3.31.2016

Teen drowns while volunteering at beach cleanup

Honors student Thuy Tran was pulled out by a rip current in Santa Monica.



Tragic news out of Southern California... A 17-year-old honors student died after being swept away by a large wave while volunteering at a beach cleanup in Santa Monica over the weekend.

Valedictorian candidate dies during beach cleanup in Santa Monica

Thuy Tran, a senior at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School in Boyle Heights, was among a group of classmates swimming in the water on Saturday when she was pulled out by a rip current.

A rescue team searched for Tran for less than an hour before a lifeguard found her responsive underwater. She was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the Los Angeles County coroner.

3.30.2016

Oregon politician claims Vietnamese refugees ate dogs

Lane County Commissioner Faye Stewart complains "their culture and their lifestyle didn't mix with ours."



You know what happens when we allow refugees into this country? They'll eat your cats and dogs! Take it from one Oregon politician who claims that Vietnamese refugees who came to the area years ago "harvested" people's pets for food "because their culture and lifestyle didn't mix with ours."

Oregon Senate Candidate Complains About Vietnamese Refugees Eatings Dogs

Faye Stewart, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Oregon made the comments while discussing the current Syrian refugee crisis during a GOP candidate forum. He was apparently telling a story about Vietnamese refugees first arriving to the Pacific Northwest in large numbers in the late 1970s and early '80s.

"[W]e took in some refugees," Stewart recalled. "I believe it was some Vietnamese refugees into this state years ago and it created a huge problem because their culture and their lifestyle didn't mix with ours."

Among other things, Stewart claimed that the Vietnamese refugees "went to their natural ways" and ate people's dogs and cats.

3.29.2016

Michelle Krusiec cast in new 'MacGyver' pilot

CBS drama re-imagines the classic 1980s action/adventure series.



Some awesome TV news... Michelle Krusiec has been cast as a series regular in the CBS drama pilot MacGyver, executive producer James Wan's reimagining of the classic 1980s action/adventure series.

'MacGyver': Addison Timlin & Michelle Krusiec Cast In CBS Pilot

Krusiec will play a character named Agent Croix, who works for the Department of Homeland Security.

The original MacGyver, which ran for seven seasons on ABC, starred Richard Dean Anderson as a resourceful top agent for the Phoenix Foundation, who never carried a gun and drew on his genius scientific knowledge to thwart bad guys and get out of jams. It was one of my favorite shows back in the day.

Just for the hell of it, here's the glorious MacGyver theme song:

Say it with a Bruce Lee Facebook sticker

Here is the Facebook sticker pack you never knew you needed.



Your Facebook chats just got a little more badass. Have you ever been in the middle of a chat or comment thread and thought to yourself, "How would Bruce Lee say it?" Now, there is a way.

Facebook just released an official Bruce Lee Sticker Pack. There's a unique illustrated, animated Bruce sticker for every sentiment. It's free, and you can use it throughout Facebook.

To all my Facebook friends: expect to see a lot of these from me. You have been warned.

Asian students targeted in Auckland attacks

Police are investigating a series of aggravated robberies on international students in New Zealand.



More disturbing news of Asians targeted with violence. This one comes to us from New Zealand, where a spate of vicious attacks on international students has raised concerns that Asians in the area are being targeted.

Brutal assaults scaring Auckland's Asian students

In Auckland, police are investigating a series of aggravated robberies -- four attacks in the past week -- in which the victims were Asian international students. All of the attacks occurred in public places, sometimes in broad daylight Arrests have been made in two of the cases.

3.28.2016

Serve the People: Making Asian America in the Long 60s with Karen L. Ishizuka

Sunday, April 3 at UC Berkeley's Multicultural Center



If you're in the Bay Area this weekend, here's a cool book event... Karen L. Ishizuka, author of the new book Serve the People: Making Asian American in the Long Sixties, will be giving a keynote presentation as part of the Asian Pacific Islanders Issues Series 2016 conference. The talk will be followed by a panel discussion and signing. It's happening Sunday, April 3 at UC Berkeley's Multicultural Center.

Here are some more details:

Casting Call: Seeking Asian American Transgender performers for 'Interstate'

Staged reading for a new pop-rock poetry musical by Kit Yan and Melissa Li


Putting the call out for Asian American transgender and gender nonconforming actors.... Interstate, a new musical by Melissa Li and Kit Yan, is currently seeking Equity or non-Equity Asian American transgender or gender nonconforming performers for a 29 hour staged reading happening next month.

Interstate is described as an Asian American pop-rock poetry musical about two transgender people at different stages of their journey and their parallel experiences with love, family, and finding a community.

Auditions will be held on Saturday, April 2 in Midtown Manhattan. Here's the breakdown:

The new Superman is... Chinese! And written by Gene Luen Yang

'New Super-Man' introduces Kenji Kong, a Shanghai teenager who gains the powers of Superman.



