I will take "Taj Badalandawala" over "Jazminder Featherfoot" anytime .. Well not that way!..just the name.

i wouldnt hold my breath waiting for this to be another harold and kumar, unless they are making fun of peoples confusion with 2 kinds of indian in her character. actually, i am holding my breath.

Puliogre said:

they are making fun of peoples confusion with 2 kinds of indian in her character

I’m running late— I was supposed to bhangra outside my teepee, for no discernible reason, a full hour ago.

...as part of an onam celebration.

Wow, it really does suck. The part that I really couldn't figure out is how they're parodying "Dodgeball," which was itself a parody...?

Oh, and "Jizminder Featherfoot" is offensive and stupid.

Looks like a terrible movie and I have a feeling we've seen all the funny parts in the trailer.

Also, type of over-the-top stereotyping is far less insidious than what we saw in 24 etc.

There is a great movie to be made, (something in the vein of "The Thirteenth Warrior") of Indian American meets American Indian -though of course this isn't that movie.

Everyone gets made fun of in a free and variant society, so I don't see anything wrong with 1 movie in 2007 having a "Jizminder Featherfoot" character. So long as there are numerous multidimensional desi characters in other, similarly well-budgeted movies coming out this year.

So long as there are numerous multidimensional desi characters in other, similarly well-budgeted movies coming out this year.

we'll have a desi president of the united states earlier than decent media representation. btw, both will never happen, in case you were wondering.

why do people think confusing American Indians and South Asian Indians is funny?

Damned Columbus! Imagine the horrors if he had actually reached India, and yet his offensive legacy lives on in stupid jokes at the expense of...(sigh!)

Damned Columbus!

just cause he misnamed the native north americans in the late 1400's doesnt mean that this mistake would be made by people today. i would think "damned ignorant sp00ge-for-brains" would work, given that the problems are being caused more by the ignorant idiots that give us problems, as opposed to someone that has been dead for centuries.

offensive, of course.

but you guys, look on the bright side: matthew lawrence, the most talented young man in hollywood is making movies again!! not since mrs. doubtfire have we seen such fine work from this great and underrated genius!

"damned ignorant sp00ge-for-brains"

Fair enough.

"...I have a feeling we've seen all the funny parts in the trailer."

Which funny parts? I must have missed them as I watched ANNA bhangra outside her teepee...;-)

I was supposed to bhangra outside my teepee, for no discernible reason, a full hour ago.

Two words: videos please.

we'll have a desi president of the united states earlier than decent media representation. btw, both will never happen, in case you were wondering.

Seriously though, why not?

Damned Columbus!

"I knew", said Columbus,
"That the Earth was not a rhombus.
But I am a little annoyed,
To find it an oblate spheroid."

-- attributed to Edmund Clerihew Bentley

I got this Indian squaw, the day that I met her
Asked her what tribe she with, red dot or feather?
She said, "All you need to know is I'm not a ho,
And to get with me you better be Chief Lots-a-Dough."

-Jay Z, Girls, Girls, Girls

(Interesting aside: in the video, both "red dot" and "feather" are censored.)

I wonder, since we’re conflating everything, could we claim Esther as one of our own?

I'm going to conflate the defunct(?)Abhi post " Ask a Desi". I met a Desi family living in the states that were [protestant] Christians, & Israeli citizens, one son was performing his mandatory military service back in Israel....I think I got that right, it was from "the mom" while we were working together on a kitchen cleanup thingy. I know of the Ethiopian Jews; DNA test, airlifts to the 'homeland' etc, but is there a "lost" Desi tribe as well? Recently in my Church here in the UK, I met a Pakistani lady who was raised as a Jew , in Pakistan, but is now a Christian.

What's up?

Hi Dilettante - In Kerala we've had a Jewish community there that goes back to the 15th century if not later. In the 40s it was at its peak. Forgot where they came from. There's still the Jewish Synogogue in Cochin (I visited it for the first time last year) - Cochin is also called Jew-town, b/c that's where the majority of the Jews who came to Kerala settled.

