10.31.2016
Your Halloween Costumes, Part One
Hey, what are you rocking for Halloween this year? In what has become a really fun and super-popular tradition, we put the call out to you, the good readers of this blog, for photos of your totally awesome, culturally-appropriate, non-asshole Halloween costumes to feature in our annual gallery. As usual, you answered the call.
Above, we've got Maija as a Ghostbuster and Gene as Voltron. Thank you to everyone who sent in photos. If you'd still like to submit a photo, send it in! Now here's part one of this year's costume gallery:
It's Election Day on 'Fresh Off The Boat'
ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at 9:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. Previous episodes are available for viewing on the ABC website
Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan, Chelsey Crisp as Honey and Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. This week, Cattleman's Ranch serves as a polling place for the 1996 Clinton vs. Dole presidential election.
Here's a preview of episode 304, "Citizen Jessica":
Everybody's going as Ali Wong for Halloween
Talk about inspiration! This year for Halloween, a wave of Asian women (and men too) are getting dressed up as comedian Ali Wong, rocking the red specs and a black and white dress she's rocking on stage -- while seven months pregnant -- in her incredible, hilarious Netflix standup special Baby Cobra. (If you haven't seen it, what the hell are you waiting for?) Turns out Ali inspired a lot of people with a simple but great costume idea.
And Ali approves.
Cambodian Americans from Minnesota are about to be deported to a country they’ve never been to
Eight Cambodian Americans from Minnesota are currently being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These men were detained last August as part of nation-wide raid by ICE. The families of these detained individuals have dubbed themselves the "MN 8" and are demanding the immediate release of their loved ones back to their families.
The MN 8 are seemingly caught up in an immigration system that since 1996 strictly limits the abilities of immigration judges to consider issues of family ties, atonement, and rehabilitation. The deportation of Cambodian Americans began swiftly following a 2002 repatriation agreement between the US and Cambodian governments. Each of the detained individuals have a past aggravated felony conviction, which triggered their deportation orders. An aggravated felony is wide ranging category of which the conviction could trigger at least a 1-year sentence. Each of these men have served their sentences and were leading otherwise regular lives with spouses, children and work when they were detained.
10.30.2016
Read These Blogs
Oldest Chinese Laundry in the U.S. Closes Shop After 140 Years: Ching Lee Laundry, the oldest Chinese-owned laundry in the United States, closed its doors Saturday after 140 years of continuous operations by the same family.
'The Walking Dead' Cast and Crew Pay Tribute to Steven Yeun: The cast and crew of The Walking Dead pay tribute to Steven Yeun, whose beloved character was killed off in the season seven premiere.
The Walking Dead: Steven Yeun explains Glenn's final words: Steven Yeun explains his character's memorable dying words. He also talks about the importance of playing an Asian American role model.
Reader feedback: 'Allow the Asian community to have a voice and please don't be our voice': Hmong chef Yia Vang offers a unique perspective on Bon Apetit's "How to Eat Pho" video controversy.
I Was Never Jackie Chan, and I'm Not Jeremy Lin: Linsanity reverberates today. The New York Times looks back on it -- the good, the bad and the gaffes -- on the eve of Jeremy Lin's return to New York as a member of the Brooklyn Nets.
Amy Hill on being Hollywood's "go-to Asian" and why working with Mike Myers was hell: Veteran actress Amy Hill talks about various characters she's played that have defined her career.
Bon Appetit's 'Ode To Halo-Halo' Is A How-To On Pissing Off The Filipino Community: At this point, Bon Appetit is just trolling on ethnic food, right? Their latest mishap involved a really terrible recipe for halo halo.
Why I Left My Dream Job at Second City: Peter Kim, a former cast member at Second City, says regular heckling has morphed into hate speech, whether you recognize it or not.
Comedian Talks Quitting 'Dream Job' At Second City Due To Racist Audiences: An interview with former Second City cast member Peter Kim, who discusses comedy's growing problem with racism, and how he made the tough decision to leave a dream job over it.
10.29.2016
11 Asian-American Stars Tell Us The Iconic Roles They’ve Always Wanted To Play
Last Saturday, the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) an organization that advocates for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in the industry, celebrated its 25th anniversary with big gala bash gathering together some of the biggest names in Hollywood at the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
BuzzFeed was on the red carpet asking some of the stars to share an iconic role they've always wanted to play.
