People, gather round. 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 David Fung.
Who are you?
David Fung, one half of The Fung Brothers comedy duo along with my brother Andrew. We have a few popular videos in Chinese speaking countries where they call us 冯兄弟 (Pinyin: féng xiōngdì) which is just "Brothers Fung." D-One is my rap moniker (and also my Chinese name) but I seldom use it nowadays because I feel like rap names are kind going out of style. Kendrick Lamar is the best rapper out right now and he uses his real name so...
What are you?
I am a comedian, rapper, foodie, activist and writer. I'm also a wannabe hooper (which is someone who is really good at basketball), emphasis on wannabe. I'm not a dancer but I used to b-boy back in junior high, so I can relate to the ABDC hip-hop choreo dance wave that took over young Asian America. I am also annoying to kids who only want to get a picture with me but then I end up giving them a never-ending speech about life and working hard to chase their dreams.
Where are you?
I'm currently writing this from Monterey Park, CA - which is located in the San Gabriel Valley aka SGV aka 626 - which is located 10 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The 626 is your standard ultra Asian/Chinese ethnoburb (but multiplied exponentially) and home to the best boba in the world. You've got to come and experience Boba Life for yourself to really see what's so special about this region. It's like that one boba spot in college that all the Asians hung out at replaced all the Starbucks in an entire area code, gotta love it.
Where are you from?
I'm originally from Kent, Washington which is a blue-collar suburb 25 minutes south of Seattle. I went to school with mostly white and black kids who weren't into academics so I definitely stood out as the lone Asian kid who was into academics and those experiences played a big part in shaping my comedic leanings. I'm also a mix of different types of Chinese which is somewhat unique because Chinese people can sometimes be very provincial and separate based on specific Chinese sub-group. Rice-flour noodles, knife-cut noodles, it's all good man.
What do you do?
I'm a full-time entertainer. I make videos on YouTube, perform stand-up at shows, perform rap at nightclubs, we've been featured on a few food/travel shows that want to showcase Chinese food in Los Angeles and have a new show on one of the new Google-sponsored YouTube channels, HUNGRY. The show is called Fung Bros. Mess With Texas - we haven't shot the show yet so I'm pretty excited to see what that whole "mainstream" (aka non-YouTube) experience is like. I heard in the mainstream world they take breaks to eat and use the restroom? Sounds inefficient.
What are you all about?
Using humor and truth to empower young Asian Americans to chase their dreams and shake up the system. To affect any kind of real change you have to first have a deep understanding of the whole picture. If you don't have a realistic assessment then your efforts will not be strategic and may be lost into the ether. A lot of young kids want to make a difference, whether it be increasing API presence in media or helping the disenfranchised etc. but have no idea where to start or they need that extra push to break through their self-imposed barriers. I can't sit down with every kid and map out a blueprint but hopefully I can inspire them through art and entertainment to do their own research, seek mentorship, or to stop playing so much Diablo III and get off their ass to do something meaningful.
What makes you angry?
Everything. Injustice and inequality, as much as they are facts of human life, are pretty messed up. I hate seeing something happen to a kid where you just go, "Damn, they never stood a chance." There are a lot of systemic problems in the world that unchecked, will continue to cycle and perpetuate if people who have the power and resources to make a difference but are too self-interested or apathetic. I always try and frame giving back as a win-win for any entertainer. I'm a firm believer that the more you give the more you receive so even if someone is solely thinking about themselves, I still think the best method is to give back. The win-win proposition doesn't exist in every or even most industries but for entertainment I believe in it 100%.
I think one of the most common and frustrating questions a lot of Asian American entertainers or activists get from their own community/family/friends is "Why do you care so much?" and to that I'd like to angrily respond, "If we don't do it, who will?!?"