Your Halloween Costumes, Part One

A gallery of reader-submitted Halloween costumes



Happy Halloween, everybody. I put the call out for folks to send in photos of their costumes. Here's a starter gallery of the submissions I've received thus far. If you've got an awesome costume that's totally not racist or idiotic -- cute kid costumes are particularly welcome -- then send them my way. I'll add the best ones to the gallery. So check it out. Here's the first wave:

Enter the Bruce-O-Lantern

Badass Bruce Lee pumpkin art



Had to share this rad pumpkin art featuring the iconic silhouette of Bruce Lee, circa Game of Death, carved by R3 and R4, and inspired by the artwork of Deborah Enrile Lao. Pretty damn cool.

(Thanks, Reyn.)

Instant yellowface! Now available in a convenient tube.

Happy Halloween.



Before I say anything else, let me note that this post was inspired by the image accompanying Matthew Sallesses' excellent piece for The Good Men Project: Halloween Is for White People. I saw the photo on that post, said whaaaaaaaaaat, and immediately scoured the web to find that image.

This is Yellow Make-Up Cream, manufactured by Widmann srl. Yellowface in a tube! Pretty awesome right?

No, I shouldn't be surprised that this product exists. There are all sorts of bullshit racist, culturally insensitive costumes out there -- hell, why not make it easier for people to go full yellowface. Literally.

I suppose there are plenty of ways to apply yellow makeup. But the illustration on the packaging makes it pretty clear what "look" you should be going for. Need some more inspiration? Check it out:

Breathe easy, Sriracha lovers.

Judge rules hot sauce factory can stay open.



It's all good, hot sauce fans. I think you can hold off on your plans to stockpile all those green-tipped bottles of Sriracha... for now. A judge has ruled that the production plant in Irwindale, California, where they make the sweet spicy red goodness, can stay open: Sriracha factory can stay open for now, judge rules.

The city of Irwindale filed a lawsuit earlier this week against Huy Fong Foods after residents complained of the strong odor of ground peppers emanating from the factory. Some nearby residents complained of burning eyes and throats, and the city claimed the plant was a public nuisance in violation of municipal code.

But on Thursday, a Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge denied the city of Irwindale's request for a temporary restraining order, which means the factory can finish processing the peppers needed for next year's Sriracha supply. Odor problem? What odor problem? All I smell is the awesome scent of rooster sauce:

Watch the teaser trailer for Awesome Asian Bad Guys!

Action comedy web series unites badass villains from Rambo II, Die Hard, The Karate Kid Part II and more.



Awesome! Friends, it's my pleasure to present the teaser trailer premiere for Awesome Asian Bad Guys, the upcoming action comedy web series from Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino, aka National Film Society.

The series is a celebration of some of our favorite cult movie personalities of yesteryear who were always relegated to bad guy background status, from The Karate Kid Part II to Lethal Weapon and Rambo II. Awesome Asian Bad Guys puts them in the spotlight and in the center of the action -- where they belong.

Starring Al Leong, Yuji Okumoto, Tamlyn Tomita, Aaron Takahashi, Dante Basco and more, the story follows a motley crew of washed up Asian bad guy actors who join forces to take down Los Angeles' most nefarious mob boss. Here's your very first look at the series, coming in 2014:

"Our Name is Rebel": Images of Berkeley's Radical South Asian Legacy Art Show

Art show opening party on Sunday, November 3 at Guerilla Cafe



"Our Name is Rebel": Images of Berkeley's Radical South Asian Legacy is an art show that celebrates 100 years of radical organizing by South Asian Americans, including the Ghadar Party, an organization founded to fight for India's liberation against British rule, and other local South Asian American movements for justice. It opens at the Guerrilla Café in Berkeley on November 3 and runs throughout the month:

Screen Gems acquires Mike Le's zombie script Patient Zero

Studio wins bidding war for undead action thriller.

Some cool movie news, just in time for Halloween... After duking it out in a bidding war, Screen Gems has acquired Mike Le's highly sought-after zombie feature script Patient Zero: Screen Gems Wins Bidding War for Mike Le's Zombie Script 'Patient Zero.'

Described as a character-driven action thriller, Patient Zero is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a man with the special ability to speak to the undead sets out to find a cure to save his infected wife.

According to The Wrap, bidding was apparently pretty competitive before Screen Gems got their hands on the script, which is described as having a "rich mythology" with strong potential to "reinvent the zombie genre." And we all know zombies are hot right now. I'm in.