Over the weekend at WonderCon, DC Comics unveiled the creative teams behind its upcoming "DC Rebirth" event, the company's latest attempt to relaunch the DC Universe with new series, characters and lineups.

DC Rebirth: All The Teams and Announcements From WonderCon

As a comic book reader, these overhauls can be kind of exhausting, but the Rebirth series we're most excited about is New Super-Man from Gene Luen Yang, which re-imagines Superman, sort of, as a Chinese kid.

New Super-Man, launching in July, follows a Shanghai teenager named Kenji Kong who must learn to be a hero when he suddenly gets infused with the powers of Superman. The new monthly title will be written by Gene Luen Yang, with art by Viktor Bodganovich.

Man arrested in triple murder of Santa Barbara family

27-year-old Pierre Haobsh charged in killings of well-known herbalist, his wife, and 5-year-old daughter.



In Santa Barbara, California, a 27-year-old man was arrested last week in the "diabolic, premeditated" killings of a well-known local Chinese herbalist, his wife and their 5-year-old daughter in their home.

Man Arrested in 'Diabolical' Murder of Southern California Family, Sheriff Says

Pierre Haobsh faces three felony counts of first-degree murder in the killing of Dr. Weidong Henry Han, 57; wife, Huijie Yu, 29; and daughter, Emily Han. The family was found shot to death on Wednesday at their hillside home in Santa Barbara. Haobsh, a business acquaintance of Dr. Han, was taken into custody on Friday.

The Huangs battle an epidemic on 'Fresh Off The Boat'

Episode 218: "Week in Review" airs Tuesday, March 29, 8:00pm on ABC



ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at 8:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. If you missed this season's episodes, they're available for viewing on the ABC website.

Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan and Chelsey Crisp as Honey. With special guest assist from Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. This week, Louis and Jessica team up to battle lice.

Here a preview of episode 218, "Week in Review":

Voltron returns in new Netflix series... starring Steven Yeun!

DreamWorks Animation's 'Voltron: Legendary Defender' premieres June 10 on Netflix.



Over the weekend at WonderCon, DreamWorks Animation unveiled new artwork and footage for its highly anticipated upcoming original series Voltron: Legendary Defender, premiering June 10 on Netflix. They also introduced the voice cast, which includes none other than The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun.

Inspired by the classic, fan-favorite 1980s cartoon series, executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos and co-executive producer Lauren Montgomery -- the team behind The Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender -- reimagine the Voltron legend in an all-new comedic, action-packed animated saga.

Here's some dope teaser footage:

Brooklyn woman fights off fire escape burglar

Tiffany Chang wasn't letting this thief take her laptop without a fight.


Not the actual burglar.

When Tiffany Chang walked in on a burglar breaking into her Brooklyn apartment, and saw that he was trying to make off with her laptop and other valuables, she was like, oh hell no. She fought back -- and won.

Brooklyn Woman Catches Burglar on Fire Escape, Fights Him

On Wednesday in Williamsburg, a thief climbed a fire escape and snuck into Chang's bedroom window. She walked in from the other room to discover the man halfway out the fire escape holding her laptop.

But Tiffany wasn't letting him take it without a fight.

British tourist dies after San Francisco street attack

Police have released surveillance video of the mugger who stabbed 44-year-old Paul Tam in the head.



In San Francisco, police are looking for two suspects who fatally stabbed a British tourist during a street robbery last month that was caught on surveillance video. The victim died in the hospital last week.

San Franciso police release surveillance video of deadly stabbing of tourist

44-year-old Paul Tam, a web project manager who was visiting San Francisco from Manchester, England, was stabbed in the head after a man and a woman tried to steal his messenger bag. The attack occurred on February 18, at around 8:30 PM, on Post Street between Franklin and Gough Street.

The surveillance video shows Tam trying to get away from the attacker, getting chased onto Post Street right before the assailant pounced and stabbed him in the head. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

3.27.2016

Read These Blogs


Send Sikh Notes to Trump: #SendSikhNoteToTrump is a postcard campaign, created by Sikh cartoonist Vishavjit Singh, to combat Donald Trump's divisive rhetoric with humor and art. He's sending a message to Trump every day until election day. And he's inviting others to join him.

* * *

My brush with North Carolina voter ID law : "The poll workers could have simply looked at our IDs and saved a lot of time. That in a sea of white faces at both polling stations my wife and I were the only brown-skinned individuals also led us to suspect that we were victims of racial prejudice. In these days of Trumpism and shameless xenophobia and other assorted phobias, we can't be blamed if we are paranoid."

* * *

Learning -- And Unlearning -- To Be An 'Ambassador' For Islam: In the wake of terrorist attacks around the world, many Muslims feel called upon to publicly defend their faith, a faith many say is not accurately reflected in the stated or assumed motivations behind such attacks. Writer Beenish Ahmed has struggled with this responsibility all her life and shared her thoughts in this essay published by NPR's Code Switch as news was unfolding of the attacks in Brussels.

