Defacements/Effacements

Abstract

This article experiments with performative and dialogic techniques to trace the contours of anti-Asian American sentiments in sport. It suggests that jokes and joking behaviors are one the key things that binds Asian Americans to sport in the popular imaginary. Moreover, it outlines the ways that sporting humor works to efface and deface Asians and Asian Americans. Well-known utterances by Fuzzy Zoeller, directed at Tiger Woods, and Shaquille O’Neal, directed toward Yao Ming, center much of the discussion.