Buckle Up To Get Down

Jon M. Chu directs Virgin America's dance-tastic new flight safety video.



Director Jon M. Chu has done it again. The guy behind the Step Up movies, The LXD and G.I. Joe: Retaliation recently partnered up with Virgin America to produce the airline's new flight safety video. And you know it was going to be cool. It's an all-out shoo-wop-and-shimmy musical extravaganza featuring a lot of his usual crew (note the cute rapping "oxygen girl" Kylie Davis, plus Mike Song and his awesome momma at 1:40):

Asians in the new X-Men movie trailer!

BooBoo and Bingbing are newest movie mutants in X-Men: Days of Future Past.


20th Century Fox has dropped the first official teaser trailer for X-Men: Days of Future Past, the time-twerking prequel-sequel that attempts to bind the entire cluttered mutant movie series together, and presumably based on the classic, seminal comic book story arc of the same name.

The epic new trailer features the return of pretty much every major character from the X-Men screen franchise -- including both past and present versions of Professor Xavier, Magneto and the rest of the gang -- as well as some new faces. Note the quick glimpses of Fan Bingbing and BooBoo Stewart. Check it out:

Meet the Asian Jon Snow from Game of Thrones

Send me photos of your awesome Halloween costumes!



This one is for all you fans of Game of Thrones. Here is a nice photo of Robert, who costumed himself as Jon Snow, bastard son of Lord Ned Stark of Winterfell, from the popular HBO fantasy drama -- complete with a direwolf. Actually, what completes his Halloween look is that always-about-to-cry expression on his face, as one Reddit commenter points out. Nailed it.

What costume are you rocking this Halloween? Send me photos of your awesome costumes. I'll compile the best ones for my annual costume gallery. But only if they're awesome! It goes without saying, but I don't want to see any sexy geishas or chop suey specs, ya hear?

UPDATE: Here is a video of Asian Jon Snow trying to train his disobedient direwolf:

Sriracha is too spicy for the city of Irwindale

City files suit against hot sauce plant after residents complain about saucy odor.



The citizens of Irwindale, California can't handle the heat. Or rather, the smell. The city is home to Huy Fong Foods' production plant, where they make the popular spicy red elixir known as Sriracha. The hot sauce's green-tipped goodness is known far and wide. But here in Irwindale, it apparently just stinks -- enough for the city the file a lawsuit: Sriracha sauce factory odor causing headaches, burning eyes, city says.

Residents have been complaining of burning eyes, irritated throats and headaches caused by the potent odor emanating from the Sriracha production facilities. Officials have reportedly tried work with Huy Fong representatives to address the smell, to no avail. This week, the city of Irwindale filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming that the smell is a public nuisance and asking a judge to stop production until the smell can be reduced.

Seoul Sausage's Chris Oh is ready for a Knife Fight

Beef tongue, kitchen fire and trash talk on the latest episode of Esquire Network's cooking competition.



I'm looking forward to this week's Knife Fight! In each episode of Esquire Network's cooking competition show, hosted by Ilan Hall,two chefs go head-to-head, making at least two dishes in one hour from a combination of secret ingredients, all in front of celebrity judges, die-hard foodies and a rowdy crowd.

In the week's episode, "Oh vs. Lieberher," our friend Chris Oh of Seoul Sausage Co. goes up against chef Wes Lieberher. So what's for dinner? Baby, there will be beef tongue. And fire. And trash talk. Here's a little preview:

Did you know that one in five Vietnamese Americans lacks health insurance coverage?

White House hosting Vietnamese in-language Google Hangout on November 6, 3:00-4:00pm EST

In an effort to answer questions and spread the word about what the new Health Insurance Marketplace means for members of the AAPI community, particularly those with limited English proficiency, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is hosting a series of in-language Google Hangouts.

The next session will be held in Vietnamese, happening Wednesday, November 6 from 3:00 to 4:00pm. During the Hangout, there will be a live question-and-answer period with Vietnamese-speaking representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They'll respond to your questions and provide information on how to obtain health care coverage through the new Marketplace.

Here's some more info on the next Hangout:

Music Video: "No Turning Back" for Dumbfoundead & Paul Kim

Second official music video from Strength in Numbers



Strength in Numbers is a groundbreaking Asian American music project that could use your help. Masterminded by CHOPS, producer and founding member of the pioneering hip hop group Mountain Brothers, the forthcoming album is a massive collaboration bringing together over thirty Asian American rappers and singers from all around the United States (with special guests from Japan and Korea).

