11.30.04
Woohoo. The 2005 Sundance Film Festival announced its program this week.
Great news... My man Mike Kang's long-awaited feature film debut, The Motel, will make its world premiere in the "American Spectrum" program at Sundance. The movie's about Ernest, a chubby Chinese kid, who works at his family's sleazy motel where he meets Sam, a charismatic but troubled man who teaches him a few life lessons. Starring Jeffrey Chyau, Sung Kang, Jade Wu, Samantha Futerman, Alexis Chang, and Stephen Chen. Read about Mike's experiences with the film (and other candid thoughts) on his Xanga site. Congratulations, Mike!
Other Asian American works at Sundance... Anthony Ng's 212 will also make its world premiere. What it's about: "Living in matchbox apartments and working mechanical mundane jobs, three sets of urbanites struggle to connect with each other in New York City." Starring Ajay Naidu, Brian Gant, Michelle Luchese, Catherine Zambri, Priscilla Garita, Lori Prince, and Richard Furlong.
Also, Alice Wu's Saving Face makes its U.S. premiere, after picking up distribution at the Toronto International Film Festival... "A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations." Starring Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, and Lynne Chen.
Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin makes its U.S. debut in the "Premieres" section. What it's about: "A teenage hustler and a young man obsessed with alien abductions cross paths and together discover a horrible, liberating truth." Starring Brady Corbet, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jeff Licon, Bill Sage, Mary Lynn Rajskup, Elisabeth Shue, Lisa Long, and Chris Mulkey.
There are also a bunch of international Asian works (including Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle!) in the festival. For a full listing of all of the Sundance films and programs, visit the Sundance Film Festival website: http://festival.sundance.org/2005/. I'll be posting more on the festival in coming months...
11.30.04
Iris Chang's death occurred so suddenly and tragically, people are still paying their respects with tribute pieces. Here's an intriguing Salon.com on her life and work: How "Iris Chang" became a verb
11.30.04
Christina Chang has been showing up on CSI: Miami this season as an attorney.
11.30.04
A unified North and South Korean World Cup team? Insane. Monumental. Unlikely. But perhaps soccer can heal the world: Playing in the DMZ. I'm doubtful. I think the writer says it best—perhaps North and South Korea should concentrate on realizing the dream behind the symbolism rather than the symbolism itself.
11.30.04
Funny. A list, from McSweeney's:
Rappers I Thought Were Asian.
BY SUJAN HONG
- - - -
Lil' Kim
J-Kwon
Ying Yang Twins
Chingy
Yung Wun
RZA
You'd think.
11.30.04
Lucy Liu has signed on as a guest star in at least two upcoming episodes of NBC's Joey. She'll play Lauren, the tough executive producer of the series Deep Powder in which Joey Tribbiani plays the father of one of the main characters: Lucy Liu to Guest Star on Joey
11.30.04
In this NPR segment, high school students who are children of immigrants in Fremont, CA, talk about cultural identity and the pressures to succeed academically: Children of Immigrants Seek to Define their Identity
11.30.04
He is the King of Monsters: Godzilla Honored with Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
11.30.04
So, the big news is that Dan Rather is stepping down: Dan Rather to quit 'CBS Evening News'
. CBS correspondents Scott Pelley and John Roberts have been the most prominently mentioned as possible successors to the anchor seat. However, according to the readers' poll on the article's sidebar, "Who should replace Rather?" don't count out Connie Chung. As I write this, she's got a slight edge over Roberts...
11.30.04
Crazy theater people: Slant Performance Group. Their latest show "ArchipelaGo!" is currently running in NYC. Crazy.
11.29.04
Chai Soua Vang has been charged with six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He'll make his initial court appearance on Tuesday: Hmong Hunter Charged in Wisconsin Slayings
11.29.04
Check out the official site for In The Realms of the Unreal, a feature-length documentary from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jessica Yu, about artist Henry Darger. The film gets a limited theatrical release in December.
