Gold. That's What Alysa Liu is Fucking Talking About.

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu said she didn't care if she medaled. She won gold

With a fearless, show-stopping performance, Alysa Liu won Olympic gold in the women’s single figure skating event, becoming the first American woman to medal in over two decades. What makes Liu’s win extra rewarding is not simply that she finished on the top of the podium, but that she did it on her own terms after having taken control of her career when she returned to the sport two years ago. The medal was almost an afterthought. And as she skated off the ice, the cameras caught her own triumphant assessment of her performance: "That's what I'm fucking talking about!" Because that's what she was indeed fucking talking about.

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Cambodian national dies in ICE custody in Indiana

A detainee died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Indiana on Monday, with the cause of death under investigation, marking at least the seventh death in 2026 in federal immigration custody. Lorth Sim, a 59-year-old Cambodian national, was being held at the Miami Correctional Facility. According to ICE, staff found him unresponsive in his cell.

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Why the History of Japanese American Incarceration Matters Today

"On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, which authorized what became the mass incarceration of my ancestors and over 100,000 Japanese Americans. With the current administrations shredding the constitution and rule of law to detain citizens and non-citizens based on racial profiling, the lessons from that shameful moment in U.S. history could not be more vital or timely."

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The Conflicting Joy of 'Here Lies Love'

"While sitting there watching this boldly and aggressively talented group of performers pour their heart and soul into a story rooted in their culture, there was a cloud of skepticism looming over me that I couldn’t avoid. It’s been there since the inception of this musical. This musical wasn’t made for the Filipino community."

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Netflix Orders 'Dang!' Adult Animated Series

Netflix has given a series order to Dang!, an adult animated comedy starring Stephanie Hsu, Poppy Liu and Andrew Law. The series follows a brother (Law) and sister (Liu) whose fun, messy lives in New York City are interrupted when their worst nightmare comes true: Their high-achieving older sister (Hsu) shows up and wants to hang out with them.

Slanted: Think Mean Girls Meets The Substance

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Slanted

The award-winning feature film Slanted, written and directed by Amy Wang, is a genre-bending sci-fi horror satire that interrogates beauty standards, assimilation, and the cost of belonging. The film follows Joan Huang, a high school outsider who idolizes the popular girls and dreams of becoming prom queen, but fears the only way to win is to look like every past queen whose portraits line the school halls. Enter Ethnos, a mysterious cosmetic surgery clinic that makes people of color appear white. Joan undergoes the procedure and wakes up as a blonde girl destined for the crown... but at what cost? Slanted hits theaters on March 13.

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Why Rev. Jackson's Appearance at the Vincent Chin Rally Matters

We mourn the passing of civil rights pioneer Jesse Jackson by remembering a moment of solidarity with the Asian American community. In May 1984, Jackson appeared in San Francisco Chinatown with Vincent Chin's mother, Lily Chin. As he took the stage, he said, "Our hearts are made heavy by a mother who sits here with us, whose son was brutally killed, just because he was. What can we do in the aftermath?" In his speech, he drew parallels between Emmett Till's lynching and Vincent Chin's murder, showing just how similar the struggles of both communities were and the need to "redefine America."

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'Here Lies Love' finally lands in L.A. — with its musical take on corruption as relevant as ever

Here Lies Love, which opens this week at the Mark Taper Forum, three years after its Broadway debut, is arriving in downtown L.A. at a prescient moment right here in the United States. The musical, which follows former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos and her family's rise to power and subsequent fall from grace, considers how corrupt leaders often appear charming at first.

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Postal Service Celebrates Bruce Lee

The U.S. Postal Service honors and celebrates the life of Chinese American martial artist, actor and filmmaker Bruce Lee with a new stamp featuring an eye-popping image of his iconic flying kick. The stamp was dedicated at a ceremony Wednesday at the Nippon Kan Theater in Seattle. I ordered mine!

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Kpop Demon Hunters Collectibles

I am obsessed with these Kpop Demon Hunters sixth scale figures from Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles. These are highly-detailed, meticulously designed action figures that come with a variety of interchangeable face sculpts, hands and accessories to enable a wide range of gestures and poses. I must have them! But they cost close to $300 each. So... I am contemplating donating plasma in order to fund my action figure budget.

The Women of Kpop Demon Hunters

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

The Women of ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ on Overcoming Rejection, 'Golden's' Success and Breaking Boundaries for Korean Culture

Variety's stunning cover story features the women of Kpop Demon Hunters -- EJAE (the singing voice of Rumi), rapper and singer Rei Ami (the singing voice of Zoey), singer Audrey Nuna (the singing voice of Mira), and actors Arden Cho (the speaking voice of Rumi), Ji-young Yoo (the speaking voice of Zoey) and May Hong (the speaking voice of Mira), who talk about how the success of the movie has changed their lives.

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The Second Most Famous Shirtless Asian Man in Cinema History

Check out this fun clip from the documentary Beam Me Up, Sulu, in which I declare that George Takei as Sulu in the Star Trek original series episode "The Naked Time" is the Second Most Famous Shirtless Asian Man in Cinema History. The movie is now available digitally for rent/purchase.

