'Brown Nation' is a slice of Indian immigrant life

New Netflix comedy series is a satirical look at the everyday hustle of Indians in New York City.



Because hey, Aziz Ansari doesn't have to be the only Indian dude on Netflix. The new comedy Brown Nation is a satirical slice-of-life look at the everyday hustle of Indian immigrants and other brown-skinned communities in New York City. The 10-episode season debuted on the streaming service on November 15.

The series, created and written by Matt Grubb, George Kanatt and Abi Varghese, centers on Hasmukh, an immigrant from Gujarat who runs a small foundering IT company in Queens. While holding his dysfunctional office together, Hasmukh must navigate various personal relationships, including his struggling artist wife, his live-in father-in-law (who has been visiting from India for more than nine months) and a dog he despises.

Here's a trailer for the series:

Whitewashing: A Time-Honored Hollywood Tradition

YOMYOMF's 10 Hollywood Films Where Asian Characters were 'Whitewashed'



With recent movies like Marvel's Doctor Strange and the upcoming live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell catching criticism (and ridicule) for casting white actors as Asian characters, it's brought a renewed spotlight on the racist, time-honored Hollywood tradition of whitewashing.

Over at YOMYOMF, Phil Chung has compiled an interesting list of 10 Hollywood Films Where Asian Characters were 'Whitewashed' -- characters that were originally intended to be Asian, but whose identities and backgrounds were scrubbed to be played by non-Asian actors.

In addition to helpfully clarifying the difference between "yellowface" and "whitewashing," the list includes recent glaring examples that people usually cite when railing against whitewashing, like Aang in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Goku in Dragonball: Evolution, where the characters are Asian in the source material.

But the list also highlights real-life Asians who were magically changed into white people for the movies, like Dr. Yuan-Tsong Chen, the brilliant Taiwanese research doctor who developed the cure for Pompe Disease. In 2010's Extreme Measures, the character became Dr. Robert Stonewall, played by Harrison Ford. What?

"While it sucks that the film denied giving credit to the real man who created the real cure for a real disease," Phil notes, "at least Dr. Chen didn't have to see his name associated with a shitty movie if that's any consolation." Well, there's that.

See the full list at YOMYOMF: 10 Hollywood Films Where Asian Characters were 'Whitewashed'

Elaine Chao Joins Trump's Cabinet as Secretary of Transportation

By Jenn Fang. Cross-Posted from Reappropriate.


Former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.

Former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, who is the only member of President George W. Bush's Cabinet to serve the full eight years of his two terms in office, has been selected by President-Elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Transportation in his upcoming administration.

Chao, who was the first Asian American woman to sit on a presidential Cabinet, previously served as Deputy Secretary of Transportation and Director of the Peace Corps under President George H.W. Bush.

Chao's tenure as Labor Secretary was marked by her decidedly pro-business stance, leaving her frequently at odds with labour unions and workers' rights groups. The Government Accountability Office reported in 2008 that the Labor Department inadequately investigated tens of thousands of complaints filed by workers alleging labour violations. In addition, the Department of Labor under Chao was repeatedly criticized for failing to conduct proper safety inspections to protect worker health, while redirecting resources towards stricter scrutiny of labour unions' financial records. Nonetheless, Chao has remained a powerful player within the national Republican party even after leaving the position of Secretary of Labor, particularly as a close strategist and advisor to her husband of over twenty years, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Michelle Yeoh cast in captain role in 'Star Trek: Discovery'

She'll play a captain on CBS' 'Star Trek' series, but she won't be playing THE captain.



It has been officially confirmed that Michelle Yeoh has joined the cast as a recurring character in Star Trek: Discovery. She will be playing a captain on the new series, but she will not be playing the captain.

'Star Trek: Discovery' Casts Michelle Yeoh In Captain Role

Yeoh will play Captain Georgiou, the Starfleet captain commanding the U.S.S. Shenzhou -- not the captain of the eponymous starship Discovery, as many had speculated, and not the show's main character. According to Deadline, her ship "is set to play a big role in Discovery's first season."

Award-winning actor and filmmaker Keo Woolford dies at 49

Honolulu native wrote, directed and produced the 2013 indie film 'The Haumana.'


Photo Credit: Olivier Koning
Actor Keo Woolford, who wrote, directed and produced the award-winning 2013 independent film The Haumana, died Monday afternoon in Hawaii after suffering a severe stroke last week. He was 49.

