Pinkberry, a frozen desserts chain with over 23 locations in the Los Angeles area and New York City, proudly serves unhealthy portions of ignorance alongside its overpriced and arguably overrated frozen desserts. No stranger to controversy, Pinkberry sells this less-than-wholesome product:
The Alessi Mandarin Citrus Juicer by Stefano Giovannoni
Really, should a company founded and run by Asian-Americans sell these products?
These “mandarin juicers” are essentially three-dimensional caricatures of Chinese “coolies” or laborers who emigrated to the United States well over a century ago. Indeed, while most caricatures are harmless and perhaps amusing, the same is not true for caricatures playing on racial or ethnic stereotypes.
Such stereotypes are rarely flattering. These three-dimensional caricatured heads with slanted eyes and rice paddy hats emasculate Asian males, reducing them to slit-eyed plastic bowls that become orange or yellow in color as more oranges or lemons are squeezed upon their rice paddy hats. It’s hard to see the humor in that.
Moreover, they reinforce the notion of “otherness” or “foreignness” of Asians, Asian-Americans, or Americans of Asian descent. The message is simple: the “Chinaman” will always remain a “Chinaman”.
The Alessi “mandarin juicers” are to Asians what Aunt Jemima is to African-Americans, Frito Bandito is to Latinos, and anti-Semitic caricatures are to Jewish people.
It’s hard to say what’s more disappointing: that the product designer finds humor in a design based on racial stereotypes or that they are also sold by at least one retail outfit owned by Asian-Americans (think: Pinkberry).
