I’ll Never Understand Surprise At Stereotypes In The Movies
I remember when the groundbreaking film “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” first came out, there was outrage. Lots of it, insisting that it was somehow a discredit to Latinos everywhere. Personally, I think that we are missing the point here if we expect television or film to honor culture or heritage.
After all “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” was a horrible movie that still managed to earn millions of dollars. Interesting, considering it is a movie cast with talent with a good number of Spanish surnames (albeit with poor, over-accented voices). This takes me back to my first point, I looked up an all-time box office list and the only movie I saw with “Hispanics” in lead roles are Antonio Banderas and Cameron Diaz in the “Shrek” movies.
Technically, Banderas should not even count since he is European and it’s not like Diaz is desperate to brand herself as a Latina. Mexicans are considered box office poison and for the most part are recast by Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Seriously, are you telling me that New Zealand actor Cliff Curtis could play a more convincing cholo in “Training Day” than any Salvadoreño, Chicano or Mexican actor?
If you think that cultural relativity is found in a television screen, you need to keep looking.
Besides, it is common knowledge that Walt Disney was an anti-Semite and a racist, but why would the holy trinity of Chicano comedy star in it? Not only are Paul Rodriguez and Cheech Marin in it, but George Lopez plays the leading role. If that wasn’t enough Edward James Olmos and Salma Hayek lend their voices to the movie. I would also like to point out that this is not the first time that Cheech Marin lends his voice to play a Chihuahua. I do not remember anyone boycotting “Oliver and Company.”
The same can be said about Edward James Olmos who is praised for “Stand and Deliver,” a hunted man for “American Me” and completely absolved for playing the Chief in “The Road to El Dorado.”
The point that I am getting at is that these actors read the script, so why don’t we hold them responsible? Why are we not boycotting “The George Lopez Show,” or my favorite movie, “Born In East LA?”
We should boycott “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” on the notion that it is a horrible movie, not because it takes one pyramid and calls it something else.
We should boycott all horrible movies like “Baby Geniuses” and anything that is based on a video game. We should support the arts and encourage up-and-coming artists who are still on the artistic roll call before they end up on a Coca-Cola commercial. Perhaps maybe then, when we reach the highest pinnacle of success, we can afford to have a Mexican play a Puerto Rican on the big screen.
Follow Oscar Barajas on Twitter @Oscarcoatl
