Turning Japanese

While watching Conan last night with Rachel, we happened across a commercial for Sunsetter Retractable Awnings. Now, there's a comfortable pattern to commercials like these; they usually begin with some sort of pre-purchase testimonial by a customer about why their life was unliveable until they bought the product. Usually it's in black-and-white, featuring Customer Woman getting very frustrated over some trivial activity. In this particular ad, a woman was discussing at length the problems she had with her old patio table's umbrella while trying to entertain their good friends, the "Mackenzies". Then, the camera pans over the table to show the "Mackenzies", who just so happen to be very Asian.

Now, far be it from me to generalize. I'm sure in the entire world you can probably find enough Asian MacSomethings to fill your average-sized VFW hall, even if you choose not to include people who got the name from marrying the caucasian Mr. MacSomething. But don't you think, just maybe, this is a little quirkier than a commercial for retractable awnings needs to be?

It led me down a whole path of thought. How did this happen? Was the script written with "Mackenzies" and the only actors who really nailed the role of a couple with sun in their eyes Asian? Did the director want to change the names, but there was a frustrated ad copy writer who refused to compromise his vision? Did the family Americanize their name when they came to this country (as my family did)? Are they advance operatives from Beijing, sent to acquire the secrets of our patio furniture technology? Is there some part of Scotland filled with Asians? Why weren't they in Braveheart?

Please help me. My world no longer makes sense.