Keo Woolford, Actor on 'Hawaii Five-0,' Dies at 49

A native of Honolulu, Woolford had a recurring role as Detective James Chang on CBS' Hawaii Five-0, as well as small roles in films like Happy Texas (1999), Act of Valor (2012) and Godzilla (2014). He also starred in more than 300 performances as the King of Siam in The King & I at the London Palladium.

Hawaii Five-0 star Daniel Dae Kim shared his remembrance of Woolford on Twitter:

Fast Forward 2060

Wednesday, December 7 at Impact Hub DC


Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing racial group in the United States -- now 20 million strong and expected to more than double to over 50 million by 2060. How do we get there? How do we mobilize and move forward right now during this important time?

Next week in Washington DC, there will be a day-long public pop-up exhibit and event called Fast Forward 2060: Highlighting Legacy and Action in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community Under President Obama and Beyond. Fast Forward 2060 will celebrate AAPI progress under the Obama Administration and beyond and also provide a platform for the AAPI community at large to mobilize going forward.

It's happening Wednesday, December 7 at Impact Hub DC. Here are some more details:

Nobody does Costco like 'Fresh Off The Boat'

Episode 306: "WWJD: What Would Jessica Do" airs Tuesday, November 29, 9:00 pm on ABC



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 thrown for a loop when Evan chooses church over Costco.

Here's a preview of episode 306, "WWJD: What Would Jessica Do":

Get your hands on the Haikus On Hotties 2017 Calendar

From the Makers of
Hotties with Haikus now comes
Hotties ON Haikus.



Look, it's very simple. Hot Asian men. Poetry. Every month. People, it's the Haikus On Hotties 2017 Calendar, now available for purchase! The full-color calendar features thirteen months of attractive Asian men in various states of dress or undress, sharing a little bit of poetry with you. It makes the perfect holiday gift for your friends who need just a little more Asian American male hotness in their lives. Order now!

Created by Ada Tseng, Professor of Hotness, the non-award-winning photo and poetry series Haikus with Hotties was first launched in 2013 for Audrey Magazine, featuring attractive men answering ridiculous questions while counting syllables. Last year, the series inspired the crowd-funded 2016 Haikus With Hotties Calendar. And now, the project has morphed and returned with a twist: Haikus On Hotties.

Hate letters to mosques threaten genocide against Muslims

"He's going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews."



Dispatches from Trump America... In California, a hate letter threatening genocide against Muslims was sent to three mosques, warning that Donald Trump would "do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews."

Letters threatening genocide against Muslims and praising Trump sent to multiple California mosques

The same handwritten, photocopied letter, addressed to "the children of Satan," was sent last week to the Islamic Center of Long Beach, the Islamic Center of Claremont and the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose. The author promises, among other things, that Trump will "cleanse America and make it shine again."

Read These Blogs

Is It Racist To Call Someone 'Racist'? On "political correctness," colorlind racism, and white nationalism.

* * *
Trump's America: A Hostile Place For Huddled Masses: "Donald Trump has given people permission to be racist." With Trump's election last week, that permission becomes encouragement. If you spew vitriol against minorities, you can rise to the highest office in the land. How could that be anything but a green light for hatred?

* * *
We Must Prevent Trump's "Muslim Registry" Before It Starts: "As we move forward in trying to retain a sense of normalcy during the reeling aftermath of this election, we must ultimately remember that this is not normal. We cannot let this be our normal. But we also must remember, that for the most part, we've been here before."

* * *
Sikh Leader Writes A Letter To President-elect Trump: In the wake of numerous reports of hate crimes since the election results, Sabreeth Singh writes a letter to President-elect Trump and the important role that interfaith communities can play in healing the political and racial divide in the country.

* * *
Here's What I'm Telling My Brown Son About Trump's America: "But listen, love, because I need to remind you of something and I need you to remember it extra well over the next four years: This is our street. It is our street. So when you feel that rumbling pushing up through your palms, I want you to press them flat against it, and do not be afraid to hear everything."

Wall Street Journal Critic Mistakes Dev Patel for Kal Penn

Sooner or later, every South Asian actor gets mistaken for Kal Penn.



Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern made an embarrassing error in a review for the movie Lion in Friday's newspaper, when he confused Dev Patel with Kal Penn.

Both actors are of Indian descent, but their careers have been very different. Patel, 26, who plays Saroo Brierley in Lion, is British, while Penn, 39, was born in New Jersey.

In his review, Morgenstern says that Lion is Patel's "richest performance" since 2006's The Namesake. But Patel, the star of Slumdog Millionaire, wasn't in that film directed by Mira Nair. The part was played by Penn, whose other credits include the Harold and Kumar movies, House and How I Met Your Mother.

