'Master of None': Giving thanks to our immigrant parents

The TV parents were invited to dinner by their TV sons, Brian and Dev, in an attempt to learn more about them in the highly-praised episode "Parents" in "Master of None."

ONE NICE thing about staying home ill is that I was able to binge-watch television programs that I had missed. One of these is Master of None starring Aziz Ansari and co-creator Alan Yang - two Asian friends writing about, well, two Asian guys  - one Indian/American and the other a Chinese/American - hanging out in New York City waiting for life to happen to them.

If you haven't watched Netflix's Master of None you're missing out on one of the funniest, touching an honest shows on television. It hits on life's truths in touching, relatable ways and although it is from an Asian/American perspective, it has universal appeal.

Of the ten episodes of the first season, the one that convinced me of the unique qualities of Master is the one about parents. As the son of immigrant parents, it had me laughing out loud as bursts of "a-ha" moments relating to my own parents came through in rapid-fire sequences.

Apparently, it touched a nerve with a lot of viewers because that's the episode that got the most audience reaction.

“Yeah, it’s one of those things where we thought it was a special episode when we were making it, but we didn’t know it would have the response that it did,” Ansari told Entertainment Weekly. 

RELATED: Giving thanks to your immigrant parents

“It’s so nice to see all these people writing nice things about it and saying they relate to it. I have so many friends texting me that they were crying and now they’re calling their parents. It’s really cool. That episode was really personal to me and Alan Yang, and we’re glad it turned out well.”

"It’s a story about being grateful to your parents, no matter what their background was\," said co-creator Yang, who admits that the Brian character is based on him.

"Regardless of where your parents are born, chances are they made some sacrifices for you, and they took care of you, and they worked really hard. And that was something that really connected with me emotionally. It’s just something that I would think about a lot, and think about how amazing it was a struggle for our parents. That stuff is really real and a lot of those lines in those episodes really hit home for us. Because they didn’t get to have fun. They didn’t get to have fun! It’s a luxury that only we have—it’s true!"

Ansari cast his own parents in the roles of his TV character's parents. The stories about his parents told in flashback were true stories about his long road of immigrating to the U.S. and the discrimination he had to face. 

"So all that stuff about [Brian’s] dad reading the Economist and killing his pet chicken — all of that stuff happened to my dad," confirmed Yang.

In a Facebook post, Ansari wrote:

“Sorry if this is cheesy or too sentimental but if your parents are good to you too, just go do something nice for them” — wise words, even if you can’t get your dad on as a Colbert guest.

He says, “I urge you to work at it and get better because these are special people in your life and I get terrified when my dad tells me about friends of his, people close to his age, that are having serious health issues, etc. Enjoy and love these people while you can.”

If you're visiting your parents this Thanksgiving, it wouldn't hurt to tell them that you appreciate their sacrifices. And if you're one of those parents we're talking about, it wouldn't hurt to open up a little and tell your story.

RELATED: Tales my father never told me

RELATED:  Oral history project launched

###

Children of Asian immigrants say 'thank you' to their parents

The Diokno family, circa 1961. My parents, Felicidad and Melchor, are seated in front.

ONCE, I was giving a speech at a dedication of a mural depicting the immigration of Filipinos to the United States. I managed to slip in the landing in Morro Bay in California, Manila Village, sugar cane workers in Hawaii, the Alaskeros and farmworkers, then suddenly ... I got choked up. I had to pause to fight back tears. I had rehearsed the speech (sorta) and knew what I was going to say but the well of emotion that overcame me was totally unexpected.

When I was giving the short speech about Filipino immigration to the U.S. and the hardships they endured, I was also talking about the journey of my own parents, who had to leave all that was comfortable, all that was familiar, their families, friends and barrios full of more relatives in order to make the trek here for a better life for their children. 

I thought of the discrimination that they encountered here even as they didn't recognize it as such: not getting the promotion, not being able to buy homes in certain neighborhoods, receiving poor service in stores and restaurants, being invisible and overlooked by the dominant culture, and all the small slights ("racial micro aggressions" is the current term) that build and build. In most cases, they were too proud to complain. They couldn't even bring themselves to complain about their beloved adopted country. "Discrimination, bigotry, racism," those words were not in their vocabulary. 

Only as an adult, when I recall instances and actions that they faced, did I realize what they had to put up with in order to make sure that I had a comfortable life, a good education, a productive career and a future much better than they could ever have imagined in the Philippines. 

The difficult choices they made in the 1940s to immigrate to a foreign land, as a young couple with their three young children, set off a chain of events that has left a lasting legacy for scores of their descendants, some of whom may not even know their names: Melchor and Felicidad. Our family, now into it's fifth generation of Filipino Americans, owe so much to them. The life I'm able to live today is the fulfillment of my parents' long-ago dreams.

That's why I was on the verge of tears at the speaker's podium. Everything my parents had done, all their sacrifices, what those triumphs have meant to scores of children they will never know - came crashing down on me. I took a deep breath and somehow finished the brief speech without totally losing my composure completely. Whew! 

To my parents, and to all the immigrant parents from countries around the world who aspire for a better life for their children, I give my most sincere and humble gratitude.

Watch these young Asian Americans as they give thanks to their immigrant parents, but first, have a box of Kleenex nearby. Thanks to Buzzfeed for the video.

###