SOUTH OF THE OC BORDER: A distant column cousin of Cecil Adam's Straight Dope is OC Weekly's Gustavo Arellano who pens ¡Ask a Mexican!. Arellano, who just signed a two-book deal, is featured in the NY Times as the go-to vato to explain all things confusing about. . . you know. Just as interesting is that the Times article is placed in the Fashion & Style section. Shine your shoes, Por Favor, and step in, The Mexican Will See You Now.
“I don’t see the humor in the way he describes our culture,” said Amin David, president of Los Amigos of Orange County, a civil rights group. “He’s feeding the prurient interest of people who are against Mexicans.”
But admirers appreciate his honesty and some say that Mr. Arellano’s attitude is a function of his youth and education.
“In a way I can say I’m proud that we have someone who has the guts to go out there and tell it like it is,” said Rueben Martínez, owner of Librería Martínez Books and Art Gallery in Santa Ana, where Mr. Arellano drew a throng of 500 people at a book-signing last month (and where employees fielded calls from a few customers urging the bookstore to drop the book.)
TEXT-MEX: The blogging version is El Chavo, who isn't just the 99 Cent store version of Arellano. He always has a good grassroots take from his POV across the river. Now he's giving advice on the revolution for the Republic of East L.A.:
Take a cue from the Mexicans: they managed to find a good use for your Austrian/German oompa instruments, incorporated it into the culture, and are still blasting new tuba and accordion songs out of car radios. (Maybe to the dismay of many Angelenos, but don't worry, once you learn to appreciate the thump you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.)
Previously: City of Eeela.
Having never really seen a real Mexican in their lives, NYers probably believe that Mexicans are fictional characters invented by Hollywood. I mean, they think everything is fake in this town, right?
Posted by: Militant Angeleno | June 24, 2007 at 01:52 PM
Ha, ha, the 99 cent version is fine by me!
Posted by: EL CHAVO! | June 24, 2007 at 03:20 PM