Also there are Jewish communities that came at different times to Bombay and I'm pretty sure other parts of india - I'm sure if you wiki it you'll find more.

Most of the jews in Kerala emigrated to Isreal in the 1940s so they are almost all gone from the Kerala population.

I still say damned Columbus!
From understandingprejudice.org: "The United States honors only two men with federal holidays bearing their names. In January we commemorate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr., who struggled to lift the blinders of racial prejudice and to cut the remaining bonds of slavery in America. In October, we honor Christopher Columbus, who opened the Atlantic slave trade and launched one of the greatest waves of genocide known in history."

Which funny parts? I must have missed them as I watched ANNA bhangra outside her teepee...;-)

I have a weakness for slapstick, what can I say? Except, maybe, lighten up people. Its a stupid movie, that will be forgotten three hours after its watched. Reserve this anguish for someone who put more thought into a flick.

# 17,

Yes, there are Jews in India .

Check the News tab on Sepia Mutiny - there is a post today about the "Lost tribe " from India there

Noureen had a small role in Ocean's 13. I personally didn't find the trailer (or Noureen's role/name) offensive, but I won't be running out to see this movie either. They'll probably make fun of all and sundry in this movie - it's a silly HW comedy.

PS - there was a very interesting article on the malabar jews last year, about their dwindling numbers. i wonder if they will start an inter-marriage scheme a la parsis. of all the communities, theirs is the oldest jewish community in india. there is also a sizeable one, i think, in pune.

thanks PS,Runa!

Bess,
If Columbus reached India, Indians would be speaking Spanish. Then at least when some random Latino approaches me I would know enough Spanish to reply.

PS - there was a very interesting article on the malabar jews last year, about their dwindling numbers. i wonder if they will start an inter-marriage scheme a la parsis. of all the communities, theirs is the oldest jewish community in india. there is also a sizeable one, i think, in pune.

that would be interesting b/c I love the multiculturalism in Kerala (as in all parts of India) and the continuing tradition of Jewish culture would be lovely. The Cochin synagogue was so beautiful inside. The best thing about Jewish history in Kerala, is the tradition of freedom of religion so Jews were able to practice their religion w/o oppression. Of course the tolerance that was given to the Jews didn't apply to the lower-caste Hindus in Kerala until recently. I'll have to look for the Malabar Jewish article.

Re: Red dot vs feather. We shouldn't make fun of poor folks that can't afford maps.

Santosh, I though you spoke Spanish!

Sirc,
Why ya'll got to be so mean?
"that question that i got at miss teen usa was not the easiest question and with ten million people watching me LIVE, i was nervous

yeah like you wouldn't be

so to you girls out there.

get a life and stop being so mean

i did not even have time to think about it

i am smart, not a dumb blonde like you think

kthanks

Marathi Jews often get confused w/ Goan Christians. Sample first names: Danielle, Mabelle. Usually followed by very Maharashtrian last names like Talegaonkar etc.

Joking that desis are (tapping hand over mouth) "aw aw aw" Indians is so 1985!

Because that's the last time some idiot in school made that joke to me or actually was a "damned ignorant sp00ge-for-brains"

Then again, last year I actually had some guy in a bar ask me what tribe I was from. And there is no way in hell it was a bad pick-up line because it was in the Castro and hew as gay.

I'm not offended by this, I just think the director/producer/writer is not funny as in his joke is stupid and old and got played out a long time ago. But I do love me some slapstick and potty humor.

Wait, these same people produced Wedding Crashers, which had a pretty nice Desi wedding in it, so maybe there's hope for this Comebacks thing. I don't mind being associated with American "Indians", as I find I understand sweat lodges and other stuff better than my Euro-American friends, and I deplore the historically documented mistreatment of American peoples by Eurosettlers, but hey, Jizminder is a pretty fugly name, Featherfoot or no. Maybe there's a Badalundabad element, one hopes. If not, a pox on this movie.

For more on Jews in India, read In an Antique Land by A. Gosh.

