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Tex[t]-Mex: Seductive Hallucinations of the "Mexican" in America

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(Can anyone who gave K-Fed's rap album a five-star rating be trusted?) Doc Savage's review seems to be a total misreading of Tex[t]-Mex. But I am dignifying his comments by even implying that he did read the book--clearly he has not. Nowhere in the book does Nericcio claim that all Anglos are alike. Instead, Nericcio examines the seductive hallucination of " 'Mexicans ' in the eyes of Americans" across movies, newspapers , magazines and on television, and other forms of print (29). To me Doc Savage seems like a disgruntled student with a 15-year-old axe to grind. Get over it! Save your negative comment s for ratemyprofessor.com. The statute of limitations on your class complaints expired long ago.

The irony of William Nericcio's psychoanalysis (schizoanalysis?) of apparitions of The Mexican in the dream life of American culture is that Nericcio himself embodies---even as he appropriates and subverts---the stereotype of the Spanglish-speekeeng Trickster figure, tunneling under the heavily fortified borders between discursive zones. He's the Speedy Gonzales of zoot-suit Derrideanism. Better yet, he's the Mil Máscaras of critical theory, a masked semiotic wrestler pummeling multiple meanings out of the flotsam tossed up by our disposable culture.

Drawing on post-colonial theory, Chicano/a studies, a deep knowledge of American history, a scary mastery of continental theory, and an undisguised delight in the retinal pleasures and greasy seductions of junk culture, Nericcio spins us around to face our image of The Mexican, and in so doing reveals it for the cultural mirror it really is, a funhouse reflection of Anglo America's anxieties and fantasies about the Other. Ask not for whom the Taco Bell tolls, Lou Dobbs; it tolls for ustedes.

Text{e}-Mex crackles with a manic energy and an antic wit that are rare in academic writing, most of which tends toward soul-crushing ponderousness. Like the French philosophers who've clearly influenced his work, Nericcio tosses off oracular pronouncements without op. cits or apology and rejoices in wordplay. At the same time, his willingness to open the throttle on the passions that animate his arguments and take his rhetoric to telenovela heights of soap-operatic excess, pushing the envelope of his tropes and intertextual riffs into the ultra baroque, seems (to this gabacho, at least) profoundly Mexican. Here he is decrypting a "startling gringo artifact"---packaging for a toy called the Sparkling Clay Factory, featuring a hysterically Anglo boy and girl: "Check out these cute gringo kids from my private collection of `ethnic' types (in particular, look closely at the boy on the right, who has been digitally processed so much that his `skin' takes on the texture of a Pixar-born(e) computer-generated-image offspring of a CGI wet dream by the in vitro-cloned hybrid child of Mengele, Geppetto, and John Lasseter)." He deadpans, "I am still trying to figure out what planet the depicted organisms on this torn box cover come from."

If you're the sort of cultural border-jumper and theory-porn junkie who thinks Zizek would make the perfect guest host for Gustavo Arellano's hilarious, brilliant newspaper column "!Ask a Mexican¡"; if you fantasize about staging Foucault's essay "The Masked Philosopher" as an off-broadway production starring lucha libre stars; if the next two items in your Netflix queue are Derrida and Wrestling Women versus the Aztec Mummy, Text{e}-Mex is your answered prayer.

But don't say I didn't warn you: Early on, Nericcio warns us that he's an unreliable tour guide---("ok, remember that your author is a recovering Catholic Tejano---idealism and the apocalypse lurk around every paragraph")---and, like all the best intellects who run through the world like a Tijuana switchblade, he goes meta, stepping outside his own analytical paradigm to interrogate that, as well. "The germ of this book was a vendetta I had for an animated Mexican mouse by the name of Speedy Gonzales; but, in the end, I had to let the anger go," he writes, in the book's introductory chapter." Tellingly, he quotes Baudrillard, the always ironic John the Baptist in our Desert of the Real: "Baudrillard...says: `It is always a false problem to want to restore the truth beneath the simulacrum.' Look behind Speedy or beneath Freddy Lopez and one will not find Mexican-hating illustrators or Latino-loathing puppeteers...More often than not, one will find someone working sine dolo malo, `without fault, without an intent of evil...'" Text{e}-Mex is a cross between the red pill that gives Neo an ontological migraine in The Matrix and the worm at the bottom of the mezcal bottle. Nericcio shows you just how deep the bottle goes.

