They Call Us Bruce 129: They Call Us Seoul Sausage

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 welcome Ted Kim, Yong Kim and Han Hwang, aka Seoul Sausage Co., fresh from the finale of Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race All Stars. They talk about returning to reality TV, how gamesmanship took the competition to the next level, and the bowl of egg rice that made a grown man cry.

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Fear, and Discord, Among Asian Americans Over Attacks in San Francisco
In San Francisco, a string of attacks against older people of Asian descent has led to calls for more police officers, an idea rejected by the city's Asian American leaders.

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In New York, patrols aimed at stopping anti-Asian violence have been cut back even as anxiety lingers.

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'She's one of the brave ones.' Yuh-Line Niou's outspoken leadership style
Yuh-Line Niou came to the New York state legislature as an insurgent, and she hasn't lost that attitude.

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Asian-American history comes alive on No-No Boy's '1975'
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Thuy Is in Her Bag
Vietnamese American songstress Thuy has carved out a space for herself both within and beyond the community of self-made Asian American musical artists that have emerged in the streaming era.

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What Indian American Kumar Rocker’s historic MLB pick means for South Asians
Star college pitcher Kumar Rocker, who was drafted by the New York Mets, will inspire "legions of little Indian and Pakistani kids with that name on their jerseys," one expert said.

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'Never Have I Ever' Complicates Its Asian American Characters. That's The Whole Point
The second season of the Netflix comedy Never Have I Ever assigns more depth to the Indian American female characters by complicating their storylines -- which is exactly the point.

Anonymous Letter Threatens to "Shoot Cambodians"

"I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals."

Last week in Philadelphia, someone sent an anonymous letter to community leaders threatening to "shoot Cambodians." The typed, one-page letter, reportedly sent last week to the office of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, accuses Cambodian residents of setting off fireworks at all hours in Mifflin Square Park.

The letter's author claims to be a Marine suffering from traumatic stress disorder after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also claims to own several guns. "I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals," the letter reads. "I am writing you to let you know when I do freak out and try to kill these people that it is your fault for not going to them and encouraging them (it is in their best interest) to stop doing this and remain alive!"

The association, which believes the letter is blatant, targeted racial intimidation, plans to address the incident during a news conference on Friday at the park. The letter has been reported to Philadelphia police and other investigative agencies.

More here: Amid anti-Asian hate, letter-writer threatens to shoot Philly Cambodians over park fireworks

Suni Lee Earns a Spot at the Tokyo Olympics

18-year-old gymnast will be the first Hmong American athlete to compete at the Olympics.



On Sunday, 18-year-old gymnast Suni Lee placed second at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials, automatically earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and qualifying for the Tokyo games. Lee, the three-time 2019 World Championships medalist who finished second to Simone Biles, is believed to be the first Hmong American athlete to complete at the Olympics.

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The Return of Han
After his killer was welcomed to the team with open arms in The Fate of the Furious, the ninth installment of the Fast franchise is once again bending the laws of nature to bring back fan favorite Han, played by Sung Kang.

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Tokyo Drift faithful, our time is now.

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A letter to my parents about depression and mental illness
"I'm sorry you’re reading this in the newspaper. I know you might fear the consequences of sharing my struggles so publicly. But now, at 33, I no longer believe my depression is something to be ashamed of."

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How hate incidents led to a reckoning of casual racism against Asian Americans
While Asian Americans have dealt with overt discrimination for centuries, experts say the recent attention on anti-Asian racism amid the pandemic has led many to reflect on the everyday, quiet, yet insidious forms of racism that Asian Americans often endure.

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I'm Grateful for the Hugs I Can Now Share–and Haunted by the Ones I Can't
"I don't remember our final hug itself because I thought I'd be back soon. I didn't know it was the last time I would ever see her."

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More Than 'Just Takeout'
A new generation of Chinese American chefs is celebrating the inventiveness, resourcefulness and deliciousness of American Chinese food with menus dedicated to the classics.

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The Best Way to Clean Your Ears: With a Spoon
Doctors strongly discourage people from scraping inside their ears. But knowing better and doing it anyway is part of what makes us human.

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Meet Amanda Gorman’s California successor as youth poet laureate: Alexandra Huynh
18-year-old Alexandra Huynh, an incoming first-year Stanford University student from Sacramento, is Amanda Gorman's successor as the national youth poet laureate.

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Margaret Cho forgives Jay Leno for his anti-Asian jokes
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They Call Us Bruce 128: They Call Us Justin Lin

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 welcome director Justin Lin, chief architect of the Fast & Furious film franchise. He talks about getting back behind the wheel for F9, #JusticeForHan, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of bringing back a beloved character from the dead.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Walt Disney Animation Studios to partner for a "Week with Raya and the Last Dragon"

Sponsored Post

This week, Disney Animation Studios will celebrate the release of its movie Raya and the Last Dragon by working with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to spread joy through a series of virtual events for St. Jude patient families and its generous supporters.

Raya and the Last Dragon is an epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra where Raya learns that it takes more than a dragon to save the world. It takes trust and teamwork -- timeless themes reflected in the pioneering research and lifesaving treatment delivered at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for kids with childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Below is a snapshot of the fun offerings.