To:  ABC

To the producers of "Desperate Housewives" and ABC:

We are writing to express concern and hurt about a racially-discriminatory comment made in an episode of Desperate Housewives on 9/30/07. In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines."

As members and allies of the Filipino American community, we are writing to inform know that this type of derogatory remark was discriminatory and hurtful, and such a comment was not necessary to maintain any humor in the show. Additionally, a statement that devalues Filipinos in healthcare is extremely unfounded, considering the overwhelming presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the medical field. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. (and successfully passing their U.S. licensing boards!) as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is extremely disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant. Many of the hospitals in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. (and the world) would not be able to operate without its Filipino and Filipino American staff members.

As Filipino Americans and allies, we band together to ensure that this type of hateful message should not be allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves. Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O'Donnell (against Asian/ Chinese Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various screenwriters, the show's producers, the show's actors, and ABC itself.

We demand a public apology to the Filipino American community, and we demand the episode be edited to remove the ignorant and racist remark. We will not allow hateful messages against our community (or any other oppressed community) to continue.

Sincerely, 

www.petitiononline.com/FilABC/

simply.... I sent out a myspace bulletin with a link to this blog entry asking them to read, repost and sign the petition and this is what I got today in my inbox this morning:

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know that ABC and Walt Disney HAVE responded w/ a public apology, but I wonder if this is enough? Here's the link to their response if you all are interested in reading it!!

http://tv.msn.com/tv/articl...


Happy Thursday All!!

Lisa

Wow dude,  I did not see the show that night but that ain't cool at all.  I did read every part of the story and it is very shocking.  You would think that even the actress could protest when she read her lines.  I would have said what the hell do you want me to say that for.  It could definitely hurt my career.  I wonder if she or any actors can in fact protest or do they breach their contract by not actually saying their lines?  I want to know if Teri had a problem with it before she actually cut the scene?????  I always liked her in fact I thought she had the best character in the series as far as that goes, did she cross the line as well as the network?

Thanx Lisa.  It was great to get a response from ABC.

-mario

I was listening to www.indie1031.fm on the net this morning, and they talked about it on the air. WOW!!!

Orale'! Filipino, represent! Show Hollywood they can't push around the Pinay!

Peace,
Matt

I've heard a little on this subject but haven't really read or listened to naything on it really. I'm curious, mr devil's advotate that i am, was it that off handed comment on desprate housewives  said out of the fact it might be cheaper to go there and get licensed or a degree? Or  where they saying that  people from the philipines come here and don't know what they are doing?  i like to tear these subjects apart and kinda disect them to see what people are really saying.  i'm just curious as to what their intent was, and not what happened, or if they ment for it  to really be mean spirited toward Filipinos. I personally know and talk to friends there and I know people  from there  that are here and are professionals and are great people.

Hey all, here is an update in regards to this incident.  Even online chat rooms in Yahoo Messenger PHILIPPINES under regional are on fire in regards to the incident.  The YouTube postings of the incident covered by National News all over the world are online and as Philippines network focuses on the incident since the Pilot showing of it, it hasn't settled within the hearts of many professionals that are offended by the 19 second clip.

http://www.youtube.com/resu...

A current article just recently written on October 8, 2007 by Cebu Daily News Opinion below reads a more facts...

Heart to Heart Talk : Desperate Housewives, indeed

By Dr. Philip S. Chua
Cebu Daily News

Posted date: October 08, 2007

A terrible slur against Filipino physicians and the Philippine medical schools was made by lead actress Teri Hatcher’s character, Susan, in the trashy TV sitcom “Desperate Housewives” aired on ABC7 Sunday last week. As expected, Filipinos in the United States and their American friends and patients, and Filipinos in the Philippines and around the world, were up in arms. A massive letter and global email writing campaign ensued.

But the deplorable incident had a positive side to it. It gave the Filipinos an opportunity (a justifiable excuse to “brag”) to let the world know great the quality and caliber of the Filipinos physicians around the globe.

The letter of protest below, which was sent last week to the Walt Disney Company and to the President of ABC partly highlighted the integrity, competence, respect, and admiration many Americans, including top US government officials, have for the Filipino physicians.

***

This is to call your attention to a derogatory and inflammatory statement attributed to actress Teri Hatcher, who was quoted as having said (as a part of her script on Desperate Housewives), “Okay before we go any further, can I check these diplomas? Just to make sure that they aren’t, like, from some med school in the Philippines.”