The trailer doesn't have anything funny. It'll be in theater for a weekend or 2 and the straight to dvd. But it's still good to see desi's getting opportunities in Hollywood.

bess: Santosh, I though you spoke Spanish!

¿qué? ***agradece al traductor de Google****

"Marathi Jews often get confused w/ Goan Christians. Sample first names: Danielle, Mabelle. Usually followed by very Maharashtrian last names like Talegaonkar etc."

I did'nt realize that there were Marathi Jews, I'm a Marathi Christian by the way and not Goan :)

I saw this trailer in the theater right before Superbad, which is so so funny. I heart Judd Apatow.

The part that bothers me most is (please forgive my dirty mind) her name is JIZ-minder. It triggered this gag reflex in me. And the sari over the football uniform was disturbing as well.

My guess is they'll parody Bend It Like Beckham, although the main character in that film didn't play soccer in a sari or any other desi clothes. Oh wait, I guess she ran from her sis's wedding to the soccer game - whatever, silly details aside, the whole concept looks stupid.

Now if Judd Apatow would make a film about interracial marriage - seriously - his films are raunchy as all get out, but he's also fairly sensitive to women, and I could see him producing such a film (ideally with a Desi lead) and doing a great job.

For some reason I remember a connection between Alibag, Maharahstra and Indian Jews. Is there a famous synagogue there?

"Damned Columbus. Imagine the horrors had he reached India, and yet his offensive legacy lives on in stupid jokes at the expense of...(sigh)"

Preaching to the choir, bess. So, if Columbus would've made it to India, does that mean the African slaves, would've been singing Hindu Negro spirituals?

alot of indians in the west conflate indian and american indian when it suits -- supercat and his biggest fan apache indian, all those guyanese deejays (there was a good song - "indian hold the bow and not the rifle" something or other), others. Does it cause the same anger?

seriously, is this whole Native + East Indian conflation thing a common idiocy in the US? because the only place i ever hear of it here on the SM site. i've never heard anyone commit that particular sin here in Canada.
please, no one prove me wrong and tell me stories of their Canadian neighbour who suffers from geographical impairment ala Ms Teen USA South Carolina.

Neale,

There are beautiful synagogues in Mumbai(Byculla, Fort,Panveletc) and Pune ( Lal Deval which is a magnificent building and my favorite + 1 other ) .Per wikipedia "At one time more than a dozen synagogues existed in these small coastal communities where communities of Jews lived, including at Pen, Alibag, Panvel, and Mhasala, but today many are closed or marginally operating due to the much dwindled Jewish population"

Regarding the Jay-Z thing, there's this article from 2004 about hostility and patronising native americans.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0416,veran,52833,1.html

i've never heard anyone commit that particular sin here in Canada. please, no one prove me wrong and tell me stories of their Canadian neighbour who suffers from geographical impairment

TOO LATE!

What's remarkable is not that the person greeted First Nations with a cheery "Happy Republic Day!" letter on Jan 26. What's remarkable is that it was done by STEPHEN HARPER, the current Prime Minister for weeping out loud!

To be fair to him, he did it before he became PM. To be fair to the rest of us, the Canadian public elected this geographically-challenged person to be their PM. I know little of Canadian politics, but he must have been one hell of a charismatic leader on everything else.

This movie looks horribly stupid.

Eh, if it happened to me in real life, I might be annoyed ( although long-suffering). But it's Just Another Spoof Movie, and in that context it is kind of funny. And c'mon, she's playing football etc! At least she's not someone's zen-yet-slutty airhead girlfriend.

