The ObaChine protest, 1998. Barbara Lazaroff, co-owner of the pan-Asian restaurant along with her husband Wolfgang Puck, takes time to meet with picketers angry at the depiction of Asian stereotypes. Negotiations with community leaders and public pressure did not convince her to remove the central point of contention: a prominent caricature of a “Chinaman.” However, less than two years after opening, the Seattle venue of ObaChine closed in June 1999. The Seattle Times predicted the closure with the words “It’s all oba for ObaChine.” The Phoenix location ended operation almost simultaneously. Lazaroff’s partnership and marriage with Puck ended in 2002. See also photos 3_166 – 168. Photographer unknown.
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