Stereotypes in Orange County California

Introduction

Orange County, California boasts a population of about 3 million, making it the second-most-populous county in the state and the fifth-most-populous in the United States. The county is known for its wealth and political conservatism, and in recent years for the stereotypes portrayed in the television programs The O. C. and Laguna Beach, but it is much more complex than stereotypes suggest. This land of plentiful sunshine, majestic mountain backdrops and miles of soothing beaches spans 798 square miles and is composed of 34 cities, each with unique personality and charm. (Queralt 18)

Discussion

Actress Ming-Na, who plays an FBI agent on the Fox show "Vanished," noticed that about Orange County, California, where the show "The O.C." is based. In an interview with "20/20": "I don't know what Orange County that show is representing. But there is not one single Asian in that show. And I am sorry, that is just wrong. It would be like having a show take place in China and not having one Asian represented." It has been noted that although in real life, Orange County, California has traditionally been one of the state's richest, whitest and most conservative counties. (Oyserman & Sakamoto 435)Demographic trends suggest the County's white population is downright geriatric. Some 875,000 Orange County residents are Latino, according to Census 2000--just under a third of the total population of 2.8 million.

The county also hosts the nation's largest Vietnamese population (145,000) and attracts significant populations of Filipino, Japanese and Indian Americans. Collectively, Asian Americans are the County's most affluent segment, buying homes valued at twice the county average. It is also home to UC Irvine, easily the most prestigious university in which Asians actually outnumber Whites 2-1 (54% to 28%). Including white Hispanics, White Americans are nominally 64% of OC population but it fields barely 44% of public school enrollment. This was never reflected in the series.

The series, created by Josh Schwartz, portrays the fictional lives of a group of teenagers and their families residing in Newport Beach in Orange County, California. (Kim 12)The O.C. has been broadcast in more than 50 countries worldwide and was one of the most popular new dramas of 2003. The O.C. attracted a strong 9.7 million viewers for its first season, but ratings declined as the show went on. Other Orange County Latino parents faced similar situations with their children. With the help ...