Haven't we seen enof tasteless / tasteful Hollywood spoofs to take this seriously ?

to pingpong @ 44:
oh frick. i'd forgotten that one.
i heave a sigh.

i work in the music biz and i met her--
1. Noureen DeWulf is the only desi who has EVER STARRED in an OSCAR winning film (West Bank Story), so cut her some slack, she is a pretty damn good actress, you can see her in American Dreamz acting with Hugh Grant as well--would not be surprised if she is the first indian to win an actual oscar for herself
2. She is one of the first and only Indian people to make Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 List (checkout maxim.com)--this year she was number 100
3. She is RAD and the nicest person one will ever meet
4. She is beyond talented--if you dont believe me, just watch her in some of her films or tv shows.
5. This movie is a parody which means it is a spoof, they are making fun of the fact that alot of people dont know how to differentiate between types of 'indians'--

thats all--i only met her once but i can tell you she is a STAR and the real deal, she was super nice to me respectful and yet i could tell she was a movie star by her aura

i think noureen dewulf is hot. i dont understand why we can't just a) remember that noureen is probably doing her best to get decent roles. it is HARD to be an indian access. b) we should support her and others trying to make it in hollywood.

noureen dewulf is awesome. i met her at sundance and other LA events. she is awesome

Jacob and Darmendra are the same person. Shocking.

We ban for handle-switching on the same thread, especially if you're attempting to game the discussion and make your own contentions seem more popular.

Perhaps the two people who left the last three comments didn't realize it, but no one is slamming the actress or attacking her for anything-- this post is about a movie. Not your friend. The movie.

I think the "jizmindeR" thing is gross as well.

Fathima, I don't know if it's a common experience, but I've been confused for Native (usually in less diverse parts of the U.S.), but strangely have not been confused for Latina, not even in Arizona. Strange.

strangely have not been confused for Latina, not even in Arizona. Strange.

do you have a latina look goin on?

do you have a latina look goin on?

puli, is this another one of your 'types'?

never thought about it. just wondering why shes surprised no one thinks shes latina. that must mean she thinks she looks latina. curiosity....anyways, i like too many types to keep track of.

puli, is this another one of your 'types'?

thinking about my 'type' might be detrimental to your mental health. ive got all sorts of freaky things going on in my mind.

don't worry, i didn't give it too much thought, puli ;)

Puli, a lot of desis and Latinos "pass" for one another in California. Part of this is, no doubt, because being Latino is not racial (i.e. you get all sorts of mixes of folks who might "look" Asian, white, Middle Eastern, desi, vaguely ethnic, etc., who are Latino). So I don't think I look or don't look Latino -- I just look brown :)

In Arizona it was weird because, when I was there, there were three major ethnic/race groups -- folks who were white, folks who were Latino, and folks who were Native... which meant that if you were anything else, you often got assigned to either the Latino or Native camp. I think it was weird that (where I lived when I lived there) desis were asked if they were Native more often than asked if they were Latino, that's all.

In Arizona it was weird because, when I was there, there were three major ethnic/race groups -- folks who were white, folks who were Latino, and folks who were Native... which meant that if you were anything else, you often got assigned to either the Latino or Native camp. I think it was weird that (where I lived when I lived there) desis were asked if they were Native more often than asked if they were Latino, that's all.

i have some family in AZ. i saw crap loads of desi computer programmers walking around, mixed in with assorted h0t ponytailed bubbly blond university of arizona cheerleader types and a bunch of mexican migrant workers and the occasional redneck. not sure if i saw a lot of natives. i love az.

-- I just look brown :)

...dont we all....

Puli, there's a much larger desi population now. When I was growing up it was practically non-existent. :)

Puli, there's a much larger desi population now. When I was growing up it was practically non-existent. :)

u grew up in az? cool. my love of sunshine and mexican food makes AZ an ideal enviornment for puli.

Yeah, once when I was in LA with my family, the cashier at some tourist place asked my dad if he was Mexican. My father had the south Indian 'stache going on then (I have since convinced him to get rid of it), and to me he just looks really really south Indian. Like this. That, coupled with the fact that we were a HAIRY desi family, made this really really amusing to me.

On topic? This looks sooo bad.

Oh and there was the time a missionary from Sweden tried to proselytize to me and my Filipina-Jewish friend in Spanish. That was funny. :)

Oh and there was the time a missionary from Sweden tried to proselytize to me and my Filipina-Jewish friend in Spanish. That was funny. :)

would be sweet if you could respond in sweedish.