11.29.04
It's coming, the moment you crazy folks have all been waiting for. The release of Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle on DVD—January 4. Not in time for Christmas, but a good way to use your gift certificates. And according to this article, if you ever want to see a sequel, you better buy/rent this DVD. It's sort of what I've been saying all along, about the movie's massive potential for a cult following. I think most of the folks who saw Harold and Kumar liked it, for what it was. The movie was funny and likeable, and most importantly, it made money. It made back its $9 million budget, and then some. But I hardly think anyone would call it a box office smash. Let's face it—most of America did not see this movie. However, it's the kind of movie that everybody else catches on video, with repeat viewings, in dorm rooms and daycares across America (okay, kidding about the daycares). So, much like Austin Powers, if the DVD does well, it could spawn a sequel: Harold and Kumar Go To Amsterdam. And their joyous adventures can live on forever.
11.28.04
Who's the boss? This guy, the CEO of Roto-Rooter: Digging In to Find Success
11.28.04
Sad, painful story of a Korean adoptee, his tragic missing past, and the long overdue reunion with his birth mother: Searching for Missing Pieces of a Painful Past (registration required)
11.28.04
Amon Miyamoto is the first Japanese citizen to direct a Broadway show, the Stephen Sondheim-John Weidman musical Pacific Overtures, with B. D. Wong: Broadway's Fondest, Furthest Fan Comes Home
11.28.04
Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday. Apparently, it's sexy: Steamy Times Come to Chinese Films. More on this movie later.
11.28.04
Merchant and Ivory are trying to film a period piece, The White Countess, in one of the world's most futuristic cities—Shanghai: Searching for Scenes From Shanghai's Lost Past
11.28.04
Two scholarships have been set up in honor of the memory of author Iris Chang:
Iris Chang Memorial Scholarship
Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WW II in Asia
P.O. Box 14265
Fremont, CA 94539
408.446.2011
http://www.global-alliance.net
gainfo@global-alliance.net
Please issue check to: "Global Alliance - Iris Chang Memorial Scholarship Fund"
Iris Chang Scholarship Fund
University of Illinois Foundation
Attn: Jeff Roley
1305 West Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801-2962
Make checks payable to: University of Illinois Foundation
In the memo field: Iris Chang Scholarship Fund
11.28.04
LiNK (Liberation in North Korea) is a group dedicated to advocacy, education and empowerment on behalf of those suffering in North Korea. I know Kim Jong-Il and the thought of scary nukes gets a lot of press when it comes to North Korea, but little light gets shed on the severe famine and human rights violations that occurs within the country... LiNK, founded out of a student conference, is determined to bring awareness and eventually liberation to the people of North Korea.
11.28.04
It seems that Warner Brothers has optioned Da Chen's novel Wandering Warrior to be made into a movie: Warner Bros. Options Da Chen's Warrior. It's sort of an epic Harry Potter-like story involving monks and prophecies and kung fu warriors. Everything these days is Harry Potter-like, 'cause I guess this "Harry Potter" thing apparently makes a lot of money.
11.27.04
O-Dub points me to this story on Jin by Kevin Y. Kim, from the latest issue of ColorLines: Repping Chinatown. Oliver (who, by the way, is quoted in the article) calls it the best piece he's seen on Jin, and I'm inclined to agree. It's a solid article that hits all the right notes. Check it out.
11.27.04
Here's a pretty cool idea. James has put together the Asian American Sequential Artists Resource Guide ("AASARG"), an online guide to Asian American comic strips and comic books. It's still starting out, but it looks like it has the makings of a great resource...
11.26.04
Sorry, so sorry. Nah, not really. Hahaaaa, Michelle Malkin got dropped like a piece of poo: Virginia Paper Drops Columnist Malkin. Can't tell you how much I don't feel sorry for her. Hopefully, other publications will see the light.