For more info, take a look at this BuzzFeed article in which Chops names a small sampling of dope acts you need to be paying attention to: 21 Asian American Musicians You Need To Get Behind Right Now.

And check it. Here's the second official music video from Strength in Numbers, "No Turning Back," a super-smooth joint by Chops, Paul Kim and Dumbfoundead. I think you'll dig it:

Man arrested in stabbing deaths of woman and four children

25-year-old Mingdong Chen faces five counts of murder.

Horrific news out of New York... Over the weekend in Brooklyn, a man was arrested and charged in the stabbing deaths of his cousin's wife and her four young children: Cousin charged with stabbing mom, 4 kids in Brooklyn held without bail.

25-year-old Mingdong Chen faces five counts of murder for cutting and butchering 9-year-old Linda Zhuo, 7-year-old Amy Zhuo, 5-year-old Kevin Zhuo,18-month-old William Zhuo and their mother, 37-year-old Qiao Zhen Li with a kitchen knife.

Chen, an unemployed drifter who had been bouncing between different homes, had been staying with the family in their Sunset Park apartment for about a week.

It's unclear what set off the killings, but according to investigators, Chen expressed disillusionment with his life since coming to the United States from China in 2004, and jealousy towards those who had found success.

A costume tribute to the "most famous flip phone of all time"

Before phones got touchy and smart, they flipped.



If seeing all these godawful costumes from Halloweekend has you got you downright depressed, here's a fun one that will put a smile on your face... Our old friend Larry Quach, aka "Asian Harry Potter," put together this awesome costume -- a tribute to "the most famous flip phone of all time," the Motorola Razr -- using an iPad, some regular household items and good old-fashioned creativity.

Ah yes. In the era before cell phones got smart, we had flip phones. Feel yourself transported allll the way back to the mid-2000s and watch Larry's awesome costume in action:

"We Love You Long Time" Billboard in Portland's Chinatown

The Phrase That Refuses to Die, courtesy of KXL-FM.



Hey Portland, for real? This is apparently an actual billboard for talk radio station FM News 101 KXL.

WE LOVE YOU LONG TIME. That's it. You've got to me kidding me. It's no coincidence that it overlooks NW 3rd and Couch -- that's Portland's Old Town Chinatown. Somebody at this radio station thought it would be a good idea to pay money to greet the neighborhood with this pointless, racist phrase -- a phrase that's been plaguing Asian Americans since 1987 (thanks, Full Metal Jacket). A phrase that really needs to die.

I'm sure some asshole at KXL thought they were being pretty damn clever.

(Thanks, Laura.)

The guys who dressed up as bloody Asiana flight attendants

The unwelcome return of "Ho Lee Fuk," "Sum Ting Wong" and "Wi Tu Lo."



Well, Halloween is upon us. And with the early weekend festivities came a whole lot of crappy racist costumes, documented on social media for all to see. Just when you think you've seen all the bad taste you can take, a photo like this comes my way, taking that shit to new heights.

Behold, the assholes who dressed up as bruised and bloodied Asiana Airlines flight attendants. This photo was apparently taken over the weekend at the Sidetrack Video Bar in Chicago.

Their costumes, of course, refer to Asiana Airlines Flight 214, which crashed earlier this year in San Francisco, killing three passengers. And yes, their name badges identify themselves as "Ho Lee Fuk," "Sum Ting Wong" and "Wi Tu Lo" -- the fake racist flight crew names that infamously ran as a prank on KTVU.

Kolten Wong picked off first base for final out of Game 4

To nobody's surprise, racist baseball fans tweet racist things.



Wow. Rookie mistake. Another shocking game-ender in the one of the weirdest World Series ever. Boston took Game 4 when St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong was picked off first base by Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara for the final out of the game: Koji Uehara picks off Kolten Wong for final out of Game 4.

Wong, a rookie from Hawaii, was pinch-running for Allen Craig, who singled earlier in the inning. Alas, with slugger Carlos Beltran at bat, Wong wasn't even trying to steal. He was just trying to get his lead for the pitch, but his "foot slipped," and he wasn't able to beat the throw to first.

It was the only game-ending pickoff in the World Series history. Here's the play:

Read These Blogs

Creative Mom Turns Her Baby's Naptime Into Dream Adventures: Queenie Lau, a freelance artist and mother of three, uses fabric, stuffed animals and other household items to make magical, wonderfully creative photos of her son Wengenn in states of slumber.