Read more at Variety: Wall Street Journal Movie Critic Mistakes Dev Patel for Kal Penn

Angry Reader of the Week: Bryan Thao Worra

"A poet and community builder. Although that may be redundant."


What's up, internet friends? 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 Bryan Thao Worra.

The guy called him a "chink." So he kicked the guy in the face.

Sidney Chan is accused of kicking Stephen Kent in the face after Kent called him a racial slur.



All right. As a matter of principle, I'm going to emphasize that I can't condone violence. But I'm also not going to be terribly disappointed by the news that a guy got kicked in the face after calling someone a "chink."

In London, 20-year-old Sidney Chan is accused of kicking Stephen Kent in the face -- twice -- during a fight that broke out after Kent called him a "chink" while they were leaving a student bar at Imperial College.

Rugby player allegedly broke student's eye-socket after being called a 'chink' outside bar

Prosecutors say the altercation was set off when Chan "provoked" Kent by making a comment about his "1980s-style mullet haircut." (I am absolutely dead serious.) But Chan denies making fun of the mullet. He says Kent was the real aggressor, calling him a "chink" before charging at him and throwing punches.

"I never said anything about his hair," Chan said at trial. "He started throwing punches at me after he fell to the ground after I had pushed him. He quickly got back up and he charged at my group and started throwing punches at me."

Look at all this bullshit Asians put up with this year...

...conveniently summed up in this mannequin challenge video.



It's been a hell of a year with a lot of frustrating and heartbreaking moments. This clever Asian American take on the Mannequin Challenge, entitled "A-Woke," attempts to sum it up with some perspective. Produced by Michael Tow and Teja Arboleda, it plays kind of like a "greatest hits" of some of the high profile issues and pop culture flare-ups that have recently gripped the Asian American community.

It's by no means comprehensive -- it's almost entirely East Asian-focused -- but it manages to jam in references to the Academy Awards, Doctor Strange, "Watters World," Ghost in the Shell and more in less than a minute and a half. It's like a weird wax museum of some of your favorite racist bullshit from 2016.

Check it out:

63-year-old man assaulted in racist subway attack

"Why don't you go back to your country?"



The hell? In New York, police say a man attacked a 63-year-old Asian man while riding a Midtown train, punching him in the face and asking him, "Why don't you go back to your own country?"

Racist subway rider spits at, pummels Asian man, 63, on Midtown train

Won Yi was on a Manhattan-bound F subway train on Tuesday morning when the assailant got on at the Jay Street station in Brooklyn Heights and sat next to him. At one point, the man turned to Yi and said, "Why don't you go back to your country?"

Well, shit. Nothing good ever happens after someone says that.

Must-See Moana

Guest Post by DannyBoy Naha-Ve'evalu



The following is a review of the new animated feature Moana, originally written and posted to Facebook last month after an early screening of the film for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

When news surfaced about Disney's new Polynesian "princess," Moana, I quickly raised an eyebrow and scratched the back of my head. I worried about how Disney would portray our Polynesian people and commodify our cultures. As most know, Disney has a long history of misrepresenting and misconstruing different cultures, ethnic background, and stories like Pocahontas (1995) and Mulan (1998) while profiting simultaneously. While many of us from the Pacific Islander community raised our eyebrows, scratched the back of our heads, and wrote critical think pieces about Moana (2016), our community also awaited Moana's arrival gleefully.

I learned of Disney's process to create Moana and from a cultural standpoint, they followed protocol. The producers developed an Oceanic Trust to advise them on accuracy, they conducted research on many Pacific Islands learning from elders, the people, master navigators, master tattoo artists, and they hired an all Polynesian cast to be the voices of the characters. Even though this seemed culturally appropriate, I wasn't havin' it! I still had an issue with the fact that the creators of the film were palagi (Caucasian). Despite critical analysis, our community was thrilled. As more and more of our community's excitement grew around Moana, more and more of our community's critical thought and protest quickly followed.

For me, I was aboard the critical canoe crashing ashore people's timelines giving critical thought after thought about Moana. It was extremely empowering to see our community rally together in consciousness, address Disney, and hold them accountable. The critical analysis from so many Pacific Islanders in academia grew so large that it shut down a costume of Maui's skin suit that Disney released. I was appalled to see this item for sale because it's similar to the detriment of Blackface. However, I was extremely surprised that Disney heeded our community's charge and pulled Maui's skin suit from their catalog.

