Read These Blogs

'Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker' Gave Rose Tico Barely Over A Minute Of Screen Time
Somebody actually counted: Kelly Marie Tran appears in Rise of Skywalker for 1 minute, 16 seconds.

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The Rise of Skywalker writer explains why Kelly Marie Tran had a reduced role
A writer on The Rise of Skywalker is explaining the film's handling of Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico, who some say was shortchanged in the new Star Wars film.

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11 Asian American comics who killed it this year — and need to be on your 2020 radar
In 2019, some of our favorite Asian American comedians reached even greater heights and broke down barriers. Here are 11 comics who killed it this year and should be on your 2020 radar.

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The Best Part of Ronny Chieng's Netflix Comedy Special
"But what makes Chieng’s special really worth watching is that it centers a purely Asian perspective. It’s about us, and for us, full stop. Chieng isn’t just a Southeast Asian comic with a huge platform, which would be a victory in itself. He’s a Southeast Asian comic using that platform to explore his identity and make our way of seeing the world relevant, and relatable, to everyone in the room."

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Hasan Minhaj Opened Up About Why He Corrected Ellen's Pronunciation Of His Name
While answering an audience member's question, Patriot Act comedian Hasan Minhaj explains the variations on his name he's used while performing and why he decided to to teach Ellen DeGeneres to say his name properly.

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Denver Filmmaker Explores How Korean Adoptees Felt Like 'Martians' In White America
Glenn Morey, a Korean American adoptee, set out to record his interviews with other transracial adoptees in his project, Side by Side: Out of a South Korean Orphanage and Into the World.

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Breakfast With a Side of Manny Jacinto
This profile basically confirms everything you already love about Manny Jacinto, and more.

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Remembering Apana Chang, legendary detective and the first Chinese policeman in Hawaii:
Apana Chang was the first Chinese police officer in Hawaii, and the inspiration for the fictional detective Charlie Chan who appeared in dozens of bestselling novels and films throughout the 20s, 30s and 40s.

Angry Reader of the Week: Anthony Ocampo

"Everyone's got a different view of what their neighborhood is 'really' like."



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 -- the final Angry Reader of 2019 -- is Anthony Ocampo.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 85: They Call Us Destin Daniel Cretton

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 talk to director Destin Daniel Cretton about his new film Just Mercy, which tells the true story of death row defense attorney and real-life superhero Bryan Stevenson. We also get him to say a few things about an upcoming little Marvel movie called Shang-Chi.

Read These Blogs

How THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Failed Rose Tico
The Rise of Skywalker completely marginalizes Kelly Marie Tran's Rose Tico. "And worse than giving her nothing to do, the film actively undercuts her best traits as a hero."

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Why This Star Wars Actor Is Choosing to Wear All-Asian Designers on the Red Carpet
When Kelly Marie Tran began planning her press tour for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, she felt it was important to celebrate the creativity of fashion designers of Asian descent.

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L.A.'s Asian-American Activist Newspaper from the '70s Is Back in Print
Gidra, first in print from 1969-1975, is has been brought back to life for the modern world.

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Andrew Yang Is Onstage, but Offstage, Asian-Americans Wonder Where They Fit In
The Democrats have a historically diverse field, but entrepreneur Andrew Yang was the lone Asian American candidate debating with six white candidates.

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How ‘Watchmen's' misunderstanding of Vietnam undercuts its vision of racism
Watchmen's handling of the war and its Vietnamese characters reveal a reluctance to grapple with imperialism.

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Asian Americans and Racial Justice: Racial Exclusion and the (Im)Possibilities of Developing Our Identity, Consciousness, and Agency
A collective of Asian American academic activists highlight the need to include Asian Americans in racial justice discourse.

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Why Chinatown's Hop Woo BBQ's Chef Lupe Liang First Printed Menus en Español 26 Years Ago
In order to better serve the surrounding community of Hop Woo, chef Lupe Liang pulled from his own knowledge from living in Mexico.

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LA's Asian Santa Is Back In Little Tokyo
L.A.'s Asian Santa brings a special kind of joy to Little Tokyo.