Why Steven Yeun’s ‘Entertainment Weekly’ cover is such a huge deal
This week, in light of the brutal torture porn that was the Walking Dead season premiere, Entertainment Weekly is featuring Steven Yeun as its cover star. Makes sense -- he has portrayed one of the show's most beloved characters, and (SPOILER ALERT) it's a pretty big deal that after six season’s he's finally leaving the show. But his cover is a little groundbreaking in itself.
Read more at Fusion: Why Steven Yeun’s ‘Entertainment Weekly’ cover is such a huge deal.
Kid's Transforming 'Transformers' Costume Rocks
Dad Lawrence Asuncion is helping his little Optimus Prime win at trick-or-treating this year. He spent six hours building an awesome "Transformers" costume for his 4-year-old son, Lawson, that actually transforms.
"He loves it," Asuncion, of Oradell, New Jersey, told ABC News. “I had to tell him that I was still working on it so he'd take it off, and he wanted to sleep while wearing it!"
Read more at ABC News: Kid's Transforming 'Transformers' Costume Rocks.
10.28.2016
Angry Reader of the Week: Andrew Choi
Hey, folks! What's up? It is time, once again, 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 Andrew Choi.
Steven Yeun already has a new job after 'The Walking Dead'
It's been a pretty big week for Steven Yeun. Sunday kicked off with the much-hyped (and now very much likely spoiled -- sorry) death of his beloved character Glenn on The Walking Dead. Since then he's been making the post-mortem rounds, including a stop back on Conan to hang out with his old pal and debrief his high-profile departure from AMC's popular zombie drama -- and what comes next.
It turns out that Steven already has a new job to follow-up his exit from The Walking Dead. That was quick. Steven's got a sweet new gig as Conan O'Brien's rehearsal stand-in. Here's the behind-the-scenes footage.
Hey readers! Share your Halloween costume photos!
What costume will you be rocking this Halloween? In what has become a really fun tradition, we're putting the call out to you, the good readers of this blog, to submit photos of your totally awesome, non-asshole, culturally-appropriate Halloween costumes to be part of our annual gallery. It's always a big hit, so get in on this.
Email your photos to angryasianman@angryasianman.com and we'll put up a gallery of the best ones. It helps to include the names of everyone in the photo, as well as a description of their costume(s). (By sending in your photo(s), it is assumed you are giving permission to have them published on this website and/or social media.)
Photos of cute costumed kids will be given special consideration. Above, we've got young Rockett and Zoe, donning a pair of topical costumes to make statement about the current chaos that is our presidential election. I'm told that there was actually no parental influence on their choice of costumes. It's clear who's got their vote.
Illinois Senator mocks Tammy Duckworth's family heritage
Rep. Tammy Duckworth is a congresswoman, war veteran, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. She is a dedicated public servant and trailblazer by all accounts. So, of course, as an Asian American woman, she would be attacked by an entitled white politician trying to cast doubt on her military and ethnic heritage.
Sen. Mark Kirk questions opponent's American heritage in Illinois debate
Duckworth is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Mark Kirk. On Thursday night during the Illinois senate debate, Duckworth mentioned her family's history of military service.
"My family has served this nation in uniform, going back to the Revolution," Duckworth said. "I'm a Daughter of the American Revolution. I've bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound. Because people are quick to sound the drums of war, and I want to be there to say this is what it costs, this is what you're asking us to do... Families like mine are the ones that bleed first."
Kirk responded with a snarky dig at Duckworth's heritage: "I'd forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington." The implication: how could a woman who looks like you have any sort of connection to something so purely American as the Revolutionary War?
Well, allow Tammy to explain.
10.27.2016
Korean American adoptee faces unjust deportation
Earlier this week, an immigration judge ruled that Korean American adoptee, Adam Crapser, will not be granted relief from pending deportation to South Korea. Crapser, who is married and has three small children, was adopted by an American couple at the age of three and is alienated from his birth country and culture.
According to the Associated Press, Crapser survived years of childhood abuse and neglect. Seven years after he and his older sister were brought to the U.S. as transnational adoptees, their adoptive parents relinquished them, leaving them vulnerable to a foster care system that immediately separated the siblings.