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A Letter to My Chinese Immigrant Father About American Racism: "...It's impossible to live in the U.S. and not participate. You and I are assigned a place on a racial order that was birthed out of white colonialism and solidified over centuries of violence and discrimination against Black people. To not acknowledge or challenge the hierarchy is to enable it."

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Justin Lin: If we want more diversity in Hollywood, "the general public has to demand it": The Fast & Furious director's plan to support Asian American artists is one of several new diversity programs.

3.26.2016

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.



1. NBA security still has no idea who Jeremy Lin is
Hornets guard still gets stopped and carded by arena security "all the time."

2. Jeremy Lin scores 29 to stun San Antonio
Lin helps the Hornets come from behind -- waaay behind-- and deal the Spurs a historic loss.

3. Community calls for hate crime charges in triple homicide
Dan Popp fatally shot Phia Vue, Mai Vue and Jesus Manso-Perez in their Milwaukee apartment building.

4. "Why can't we have one white superhero?" said no one ever.
Joshua Luna's comic imagines the 'Iron Fist' casting scenario in an alternate dimension.

5. Pioneering Asian American scholar Don T. Nakanishi dies
Former UCLA professor was widely recognized as one of the forefathers of Asian American Studies.

6. 'Top Chef' Paul Qui arrested for assaulting girlfriend
Renowned Austin chef/restaurateur accused of assaulting girlfriend after a night of drugs and alcohol.

7. Man arrested for tossing giant snake into sushi restaurant
Angry customer set his 13-foot pet python loose in the restaurant after an altercation with management.

8. Police seek help identifying man found beaten(?) in Queens
Mystery patient wound bruised, bloody and semi-conscious at a Flushing bus stop.

9. There She Is... 'Miss India America' hits theaters on March 25
Indie comedy opening in limited release in Washington DC, Chicago and San Jose.

10. Ms. Marvel chooses a side in 'Civil War II'
Teaser image for Marvel Comics' crossover event shows Kamala Khan taking a stand against her namesake.

Stay Angry, my friends.


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3.25.2016

Police seek help identifying man found beaten(?) in Queens

Mystery patient wound bruised, bloody and semi-conscious at a Flushing bus stop.



In New York, police are asking for the public's help identifying a man who was found beaten at a Queens bus stop. The man was hospitalized with injuries so severe, he can't speak or tell doctors his name.

Help needed to ID mystery patient found semi-conscious at Queens bus stop

On Monday morning, a passerby found the man lying at a bus stop near 46th Avenue and Auburndale Lane in Flushing. He was semi-conscious with cuts and signs of trauma all over his face, and was taken to the hospital, where he's been all week -- with no name. Police say the man is unable to speak.

The man is described as an Asian male in his 50s, 5-feet-10 inches tall and about 150 pounds. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a light gray Old Navy hooded sweatshirt with a wolf and the number 9 on the back.

Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Angry Reader of the Week: Nelson Kim

"I live in my own private headspace much of the time, lost to the world around me..."



Hey, everybody! You know what's up. It's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Nelson Kim.

NBA security still has no idea who Jeremy Lin is

Hornets guard still gets stopped and carded by arena security "all the time."



From the beginning of Jeremy Lin's NBA career, people have questioned his credentials because of his Asian-ness. I'm not talking about his ability to play professional basketball (though many have certainly doubted that too); I'm talking about his actual credentials as professional basketball player.

After five years in the NBA, playing for five different teams -- not to mention that "Linsanity" thing that got everybody hella excited -- Jeremy apparently still has trouble getting through security. He says he gets stopped and carded on a regular basis.

"It literally happens everywhere," Jeremy tells ESPN.com.

School bus driver charged in death of special needs student

19-year-old Hun Joon Lee was found dead on the bus that was supposed to take him to school.



This week in Whittier, California, a school bus driver was arrested in connection with the death of a special needs student who was found dead after being left alone on a school bus last September.

Driver of school bus where autistic teen was found dead is arrested

19-year-old Hun Joon "Paul" Lee boarded the bus that was supposed to take him to a transition program at the Sierra Education Center on the morning of September 12, but he never made it to school and he never came home. His body was found hours later still inside the bus, which was parked at the bus depot.

The bus driver, 36-year-old Armando Able Ramirez, was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with a felony count of dependent adult abuse in connection with Lee's death.

3.24.2016

Apply to AAJA's 2016 Voices Fellowship

Multimedia journalism training fellowship for college and graduate students.


Hey, student journalists! The Asian American Journalists Association is accepting applications for the 2016 VOICES program, an multimedia journalism training fellowship for college students, graduate students and recent grads, taking place August 8-13 during the week of the 2016 AAJA National Convention in Las Vegas.