Open for Thanksgiving

Guest Post by Jamie Ford



My father ran a restaurant -- a small, unassuming, diner kind of place, with a smoke-filled bar attached.

This meant that while my friends' fathers were engineers and pipe-fitters, with college degrees, journeyman's cards, or at least fancy titles, my dad breaded chops. He wasn't working on his masters on the side and wasn't in line for any kind of promotion, ever.

And to be painfully honest, as a selfish, myopic teenager, I was often embarrassed.

I felt like the Chinese version of Toula in My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Growing up, on any given Saturday I'd doff my stained dishwasher's apron, go home and shower, then head to some junior high dance wondering if I still smelled of frying oil.

Much to my chagrin, birthday dinners were always held at the restaurant. It was the only way my dad could be there on my birthdays. My friends loved it, of course. Instead of eating delivery pizza, they could order anything off the menu and have the run of the place.

How cool is that?

"Not very," I'd mutter.

Gawd, I was a brat.

Aasif Mandvi's Flying Safety Guide for Brown People

A Handy Safety Demonstration



Just in time to hit the road for the holidays... Everyone hates flying, but brown people have it especially rough. In this handy instructional video, Aasif Mandvi shows brown people how to blend in with the white folks, get through security unaccosted -- allow 8 to 10 hours -- and actually catch their flight.

Indian man sucker punched in hate crime attack

"Things are different now."



Dispatches from Trump America... This week in Pittsburgh, a man was arrested for assaulting an Indian man at a restaurant after calling him racial slurs and apparently mistaking him for what he called a "f*cking Muslim."

Man arrested on charges of ethnic intimidation, assault at South Hills Village mall

54-year-old Jeffrey Burgess allegedly told Ankur Mehta, who was sitting next to him at the bar at a Red Robin Restaurant, that "things are different now" and "I don't want you sitting next to me -- you people."

He then reportedly called Mehta a "sand n**ger" and a "f*cking Muslim" before launching an unprovoked attack, hitting him four or five more times in the face with his elbows and fists. Mehta, by the way, is not Muslim -- not that it matters, because this guy was clearly out to start some racist shit with "you people."

Michelle Yeoh joins the cast of 'Star Trek: Discovery'?

'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' actress rumored to star in CBS' new 'Star Trek' series.



Trekkies, rejoice. Rumor has it that Michelle Yeoh will star in the new Star Trek series. Whaaaaaat.

There's currently an unconfirmed rumor floating around that the veteran actress has joined the cast of Star Trek: Discovery, the new Star Trek series in the works for CBS' new All Access platform.

Exclusive: Michelle Yeoh Boards Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan director Nicholas Meyer, who is a consulting producer on the show, recently revealed that the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon star has a role in Discovery -- potentially as the series' lead.

"I know Michelle Yeoh is in it," Meyer told Coming Soon, probably revealing something he shouldn't have.

A tiny bit of info about Kelly Marie Tran in 'Episode VIII'

Fan site reveals details about new 'Star Wars' characters.



Ever since newcomer Kelly Marie Tran was announced as part of the starring cast of Star Wars: Episode VIII, there has been rampant fan speculation -- with very little information to go on -- about who or what she is playing. While official details are still tightly under wraps, a recent report from a Star Wars fan site provided a scant nugget of info about her role in a galaxy far, far away.

The rumors, posted on MakingStarWars.net, mainly focus on the new characters played by Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern, but notes that Tran will be dressed "very simply" and her role is closely associated with Finn (John Boyega). The site also notes that the character's situation is "really cool." Like I said, scant.

Racist flyers target "Job Stealing Ching Chongs"

"Get out and go back to Communist land."



We are now living in the time of racist bullshit perpetuated in the name of Donald Trump. Like, this is an everyday normal thing. For example... These signs were recently found placed on cars in a private parking lot in Arlington, Virginia. One of the recipients, who posted this photo on social media, says that whoever left them was clearly targeting Asian employees. You know, the "Job Stealing Ching Chongs."

Who the hell has time to design and print up this shit? Who the hell would waste precious ink -- printer cartridges are expensive, dude -- and the effort to go from car to car to distribute these damn things?

After the flyers were discovered, several employees understandably didn't feel safe walking to and from the parking lot. Flyers on cars is cowardly shit, but who knows? Thankfully, according to the original poster, management took steps to make sure people felt safe and the property's security measures were escalated.

Some of My Best Friends Are White

A Poem by Beau Sia, Banned From Facebook



The following poem was originally written by Beau Sia and posted to Facebook on July 6. Last week, given the state of things, Beau thought it would be appropriate to re-post it. But not long after posting it, Facebook took it down because the poem offended someone's sensibilities. Somebody apparently reported it, though nobody bothered to inform Beau why or how the piece was so unfit for Facebook. It was just reported and yanked.

