The Down-And-Out Bear of Boyle Heights

By Ryan - Wednesday June 13th 2007

He calls himself Chinito. Last I looked, the derogatory term means “Little Chinese man” within Latino communities. He is Japanese. “That’s what the neighbors all call me,” he proffers by way of explanation.

“Little Chinaman!?” I’m incredulous.

“Yeah. Close enough.”

Chinito lives in Boyle Heights, not far from Self Help Graphics. His neighbors raise roosters. Yesterday he broke the news that the Latin Playboy is now up for lease, lucrative three- months-free offer tacked to its shopping cart-barricaded door. Today’s an altogether different story. From Chinito in the Heights and, by association, all of us gathered here in the Sandalwood Conference Room at the Marina Del Rey Courtyard Marriott, we give you:
The Down-And-Out Bear of Boyle Heights (cue downtrodden cartoon music)

The Down And Out Bear, Boyle Heights

What now?

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11 Responses to “The Down-And-Out Bear of Boyle Heights”

Amie : 6/13/07 at 7:42 am

AWW…that really is the saddest little teddy bear ever.
Bufflekins : 6/13/07 at 1:01 pm

I’m in love. Please make a show.
victor : 6/13/07 at 2:31 pm

Oh my. Another “gringo desabrido” making shit up about what words mean en espanol. “Chinito” is not a deragotary term, pendejo. Unless of course you think being chinese is a bad thing. Anyways Mister Gringo Desabrido, chupamela.
Ryan : 6/13/07 at 5:29 pm

@victor (victor#2): there are debates all over the internet about this topic, grouchy. But do feel free to continue calling my japanese friend chinese. He takes it well.
shenny : 6/13/07 at 6:31 pm

Save the Bear!!
godoggo : 6/13/07 at 6:57 pm

There were a couple of “Ask a Mexican” columns on the use of “Chino,” which you can google…I went to a Taiwanese-run traffic school in Monterey Park (not very good), and one of the inmates kepts calling the woman in the office “mamasan,” which I’m pretty sure she didn’t appreciate.
jimo : 6/13/07 at 9:53 pm

he looks like a cement cuddly
EL CHAVO! : 6/13/07 at 10:09 pm

Whats he doing acting like a drunk on the steps of Mariachi Plaza? Looks like he had one too many chelas.
For whatever it’s worth, I grew up referring to all Asians as “chinitos” as well, even if I knew they were Japanese (I took judo classes at Tenrikyo Temple). Kinda the same way most people still lump all those of European origin simply as white (or gabacho) rather than their respective countries. Or how most Latinos in LA are just Mexicans-don’t tell that to a Salvadorean, they get pissed! Lucky for us we now have safe but meaningless words like Latino, Asian, African, and European by which to lump people into a pile.
Scott Mercer : 6/19/07 at 2:10 pm

Hey, man the Latin Playboy’s got some cheap ass rent, man. Before you know it, some enterprising Asian family’ll snap that space up and open a “Comida China” restaurant over there.

I can imagine that place packed with greasers and low-riders back in the 1960’s having a good time over there, chugging cervezas, maybe a few knife fights, a few misheard supposed insults about somebody’s girlfriend, as the Mexican R&B band pounds out Wilson Pickett covers in the corner. Good times.
The Busiest Taco Truck in Town : 8/15/07 at 8:59 pm

[...] weekend I paid a visit to Chinito in Boyle Heights. After a brief, cerveza-fueled respite from the heat in his kitchen, we set upon a [...]
From Blake’s Phone: Use The Pie Server To Pick Up Your Big-As-Shit Burrito : 9/14/07 at 3:43 pm

[...] Call it a change in the weather. Top billing this week is the famed burrito at El Tepeyac in Boyle Heights, which is so freaking big it comes served with a pie-serving utensil. Kudos to Ron who, we’re [...]

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The Down-And-Out Bear of Boyle Heights

What now?

11 Responses to “The Down-And-Out Bear of Boyle Heights”

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