Squad celebrates world championship berth with a good old fashioned racist gesture.
Oh, just some casual racism, courtesy of the Serbian women's volleyball team. Over the weekend, the squad won a match that earned them a spot in the 2018 world championship, to be played in Japan. The ladies celebrated their victory by posing for a group photo while making, naturally, a racist slant-eye gesture.
You know, the international gesture for "chink."
Of course. People can't resist engaging in some good old fashioned Asian mockery. Girls, let's gather 'round for this photo and pull our eyes back like a bunch of racist fuckheads! Well, except for that one player who appears to have her hands pressed together in a shallow bow, trading one racist gesture for another.
"I am very uncomfortable with a Japanese driver winning the Indianapolis 500 during Memorial Day weekend."
On Sunday, Takuma Sato became the first Japanese driver ever to win the Indianopolis 500. Which was cool... but not so cool for one Denver sportswriter, who expressed on Twitter that he was "uncomfortable" with a Japanese man winning the storied motor race on Memorial Day weekend -- a tweet that promptly got him fired.
Not long after Sato crossed the finish line of America's most prestigious motorsports race, Terry Frei, a sportswriter for the Denver Post, farted out this ridiculous, thoughtlessly racist tweet trying to somehow draw an unfortunate connection between a Japanese driver winning the Indy 500 -- who says Asians can't drive? -- and the fact that he did so on a holiday meant to honor those who died while serving in the country's armed forces.
Drawing Boundaries Around Who Counts as Asian American: Asian Americans are now the fastest growing racial group in the country, with immigrants from South Asia fueling much of that growth. But are these fundamental shifts reflected in our understanding of who is Asian American?
The Evolution of My Name, My Identity: From "Bich Ngoc" to "Bach Knock" to "Big Knock" to Jenny and beyond -- this is one woman's journey to reclaim the ownership of her name and identity.
Hasan Minaj Took a Job No One Wanted: Hasan Minjaj's star rose after an unlikely gig roasting President Trump. And you're about to see a lot more of him, including his Netflix comedy special Homecoming King.
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Awkwafina Won't Let You Forget Her Name:b You'll be seeing a lot more of Nora Lum, aka Awkwafina, in high-profile roles in Ocean's Eight and the film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians.
Young Comic TV Showrunners From Left Field: Kulap Vilaysack, creator and showrunner for Seeso's Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, is part of an emerging group of first-time series creators and showrunners -- especially of comedies -- who are younger, more diverse and more likely to come from outside the usual training ground of TV writers' rooms.
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Aziz Ansari On 'Master Of None' And How His Parents Feel About Acting: Comedian Aziz Ansari, co-creator and star of Master of None, was on Fresh Air talking about growing up a non-religious Muslim, how his parents feel about acting on the show, and working with Lena Waithe on season two acclaimed "Thanksgiving" episode.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
This week, we recorded with a live studio audience at the offices of TBWA/Chiat/Day and welcomed young actors Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen, who play brothers Eddie, Emery and Evan on ABC's Fresh Off The Boat. Yeah, we called in that favor.
Hello, good and faithful readers! 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 Lewis Tan.
21-year-old man jumped, beaten in hate crime assault at OC Night Market.
Hate crime alert. Orange County authorities are searching for a white couple who assaulted a 21-year-old Asian American college student in the parking lot of a recent OC Night Market event in Costa Mesa, following an earlier incident in which one of the assailants told the victim, "Go back to Asia and eat a dog."
The altercation started on Sunday evening when two white women approached the victim, who was standing in line, and tried to get him to buy them drinks. When he refused, one of the women told him to "Go back to Asia and eat a dog," among other not-so-nice remarks. Because, yes, racist taunts are the totally reasonable response to someone refusing to buy you drinks.
She reportedly got up in the victim's face and when he pushed her away for some space, another man charged and punched him in the face. Security responded and escorted the couple out of the OC Night Market.
But later that evening, as the victim and his girlfriend were walking back to his car after the event, he was confronted and attacked by the duo we will from this point on refer to as the Violently Racist Couple. They had apparently been waiting for him to leave, followed him back to his car, and jumped him.
"The moment I got to my car, a black sedan pulled up," the victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells the OC Weekly. "The guy immediately went after me and everything else was a blur."