So Beau posted it again. Within a day, not only was the poem flagged for removal again, but Beau was blocked from Facebook for a period of 24 hours, along with the warning that he could be blocked permanently if continued to violate "community standards." So Beau posted it again. But this time, he had the support of a community of Facebook friends who also started sharing the poem widely.

Because censorship sucks, and dammit, we need some poetry right now. And so, I share it with you.

Read These Blogs

Trump Reminds Us the Racial Justice Movement Is Growing: "Backlash only exists when we are making progress, so let's keep going." Rinku Sen on social justice movements in the time of Trump.

* * *
Viet Thanh Nguyen on the Democrats' failure and our future: "Instead of listening to the strategists, who don't believe it's possible to dramatically change our society, can we finally be bold and listen to the artists and the outsiders and the radicals and the freaks and the avant-garde and the base and the youth and the anarchists and all those who don't want to do business as usual with the limousine liberalism of both the elite Democrats and Republicans? Can we listen to the dreamers instead of the doubters?"

* * *
Please Stop Telling Me It Will Be OK: For many of us, the election results brought up not only anxiety and fear, but past traumas and grief. So please stop telling each other that it will be OK.

* * *
1942 All Over Again?: Oh, hell no. Carl Higbie, a Trump surrogate, justified creating a national registry of all Muslims, citing Japanese internment as a success.

* * *
George Takei: They interned my family. Don't let them do it to Muslims.: The United States apologized for locking up Japanese Americans. Have we learned nothing?

Asian Americans Must Join the Fight to #StopSessions (and #StopBannon)

By Jenn Fang. Cross-Posted from Reappropriate


Jeff Sessions
Earlier this morning, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has chosen Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to fill the role of US Attorney General under the upcoming Trump administration.

This selection is tantamount to a declaration of war against people of colour and immigrants, including against Asians and Asian Americans. The Asian American community must rally to stop the confirmation of Senator Sessions as our next head the Department of Justice.

Angry Reader of the Week: Leah Nanako Winkler

"I am both, not half -- and I am from both. I find power and identity in that answer."



Good people of the internet, 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 Leah Nanako Winkler.

The Trump Effect jumps over the border... into Canada

Richmond residents find racist pamphlets in their mailboxes.



Because America is not big enough to contain the current state of hate, it seems that the Trump Effect has hopped its way over the border... into Canada. This week in Richmond, which has a large Asian population, racist pamphlets taking aim at Chinese people were distributed to several homes.

Racist flyers turn up in Richmond mailboxes

The flyers, which declare "Step aside whitey, the Chinese are taking over," appear to be an attempt to draw white recipients to an "alt-right" website. The author's grievances include "being marginalized in the community your forefathers built" and living amongst "neighbors who refuse to speak your language." That would probably be Chinese people they're alluding to.

Because History Is In Danger of Repeating Itself

"Is it starting to sink in?"



There are clear, frightening parallels between the contemporary scapegoating of Muslims in America and the persecution of Japanese Americans during World War II. This is how it begins. Anyone who can't recognize this is either willfully ignorant or simply does not care. Bobby Hundreds sees the parallels.

Bobby Hundreds, aka Bobby Kim, founder of the apparel company The Hundreds created this limited edition shirt design earlier this year for "What A Time To Be Alive," an social issues-oriented group show at Slow Culture. With fresh talk of a Muslim registry and the "precedent" of Japanese American internment, Bobby recently re-shared the shirt via Instagram and asked, "Is it starting to sink in?"

Trump supporter cites Japanese American internment as "precedent" for Muslim registry

Sorry, but we're not falling for that shit again.



Well, that didn't take long. A week into this shit and we're already talking about internment camps. On Wednesday, a Trump surrogate made the case for creating a federal registry for immigrants from Muslim countries, citing the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II as "precedent."

Japanese American internment is 'precedent' for national Muslim registry, prominent Trump backer says

How the hell did we get here? Carl Higbie, a spokesman for a major pro-Trump super PAC, appeared on Megyn Kelly's Fox News show to argue that a national database of Muslim immigrants would be legal and necessary, reminding everybody that the United States did it before with the Japanese during World War II.

He neglects to mention that it's considered one of the shittiest, darkest moments of trampling civil liberties in our nation's history. "Come on," Kelly prods back. "You're not suggesting that we go back to the days of internment camps? That's the kind of stuff that gets people scared, Carl."

