September 18, 2016 8:55 PM EDT
D uring his acceptance speech for best writing in a comedy series for Master of None , Alan Yang (who co-wrote the episode with Aziz Ansari ) petitioned for greater representation of Asian-American actors on television.
“There’s 17 million Asian-Americans in this country, and there’s 17 million Italian Americans. They have The Godfather , Goodfellas , Rocky , The Sopranos . We got Long Duk Dong, so we’ve got a long way to go,” he said, referencing the notorious character from Sixteen Candles .
Emmys 2016: See Celebrities on the Red Carpet Priyanka Chopra arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Sofia Vergara arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Jeff Kravitz—Getty Images Emily Ratajkowski arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images Kristen Bell arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Taraji P. Henson arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Laverne Cox arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Jerry Seinfeld and Jessica Seinfeld arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Viola Davis arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Millie Bobby Brown arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Sophie Turner arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Kit Harrington arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Heidi Klum arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Angela Bassett arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Michelle Dockery arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Robin Dearden and Bryan Cranston arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty Images Julia Louis-Dreyfus arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Emilia Clarke arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Constance Zimmer arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Alberto E. Rodriguez—Getty Images David Schwimmer and Zoe Buckman arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images John Travolta and Kelly Preston arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Kerry Washington arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Amy Poehler arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Tina Fey arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Cuba Gooding, Jr. arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images James Corden and Julia Carey arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Sarah Paulson arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Rami Malek arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Kate McKinnon arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Ryan Michelle Bathe and Sterling K. Brown arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images Mandy Moore arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images America Ferrara arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Alberto E. Rodriguez—Getty Images Jane Krakowski arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Tom Hiddleson arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Emmy Rossum arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Reggie Watts arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images Kerri Russell arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Kirsten Dunst arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Alia Shawkat arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Frazer Harrison—Getty Images Hank Azaria arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. David Livingston—Getty Images Amanda Peet arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy arrive at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Portia Doubleday arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Jeff Kravitz—Getty Images Neve Campbell arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Damon Wayons arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Jamie Brewer arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Jay Duplass arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Jill Soloway arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Andy Samberg arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images William H. Macy arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Alberto E. Rodriguez—Getty Images Louie Anderson arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images Ellie Kemper arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. John Shearer—Getty Images Tracee Ellis Ross arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Kevin Mazur—Getty Images Randall Park arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Todd Williamson—Getty Images Carol Kane arrives at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on Sept. 18, 2016 in Los Angeles. Steve Granitz—Getty Images “But I know we can get there. I believe in us. It’s just going to take a lot of hard work. Asian parents out there, if you could just do me a favor, just a couple of you get your kids cameras instead of violins, we’ll be all good,” Yang said.
Yang and Ansari have been outspoken about the lack of diversity among actors and characters on television before and episodes of Master of None addressed the issue outright.
More Must-Reads from TIME