11.26.04
Will Yun Lee is in the latest Lil Jon video, "Roll Call." He plays some kind of gangster dude (with fellow Asian thugs), out to get Lil Jon, who is chillin' with his lady. Lil Jon escapes through the bathroom window. However, Asian gangsters now have his girl. Thus, it's up to Lil Jon to get his crew together, including O.G. thug Ice Cube, who busts out all his old gangsta gear. The video culminates with what appears to be an all-out rumble, with a mob of Asian dudes and Black dudes squaring off in an alley. Yay. You can always count on music videos to promote positive race relations.
11.25.04
Happy Thanksgiving. I'm catching up on stuff that has piled up over the last week. Here is a smattering of articles and items...
The Mercury News looks back with the passing of local author, Iris Chang: Iris Chang | 1968-2004
Home-made movie sensation Lumpia just got released on DVD. Just in time for your Christmas shopping.
According to a study released earlier week, federal enforcement of civil rights laws has dropped sharply since 1999, though the level of complaints received by the Justice Department has remained relatively constant: Enforcement of Civil Rights Law Declined Since '99, Study Finds. Can't trust it.
Check out Toshi Kubota, one of them smoove R&B/soul singers... from Japan. His latest album Time to Share, dropped back in September.
Q-Wave, a new group for APA queer women in NYC.
Last week, Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell, introduced a bill that could give permanent legal status to 275 Korean immigrants who are facing deportation after learning years later that their green cards were authorized by an immigration official in San Jose in exchange for bribes: New bill would aid Korean immigrants
Heard that Nikki Soohoo will be starring in an upcoming sitcom pilot, East of Normal, West of Weird, for ABC Family. It's about a Chinese girl adopted by White parents—Protestant mom, Jewish Dad. Oh, the culture clash! The show shoots in December.
This up-an-coming young skater will compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January: Shanell Noji: An Accomplished Skater on Her Way to Portland
Finally, a Fresh Air interview with Sandra Oh: The Winding Career of Sandra Oh
11.24.04
Oh, another film festival... the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, going down November 24 to 28. See? I've got love for Canada too.
11.24.04
Here's some more on the hunter shootings in Wisconsin. Chai Vang's account of the confrontation runs vastly contrary to the survivor's: Suspect Says Hunters Targeted Him With Slurs -- and a Bullet.
This long article, from October 1998, gives some background on hunting and the Hmong community in Wisconsin: Coming home: hunting squirrels and tigers with the Hmong
11.23.04
This is bad: Five Killed in Hunting Incident in Wisconsin. The shooter is identified Chai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a member of that city's Hmong community. I fear what kind of backlash we might see towards Asian Americans, particularly the large Hmong American community in Minnesota. Be wary of subtle media reporting that hints at the "yellow peril" menace we Asians pose to the American ideal of peaceful white existence...
The hunters who were attacked were all from the Rice Lake, Wisconsin, area where the community was in shock, according to Tom Richie, sheriff of Barron County.
"They were all well-known and very respected," he told a news conference on Monday.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported on Monday that Hmong hunters have complained about being harassed by other hunters in the past, and Minnesota has assigned Hmong officers to ease the situation. There may be a culture gap between Hmong who were accustomed in Laos to hunt wherever they wanted instead of seeking permission to go on private property, the newspaper said.
About 75,000 Hmong have settled in Minnesota in the last 30 years.
Here's another article: Suspect Says Hunters Shot At Him First. I'm not defending this guy—this is just crazy. He says they called him racial slurs, and shot at him first... But dude, shooting eight people in self defense? This is just ugly. Too often we've seen journalism trying to pit communities against each other because it makes for good news stories... That ain't right.
11.21.04
This is funny. A petition, to New Line Cinema Executives and Publicity: An Oscar (and other awards) for Harold and Kumar!. Ha ha. Can't you see it? "To the Academy, For Your Consideration: Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. A timeless classic."
11.21.04
Found this on Mike's Xanga, thought I'm sort of regretting that I did—it gives me the shivers: Upper Eyelid Asian Blepharoplasty (not for the squeamish). Yeah. Eyelid surgery, photographed from start to finish. Ugh. Certainly makes you think twice about getting the procedure done. Eh, ladies?
