Flap over 'Roundeye Noodle Bar'
The name is racist, says an Asian American group.
Flap over 'Roundeye Noodle Bar'
Michael Klein, Philly.com
Roundeye Noodle Bar - for now, a "pop-up" restaurant as it awaits a permanent home - has drawn the ire of Asian Americans United, an advocacy group.
Organizer Helen Gym says the name is racist. "In the owners' words, they are 'two white boys from the suburbs' ... creating a 'hip noodle spot,'" she wrote in an email advisory to the media over the weekend, on the eve of Roundeye's second pop-up. Roundeye is the creation of friends (and Anglos) Shawn Darragh and Matyson chef Ben Puchowitz.
"But if these self-named 'white boys' are the 'roundeye' noodle makers what does that make the Asian noodle places they're modeling their place after? As a city notoriously home to Chink's Steaks, it's really a shame that a well-regarded spot like Matysons [sic] would lower their reputation to a legacy of petty, derogatory names in an effort to be 'hip.'"
She continued: "I don't think the owners of 'Roundeye' had specific intent, but that's exactly the problem with racial stereotypes - they're so deeply ingrained people don't even question it.
I also heard from AAU executive director Ellen Somekowa, who wrote: "If you grow up Asian in America, there is no more common put down than ridicule of the shape of our eyes. There is no way to hear the name, 'Roundeye,' without at the same time hearing what it is being contrasted to. .. A very hurtful racist slur -- SLANTEYES."
Darragh said he heard from an AAU representative Saturday. "We're not really sure what to do with this," he told me. "She was very nice,. We intended it as a play on words, making fun of ourselves - not trying to be offensive to anyone. We're not racist, but this is making us out to be racist. The weird thing is that the majority of our customers are Asian. Some of the them think it's a funny name. Some people get offended and some don't."
He said they might consider changing the name once a permanent home was found for the noodle restaurant.
The idea of a restaurant is progressing. Darragh said they now have an investor, and they're beginning to scour Center City for a location.
Sunday's pop-up, held at Matyson, drew about 250 people, he said.
Read Drew Lazor's commentary: An Asian-American take on the Roundeye Noodle name
- (still waiting for your explanation why the example is not analogous...thx.)
— b-ry - Folks: Here's an article I wrote about Helen Gym and her sanctimonious activism.
http://articles.philly.com/2012-01-11/news/30616653_1_decriminalize-drugs-laws-workers
— featherman - WTH. As an Asian, I can say that Helen does not speak for all of the AA community. Secondly, racism is only racism if you think it is. Lets say a kid (who we assume has not idea what racism is) says that as Asian he/she saw has slanted eyes, does that make the kid a racist? I don't think so. He is stating a fact. If it is true, I have no problem with it. As long as you don't categorize people and demean them. As for the noodle house, personally I probably would eat there because they use ramen for noodles and that kills their credibility with me, but it has nothing to do with race. The media needs to stop bringing these nonsense up.— penncrow19
- in this case "AA" is Asian-American.
not to be confused w/ AA = African-American
or AA = Alcoholics Anonymous
or the battery size . . .— ekw555 
Comment removed.- Classic Gorilla marketing by having their organizer say it's racist which then stirs the media pot to grab press. $2 says they already have a new name and will change it and then shift gears by stating that they are "sensitive to the concerns of the Asian community" as soon as they get a permanent location. Congrats they got their 15 mins of fame, a write up and some controversy surrounding their restaurant and now the drooling masses will come and see what all the hype is about.— zombieboy_215
- I have no time nor tolerance for those wimps who get "offended". Get thicker skin.— kelprod2
- @TheCuz -- Seriously, you want me to spell it out for you? Ok, here goes: Both names are offensive for the racist connotation that is implied by their inverse. Both names play on opposite, stereotypical physical traits of two entire races, juxtoposed by the irony that they are operated by white owners seeking to elicit ill-advised tongue-in-cheek humor by these very racial stereotypes. That being said, I don't believe there was any intent by the owners of the restaurant.
Now, use your words and give me your rebuttal.— b-ry - Comment removed.
- @ThePutz who cares who said it. They are using a cheap tactic to get press. You don't need a degree from Oxford to figure out that you have been played to.— zombieboy_215
- Comment removed.
- What would Charlie Chan think about this?— hawk
- I don't understand the problem,I'm white and when someone calls me a "honky" or a "cracker" it makes my day!— robwood
- @TheCuz -- What a let down. That explanation actually made no sense -- especially the "jump off a bridge" part. Perhaps you should stick with name calling and conclusory statements like, "there really is no analogy." I'd hope that even you couldn't deny that stereotyping black persons as having big lips and broad noses is inherently racist. Perhaps, then, the disconnect between you and I is that you don't believe "slanteye" is racist, in which case, I can't help you.— b-ry
- Comment removed.