VOICES is a multimedia journalism training fellowship for college and graduate students, as well as a leadership program for mid-career journalists. Students will be mentored by professional journalists and be expected to produce and complete news assignments at the 2016 convention. Transportation, convention registration and hotel expenses will be covered for the students selected.

Here are some more details about the fellowship:

Prosecutor recommends no prison time for Peter Liang

Former NYPD officer was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Akai Gurley.



On Wednesday, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office announced that it would not seek prison time for former NYPD police officer Peter Liang when he is sentenced for the shooting death of Akai Gurley.

Prosecutor Won't Seek Prison for Peter Liang, Ex-Officer Convicted in Killing

Instead of jail time, Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson advised that Liang serve five years' probation and six months of home confinement with electronic monitoring, and perform 500 hours of community service.

The rookie officer and his partner were conducting a vertical patrol in a stairwell in the Louis H. Pink Houses in Brooklyn on November 20, 2014, when Liang's gun fired and a ricocheting bullet struck and killed 28-year-old Akai Gurley, who was visiting his girlfriend.

Last month, Liang was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter and official misconduct, and could be sentenced to as much as 15 years in prison.

3.23.2016

Help SJ & Ginny make their TV pilot 'Urban Teach Now'

An achievement-obsessed recent grad joins a non-profit teaching program as a last resort.



New York-based comedy/writing duo SJ & Ginny, aka SJ Son and Ginny Leise, make films and webseries about destroying dicks, babysitting and sad-fucking. They've been described as "Feminist Comedians Who Use Rage and Tears As Their Weapons."

Their latest project is a TV comedy pilot called Urban Teach Now, about an an achievement-obsessed recent grad who joins a non-profit teaching program in New Orleans after being rejected from her dream job on Wall Street. They're currently raising production funds for it through Kickstarter.

Here's a video with some more information about the project:

Poet Mai Der Vang wins 2016 Walt Whitman Award

Awarded by the Academy of American Poets for best debut poetry book.



Hmong American poet Mai Der Vang has been awarded the prestigious national 2016 Walt Whitman Award, which is given annually by the Academy of American Poets for an outstanding debut poetry book.

Hmong American poet Mai Der Vang wins prize for best debut

Vang will receive a $5,000 cash prize and her submitted manuscript, titled Afterland, will be published in April 2017 by Graywolf Press. In addition, she'll receive an all-expenses-paid six-week residency at the Civitella Ranieri Center in the Umbrian region of Italy.

"Why can't we have one white superhero?" said no one ever.

Joshua Luna's comic imagines the 'Iron Fist' casting scenario in an alternate dimension.



Many of us who were following the casting of Marvel's upcoming Iron Fist Netflix series were disappointed when news broke that some white dude named Finn Jones would play the title role of Danny Rand.

Inspired by this thoughtful plea by Keith Chow of The Nerds of Color, over the last two years a vocal fan movement had swelled and rallied around the possibility of an Asian American Iron Fist. While Danny Rand has traditionally been depicted as white in the comic books, there is no legitimate reason why he had to be played by a white actor. This could have been an interesting opportunity to cast an Asian American actor in the lead role, and complicate and reclaim some of the more problematic, orientalist elements of the character's mythos.

It was a nice thought. But alas, Danny Rand will be white and it's business as usual. Some people had some gripes about that. And of course, some people had gripes about the people with gripes.

Comic book creator Joshua Luna, best known for his work as a co-creator and writer of such books as Ultra, Girls and The Sword with his brother Jonathan Luna, recently posted a funny comic offering his take on the Iron Fist casting. Imagine, if you will, an alternate dimension...

Man arrested for tossing giant snake into sushi restaurant

Angry customer set his 13-foot pet python loose in the restaurant after an altercation with management.



Okay, so this happened. Asians Behaving Badly... Snake Drop Edition! In Southern California, police arrested a man who got angry at the management of a sushi restaurant... and threw a giant snake at them.

Man Accused Of Throwing 13-Foot-Long Python At Sushi Bar Customers In Studio City

On Sunday night, 46-year-old Hiroshi Motohashi had dinner at Iroha Sushi of Tokyo in Studio City. After paying for his $200 meal, he pulled out a small snake -- an actual live reptile -- and showed it off to customers sitting down for dinner. The customers did not respond positively.

Restaurant managers confronted Motohashi and asked him to leave, presumably informing him that snakes are not allowed at Iroha. Motohashi got mad and left, but returned a few minutes later with a 13-foot-long python.

"[Expletive] you guys," Motohashi reportedly said. Then he threw the snake on the floor of the restaurant.

3.22.2016

There She Is... 'Miss India America' hits theaters on March 25

Indie comedy opening in limited release in Washington DC, Chicago and San Jose.



After twenty-two sold-out screening on the festival circuit, the award-winning indie comedy Miss India America hits theaters in limited release this week, opening Friday, March 25 in Washington DC, Chicago and San Jose. The film will also be available on Amazon, GooglePlay, iTunes, Vimeo, Vudu, Xfinity and Sling, starring April 5.