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On Healing Land, Birds Perch

Behind one of the Vietnam War's most iconic Pulitzer Prize–winning photographs lies a story resonant with today’s global crises. Woven through voices of survivors, Naja Lockwood's documentary short On Healing Land, Birds Perch meditates on memory, loss, and renewal confronting the enduring scars of war and the resilience of refugees rebuilding their lives.

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Chinese American restaurants question why Chinese cuisine can’t get the chef’s table treatment

In an industry where diners rarely question high prices of French haute cuisine or Japanese omakase, Chinese restaurateurs often contend with resistance in getting customers to pay fine-dining tabs. But upscale Chinese American restaurants are redefining perceptions of Chinese cuisine and insist their food, labor and cooking techniques are just as worthy.

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Everything Everywhere All at Once Mahjong Set

A24 Shop just dropped this amazing-looking Everything Everywhere All at Once Mahjong Set featuring original art by Manshen Lo. It includes a wooden carrying case with gold-foil stamped googly eye logo, 160 black tiles with hand-painted engraved icons, four racks, and a set of dice. Alas, it'll cost you $320.

They Call Us The Year of the Horse

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. (Almost) 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.

In this episode, we ring in the Lunar New Year and welcome journalist Kimmy Yam to talk about trial runs, fresh starts, and the Year of the Horse. We discuss the unfortunate and untimely shutdown of NBC Asian America -- and the loss of representation, trust, and cultural power; the incredible depth of reporting and coverage of the Asian American community that Kimmy was able accomplish during her tenure at NBC; and what the future looks like now for authentic and sustained news coverage of marginalized communities. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the new year. This episode is sponsored by Chinese Republicans, a new play from Roundabout Theatre Company.

Why the Adidas 'Chinese New Year' Jacket Has Gone Viral

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America

Why the Adidas 'Chinese New Year' jacket has gone viral

Every Lunar New Year, brands release zodiac animal-themed merchandise and items in the lucky color red. This year, there's one product that has cut through all the noise: the Adidas Chinese Track Top.

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How the Visa Debate for Foreign Workers Fuels Racism Against South Asians

The H-1B program allows up to 85,000 foreign workers to fill specialized roles in the United States every year. But important policy debates about H-1B visas have been increasingly overshadowed by what Asian American advocacy groups say is a surge in hate speech directed at South Asians.

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Alysa Liu Comes of Age

U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu retired in 2022, at sixteen years old. Now she’s back at the 2026 Winter Olympics with a newfound confidence and sense of control -- in her skating and in her life.

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A Day With the Last Dim Sum Cart Servers of NYC

Dim sum cart service is a dying tradition. But at Golden Palace in Brooklyn's Bensonhurst neighborhood, Pik Chan and Cheong Yin Ho -- who have worked together for nearly two decades -- are keeping it alive.

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'Take Me Home' Filmmaker Liz Sargent On Making Movie About Her Sister

Filmmaker Liz Sargent talks about this scene from her drama Take Me Home, which follows Anna, a 38-year-old Korean adoptee with a cognitive disability. "This movie is all about Anna, my sister, who plays a version of herself, filmed in the home she lived in with our aging parents. Sisters are complicated and annoying and best friends. I love this scene because Emily (Ali Ahn) and Anna (Anna Sargent) capture all that love. Keeping Anna exactly as she is, we see her take back her power, ignore the system, and show Emily who’s boss. Her awesomeness is the heart of this film and these lives."

Twenty-five Angry Years

Happy Angryversary.

Damn, I almost forgot. Happy Valentine's Day, to all who tolerate it. By coincidence, today also happens to be the anniversary of this blog. And it's not just any old Angryversary. On this day 25 years ago, I flipped the switch and launched the very first iteration of Angry Asian Man. I did not know what I was doing. There was no plan, and could not have known where this website would take me. But here we are, 25 years later.

Yeah, still here. It's true, I'm nowhere near as prolific as I was in my youth. (Man, you try doing this for 25 years.) Time, gravity, capitalism, metabolism have all taken their toll. Plus, you know, everything. I'm pretty damn tired. The blog fell into a slow slide into inactivity over the years (honestly, the pandemic really knocked me out), and I've shifted my energy to things like podcasting and other writing. But I've recently started posting on this blog again with small, regular updates, sharing links and items of note from Angry Asian America. I just missed being helpful in this way. So I'm going to try to keep that going. Hell, I might even start, yup, a newsletter.

So let me just thank everyone who's stuck with me. All of the folks who have supported my work on and off the blog. I've always said the best, most unexpected part about running this thing has been all of the incredible friends and collaborators it has put in my path, and continues to do so. Also, big thank you to everyone who has maintained their financial support of my endeavors over the years. Thank you to my family for being my foundation through all of it. And no thank you to the haters. Still not here for it.

Twenty-five years. We've done the math correctly, but it doesn't feel real. Well, anyway, Stay Angry.