The victim suffered bruises and lacerations to his face requiring stitches, and several chipped teeth. The victim's girlfriend was also punched in the face when she tried to intervene. According to witnesses, the Violently Racist Couple drove off in a black sedan, but not before the guy yelled some more anti-Asian slurs while hanging out of the passenger side window. Well, that's classy as shit.
The victim's friend posted details about assault on Facebook, along with a photo from the emergency room.
Award-winning children's book publisher is accepting manuscripts for picture books.
Hey authors! Do you have a story to share with young readers? Want a chance to get published? Lee & Low Books, award-winning publisher of children's books, is now accepting submissions for the eighteenth annual New Voices Award. The Award will given for a children's picture book manuscript by a writer of color.
Established in 2000, the New Voices Award encourages writers of color to submit their work to a publisher that takes pride in nurturing new talent. Past New Voices Award submissions published by Lee & Low include The Blue Roses, winner of the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People; Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story, a Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist selection; and It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw, winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award Honor.
Casting call seeks Chinese American women to participate in research for the show.
There's apparently a Joy Luck Club television series in the works. Whaaaaaaat. Somebody -- Ellen DeGeneres, possibly(!?) -- is developing a new television series based on Amy Tan's widely-read 1989 novel, and they're putting the call out to Chinese American women to be part of a discussion as research for the show.
According to this casting call, producers are seeking a "professionally diverse group of Chinese American born women," ages of 26 to 34 years old in the San Francisco area, to "discuss their lives as a Chinese American female in today's society." The project will take place on June 20 in San Francisco.
California Supreme Court grants posthumous bar admission to Sei Fujii, who was denied because of his race.
Law school is no joke. Imagine busting your ass, making it through and graduating from law school, only to learn that you are ineligible to practice law because you're not white.
That's what happened to Sei Fujii, a Japanese immigrant who was denied a license to practice law in California in 1911 because of his race. He received his license this week from the California Supreme Court -- over sixty years after his death.
Fujii immigrated to the United States in 1903 and received a law degree from the University of Southern California. At the time, California law barred legal licenses for immigrants who were ineligible for citizenship, and naturalization, according to federal law, was limited to "free white person" and those of African descent.
New Yooooork! Asian AF is making its way out east! The landmark, acclaimed, kind of sort of famous Asian American variety show travels from the west coast to New York City, bringing its special brand of shit-talking Asian as F comedy to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, hosted by Keiko Agena and Will Choi. This is your chance to see the show that's been selling out every single month in Los Angeles.
It's happening Tuesday, June 27 at UCB East Village. Here are some more details:
Vanity Fair celebrates the Star Wars saga's 40th anniversary with four 'Last Jedi' covers.
As the Star Wars franchise prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary this week, the latest issue of Vanity Fair features not one but four different covers from the set of Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. One of the covers includes the saga's newest character, Rose, played by Kelly Marie Tran, alongside Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron and John Boyega as Finn.
Los Angeles! Get your ass ready for some laughs. Asian AF returns! The first monthly Asian American variety show at the famed Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is back, with special guest Suzy Nakamura from Dr. Ken, and maybe some other rad guests. It's happening Saturday, June 10 at UCB Sunset in Hollywood.
Asian American Advancing Justice is accepting applications for the 2017 Youth Leadership Summit.
Hey, Asian American and Pacific Islander student leaders! Heads up. Are you an organizer on campus? Are you passionate about serving your community? Do you want to elevate Asian American and Pacific Islander issues to a national level? Asian Americans Advancing Justice is currently accepting applications for the Youth Leadership Summit, happening September 14-16 in Washington DC.
The Youth Leadership Summit is a three-day leadership development program for high achieving college students. The Summit brings a group of student leaders to D.C. for advocacy trainings and leadership development workshops focused on civic engagement, providing a unique opportunity for young advocates from across the country to both interact with their peers as well as learn from and network with national leaders.
But get your application together today -- they're due on May 31.
The footage shows a birthday party for a family elder in either the 1940s or 1950s. It is entirely in black and whtie and shows many family members in attendance. The family is made up of people of all ages, with the women wearing cheongsames (qipaos) and the men wearing Western suits. The family elder wears a dark suit and is frequently shown holding a framed golden peach, a symbol of longevity.
The blog post was shared by this blog and other outlets, but nobody stepped forward to claim the footage. It seemed to remain an eternal mystery, just another unclaimed home movie languishing in an archive. Now, in the PBS and CAAM co-produced documentary The Chinese Exclusion Act, that footage has been used and incorporated into a larger history -- and as a result of it, the footage has been reunited with its family.
