Read These Blogs

What I Learned About Racism as the Only Chinese Person at a 'Chinese' Festival
This one is a doozy. Every year, 20,000 people come together to wear eyeliner and shout "Ni hao" at each other at a Chinese festival in the Bavarian town of Dietfurt.

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I’m A Filipina USC Graduate — Stop Associating Students of Color with the College Bribery Scam
"My admission was the only free thing about my education. I didn't have to pay to be seen as good enough. Nobody can take my education from me, but every time someone berates, jests, or teases about if I even deserve it -- they are stripping it of its struggle and value, which may well be the same thing."

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As ICE cracks down on Cambodian communities, a mother says goodbye to her son
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is targeting long-time residents with criminal convictions, most of whom have lived in the US since fleeing the Cambodian genocide as children.

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Queer Eye's Tan France: 'The word gay was never mentioned in my parents' home'
As Netflix's smash hit Queer Eye returns, the Fab Five's style guru reflects on growing up gay in Yorkshire, marrying a former Mormon and his own Muslim faith.

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'Poor Yella Rednecks': Kung fu, F-bombs and the immigrant superheroes of playwright Qui Nguyen
Qui Nguyen's Poor Yella Rednecks picks up where his 2015 play, Vietgone, left off -- as his Vietnamese parents cope with the challenges of marriage and moving to a new country.

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How Hulu's Series 'PEN15' Refreshingly Flips The Script On Asian Moms
As the Hulu comedy PEN15 illustrates, there's more than meets the eye with Asian tiger parents.

Angry Reader of the Week: Tim Chiou

"I try to do more loving than hating, but there are plenty of things that make me angry."



What's up, internet. You know what time it is. 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 Tim Chiou.

Nathan Chen wins World Figure Skating Championships

19-year-old skater defends title with flawless free skate.



Nathan Chen does it again. On Saturday, the 19-year-old skater performed a flawless free skate to successfully defend his title and win the gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.

Chen, who was first after the short program, made no mistakes and landed four quadruple jumps to set a record score in the free skate with 216.02 points, finishing with a total of 323.42.

Chen, the U.S. national champion, opened his program with a quad Lutz and followed with a quad flip. He then added two quad toe loops, one in combination, to solidify his lead.

"I'm proud of myself for being able to put out two good programs, the short and the long," Chen told AP. "Ultimately, I'm just happy with how this event went and I hope to have more experiences like this."

More here: Chen defends title in men's free skate at worlds

Read These Blogs

Stop Calling Asian Women Adorable
When novelist R.O. Kwon is at work, she wants to talk about work. Not her hair or skin.

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The Forgotten Minorities of Higher Education
The importance of affirmative action for Asian Americans who don't fit the model minority stereotype.

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I'm an Asian American graduate of Brooklyn Tech. Don't use me as a wedge in your education lawsuit.
Jason Wu, a lawyer and graduate of New York City's public school system, refuses to allow Asian Americans to be used as a wedge in the debate surrounding the admissions process for the city's specialized high schools.

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Looking for a Reflection as the Only Asian Actor in a Production of 'Mulan'
Philippe Thao recalls the experience of being the only Asian actor in a production of Mulan: “I felt humiliated singing a song about honor when I could only feel shame. As I stood in yellowface, I had finally fulfilled my quest to become white."

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In Little Saigon, this newspaper has been giving a community a voice for 40 years
In 1978, Yen Ngoc Do founded Nguoi Viet Daily News, a publication that helped to connect Vietnamese Americans with each other and the world.

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He Built Koreatown: Hi Duk Lee, First Korean Business Owner at Olympic and Normandie, Dies at 79
When Hi Duk Lee arrived in Los Angeles, he used his savings to open a Korean market on Olympic and Normandie, and helped to found L.A.'s famous Koreatown.

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The Student Strike That Changed Higher Ed Forever
50 years ago, the longest student strike in U.S. history took place at San Francisco State College, resulting in the establishment of Ethnic Studies.

