Read These Blogs

America, Say My Name
When writer Viet Thanh Nguyen was younger, he tried on different "typical American" names, encouraged by generations of American tradition. Eventually, he stuck with the name his parents gave him.

* * *
The Memory Keepers
For survivors of Japanese American incarceration and their descendants in California, documentation and counter-documentation has become a form of resistance.

* * *
White Supremacist Propaganda At 'Record-Setting' Levels, ADL Report Finds
According to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League, white supremacy propaganda increased by 182 percent in 2018 compared with the year before.

* * *
I Will Never Be As Brave As My Mother
Recently, Elizabeth Ann Quirino discovered that during World War II, her mother Lourdes "Lulu" Reyes Besa risked her life to sneak medicine to prisoners of war in concentration camps in the Philippines.

* * *
Director removes racism and yellowface from Minneapolis staging of 'The Mikado'
With a new production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado opening in Minneapolis, playwright and theater artist Rick Shiomi shares his vision for addressing the 1885 work's racial offenses.

* * *
Soleil Ho is a young, queer woman of color who wants to redefine food criticism
Food journalist and trained chef Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicle's new restaurant critic.

* * *
The Female Chef Making Japan's Most Elaborate Cuisine Her Own
How Niki Nakayama's kaiseki restaurant became a highly coveted reservation in L.A.

* * *
The One and Only Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a blistering forehand: For all her growing fame, the world's No. 1 tennis player remains tough to define -- just the way she likes it.

* * *
My worst moment: 'Fresh Off the Boat' star Randall Park and the soggy audition
Randall Park, who plays endearingly optimistic, consistently upbeat Louis on Fresh Off the Boat, recalls a cringe-worthy audition from his early days of acting.

* * *
With "Captain Marvel," Gemma Chan Is Demolishing Hollywood's Aversion To Color-Blind Casting
Gemma Chan speaks about the importance of challenging Hollywood's ideas about roles for Asians.

They Call Us Bruce: Live Podcast & AAPI Creatives Mixer

Monday, March 11. Presented by the Austin Asian American Film Festival



Hey Austin! Our podcast They Call Us Bruce is teaming up with the Austin Asian American Film Festival for a free live podcast taping event/trivia competition/creatives mixer. Think NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me with an Asian American twist. Jeff Yang and I will be joined by panelists Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience), PJ Raval (SXSW Keynote Speaker/Documentary Director), Nancy Wang Yuen, Ph.D. (Author & Pop Culture Geek), Chloe Dao (Project Runway Winner), and Jonny Sun (writer on Bojack Horseman, Lin Manuel-Miranda collaborator). It's happening Monday, March 11 at Indeed.

For further information and to RSVP, go here: AAPI Creatives Mixer w/ They Call Us Bruce Live Podcast

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 60: They Call Us Canadians

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.

On this episode, we welcome Canadian actors Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim's Convenience) and Samantha Wan (Second Jen). They discuss the unique flavor and challenges of telling stories north of the border, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of being Asian Canadian.

Angry Reader of the Week: Jenn Wong

"I'm a very short person. And Canadian, so very friendly by default."



Greetings, good people of the internet! 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 Jenn Wong.

Read These Blogs

Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But Students Keep Reading Them
Dr. Seuss delivered racist messages in his books and other writing and illustration. Despite efforts to diversify reading lists for children, his books remain popular.

* * *
4 Asian-American Women Who Changed History
Four trailblazing Asian American women whose work impacted the lives of many.

* * *
Jameela Jamil Is a Force for Revolutionary Self-Acceptance
The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil wants to use her privilege and platform to shed light on important issues, like fat shaming and mental health.

* * *
How PEN15's Mutsuko Erskine Wound Up Playing Herself on TV
Mutsuko Erskine not only plays the matriarch in Maya Erskine's PEN15 -- she is Maya's mother in real life.

* * *
Jeremy Lin reflects on the time he was disrespected by Kobe
At the height of Jeremy Lin’s popularity in 2012, the very peak of "Linsanity" all over the basketball world, almost everyone and their mother was talking about him. But not Kobe Bryant.

* * *
David Henry Hwang on Theater, Trump, and Asian-American Identity
Celebrated playwright David Henry Hwang discusses storytelling across cultures.

* * *
Constance Wu Reveals Significance Behind Her Yellow Oscars Dress
Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu's Academy Awards outfit came with a deeper meaning.

"Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

Rep. Grace Meng introduces resolution in Congress to recognize Chinese railroad workers.



New York congresswoman Grace Meng has introduced a resolution in Congress to recognize the almost 12,000 Chinese workers who helped build America's transcontinental railroad during the 19th century.