"...insightful, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking glimpse into activism, social justice, and nonprofit life."
Here's a fun-looking project that could use your crowd-funding support. Created by Luann Algoso, Nonprofit is a webseries that follows Gabby, "a spunky, idealistic Filipina organizer as she navigates relationships, friendship, family, and the realities of activism in and out of nonprofit." It's a story about finding love, searching for fulfillment in work, and navigating our life purpose.
If you recognize the ups and downs of the nonprofit hustle, this series is for you.
25-year-old Gabby Antonio just started as a community organizer at APIISA (Asian Pacific Islanders in Solidarity Alliance) a social justice nonprofit in Portland. The pilot follows Gabby as she stumbles through the planning of her first major community event, while also dealing with an incompetent boss, white savior canvassers, and all while managing her panic attacks through use of her favorite hot pink vibrator.
'Snowpiercer' auteur's latest film premieres on Netflix on June 28.
Fresh from its world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, here's the crazy new trailer for Okja, the story of a little girl trying to reunite with her genetically engineered super-pig pet.
Director Bong Joon Ho, the Korean auteur behind such films as The Host and Snowpiercer, has assembled an international ensemble that includes the likes of Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Seo-Hyun Ahn, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins and Jake Gyllanhaal, who all cross paths in the battle to control of this monstrously giant pig.
Casting call seeks Chinese actor to play teenage Bruce in 'Little Dragon.'
I'm not sure how legit this is, but this flyer, recently spotted in a tea shop in Los Angeles' Chinatown, appears to be a casting call for the upcoming Bruce Lee biopic Little Dragon.
According to the flyer, Betty Mae Casting is searching a 16 to 18-year-old English-speaking Chinese actor "with a winning smile and wonderful sense of humor." Previous reporting stated that a worldwide search was underway to cast the role. If they're really posting flyers in tea shops, it looks like they're really are searching high and low to find the right guy to play the young Bruce Lee.
June Chu, Dean of Pierson College, wrote controversial remarks on Yelp reviews of local businesses.
At Yale University, a dean has been placed on leave after writing controversial remarks on her Yelp reviews of local businesses, including calling people who dined at one restaurant "white trash."
June Chu, Dean of Pierson College, has been reportedly restricted from her duties at the residential college after several of her past Yelp postings came to light. In one review for a Japanese restaurant, written seven months ago, Chu wrote that going to the restaurant is the "perfect night out for you" if you are "white trash."
"This establishment is definitely not authentic by any stretch of any imagination and perfect for those low class folks who believe this is a real night out," she wrote.
Basically Nobody Knows Who Counts As An Asian Person: According to new research from the National Asian American Survey, many people don't know who exactly can be technically considered Asian... including some Asians themselves.
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The Slavemaster's Son: How do you tell a story of modern-day slavery? Illustrator Sukjong Hong breaks down some of the controversy of Alex Tizon's Atlantic piece about his family's slave, Eudocia Tomas Pulido.
Indian Americans Reckon With Reality Of Hate Crimes: Srinivas Kuchibhotla was a 32-year-old Indian engineer was tragically killed in a hate crime. How has Kuchibhotla's death generated an unusual degree of alarm in the Indian community, including segments that have not otherwise been politicized?
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The Case for Renaming Boalt Hall: UC Berkeley's School of Law's Boalt Hall is named for John Henry Boalt, who helped get the Chinese Exclusion Act passed.
For the poet Bao Phi, a violent past is never far away: Bao Phi's new book of poetry, Thousand Star Hotel deals with the legacy of that trauma, and what it was like to be a working class kid of color growing up in the Philips neighborhood of Minneapolis.
Bambu: 'My Music Is Here To Push People To Organize': Jonah Deocampo, aka Bambu DePistola, talks to NPR about his youth in Los Angeles, why hip-hop appealed to him as the child of immigrants and how he's responded to critics who say his music is too negative.
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Life Hacks: An Interview with Yumi Sakugawa: Yumi Sakugawa's latest book, The Little Book of Life Hacks: How to Make Your Life Happier, Healthier, and More Beautiful, is a gorgeously illustrated manual of tips and tricks and DIY projects, designed to make your life, well, happier, healthier, and more beautiful.