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Where's the busiest place in Seattle on Christmas? This little Chinese restaurant.
A holiday tradition which stands the test of time.

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Ronny Chieng on Andrew Yang: “There aren't enough Asian people in positions of power" The Daily Show comedian on telling jokes for Americans, the retro feel for his Netflix special, and Baby Yoda.

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Comedian Margaret Cho: 'I Invented The Cancellation'
Margaret Cho talks to NPR as part of an interview series with rule-breaking women in comedy.

Angry Reader of the Week: Bobby Rubio

"Truth, justice and the Asian American way!"



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 Bobby Rubio.

"Asian glow" could be linked to Alzheimer's, study finds

If you've spent any time partying with Asian kids, you've witnessed it.



Some more bad news for us folks who deal with the "Asian glow," according to a new study... In the presence of alcohol, a defective version of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene -- which causes that pesky redness when we drink -- also leads to biochemical changes associated with Alzheimer's disease.

A common mutation in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, or ALDH2, a key enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism, increases damage in cells from patients with Alzheimer's disease and in mice, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

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Mistrust and the Hunt for Spies Among Chinese Americans
Ties to China doom applicants' security clearances more than to any other country.

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Doughnut shop owner returns after community bought out store every day while she was in a coma
When one of the owners of a Southern California doughnut shop had a brain aneurysm and was in a coma, the small surf town came together to help the business. Now, about a year later, Stella Chhan is back behind the counter at Donut City.

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How 'Crazy Rich Asians' Mirrored My Own Trip to the Altar
Rebecca Sun details how the trailblazing film's cultural themes brought clarity to her own parents' disapproval of the man she was determined to marry.

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The Two Faces of Awkwafina: How the actress got in touch with her dramatic side for The Farewell
The Farewell star Awkwafina is one of EW's 2019 Entertainers of the Year.

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Ronny Chieng talks risky jokes and Netflix special Asian Comedian Destroys America
Don't get on Ronny Chieng's bad side. He will rip you a new one, and he will talk about it on stage.

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Kelly Marie Tran on Rose Tico's enduring Star Wars: The Last Jedi line
Kelly Marie Tran on her iconic line in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and what's in store for Rose Tico in the upcoming sequel.

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The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of MSG
You probably know monosodium glutamate from its link to so-called 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' -- and that’s precisely the problem.

Sikh Uber driver strangled in hate crime attack

"This assault is being investigated as a bias incident."


Photo: Sikh Coalition
Last week in Washington state, an Uber passenger was arrested for strangling his Sikh American driver during a ride. The attack is reportedly being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Hate crime charges ‘pending’ after reported strangulation of Bellingham Uber driver

22-year-old Grifin Levi Sayers allegedly attacked his Uber driver -- who is Indian and wears a turban and unshorn hair in observant of his Sikh faith -- in the early morning hours of December 5 in Bellingham.

At the end of the ride, Sayers became verbally and physically abusive against the driver, making racist accusations about his appearance and Indian heritage before grabbing the driver's throat.

Awkwafina nabs Golden Globe nomination for 'The Farewell'

But why is 'The Farewell' nominated for Best Foreign Language Film?



Nominations for the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced this morning, and as many predicted, Lulu Wang's indie hit The Farewell picked up a couple of nods, including a Best Actress nom for Awkwafina.

Golden Globes: Full List of Nominations

The rapper-turned-actress, aka Nora Lum, scored a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for her role as Billi, a Chinese American New Yorker who travels to China when her family puts on a fake wedding to say their final goodbyes to her terminally ill grandmother.

The Farewell also picked up a nomination, somewhat inexplicably, for Best Foreign Language Film.

Read These Blogs

'Clean' Chinese Restaurant Closes Less Than a Year After Racism Controversy
Bye.

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Nature's Candy
"To my knowledge, my mom has never purchased pre-cut mango spears or melon from the supermarket. I imagine that, to her, such things are pure American nonsense."

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Meet Simu Liu: the actor playing Marvel’s first Asian superhero Shang-chi is battling global stereotypes
The Chinese-Canadian plays a martial-arts master in 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings..

