Yes, I am sick of those threads on the Grey's boards! I have been in Seattle and while I'm sure there are plenty of Asians there, I certainly didn't see more Asians than any other group! It isn't a show about Seattle, it's a show set in a hospital in Seattle.
While I don't watch Grey's Anatomy, I do live in the Seattle area. Just because you didn't see (or notice) more Asians doesn't mean that there aren't more.
I don't know what the specific complaints have been. If they've been about patients, I could see where viewers might expect patient demographics to be somewhat similar to the city's demographics. Maybe Grey's does this, I don't know. As an FYI, Asians make up 14% of Seattle's population and 11% of the Seattle Metropolitan area's population. They are the largest minority group in this area. To help give you perspective, here are stats taken from
http://www.seattle.gov/dPd/cityplanning/populationdemographics/aboutseattle/raceethnicity/default.htm (these are specific to city of Seattle, not the Seattle Metropolitan area):
Race & Ethnicity Quick Statistics2010 Census Estimates
2010 Population Count: 608,660
Race:
White - 69.5%
Black or African American - 7.9%
Amer. Indian & Alaska Native - 0.8%
Asian - 13.8%
Native Hawaiian & Other Pac. Islander - 0.4%
Other race - 2.4%
Two or more races - 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (of any race): 6.6%
Persons of color: 33.7%
2006-2010 American Community SurveyForeign born: 17.3%
Population (age 5+) speaking language other than English at home: 21.3%
HighlightsLargest racial groups in Seattle: The 2010 Census indicates that the largest racial group in Seattle is White (69% of the city’s population). The next largest group is Asian (14%), followed by Black or African American (8%).
Seattle's race and ethnicity is 69% white, 14% Asian, 8% Black or African American, 5% Two or More Races, and 4% Other
Fastest growing groups: The racial and ethnic groups that grew most quickly in Seattle over the last decade were Asians, multiracial persons, and persons of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity.
I couldn't find demographics for doctors, registered nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners in Seattle but in WA, Asians were the largest minority with 11.9%, 4.3% and 3.2%, respectively. (See
http://www.ofm.wa.gov/researchbriefs/2010/brief058.pdf,
http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/CHWS%20FR120%20Skillman.pdf and
http://www.wsna.org/Topics/Advanced-Practice/Documents/ARNP%204-17-09.pdf.)
I hope that helps explain some of the complaints you've heard.
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AprilValen
9 years ago
Just because you didn't see (or notice) more Asians doesn't mean that there aren't more.
Of course. I didn't intend to sound as though I had been everywhere in the city or saw huge numbers of people or made extensive notes on those I did see. And I was there in 1995. So if I sounded inappropriate, I apologize. Your information is really helpful on this subject too and I can see why, as the largest group, Asians could be said to be under represented on the show. The poster I mentioned however, posts in such a way that he seems to be both condemning the fans for watching and thinking we are in a position to do something about the casting decisions. He has been told repeatedly that he really should voice his complaints and wishes to the producers. We don't have a problem with the opinion so much as the repetition of the posts to the point if spamming the board with them, the tone of them and the fact that we, as viewers, can't do anything to solve this problem.
It's a Shonda Rhymes production, so it is a show with plenty of black and white characters and inter-racial couples. I don't think her intention is to accurately represent the city's population. The only main character who is Asian was Sondra Oh's character who was on the show for the first ten seasons. Since Asians are the largest, there certainly could and should be more doctors and nurses ( though really only doctors are defined, main characters and nurses and other personnel are just background) and more patients. However, I don't think they actually film in Seattle, so probably the pool of available extras doesn't have an equivalent number of Asians that can be cast. ETA: they film in a studio in L.A. Establishing shots and what few exteriors there are are shot in Seattle.
My main reason for posting my comment was the type of post where someone attributes motives regarding casting and the people reading the posts aren't the ones making those decisions or the production is constrained by either historical accuracy in the case of The Astronaut Wives Club, or the storyline of the show itself.
Your comment did explain the posts. I only wish the person making the comments didn't sound like -- how to put this? Sigh, I hate to be judgmental but... Like he's about to go postal. He usually just says things like "there are Asians in Seattle! They should be on the show and there have never been ANY! Cast some Asians now!" An informative post giving facts like you did would have been much better received. And IIRC, this same poster makes nearly identical comments on other boards for shows not set in Seattle so there is that.
Thanks.
It ain't the Ganges, but you go with what you got." ~ Ken Talley, "The Fifth of July"
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