ABC's Fresh Off the Boat is a sitcom about a Taiwanese family grateful to be making the most of the opportunity American life has to offer. At least the mom and dad appreciate the U.S., the grandmother hasn't bothered to learn English and is apparently racist.
In this scene in the episode, "The Fall Ball," Grandma Huang (Lucille Soong) is in an argument with her daughter-in-law Jessica (Constance Wu) about their relationship and money that Jessica wants to borrow to invest in a house. When Jessica tries to argue that she has been generously taking care of her mother-in-law while their white neighbor Honey doesn't even know where her own mother is, Grandma makes the valid point that it is her obligation, but then lets loose with a racist comment!
Watch:
Transcript:
Jessica: [In Mandarin] From the time I married Louis, you’ve made me feel like I’m never good enough.
Grandma Huang: It’s not that you’re not good enough. It’s that you’re spoiled.
Jessica: Spoiled? Does a spoiled person buy you clothes? Feed you, put a roof over your head?
Grandma: That is your obligation!
Jessica: Oh, my obligation? [In English] Honey, where does your mother live?
Honey: El Paso? I'm not sure. She goes back and forth to Mexico a lot to buy steroids for her cat.
Grandma: Don’t compare us to white people, they are the cruelest race. You think you can get whatever you want regardless of how you treat people. You only wanted to spend time with me because I have money. You have no interest in me beyond that.
Low blow, ABC. I shouldn't have to point out that world history is scarred by atrocities committed by all races on all continents throughout all time. No one race has a monopoly on being "cruel." Except in Hollywood, that is.