11.21.04
"So Asians don't look good scantily clad? I just came back from Hawaii and they look pretty damn good." — Karen Narasaki. According to the Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition's annual report card of ethnic diversity on network television, things have been improving... just not so much for Asian Americans: Report: TV Networks Improve Diversity. Still got a loooong way to go.
11.21.04
'You got to come at me like a rapper, not like a racist.' There's a lengthy, in-depth article on Jin coming up in the rap game, in today's New York Times Magazine: Just Another Quick-Witted, Egg-Roll-Joke-Making, Insult-Hurling Chinese-American Rapper. And another article in the Washington Post: Jin, Straight Up
11.21.04
Here's a movie review for Fear and Trembling, the latest movie to explore (and exploit) Western fascination with Japan: Help Wanted: Young, Naive Masochist. Join the club.
11.18.04
Dude, where was Daniel Dae Kim on Lost last night? Given the nature of the show (they're stranded on a frickin' island), it's pretty conspicuous when a main cast member is nowhere to be seen. We barely even got a glimpse of Yunjin Kim (I spotted her standing in the background of one of the shots). In last night's show, everybody's feeling a little restless, so Hurley builds a two-hole golf course on one of the island's open spaces. Come on now. How you gonna have an episode involving golf and not include the Koreans? Meanwhile, the episode did focus heavily on Naveen Andrews' character, Sayid. But give us more of Daniel Dae Kim, eh?
11.17.04
This article has a decent breakdown of all the Asian Americans who ran in this past election: Asian Americans & 2004 Election
11.17.04
Roll your eyes with me... This letter was written into Salon.com: My roommate thinks he's Japanese (free day pass required). Sadly, I think a lot of people knew a guy like this college. More than anything, he sounds pretty pathetic... My sympathies to the letter-writer.
11.17.04
Well, that didn't take very long, did it? Tonight on CSI: NY, the episode is entitled "Rain," aka "The Chinatown Episode":
Wednesday, November 17, 10PM ET/PT
"Rain"
A Chinatown robbery by three men goes south when one security guard is killed and the other mistakenly fires shots at a gas tank, burning two robbers alive. Scenes from this episode were filmed during a real police terrorist response drill in New York City.
Yay. I don't know about you, but I think there will be Asian people in this episode.
11.17.04
Puffy AmiYumi's new animated series debuts on the Cartoon Network on Friday night. Looks kinda weird. This coincides with the release of a new CD, Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi, in stores this week. Wacky.
11.17.04
Seriously, what is up with Gwen Stefani and her j-pop obsession? Here's a photo of her performance at the American Music Awards. With a full-on troupe of Harajuku girl backup dancers. I caught a bit of her appearance on the red carpet—the Asian girl entourage stuck to her the entire time. They were like accessories. Freaky.
11.17.04
A review of Jin's The Rest Is History in the Village Voice: At Long Last, Hip-Hop Deigns to Recognize Asian America
11.17.04
AsianWeek celebrates 25 years in publication: John Fangís Dream
11.17.04
Takeru "The Tsunami" Kobayashi ate 69 hamburgers in eight minutes to collect $10,000 and be crowned the first Krystal Square-Off World Hamburger Eating Champion in Chattanooga, Tennessee: Japan's record hot-dog eater downs 69 hamburgers in 8 minutes. Good for him... I guess.
11.17.04
Here's another article on the A&F case: Abercrombie & Fitch Bias Case Is Settled. Funny, how Abercrombie still maintains that they've always had no tolerance for discrimination. Whatever. That's racist!
11.16.04
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has agreed to pay $40 million to Black, Hispanic and Asian employees and job applicants to settle a class-action federal discrimination lawsuit that accused the clothing retailer of promoting whites at the expense of minorities: Abercrombie settles race case for $40 million. Take that, racist suckas! The settlement requires the company to adhere to a consent decree that calls for implementing new policies and programs to promote diversity and prevent discrimination in its workforce. It also must pay about $10 million to monitor compliance and cover attorneys' fees.