Nonprofit Web Series: Itching for more women of color narratives in media? Luann Algoso needs funds to produce episodes of the web series Nonprofit, which follows Gabby, a Filipina organizer as she navigates relationships, family, and the realities of activism.
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Everything You Need to Know Before Reading Rich People Problems: The final chapter of Kevin Kwan's trilogy comes out May 23. Here, a cheat sheet to help you sort out some of the major players and storylines from the first two books before you settle down with the third book, Rich People Problems.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
This week, we welcomed actor/writer Kelvin Yu, who talked about being inspired by Ben Vereen, escaping the trap of the TV legal drama, and his newfound status as a hottie on a "top tier" streaming series.
"You can rule the world with a community of fierce sisters at your side."
Photo Credit: Reflections by Stephanie
Hello, good readers of this website! You know what time 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 Priscilla Huang.
Hell yes. Fellow Trekkies, rejoice. The first-look trailer for the new CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery has dropped, and the latest foray into the final frontier looks pretty damn awesome, not least because of one badass looking starship captain in the form of one Michelle Yeoh. MICHELLE FRICKIN YEOH.
The newest entry in the long-running sci-fi franchise, set ten years before the original series, follows "the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new lifeforms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself."
That one Starfleet officer is Sonequa Martin-Green as First Officer Michael Burnham, who we see with Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou, captain of the USS Zhenzhou, in the opening moments of the trailer:
An interview with Dinh Thai, writer/director of the HBO award-winning short film.
Writer/director Dinh Thai's film Monday, first place winner of the HBO's inaugural Asian Pacific American Visionaries short film competition, started as a funny idea about a guy who could transform himself into different individuals and adapt his language and behavior, depending on the situation. It eventually evolved into a dramatic short about Kwan (Kevin David Lin), a young hustler who navigates through various Los Angeles cliques while facing racism, danger, and a moral struggle with his illicit occupation.
Monday is currently available for viewing on HBO platforms throughout this month, along with the other winning films, Tiffanie Hsu's Wonderland and Jingyi Shao's Toenail. I recently chatted with Dinh about the origins of Monday, the art of code-switching in film and real life, and one of the major creative influences on his film.
Zach McGowan (left), who is not Native Hawaiian, has been cast to play Ben Kanahele (right) in the upcoming "Ni'ihau" film.
Last week, Deadline broke the story that writer/director Gabriel Robertson (EastEnders, Bucket, The Gift) was attached to write and direct a feature film based on the infamous so-called "Ni'ihau Incident." Deadline further reported that actor Zach McGowan (Dracula Untold, Terminator: Salvation, Black Sails) -- who is not Native Hawaiian -- had been cast in the leading role of Benehakaka "Ben" Kanahele, a historical figure and Ni'ihuaian who was awarded a Purple Heart for his role in the incident.
News of McGowan's casting triggered immediate backlash from Asian American and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander activists, who accused the filmmakers of using "Polyface" to whitewash the character of Ben Kanahele. In addition, Asian Americans criticized early buzz surrounding the planned "Ni'ihau" film, which described the incident as a "catalyst" for Japanese American incarceration (Editor's Note: see JACL's Power of Words handbook).
In truth, the events at Ni'ihau Incident was co-opted by hardline conservatives to provide a veil of legitimacy to obscure the racist and anti-Asian motives behind Japanese American incarceration. History has since confirmed that Executive Order 9066 — which led to the forcible removal of over a hundred thousand Japanese and Japanese American civilians — was not based in significant military intelligence showing that Japanese Americans were untrustworthy; rather, Japanese American incarceration emerged as the latest escalation in a decades-long pattern of legalized anti-Asian and anti-Japanese harassment and criminalization.
Online outcry against "Ni'ihau" was fervent, taking the shape of memes, Twitter threads, and long-form thinkpieces. As it turns out, the filmmakers behind the planned "Ni'ihau" film were listening; and, they weren't very receptive to the criticism.
My grandpa and me cheering on the Houston Astros -- our last home game before I moved to Los Angeles.
On Monday night, at the dinner table, my 79-year-old grandpa asked my mom if he will be safe driving around since SB4 was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday, May 7th. I was speechless when my mom told me this over the phone. My family lives in Katy, Texas, a city within the Houston metropolitan area. I did not know what to tell her, and I couldn't make any promises that SB4 would not affect our family.
The Blessing (And Curse?) Of Miss Saigon: Miss Saigon has returned to Broadway. When the hit musical was first performed was controversial for its stereotypes and story and casting choices. Code Switch's Kat Chow explores Miss Saigon's journey in 2017.
