It should come as no surprise to know that people regularly call into news stations to vent their disagreements. They also don’t typically demonstrate proper decorum in their hate-filled laments.
Now, however, Korean American, award-winning news anchor Michelle Li found herself at the receiving end of such insults.
In a segment about New Year’s traditions, Li, an anchor at NBC St. Louis, shared that she ate “dumpling soup. That’s what a lot of Korean people do.”
Typically, learning about cultural traditions for different holidays is seen as an enrichment. Yet, unsurprisingly, not for everyone.
Shortly after Li shared her own tradition stemming from her Korean origins, a viewer called the station to complain that Li had shared an “offensive” statement which, rather than share, she should have kept to herself.
On Twitter, LI shared a recording of the woman’s complaint-laced call. “I don’t think it was appropriate that she said that, and she’s being very Asian, and I don’t know. Uh, she can keep her Korean to herself,” the woman said.
I’d love to say something back. pic.twitter.com/zrXgiwQbR9
— #VeryAsian Michelle (@MichelleLiTV) January 2, 2022
The caller insisted that had a white anchor claimed that white people eat something or have a certain tradition for New Year, then that anchor would, naturally, have been fired.
Naturally, given Twitter’s invincible power to re-contextualize the power structure in any given moment, people rallied behind Li.
Li then tweeted out: “Can we all be #veryasian in 2022?”
Can we all be #veryasian in 2022? I feel like this is a t shirt. @Gia_Vang @MimiJungKING5 @JeffYangIFTF @davidchoiSTL @carolinefan @choeshow @ChenueHer @StopAAPIHate @CorinneChin @angryasianman @margaretcho @jennyyangtv @RyanKPIX @PatranyaMedia @AACCSTL @PhoKingQui @ac1stl
— #VeryAsian Michelle (@MichelleLiTV) January 2, 2022
And of course, users fell into place in Li’s support:
Wait till KAREN learns that Latin people eat TAMALES for Christmas and New Years!!@LatinoUSA @Maria_Hinojosa @beinglatino @wearemitu https://t.co/S9IyqnU4RD
— Nestor "the boss" Gomez (@soloyochapin) January 4, 2022
And some users even went as far to distinguish that some white people, of European descent, may indeed have their own traditions. Or perhaps, their own food!
She’s right though. What you did was very inappropriate. How dare you push delicious food onto people?! I mean what’s next? A Greek anchor telling me I should enjoy some wonderful flaky sweet baklava?!
— Steven (@ItsYams) January 2, 2022
In the end, it appears Michelle Li not only won but also got the last laugh.
Enjoyed this one? Check out more: News Anchor Catches Her Front Tooth While Live On-Air