Here's a Very Awkward Marriage Proposal That Happened Live on 'Today': If you were watching NBC's Today on Thursday morning, you may have seen this mad awkward marriage proposal.

GOP Precinct Captain Gives Shockingly Racist 'Daily Show' Interview About Voter ID Laws: Aasif Mandvi totally kills it in this amazing Daily Show segment... but let's face it -- GOP precinct captain Don Yelton, quite possibly the most racist Republican ever, does most of the work for him.

Is It Time to Kill Off the Word 'Desi'?: The South Asian experience is complex, mired and expansive. One Aerogram blogger wonders, does the term "desi" do enough to encompass this?

In Defense of the Word "Desi": Why I Love Being Desi: On the other hand, as another Desi blogger puts it, "To be desi is a contradictory mess, but it is my mess."

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.

1. Jimmy Kimmel's Kids Table suggests we "kill everyone in China"

2. Whoa. I think this guy just out-Beyoncé-d Beyoncé.

3. Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara's son steals the spotlight

4. Casting Call: Dumb American Family is the fake Chinese sitcom you've never heard of...

5. Victim identifies home invasion suspects in YouTube rap videos

6. New video emerges in motorcycle mob attack

7. "Asian women don't get breast cancer."

8. Video captures racist rant on the London Underground

9. Marc Marquez, your t-shirt is doing the chink-eye

10. "Chinese Food" somehow debuts on the Billboard Hot 100

Stay Angry, my friends.

Marc Marquez, your t-shirt is doing the chink-eye

Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer lets his racist t-shirt do the talking



I do not follow the world of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, so I was unfamiliar with Mr. Marc Marquez until about half an hour ago. But the dude automatically gets on my shit list for wear this racist-ass t-shirt.

Seriously, people really love doing the chink-eye. Remember these guys?

Marquez, a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle champ, tweeted this photo earlier in the day to his Twitter followers (in Spanish): "Special helmet and shirt for a special GP in Japan, at home!!! ;) Do you like?"

Angry Reader of the Week: Simone Jacobson

Hey everybody! It is my pleasure to introduce you to the latest 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 Simone Jacobson.

George Takei speaks at The National Press Club

In case you missed Sulu on C-SPAN.



I can't believe anyone would miss a single riveting minute of C-SPAN programming, but in case you looked away for a moment, here's Star Trek icon, civil rights activist and social media maestro George Takei speaking on LGBT issues at the National Press Club last week. In his address, he discusses the Supreme Court's rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act and his role as a leading internet influencer:

New video emerges in motorcycle mob attack

Footage shows Alexian Lien getting pulled from his SUV and beaten by bikers.



Another update on that crazy road rage altercation in New York last month, in which a pack of motorcyclists chased down a driver, pulled him out of his SUV and assaulted him... New video footage has emerged of the brutal attack on Alexian Lien: New Video Shows Alexian Lien Pulled From SUV By Bikers And Beaten.

For those who are not quite up to speed with this story, the abridged version... A motorcyclist, riding with a pack, brake-checks a Range Rover and gets hit. Bikers surround the SUV. The driver -- who's with his wife and 2-year-old daughter -- takes off, plowing through several motorcycle riders and sparking a crazy pursuit on the West Side Highway. Driver gets chased down, pulled out of his car and beaten in front of his family.

This week, the local ABC news affiliate obtained some new video of the violent attack. The footage, captured by a witness, shows bikers gathered around Lien, stomping on him and beating him:

Supreme x Bruce Lee 2013 Fall/Winter Collection

Exclusive collaboration with Bruce Lee Enterprises



There's been a lot of cool Bruce news this week. Here's some more, and it's pretty stylin'... Supreme has combined forces with Bruce Lee Enterprises for a kickass collaboration paying tribute to the martial arts movie legend and pop culture icon. The capsule collection, available in stores and online today, includes a coaches jacket, button-down shirt and three original graphic tees made exclusively for Supreme.

Here are some of the designs:

"Chinese Food" somehow debuts on the Billboard Hot 100

We have failed, America.



The creepy panda wins. I had hoped that last week's post would be the first and only thing I'd ever have to write about Alison Gold's crap-tastic "Chinese Food" music video... but the damn thing shows signs that it is not going away just like that: Alison Gold's 'Chinese Food' makes shocking debut on Billboard Hot 100.

We have failed, America. The tween pop star wannabe's ode to Chinese cuisine has inexplicably debuted at number 29 on this week's Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number 5 on Billboard's Streaming Songs chart.