While under the guardianship of Thomas and Dolly Crapser, the couple was arrested on charges of physical child abuse, sexual abuse, and rape. Although both denied the charges, Thomas Crapser served ninety days in jail; Dolly Crapser received three years of probation. One of the events that led to Adam Crapser being threatened with deportation was an arrest when he broke into the Crapsers' home to retrieve the few items that came with him from the Korean orphanage: a pair of shoes and a Korean bible.
10.26.2016
Reviewing the Reviews of Marvel’s Doctor Strange
Six months and change after the release of its first trailer -- and therefore about the same amount of time since co-writer C. Robert Cargill's infamous "[t]he social justice warriors were going to get mad at us for something this week" rebuttal to Asian American critics of the film's whitewashing -- the initial reviews are in for Doctor Strange, and they're not encouraging.
Oh, the movie? Actually, the critics seem to like it just fine. Being The Nerds of Color, however, we’re interested in looking at a different metric. Doctor Strange's whitewashing of primary character The Ancient One was, after all, one of the driving forces behind the hashtag and rallying cry #whitewashedOUT in May.
So no, this isn’t a review of Doctor Strange the film, but a review of the reviews of the film, using a simple standard: how accurately and humanely did each review portray Asian American dissent over the whitewashing of The Ancient One?
Newspaper runs obituary for Glenn of 'The Walking Dead'
By now, if you didn't watch Sunday night's shocking season premiere of The Walking Dead, the internet has already surely somehow spoiled it for you within the last 48 hours. So... there's no way to share this without revealing that one of the hit zombie drama's beloved, fan-favorite characters, Glenn, did indeed die. It was brutal, it was gruesome, and it was deeply upsetting. People are going to be talking about this one for a while.
And people are mourning Glenn Rhee, played by Steven Yeun for six seasons. One Walking Dead fan, paying homage to the fallen hero, wrote an faux obituary (fauxbituary?) for the Batesville Daily Guard, based in Batesville, Arkansas. The piece, which ran in Tuesday's print edition, praised the former pizza deliveryman for his "impeccable moral grounding" and "bravery in the face of both the Undead and the Brutal Living."
Life Imitating Art Imitating Life
Hey all, I'm Hudson Yang, and I play Eddie Huang on ABC's Fresh Off the Boat. You probably know Eddie is based on the real Eddie Huang, who's an amazing chef and writer -- his restaurant Bauhaus in NYC is the bomb, and he's opening one in LA soon, yeaaahhhh. Eddie's memoir about growing up as a Taiwanese American kid in Orlando, Florida turned into our show.
When they cast me as Eddie, they did it in part because in a lot of ways, we're alike. I mean, it's not just that we kind of look alike: We say what's on our minds and we do what we feel like we gotta do, and we both really love food.
I always have, since I was a little kid. My grandma on my mom's side, who lived with us, would cook all the time — it was her way to show that she loved us. I grew up on amazing Taiwanese food (and leftovers from the food, and leftovers from the leftovers….). She let me help her cook, showing me how to use a knife the right way to peel vegetables, stirring the pot. Once I got burned and my dad flipped out. But I told him it was my fault and that I'd be more careful. I kept on helping my grandma…and even when I got burned again, I pretended it didn't happen so he wouldn't know until it healed.
10.25.2016
Man faces hate crime charge in attack on Sikh man
In Bakersfield, California, hate crime charges have been filed against a man who allegedly accosted a Sikh man outside a restaurant last month, threatening to kill him and accusing him of "trying to blow up this country."
Hate crime charge filed in attack on Sikh man outside Bakersfield restaurant
According to the Kern County District Attorney office, 40-year-old David Hook approached Balmeet Singh outside a restaurant on September 30 and began cursing and yelling racial slurs at him. He told Singh, "You're trying to blow up this country. I should... kill you right now," before throwing a cup of soda on him.
Singh shared about the incident in a video posted to YouTube earlier this month:
10.24.2016
It's another Huang Halloween on 'Fresh Off The Boat'
ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at 9:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. Previous episodes are available for viewing on the ABC website
Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan, Chelsey Crisp as Honey and Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. This week, it's Louis' favorite holiday -- Halloween! And he's out to scare Jessica into the Halloween spirit.
