San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Mark Del La Vina Column: 'Housewives' Remark Chafes Filipinos

Oct 04, 09:15 AM

Current Headlines: By Mark de la ViNa, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Oct. 4--The biggest concerns for most TV networks shows are usually flagging ratings or a star holding out for a raise.

This week, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" found itself in a stickier mess by offending members of the Filipino community.

But before the dispute could grow, ABC issued a public apology for what it called a "brief reference" about "the medical community in the Philippines."

The controversial remark came in a scene in which Sunnyvale native Teri Hatcher, who plays Wisteria Lane resident Susan Mayer, questions the qualifications of her gynecologist after he suggests she is going through the early stages of menopause. "Can I check those diplomas," she said, "because I want to make sure that they're not from some med school in the Philippines."

By the beginning of the week, representatives of the Filipino consulates in New York and Los Angeles complained about the remark. Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita of the Philippines told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that his government would seek an apology.

Wednesday afternoon, ABC issued a statement. "The producers of 'Desperate Housewives' and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines."

Kevin Nadal, a Santa Clara native and performance artist based in New York, launched the petition drive on Monday. He wrote that the comment was "unnecessary and hurtful, but is also unfounded, considering the presence of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans in the health care industry."

The Santa Clara native said he started the petition (www.petitiononline.com/FilABC/) because negative comments about Filipinos and their culture seldom create a media furor.

San Jose State University nursing student Tarhata Rosal is among the Filipino-Americans who has rallied others through e-mail to protest the show. .

"Hopefully," she said, "this won't have to happen again."

Contact Mark de la Vina at mdelavina@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5914.

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