Ami's story in "Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play" confronts her family's use of MSG, linking personal identity and cultural stigma around food. Playwright Keiko Green, whose grandfather helped invent MSG, reflects on growing up in a predominantly white area, facing shame regarding her heritage's culinary practices. Actor Phil Wong remarks on the irony of negative perceptions surrounding MSG while popular American foods containing it remain widely accepted. The play critically examines societal biases and the assumptions that color the conversation about food and race, highlighting how race influences the reputation of certain cuisines.
"It's not like a 'white people bad, they didn't understand' play. We were all fooled." - Keiko Green, emphasizing the shared misconceptions about MSG across cultures.
"Even in our household, a little MSG was like, 'We think it's bad?' It felt a little bit shameful." - Keiko Green reflecting on her family's conflicted feelings toward MSG.
"My mom still fully thinks it gives her migraines and stomachaches... she'll use chicken powder... and it's MSG." - Phil Wong highlighting the irony in perceptions of MSG.
"Why was it so easy to make an entire country believe that the foreign thing that smells different is in fact bad?" - Phil Wong questioning societal perceptions of Asian cuisine.
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