EthnicMajority

(NPR) Once upon a time, Asian-American artists would have taken their anger to the streets.

That's what happened in 1990, when Asian-American actors, outraged over a Caucasian actor's yellowface performance in Miss Saigon, staged public protests over the casting choice. It was one of the most divisive debates over racial representation in the history of the American theater. Twenty-two years later, the battle is still being waged — though now it's via social media and a PowerPoint presentation.

At the RepresentAsian conference, a three-hour wrangle at Fordham University on Monday, it wasn't about slogans, signs or sit-ins. Cold numbers, pie charts and bar graphs told what Asian-American advocates say is a sad fact about casting. Based on data the group compiled from the past five theater seasons, Asian-Americans are the only minority group whose share of New York acting roles declined, and they were also the least likely to be selected for roles that would traditionally be played by white actors.

Full story…

(Contact Music) Former couple Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez's new talent contest has found an English-language TV home on the U.S. network which airs her American Idol show.

Fox executives have snapped up the English-language version of Latin America-based series, Q'Viva! The Chosen, and the first episode will air on 3 March (12).

Full story…

(USAToday) Point guard Jeremy Lin has become a sensation not just in New York. He posted his first double-double in his two-year career in a 107-93 victory against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. He's been the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter in his three starts with the New York Knicks. In China on Monday, Lin's name was among the top 10 search terms on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, according to Salon.com.

Asian Americans of all stripes are energized by Lin, the first Asian-American player in the NBA:

"I don't care about the outcome. I just want to see him in action. He's as good of an Asian American athlete as there is."

Full story…

(Inquisitr) Walt Disney Co and Univision Communications are currently engaged in talks that would bring a new English language 24-hour cable news channel aimed at a Hispanic audience.

The inside source that revealed the talks to Reuters has not revealed specifics but has cautioned that the deal is far from completed and could still unravel at any time.

The move is seen as a way for the newspaper to capture an ever changing demographic of U.S. Hispanic viewers and to reach a growing number of English specific people of Hispanic origins.

Full story…

(Huffington Post) With all the attention that New York Giants' emerging star receiver, Victor Cruz, is receiving these days — both for being a local New Jersey boy 'done good', and for his effusive salsa dancing in the end zone — people may forget that the NFL has been home to many great Latino players, including a good number of Hall of Famers and a couple of Super Bowl stars.

For starters, this weekend's super match pits two boricuas, Cruz with the NY Giants, and his New England Patriots' counterpart, tight end Aaron Hernández. Either could be breakout stars and be key to their team's victory.

Full story…

(Los Angeles Times) LMFAO’s head-pounding “Party Rock Anthem” pulsated through North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre as a multiracial group of young performers stormed the stage, promising in song to provide a lively evening of laughs. They then launched into a rapid-fire parade of sketches filled with gleeful raunch and pokes at racial stereotypes.

The performance had the usual trappings of a night out at any comedy club around town. But little about this invitation-only night was typical. The actors, writers and directors were all amateur, and they were mostly people of color — young blacks, Latinos, Asians, Indians — performing original material they had helped to develop before a crowd of managers, agents and creative executives from major networks and studios.

The event marked the culmination of this year’s CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase, an annual talent forum that also functions as a three-month boot camp designed to boost the chances of minorities hoping to land roles on TV comedies and dramas.

Full story…

(New York Times) “Patriotic,” “jingoistic,” “old-fashioned,” “corny” and “inspirational for teenage boys.” Those are the words of George Lucas, the executive producer of “Red Tails,” describing his whiz-bang action film about African-American fighter pilots in World War II on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.”

Mr. Lucas financed the $58 million movie, which the major studios didn’t want to touch, because of the box office limitations of its mostly African-American cast. “It is exactly like ‘Flying Leathernecks,’ only this one was held up for release since 1942, when it was shot,” Mr. Lucas said. In structure and tone, “Red Tails” proudly harks back to the 1940s and ’50s, when good guys were good, and bad guys bad.

Full story…

(Huffington Post) Once upon a time stars Anglicized their names to appeal to a broader market. A Mexican-American musician, most famous for the early rock-and-roll hit La Bamba, changed his name from Richard Valenzuela to Ritchie Valens at the encouragement of record executives. Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Estevez. Anthony Quinn was once Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca.

But more and more it seems celebrities are changing their names to be more appealing to their audiences by reinforcing their Hispanic heritage. Journalist Geraldo Rivera used to be Gerald, and Carlos Mencia? His real name is Ned!

Full story…

(LostRemote) Univision, the leading media company serving Hispanic America, launched a new iPhone app for news called Noticias Univision, which can be downloaded here. Univision Network has a huge reach, serving 97% of US Hispanic households. The app’s main purpose for now will be to deliver their 24/7 news coverage, and later this month users will be able to “report breaking news by uploading photos and videos,” and share their favorite Noticias Univision content with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter, according to their release.

Full story…

(Reuters) The taping of the BET Honors, hosted by Black Entertainment Television was held at the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Washington.

It brought out stars including singers Patti LaBelle and queen of soul Aretha Franklin, as well as Washington political figures such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

The politics-meets-glamour event fits in with the recently ramped up efforts by Obama to help her husband, President Barack Obama, win a challenging re-election bid in November.

Full story…