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What My Immigrant Family Taught Me About Money
"Get That Money" is The Cut's column about the many ways we think about our finances. This week, Karissa Chen thinks about the ways her immigrant family taught her about hoarding and spending money.

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Gemma Chan Wants to End Whitewashing — In Hollywood and in History Books
With a law degree from Oxford and a license to kill in Captain Marvel, Gemma Chan has the world by the tail.

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The Big, Queer Universe of Gregg Araki
Cult filmmaker Gregg Araki on his new Starz series Now Apocalypse, writing through the AIDS crisis and Trump era, and gay-baiting on Riverdale.

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This Designer Is Using Streetwear to Get People Hyped About Laotian Food
Salong Namsa's new brand Laos Supply strikes a chord with Laotian youth who want to rep their culture and cuisine through clothes.

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The OA's Ian Alexander Explains Why Hollywood Has No Excuse Not to Cast Trans Actors
"I want to see trans people every day in the film industry. Behind the camera, in front of it, in the writers' room — everywhere, because trans people are everywhere."

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 62: They Call Us MasterChef

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. (Almost) 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.

On this episode, recorded live at SXSW, we welcome MasterChef Season 9 contestants Ashley Mincey and Farhan Momin to chat about cooking, family, culture, authenticity and "ethnic food." Special thanks to Lisa Lee of DoorDash, for putting it all together, and Torchy's Tacos, for filling our bellies.

Angry Reader of the Week: Soleil Ho

"My deal is thinking about how we can use food to explain bigger things."



Greetings, good 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 Soleil Ho.

Is that you, Constance Wu?

'Fresh Off The Boat' star begins filming 'Hustlers' in New York City.



Fresh Off the Boat and Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu has begun production on her next project, the stripper crime drama Hustlers. Unofficial photos from the set give us a glimpse of her look... and wow.

This is not Rachel Chu. This is definitely not Jessica Huang.

They Call Us Bruce: Episode 61 - They Call Us Austin Asians (Live From SXSW)

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. (Almost) 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.

On this episode, recorded live at SXSW, Jeff and Phil host an Asian American trivia quiz show, with special guests Simu Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jonny Sun, Nancy Wang Yuen, Chloe Dao and PJ Raval -- all vying for Asian (North) American honor, glory and bragging rights. Special thanks to our friends at the Austin Asian American Film Festival and Indeed.

Justin Chon's 'Ms. Purple' acquired by Oscilloscope

Sundance sibling drama will hit theaters later this year.



After premiering earlier this year to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, Justin Chon's sibling drama Ms. Purple, starring Tiffany Chu and Teddy Lee, has been acquired for distribution by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Ms. Purple follows Korean American sister and brother Kasie and Carey, who were raised and are now seemingly stuck in Koreatown, Los Angeles. Abandoned by their mother and brought up by their father, the siblings continue to struggle with deep emotional wounds from the difficulty of the parental dynamic. Now, with their father on his death bed, the estranged Carey comes home to help Kasie care for him. As they reunite over their dying father, Kasie and Carey confront their shared past, attempting to mend their relationship.

The film will be released in theaters later this year.

More here: Oscilloscope Acquires Justin Chon Sundance Drama 'Ms. Purple'

It's Bruce Lee vs. Brad Pitt in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

"My hands are registered as lethal weapons."



Bruce Lee... versus Brad Pitt?. The first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's latest film just dropped, and it seems to be the moment everybody's talking about. But did the badassest guy who ever lived have to be the comic relief?

Plot details are still pretty scant, but Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follows faded television actor Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and his stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt, striving to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

Amidst a lot of quick cut vintage Hollywood imagery, the teaser shows a black-clad Bruce Lee, played by Mike Moh, claiming his hands are registered lethal weapons. "We get into a fight, I accidentally kill you... I go to jail."

