A magician posted these pictures of himself performing as a Chinese person.
Here’s my response to the picture, which I replied to in a private magician’s group, and not on his public, personal FB page:
I really dislike that magicians still think this is an acceptable way to perform. Performing in “yellow face” has a long history in magic and one that needs to end.
Here’s Jack Chanin (I think, and if I’m wrong, let me know) performing in Yellowface (yellowmask?):
These “characters” are outdated stereotypes. Part of the history of yellowface was to portray the Chinese as monsters and to give them frightening physical features. The long mustaches and fingernails, the bright yellow skin color were to make Chinese people look less human.
Why would any performer who knew its history want to continue doing that?
In my opinion, it’s lazy creativity. In both pictures above, the performer is using the Chinese sticks prop; however, that trick isn’t from China! Instead of putting the energy into creating a unique routine, the performer does something that they’ve seen done before. The thinking is that if someone else has done it, then that’s the way to do it.
I’ve personally walked out of several shows when a performer did stereotype material. There is an exception to this, does the performer have a point of view with what they are doing. Is it social commentary, relating an actual experience, or something like that? In all of the exceptions to this that I have seen, the person never put on a costume.
The moral of the story is don’t do stuff like this.
-Louie