SECRET ASIAN BAND
DEAR EDITORS: Ezra Caraeff's review on the Slants [Up & Coming, Jan 31] obviously had a few issues. While his main criticism of the band is their concentration on their ethnicity, he seems to miss the mark. The album itself only has one actual song dealing with anything directly Asian; the name of the band, as well as the record, seems to suggest more of a sense of humor than anything.Artists boasting about their cultural heritage aren't a new thing and it is especially prevalent in hiphop. What about Jay-Z's Black Album or even NWA? How come people don't have issues with Fat Joe always rapping about Puerto Rico yet they have problems when an Asian band comes along and has some references to social issues affecting their families?Has Ezra ever even been to an anime convention? Most of the entertainment being offered up isn't even Asian. I think it's great that the Slants get invited to perform at events that celebrate Asian entertainment.
Jen WuRIDING THE PANDA EXPRESS
DEAR MERCURY: I'm sure you've caught on by now that Ezra Ace Caraeff is an ignorant, snobby little bastard who attempts, but miserably fails at writing creative, unique pieces.
I picked up the Mercury yesterday to find a "music review" with underlying, perhaps unintentional, racist tones that spent more time critiquing a band (the Slants) and their ethnic heritage than their music. Accusing an Asian band that plays Asian cultural festivals of "playing up a stereotype" is like saying that Ray Charles was just using the disability card whenever he performed at benefits for the blind.
Maybe Ezra had a few too many bad experiences at the Panda Express or something, but what he really needs is a dose of reality.
EmBLOGTOWN: OREGONIAN APPROVED!
POSTED BY LUANNA ON BLOGTOWN (blogtown.portlandmercury.com): My partner and I live in Southern Oregon and I have been all over the Oregonian and the news channels' websites trying to find out how things are going [with the recent same-sex domestic partnership court case, see pg. 6]. I became very frustrated when I couldn't locate any information so I called the Oregonian. After being transferred to several people who had no idea what I was talking about, someone gave me your web address. Thank you for keeping us posted. I also discovered all kinds of cool stories in your newspaper and now plan to visit regularly.
DRUNKS AGAINST BRITNEY
TO THE EDITOR: Christ on a fuckin' crutch—lose the Brit news [One Day at a Time]!! Damn! You guys are getting more obsessive over this chick's problems than ol' Mr. Bush jerking off over oil profiteering and his love of the word "terrorism"! We put our trust in you that you can give us something better than CNN, Fox, Willamette (for old people) Week, or those tabloid papers at supermarket checkout stands. Wait a minute—your paper is about that size... are you trying to pull some stunt on us?
Scott GarveyRATIONAL PEOPLE FOR BRITNEY
DEAR BOB NOD (who is tired of the Mercury's Britney Spears coverage ["Ban Britney!" Letters, Jan 31]): Like you, I gleefully skip over every "Britney back to rehab" breaking-news link on Drudge and CNN.com, believing I'm a better person than those who live for the next celebrity breakdown. However, once a week I allow myself the guilty pleasure of reading Ms. Romano's always-entertaining "One Day at a Time." Thus, SHUT THE FUCK UP! Some of us want our weekly celeb fix!
Confidential to Ms. Romano: I'll sacrifice myself by taking Scarlett Johansson in order to allow you to have Obama all to yourself. Give me a call to work out the details.
Living for the Next ODaaTCONGRATS TO LFTNODaaT for correctly realizing that, sometimes, it's not the drugs that are the problem, but the person selling you the drugs! Check in every week from now until the end of time for the hottest Britney (and other celeb) gossip in One Day at a Time (pg. 5). As for LFTNODaaT, he wins the Mercury letter of the week, which includes two tix to the Laurelhurst, and lunch at the delish No Fish! Go Fish! (where Britney would go, if she wasn't so fucking crazy).