Then again, it kind of just supports what we already knew, right? You suck, A&F.
11.15.04
An article on Lost, one of the few primetime network shows with Asian Americans in the starring cast: How 'Lost' Careered Into Being a Hit Show. It goes into the casting of the 14-member ensemble, including Yunjin Kim as Sun:
For the executives of the show, the most intriguing breakout star may turn out to be Yunjin Kim, who grew up on Staten Island and attended the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan but then returned to her South Korean homeland to become a major Asian cinema star.
Ms. Kim originally auditioned for the part of Kate, the female lead, but Mr. Abrams decided immediately he wanted to write another part just for her. "We had thought about having a couple that didn't speak English before she came in," Mr. Abrams said, "but when she came in, we knew we had to have her on the show. And we started coming up with a story for this woman and then her husband."
"I walked in and, obviously, I speak Korean, and the next day they said they were going to write a role for me," said Ms. Kim, who plays Sun, a seemingly timid woman who planned to leave her husband on the day they boarded the ill-fated plane. "I was, like, 'Hey, I don't even need to read a script.' The fact that they would be so open and excited about me, that was a huge compliment."
Yay, that's great. But where is any mention in this article about the guy who plays her husband, Daniel Dae Kim? He's a talented actor with the challenge of bringing life to a seemingly unlikeable character. At least this article gives him some attention: You'll find a racially diverse cast on 'Lost'.
Honestly, I haven't been really happy with the way his character has gone so far, but I'm still holding out for improvement on the part of the writers. They have the opportunity to do something really surprising and groundbreaking with these characters. More on this later...
11.15.04
A series of interesting film articles in the New York Times:
Why Isn't Maggie Cheung a Hollywood Star?
What Is a Foreign Movie Now?
What Is an American Movie Now?
Bollywood Confidential
11.15.04
Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro meets electric guitar pioneer Les Paul: 'Ukulele master plucks out a Mainland following in '04
11.15.04
Interview with Asia Street Comedy host Dan Gabriel over at ChopBlock.
11.14.04
Special props to everyone I met at the IVCF Asian American Leadership Conference this weekend. I had a great time. Now go out and doing something, young people!
11.13.04
The latest issue of ESPN Magazine (November 8) has an article, "Handyman," on half-Korean
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward. Unfortunately, the full article isn't available online (there's a teaser here), but here's a sweet excerpt, transcribed courtesy of my man Ben:
"Ward has been fined by the NFL just once in his seven-year career, for taunting after he flattened Browns safety Earl Little with a block in a game three years ago. The Steelers threw a pass into the flat, and Ward caught Little with a perfect shot. Ward stood over the unconscious Little and enjoyed the moment a bit too much. He immediately apologized, but he says, "Two plays before, he tried to take my head off, then looked at me and said, 'YOU CHINESE BITCH.'
"I've heard that stuff all my life," Ward says. "Usually it doesn't bother me. But if you're going to talk stuff and try to take me out, I'm coming at
you. Cleanly and fairly. But I'm coming."
Chinese what now?
11.13.04
Yahoo! Movies has a bunch of trailers and stuff for the Daredevil spinoff Elektra, starring Jennifer Garner. The story of ninjas. Lots and lots of ninjas. And the white girl who beat the crap out of all of them.
11.13.04
Check out the website for American Seoul, an indie feature trying to get off the ground. It's one of those Asian American identity deals. You may have seen it in its short version playing the film festival circuit. And like most independent film productions, it is in need of some funding. C.R.E.A.M., y'all.
11.12.04
I had the opportunity the other night to attend the very first "TalkOf-DaBlock" Party at Rehab Records, featuring four very cool acts you should be aware of (if ya ain't already):
Ken Oak, Far East Movement, Nemo, and Snacky Chan. They put on a kickass show. Seek out and listen to this music, dig?