"In May, we will commemorate 150 years since the end of the railroad's completion, and providing these laborers with the national recognition they deserve would be an outstanding way to commemorate this milestone," Rep. Grace Meng said in a statement. "Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

The resolution acknowledges the risks Chinese laborers faced between 1865 and 1869 as they toiled in dangerous conditions on the monumental engineering project, all while dealing with discrimination and unequal pay and treatment.

More here: N.Y. congresswoman introduces resolution honoring Chinese railroad workers

Angry Reader of the Week: Richie Menchavez

"I am always digging to discover great music."



Hello, internet friends. Once again, we find ourselves at another opportunity 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 Richie Menchavez.

Jude Weng and Jessica Yu land milestone TV directing gigs

Weng will direct ABC's comedy pilot from Jessica Gao; Jessica Yu will direct NBC's 'Bluff City Law.'



Asian American women directors making some big moves in television...

Jude Weng has been hired to direct ABC's untitled single-camera comedy pilot from writer Jessica Gao. She is believed to be the first Asian American woman ever and the first woman of color in nearly 30 years to direct a half-hour broadcast network pilot, since Debbie Allen helmed the pilot for The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air in 1990.

Meanwhile, Jessica Yu is set to direct NBC's drama pilot Bluff City Law. The Academy Award-winning director is believed to be the first Asian American woman to direct a broadcast drama pilot.

More here: Jude Weng & Jessica Yu Land Milestone Directing Gigs In Strong Pilot Season For Director Diversity

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 59: They Call Us Fairy Princess Diaries

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.

On this episode, we welcome performer and blogger Erin Quill, the fierce, hilarious voice behind Fairy Princess Diaries. They discuss objectionable details about BBC's upcoming Asian-themed children's series, Living With the Lams.

Read These Blogs

We Don't Deserve Michelle Yeoh
If you think this is Michelle Yeoh's moment, think again. She's been kicking ass to the amazement of moviegoers for 30 years. But with the smash success of Crazy Rich Asians, Hollywood is finally recognizing her greatness.

* * *
Asian Americans may have an educational advantage, but they face a 'bamboo ceiling' at work
A recent report suggests that Asian American students who oppose affirmative action because they believe it hurts them will face a rude awakening when they leave college.

* * *
Racist? Fair? Biased? Asian American Alumni Debate Elite High School Admissions
New York City's push to admit more black and Hispanic students to its best high schools has provoked strong emotions from Asian American graduates. Here's what they have to say.

* * *
Inside One Man's Trip to the Idaho Camp Where His Great-Grandparents Were Held During World War II
Minidoka documents Joseph Lachman's pilgramage from Seattle to the Minidoka National Historic Site in South Central Idao, where his great-grandparents were incarcerated during WWII.

* * *
Japanese internment was wrong. Why do some of our leaders still try to justify it?
Almost 80 years after FDR passed Executive Order 9066, some community leaders and politicians are still attempting to use this mass incarceration to justify discriminatory policies.

* * *
Can Crazy Rich Asians Open the Floodgates for Asian Americans on TV?
Asian-American TV creators have struggled to get shows made, but there's new optimism: "I already see dramatic changes in what kinds of stories networks seem willing—and even eager—to tell."

* * *
"For the new generasian": a look back on long lost design treasure, Yolk magazine
Yolk was an Asian American magazine that ran in the early 90s and prided itself on expressing unheard stories from the East and Southeast Asian diaspora in the U.S.

* * *
Are we racist? A family's conversation, illustrated
In an excerpt from Mira Jacob's graphic memoir Good Talk, a mother and son discuss the difference between bigotry and systemic oppression.

* * *
Pramila Jayapal is Congress's activist insider
Here's how Jayapal plans to make Democratic leadership take progressives seriously.

* * *
Japanese Breakfast on Making Her Mom's Kimchi Soup and Embracing Her Half-Korean Roots
Between touring nationally and writing a memoir, Michelle Zauner somehow finds time to cook.

* * *
Oscar-Nominated Minding the Gap Director Bing Liu on America's Masculinity Crisis
An interview with director Bing Liu, whose documentary Minding the Gap is up for an Oscar.

* * *
Jeremy Lin: 'There's definitely some bittersweetness to my career'
The Raptors guard on Asians in pop culture and representing an entire race.

* * *
Steven Yeun | Phenomenologies of Patience, Philosophies of Embrace
A profile of Steven Yeun, who often plays characters that confront the darkest corners of human nature.

* * *
Burning Would Have Won
The cerebral Korean thriller was shortlisted for an Oscar -- and then it was snubbed. So what happened?

Angry Reader of the Week: Chien-An Yuan

"Someone recently referred to me as a 'creative facilitator' and yeah, I can work with that."



What is up, good people of the world wide web. 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 Chien-An Yuan.