Once again, it's time for another 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. Our very first Angry Reader of 2010 is actor/singer Raymond Lee.
Who are you?
My name is Raymond J. Lee and I am an actor/singer residing in New York City...and also the proud father of two cats (Misty & Patches).
What are you?
Well, technically I'm a human being, but I'm also a proud Korean-American! My parents immigrated here from Seoul in the 70's to live the American dream and ended up falling madly in love and having two sons. I am also an army brat extraordinaire, having gone to 6 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 1 high school, 1 college, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Where are you?
I am actually answering this question backstage at the Winter Garden theater but I currently reside in Woodside, Queens which is a wonderful area right next to Astoria. It's only 20 minutes from Times Square off the R train and the best thing is that there's a Han Ah Reum two bus stops away from my apartment!
Where are you from?
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia but ended up moving all over the country due to my dad's job. I also lived in Korea for three years and attended Seoul Foreign School from 4th-6th grade. Talk about a culture shock! I went to high school at Winston Churchill HS in Potomac, MD and later attended Northwestern University where I received my BA in radio/television/film with a minor in musical theater.
What do you do?
I currently star as "Eddie" in Broadway's Mamma Mia! I have been with the company for almost 3.5 years and find it to be one of the best jobs a guy could ever have. I basically get paid to go to summer camp and to be in a dance party full time. Although the 8 show a week schedule can be physically grueling, we have an amazing cast and crew that truly get along like family.
When I'm not busy dancing in speedos on stage, I also do a lot of readings, workshops, and on-camera work. I had the fortune to have a national IKEA commercial running (if you see one about an Asian mom getting jealous of her son's IKEA entertainment center...I play the son in the first second of the commercial) and will also be in the upcoming independent film The Mikado Project, directed by the amazingly talented Chil Kong, starring Tamlyn Tomita, Erin Quill, Allen Liu, Ryun Yu, David Lee McInnis, Rizwan Manji, and Yuri Tag (from Kaba Modern).
What are you all about?
I am all about living your dreams! We only have one chance at this specific life, in this specific body, and I think we should do everything in our power to go after our passions and live the life that we were meant to live!
I am all about more Asian-American representation in theater, television, and film. I will do my best to help create more Asian-American theater roles, and also hope to one day do more work in television and film as well.
I am also about hard work, humility, a positive attitude, supportive friends & family, amusement parks, and mint chocolate chip ice cream.
What makes you angry?
1) Ignorant, biased, racist people and the stupid remarks they make (true story: i came out of the stage door one day after a show, talked with a couple from Kansas for 10 minutes, and at the end they asked me when I had come to this country because my accent was "almost perfect")
2) People who think Asian men aren't sexy
3) People who hide behind religion
4) Prop 8 and the anti-gay marriage movement - c'mon people, it's 2010!
5) The lack of principal Asian-American roles in Contemporary American Musical Theater
6) The fact that Comfort Women & the Holocaust were permitted to happen in history
7) The fact that the MTA fares continue to go up - even though there was a supposed surplus a couple years ago
8) People walking in front of me who puff cigarette smoke in my face
9)) Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's - I only got past the opening credits because I was too uncomfortable. It's sad because I heard the movie's actually good