11.11.04
It's all over the news, just crazy and sad... Writer Iris Chang has committed suicide: Author/journalist found dead of gunshot wound in Los Gatos. Chang apparently drove down a road south of Los Gatos and shot herself to death in her car. She was best known for her book, The Rape of Nanking, and more recently The Chinese in America: A Narrative History. She was considered one of America's most important historians. Other articles here:
Author Iris Chang Found Dead in California
Acclaimed author, 36, apparent suicide
Author Chang found dead aged 36
Author Iris Chang Dies at 36 (NPR)
11.08.04
It's going down this weekend. The fifth annual KOLLABORATION, the big ass Asian American talent show. Two nights at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles. Maybe you've seen that clip of the dude doing his crazy rubber-guy dance routine. Yeah, that's from this show. Check out the website for all the nifty details (including video clips from previous years).
11.08.04
Check out Mouther—keepin' it real for Asian America. Sort of a more colorful, Flash-ier, dare-I-say angrier version of the kind of stuff we talk about on this site (when I say 'we' I mean 'me'). Lots of knowledge, resources and food-for-thought, so check it out.
11.08.04
People have been asking me about this weird campaign site, FREE ANNYONG. It appears to be an awareness campaign dedicated to freeing a poor Korean boy from his terrible adopted family. Actually, it's not. The site is a faux-campaign in support of Fox's Arrested Development, in which The Bluths adopted a Korean boy, and indeed, they're a terrible family. I caught the season premiere last night, and while the show is funny, I have to object to the character. He's essentially a variation on the funny foreign kid. Annyong pops up throughout the episode to say a funny line in broken English. Hardy har. That's racist!
11.08.04
It appears that VAX TV, which was cancelled in October after viewers protested images of Ho Chi Minh and the flag of Vietnam, is back on the air: Vietnamese TV Show Put Back on Schedule. Good. Saigon TV's decision to pull the show was completely misguided. The show will air on KXLA, beginning November 13.
11.08.04
More post-election coverage: Chinese American Vote in California Reflects Economic Divide
11.08.04
Another update on the Kauai police commissioner who referred to the new Chinese American police chief as "Hop Sing": Fallout continues following racial slur. That's racist!
11.08.04
On Saturday, Hawaii's Timmy Chang became the most prolific passer in college football history: Chang has most passing yards in NCAA history. Awesome. Also see here: Timmy Chang becomes All-Time NCAA Passing Leader
11.08.04
Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high.... Books for young readers, by Asian authors: Asian writers open door to kids' imagination.
11.08.04
When I was a kid, I spent my time playing Nintendo and watching Transformers. This kid sings Chinese folks songs: Oakland Discovers A Burgeoning Talent In Chinese Opera. Big deal, you say. Yeah. The big deal is that he's a 9-year-old African-American fourth-grader.
11.08.04
Monica Parales, that girl from the Missy Elliot video, recently appeared in the video for Eminem's "Just Lose It." Not sure, but I think I also spotted her a few months ago on some commercial for Macy's or Target or something. She got the moves. Need a cute Asian girl to dance in your music video? She's the one to call.
11.08.04
Indie band out of New York, fronted by a Chinese American lady: PaperDoll. Their self-titled debut will be released later this month. Check out the, listen to clips, be a fan.
11.08.04
Somehow, I've ended up on the mailing list for Notorious M.S.G.. I'm sorry, but these guys are funny as hell. The video for "Straight Out Of Canton" is now available for viewing. Stand up and fight!
11.08.04
You may have caught Nike's ad campaign featuring Lebron James. It's a bombardment of the usual stereotypical martial arts imagery, an obvious riff on Game of Death and The 36th Chamber. Just another example of how America pilfers and appropriates items from Asian pop culture without a second thought. That's how it goes—it's business.
Have you seen this print ad for Orbit chewing gum? What exactly are they implying? That Chinese takeout food is dirty? That you can find some funky dirty stuff in you Chinese food? That Chinese restaurants are also in the business of Chinese laundry? I don't know, but it certainly preys on stereotypes. (Thanks, Gary)
While we're at it, have you seen Gwen Stefani's new video and album cover? Looks like she's gone a little happy with the J-pop aesthetic, doncha think? Exploitation, or homage? I mean, you could just argue that the video's just trying to be hella weird. But then again, does that mean if you wanna make your video weird, you should throw in Asian stuff?