Higbie insists that he's not proposing that at all. "I'm just saying there is precedent for it."

Who will star in 'Crazy Rich Asians'? Maybe you.

Casting call seeks actors for lead roles in Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the bestselling novel.



When it was announced that Kevin Kwan's bestselling beach read Crazy Rich Asians was being adapted into a movie, fans immediately started putting together their dream casts. The movie would be a huge opportunity for whoever landed the coveted starring roles of Rachel Chu, Nick Young and Astrid Leong.

Turns out, maybe it's you.

After a heated bidding war for the movie rights, Warner Bros. is fast-tracking Crazy Rich Asians. Directed by Jon M. Chu and featuring and exclusively Asian cast, the film could start shooting as early as this spring in Singapore. And they're putting out an open casting call to fill the film's key roles.

According to this casting notice, Terri Taylor Casting is currently seeking Asian male and female actors, ages 28-35, for the lead roles of Rachel, Nick and Astrid:

Trump's chief strategist has a problem with Asian immigration

Steve Bannon thinks there are too many Asian executives in Silicon Valley, cites fake stats to back it up.



So by now you've heard that Donald Trump has appointed Steve Bannon, professional white nationalist asshole, as his new chief strategist. If you know anything about the guy, it should come as no surprise that he believes, among many other shitty things, that there are way too many Asian tech execs in Silicon Valley.

Steve Bannon Suggests There Are Too Many Asian CEOs In Silicon Valley

The now-President-elect has famously and exhaustively promised to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to keep people out, but has said that immigrants educated at elite universities can stay. But in remarks that have recently resurfaced from about a year ago, when Trump was a guest on the Breitbart News Daily radio show, Bannon intimated that he wouldn't stop with the foreign Ivy Leaguers.

During an exchange about immigration, Trump explained that he wanted to "keep our talented people in this country." But Bannon, executive chairman of the alt-right hub Breitbart News and purveyor of white supremacy and other shitty ideology, expressed dismay at the number of tech execs who are immigrants from Asia.

The Washington Post highlighted the exchange from last November, in which Trump said he was concerned that foreign students attending Ivy League schools have to return home because of U.S. immigration laws:

Nobody gets Thanksgiving off on 'Fresh Off The Boat'

Episode 305: "No Thanks-giving" airs Tuesday, November 15, 9:00 pm on ABC



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, Louis and Jessica decide to open Cattleman's Ranch on Thanksgiving Day,

Here's a preview of episode 305, "No Thanks-giving":

Starring Scarlett Johansson as Super Asian Robot Lady

Look at all the Cool Asian Shit in the 'Ghost in the Shell' trailer



Oh yeah, I forgot this was happening.

In case you missed it, Paramount recently dropped the first official full-length trailer for the live action Ghost in the Shell adaptation. Based on the classic sci-fi anime/manga, Scarlett Johansson stars as the human-cyborg Major -- otherwise known as Major Motoko Kusanagi in the original source material. But you knew that. Yes, for the uninitiated, this is that movie where Scarlett plays a Japanese robot lady.

Ghost in the Shell follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic's advancements in cyber technology. And if they get around to it, Section 9 might just crack the baffling case of why the Major is played by a white woman.

Take a look:

Shouty train passenger gets his anti-immigrant rage on

"It's America. Welcome to America. Deodorant! What do you think?"



If you haven't heard, Donald Trump getting elected president appears to have given his supporters carte blanche to say and do whatever the fuck racist shit they want. And there's not much more to that. A recent subway altercation, caught on camera, basically sums up the heightened post-election tension.

As nation seethes, a charged clash on a Metro subway train

On Friday, a man riding on the Metro Green Line in Maryland was caught on cellphone video harassing another man on the crowded train. The unidentified white man demands to know whether the passenger -- who is out of frame but described by other passengers as Southeast Asian in appearance -- about wearing deodorant.

"It's America. Welcome to America," the man yells. "Deodorant! What do you think?"

Read These Blogs

Over 200 Incidents of Hateful Harassment and Intimidation Since Election Day: According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, hundreds of reports of hateful intimidation and harassment erupted across social media networks in the wake of the presidential election Tuesday night.

* * *
A Running List Of Reported Racist Incidents After Donald Trump's Victory: Welcome to the new normal.

* * *
Trump supporters are threatening to kill me over this tweet: "As I type this, people are tweeting that I'll be deported or killed once Donald Trump takes office. It's surreal, but it's useful to explain how I got here, because stories like this will be happening a lot more for the next four years."