You can thank that ass-awful music video -- featuring hot sauce, Oriental Avenue, kid geishas and a creepy, rainbow-farting rapping panda -- for going viral (10.9 million views and counting since October 14) and propelling this shit to the top. For this blog's small part in contributing to that number, I apologize.

Damn you, Patrice Wilson, for unleashing this evil upon the world.

Red Sox pitcher Koji Uehara's son steals the spotlight

Adorably awesome photos of the ALCS MVP and his kid Kaz



A belated congratulations to Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara, who was named the 2013 ALCS MVP over the weekend after a triumphant performance during the American League Championship Series, picking up three saves and a win against the Detroit Tigers -- and a trip to the World Series.

But while the right-hander has pitched his way to some well-earned accolades, it's Koji Uehara's son, 7-year-old Kazuma, who might be stealing the spotlight. Check out this brief-but-awesome interview Fox Sports' Erin Andrews conducted with the young Uehara:

San Francisco family loses eviction fight

Another household falls prey to the city's housing boom.



This is heartbreaking. The fight is lost. In San Francisco, the elderly Chinese American couple who were fighting to stay in their low-rent apartment near Nob Hill, were forced out this week. The Lees moved out belongings and went to a motel. Evicted: S.F. family loses fight, evicted after 34 years.

The plight of Poon Heung Lee and Gum Gee Lee, who had lived in the apartment with their mentally disabled daughter for 34 years, drew a great deal of support from community advocates, the mayor's office and several city supervisors -- to no avail. Another household falls prey to the San Francisco housing boom.

The evictions were legal under California's Ellis Act, which allows landowners to evict tenants to renovate apartments and sell them as tenant-in-common units. With San Francisco housing showing no signs of stopping the rent-sanity, Ellis Act evictions have shot up 81 percent in the past year.

Meanwhile, the Lees are trying to find a permanent place to live, with help from the community, but they haven't been able to find anything close to the $778 rent they paid for their apartment on Jackson Street, and it's evident that suitable options in the city are shrinking.

More here: Lee family bids heartfelt good-bye to longtime home.

All For One Theater Festival presents KNYUM

World Premiere piece by Cambodian American playwright and actor Vichet Chum



KNYUM is playwright and actor Vichet Chum's performance piece about a character named Guy, an actor who works the graveyard shift at the Hotel East Houston in NYC. Between the hours of 11pm and 7am, the hotel lobby becomes the stage for Guy's dreams and nightmares, where he encounters his parents' stories of sacrifice as survivors of genocide in Cambodia.

KNYUM is largely drawn from Chum's own experiences, and if you're in New York City, you can catch it as part of the All For One Theater Festival, which runs for five weeks. Here's more information:

Bright Vices EP by The Flavr Blue

Download the free new five-track album from the Seattle synth-pop trio.



I am crazy digging Bright Vices, the new EP from The Flavr Blue. The Seattle indie synth-pop trio -- aka Parker, Hollis and Lace -- follows up their 2012 debut album Pisces with a dreamy, moody blast of electro-cool melodies. (You might recognize Hollis Wong-Wear's vocals from Macklemore's "White Walls.") I've had it on repeat for the last two days. Great stuff. Here's the SoundCloud stream of the whole EP:

Orange County man planned to aid Al Qaeda terrorists

Asian behaving badly... terrorist trainer edition?

In Orange County, a security guard is accused of plotting to become an Al Qaeda operative and train terrorist fighters for an upcoming attack: O.C. man was to train Al Qaeda fighters for December attack, feds say.

According to federal prosecutors, 24-year-old Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen, who was arrested this month boarding a bus to Mexico, claimed he was going to Pakistan to train thirty Al Qaeda fighters for a planned attack. He also apparently admitted -- in a Facebook post -- to killing at least one person during a trip to Syria last year.

Nguyen's plan involved flying to Pakistan, faking his own death, applying for a new passport and becoming a jihad fighter. There, using his knowledge of firearms, he would train foot soldiers to execute an ambush against coalition forces.

Whether or not Nguyen actually possessed the skills and resources to pull all this off is another question entirely. He certainly didn't know what was up when he sought the aid of an Al Qaeda recruiter. The guy turned out to be an uncover FBI agent:

The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection

The Big Boss, Fists of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Game of Death -- available for the first time on Blu-ray.



