18 Oct Can we exorcise Jon Gosselin as an Asian American?

When I first found out Jon Gosselin is Asian American, I thought, “Cool!” His kids were an adorable hapa brood, and Kate was a somewhat… shall we say … difficult partner. A mixed-race family is nothing unfamiliar to many AAPIs (and especially Japanese Americans, who have had the highest out-marriage rate of all AAPI ethnicities for decades).

Erin called it almost the first time she happened to tune in to the show. She pointed out all the ways that Kate showed little emotional intelligence (barking, “What planet are you from, Jon?” in one show), and the ways Jon seemed to be distancing himself from Kate in his body language and expressions.

That’s what the first look at “Jon and Kate Plus 8” was like for us.

Now, Jon Gosselin just looks like a fool, not cool. He’s being sued by TLC for breach of contract. And his antics may have also cost Kate, soon to be his ex, a chance at her own show with the kids, “Kate Plus 8.” He tried preventing crews from filming their kids, so TLC has apparently postponed the new show’s Nov. 2 launch, according to TV Guide. Other reports have said the show has been canceled altogether.

What’s ironic is that Kate’s been coached and appears to be a different person from the hard and harsh wife from the start of the series in 2007. She’s been reinventing her brand to a sympathetic character and a warm-hearted mom. Meanwhile Jon’s devolved his brand from long-suffering husband and kinda bumbling dad to dumbass playboy twerphead. She might deserve another 15 minutes of fame, but his clock’s run out.

I blogged about how Asians feel a twinge of guilt and shame every time Asians commit crimes or otherwise embarrasses themselves.

So, what are supposed to do with Jon Gosselin, who is half-Korean though he showed that side of his cultural makeup only once during the series, when he cooked Korean food for a family dinner. He’s a classic Twinkie: yellow on the outside but white on the inside.

Here’s what I’d like to do: Exorcise him as an Asian America. Disown him. Throw some white paint on the dude.

That way, he can do whatever he wants with his damned life, and I won’t have to feel any connection with him.

Even a Hapa woman we know, who’s part Korean, says she’s embarrassed that Gosselin has the same ethnic background, and wishes she could disown him as anything like her.

Oh, and one more thing. Even if Kate Gosselin deserves another chance in the limelight, I’ve got to think hat shutting it all down and folding up the circus would be the best possible thing for the ones that really count in this sorry soap opera: the eight kids.