Read These Blogs

Harvard and the Myth of the Interchangeable Asian
"My family's story is far from being the only kind of Asian-American story, though it's the one that has largely been told, particularly in mainstream media. That's partly because of who has access to that media and partly because it's a story white Americans feel more comfortable with, because it still puts them at the center."

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Michael Wang Didn't Get Into Harvard. He Thinks It's Because He's Asian.
A new generation of Chinese Americans is teaming up with a white conservative activist to end affirmative action. If their lawsuit against Harvard goes forward, they could get their wish.

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Nicole Chung: "Adoptees Have So Rarely Gotten To Tell Their Own Stories."
An interview with Nicole Chung, whose memoir All You Can Ever Know tells of her transracial adoption by white American parents, her reconnection with her Korean American birth family, and issues of race, identity, and belonging.

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When Asian Women Are Harassed for Marrying Non-Asian Men
Celebrated author Celeste Ng has been receiving hate mail from Asian men for years, and is ready to call out rampant harassment and misogyny from an organized community of Asian American masculinists.

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The Case of Jane Doe Ponytail
The tragic story of "SiSi" Song Yang, a sex worker whose death calls attention to an entangled network of human trafficking in Flushing.

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How Dunkin' Donuts Shaped My Parents' New Life In America
No restaurant has been as influential in Priya Krishna's parents' lives as Dunkin' Donuts. The doughnuts reminded them of sugar-coated Indian sweets. But also they really love doughnuts.

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Ted Lieu, Democrat Fighting for Future of American West, on November Stakes
"One thing I am scared of is the unlimited amounts of dark money that Republicans have access to," California congressman says ahead of 2018 midterm elections

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'We don't have representation:' This Texas Democrat is counting on the Asian vote
Sri Preston Kulkarni isn't writing off Asian Americans in his Texas district. The Democrat running for Congress is counting on this voter bloc to help him oust Republican Representative Pete Olson.

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Aasif Mandvi Wants to See (and Play) More Everyday Asians
The former 'Daily Show correspondent revives Sakina's Restaurant after 20 years, marking how far we've come in Asian representation, and how far we've yet to go.

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Dante Basco Discusses Becoming Rufio for Hook, the Character's Legacy, and So Much More
Dante Basco talks about the legacy of his iconic role as Rufio in Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook.

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Why China Is Keeping 'Crazy Rich Asians' on Hold
The surprise hit Crazy Rich Asians is still without a release date in the world's most populous country.

Angry Reader of the Week: Tony Garbanzos

"I've cried numerous times reading X-Men issues."



Greetings, good people of the internet. You know what time it is. 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 Tony Garbanzos.

T-shirt re-imagines Constance Wu as Rosie the Riveter

Artist Jerry Ma puts an Asian American spin on the iconic "We Can Do It!" image.



By popular demand! This fun t-shirt design puts an Asian American spin on the iconic "We Can Do It" image, with the likeness of Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu stepping in for Rosie the Riveter. Created by our friend, artist/illustrator Jerry Ma of Epic Proportions, the shirt will be available in a limited run.

How to audition for Jon M. Chu's adaptation of 'In the Heights'

Open casting call seeks talent for upcoming film version of the beloved Tony Award-winning musical.



In the Heights is looking for some fresh talent. Director Jon M. Chu's upcoming adaptation of the beloved Tony Award-winning musical has put out an open digital casting call for auditions.

In the Heights, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, follows the residents of largely Latino Upper Manhattan neighborhood Washington Heights -- a bodega owner, a college student, a taxi driver, a beauty salon worker, and an old woman -- aspire to better lives as gentrification begins to take hold, and a sweltering summer power blackout brings their personal life crises to a head.

This is your chance to be considered for a role in the film. Here are more details about the casting call:

This short film is so damn good it hurts.

Roseanne Liang's 'Do No Harm' is Vimeo's Staff Pick Premiere.



The incredible short film Do No Harm, from New Zealand filmmaker Roseanne Liang, is today's Staff Pick Premiere over at Vimeo. You might be familiar with Roseanne's work as the mad brains behind the hit comedy webseries Flat3. It's wonderful. Do No Harm is very very very very very different. But also amazing.

The brilliantly bloody 12-minute action film, which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, tells the story of a single-minded surgeon who will stop at nothing to save her patient when violent gangsters storm in to halt a crucial operation. It's tense, thrilling, and ridiculously entertaining.

Check it out:

The American Dream isn’t Colorblind. College Admissions Shouldn’t Be, Either.

Guest Post by Jang Lee



Edward Blum, the mastermind behind the Harvard lawsuit, appeals to the myth of American meritocracy to claim that race should not be used in the college admissions process; but he fails to acknowledge that the American Dream -- predicated on such meritocracy -- is not colorblind. In this nation, the color of our skin still shapes how we access opportunity and whether we profit from our labor.

Constance Wu to star in stripper crime drama 'Hustlers'

Based on the New York magazine article "The Hustlers at Scores."



Crazy Rich Asians and Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu has signed on for a lead role as an enterprising stripper in the crime drama Hustlers, written and directed by Lorene Scafaria.

Based on the real-life story of some modern Robin Hoods, chronicled in the 2015 New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler entitled "The Hustlers at Scores," the film follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their wealthy Wall Street clients.

