Before her audition, Ramiele Malubay declared to "American Idol" cameras, "I want to try to be the first Asian-American Idol." Some bloggers may be so eager about the prospect of a racial breakthrough, that they're sussing out other contestants to see if they might fit that bill.
In recent weeks, people have been online searching for rumored Pinoy connections in queries like "david archuleta american idol filipino" (+511%) "david archuleta filipino auditions" (+386%), and "danny noriega filipino" (+160%). So far, however, the ethnic background checks have failed to surface any Fil-Am blood for the popular Archuleta or Noriega.
Besides sparking huffy threads on the Philippines' colonial history, blogosphere discussions have pitted colorblind advocates against those who crave Asian representation in the music industry. The main objection to such queries has been, what does race matter? Aside from ethnic pride, the response is that it shouldn't... but an "Idol" victory could change the minds of recording executives who think otherwise. The International Herald Tribune examined the dearth of Asian-American singers after season 6 contestant Paul Kim claimed execs told him his ethnicity kept him from getting record deals. (Kim made the top 24, but didn't survive the first round.)
"American Idol" itself hasn't been without its racial controversies: Elton John called the 2004 votes "incredibly racist" after future Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson got ousted. Also, one name that surfaces with astounding regularity in online searches is ultimate reject William Hung. Opinion remains split over whether his ill-gotten fame comes from displaying endearing innocence or playing into a racial caricature; the aforementioned Kim certainly brought up Hung as a negative incentive to try out.
Ironically, Asian-American "Idol" representation has nearly been in line statistically with the general population (census numbers put Asian-Americans at 5%). Out of 72 Top 12 contestants, three have been Asian: season 3 singers Camile Velasco and Jasmine Trias (whose name Malubay invoked in her audition interview), and last year's infamous Sanjaya Malakar (whom USA Today had, perhaps prematurely, crowned as an ascending South Asian star). Three out of 72 is about four percent. If Malubay—currently the top-searched female competitor—makes the finals, she'll bring "Idol" stats (4 out of 84) right to the 5% mark.
Interestingly, a University of Arkansas economist actually used "American Idol" as a means to study racial discrimination in the labor market. He uncovered a "positive correlation" between the race of the viewers and contestants when the competition got hot. In Malubay's case, she has the backing of Filipinos in her hometown and in the Philippines in her pursuit. Given the small population (and the latter's ineligibility to vote), Malubay's appeal will have to transcend race. That may be exactly what both sides are hoping for.
credits: yahoo.com
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