Nericcio spent a long time creating this work which he began in 1989. Unless I misread him, he's attempted a movie in book form, but I think what we really have here is a psychological expose of an author who was weaned in Laredo on comic books, TV and American media, and ultimately trained in semiotics and postmodern philosophy.

The subjects he choses to 'deconstruct' include the Welles's movie TOUCH OF EVIL, Welles's Mexican wife Rita Hayworth, Speedy Gonazalez, Richard Rodriguez, Lupe Velez, and as I said, himself. He does not take himself seriously, and while this 'cast of characters' he choses sound suspect, this is serious work, and the effort shows. He's clearly had a lot of fun pulling this one out of the sombrero.

The goal here is a postmodern scene-by-scene 'movie' with script that explores the racism against Mexicans in American media based on 'sex-starved' cartoon mice, Hollywood dye-jobs to get that gringa look, name changes, self-hatred, cultural conditioning, art, commentaries by Rodriguez examining his hatred for Mexico, etc.

Touch of Evil is one my favorites and Nericcio's perspective gave me much to chew on, especially after chewing on fries and drinking a beer at Nepenthe a few weeks a go, and coming to the conclusion that this spot that Welles shared with Rita was a "poorman's" dream-version of a castle Orson never built while Hearst was once 70 miles south on Hwy 1, busy on his fixer-upper. No lusty and lawless bordertowns for these gents.

And Nepenthe now? A hallucination in itself with a row of Mexicano cooks grilling up crappy food while tourists show up to check out the view--which is mostly of each other.

My only critique of the book is that it, by default and based on its format, becomes a part of the American culture industry: that's entertainment 'Chicano style' but geared to grad critical theory students... willing to pay the price of admission.

I'd like to read a similar work like this but by a Mexican author who does the same 'movie' about--and against--Mexican media.

Addendum Feb 7, 08:
I just watched the 2000 edition of TOUCH OF EVIL and re-read this author's analysis. I have a different take, which is far more psycho-analytical.

Recall that this film was made in 1957 when mixed-race marriages, especially those portrayed on the silver screen, were far fewer in number than now. I think that Welles was actually using Heston and Leigh to represent himself and Rita Hayworth, a mixed race couple. That in itself would've been enough of a shocker for white-bread America in a 1958 theater. Not to mention the 'half-breed' daughter this union produced.

If Nericcio is correct that Welles was a Mexican/Latino wannabe, then it makes sense that he'd hire Heston as his stand in-- rather than a Mexican-- to PLAY a Mexican covered in brown shoe polish, who can't speak proper Spanish and who's newly married to the lily-white Leigh (who represents the white-washed Rita H. and who has a very strong personality). The genius of chosing Heston is obvious: in 1957, America would definitely need a familiar and 'trustworthy' 'Mexican' they could 'believe' in(!) I don't know of ANY Mexican who could play this part for a specifically 1958 American audience, and garner the sympathy Welles was seeking.
This analysis is also supported by the massively egotistical Welles playing Kane at various stages of his life in CITIZEN.
But in T.O.E., Orson is too huge to 'play himself' as Vargas, and opts for Heston to (almost comically) portray the innocent, handsome 'missionary' with a sense of justice-- the man Orson used to be in the early forties. Vargas, by the way, is the only ethical male character in the film. He represents the 'good' countered by the fat, bloated, lawless and evil American: Quinlan. I think Welles was simply showing his '58 audience the ugly American in all of his racist glory, something they did not want to see, or admit. On ethics, see also the scene where Vargas symbollically 'locks up' the three white lawmen in an elevator with bars, a space Vargas refuses to enter. An empowered Mexican sticking it to 'the Man.' THAT sounds like a sympathetic OW, at least to me.

Nericcio's attempt to find evidence that Welles was capturing his real 'self' (the racist Quinlan) in the film is probably wrong. Nericcio dug up some quote by OW's biographer proving his racism. This is based on the use of the term 'half-breed' by OW when refering to an American Indian car driver. And OW refering to Rita H as a 'gypsy'. This is a stretch.
More Freud:
The rape of Leigh in the movie may represent the rape of Rita H by her father in real life, which was mentioned by Nericcio in another chapter. It may be that Quinlan murders Uncle Joe Grandi (who was filmed licking his lips when he was finished sending Leigh a 'hands-off my brother' message) because he could symbolize Rita's father. It's very possible Orson would've liked to knock-off Rita's father --if he'd the chance. Uncle Grandi, the 'big daddy' who would LIKE to get his hands on Leigh, instead sends his gang to gang-bang Mrs Vargas in space HE owns --a motel.