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Whose Kansas Is it Anyway?: WNYC's Arun Venugopal traveled to Kansas to speak with members of the Indian community about how they're dealing with the recent deaths resulting from hate crime, and with their changing status in America.
A Radical Universe Of Self-Care: A strange world where women of all colors, sizes, and styles partake in self-care, guilt-free: The Little Book of Life Hacks by comic artist Yumi Sakugawa -- Get this book!
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Interview: Andrew Choi (St. Lenox): Andrew Choi, the vocalist behind St. Lenox, talks about the band's latest album, Ten Hymns from My American Gothic, his background as a classically-trained musician in a Korean American household, and what Choi's plans are for the future.
Greetings, internet friends. What's going on? 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 Joy Regullano.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
This week, we geeked out and welcomed our good friends, acclaimed comic book creators Gene Luen Yang and Greg Pak, who talked about diversity in comics, new takes on iconic characters, and who would win in a fight: Asian Hulk or Asian Superman?
The Friday night sitcom, starring and executive produced by Ken Jeong, was not renewed for a third season.
Aw, dammit. It was fun while it lasted. One of television's few Asian American families will not be returning in the fall. After two seasons, ABC has canceled Dr. Ken, starring and executive produced by Ken Jeong.
Inspired by Jeong's real life and career as a medical doctor, the multi-camera Friday night comedy followed Dr. Ken Park, a physician with a bad beside manner trying to juggle practicing medicine at his HMO and being a family man to his wife and kids -- and not quite succeeding on either front.
Dr. Ken also starred the awesome Suzy Nakamura as Ken's wife Allison, Krista Marie Yu as daughter Molly, Albert Tsai as his son Dave, and Dana Lee as Ken's dad D.K. The cast was rounded out by Tisha Campbell-Martin as Damona, Jonathan Slavin as Clark and Dave Foley as Pat.
Less than a year after the much-hyped premiere of Fresh Off The Boat, which was widely celebrated as the first series to feature an Asian American family in two decades, Dr. Ken leapt on to ABC's schedule. Two Asian American families on TV? On the same friggin' network? Whaaaaaaat. And Dr. Ken offered a decidedly different inter-Asian, multi-generational take on the Asian American family comedy.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Vincent Chin's murder. If you're in Seattle, the Wing Luke Museum is revisiting the landmark case with a special screening of the seminal documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?, followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena, Marsha Chien (Washington State Assistant Attorney General, Wing Luke Civil Rights Unit), Connie So (University of Washington American Ethnic Studies, Principal Lecturer) and Rich Stolz (OneAmerica, Executive Director).
It's happening Saturday, May 13 at the Wing Luke Museum. Here are some more details:
Variety Show and Panel Discussion, May 12 & 13 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum
Los Angeles! If you're looking for some laughs, then make plans to attend a special AAPI Heritage Month edition of Asian AF, the first-ever Asian American comedy variety show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. There will be special appearances by Kiran Deol (How to Get Away With Murder), Amy Hill (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Kulap Vilaysack (Bajillion Dollar Properties), Lewis Tan (Iron Fist) and many more. It's happening Friday night, May 12 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum. Then the next day, Asian AF will be hosting a panel of comedians discussing "What Does Asian American Even Mean?"
It's happening May 12 and 13 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum. Here are some more details:
A comparison of lead actor and Benehakaka Kanahele, the man he is portraying. The resemblance is lacking, to say the least. (Via Shutterstock and Hawaii Reporter)
According to Deadline, Zach McGowan will star in the historical film Ni'ihau, directed by Gabriel Robertson and set in Hawaii during World War II. He will portray Benehakaka Kanahele, a native Hawaiian who received the Medal for Merit and Purple Heart for his part in killing the pilot of a downed Imperial Japanese plane in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
You'll probably notice that Zach McGowan doesn't bear much of a resemblance to Kanahele, and it's even more of a stretch than casting Emma Stone as part Hawaiian in Aloha. Once again, members of the API community will watch as they are portrayed in media by white replacements. At this point, we are frustrated, but hardly surprised when this happens. Pacific Islanders have been abused throughout the U.S.'s history, and this appears to be just another manifestation of that shameful legacy.
To our surprise, however, this may not even be the worst of it.
What is disturbing here is the historical denialism bubbling up from under the surface.
