Beyond the Black and White TV: Asian and Latin American Spectacle in Cold War America

Benjamin M. Han

Published by Rutgers University Press 2020

Beyond the Black and White TV

Asian and Latin American Spectacle in Cold War America

Benjamin M. Han

https://doi.org/10.36019/9781978803879

Overview
Contents

About this book

This is the first book that examines how “ethnic spectacle” in the form of Asian and Latin American bodies played a significant role in the cultural Cold War at three historic junctures: the Korean War in 1950, the Cuban Revolution in 1959, and the statehood of Hawaii in 1959. As a means to strengthen U.S. internationalism and in an effort to combat the growing influence of communism, television variety shows, such asThe Xavier Cugat Show,The Ed Sullivan Show, andThe Chevy Show, were envisioned as early forms of global television.Beyond the Black and White TVexamines the intimate moments of cultural interactions between the white hosts and the ethnic guests to illustrate U.S. aspirations for global power through the medium of television. These depictions of racial harmony aimed to shape a new perception of the United States as an exemplary nation of democracy, equality, and globalism.

Author information

BENJAMIN M. HAN is an assistant professor in the department of communication at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Reviews

"Fascinating, compelling, and important,Beyond the Black and White TVdemonstrates how government objectives were married with the goals of television productions to display migration, integration, and global imagination in order to control discourses of race and nation.This work reframes television history through the lens of variety shows by engaging with race from an industry perspective, informing readers how race factored into the production of genre and national identity."

— L.S. Kim, associate professor, Film and Digital Media, University of California, Santa Cruz

"Benjamin M. Han illuminates the secret history of the American variety show, deftly revealing the cosmopolitan roots of a familiar TV format. A major contribution to the cultural history of the Cold War."

— Christina Klein, author of Cold War Cosmopolitanism: Period Style in 1950s Korean Cinema

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1. Narratives of Integration: Ethnic Spectacle and Las Vegas Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	20
2. Narratives of Exchange: Asian Performers after the Korean War Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	43
3. Narratives of Partnership: Latin American Entertainers after the Cuban Revolution Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	74
4. Narratives of Coexistence: Pacific Islanders and the Statehood of Hawai‘i Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	105
Epilogue Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	138
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	149
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	177
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
About the Author Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	207

Language: English
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 215
Illustrations
- Other: 10 b&w images
Keywords: ethnic spectacle; asian; latin american; Cold War; Korean War; Cuban Revolution; statehood of Hawaii; US internationalism; communism; television variety show; The Xavier Cugat Show; The Ed Sullivan Show; The Chevy Show; white host; ethnic guest; democracy; equality; globalism

eBook

Published: June 19, 2020
ISBN: 9781978803879