On Orson's misogynism: In a foot note, Nericcio takes a shot at OW's scene in which a bottle of acid thrown by a hood at Vargas ends up sizzling a poster of "Zita" on the wall behind Vargas. 'Zita', the stripper who was killed in the opening car bomb scene, is, in my opionion, 'Rita', O.W.'s ex-wife for around 10 years by 1957. A symbolic killing of his ex?

Speedy Gonzales: a wonderfully slick, sly, Mexican Mouse. What else can we say about him, right? Well, after you read William Nericcio's book,Tex[t]-Mex: Seductive Hallucinations of the "Mexican" in America, you will never look at Speedy the same way again. Through Nericcio's analysis of the creation of this cartoon, the origin of the character's name, and the reoccurring plots in the many Speedy episodes, we get to see how Mexicans have been viewed (and continue being viewed in many cases) in the American media. And must I say it? It is mostly not in a good light!!

But there are many other ways in which Nericcio shows us how Mexicans, Mexican-Americans, Chicanos/as, are portrayed in the United States and the impact that it has on the community. Did you ever realize the importance of Rita Hayworth's change in name, nationality, hair color? Well, this book will give you a clear example of what de-Mexicanization can do to the life of a Hollywood star.

Reading William Nericcio's book was definitely a meaningful learning experience. I hope to do the author justice by striving to break the negative stereotypes of Mexicans in America.

Fabulous . . . Read in three sittings. I don't know where to place this in my tidy, categorized Pier 1 book shelf. Latino/Chicano Studies? Cultural studies? Post-poststructrualist critique? Hollywood, Media, Entertainment? This is probably due to the fact that the author is everywhere (film, image/photography, literature/text, theory, criticism, etc. etc.) without for a second losing sight of the reader, or, more importantly: the mission. Nericcio skewers and sears, elucidates and enlights with the charm, acuity, and elegance of a master writer. Gorgeously laid out, tons of photos (and lengthy captions). More, please!

Bill Nericcio is a really really funny writer. This is good because his subject matter is serious, even academic. He goes after the stereotypes of our movies, cartoons and dreams with a gusto that's pretty spectacular. Read this book, and you will never look at Selma Hayek, Speedy Gonzalez or the great Rita Hayworth in the same way again. But know that he loves these stereotypes, even as he skewers them again and again. Latinos --academics, artists, and civilians -- should read this book. And everybody else too.