Take a look at this quotation from the Deadline article:
Grace Lee's interactive documentary website and short film reveals new insights into the 1992 unrest.
K-TOWN'92 is an interactive documentary website and short film by Peabody Award winning filmmaker Grace Lee that reveals new insights into the 1992 Los Angeles riots through untold stories of diverse Angelenos in LA's ionic Koreatown, then and now. These are the stories that the media didn't know or didn't bother to tell. You can view K-TOWN'92 as a free-standing interactive documentary website.
A 15-minute companion documentary short, K-TOWN'92 Reporters, explores media coverage at the city's paper of record during the 1992 civil unrest. At that time, Hector Tobar, Tammerlin Drummond, and John Lee reported from the field for the Los Angeles Times. Twenty-five years later, they revisit their stories and impressions of those tumultuous events, and reflect on the media coverage they helped create.
K-TOWN'92 Reporters will air nationally on the WORLD Channel in May. You can also view it online here:
'Little Dragon,' directed by Shekhar Kapur, will examine the legendary martial artist's teenage years.
Little Dragon, a new movie about the early life of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, is set to start shooting this summer. Directed and co-written by acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, backed by Chinese investors, and authorized by Bruce Lee's family, the biopic will examine Lee's tumultuous teenage years in 1950s Hong Kong.
According to producers, the film will follow a young Lee as he contends with "his family's disappointment, young love, true friendship, betrayal, racism, deep hardship and the inner fire that threatens to unravel his destiny."
An official U.S.-China co-production, Little Dragon be co-written and produced by Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee, who says the film will offer a look at the formative, early years that shaped her father's life before he became a movie star, international icon and arguably the most famous martial arts practitioner of all time.
"I always thought that a film about how my father's life was shaped in his early years in Hong Kong would be a worthwhile story to share so we could better understand him as a human being and a warrior," Shannon Lee said in a statement.
Artist Bernard Chang celebrates #asianheroesmonth on his variant cover for 'New Super-Man' #11.
It's May, so it's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month... but it's also #asianheroesmonth!
To celebrate, artist Bernard Chang created this awesome variant cover for New Super-Man #11 depicting Kenan Kong, aka the Chinese Superman, going out to dim sum with some of his fellow Asian superheroes of the DC Universe (at a restaurant where the poor wait staff is apparently possessed by Starro the Conqueror).
32-year-old Jagjeet Singh was stabbed to death after a confrontation with a customer.
In Modesto, California, police are asking for the public's help identifying the man suspected of fatally stabbing a gas station employee, who was apparently attacked after an altercation with a customer over a fake ID.
32-year-old Jagjeet Singh, a clerk at Hatch Food and Gas, was stabbed to death outside the store late Thursday night. According to a co-worker, Singh had gotten into a confrontation earlier in the evening with a customer who unsuccessfully attempted to buy cigarettes with a fake identification.
Later that same day, just before midnight, the unidentified man returned and stabbed Singh outside the store, leaving him critically wounded. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died on Friday.
"Paramedics responded because an employee had collapsed and they thought this to be a medical issue," Modesto police officer Eric Schuller told FOX40 News. "When they arrived on scene they found that this employee has actually been stabbed."
Chris Pine's Star Trek Sketch Exposes an Ugly Truth About S.N.L.: Chris Pine hosted Saturday Night Live, so of course they did a Star Trek sketch. When it came to casting Hikaru Sulu, however, SNL ran into a bit of an obstacle. In fact, in its 42-year history, there has never been an official cast member on Saturday Night Live who could play Sulu.
As Chinese Exclusion Act Turns 135, Experts Point To Parallels Today: This year marks the 135th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which placed limits on Chinese immigration and barred citizenship rights for those already in the U.S. A group of Chinese American activists came together to remember the impact of this act, and also to draw parallels to immigration policies under Trump.
Stanford Psychiatrists Take to the Stage: To address mental health struggles by Asian American youth in the area, Stanford psychiatrists staged vignettes to help families come together to discuss these issues.
Is the New Mr. Right an Immigrant Rom-Com Hero?: Kumail Nanjiani of HBO's Silicon Valley breaks out with The Big Sick, a personal story that upends Hollywood's traditional ideas about leading men.
The Real-Life Diet of Jeremy Lin: GQ offers a look at the daily diet of Nets guard Jeremy Lin, who, unfortunately, spent most of the season recovering from injury.