"Noureen DeWulf is the only desi who has EVER STARRED in an OSCAR winning film (West Bank Story)."

Ben Kingsley?

i think noureen dewulf is hot. i dont understand why we can't just a) remember that noureen is probably doing her best to get decent roles. it is HARD to be an indian access. b) we should support her and others trying to make it in hollywood.

Farah and j/d,

none of that would necessarily make this movie any good--and if it is bad, the movie deserves to be panned. Even great actors can't rescue terrible recognized-genre movies with terrible screenplays and indifferent acting from the rest of the cast. Remember, Ben Kingsley was in Bloodrayne and it was still a gigantic stinker.

RE : 68 · muralimannered

ok, agreed if the movie sucks you should pan it--but lets give our indian hollywood starlet ( Noureen DeWulf) some love...starring in an oscar winning film and getting on Maxim's Hot 100 is pretty awesome for a first generation indian....remember she also starred in American Dreamz with Hugh Grant, Oceans 13 (although it was a small role) and West Bank Story (which won an oscar)...some links on DeWulf ;

MAXIM MAGAzINE:
http://www.maximonline.com/girls_of_maxim/pictures_and_bio/1285/NoureenDeWulf.girl
Maxim Magazine Hot 100:
http://www.maximonline.com/slideshows/index.aspx?imgCollectId=190
IMDB:
http://imdb.com/name/nm1715275/
Oceans 13
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809699091/photo/970430309
West Bank Story
www.westbankstory.com

oh and here is the poster for the Comebacks which features DeWulf wearing a green sari ala Bend it like Bekham

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Thecomebacksmp.jpg

OR

www.foxatomic.com/comebacks

farah,

i understand that we should give her a chance.

but you shouldn't assume that guys will be convinced by a juvenile, hormone-driven, panting, review from a lad-mag like Maxim. ;)

ok muralimannered, touche... what about the oscars? is that legitimate enough?

"Now if you’ll excuse me, I must wrap up this post. I’m running late— I was supposed to bhangra outside my teepee, for no discernible reason, a full hour ago."

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Call me Captain Obvious, but it also appears that they are taking shots at Punjabi, Sikh names tainting them with derogatory Western slurs: (Jiz)minder: Jiz = the male reproductive fluid that Aristotle had so deeply loved.

Also is "Jizminder's" character ridicule or satire?

Although if it were satire, I would imagine that the somnambulist, numb-fuck masses would take it as ridicule anyways.

Now if you will excuse me, I am not only late for my cab driving job, I am also late for my wife beating class, the curry is burning on the stove and I still need to tie my gigantic turban while practicing taking my thick, unattractive "Paki" accent to the moon when speaking.

Ooops, reading previous after my post I have just realized two things: 1. The jiz thing was already mentioned and 2. they are making fun of the bend it movie... my appologies. I have repressed my memories of that movie and now thanks to this they have resurfaced... god damn............ I should eaze off the bhang.........

1. Noureen DeWulf is the only desi who has EVER STARRED in an OSCAR winning film (West Bank Story), so cut her some slack

Except for Ben Kingsley.

1. Noureen DeWulf is the only desi who has EVER STARRED in an OSCAR winning film (West Bank Story), so cut her some slack

Except for Ben Kingsley.

Other examples are:

IS Johar in Lawrence of Arabia
The whole Indian cast in Gandhi movie
Victor Banerjee and others in Passage to India

There are probably more if one went with a fine comb and searched Oscar winning movies in all categories.

Satyajit Ray received an Oscar for lifetime achievement for his body of work...especially for his Apu Trilogy.