Here's a preview of episode 303, "Louisween":
Stand Up, Raise Your Voice and #PowerUp the Vote
On Election Day, you have the power. So #PowerUp. Are you ready to get off your ass and vote? This PSA from APIA Vote and Rock the Vote features Hudson Yang, Jessica Sanchez, Sonal Shah, Danny Pudi and Parvesh Cheena coming together to urge you to #PowerUp the vote. Together, our voices and votes as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders can make a lasting impact in 2016 and beyond.
So That Was The Worst Episode of The Walking Dead
It's been an excruciatingly long summer for fans of The Walking Dead. The season finale of AMC's hit undead drama ended with our favorite zombie apocalypse survivors in their darkest hour, literally on their knees facing the much-hyped introductory wrath of the villainous Negan. This was six seasons in the making, ending on the cruelest of cliffhangers. We would have to wait until next season to find out who got eeny-meeny-miney-moe'd to meet their bloody end, courtesy of Negan's barb-wire covered baseball bat, "Lucille."
On Sunday night's season seven premiere, we finally found out.
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10.23.2016
Read These Blogs
'Doctor Strange' Cast Addresses Whitewashing Controversy at Film's World Premiere: Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson says he wanted to cast The Ancient One as a woman, but not an Asian woman, because he wanted to avoid "Dragon Lady" stereotypes. Nice try. How about trying a little harder?
Commemorating LA's Chinese Massacre, possibly the worst lynching in US history: Monday marks the 145th anniversary of the Chinese Massacre, when vigilantes tortured and hanged at least 18 Chinese men and boys in LA's Chinatown.
Vietnamese-Americans Are No Longer A Lock For The Republican Party: "Vietnamese-Americans, who number nearly 2 million, with especially large concentrations in California and Texas, are part of the larger narrative of Asian-Americans who have switched party affiliations and votes from Republican to Democratic."
George Takei: An Open Letter to America's Young Voters: The acclaimed actor and activist writes about how our youth can lead the U.S. to a brighter, more tolerant future post-Trump.
My Korean mom is voting for Trump *backwards dive into a sea of eye rolls*: For the duration of election season, Jezzika Chung will be communicating with her mother only via text.
10.21.2016
The Worst Lynching in American History
Monday marks the 145th anniversary of the Chinese massacre of 1871, one of the worst mass lynchings in U.S. history. On October 24, 1871, racially motivated riots resulted in the massacre of 19 Chinese men and boys in the streets of downtown Los Angeles -- one of the darkest chapters in the city's history.
On the evening of October 24, 1871, several white policemen entered Chinatown to break up an argument between members of rival Chinese tongs. Whether by anger or accident, a white man was shot to death. Shortly thereafter, a mob of 500 entered Chinatown and assaulted every Chinese person they saw.
Eleven white men, including Sheriff James Burns and prominent Los Angeleno Robert Widney, attempted to protect the Chinese and stop the violence, but they were also attacked. After five hours, the vigilantes had tortured and hanged 19 Chinese men and boys, and looted Chinese homes and businesses.
The incident drew national attention and provoked a grand jury investigation. Seven men were held responsible and convicted for the riots, but only one actually served any jail time.
On Monday in Los Angeles, the Chinese American Museum will join with other community organizations and local leaders for a vigil observing the anniversary of the Chinese Massacre of 1871.
HBO APA Visionaries Short Film Competition
Attention, filmmakers! HBO invites you to submit your short film to the Asian Pacific American Visionaries Short Film Competition. HBO's first initiative of its kind, the contest seeks to identify new voices in APA cinema and provide emerging director an opportunity to showcase their work.
Here's Jimmy O. Yang of HBO's Silicon Valley with the call for submissions:
Angry Reader of the Week: Doualy Xaykaothao
Hey, folks! It's that time again. Gather 'round, because 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 Doualy Xaykaothao.
10.20.2016
Because Korean ghost stories are the best ghost stories
It's Halloween on Dr. Ken! But Dave (Albert Tsai) can't seem to get into the spooky holiday spirit. Fearing her son is growing up too fast, Allison (Suzy Nakamura) hopes D.K.'s (Dana Lee) unique Korean ghost tale -- brought to life by the Park family and the Welltopia gang -- will bring back Dave's excitement for Halloween.
