whiteface, yellowface

[Benjamin Barrett]

For "whiteface," the OED says: White or light-coloured make-up, esp. as worn by a clown, or by a black actor playing a white character. orig. U.S.

Here's an example of a white person using whiteface to play a geisha: 

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http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/05/09/city-of-la-department-of-public-works-under-fire-for-producing-controversial-video-mocking-asians/#.UY2EP3t9Qvg.twitter

Kimura continued, “It brings back all the worst stereotypes. The accents, the whiteface. I’m embarrassed for everybody who is involved in this.

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Wiktionary has "yellowface" (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/yellowface) but the OED does not. It's discussed as a practice still used today in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrayal_of_East_Asians_in_Hollywood. The word was used in "Anna May Wong" In Her Own Words," in reference to a woman actor that she co-starred with. A rundown of the practice can be found at http://www.forgetthetalkies.com/2008/12/race-in-silent-film-yellowface/.

Benjamin Barrett
Seattle, WA
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