This site is pretty amusing: Hanzi Smatter, dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters (Hanzi or Kanji) in Western culture. Ah, the art of permanently branding your body with something incredibly stupid.
11.07.04
Hey, a special shout-out to all the students I met this weekend at NAASCon. You inspire and encourage me. Perhaps this country isn't going down the crapper just yet. Not without a fight.
11.05.04
I think I was little too hard on the Youth Vote in my last post. I was going by some of the initial numbers, and it was a gut reaction. For that, I apologize. And those numbers obviously didn't add up with what I saw going on with the young activist people around me. Maybe P. Diddy was a little too harsh. You don't have to die. And some people actually did choose... and lost.
That said, let me offer one last plug for NAASCon 2004, the National Asian American Student Conference, going on this weekend November 5-7 at USC. I'll be leading a seminar in the "Innovative Strategies" track, so please say hello. College students, empower yourselves! Get active, and be aware. I'll see you at NAASCon.
11.04.04
Well, it's the day after the day after, and I'm still in recovery. [By the way, what the hell happened to the "Youth Vote"? Exit polls showed that less than 10% of all voters were 18 to 24 —about the same numbers in the 2000 election. Did all that "Choose or Lose" stuff meaning nothing to you? Fine. You can go back to watching Room Raiders in peace now. P. Diddy told you to Vote or Die. I guess you're gonna die.] Ah well. The country will go on, and I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Some post-election items:
Though Asian American voters turned out in large numbers to vote on Tuesday... and apparently faced racist remarks by poll workers, and unjustified demands that they provide identification, in several polling places in New York and New Jersey: Asian Americans face racism in polls. Also read here: NYU volunteers find imperfect polls in Chinatown. And here are some details from the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund: Voter Problems Widespread on Nov 2nd
Jimmy Meng is the first Asian American to be elected to the New York state legislature: A history-making victory for Meng
After a narrow defeat in last year's gubernatorial race, Bobby Jindal was elected to Congress from the 1st District of Louisiana with a landslide win. He is the first Indian American in the House of Representatives in nearly fifty years: Bobby jindal makes history
Maragaret Cho reacts to the re-election of the Bush regime: Don't Despair, Act
Finally, I want to encourage everybody out there, regardless of who you voted for, to keep fighting. Frankly, I'm mad as hell. Bush's win makes me want to struggle, resist, and fight that much more. Keep the dialogue going. People still face injustice, inequality and prejudice in this country, no matter who the freakin' President is. Ain't nothing changed. Stay Angry.
11.03.04
I wouldn't say I'm in the most positive state of mind right now. Four more years of this. I feel like a little part of me has died inside. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty moded.
11.02.04
Speaking of voting, Anish Shroff is a finalist on ESPN's Dream Job. Vote for him here.
11.02.04
Astronaut Leroy Chiao is the first American to vote for president from space: Astronaut makes voting history
11.02.04
GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE.
11.02.04
Last minute election articles:
Asian Americans rally for Kerry
Political landscape changing in Hawai'i
Bobby Jindal poised to be only Indian-American in US Congress
Cheney predicts Bush will 'carry Hawai'i'
And a funny photo from a rally, courtesy of my pal Kristina.
Privatize the internets!
11.02.04
What the heck? Hello Kitty is 30? Hello Kitty: A Marketing Sensation Grows Up
11.02.04
A whole mess of various movie news items... Yet another John Woo project in development, an action/comedy film titled Espionage For Dummies.
Looks like a sequel is now in the works for James Wan's Saw, which opened over the weekend to the box office ch-ching of $18.3 million: Saw 2 Announced for Halloween 2005
They were talking about this one a while back, and it sounded stupid... but now it actually sounds kind of cool: 'Snow White' Returns with Chinese Theme. Snow and the Seven, an East-meets-West retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," directed by Yuen Wo Ping and written by Michael Chabon.
