers are starting to notice a growing trend in the way white Americans view minorities. Some studies have found that most young white Americans have a generally favorable view of African Americans (and this trend has intensified because of Obama’s victory); this is significant because many scholars in the past have based the idea that Americans are racist on the fact that, for decades, whites had consistently had negative views of African Americans. Many studies have shown that there’s a bias against minorities–that’s certainly true, but most positive findings are usually underreported and rarely discussed. Oh, and there was a similar study showing positive responses to Hispanics. Of course, this type of information isn’t what people like you want to read about or hear. You look for information that reinforces your long-held assumptions, and then you proceed to disseminate ideas that lack real objectivity. If that makes you more intelligent than me, then please go ahead and call me stupid.
First of all, I haven’t strayed at all from my earlier argument, I don’t care what studies say, and I don’t blame anyone but myself for my short comings. I never believed that all minorities were the same before Obama and I certainly don’t believe such bullshit now.
Secondly, what the fuck? I tell you about the migratory patterns of the original peoples of the Americas and you say I just pulled that out of my ass all of sudden? Bullshit. I have thought that way ever since I left the American public education system, about twelve years ago.
Thirdly, I hate thinking before speaking. Because if I do I begin to lose sight of what I was originally talking about, and then it becomes a huge mess — you don’t want me to go there, trust me. I like professorial, it suits me.
Fourthly, I don’t believe in race, only the social construction of the term. What is white? What is black? What is brown? Ditto ethnicity. What is Asian? What is American? You get the idea. So spare me the bullshit you learned in college. If I wanted to be bored by drivel then I’d read Glenn Beck’s new book, the one wear he’s dressed like an SS soldier on the cover.
Fifthly, what’s really going on with you? Do you need to get laid? Is that it? If so, I feel your pain.
Also, I don’t consider myself to be a minority. So stick that on your couch and analyze it.
Edward James Olmos is a pretty smart guy. I’ll watch this show just to listen to him talk.
I wonder if she’s going to bring up that BS about being bullied in school for being Latina. Because the significant other and a mass number of cousins went to King at the same time she did, and they didn’t get bullied in the least.
Ay! I have hope as a blatina boricua in America that I’ll be included…but then I also had hope when I was 8 that when my mami took me to a hair salon they would know what to do…and I was greeted by a blanquita who shamelessly asked, “What do you do with that?” in reference to my hair.
~ Eriqua
Edward James Olmos is the fucking man. American Me. Stand and Deliver. American Family. I hope we see a lot of him.
And good for Longoria in learning to speak Spanish. She’s right: there’s a tremendous disconnect from the culture without the language.
Re: “it does not include stories from Latinos of African…descent.”
Except for the HOST.
Right. She’s the interviewer, not an interviewee.