All right, Bruce fans... I present yet another item for you to spend your hard-earned money on. The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection, presented by Shout! Factory, is now available for your kung fu Blu-ray lovin' ass.

This box set includes The Big Boss, Fists of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Game of Death -- all both on DVD and, for the first time, Blu-ray. The set also includes two documentaries, Bruce Lee: The Legend and I Am Bruce Lee. All packaged in a handsome collectible binded book.

Here's a fun trailer to get you jazzed about the set:

Cole Horibe is Bruce Lee in David Henry Hwang's Kung Fu

So You Think You Can Dance star will play the martial arts icon in Signature Theatre's dance biopic.



This is pretty cool... Dancer Cole Horibe, best known as a contestant on the Fox reality competition So You Think You Can Dance, will star as international martial arts icon Bruce Lee in the Signature Theatre's upcoming world premiere of David Henry Hwang's new play Kung Fu: So You Think You Can Dance Star Cole Horibe to Channel Bruce Lee in David Henry Hwang's Kung Fu

The play -- previously described as a "dance-ical" -- is a portrait of Bruce Lee's journey from troubled Hong Kong youth to martial arts legend, blending dance, Chinese opera, martial arts and drama. Does Cole Horibe have the chops to portray the larger-than-life legend on the stage? David Henry Hwang seems to think so:

Jimmy Kimmel's Kids Table suggests we "kill everyone in China"

Political panel proposes deadly force to solve U.S. debt



Did Jimmy Kimmel just endorse the genocide of a billion people? Not quite. But Jimmy Kimmel Live did run a segment last week in which a group of kids suggested that we "kill everyone in China." Ha ha ha?

Kimmel recently gathered a group of precocious children for "Kids Table," a very serious, informed political discussion on the state of our nation, including the government shutdown and U.S. debt to China. Among the many thoughtful observations that were put forth, the panelists made the rather aggressive policy suggestions that America should never pay its debts. And we should kill everyone in China:

"Asian women don't get breast cancer."

False. They do. In fact, it's one of the leading causes of death for Asian women in the U.S.



Contrary to a pervasive, popular perception among medical professionals, Asian women get breast cancer. In fact, it's one of the leading causes of death among Asian women in the United States (and Asia), who actually face unique cultural, linguistic and genetic issues pertaining to breast cancer.

The National Asian Breast Cancer Initiative is a recently established not-for-profit pilot project currently spearheaded by Privy Groupe, fiscally managed by the Asian Pacific Community Fund and endorsed by the Asian and Pacific Islander National Cancer Survivors Network. NABCI is a national initiative to address the unique cultural, linguistic and genetic challenges that Asian women face related to breast cancer.

During the month of October, NABCI has entitled this campaign "Asian women don't get breast cancer" in honor of breast cancer activist Susan Shinagawa -- and for the express purpose is dispelling this fallacy:

Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, November 5-16

This website is a proud media sponsor of the 17th Reel Asian Film Fest.



This is for all you film fans in the Toronto area... Make some plans, because the 17th Annual Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival is going down November 5 through 16 in Toronto and Richmond Hill, with a packed showcase of 60 films from 14 countries including Hong Kong, India, Japan, Laos, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Canada and the United States.

Reel Asian kicks off with Cannes film Bombay Talkies; features the directorial debut of Hong Kong actor Simon Yam, Tales From The Dark Part 1, as the festival centerpiece presentation; and closes out with Linsanity, the hit feature documentary about the Taiwanese American athlete who won over the world.

Here are some more details of the festival highlights:

Fund This: Social justice and public education in the spotlight in Curtis Chin's Tested

Documentary feature examines race, class and public education in New York City.



My friend is working on a documentary feature that's winding down its fundraising campaign and could some help... Tested, directed by Curtis Chin, follows a diverse group of 8th graders from throughout New York as they prepare for an-all important test that will get them into one of the city's few elite public schools.

The problem is the racial make-up at these schools doesn't reflect the city. While blacks and Hispanics make up 70% of the city's school-aged population, they represent as little as 1% and 3% at these schools. Meanwhile, Asian Americans comprise as much as 72% and Whites 25%. This has led to the NAACP LDF charging racial discrimination and filing a legal complaint.

Here's Curtis' Kickstarter video with more details:

The Slants versus U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

"Chinatown Dance Rock" band continues the fight to trademark its name.



I've been aware of The Slants and their trademark woes for several years now. The Portland-based "Chinatown Dance Rock" band (think New Order, Joy Division, The Killers, with an Asian American twist) has been trying to register their name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, only to be rejected multiple times on the grounds that "slants" is a disparaging term for people of Asian descent.

