Media

NY Daily News editor defends Yang cartoon: ‘This is not a racial stereotype or racist caricature’

by Dominick Mastrangelo - 05/25/21 4:24 PM ET

The editorial page editor of the New York Daily News is defending a cartoon depicting New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang that Yang and his wife have said is racist.

“Andrew Yang is a leading contender to be mayor of New York City, and as commentators, his opponents and The News Editorial Board have recently pointed out, he’s recently revealed there are major gaps in his knowledge of New York City politics and policy. Nor has he ever voted in a mayoral election,” editor Josh Greenman said, according to the newspaper. “Bill Bramhall’s cartoon is a comment on that, period, end of story. This is not a racial stereotype or racist caricature.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Andrew and Evelyn Yang ripped the Daily News for the cartoon, which portrayed Yang as an excited tourist leaving the Times Square subway station. New Yorkers have mocked Yang after he said the station was his “favorite.”

“We have lived in Hell’s Kitchen for over 15 years. So Times Square is actually the train station that we go to everyday to go home. It’s as simple as that,” Evelyn Yang said during the press conference. “Now why was that made to be a subject of a cartoon? Why is that funny? It’s funny because of the racial context.”

In a tweet earlier Tuesday, Evelyn Yang called the cartoon a “racist disfiguration” of her husband.

This is disgusting and wrong. Every single day Asian Americans have to fight the notion that we are foreigners. We are here and we’re not going anywhere. That’s why AAPI representation like @andrewyang is so important. Do better @NYDailyNews https://t.co/2eMcYay2Wx

— AAPI Victory Alliance (@aapialliance) May 24, 2021

Greenman noted that the original, online version of Bramhall’s cartoon had sparked negative feedback about the shape of Yang’s eyes, which the artist edited “out of sensitivity to those concerns.”

The edit does not change “the concept of the cartoon, which he and we stand by,” Greenman added.

In an editorial published over the weekend, the Daily News criticized Yang, saying he lacks basic understanding of local policy matters and is out of touch with everyday New Yorkers.

“The mayoralty is not just for wonks who know every intricacy of city government; it ought to go to the person with the best ideas, skills, instincts and priorities. But this is ridiculous,” the editorial read.

Tags Andrew Yang Andrew Yang political cartoon