* * *
The perils of being a female, Asian fact-checker in a tense election: While just doing her job as a fact checker during the election season, Michelle Ye Hee Lee has encountered rampant sexism and racism.

* * *
How to intervene in a racist attack: As hate crimes rise in the wake of Trump's election, here are some tips on how to intervene when you see someone being attacked.

* * *
How Trump Made Hate Intersectional: How Trump's hateful rhetoric reveals the ways in which hatred is intersectional, affecting multiple identities and bodies.

* * *
Dear White Friends: Stop Saying Everything Is Going To Be Ok: "White people: I believe you will be okay. I'm happy that you're going to be okay. But I'm tired of hearing you tell me that everything is going to be okay, because the implications of this election are different for you than for everyone else."

* * *
Exit polls were wrong about how many Asian Americans supported Trump: While exit polls reported 65% of Asian American voters choosing Hillary Clinton, the Asian American National Election Eve Poll found that Asian American voters supported Clinton over Donald Trump by a much wider margin.

* * *
The Ascent of the Buffoon and the Asian-American Divide: "We are viewed as a community that plays it safe, and the only way we are threatening is if we play a badass in a zombie show. We are Asian Americans, and we are viewed as a silent engine that simply moves with the flow of the machine. I am an Asian American, and I can safely state that all of the above is a fountain of horseshit."

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Claiming 6 Personal Rights as a Vietnamese, Gender Non-Conforming Femme: Alex-Quan Pham writes a loving reminder to other people of color, especially trans and gender non-conforming people of color, that they are worth too.

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Family, Fate, and Two Astrologies: For Lillian Min, the Eastern Zodiac is one area of mysticism her family can all agree on.

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'It's Asian Men!': Asian-American Men Are Sexy in 'Magic Mike' Parody: The short film It's Asian Men is a self-described Magic Mike parody featuring hot Asian American men. Isn't that all you really need to know?

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Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu talks challenges of finding all-Asian cast: Director Jon M. Chu talks to Entertainment Weekly about Asian identity, plans for casting Crazy Rich Asians, and the pressures of directing a film that could change Asian visibility in Hollywood.

Angry Reader of the Week: Francesca Fiorentini

"In my comedy and journalism, I try to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted."



Hey, everybody. 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 Francesca Fiorentini.

CTRL+ALT: A Culture Lab on Imagined Futures

Presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, November 12-13



If you're in New York City, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center invites you Ctrl+Alt: A Culture Lab on Imagined Futures, featuring the work of 40+ artists and scholars exploring themes of imagined future, science fiction and future technology. It's happening November 12-13 at 477 Broadway in SOHO/Chinatown.

Here's a nifty trailer:

'aka SEOUL' explores Korean adoptee stories

New digital documentary follows the journeys of five Korean adoptees.



aka SEOUL is a new documentary that explores the journeys of five Korean adoptees. Directed by Jon Maxwell and produced by ISAtv in partnership with NBC Asian America, the documentary will be released online in seven parts throughout November, with each episode focusing on new characters and intertwining storylines offering a unique perspective on the adoptee experience.

aka SEOUL is a follow up to the documentary series aka DAN, which chronicled the 2013 journey of rapper and Korean adoptee Dan Matthews as he reconnected with his birth family, including a twin brother he never knew about. Three years later, aka SEOUL follows Dan and four other Korean adoptees as they visit Korea during the summer of 2016 and shed light on different aspects of their adoptee identities.

Here's the trailer:

Asian American voters strongly favored Clinton over Trump

In AALDEF's exit poll of 14,400 Asian American voters, Clinton favored over Trump by wide margin.



In the ongoing assessment of the whos and whats and whys and hows of Election Day, it looks like Asian American voters strongly favored Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a wide margin.

Preliminary exit poll findings released by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) from 14,400 Asian American voters reveal that Asian American voters in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Virginia and Nevada strongly favored Clinton over Trump.

"The extreme anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and racist rhetoric in this election was deeply disturbing to Asian American voters, who wanted to support candidates who shared their values and hope for America," said Margaret Fung, Executive Director of AALDEF.

AALDEF collected surveys from Asian American voters at 91 polling places in 14 states with large or fast-growing Asian American populations. Based on Asian American voters polled on Election Day, 79% backed Hillary Clinton, 17% were for Donald Trump, and 3% voted for other candidates.

Here's the breakdown by state:

More Asian American Podcasts Please!

Guest Post by Potluck, a new Asian American podcast collective



Welcome to the Potluck, a new podcast collective featuring unique stories and voices in the Asian American community!