The scene showed Teri Hatcher’s character (Susan) at a hospital, being told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause. The statement quoted above was what she said after hearing what her gynecologist told her.

There are more than 20,000 Filipino physicians in the United States, who are caring for the Americans and other people in this country. Before they are licensed to practice in whichever State they may be, they had to pass a competency exam, a medical board exam, go through internship and residency training in the USA, some of them, for a total of seven to 8 years. Then they had to take two more rigid exams for their specialty and subspecialty. Actually, they take more exams than American graduates do, before they are licensed in the United States.

There are hundreds of Filipino-Americans who are high ranking professors in the academe, in training hospitals, teaching and training young American medical graduates. The statistics show that, proportionately, there more Filipino physicians who are specialists and subspecialists in the United States, compared to American graduates.

We learned as a consequence of all this that one of the anesthesiologists of President Reagan when he was operated on for gunshot wound was a Filipino; the physician who was consulted by American physicians and who treated President Reagan for an infection while he was in office was a Filipina; and that one of the physicians of former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore was a Filipina.

And all you have to do is to ask those millions and millions of American patients of Filipino-American physicians in the United States to find out about their competence, performance, compassion, and bedside manner. You might even be surprised that many of the Americans would rather be under the care of Filipino-American physicians.

While we know that Teri Hatcher only read what was on her script, she should have known better. We vehemently condemn the insulting and degrading implication of the statement in question as written by the insensitive and evidently racist screen writer and the negligence of the producers and your network to have allowed it to air.

We are hereby demanding for a public apology from ABC7, the screen writer, who penned that statement, from Teri Hatcher, and from the producers of the show. They have maligned and insulted our country and the Filipino physicians, who, by any measure, had more education than Teri Hatcher, or any of you involved in this senseless incident.

The ball is in your court.

Sincerely,
Philip S. Chua, M.D., FACS, FPCS
Chairman
Filipino United Network (USA)
Email: funforhumanity@gmail.com

The letters from the Honorable Willy C. Gaa, Philippine Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Cecilia B. Rebong, Philippine Consulate General, New York, Dr. Francisco Duque III, Secretary of Health, and from the Philippine Medical Association and various Filipino-American associations in the United States, have led The Walt Disney Company, who owns ABC, to release this public apology: “The producers of ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premier. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines.”

I have a feeling that the final episode in this tele-drama is yet to come.

The apology was done...  But is it really enough?  Should the network ABC come back with an episode to fix the issue?  Should ABC in the end of the show of Desperate Housewives mention their mistakes where millions of viewers are focused and to give back the confidence to Filipino's that such remark was not needed to hurt the many medical professionals.  I don't know about you all.  To me, if I was near death and really want to get better.  I don't care what you are.  I just want to live!  I feel that my life is in your hands and I have to give you that confidence to do what is best and I am sure a medical professional wants what is best rather than hurting the patient.  FILIPINO's? Hmmm, I think as a Filipino, I am proud to say that my dad's life was saved more than twice by the very medical professionals that are Filipino and others alike.  And if he wasn't, I know for sure they don't want him dead.  That's why they are in the field.  To save lives!  Care for our medical condition.  Yeah, I'm upset...  But this is reality!  If it was perfect, I'll be on vacation everyday not thinking of anything.  There's always something or else it wouldn't be worth talkin' about.  NEWS and all.  Kudos the media that had focused on this issue...  More to come for sure.  But the heat is hot at the moment everywhere.  Just last night, watching THE FILIPINO CHANNEL, news are still mentioning about the incident.  It will calm for sure....     

I fervently hope that the people from ABC, together with the cast and crew of this trashy "Desperate Housewives" show will always remember that they are meant to entertain people objectively as possible. I firmly believe that they should consider reorienting their producers, directors, scriptwriters, and other staffs who work behind any word being delivered on air about OBJECTIVE BROADCAST JOURNALISM. We have a principle in journalism about the use of words. WORDS ARE POWERFUL. THEY CAN MAKE OR BREAK PEOPLE.

Many people have fought and died against the issue of "RACISM" of any kind. So, please get over this long and dead issue! The world is changing. People change. I assumed that people nowadays are better informed or educated about the beauty of equality in any kind.