No Tequila, Por Favor

In Tex(t)- Mex: Seductive Hallucinations of the "Mexican" in America, William Anthony Nericcio defies the stereotype of a Mexican that does not speak English nor is willing to learn the language. Not only does he speak English, he has a great command of the language. He has been an English professor at a university for over twenty years. For this book, one might want to have a dictionary near by. However, having internet access like a lap top or Iphone would be better. He tends to use a lot of words found in the Oxford English Dictionary. In fact, one might say Nericcio is a little O.C.D. with the O.E.D. But one does not need to worry. Any word Nericcio wants you to know, he has an O.E.D. entry for the word in order for the reader to have a full grasp of the word. He speaks Spanish and French as well. He tends to flow between the three languages as he makes his point throughout the book. However, all French or Spanish words and phrases are either in Italics or quotation marks if not both. He also weaves in his knowledge of literature and philosophy to illustrate his point throughout the text.
Text(t)- Mex is a book about Mexican stereotypes and the history of the American media's perpetuation of them. His introduction can be an intellectual mine field, intended to shake and rattle the reader. The book is basically a 210 page scholarly paper. However unlike most scholarly papers, Tex(t)-Mex is full of pictures, anecdotes, and jokes. Just when the reader might find the book to be a little too scholarly for their taste, Nericcio wakes up the reader with a random joke. His wit and sense of rumor is what makes his scholarly piece not only readable but really enjoyable. Anybody that has ever studied at a university knows how tedious and odious a scholarly journal can be. However, unlike the average scholar, Nericcio writes knowing someone will read this and he does care if they are bored or not. But this being a scholarly book, Tex(t)-Mex is not for the anti-intellectual. They would have better use of this book as a coaster for their Friday night keggers.
For those that do actually enjoy reading for pleasure, learning a thing or two, and being intellectually challenged; Tex(t) Mex is a great book. There are ten sections in the book, and within those ten sections are five chapters. He goes into a lengthy introduction about his main agreement and point. Then he analyses the Orson Welles classic Touch of Evil and Rita Hayworth's career from not having a Mexican enough of a look, then looking too Mexican and her transformation in general. He also has chapters devoted to Speedy Gonzales and Lupe Velez. He goes from past to present to show the American media machine behind Mexican stereotypes.
His 50 page film analysis on Touch of Evil was probably my favorite part of the book. Nericcio used humor to point out the racism, use of derogatory words, Charlton Heston's fractured Spanish, and his painted face. But the part I found the most hilarious about the chapter was Nericcio's fat jokes against Orson Welles. Tex(t) Mex needs to be read in it's entirely for the reader to get the full grasp of Nericcio's arguments and statements. There were chapters, where I found myself wanting to argue with the writer. I think that was his intent. He wants his reader to think and maybe even argue. I imagine many people have pointed out the transformation of Norma Jean Baker aka Marilyn Monroe to Nericcio to argue about his chapter on Rita Hayworth. Or that Speedy Gonzales is not the only racist cartoon during that time. Pepe le Pew is an insult against French people. Think about it, he stinks and he's a womanizer. The famous skunk has been romanticizing rape and sexual assault for many decades now. Pepe is so oversexed that he will try to hump anything that even remotely looks like a skunk. A poor little feline creature that somehow gets a white stripe painted on her back looks good to the little French horny skunk.
But as I continued to read the book until its end, I found a lot of points were valid. I did not want to argue with him so much by the time I finished the book. It's a great book if you actually like to think. I just wouldn't advice anybody that barely knows William Nerricio to buy him a bottle of tequila. Maybe Greygoose Vodka or even rum, but not tequila.

I couldn't put this book down. I've read some of his previous work and took a class with him back in the early 1990s. He writes just like he teaches--he's a firecracker and you never know when he's going to burst out with something amazing.

I just finished the footnotes, which are usually banal in most books, but his footnotes are definitely worth perusing. I was laughing and thinking. I'm still "marinating" on the book. I think it's the best book I've read in the genre ever. Ever. Read this book! He dances playfully with theory and then slices through it with great observations. Great book. My copy had a "defect" (or was it?!) some of the pages were stuck together at the bottom and I had to cut them w/ scissors. I was opening up a gift, right? I think it was a printing error of some type, so that the pages were still sealed. But, it was serendiptious, given how provocative this book was.

This book is written for a cross-genre crowd: cultural studies, (sub)cultural studies, Latina/o studies, Chicana/o studies, Latin Americanists, Films studies types, American studies, and Critical Theorists (race, etc). The book would work well in some undergraduate courses, but is really best read by folks familiar with some of the theorsists he cites throughout the text. Thus, grad students or other academic types might enjoy the book most.

Nericcio goes further than Coco Fusco and others in this genre. The book is both well-written and well-researched. The title is great, too. This review is a lovefest and the book deserves it.

Nericcio takes on just about every misconception out there of what is truly Mexican, Tex-Mex or Latino. He places the stereotyping's birth in context of time and history. There are powerful anectodes, wonderful images and solid research. He cooks the text together adding straight but colorful prose

The collective perception of what is Mexican or Latino, becomes less innocuous when the constant images we're bombarded with are taken apart. Helping Nericcio, make his case for deconstruction, Orson Wells, Speedy Gonzalez and even Rita Hayworth, among other recognizable icons, make an appearance.

Tex[t]-Mex is the reader's version of a rich a documentary. Let's hope this is where this book is headed.

Every once in a while a book or cultural artifact comes along that renders it futures differently, and from that moment on it becomes a point of reference for what is to come. William Anthony Nericcio's Tex[t] Mex is just such an artifact. The Mexican and Chicana/o bodies that populate it are imagined beyond their use value, or the pleasures taken from them, in order to see how vision and the state work hand in hand with the politics of national discrimination in the subtlest, and thereby most insidious ways. From a children's cartoon like speedy González, I mean, Gonzales, to scopophilic desires in the shape of Lupe Velez, or the Rita Hayworth we think we know, this is a special book.