You are cordially invited to the official launch party, where attendees will have a chance to celebrate and talk about everything podcast-related with their favorite hosts and producers.

POTLUCK LAUNCH PARTY
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
7-10pm
SEOUL SAUSAGE
236 S Los Angeles St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

In addition to supporting each other's podcasts, Potluck members aim to collaborate with folks in the community to create new podcasts. Here’s a glimpse of the shows we have so far:

Ms. Marvel Wants You to Go Vote Today!

Cross-Posted from The Nerds of Color.



Today is Election Day in the United States. And the choice couldn't be clearer for the millions of voters heading out to the polls. We're either going to wake up tomorrow playing R.E.M. or Beyoncé. Later this month, Marvel Comics will be releasing Ms. Marvel #13 in which the book's titular hero will be urging the citizens of the Marvel Universe to similarly exercise their inalienable rights to vote.

"AAPIs significantly impact the 2016 election"

Don't you want that to be the headline in the news after Election Day? By APIAVote.



On Tuesday, millions of Americans are going to cast their ballots -- not just for the next President, but for our elected representatives from Congress to our city councils.

We want to make sure that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are going to make the headlines in the days after November 8th. You can help us by making a plan to vote -- and to remind your friends and family to vote too.

Here's how you can make sure we make headlines:

Read These Blogs

Searching for Lady Kung Fu: Angela Mao was as famous as Bruce Lee when she was a martial arts film star during the 1970s. Then she seemed to vanish. It turns out she's been in Queens this whole time.

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Opinion: As President, I Will Stand With Asian Americans and Pacific Islander: In this statement, Hillary Clinton responds to Senator Mark Kirk's racist remarks to Illinois Senate candidate Tammy Duckworth and resolves to act in solidarity with AAPIs when she is elected president.

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#WhyImWithHer: Constance Wu Of 'Fresh Off The Boat' On Voting For Hillary Clinton: Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu explains why she is voting for Hillary Clinton this Tuesday.

* * *
I'm Asian American And My Voice Counts In This Election: Giselle Cheung reclaims the importance of being an Asian American voter in this election.

* * *
Overcoming Asian-American Apoliticism: Because Asian Americans don't see ourselves represented by political candidates, we're less likely to participate in the political process.

Angry Reader of the Week: Eric Salcedo

"It is good to get angry. You can do good things when we stay angry."



What's up, internet! You know what time it is. It is 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 Eric Salcedo.

See Ken Jeong get clowned by Korean ahjussis on 'Dr. Ken'

Watch a sneak peek of this week's extra-Korean 'Dr. Ken.'



This week on Dr. Ken, things get extra Korean. When D.K.'s (Dana Lee) friends mock Ken for not being able to speak their native language, Dave (Albert Tsai) encourages his dad to join him at his Korean language lessons. Because honestly, there's nothing more motivating than getting clowned by Korean ahjussis.

Inspired by executive producer/star Ken Jeong's real life and career as a medical doctor, ABC's 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, "Ken Learns Korean."

Why I'm Excited to Vote for Hillary Clinton

Guest Post by Glenn D. Magpantay, LGBTQ API Activist and Leader



I'm excited to vote for Hillary Clinton for President. Not because Donald Trump is dreadful. Not because it's a choice between "the lesser of two evils." Nor am I making an unqualified and absolute endorsement of her every character trait and position. I genuinely want to vote for Hillary. And I want to speak to the people who feel disillusioned about voting. Who are disappointed in the political campaign. And who may not vote at all. Here are my five reasons:

Your Halloween Costumes, Part Three

Our annual gallery of reader-submitted Halloween costumes.



As the Halloween haze fades and our bellies ache from all the Snickers and Smarties, here's one last look at some costumes. 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 have Chris and his family from a galaxy far, far away. The family that uses the Force together stays together, I believe they say. Thank you to everyone who sent in photos! Be sure to check out all the great photos posted in Part One and Part Two. Here's the third and final round of photos from all you stragglers.

Your Halloween Costumes, Part Two

Our annual gallery of reader-submitted Halloween costumes.



How was your Halloween? As you recover from that candy-induced sugar crash and other spooky holiday revelry, check out some costume photos. In what has become a really fun and super-popular tradition, we put the call out to you, the good reader 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 have the adorable Wangsuda family looking quite fierce as Gecko, Owlette, Cat Boy and Luna Girl from PJ Masks. Thank you to everyone who sent in photos! Be sure to check out all the great photos posted yesterday in Part One. Now here's Part Two of this year's Halloween costume gallery: