
Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish?
Dubbing Stereotypes in the Nanny, the Simpsons, and the Sopranos
Chiara Francesca Ferrari(Author)
University of Texas Press
Published on 15. January 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
175 pages
978-0-292-73755-6 (ISBN)
Description
"Since when is Fran Drescher Jewish?" This was Chiara Francesca Ferrari's reaction when she learned that Drescher's character on the television sitcom The Nanny was meant to be a portrayal of a stereotypical Jewish-American princess. Ferrari had only seen the Italian version of the show, in which the protagonist was dubbed into an exotic, eccentric Italian-American nanny. Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? explores this "ventriloquism" as not only a textual and cultural transfer between languages but also as an industrial practice that helps the media industry foster identification among varying audiences around the globe.
At the heart of this study is an in-depth exploration of three shows that moved from global to local, mapping stereotypes from both sides of the Atlantic in the process. Presented in Italy, for example, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is no longer a belligerent, alcoholic Scotsman but instead easily becomes a primitive figure from Sardinia. Ironically, The Sopranos-a show built around Italian-Americans-was carefully re-positioned by Italian TV executives, who erased the word "mafia" and all regional references to Sicily. The result of Ferrari's three case studies is evidence that "otherness" transcends translation, as the stereotypes produced by the American entertainment industry are simply replaced by other stereotypes in foreign markets. As American television studios continue to attempt to increase earnings by licensing their shows abroad, Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? illuminates the significant issues of identity raised by this ever-growing marketplace, along with the intriguing messages that lie in the larger realm of audiovisual cultural exchange.
At the heart of this study is an in-depth exploration of three shows that moved from global to local, mapping stereotypes from both sides of the Atlantic in the process. Presented in Italy, for example, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is no longer a belligerent, alcoholic Scotsman but instead easily becomes a primitive figure from Sardinia. Ironically, The Sopranos-a show built around Italian-Americans-was carefully re-positioned by Italian TV executives, who erased the word "mafia" and all regional references to Sicily. The result of Ferrari's three case studies is evidence that "otherness" transcends translation, as the stereotypes produced by the American entertainment industry are simply replaced by other stereotypes in foreign markets. As American television studios continue to attempt to increase earnings by licensing their shows abroad, Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? illuminates the significant issues of identity raised by this ever-growing marketplace, along with the intriguing messages that lie in the larger realm of audiovisual cultural exchange.
Reviews / Votes
"Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish? is a timely contribution to the field of contemporary Italian media studies and provides a media-industry perspective on the translation, adaptation, and dubbing of foreign audiovisuals into the Italian national context. Ferrari's book represents a good point of departure for anyone who desires to begin an investigation of the complexities of audiovisual translations."--Giulia Centineo, University of California, Santa Cruz, Italian American ReviewMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Austin, TX
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
265 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-292-73755-6 (9780292737556)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Chiara Francesca Ferrari is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Design at California State University, Chico.
Content
Foreword by Joseph Straubhaar
Acknowledgments
Introduction. Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish?
Chapter One. Nation in Translation: The (Im)Possibility of the Local?
Chapter Two. Indigenizing Texts: Television Translation as Cultural Ventriloquism
Chapter Three. Dubbing Yiddish, Hidden Rabbi: The Nanny in Translation
Chapter Four. Dubbing The Simpsons: Or How Groundskeeper Willie Lost His Kilt in Sardinia
Chapter Five. The Sopranos in Italy: Or "Why Should We Care? We Have the Real Mafia Here!"
Conclusion. Translating Stereotypes: The Cultural Politics of Reformatting
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Introduction. Since When Is Fran Drescher Jewish?
Chapter One. Nation in Translation: The (Im)Possibility of the Local?
Chapter Two. Indigenizing Texts: Television Translation as Cultural Ventriloquism
Chapter Three. Dubbing Yiddish, Hidden Rabbi: The Nanny in Translation
Chapter Four. Dubbing The Simpsons: Or How Groundskeeper Willie Lost His Kilt in Sardinia
Chapter Five. The Sopranos in Italy: Or "Why Should We Care? We Have the Real Mafia Here!"
Conclusion. Translating Stereotypes: The Cultural Politics of Reformatting
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index