In a recent episode of her podcast, Megan has called out several popular films and TV shows for perpetuating negative stereotypes.
Among the targets of her criticism are Jordan Peterson, Austin Powers, Kill Bill, and How I Met Your Mother, all of which have massive fanbases and appeal to a broad group of people.
Megan specifically pointed out two 20-year-old films, Austin Powers and Kill Bill, for their portrayal of women of Asian descent.
She discussed the Dragon Lady stereotype with journalist Lisa Ling and comedian Margaret Cho, highlighting the problematic representation of Asian women in these movies.
The 2002 film Austin Powers in Goldmember featured characters Fook Mi and Fook Yu, played by Diane Mizota and Karian Inaba respectively.
These characters were criticized for s**ually objectifying Asian women.
Similarly, Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 blockbuster Kill Bill depicted Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii, a violent Yakuza leader.
This character was described as a stereotypical dragon lady who uses her sexuality as a manipulative tool, but lacks emotional warmth and threatens masculinity.
However, Megan faced accusations of hypocrisy for speaking out against the sexualization and aggression of Asian women in Tarantino movies.
Critics pointed out that she herself played a character in the TV series Suits who was over-sexualized, aggressive, and deceptive.
Some argued that the exaggerated nature of characters in Tarantino’s films is a norm for his style, and that Megan’s comments stemmed from sour grapes.
Others took to social media to express their opinions on the matter.
One Twitter user noted that they didn’t perceive any particular kindness or friendliness towards any race or gender in Kill Bill.
Another sarcastically thanked Megan for finally taking a position on this issue after years of waiting.
The backlash continued as commenters criticized Megan for biting the hands that feed her, referring to her previous criticisms of the royal family and now Hollywood’s elite.
Despite the backlash, Megan remained firm in her stance.
She argued that there were other examples of negative stereotypes in popular media, and called for them to be brought to light.
However, some questioned the relevance and validity of Megan’s claims, suggesting that Austin Powers is a surreal comedy where hyper-sexualization is central to its humor.
They also argued that Kill Bill, being a martial arts movie, naturally features aggressive and sexualized female characters, with O-Ren Ishii being one of the least sexualized among them.
Critics further speculated that Megan’s focus on the dragon lady stereotype might be driven by her desire to expand her fanbase among American Asians.
They suggested that she aligns herself with cultural aspects such as eating noodles and visiting a Korean spa to create a facade of cultural understanding.
In conclusion, Megan’s call-out of popular films and TV shows for negative stereotypes has sparked a heated debate.
While some support her efforts to shed light on problematic portrayals, others criticize her for perceived hypocrisy and question the validity of her claims.
The discussion surrounding the dragon lady stereotype and its impact on Asian representation in media continues to be a contentious topic.