For your information, Filipinos are sensitive when it comes to what they had worked hard for. Medicine or any other respectable profession is not meant to be a joke substance. Besides, I could not see any point of laughter in the scene when there was an exchange of lines between the doctor and Teri. And, I need to say that people should know what the meaning of comedy is. Comedy is still "drama". "Desperate Housewives" is a comedy in its entire theme. It presents real life situations but not in a deliberately hilarious way.

ABC released its letter of APOLOGY. Actually, any businessman could just simply ask his  staff to release any letter like that without any sincerity. Filipinos, however, don't believe that ABC had done enough. All they ask you to do is to tape another episode that would bring back the respect of the viewers to some Philippine Medical Schools in the Philippines. That is FAIR! Fair because that is the way you have offended them and that is going to be the way you are going to say you're sorry. They can assure you that if you will do this for the sake of their country's Medical Community's Reputation which you have hurt, they will certainly believe that what Teri said on air was certainly an honest mistake. And by all means, you really mean to apologize. They know that you can do it. Because you have said in your letter that your network is the leader in broadcast diveristy which is so committed to presenting respectful images featured in all programs you have. Now, the lines of Teri Hatcher violated your main principle. I hope that this is an enough reason for you to rectify such a derogatory remark by taping another episode where Teri will retract. Thank you.

We recently heard that there is some Filipino Medical Association in USA that has filed a libelsuit againts the so called "leader in broadcast diversity in terms of presenting program features of different cultures", ABC Network. The amount is $500 M. This is  a huge and yet a very challenging step for Filipino Doctors there. But, we, your fellow Filipinos from different parts of the world, won't leave you in this battle alone. We will pray for your rightful victory. We are siding with you. If this is the best possible way for this network to realize how hurtful such a derogatory remark to most Filipinos was, then let it be. We were once their colony and we can never afford to let that happen again. Enough is enough.

Once again I believe that there is something good that may come out of this-and that is one Filipino nation standing united and strong. I know that this incident will show the world that Filipinos deserve to be respected just like any other race in the world.

So, go for it!

 

Whoa, lets cry about it... Its a stupid TV show with a whole bunch of old women. who cares. really...... they don't matter... The Dr.'s are the ones who went to medical school. not the Desperate Housewives.... Man people are insecure.

I love the way you cut to the chase, your diplomacy is bar none the best there Annie

I agree... it is a TV show and I can tally up all the "redneck inbred white trash" remarks if you want me to when some people  talk about southerners.  There are many brilliant southerners but they are stereotyped as well. And its mostly because its funny.  Jews certainly don't get any of the negative stereotypes either.  Neither do the British.  Actually... I am protesting Star Wars for portraying the villians as British (implied with the accents) and I'm protesting Larry the Cable Guy because he is in fact not really a southern bumpkin, but somebody who is using the stereotypes as a character. I'm also protesting Jeff Foxworthy for GLORIFYING rednecks... there is just no reason to do that.  It is television people. 

Interesting story as well as comments. I do not think the line delivered by the actress was appropriate, however I also do not feel that a 500 mil lawsuit is appropriate either. Whose going to benefit from that lawsuit? Who will pocket the money from this lawsuit? Surely not all of the offended victims will get a cut.

it isn't the stereotype.  it is a medical professional that are in questions.  the libel suit will benefit the many doctors and nurses that will go in training to better take in more professionals to study in philippines.  i understand that many comedians will joke around in regards to other matters but really the line was not needed to bring down the medical community specially when we are hurting for 'em in the usa.  it isn't that every filipino are stirred up about the incident.  the very lines are hitting worldwide where millions of people lives were saved by the very 19 clip that degraded the filipinos.  as an american, i feel for them.  they have every right to opinionate their thoughts.  if martin luther king didn't say a word back then, if every thoughts in history were just kept in silence due to just what others said...  then where will we be today?  you have to put in perspective that the issue isn't easily dropped.  the very people that they joked about are the very people that saved my eyes from getting blind in the philippines.  i went there to get my medical done there cause i can trust them and the cost is less.  they are at best!  n i thank the thousands of filipino's that are here.

linda smith

I have to agree with linda smith here. I also have to think,  how often are Filipinos mentioned on TV anyway. Not much I don't think. That might be a good thing in a way. I think we can all say generally most Dr.'s that come here from other countries are far better educated and know what they are doing.