I was just reading this over and wanted to clarify...

i work in the music biz and i met her-- 1. Noureen DeWulf is the only desi who has EVER STARRED in an OSCAR winning film (West Bank Story), so cut her some slack, she is a pretty damn good actress, you can see her in American Dreamz acting with Hugh Grant as well--would not be surprised if she is the first indian to win an actual oscar for herself 2. She is one of the first and only Indian people to make Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 List (checkout maxim.com)--this year she was number 100 3. She is RAD and the nicest person one will ever meet 4. She is beyond talented--if you dont believe me, just watch her in some of her films or tv shows. 5. This movie is a parody which means it is a spoof, they are making fun of the fact that alot of people dont know how to differentiate between types of 'indians'--

thats all--i only met her once but i can tell you she is a STAR and the real deal, she was super nice to me respectful and yet i could tell she was a movie star by her aura

She is half-brown (by way of Pakistan) and half-white so calling her Indian is simply incorrect, as is referring to her as desi (without mentioning that she is half white). Plus, I was browsing through older posts and there was one about an interview with her around the time that National Lampoon's Pledge This! (starring Paris Hilton) came out, and she played the same sort of stereotypical 'fobby' Indian character (and basically insinuated that FOB=ignorant in the interview). *sigh* I feel for her; it's hard to get good roles as a woman, let alone as a nonwhite woman. But no matter how good of an actress she apparently is in other films or how nice she is in person, I do not take kindly to people exploiting stereotypes of people who look like me for their work and then turning around and making fun of those same people who look like me. It seems pretty obvious to me that The Comebacks isn't gonna have the subtle type of humor, where they make fun of the ignorant; rather, it will just continue that same brand of ignorant, and more importantly, UNFUNNY, humor. That said... I in no way expect Noureen Dewulf or this movie to 'educate' people--they go to the movies to be entertained, after all. But please, let's not act like this movie is a huge step forward for us brown folk in America or like we should look up to this actress as a role model just cuz she's out there and has some brown connection.

re: 78/nala

1. why on earth would you assume anyone thinks this movie is to 'educate' people? its a comedy and slapstick spoof at that. it will probably be just like scary movie--mediocre. i was simply pointing out the fact that DeWulf is an indian hollywood actress-- one of the few consistently working in big Studio films, who is also the star of a film that won an oscar and on Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 List-- these are huge accomplishments for any 1st generation ethnic person or for any actor--so we should simply recognize that she is making strides--thats all

2. she is full indian. both her parents are from india. google it !!

Farah, you sound like DeWulf's agent-- and by that I mean to say that you are veering towards "commercial comments", which we delete. No one hates your friend. Chill.

Nala said:

She is half-brown (by way of Pakistan) and half-white so calling her Indian is simply incorrect, as is referring to her as desi (without mentioning that she is half white).

DeWulf can draw on her own experiences ... “I speak Hindi and Gujarati in addition to Spanish and French,” she points out. DeWulf, whose family is originally from Pune, India, is often questioned about her last name that hardly sounds South Asian. She shrugs it off. “I’m full Indian, and I have a full connection to who I am.” [Link]

At the very least, Dewulf claims that she is Indian. I don't know the rest of the story.

ooops you're right ennis. i tried looking for where i read that she is mixed, but couldn't find it--possibly i mixed her up with another actress.

btw here's the link to the previous SM entry about her that I mentioned.

these are huge accomplishments for any 1st generation ethnic person or for any actor--so we should simply recognize that she is making strides--thats all

honestly, if i don't like how someone represents me or my community, i don't see why i should recognize/celebrate the strides he or she is making. now i'm not saying i don't like noureen (haven't read anything that made me think she's totally lame a la lucy liu and how the asian-american community feels about her being a 'sellout'), but based on that interview excerpt with a non-south asian-oriented magazine, i felt like she was taking the term 'fob' too lightly. of course other people may not have seen it that way, and will admire her because she's out there and she is doing something, and that's totally fine, but what i'm saying is that i don't see why i should have to celebrate her achievements simply because she is brown when i may not like how i think she represents or talks about brown people.

also, is dewulf her family name, and not simply a stage name?

""Now if you’ll excuse me, I must wrap up this post. I’m running late— I was supposed to bhangra outside my teepee, for no discernible reason, a full hour ago.""

Simply beautiful. My compliments to you.