The movie takes place in the late '00s in New York City in the wake of the financial crisis, and will focus on themes of identity, loyalty, survival and control.

Jennifer Lopez, who is also producing, is set to portray the ringleader to the group of ambitious women who take their plans too far. Wu's role hasn't been specified, but it's safe to assume she'll be playing to the lead role of Roselyn Keo, the real-life former stripper at the center of Pressler's article.

The Comedy Comedy Festival: A Comedy Festival

October 12-14 at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center



Hey, comedy fans! If you are in Los Angeles, and looking for some laughs this weekend, look no further than The Comedy Comedy Festival: A Comedy Festival. Co-produced by Disoriented Comedy and JACCC, in partnership with Asian AF, the 2018 edition of this epic 3-day event brings together the best of young, Asian American comedic talent from Hollywood, digital media, and live performance.

"America is not ready for us! We have hilarious and exciting voices," says writer, comedian, and Festival co-organizer Jenny Yang. "No one is waiting for Hollywood to catch up anymore. We have been building our community, strengthening our craft and creating our own platforms. This comedy festival is not just a festival. It's a movement."

This year's festival performers include Manila Luzon (VH1's RuPaul's Drag Race), Jenny Yang (E!'s Busy Tonight), Jake Choi (ABC's Single Parents), Sherry Cola (TNT's Claws), Aparna Nancherla (Comedy Central's Corporate, Late Night with Seth Meyers), Lilan Bowden (Disney's Andi Mack), singer-songwriter Megan Lee, and more. Events include stand up, sketch and improvised comedy, storytelling, and musical comedy.

It's happening October 12-14 at the Aratani Theatre and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. Here's a rundown of Comedy Comedy Festival highlights:

Fund This: The Princess Who Saved Her Friends

The children's book sequel from Greg Pak, Joanathan Coulton and Takeshi Miyazawa.



The Princess Who Saved Her Friends is the latest children's book written by comics writer Greg Pak and internet superstar musician Jonathan Coulton, and illustrated by artist Takeshi Miyazawa. The sequel to 2015's The Princess Who Saved Herself, the book is currently winding down a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Featuring the same creative team, the original book was a story of determination, bravery, and understanding, starring a scrappy kid who stuck up for herself but was always able to open the circle and find reconciliation with the monsters and witch she came into conflict with.

But what happens next, when our heroine discovers that the witch befriended might not be such a good friend after all? The Princess Who Saved Her Friends tackles the kind of tricky personal conflict that kids -- and adults -- grapple with every day in the real world.

Watch this video for more information:

Read These Blogs

Awkwafina hosted SNL 18 years after Lucy Liu. Their monologues show how times have changed.
On Saturday Night Live, host Awkwafina took a brief turn in her opening monologue to recall a true story that she said helped pave her way to become only the second Asian American woman to host the show in its 44-season run.

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People Want To Hear That I'm Happy I Was Adopted. It's Not That Simple.
Growing up, being Korean and being adopted were things Nicole Chung loved and hated in equal measure.

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'I Didn't Have the Language to Call It Racism': An Interview with Nicole Chung
Nicole Chung wants white parents of transracial adoptees to grapple more candidly with the reality of racism.

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Actually, Race-Conscious Admissions Are Good for Asian-Americans
Yale is the focus of an investigation over whether its admissions policies discriminate against applicants based on race. Professor Janelle Wong on how race conscious admissions are good for Asian Americans.

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The Newest Wave of Asian American Writers You Should Know
To celebrate 15 years of Kundiman, here are 15 Kundiman writers whose work -- on and off the page -- celebrate and foster community and family.

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'Venom's Riz Ahmed Is Quietly Blazing A Trail For Representation Across All Genres
Riz Ahmed has taken on roles in dramas, action films, and dark comedies. His goal is to keep a wide range of opportunities -- for himself, and for other people of color.

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Jameela Jamil: 'My Career Is Not Reflected By The Size Of My Body'
The Good Place's Jameela Jamil is on a mission to put a stop to the culture of body shaming.

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'The Walking Dead': Steven Yeun Won't Return for Glenn's Origin Story
The star of Lee Chang-dong's Burning opens up about how he moved on from the popular show for good.

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Friends From College: Jae Suh Park on Marianne's transformation and what fans can expect
Jae Suh Park talks about the upcoming second season of Netflix's Friends From College and her role of Marianne, the "best character she has ever played."

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 51: They Call Us All The Asians On TV

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, actually recorded in mid-September, we discuss "All the Asians on TV." With the new television season underway, we give a rundown of actors of Asian descent who are series regulars on new scripted prime time network, cable and streaming shows premiering this fall.

First look at Daniel Dae Kim as Ben Daimio in 'Hellboy'

Looking fairly badass on this banner art for New York Comic Con.



Here is your first look, sort of, at Daniel Dae Kim as Ben Daimio in the upcoming new Hellboy movie. Check out this badass banner art displayed this weekend at the Dark Horse Comics booth at New York Comic Con. Amidst all the fangs and wings and hooves and other ungodly beasts, there's a decent glimpse of DDK, weapon drawn, rocking Daimio's scarred face and looking fairly badass.

Angry Reader of the Week: Jake Choi

"Sorry, not sure why I yelled just now."


Photo: Jessica Chou
Hey, everybody. You know what time it is. It is 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 Jake Choi.