No, Gene Wu Did Not Call For a Race War Against the Whites

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Video of Democrat Calling for Non-Whites To Take Over US Sparks Anger

Did you see the video of Texas House Democrate Gene Wu declaring an all-out race war against the whites? Me neither. But over the weekend, conservatives lost their shit over a 2024 clip of Wu from Jose Antonio Vargas' Define American podcast calling for political unity among minority groups.

The full quote: "The day the Latino, African American, Asian and other communities realize that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now, we have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fairer."

Somehow, for Texas Republicans, this was a flat-out racist declaration. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called Wu "a radical racist who hates millions of Texans just because they're white." When you refer to an "oppressor," it's funny to see who takes offense.

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California Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Covert Work on China's Behalf

A federal judge sentenced a Southern California man to four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to working as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. At the direction of Chinese government officials, 65-year-old Mike Sun covertly worked to promote Chinese interests in the Los Angeles area. His work included running a news site disseminating Chinese government messaging to the local Chinese community, monitoring the movements of Taiwan's president during her visit to the region and helping a politician he considered friendly to Chinese interests win a seat on a city council.

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Over 1,000 scholars sign letter to Northwestern calling for apology, better protections for Asian American faculty

Over 1,000 scholars across the country sent a letter to Northwestern University, calling for the school to apologize for its treatment of a late Feinberg School of Medicine professor following a federal investigation. Prof. Jane Wu took her life in July 2024, after NU restricted her research following a National Institutes of Health investigation into alleged ties between Wu and China. The letter called it one of many cases of “unjust scrutiny of Asian American researchers" based on their ethnicity.

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Isabella Wei, Ming-Na Wen & Tzi Ma Starring In Mina Shum’s 'Flashdance' Inspired 'Whatcha Want'

Isabella Wei, whose recent TV roles include Bridgerton and Black Doves, has been set to star with Ming-Na Wen and Tzi Ma in the indie feature Whatcha Want, from writer-director Mina Shum. The film, described as Crazy Rich Asians meets Flashdance, follows "a recent immigrant and trophy wife from Hong Kong who rediscovers her love of dance after her wealthy husband's betrayal."

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Year of the sad horse: A defective toy goes viral in China — and sums up a nation's mood

A frowning red horse has become the surprise hit toy of the Lunar New Year holiday. Embroidered with a Chinese phrase wishing swift wealth, the stuffed toy was supposed to kick off the Year of the Horse with a gallop and a smile. But a worker’s stitching mistake turned that expression upside down, and turned the toy into an internet sensation.

Kal Penn Was Up Against a "White Dude in Brownface" for Van Wilder Role

And Other Items of Note From Angry Asian America.

Kal Penn Reveals He Won 'Van Wilder' Role of Taj Mahal Over a White Actor in Brownface

One of Kal Penn's breakout roles was playing the character Taj Mahal Badalandabad in the 2002 comedy hit National Lampoon’s Van Wilder. On a recent episode of the podcast Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know, the actor revealed that at the end of the audition process, he was up against a "white dude in brownface." And it motivated him to work harder.

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She restored a 112-year-old Asian American film. Now it's in the National Film Registry

Among the Library of Congress' recent additions to the National Film Registry, the library's collection of films deemed worth preserving, are the likes of Inception, The Karate Kid and The Incredibles. But tucked away in that list is a little-known silent film that carries with it a major legacy. Produced in 1914, The Oath of the Sword is the oldest Asian American film on record. Its mere existence reveals a significant gap in cinematic history: The films made by Asian Americans in the silent film era are largely lost to time. And it would have remained hidden if not for Asian American film scholar Denise Khor.

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The Internet Is Embracing Chinese Traditions, and Influencers Welcome Them All

If you drink hot water, wear slippers indoors or shop at Asian supermarkets, you may be Chinese, according to the internet. On TikTok and Instagram, there's a growing trend of people claiming to be in a "very Chinese time" in their lives because they're adopting mundane East Asian lifestyle habits. Anyone can apparently be Chinese if they wish. What in the hell is all this?

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Michelle Yeoh Will Be Honored with Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Internationally acclaimed actress Michelle Yeoh will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I mean, what took them so long? The Oscar-winning star of Everything Everywhere All at Once will be honored with the legendary boulevard's 2,836th star at a ceremony on February 18. Joining emcees Ang Lee and Jon M. Chu will be entertainment journalist Jenelle Riley. The event will be streamed live at walkofffame.com.

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Seong Gi-hun Sixth Scale Figure

Squid Game fans! How about a Player 456 action figure? This highly detailed Seong Gi-hun Sixth Scale Figure from Sideshow and Hot Toys bears an incredible resemblance to actor Lee Jung-jae and comes complete with a faithfully tailored Squid Game tracksuit and a series of accessories, including a USB-powered voting machine, a Piggybank, a mask accessory with square symbol, a six-legged pentathlon game set consisting of a pair of ankle cuffs, a pair of Ddakji, a pair of Biseokchigi, a set of Gonggi stones, a shuttlecock, a spinning top, and a special figure base designed to replicate the staircase setting. Awesome. But not cheap -- it'll cost you $280.