Wong Number? Rodriguez's Cloud 9 controversy!

Hispanic hero and show business pioneer Paul Rodriguez may have a lotta ‘splainin’ to do about his role in Cloud 9, the motion picture comedy released on Fox Home Entertainment DVD January 3rd!

In Cloud 9, Rodriguez plays Wong, a Chicano masquerading as a stereotypical “Chinaman” in Malibu.

“When we wrote this script, we knew the role of Wong would be a tightrope for any actor,” says Brett Hudson of Frozen Pictures.

“But we wrote it with Paul in mind, because we knew he could pull it off. Wong adds another level to the picture-- a look at the class struggle in Malibu-- and America!"

Hudson and wrote and produced Cloud 9 with Burt Kearns of Frozen Pictures and Academy Award winning producer Albert S. Ruddy.

And what happens to Wong? Buy Cloud 9 and find out amid the laughs!

*****

Paul Rodriguez, the first Mexican-American to star in a network TV sitcom, one of the Original Latino Kings of Comedy-- and a pallbearer for Cesar Chavez-- is well aware of the controversial nature of his hilarious role in Cloud 9.

He speaks in this exclusive interview:

“Wong is more confused than the Bush Administration! Wong is a very confused young man! There is no Wong. There’s a Mexican guy who thinks he’s Wong for the wong reasons. Basically money. He’s a blue collar Joe, just trying to make a living as a gardener. But he has reached his sod level. His glass ceiling. And he figures that if you’re Mexican you’re just a gardener, but if you’re Asian, you’re a landscaper! Which means about eight bucks more.

“For eight bucks he’s willing to put throw away his roots, his nationality, his ethnicity, everything that he holds pride with and becomes something that he’s never going to be. He doesn’t speak the language and does a terrible accent. That’s why I’m perfect for it. I’m terrible Asian person.

“I think everybody in this movie is conning something out of someone. Basically the story is about a bunch of people trying to be what they’re not. Everybody in there is living a lie. You know they’re trying to be something they’re not and deep down inside, they know that they’re not.

“They’re breaking the golden rule of Shakespeare that to their own selves they’re not being true. They’re lying to themselves and anyone who lies to himself is, he’s not a liar, he’s a fool.”

As always, Rodriguez (who gave Cloud 9 the subtitle, “Hoosiers Meets Hooters”), ends with a joke:

“I want to apologize to all the Asian Pacific Rim for my degrading portrayal of a great and wonderful culture. A culture that brought us Confucius and the longest wall in history and the Ming vases and some of the best tasting food this side of Mexico!”