From husband/wife creative team Ravi Kapoor (director/co-writer) and Meera Simhan (actor/co-writer), the cross-cultural coming-of-age comedy is set against the backdrop of the Indian beauty pageant world in Orange County, California. Tiya Sircar stars as Lily, an 18-year-old overachiever who decides to compete for the Miss India America crown after her boyfriend leaves her for a beauty queen.

Here's the trailer:

'Top Chef' Paul Qui arrested for assaulting girlfriend

Renowned Austin chef/restaurateur accused of assaulting girlfriend after a night of drugs and alcohol.



Damn, what the hell happened to Paul Qui? The renowned Austin chef, restaurateur and winner of Top Chef season 9 was arrested Saturday for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in a drug and alcohol-fueled rage.

Austin 'Top Chef' winner Paul Qui arrested, accused of assaulting girlfriend

Qui, the 2012 winner of Bravo's hit cooking competition series, was arrested on charges unlawful restraint, a Class A misdemeanor, as well as assault causing bodily injury to a family member, a Class A misdemeanor.

Austin police responded to Qui's apartment in East Austin on Saturday morning after receiving a call from Qui's friend who said "his friend and his girlfriend were fighting" in the apartment. According to court documents, officers arrived at the apartment to find Qui with "blood all over his face, arms, legs and clothing," the apartment in complete disarray, and a woman -- Qui's girlfriend -- crying and clutching a small child.

According to the victim, Qui had become jealous and violent after a night of drugs and alcohol.

Jeremy Lin scores 29 to stun San Antonio

Lin helps the Hornets come from behind -- waaay behind-- and deal the Spurs a historic loss.



Boom. Jeremy Lin had one hell of a night, scoring 29 points off the bench to help the Charlotte Hornets push past the San Antonio Spurs -- reminding everybody what that Linsanity thing was all about.

You could say Monday night got off to a slow start for Charlotte. The Spurs, coming off a win against the Warriors, held the Hornets to seven points in the first quarter -- the worst first quarter of the NBA season.

But as you may have heard, Jeremy knows a thing or two about being the underdog.

The 27-year-old guard scored 12 points in the second quarter to help kickstart the Charlotte offense and start the process of chopping down San Antonio's daunting 23-point lead. He followed that up by scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter to help Hornets rally for a 91-88 victory, snapping the Spurs' six-game winning streak.

Lin was 11 of 18 from the field and hit all four 3-point attempts, including three in the fourth quarter, and provided the go-ahead jumper with 48 seconds left. Dude was hot fire.

And here's the video evidence:

Pioneering Asian American scholar Don T. Nakanishi dies

Former UCLA professor was widely recognized as one of the forefathers of Asian American Studies.



A legendary scholar and leader has passed. Professor Don T. Nakanishi, Director Emeritus of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and a pioneer in the field of Asian American Studies, has died. He was 66.

Professor Nakanishi was the Director Emeritus of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the largest and most renowned research and teaching institute in Asian American Studies in the nation, and Professor Emeritus of UCLA's departments of Asian American Studies and education.

A trailblazing educator, beloved community leader and mentor to generations of scholars and activists, he was considered one of the forefathers of Asian American Studies as an academic discipline.

Professor Nakanishi passed away Monday afternoon in Los Angeles. His family shared the news via Facebook:

3.21.2016

Do not mess with Jessica on 'Fresh Off The Boat'

Episode 217: "Doing It Right" airs Tuesday, March 22, 8:00pm on ABC



ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at 8:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. If you missed this season's episodes, they're available for viewing on the ABC website.

Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan and Chelsey Crisp as Honey. With special guest assist from Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. This week, Jesica takes her bossy ways to a whole new level.

Here's a preview of episode 217: "Doing It Right":

Conrad Ricamora promoted to series regular on 'How To Get Away With Murder'

Fan favorite has been a recurring guest star on the hit ABC drama since season one.



Actor Conrad Ricamora, who plays Oliver on ABC's How To Get Away With Murder has been promoted to series regular status for season three of producer Shonda Rhimes' hit crime drama.

How to Get Away With Murder: Conrad Ricamora promoted to series regular

Ricamora first joined the Emmy-winning series in season one as a recurring guest star playing Connor's tech-savvy hookup turned boyfriend, and quickly became a fan favorite. Starting next season, he'll get the upgrade to full-fledged series regular. (I'm guessing many viewers assumed he already was a series regular.)

Ms. Marvel chooses a side in 'Civil War II'

Teaser image for Marvel Comics' crossover event shows Kamala Khan taking a stand against her namesake.



Daaaaamn. This awesome teaser image by artist Phil Noto for Marvel Comics' upcoming crossover event Civil War II features Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, tearing up a picture of her idol Captain Marvel.