Pitt, unimpressed, retorts, "Anybody accidentally kills anybody in a fight, they go to jail. It's called manslaughter."

Cut to the two engaging in some gung fu tusslin'.

Read These Blogs

Sandra Oh Says Jobs Are Like Dating — and She's Learned to Move On
At 47, and reaching new heights in her career, Sandra Oh gives far less fucks.\

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The Unlearned Lesson of My Lai
A half-century after a brutal massacre in Vietnam, the U.S. still struggles to hold itself accountable for atrocities.

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Andrew Yang is running for president. Haven’t heard of him? You will soon.
Last week, Andrew Yang, an entrepreneur and veteran of the tech industry, became the latest -- and, perhaps, least likely -- Democratic presidential candidate to meet the requirements necessary to appear in the party's first debate in June.

* * *
Centering The Asian American Community
"When I think about Asian Americans, I think of a community that wants to get organized and uplift the power of their people. But there are not enough tools in our cultural toolbox to engage in this type of (political) discourse."

* * *
Son’s tweet of ‘sad’ dad at new but empty doughnut shop sends community flocking for tasty treats
All it took was a single tweet of a “sad” father stationed behind the counter of a newly opened but desolate mom-and-pop doughnut shop to bring the community out and get sales rolling.

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NBC Hiring Lilly Singh As a Late Night Host Is a Very Big Deal
The YouTube star will become the only queer woman of color hosting a late night show on a major network.

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Does “Captain Marvel” Do Right By the Talented Gemma Chan?
"Minn-Erva follows a long line of marginal and minor Asian female characters in Marvel films."

Read These Blogs

America, Say My Name
When writer Viet Thanh Nguyen was younger, he tried on different "typical American" names, encouraged by generations of American tradition. Eventually, he stuck with the name his parents gave him.

* * *
The Memory Keepers
For survivors of Japanese American incarceration and their descendants in California, documentation and counter-documentation has become a form of resistance.

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White Supremacist Propaganda At 'Record-Setting' Levels, ADL Report Finds
According to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League, white supremacy propaganda increased by 182 percent in 2018 compared with the year before.

* * *
I Will Never Be As Brave As My Mother
Recently, Elizabeth Ann Quirino discovered that during World War II, her mother Lourdes "Lulu" Reyes Besa risked her life to sneak medicine to prisoners of war in concentration camps in the Philippines.

* * *
Director removes racism and yellowface from Minneapolis staging of 'The Mikado'
With a new production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado opening in Minneapolis, playwright and theater artist Rick Shiomi shares his vision for addressing the 1885 work's racial offenses.

* * *
Soleil Ho is a young, queer woman of color who wants to redefine food criticism
Food journalist and trained chef Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicle's new restaurant critic.

* * *
The Female Chef Making Japan's Most Elaborate Cuisine Her Own
How Niki Nakayama's kaiseki restaurant became a highly coveted reservation in L.A.

* * *
The One and Only Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside a blistering forehand: For all her growing fame, the world's No. 1 tennis player remains tough to define -- just the way she likes it.

* * *
My worst moment: 'Fresh Off the Boat' star Randall Park and the soggy audition
Randall Park, who plays endearingly optimistic, consistently upbeat Louis on Fresh Off the Boat, recalls a cringe-worthy audition from his early days of acting.

* * *
With "Captain Marvel," Gemma Chan Is Demolishing Hollywood's Aversion To Color-Blind Casting
Gemma Chan speaks about the importance of challenging Hollywood's ideas about roles for Asians.

They Call Us Bruce: Live Podcast & AAPI Creatives Mixer

Monday, March 11. Presented by the Austin Asian American Film Festival



Hey Austin! Our podcast They Call Us Bruce is teaming up with the Austin Asian American Film Festival for a free live podcast taping event/trivia competition/creatives mixer. Think NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me with an Asian American twist. Jeff Yang and I will be joined by panelists Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience), PJ Raval (SXSW Keynote Speaker/Documentary Director), Nancy Wang Yuen, Ph.D. (Author & Pop Culture Geek), Chloe Dao (Project Runway Winner), and Jonny Sun (writer on Bojack Horseman, Lin Manuel-Miranda collaborator). It's happening Monday, March 11 at Indeed.

