Wang (2010), "Asian Americans in reality TV shows"

Wang (2010) examines Top Chef and Project Runway. These shows focus on contestant skill level as chefs, in the case of the former, and designers, in the case of the latter. Wang (2010) argues that these shows both limit Asian contestants' possibilities for success. In the shows, the Asian competitors are often stereotyped by the panels of judges as cold and robotic. This translates into assessments of the contestants technically skilled but lacking in creativity and passion. These representations are based on stereotypes present in the culture, which are filtered through the social experience of the shows' panels of experts. These experts then filter stereotypical assessments of the competitors through the show, perpetuating a cycle of racist stereotypes that limit "appropriate" roles for Asian-Americans.