Awesome Engrish: Digital Perm in Chinatown
I saw this sign near the intersection of Doyers and Bowery over the weekend – a great bit of Engrish. Someone needs to tell Kool Keith he can get a Digital Perm in Chinatown …
Turns out, a digital perm is a real thing. From Wikipedia:
A digital perm is a perm which uses hot rods with the temperature regulated by a machine, which has a digital display, hence the name. However, the process of the perm is quite analogue. The name “Digital Perm” is also copyrighted by a Japanese company, PAIMORE Co., Ltd.[1] Hair stylists usually call it a “hot perm”, but it is commonly known as a “digital perm”.
So I tried to joke based on ignorance — and my joke was, essentially, “silly Asians.” And it turns out it was me that didn’t know what I was talking about. Not the worst mistake in the world, but when you make this mistake based on a cultural/ethnic assumption, it REALLY makes you look like a dipshit …
March 10th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I have wanted one of these digital perms for so long and my American hairstylist looks at me like I’m crazy whenever I mention it. Youre not the only one that has never heard of this before. Apparently it has not caught on outside of the Asian communities. It sounds so “high tech” in a cartoonish sort of way.
March 11th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
just from a blog post perspective…your “error” it makes the post more awesome!
xoxo
July 15th, 2009 at 6:53 am
i saw a ‘digital perm’ written on a banner outside a salon several months ago. and i seriously thought that ppl go in there, get their picture taken and the hair people will do a photoshop perm on the picture, and ppl will actually got out of the salon with their “original” hair! pfft.
lagged asian in Malaysia.
February 25th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
This is getting more and more popular in the U.S. Check this out: really informative digital perm blog