"Snehal or Sne to the nice people in my life. Sean to the Starbucks barista."
Hello, 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 Snehal Desai.
Award-winning creator talks about making comic books for Panda Express and Fresh Off The Boat.
If there's a comic book creator who's at the center of Asian American pop culture, it's Gene Luen Yang.
He recently partnered with Panda Express for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to revisit his brilliant re-imagining of the obscure Golden Age superhero The Green Turtle, with artist Sonny Liew, in Shadow Hero Comics #1 (available with the purchase of a kid's meal).
Gene also penned the Fresh Off The Boat tie-in comic book, with artist Jorge Corona, featured on this week's episode of the popular ABC sitcom, available in comic shops May 6 as part of "Free Comic Book Day."
I recently caught up with Gene, who's on the road for his numerous school visits and speaking engagements. He talked about his collaborations with Panda Express and Fresh Off The Boat, possible future adventures for The Green Turtle, and his efforts to get people to read outside their comfort zones.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. Each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
This week, "live" from the 33rd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, we commemorated the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, with guests Justin Chon, star/writer/director of Gook, and Grace Lee, director of the interactive documentary K-TOWN'92.
Also: "You are a fucking immigrant! Go back to your country! What are you doing here?"
In New York, a man was arrested and charged with a hate crime after violently assaulting an Asian man on the street while yelling, among other racist and anti-immigrant sentiments, "We are white power!"
On Monday morning in Midtown, 48-year-old Steven Zatorski ran up to the 30-year-old victim and started kicking him, yelling "You are a fucking immigrant! Go back to your country! What are you doing here?"
He also added "We are white power" as he punched the victim in the face. For good measure, I suppose.
The City of Los Angeles declares May 2 "Fresh Off the Boat Day" in honor of the hit ABC sitcom.
Los Angeles loves Fresh Off The Boat. May 2 has been officially declared "Fresh Off The Boat Day" in Los Angeles, as part of the city's celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
To kick off Heritage Month and "celebrate the rich diversity, identity, and cultures of the Asian Pacific American community," the City of Los Angeles declared May 2 "Fresh Off the Boat Day" in honor of the hit ABC sitcom.
The declaration ceremony took place Tuesday morning at Los Angeles City Hall, with remarks by Mayor Eric Garcetti, council member David Ryu, council President Herb Wesson Jr. Fresh Off The Boat star Randall Park and the show's executive producers, Nahnatchka Khan and Melvin Mar.
The celebration ended with a luncheon sponsored by Panda Express, of course.
"I am an immigrant. My parents are immigrants. I represent a district filled with immigrants."
A Texas lawmaker is making headlines after making an emotional speech to his colleagues, speaking out and opposing a bill banning "sanctuary city" policies. A video of his impassioned remarks has gone viral.
Rep. Gene Wu (D-TX) addressed the state's House of Representatives last Wednesday during a debate about Senate Bill 4, which would force law enforcement officials to cooperate with deportation efforts by threatening jail time among other punishments. It would also allow police to question the immigration status of anyone they stop, including children. Unfortunately, the bill was approved by the House the next day.
But not before Wu, who represents District 137 in Houston, threw down and explained -- through tears -- why fighting the controversial immigration enforcement bill was such a painful, personal issue for him.
"This topic is painful for me," said Wu, who is Chinese American. "I am an immigrant. My parents are immigrants. I represent a district filled with immigrants."
Wu invoked the discriminatory policies of America's past, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which restricted the immigration of Chinese immigration into the United States, and the unjust mass incarceration of Japanese American citizens during World War II. In both instances, "The people who voted for that, the people who supported that, thought they were doing the right thing," Wu said.
Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew partner with Panda Express for an exclusive new Green Turtle comic.
The Green Turtle returns! Award-winning comic book creator Gene Luen Yang has partnered with Panda Express to release an exclusive new comic featuring The Green Turtle -- the first Asian American superhero and star of the acclaimed graphic novel The Shadow Hero, in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the restaurant chain's salute to underdogs and unsung heroes.
Yang, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, has reunited with artist Sonny Liew to revisit their re-imagining of the obscure Golden Age comic superhero The Green Turtle in Shadow Hero Comics #1. Created by artist Chu Hing in 1944 for Blazing Comics, the character is believed to be the first Chinese American superhero. Yang and Liew revived the character in 2014 with an all-new Asian American origin story.