Because everybody knows Korean ghost stories are the best ghost stories.
Inspired by executive producer/star Ken Jeong's real life and career as a medical doctor, the multi-camera comedy Dr. Ken follows Dr. Ken Park, a physician with bad bedside manner trying to juggle medicine and being a family man to his wife and kids -- and not quite succeeding on either front.
Here's a sneak peek and some more info about this week's episode, "D.K.'s Korean Ghost Story":
Warner Bros. greenlights 'Crazy Rich Asians' movie
It is on. Warner Bros. has acquired and fast-tracked the movie adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, based on the popular novel by Kevin Kwan. Rights for the romantic comedy, which will be directed by Jon M. Chu and will feature an exclusively Asian cast, reportedly attracted a heated bidding war.
'Crazy Rich Asians' Adaptation Lands at Warner Bros. (EXCLUSIVE)
Kwan's 2014 bestseller follows Rachel Chu, a Chinese American economics professor in New York who has no idea that her boyfriend, Nick Young, is heir apparent to one of Asia's most wealthy old-money families. When Nick invites Rachel to his best friend's wedding in Singapore, she gets thrown into the obscenely opulent, crazy rich world of Singapore high society -- and the gossip, backbiting and scheming that comes with it.
Crazy Rich Asians, produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force (which produced The Hunger Games series) with Chu directing from a screenplay by Pete Chiarelli (The Proposal), could start shooting as early as this spring in Singapore. To get the gig, Chu -- the son of Chinese immigrants -- apparently put together a visual presentation that included family photos to show his deeply personal connection to the material.
October 24 is National Take Your Ethnic Food To Work Day
Mark your calendars! It's time to get ethnic. As everyone knows, October 24 is national Take Your Ethnic Food To Work Day -- your annual opportunity to stink it up and bring your funkiest, smelliest ethnic food to the workplace. No judgement! Organize a lunchtime potluck for your office and share photos of you, your coworkers, and of course, your stanky-ass food using the hashtag #foodtowork.
Here's how one California workplace celebrated back in 2014:
10.19.2016
'Vietgone': A Modern Twist On The All-American Love Story
New York City! Manhattan Theatre Club presents the New York premiere of Qui Nguyen's acclaimed new play Vietgone, with previews now running at MTC's City Center - Stage 1.
With sold-out runs at South Coast Repertory and Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Vietgone is a modern twist on the All-American love story, Vietgone is described as the classic story of boy meets girl -- except this boy and girl are refugees from the Vietnam War newly settled in a relocation camp inside Middle America.
Here's more about Vietgone:
Jeremy Lin surprises some fans. They are not cool with it.
Four years after "Linsanity," is New York City ready to welcome back Jeremy Lin? In this Comedy Central video, the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets recently took to the streets to pull a few surprises on unsuspecting fans outside the Barclays Center. As you can see, they weren't thrilled about getting the crap scared out of them... even by Jeremy Lin.
This is obviously staged. But it's still funny.
26 Things Asian Americans Secretly Google
Why are Asians lactose intolerant? How do you say "happy birthday" in Cantonese? Asian glow remedies. How to do monolid makeup. Whether you'd like to admit it or not, there are just some things that we Asian Americans do not know... about being Asian American. Stuff you'd presume we'd know. Stuff we might be embarrassed that we don't know. Thus, the truth in this latest BuzzFeed video...
10.18.2016
Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon)
Following up the uproarious standing-room-only success of "Scarlett Johansson Presents: AAPI Heritage Month," you are invited to Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange! (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon) -- another fine evening of comedy and trolling.
No, Ms. Johansson will not be appearance (nor will Mr. Damon), but this comedy show -- not coincidentally timed with the release of Marvel's Doctor Strange -- will actually feature some funny, kickass Asian Americans, including Sheng Wang, Jiavani Linayao, Stir Friday Night and Voltron: The UCB Superteam.
It's happening Friday, November 4 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe. Here are more details:
Help defend Asian American voting rights on Election Day
Do you want to help defend Asian American voting rights on Election Day? The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), along with other Asian American organizations, seeks volunteers to help monitor elections and conduct non-partisan voter surveys at poll sites in Asian American neighborhoods.
In past elections, Asian Americans have faced a series of barriers in exercising their right to vote. For example, poll workers were hostile and made racist remarks, poll sites had too few interpreters to assist Asian American voters, translated voting materials were missing or hidden from voters, and ballots were mistranslated listing Democratic candidates as Republicans, and vice versa.
Want to help with exit polling and poll monitoring on November 8? Sign up to volunteer. Attendance at one training session is required for all volunteers. All volunteers must be non-partisan and work a 3-hour shift. (CLE trainings are 90 minutes. Attorneys can receive 1.5 CLE credits including 0.5 ethics credit.)
Steven Yeun’s Guide to Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse (at the Office)
It's been a long summer for fans of The Walking Dead, but we'll only have to wait a few more days to learn which character met their bloody end at the hands of the villainous Negan. Fans know that Glenn, played by Steven Yeun on AMC's hit undead drama, [SPOILER] dies in the comics, but maybe our favorite Asian American zombie apocalypse survivor will be spared? Hell, I don't even want to know. Put us out of our misery.
In the meantime, check out Steven suiting up in this fun feature for GQ, in which he outlines some important tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse at the office -- and looks sharp while doing it:
If you should ever find yourself fighting off walkers at the workplace, take note of Steven's tips. The guy has survived six season of The Walking Dead (so far), so I think he knows what he's talking about.
You should vote -- because these kids aren't old enough yet.
These kids might not be old enough to vote, but they've got an important message for you about getting to the polls. This PSA from Kore Asian Media, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Los Angeles Councilmember David Ryu gathers together the likes of Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen of Fresh Off The Boat, Ally Maki and Asif Ali of Wrecked, Sydney Viengluang of Z-Nation and Jona Xiao of Keeping Up With the Joneses, to call on you to get out and vote in this super-important upcoming election.
10.17.2016
Yuri & Malcolm Mural Dedication Ceremony
On Sunday in New York, you are invited to a dedication ceremony for new mural in honor of legendary activists and friends Yuri Kochiyama and Malcolm X. Over a year and a half in the making, the community mural will be unveiled on Sunday, October 23 at the corner of 125th St. and Old Broadway in Harlem.
Here are some more details about the dedication:
Emery joins Eddie at middle school on 'Fresh Off The Boat'
ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at 9:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. Previous episodes are available for viewing on the ABC website
Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan, Chelsey Crisp as Honey and Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. This week, Jessica is offended when Louis hires a housekeeper, and Eddie shows Emery the ropes on his first day of middle school.
Here's a preview of episode 302, "Breaking Chains":
Sikh Captain America wants you to GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE
Earlier this month, hordes of fanfolks -- in both cosplay and civilian garb -- converged at New York Comic Con in celebration of all degrees and persuasions of geeky fandom. But Sikh Captain America was also at NYCC with an important mission and message: to remind people to GET OFF YOUR ASS AND VOTE.
Sikh Captain America is cartoonist Vishavjit Singh, the artist behind Sikhtoons, who is always redefining what it truly means to be a patriot. He was on the convention floor taking photos with attendees and rocking this simple, direct and to-the-point sign. Consider it a superheroic kick in the butt to get folks out to the polls.
Here are some photos of Vish, various cosplayers, and a very important message:
10.16.2016
Read These Blogs
The 12 Most Incredible And Absurd Things That Happened At The "Hindus For Trump" Bollywood Event: Last night, the Republican Hindu Coalition in New Jersey held a charity event titled "Humanity United Against Terror," with Donald Trump as the chief guest. Amongst other things, there were photoshopped fliers of Sonia Gandhi and Hillary Clinton, multiple Trump goof-ups, and terrorists with lightsaber-y guns.
An Open Letter To The 'New York Times' Who Told Brown Asians They Don't Matter: Michael Luo's powerful letter about a racist encounter inspired the #thisis2016 hashtag and a New York Times video about the "Asian American" experience. But there was one big problem: the video excluded "brown" Asian Americans.
People Are Angry This Reporter Had The Cops Called On Her For Being "Hispanic" With A "Suspicious Truck": Someone called the cops on Homa Bas, a reporter with NBC5 in Dallas-Ft. Worth, and her cameraperson, describing them as "a Hispanic-looking woman and a black man with a suspicious white truck and camera." (By the way, Bash is Indian American.)
Born In The U.S., Raised In China: 'Satellite Babies' Have A Hard Time Coming Home: A Harvard research project focuses on the phenomenon of Chinese immigrants who are raising what some psychologists call "satellite babies" -- children who are sent to be raised by family in China.
How I Talk to My Mother: "We share a weakening grasp on a native language, and this is something that ties us together."
Former LA hospital - once a lifeline for Japanese Americans - is up for landmark status: In the 1930s, Japanese Hospital in Boyle Heights was one of the only places in Los Angeles where Japanese Americans could go for medical treatment. The Los Angeles City Council is expected to vote later this month on whether to grant the building landmark status.
10.14.2016
Family Reunion: A Storytelling Show
Hey, Los Angeles! It's story time. Everybody's getting together for another edition of Disoriented Comedy's Family Reunion, monthly live storytelling show co-presented by Angry Asian Man, Tuesday Night Project, Mishthi Music and KAYA Press, featuring regular everyday folks talking story. No notes.
This month's theme is "Just Say It." The evening's lineup of storytellers includes Ellington Wells, Alison De La Cruz, Akemi Look, Venk Modur, Chanelle Wang, Jenny Yang, Atsuko Okatsuka and Joe Starr.
It's happening Thursday, October 20 at Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe. Here are some more details:
Angry Reader of the Week: Uyen Tieu
Hello, friendly people of world wide web. This is your regular check-in with 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 Uyen Tieu.
10.13.2016
Ken finds out his parents are divorced on 'Dr. Ken'
This week on Dr. Ken, Ken finds out his parents are divorced -- and fears his own marriage is doomed.
Inspired by executive producer/star Ken Jeong's real life and career as a medical doctor, the multi-camera comedy Dr. Ken follows Dr. Ken Park, a physician with bad bedside manner trying to juggle medicine and being a family man to his wife and kids -- and not quite succeeding on either front.
Dr. Ken also stars the awesome Suzy Nakamura as Allison, Albert Tsai as Dave, Krista Marie Yu as Molly and Dana Lee as D.K. The cast is rounded out by Tisha Campbell Martin as Damona, Jonathan Slavin as Clark and Dave Foley as Pat.
Here's some more info about this week's episode, "Dr. Ken: Child of Divorce":
10.12.2016
The Short Film
I love short films. The short film is a unique art form that allows for the unexpected -- from the film itself, and from its viewer, too. Like a short story, there is an invitation into a world that may be new or unknown, and a willingness to enter, afterall, the commitment seems brief. But this is exactly how a short film can be effective in sharing a point of view that otherwise might be eschewed.
Often when approaching a short film, one's guard is down and mind is more open. There is less formality than, say, experiencing a dedicated screening of a feature-length piece, with attendant expectations about the kind of pleasure one wants to get out of it; the engagement with a short film engenders breath (excitement about the unfamiliar), and breadth (flexibility in our viewing practices), because we don't quite know what to expect but we're giving our attention nevertheless.
10.11.2016
Disney Says 'Mulan' Will Not Feature a White Male Lead
I am writing this 19 hours since my open letter was shared on the Angry Asian Man blog as a closing statement to the revolution we've made today, and to congratulate our community for this tremendous feat of solidarity.
Disney has officially responded, as seen in this Vanity Fair article:
Don't Worry: Mulan Will Not Feature a White Male Lead
Though the article disparagingly writes off my words as "rumors," it admits that Disney does not deny that the spec script contains what I described. I, and many others who have read the script, know it to be true -- the spec script is problematic in its depiction of a white male hero who serves as Mulan's love interest, helps fight her battles, and ultimately is the one who defeats the enemy of China. That was the script that Disney bought, which, even as a "jumping-off point," is unacceptable. Disney now publicly states that the male lead will be Chinese and that the script is being rewritten. So let's hold them to it. It's as much as an apology we can expect from a company as large as this, but is much appreciated nonetheless.
10.10.2016
#IAmAsianAmerican: 4 Cities, 4 Concerts, October 16
Asian America, are you ready to stand and be counted? This upcoming election will be one of the most important in recent history, for many reasons, and it's imperative that we, as the fastest-growing racial demographic in the country, are not defined as a community that sat this one out.
#IAmAsianAmerican is a national campaign to engage Asian American millennials to become active participants in the electoral process. #IAAA aims to register at least 15,000 new voters with a first-ever national concert event taking place on October 16 in four cities with major Asian American populations: New York, Washington DC, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
The free events will combine food, live music and speakers and on-the-ground engagement in each city -- including a flagship red-carpet celebrity event at Los Angeles' historic Wiltern Theater, which will also be live-streamed to the three other participating cities and locations across the country.
"IAAA is about proudly owning our cross-cultural identities, says executive director Uyen Tieu. "By celebrating Asian American civic engagement and pop culture, we want to put a spotlight on the power of our community -- and get everyone to the polls this November."
Here's some more information about the flagship event happening in Los Angeles:
The Huangs go to Taiwan in the season premiere of 'Fresh Off The Boat'
ABC's hit Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat airs Tuesday nights at its new time at 9:00pm. The comedy, inspired by the memoir of chef Eddie Huang, tells the story of the Huang family, a Taiwanese American family getting their immigrant hustle on in 1990s suburban Orlando, in pursuit of the American dream. Previous episodes are available for viewing on the ABC website
Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan, Chelsey Crisp as Honey and Lucille Soong as Grandma Huang. In this week's season premiere, the Huangs travel to Taiwan and Ken Jeong returns as Louis' brother Gene.
Here's a preview of episode 301, "Coming From America":
An Open Letter to the Creators of Disney's Live-Action Feature Film 'The Legend of Mulan'
A white merchant's business brings him to the heart of a legendary Asian conflict -- he unwittingly helps save the day while winning the heart of the Asian female. Am I describing the plotline of the Netflix series Marco Polo? No. I'm describing the spec script that Disney bought for its live-action feature film, The Legend of Mulan, which is projected for release in 2018.
As an Asian American person in the industry, I am furious after reading this script. I am writing this letter anonymously so all the fans anticipating this remake will know how problematic it is in its current form. We must urge the creators of Disney's live-action Mulan to reconsider the story before the film goes into production.
The 1998 Disney animated classic focused on Mulan's transition from being a young girl failing to fit the mold of a perfect daughter and wife to a heroine whose brave acts ultimately save ancient China. Her determination allows her to rise above the gender expectations of her culture and become the one who brings "honor to us all." Hers is essentially an Asian American tale because it fused Asian characters and culture with a coming-of-age hero's journey that resonated with American audiences.
So why does the script for the live-action remake feature a white male lead?
10.09.2016
Read These Blogs
Pro-Trump Group Shares Super Racist Anti-Asian Meme: Last week, a Facebook group called "Wisconsin for Trump" -- which has more than 25,000 likes -- shared a super racist anti-Asian meme critical of Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Great Wall Has a New Trailer, Plus Matt Damon Addressed the "White Savior" Concerns at an NYCC Panel: Matt Damon tried to address concerns over his "white savior" character in The Great Wall, but seemed to completely miss the point.
The Guardian view on whitewashing in the movies: a failure of imagination: Writing Asians out of their stories is not in anyone's interest; it's not only evidence of bias but of creative failure.
Bill O'Reilly's Ugly Carnival: "Gentle fun"? Bigotry disguised as entertainment sociology. Cheap jokes about Chinatown from Fox anchor Bill O'Reilly and his sidekick might end up being pretty costly, in the end.
Here's Why People Still Think Racist Asian Jokes Are Acceptable: For one, they're not funny. And these lazy jokes about Asians have consequences for real people.
10.07.2016
Daniel Dae Kim offers Jesse Watters a plane ticket to see 'Hold These Truths'
So you got mad about that racist Fox News segment by walking talking assbag Jesse Watters, in which he went to Chinatown with no other point but to make fun of Asians. Some responded to the piece with wickedly clever clapback videos, while some took the opportunity to simply call Watters a "racist piece of shit" in person. Actor Daniel Dae Kim is offering Watters a round trip plane ticket to Minnesota.
The Hawaii Five-0 star is offering Watters a plane ticket to see his friend Joel de la Fuente in the play Hold These Truths, now playing at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, to "learn something about the role Asian Americans have played in the shaping of our country." This is a serious offer -- "not a trick or joke" -- made in the spirit of understanding. He'll pay for Watters' round trip airfare.
Kim made the offer to Watters' via Twitter:
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