The thing is, if you know anything about The Slants, they are an Asian American rock band through and through. The band members are Asian American. Their music caters to an Asian American crowd. The content of their songs are politically empowering. "The Slants," among other things, is an attempt to reclaim the slur. Hell, for what it's worth, I've even lent my name to legal documents in support of the band's name.

However, none of the band's exhaustive reasoning seems to be relevant to the Trademark Office. So The Slants are taking their fight to the next level. And their plight is starting to pick up attention from mainstream media outlets like NPR's Code Switch:

Victim identifies home invasion suspects in YouTube rap videos

You know them from such hits as "All I Do Is Hustle" and "Hooked On Money."



Whaaaaat. Asians behaving badly... rapping robbers edition? In St. Paul, Minnesota three men were arrested for a home invasion robbery after the victim spotted the suspects appearing in rap videos posted on YouTube: St. Paul man finds home invasion suspects in YouTube rap video.

According to authorities, the three men were going door-to-door posing as pamphleteers last month when they forced their way into the victim's home and attacked him, threatening his 2-year-old daughter. The suspects eventually made off with $2,000 cash, a laptop, an iPad and two handguns, but thankfully, nobody was hurt.

Here's the crazy part. According to the search warrant affidavit, just a few days after the robbery, the victim was watching YouTube when he came across a rap video featuring his three alleged attackers:

Music Video: Adam WarRock battles bad guys in "B.S.F.X."

New album The Middle of Nowhere drops November 5.



Boom! Pow! Smash! People of the internet, got some of that pop cultural hip hop for you. Nerdcore emcee Adam WarRock, aka Eugene Ahn, just dropped the shiny new single and music video for "B.S.F.X." from his forthcoming third full-length album The Middle of Nowhere. Featuring Eugene's signature fanboy-friendly flow, a kickass beat and some Gotham City cosplay (with the assist by Betty Felon and AK Wood), it's like a fun trip to the comic book shop. Check it out:

Video captures racist rant on the London Underground

Seems like there's always one on every train in every city.



Out of the United Kingdom... racism! In London, a man was arrested after video caught him using "racist language" on board a train: London Underground Passenger Arrested For 'Racist Rant'

In the five-minute clip, which was uploaded to YouTube, a 52-year-old man from Watford is seen verbally abusing and hurling racial slurs a Japanese woman sitting opposite him on a Bakerloo line train.

"Get yourself off the train, get yourself off the train. You’re nasty people, yeah? Fuck off, get out of my country. Sayonara." You get the idea. Here's the video:

Whoa. I think this guy just out-Beyoncé-d Beyoncé.

Uh oh uh oh uh oh.


Got this video passed along to me, and dammit, anything that shakes this much ass deserves to be shared. This is 21-year-old Chris Koo. In this video tribute, presumably recorded in his living room, he commemorates the 10th anniversary of Beyoncé Knowles' debut studio album Dangerously in Love the best way he knows how -- shaking that booty to "Crazy in Love" (his favorite song of all time):

Casting Call: Dumb American Family is the fake Chinese sitcom you've never heard of...

This is either going to be kind of brilliant or absolutely infuriating.

Got another weird casting call sent my way... This one's kind of interesting. Abominable Pictures is currently casting actors of Chinese descent for a live-action Adult Swim comedy pilot called Dumb American Family. The premise will kind of make your head spin.

Dumb American Family is a multi-camera sitcom featuring Asian actors made up to look like "gluttonous Americans," speaking in "loud, boisterous, slightly wrong English with Mandarin Chinese subtitles."

What it sounds like: if Chinese television made a sitcom about an American family -- ugly western stereotypes set to maximum -- this is what it might look like.

This is either going to be kind of brilliant or absolutely infuriating. Here are the character breakdowns:

Read These Blogs

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Steven Yeun's Crotch Tick Attack: The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun was recently back as a guest on Conan talking about, among other things, the time he discovered a tick on his... um...

Why Alison Gold's 'Chinese Food' Caused a Stir: In his latest "Tao Jones" column, Jeff Yang talks to the person behind that godawful "Chinese Food" song. World, meet Patrice Wilson.

The Asian-American Awakening: That Moment When You Realize You're Not White: "As a young child, I didn't understand race or skin color. I assumed everyone was white, including me. I hope I can speak for most Asian-Americans here, but there is that earth-shattering moment in our childhood when we realize we're not white. You can take it two ways: embrace that you're not white or try everything in your power to become white."