For further information and to RSVP, go here: AAPI Creatives Mixer w/ They Call Us Bruce Live Podcast

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 60: They Call Us Canadians

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. (Almost) 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.

On this episode, we welcome Canadian actors Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim's Convenience) and Samantha Wan (Second Jen). They discuss the unique flavor and challenges of telling stories north of the border, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of being Asian Canadian.

Angry Reader of the Week: Jenn Wong

"I'm a very short person. And Canadian, so very friendly by default."



Greetings, 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 Jenn Wong.

Read These Blogs

Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But Students Keep Reading Them
Dr. Seuss delivered racist messages in his books and other writing and illustration. Despite efforts to diversify reading lists for children, his books remain popular.

* * *
4 Asian-American Women Who Changed History
Four trailblazing Asian American women whose work impacted the lives of many.

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Jameela Jamil Is a Force for Revolutionary Self-Acceptance
The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil wants to use her privilege and platform to shed light on important issues, like fat shaming and mental health.

* * *
How PEN15's Mutsuko Erskine Wound Up Playing Herself on TV
Mutsuko Erskine not only plays the matriarch in Maya Erskine's PEN15 -- she is Maya's mother in real life.

* * *
Jeremy Lin reflects on the time he was disrespected by Kobe
At the height of Jeremy Lin’s popularity in 2012, the very peak of "Linsanity" all over the basketball world, almost everyone and their mother was talking about him. But not Kobe Bryant.

* * *
David Henry Hwang on Theater, Trump, and Asian-American Identity
Celebrated playwright David Henry Hwang discusses storytelling across cultures.

* * *
Constance Wu Reveals Significance Behind Her Yellow Oscars Dress
Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu's Academy Awards outfit came with a deeper meaning.

"Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

Rep. Grace Meng introduces resolution in Congress to recognize Chinese railroad workers.



New York congresswoman Grace Meng has introduced a resolution in Congress to recognize the almost 12,000 Chinese workers who helped build America's transcontinental railroad during the 19th century.

"In May, we will commemorate 150 years since the end of the railroad's completion, and providing these laborers with the national recognition they deserve would be an outstanding way to commemorate this milestone," Rep. Grace Meng said in a statement. "Honoring the sacrifices they made for our nation is long overdue."

The resolution acknowledges the risks Chinese laborers faced between 1865 and 1869 as they toiled in dangerous conditions on the monumental engineering project, all while dealing with discrimination and unequal pay and treatment.

More here: N.Y. congresswoman introduces resolution honoring Chinese railroad workers

Angry Reader of the Week: Richie Menchavez

"I am always digging to discover great music."



Hello, internet friends. Once again, we find ourselves at another opportunity 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 Richie Menchavez.

Jude Weng and Jessica Yu land milestone TV directing gigs

Weng will direct ABC's comedy pilot from Jessica Gao; Jessica Yu will direct NBC's 'Bluff City Law.'



Asian American women directors making some big moves in television...

Jude Weng has been hired to direct ABC's untitled single-camera comedy pilot from writer Jessica Gao. She is believed to be the first Asian American woman ever and the first woman of color in nearly 30 years to direct a half-hour broadcast network pilot, since Debbie Allen helmed the pilot for The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air in 1990.

Meanwhile, Jessica Yu is set to direct NBC's drama pilot Bluff City Law. The Academy Award-winning director is believed to be the first Asian American woman to direct a broadcast drama pilot.

More here: Jude Weng & Jessica Yu Land Milestone Directing Gigs In Strong Pilot Season For Director Diversity