A desperate TV show? (Updated!)

When the controversial opening season salvo of Desperate Housewives was shown, Filipinos around world raged about what Teri Hatcher's character, Susan Meyer, had said in a conversation with a, I presumed, her gynecologist. See the video below. If the video doesn't work, ABC Network must have ordered it to be removed out of youtube.

A transcription of the dialogue is as followed that I got from On My Way Home:

MD: Well, everything seems normal. But, you say you've been having irregular periods?
Susan: Yeah, you know, one month off, two months on. That happens, right?
MD: Have you ever experienced night sweats? .... (few other lines here)
MD: How about hot flashes?
Susan: OK, whoa. I'm gonna stop you right there. I'm way too young for that, please refer to your chart.
MD: Susan, I know for a lot of women the word menopause has negative connotations. They hear aging, brittle bones, loss of sexual desire...
Susan: Before you go any further, can I check those diplomas? I would just like to make sure that they're not from some med school in the Philippines...

If we are going to analyze this incident, Ms. Hatcher has nothing to do with it and the only one to blame here is the lame, low intelligent, lack of research scriptwriter of the show. But of course, Ms. Hatcher is responsible enough and old enough to know exactly what she's doing. As a matter of fact, she is still in-character with this particular episode — acting in front of the camera playing her klutz character.

UPDATE: Just as I thought, the Philippine government and Fil-Americans made a protest against the slur (negative remark) on Philippine med schools in Desperate Housewives.

Fil-Americans wrote a letter addressing to ABC Network to express their feelings against the racially-discriminatory comment on Desperate Housewives.

I only got a chance to watch a single episode of Desperate Housewives. But after this controversy, I guess I'll never watch it anymore. But then again, having a boycott with this show does not matter at all, because as I said, I only got a chance to watch an episode.

I know that the show's rating is okay, as far as viewership in America is concerned. So, probably, a controversy like this is not needed anymore. What Filipinos, like me, is raging about is how the show insults Philippine medical schools in general, although the word "some" is clearly heard with what Ms. hatcher has said.

Filipinos all over the world should not display an onion-skin attitude towards this issue. This is just a simple presentation of how powerful visual media entertainment is. And Teri Hatcher's being a racist was not even an issue.

In a world of different nationalities, everybody is guilty of being a racist. — yatot

Let us not be hypocrite about it. We laughed at people impersonating other nationals like Chinese or Indians (Bombays) or Japanese perhaps, but here we are raging because of some stupid lines from a TV show that tackles desperation. Come on! There are other things more important than this issue.

I guess the Philippines is just blessed with people who love their country so much. I am proud of those bloggers who ranted some things regarding this Desperate Housewives issue. Whatever or wherever or whichever side I stand in this controversy, the more important thing here is, once again, Filipinos all over the world unite to uplift one another and to mob against different oppressors.

Now here's a collection of what other bloggers have to say about this issue:

Karlo of PinoyBlogero said, "For me, boycotting Desperate Housewives would just be a waste of time... the creators of Desperate Housewives wouldn’t really care of what we think about. They would just ignore us and continue doing the show. They’re in an industry where they are already used to getting e-mails of disagreement and even hatemails."

A comment on Lester Cavestany's blog said, "A hypocrisy on the part of Filipinos. How come we get offended my unracist but unflattering comment yet in our own media, we’re racist."

A certain Lunedi commented on mukamo.com said, "I still think it’s a deregatory remark. So what kung meron ngang mga med schools of ill-repute a Pinas? The thing is the statement is implying that all med schools in the Philippines aren’t legal! C’mon you’re willing to put aside the quality education schools like UST and UP give in this field? What about the countless universities around the country that produce intelligent and talented doctors? Tama lang we get an apology. (It is our right to ask for an apology.)"

Shari of misteryosa.com also has something to say, "Filipinos are talented and smart (but kinda stupid, yeah), and I can’t understand why a show like Desperate Housewives would stoop so low as to offhandedly throw an insult just like that. I know a couple of medical professionals who graduated in reputable medical schools in the Philippines. I know some medical students studying in “some med school in the Philippines.” They are all passionate and good doctors (but, mind you, I still disagree with the planned hospital holiday in private hospitals), so it escapes the mind why such a remark has been made, and what they think of the Filipino medical professionals in other countries."

Migs of Buddy Blogs said, "To think that there are a lot of Pinoys abroad as doctors and nurses... maybe this was brought about by the Nursing scandal."

Martin of On My Way Home said, "I admit I used to be awed by Harvard and company. Not anymore. I now know it isn’t all in the school, no matter how plush their classrooms are and how much cutting-edge technology is available in the laboratories or even in faculty members brimming with degrees. A physician’s competence ultimately depends on one’s capacity to learn arising from a deep compassion to care for our patients."

Mindy of Mindy-TV said, "In the real world we all know what every Pinoy is capable of. A little TV show might have bruised our ego but what was said was written into the script. We shouldn't let a script define who we are."

And a whole lot of more... (I copied them from pinoyblogero, hehehe)