Model and Former Pageant Queen Maria Kang's Controversial Fitness Photo and Message: Model and former beauty queen Maria Kang drew the scorn of the internet masses when she photo a fitness photo of herself posing with her three young kids, with the tagline, "What's your excuse?"

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.

1. WTF: This music video makes me hate Chinese food. And pandas.

2. An Open Letter from the Asian American Community to the Evangelical Church

3. Creepy camera crew harasses New York Comic Con attendees

4. The Avengers re-imagined as Chinese opera heroes

5. Taiwan is crazy for Jeremy Lin. The feeling is mutual.

6. "Silly asians... always copying shit!"

7. "Chink of Hope" sounds like a bad Indiana Jones movie

8. Daniel Dae Kim is a Jeremy Lin fan too

9. Justin Lin directing period drama pilot set in Hawaii

10. Boxers & Saints is a finalist for the National Book Award

Shoutout to all the nice folks I met this week at the University of Mississippi. Thank you for your hospitality. And for those of you in or around Los Angeles, I hope to see you next weekend at C3: The Conference for Creative Content, Saturday, October 26 at SAG-AFTRA.

Boston Asian American Film Festival, October 24-27

Director Ang Lee will be in attendance for the 20th anniversary screening of The Wedding Banquet.



The Boston Asian American Film Festival is an annual event showcasing features and shorts from the Asian American community. For its fifth celebration, BAAFF celebrates the 20th anniversary of Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet, the story of a gay Taiwanese immigrant who marries a Chinese woman to make his parents happy and to help her get a green card. You can watch the anniversary screening on Thursday, October 24 when the Academy Award-winning director himself will be there to talk about the film:

One-on-One with The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun

Talking "Dead" with your favorite Asian American zombie apocalypse survivor



The walkers have spoken. The fourth season of The Walking Dead premiered last Sunday to a massive, record-breaking 20.2 million viewers, making it the most watched nonsports broadcast in cable history.

With the big return of the hit AMC horror drama, I thought it would be good to revisit my podcast conversation with actor Steven Yeun, who plays your favorite Asian American zombie apocalypse survivor, recorded earlier this year. He talks about getting the gig, his responsibility as an Asian American actor, and love in the land of the undead. Here are some cuts from our conversation...

Angry Reader of the Week: Mark Redito

Photo Credit: Joe Calixto

All right! You know what time it is. Everybody, I would like you 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 Mark Redito, aka Spazzkid.

Daniel Dae Kim is a Jeremy Lin fan too

Hawaii Five-0 star narrates the feature documentary Linsanity.



You know I am a fan of actor Daniel Dae Kim, star of Hawaii Five-0 and Lost. But do you know who Daniel is a fan of? Jeremy Lin, of course. DDK caught the Linsanity too, and even bought a Knicks jersey to prove it. He also lent his voice as narrator of Evan Jackson Leong's feature documentary Linsanity, now in theaters.

But even long before Jeremy was a household name, Daniel was down with the Lin. Check out this interview where he talks about Linsanity, being a fan, and the first time he ever heard about this kid named Jeremy Lin:

"Chink of Hope" sounds like a bad Indiana Jones movie

There are about a thousand better ways to say it.



Come on. COME ON. There are about a thousand better headlines that The Economist could have used over the one they actually settled on for this article: Iran and its nuclear plans: There's a chink of hope.

Is this even an expression? As much as I hate it, "chink in the armor" is a relatively accepted colloquial expression, though sometimes used in the most inappropriate contexts. "Glimmer of hope" is also an oft-used idiom. Is "chink of hope" just an awkward attempt to mash up the two expressions?

Still Breathing: Spoken Word Artist G Yamazawa

Angry Asian Intern™ Cara Van Le interviews award-winning poet and performer George "G" Yamazawa.



Born and raised by Japanese immigrants in Durham, North Carolina, George Masao Yamazawa, Jr., or "G" for short, didn't always have it easy growing up. Other kids made fun of the shape of his eyes or called him Chinese, even after he corrected them. His relationship with his strict father wasn't always easy. It was, at times, abusive. His best friend passed away when he was in junior high. At 16, he was expelled from from school, and that's when G began to explore his family's religion, Buddhism, more deeply to fight his depression.

"Buddhism is basically what kept me afloat and invigorated me to find a passion that gave my life worth," he says. "That's when I found my love for poetry and the use of my voice."