Monday's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS continued an ongoing joke about a slap bet between Marshall and Barney. In order to win the bet, and give the best slap to Barney, Marshall explains he learned the "Slap of a Million Exploding Suns" by seeking wisdom from three great masters.
It turned out these supposed wise ones were played by Marshall's friends — Colbie Smulders, Josh Radnor and Alyson Hannigan — in yellowface. People went to Twitter with #HowIMetYourRacism to takedown the episode.
1.
I used to watch @HowIMetMother but I now refuse to and hope they apologize for yellowface. #HowIMetYourRacism
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#HowIMetYourRacism Hey, Katy Perry called and wants her costume back. Oh wait, she stole hers too.
3.
So I watched @HIMYM_CBS and was disappointed. Then I came on Twitter and saw #HowIMetYourRacism. Good job, Twitter.
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Really, #HIMYM?? You couldn't even bring yourself to hire Asian actors for this? http://t.co/oUdTXneCe6 #HowIMetYourRacism @CBS
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@CBS #Yellowface doesn't get you better ratings, it just makes people want to boycott your network #HowIMetYourRacism
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I'm not surprised about #howimetyourracism and #yellowface on @CBS. The network's name warned us that we'll see BS.
7.
I remember the very first episode of HIMYM where Middle Eastern women (lebanese to be exact)were deemed as sexual objects #HowIMetYourRacism
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@humancity @suey_park #HowIMetYourRacism - when a show's cast has no People of Color - racism will surely make cameo appearances
9.
people are already claiming asian american's are overreacting. demanding to be treated w/ decency is never overreacting. #HowIMetYourRacism
10.
How I Insulted & Alienated Asian Americans? How I Was A Complete Jerk? How I Cheaply Exploited Others? #HowIMetYourRacism @HIMYM_CBS @CBS
11.
IF I SAW A WHITE GIRL LIKE THIS IRL I'D SPIT ON HER @CBS #HowIMetYourMother
12.
I thought the transphobia in #HowIMetYourMother was bad enough. An entire episode of yellowface? Really? #HowIMetYourRacism
13.
Disturbing takeaway is that it’s somehow acceptable—safe, even—to do racist Asian jokes. It’s not edgy cable, it’s CBS. #HowIMetYourRacism
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#HowIMetYourRacism our race and cultures are not convenient costumes, punch lines and terrible story writing for @CBS's #HIMYM
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Yeah, seriously, that episode of #HIMYM was so bad I turned it off. I couldn't stomach it. #HowIMetYourRacism
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Besides the gross orientalizing of the women, Ted wore a fucking Fu Manchu stach! Who thought this was ok? @HIMYM_CBS #HowIMetYourRacism
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If you're going to make fun of Asian people and kungfu, at least use Asian actors on your show instead of whitewashing it #HowIMetYourRacism
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"I cant think of any jokes to write tho thats my job. I found an ethnic costume in the cupboard." HIMYM writers meeting? #HowIMetYourRacism
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#HowIMetYourRacism-->"@brokeymcpoverty: uh oh.@literalporn WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR WHOLE WRITING STAFF IS WHITE @CBS "
20.
I thought the transphobia in #HowIMetYourMother was bad enough. An entire episode of yellowface? Really? #HowIMetYourRacism
21.
...outdated, overdone, not to mention UNFUNNY racial, ethnic, gender, sexual stereotypes. #HowIMetYourRacism #HowIMetYourMother
22.
HIMYM better get it to together. Who the hell thinks it's ok to do racial caricatures for laughs in 2014?! #cbs #HowIMetYourMother
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Didn't we agree that Mickey Rooney's yellowface is an embarrassment that ruins Breakfast at Tiffany's? #HowIMetYourRacism
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Maybe @HIMYM_CBS was trying to appeal to Asian-Ams by "appreCiATINg our CULtuRE!" Congrats. You miserably failed. #HowIMetYourRacism
25.
#HIMYM has always strained too hard for cheap boring laffs, but these Asian stereotypes (see #HowIMetYourRacism) are just...yeesh.
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This is what happens when there are no PoC in the writer's room. No cultural accountability. #HowIMetYourRacism
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Watch @CBS pull an #SNL and hire one asian writer...for the remainder of a dying season. #HowIMetYourRacism
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Let's put this in stone shall we? White people cannot be "Asian" to "honor" the culture ever again starting in 2k14. #HowIMetYourRacism
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IF ASIANS DID WHITEFACE THE WAY WHITE PPL DO YELLOWFACE, WE'D HAVE PPL IN POWDERED WIGS AND PANTALOONS WITH CALAMINE LOTION ON THEIR FACES
30.
So disappointed in @HIMYM_CBS/@CBS. Way to mock a culture for cheap laughs. #HowIMetYourRacism #LazyAssWriting
31.
Yellowface and stereotypes about Asians happen a lot in media. But now the internet is blowing up and mobilizing against #HowIMetYourRacism
32.
"We're are a culture, not a costume" @cbs #HowIMetYourRacism
Update — Jan. 15, 6:45 p.m. ET: "How I Met Your Mother" co-creator Carter Bays has responded to this criticism on Twitter:
Hey guys, sorry this took so long. @himymcraig and I want to say a few words about #HowIMetYourRacism.
With Monday's episode, we set out to make a silly and unabashedly immature homage to Kung Fu movies, a genre we’ve always loved.
But along the way we offended people. We're deeply sorry, and we’re grateful to everyone who spoke up to make us aware of it.
We try to make a show that's universal, that anyone can watch and enjoy. We fell short of that this week, and feel terrible about it.
To everyone we offended, I hope we can regain your friendship, and end this series on a note of goodwill. Thanks. @CarterBays @HimymCraig