When the superheroes of the Marvel Universe are forced to take sides in this summer's impending conflict, I think it's safe to assume that Kamala will not fall on the side of her namesake.

Community calls for hate crime charges in triple homicide

Dan Popp fatally shot Phia Vue, Mai Vue and Jesus Manso-Perez in their Milwaukee apartment building.



In Wisconsin, a coalition of over twenty community groups is calling for the triple homicide of a Puerto Rican man and Hmong couple, who were fatally shot by their white neighbor, to be prosecuted as a hate crime.

Groups urge hate crime charges in Milwaukee triple homicide

The criminal complaint against Dan J. Popp, who is white, alleges that he made racial comments before fatally shooting a Hmong couple, Phia Vue and Mai K. Vue, and a Puerto Rican man, Jesus R. Manso-Perez, in their apartment complex in southwest Milwaukee earlier this month.

On Friday, representatives from 22 groups representing members of the Latino, Hmong and other communities called on authorities to investigate the killings as hate crimes.

3.20.2016

Read These Blogs


Asian guys get to be sexy, too: Finally, TV gives me the romantic leads I've been waiting for: TV seems to have learned what so many of us have always known -- Asian dudes are hot, and they can get the girl.

* * *

Deeper than awful Asian jokes at the Oscars: Hollywood's vanilla reflex doesn't just hurt artists -- it's bad business, too: The Academy's Asian member's protested the offensive jokes at this year's Oscar broadcast -- and the Academy's response shows how far Hollywood has to go.

* * *

Ang Lee and George Takei signed the letter, but here's who wrote it: Filmmaker Feida Lee Mock penned the first draft of the widely-circulated letter to the Academy convincing them to apologize for the jokes that stereotyped Asians in the 2016 Oscars.

* * *

Editorial: I Walked Out On a Racist Audition: Here we go again... Actor Justin Chon explains why he walked out on an audition for a role that called for yet another fake Asian accent.

* * *

'Resume whitening' doubles callbacks for minority job candidates, study finds: According to a new study, minority job applicants who resort to "resume whitening" -- altering any information on their resume that indicates their ethnicity -- are more than twice as likely to receive a callback than those who don't.

3.18.2016

Angry Reader of the Week: Peter Jae

"I also bartend and work security to help maintain my masochistic lifestyle."



What's up, everybody? It's time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Peter Jae.

Woman says Virgin Atlantic staff did nothing after passenger called her a "f**king Chinese pig"

Now, Virgin Atlantic, feel the wrath of Chinese netizens.



Virgin is facing the wrath of Chinese netizens after a passenger on a recent Virgin Atlantic flight said she was racially abused by a white male passenger -- who called her, among other things, a "f**cking Chinese pig" -- then threatened with removal from the plane by a flight attendant after she reported the abuse.

Virgin trashed on social media over China racism claims

A Chinese passenger named Liu Wei says a white man called her racist names, including "you f**cking Chinese pig," after the boarded Virgin Atlantic Flight 250 from London Heathrow to Shanghai on March 1. But instead of receiving assistance from the cabin crew, they threatened to throw her off the flight.

Liu later recounted her experience in an angry post on Weibo, which went viral and gained the attention millions of Chinese readers, setting off an onslaught of outraged messages to Virgin Atlantic's social media accounts.

Chinese Daily News settles labor lawsuit for $7.8 million

Class action victory represents one of the largest wage justice settlements in Asian American history.



After more than a decade of hard-fought litigation, more than 200 past and present employees of China Daily News, one of the country's biggest Chinese language newspapers, obtained a $7.8 million settlement for multiple alleged labor violations.

The class action victory represents one of the largest wage justice settlements in Asian American history.

The suit alleged that Chinese Daily News, known in the Chinese community as World Journal, routinely subjected employees to unfair labor practices including violations of wage laws.

Workers said they were often forced to work 12-hour shifts six days a week without the required rest break. They were not paid overtime, nor were they allowed to report the actual number of hours they worked. The paper also denied workers proper holiday pay.

The original lawsuit stretches back to 2004, when three workers -- including a reporter and sales agent -- sued the Monterey Park-based newspaper over the alleged labor abuses. The suit was certified as a class action, eventually ballooning to more than 200 newspaper workers.

3.17.2016

It's another 'Community' reunion on 'Dr. Ken'

Episode 118: "Ken's An Expert Witness" airs Friday, March 18 at 8:30pm on ABC



On this week's Dr. Ken, Ken becomes a medical expert witness at a trial, but gets hammered by the plaintiff's lawyer, played by guest star Jim Rash. It's another Community reunion!

Inspired by executive producer/star Ken Jeong's real life and career as a medical doctor, the multi-camera comedy Dr. Ken follows Dr. Ken Park, a physician with bad bedside manner trying to juggle medicine and being a family man to his wife and kids -- and not quite succeeding on either front.