Quentin Tarantino can't get enough of us Asian folks. In an interview with Total Film, he says his next film will be a kung-fu action film shot entirely in Mandarin: Tarantino to make Mandarin kung-fu film. It's not secret the guy is crazy about martial arts movies. Apparently, he's going to make two versions of this movie, one with English subtitles and another with a dubbed English soundtrack—an homage to the old-school chopsocky flicks. Says Tarantino: "My next movie is gonna be another kung fu (film) that's gonna blow your asses off." I don't know, man. Isn't that what Kill Bills was supposed to be? But my main question: are you gonna have white actors speaking Mandarin and kicking the crap out of Chinese people? I won't be cool with that.
Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, arguably one of the greatest movies of all time (according to me), is being made into a video game: Kurosawa Stays in the Game
Sony Pictures has moved Steamboy's release date to March. I caught it last week at SDAFF, and it was pretty dang good.
Poor Chow Yun-Fat. He's more than just a badass, Hollywood: Chow Yun-Fat Says He's Misunderstood. But it's true, no one can point and shoot a gun quite like Chow Yun Fat.
Meet Tsutomu Kitagawa, the current man behind the Godzilla suit: Godzilla happily takes off suit as monster turns 50
Disney's Mulan got released on DVD last week.
And finally, I'm really really interested in seeing Seoul Train, a documentary that profiles a handful of families as they plan and execute their escape from North Korea through the help of an "underground railroad." It premieres this week at AFI Fest 2004.
11.02.04
Last week, Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang was poised to set the all-time passing record in Hawaii's game against No. 18 Boise State (Chang can set all-time passing mark tonight). Things did not go as Hawaii hoped, with one of the worst losses in school history (69-3): Chang to Pass Record at Home
11.02.04
Some follow-up on the Kauai police commission member who referred to the new Chinese American Police Chief as "Hop Sing" in an email: Official denies racial accusations
11.02.04
Does anyone know about an incident last week on CNBC's Dennis Miller show, where a guest referred to Asians as "Japs" and "Chinks"? (The guy was not Asian himself.) I've been hearing about it from a few people, but I'd like to understand the context...
11.02.04
SFGate article from last week: Korean Women Take Over the World. Basically, Korean women kick ass. Come on, tell me something I don't know.
11.02.04
5'9" point guard Yuta Tabuse is suiting up for the Phoenix Suns! He's the first Japanese-born player to make an NBA roster. Here are some articles:
Rising Sun
Tabuse Set to Make History
Suns' Tabuse Makes History for Japan, NBA
Diminutive point guard first Japanese player to make NBA team
11.01.04
Marian's brief Q&A with Lyrics Born: Asian-American MC leads by example
11.01.04
This is for you college students out there... Another plug for NAASCon 2004, the National Asian American Student Conference, going down this weekend November 5-7, at the University of Southern California. Join students nationwide for this historic gathering—the very first national Asian Pacific American student conference, with speakers, workshops and performances to mobilize awareness and activism for community change. It's not too late to register: http://usc2004.naascon.org/. Students, represent!
11.01.04
Hey, our neighbors to the north have Asian film festivals too. The 8th Annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival, November 5-8. I got love for you too, Canada.
11.01.04
I heard from a few folks who were upset that I've taken a partisan stance on this site with regards to tomorrow's election. So be it. To this, I answer the way I've always addressed such concerns: it's my site, and I'll say what I want. Now, we can agree to disagree. Or, you're completely free to stop reading—close the browser, move on to the next site, whatever. I promise, I won't be offended. But the fact remains, I've got this site, and I don't want Bush re-elected. I feel strongly enough about this election to express my views, and use what I've got to incite some change. So yeah, I'm voting for Kerry, and I encourage others to do the same.
But even if you ain't down for that, please vote. VOTE.