Posted on Mar 24, 2021
Comedian Jo Koy Writes About Being Half-White, Half-Filipino And All Funny In Memoir 'Mixed...
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Jo Koy built a successful stand-up career mining his Filipino heritage, with sold-out shows and three Netflix specials.
But Koy writes in a new memoir, "Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Combo," that growing up as a half-White, half Filipino kid in the 1970s and ‘80s meant dealing with constant racism. After last week’s shootings in Atlanta and attacks against the elderly put a spotlight on anti-Asian violence, Koy says he understands this experience as someone who grew up with a Filipino immigrant mother.
But Koy writes in a new memoir, "Mixed Plate: Chronicles of an All-American Combo," that growing up as a half-White, half Filipino kid in the 1970s and ‘80s meant dealing with constant racism. After last week’s shootings in Atlanta and attacks against the elderly put a spotlight on anti-Asian violence, Koy says he understands this experience as someone who grew up with a Filipino immigrant mother.
Comedian Jo Koy Writes About Being Half-White, Half-Filipino And All Funny In Memoir 'Mixed...
Posted from wbur.org
Humor
Philippines
Reading
Immigration
Posted 3 y ago
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I never thought racism truly existed in the Land of Milk and Honey; the Land of Opportunities, yet one fine day I tasted it and cried out O-M-G. The fact that I was forced to face it in uniform made the experience a century times worse; I died a million times that week, yet each time I would fall I would return to my feet only to face another blast of bigotry, racist rhetoric and anti-Indian attacks.
Unable to stop me from returning for more insults, racism turned to lies and storytelling with threat of facing the wrath, unless I resigned my commission in his Army. Such leaders are cowards who bully others who are subordinates, because if subordinates take action, such cowards use the UCMJ to punish these subordinates.
A father of an Indian IT professional was visiting his son in South Carolina. He was taking a walk, when a Caucasian passerby shot this father dead. Was this attack racism or just another coincidence in the Land of Opportunities? You tell me.
Unable to stop me from returning for more insults, racism turned to lies and storytelling with threat of facing the wrath, unless I resigned my commission in his Army. Such leaders are cowards who bully others who are subordinates, because if subordinates take action, such cowards use the UCMJ to punish these subordinates.
A father of an Indian IT professional was visiting his son in South Carolina. He was taking a walk, when a Caucasian passerby shot this father dead. Was this attack racism or just another coincidence in the Land of Opportunities? You tell me.
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SSG Bill McCoy
CPT Rana - that's a shameful life experience that most military personnel would hopefully despise. I've only experienced racism in "reverse," a few times; but I'm sure it was far, FAR less painful than to any person who isn't white.
A great friend of mine has a Korean wife who is an IT specialist with advanced degrees. She was born in N. Korea and her family managed to get to the South. I'm sad to say that he's told me of the multiple times she, and their son, have experienced a lot of torturous comments, and the son has suffered assaults; but all from civilians. Again, that's shameful and I've never witnessed such malice.
When discussing race, one question among a group of civilian co-workers should give anyone pause. That was, "What would you do if your daughter (or son) introduced a boy (or girl) friend who isn't white?" Some couldn't answer it ... but thinking it through my reply was something like, "If he was respectful towards my daughter, I'd welcome him (or her) like anyone else because I know that love really is blind." I don't mean to pat myself on the back as other's replies were equally unbiased, AND they were from all military Veterans. The one guy who said he'd flip out was already viewed as a lazy and chronic complainer about everything and everyone.
In short, I saw far less racism in the military than in civilian life.
A great friend of mine has a Korean wife who is an IT specialist with advanced degrees. She was born in N. Korea and her family managed to get to the South. I'm sad to say that he's told me of the multiple times she, and their son, have experienced a lot of torturous comments, and the son has suffered assaults; but all from civilians. Again, that's shameful and I've never witnessed such malice.
When discussing race, one question among a group of civilian co-workers should give anyone pause. That was, "What would you do if your daughter (or son) introduced a boy (or girl) friend who isn't white?" Some couldn't answer it ... but thinking it through my reply was something like, "If he was respectful towards my daughter, I'd welcome him (or her) like anyone else because I know that love really is blind." I don't mean to pat myself on the back as other's replies were equally unbiased, AND they were from all military Veterans. The one guy who said he'd flip out was already viewed as a lazy and chronic complainer about everything and everyone.
In short, I saw far less racism in the military than in civilian life.
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CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana
SSG Bill McCoy, love and hate are two opposites, yet they reside together and infect the same fabric till the fabric disintegrates into dust; it is a challenge between love and hate of who shall win by saving the fabric or by disintegrating it. In the same way hate infected our superior, since he was already livid about his wife running off with his best friend at the Point. I was infected with sympathy and love that I was caught blind sighted by personal hatred dealt by that infected superior officer. He complained that I did not belong in his Army because I wasn't a real American. He further complained that Indians were stealing American jobs and that Indians like me must be shipped back home to India. This superior officer insisted that his former spouse was of Indian origins and that all Indians are alike; untrustworthy and lacking integrity. Then, he threatened me, saying that I will face his wrath unless I resigned my commission in his Army. I wondered can divorce disillusion persons to the point that their discision making abilities are lacking good judgment. If so, isn't it best to prevent such personalities from taking decisions that are harmful to others?
Perhaps someone can answer my questions above for me someday.
Thanks for listening!
Perhaps someone can answer my questions above for me someday.
Thanks for listening!
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SSG Bill McCoy
CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana - That's not only shocking, but aberrant on that superior's part. I'm hesitant to use the term because today it's misused against NCO's and Officers; but truly, that superior was what today is termed as a "Toxic Leader." What's almost as disturbing is that your experience was at the Point - a supposed bastion of integrity.
I worked in the specialty steel industry (head of security) and we had several Indians in the research area, and one as Plant Manager at a New York plant. Everyone of them was held in high regard and my only "problem" was with the Plant Manager - he was an immigrant whose accent made it nearly impossible for me to understand him; BUT everyone but me COULD understand him ... LOL ... come to find out it was ME! I was half deaf! Today, with hearing aids, I'm sure I could've understood him if I had them back then. As it turned out, I was reading lips as much as I was hearing.
I worked in the specialty steel industry (head of security) and we had several Indians in the research area, and one as Plant Manager at a New York plant. Everyone of them was held in high regard and my only "problem" was with the Plant Manager - he was an immigrant whose accent made it nearly impossible for me to understand him; BUT everyone but me COULD understand him ... LOL ... come to find out it was ME! I was half deaf! Today, with hearing aids, I'm sure I could've understood him if I had them back then. As it turned out, I was reading lips as much as I was hearing.
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