Dr. Ken also stars the awesome Suzy Nakamura as Ken's wife Allison, Krista Marie Yu as daughter Molly, and Albert Tsai as his son Dave. They're all great. The cast is rounded out by Tisha Campbell-Martin as Damona, Jonathan Slavin as Clark, Kate Simses as Julie and Dave Foley as Pat.

Here's some more info about this week's episode, "Ken's An Expert Witness":

Steven Yeun to star in action movie 'Mayhem'

Indie action thriller marks 'The Walking Dead' star's biggest role to date.



Steven Yeun, who plays your favorite apocalypse survivor Glenn on AMC's hit zombie drama The Walking Dead, has signed on to star opposite Australian actress Samara Weaving in the indie action thriller Mayhem.

'Walking Dead' Star Steven Yeun Tackles Action Movie 'Mayhem' (Exclusive)

Directed by Joe Lynch and produced by Circle of Confusion (which also produces The Walking Dead), the script by Matias Caruso tells the story of a virus capable of making people act out their wildest impulses.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Yeun will play Derek Saunders, an attorney who is framed by a co-worker and wrongfully fired on the very day the virus infects their corporate law office. Trapped in the quarantined building, our hero is forced to fight tooth and nail for not only his job, but also his life.

That's correct. "Our hero."

Did you leave $8,000 at a Denny's? Do you want it back?

Police seek unidentified man who left $8,000 in cash at a restaurant near LAX.



Did you lose a sack of a cash? Come forward and claim it! In Los Angeles, police are asking for the public's help identifying a man who left $8,000 in cash at a restaurant near Los Angeles International Airport.

This man left $8,000 near LAX. Have you seen him?

On December 19, an unidentified man had breakfast at the Denny's on Century Blvd. near LAX, then walked out of the restaurant, leaving behind more than $8,000 in cash in the booth where he was sitting. Another customer then found the money and turned it over to police.

If you look at the surveillance image of the guy, he looks Asian. He looks like your uncle.

Academy apologizes, realizes it's a terrible apology, agrees to meet with Asian members

"It certainly was never the Academy's intent to offend anyone."



After issuing an apology, then perhaps realizing their apology was insufficient, the leadership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has decided to meet with the two dozen members of Asian descent who signed a letter protesting the racist jokes that aired during last month's Oscars broadcast.

After Failed Apology, Academy Agrees To Meet With Members On Treatment Of Asians During Oscars

To recap: Oscar night featured a couple of blatant off-color references to Asians, including a skit in which host Chris Rock introduced three Asian children as accountants (because we're great at math!), and a joke by presenter Sacha Baron Cohen (as Ali G) about "hard-working, little yellow people with tiny dongs."

This week, twenty-five members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences who are of Asian descent -- including director Ang Lee and several other Oscar winners -- sent a letter to the organization protesting the telecast's "tasteless" Asian jokes and its "perpetuation of racist stereotypes."

3.16.2016

The strange, beautiful gift of 'Hana Sasaki's Tail'

Short film starring Michelle Krusiec and Philip Wang to premiere at Cannes



I am so intrigued by this killer trailer for the short film Hana Sasaki's Tail, written and directed by Kevin Berlandi. Starring Michelle Krusiec and Philip Wang, and adapted from the award-winning book of short stories Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail by Kelly Luce, the fantastical film delves into the idea of identity as Hana Sasaki, on her thirtieth birthday, receives a "gift" that she could have never imagined.

Support the families of Milwaukee shooting rampage victims

Phia Vue, Mai Vue and Jesus Manso-Perez were fatally shot by a neighbor in their apartment building.


At Sunday's vigil for Phia Vue and Mai Vue.

Last week, Phia Vue and his wife Mai Vue were gunned down by their neighbor Dan Popp, who went on a shooting rampage in their Milwaukee apartment building. Popp also fatally shot Jesus R. Manso-Perez.

Family of couple killed in triple homicide at 92nd & Beloit speak out: "Their kids are in need"

The Vues' families are speaking out about the tragedy, and have set up a memorial fund to help to pay for Phia and Mai's funeral services and supporting their four surviving children.

Mai Vue's sister, Linda Xiong, asks for your support:

3.15.2016

2016 Advancing Justice Conference

March 30-31 at the Westin Bonventure Hotel in Los Angeles.



Heads up. The 2016 Advancing Justice Conference is the first and only national conference in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community focusing on civil rights and social justice. It's happening March 30-31 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Los Angeles.

Over 700 AAPIs from across the U.S. will come together to address issues facing our fastest growing populations. The theme will focus on civic engagement and building our electoral and social power in support of economic and racial justice. Conference attendees will participate in two days of panel discussions, caucus sessions, skills and capacity building, trainings, and networking receptions.

It's going to be a great conference. I have the pleasure of moderating the panel "Making Media That Moves" featuring Fracesca Fiorentini of AJ+, Eugene Lee Yang of BuzzFeed, and Jenny Yang of Disoriented Comedy. We'll be talking about producing and disseminating content that is entertaining, engaging and inspires action.

Hope to see you there.

Registration for the conference will be available on site. For further information about the Advancing Justice Conference, including the full schedule of plenaries, panels and speakers, go here.

YOMYOMF re-launches "Interpretations" short film initiative

Submit a short film for a chance to make a film produced by Justin Lin.



Hey filmmakers! Justin Lin's YOMYOMF recently announced the relaunch of the "Interpretations" short film initiative -- a unique filmmaking competition to find the next generation of Asian American filmmakers, in partnership with Comcast and NBCUniversal.

The challenge: produce and shoot a three-minute short film using a prescribed four-line script. For this edition of the initiative, the four lines are supplied by one of our greatest American writers, none other than acclaimed Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang.

Here's the script:

Help preserve the stories of Manhattan's Chinatown

Eveline Chao's project will document stories of Manhattan Chinatown from the 1940s, '50s and '60s.



What was it like to live in Manhattan Chinatown in the 1940s and 50s? What are the untold stories from this unique era of American immigration? Brooklyn-based freelance writer and editor Eveline Chao, whose stories have appeared on RollingStone.com, The Daily Beast, Fast Company and Foreign Policy, is working on a project to document and preserve the Disappearing Stories From Manhattan's Chinatown.

Through a series of print stories and recorded oral histories, Eveline will document stories about Manhattan Chinatown from Chinese-American immigrants who grew up or socialized there during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. From record hops to the World's Fair, stickball games to the Miss Chinatown pageant, their memories fill in the gaps from an era when Asian America was largely invisible.

Asian Academy members protest Oscar night's racist jokes

Signatories include Ang Lee and other Oscar winners and nominees.



In the wake of last month's Oscars debacle, twenty-five members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who are of Asian descent -- including Ang Lee and several other Oscar winners -- have sent a letter to the organization protesting the "tasteless and offensive skits" about Asians that were featured during the 88th Academy Awards telecast and its "perpetuation of racist stereotypes."

Ang Lee, Other Asian Oscar Winners Protest 'Racist Stereotypes' to Academy

In case you missed it, Oscar night featured a couple of blatant off-color references to Asians, including a skit in which host Chris Rock introduced three Asian children as accountants (because we're great at math!), and a joke by presenter Sacha Baron Cohen (as Ali G) about "hard-working, little yellow people with tiny dongs."

"In light of criticism over #OscarsSoWhite, we were hopeful that the telecast would provide the Academy a way forward and the chance to present a spectacular example of inclusion and diversity," the letter reads. "Instead, the Oscars show was marred by a tone-deaf approach to its portrayal of Asians."

'Ktown Cowboys' hits theaters on March 18

Bro-mantic dramedy opens in limited release in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Virginia.



The boys are back. Ktown Cowboys, the cult hit webseries that became a feature film, hits theaters in limited release this week, opening Friday, March 18 in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Fairfax, Virginia. The film will also be available for download on iTunes and other VOD platforms on March 25.

Directed by Daniel "DPD" Park and written by Danny Cho, the bro-mantic dramedy follows a group of ball-busting hard-partying friends wrestling with their evolution into adulthood. As their individual struggles come to light, the group of friends band together in Koreatown and through late nights at seedy after-hour soju bars, karaoke drinking girls and even a stint in jail, each emerges as a better version of himself.

Here's the trailer:

3.14.2016

2016 LAAPFF x AAM15 Festival Kickoff Party

Saturday, April 2 at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena



All right, good readers. As many of you know, last month marked the 15th anniversary of this website. Yes, I've been running this blog for fifteen years and counting. We weren't going to let the moment pass without a proper celebration, so heads up, Los Angeles: we're throwing a party!.

We're partnering with Visual Communications to present the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Kick-Off Party, which is also doubling as the official Angry Asian Man 15th Anniversary Party. It's happening Saturday, April 2 at the USCA Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena.

Here are some more details:

Manzanar Committee announces Student Awards Program

K-12 students are invited to submit creative works about social justice.



The Manzanar Committee is dedicated to educating and raising public awareness about the incarceration and violation of civil rights of persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II and to the continuing struggle of all peoples when Constitutional rights are in danger.

The Committee recently announced the first annual Manzanar Committee Student Awards Program, a creative works program that will recognize students who demonstrate an understanding of his/her guiding principles of social justice and constitutional rights in today's society.

This year's theme is Kodomo No Tame Ni: For The Sake of the Children - Liberty and Justice For All. K-12 students are invited to submit essays, short stories, poetry, works of art, including drawings, collages, posters, and works involving technology, including animation, podcasts, movies or videos.

Winning entries will be eligible for prizes up to $100, and their works may be presented at the 47th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage on April 30, 2016, and on the Manzanar Committee's website and/or blog.

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