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Awkwafina Is Poised for a Historic Oscar Nomination for ‘The Farewell'
Awkwafina, receiving raves for her performance in The Farewell, is poised to become the first Asian American woman ever nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award if the season plays out in her favor.

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The Partnership: Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen On Protecting A Shared Secret & Becoming An Onscreen Family In 'The Farewell'
Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen,. the duo at the heart of The Farewell, discuss their heartfelt responsibility toward the real Nai Nai, crossing a language barrier, and sacred familial ties.

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Eric Nam Made It as a K-Pop Star. Now He Wants to Make It Back Home in America
Already a successful pop soloist in South Korea, singer-songwriter Eric Nam's latest album Before We Begin is the first step in shedding the label of a "K-pop artist" and positioning himself as a pop artist in the U.S. market.

Angry Reader of the Week: Dino-Ray Ramos

"I'm just trying to make the world not trash."


Photo: Kim Newmoney
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 Dino-Ray Ramos.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 84: They Call Us Parasite

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 TV writer Liz Alper to talk about the plight of assistants in the entertainment industry and organizing #PayUpHollywood. And then we geek out about Bong Joon Ho's Parasite.

Ronny Chieng Will Destroy America

Standup special 'Asian Comedian Destroys America' premieres December 17 on Netflix.



Your destruction is imminent, America. And your doom comes at the hands of Ronny Chieng. The Daily Show correspondent and Crazy Rich Asians star -- and self-described "standup's most ruthless comedian" -- drops his new Netflix special Asian Comedian Destroys America later this month. Here's the trailer, which promises a "comedy event that will decimate American society." I, for one, welcome said destruction.

'Mulan ' trailer promises swords, sorcery and swooshy hair

Let's get down to business, the new Mulan trailer is here. Disney just released the full trailer for the upcoming live-action adaptation of the 1998 animated feature, and it promises lots of swords, sorcery and swooshy hair.

The trailer offers a bigger glimpse of film's take on the mythic Chinese woman warrior. Liu Yifei stars as Hua Mulan, the dutiful daughter who disguises herself as a male soldier to take her father's place in China's army against invading forces. As fans have figured out by now, this Mulan appears to be more of a straight-ahead adventure epic, dropping the musical numbers and zany sidekicks for battle scenes and kung fu.

We also get significant first looks at some of the major characters, including Gong Li as the sorceress Xian Lang (who appears to possess the ability to transform into a hawk), Jason Scott Lee as the villainous Bori Khan, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Ron Yuan as Sergeant Qiang, Jet Li as The Emperor.

Take a look:

Read These Blogs

Andrew Yang seems invisible to the mainstream media - just like most Asian Americans
Asian Americans are often invisible in American culture, and judging by the experience of presidential candidate Andrew Yang, even more so in politics.

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As Supreme Court decision looms, undocumented Asians say they must speak up or risk losing DACA
Undocumented Asians are talking more about their immigration status after years of watching Latinos and other communities of color speak out.

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What happens after your story goes viral? The outpouring of support helped ailing 'Donut City' owner
A year ago, Stella and John Chhan were the subject of a viral story when Stella had a brain aneurysm. Locals bought out the donuts at their shop in Seal Beach so John could visit his wife every day. Now, she’s back behind the counter.

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‘Float’ Director Bobby Rubio on Unconscious Bias and Pixar's First Filipino American Character
Pixar story artist Bobby Rubio made his directorial debut with the animated short Float on Disney Plus -- the first Pixar work to feature a Filipino American animated character.

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Never Too Soon: A Conversation with Leland Cheuk
Leland Cheuk, author of the novel No Good Very Bad Asian, talks about comedy, identity, and whether today’s representations of diversity in the comedy and writing worlds are authentic.

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Rams rookie safety Taylor Rapp wants to 'show that Asians can play'
Taylor Rapp, safety for the Los Angeles Rams, is trying to change the narrative.

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No, Simon Cowell, it's not 'time for UK-Pop'
Forget about Simon Cowell. The Korean music industry has been trying to internationalize K-Pop, recruiting talent from around the world to leverage and expand its international fan base -- and raising a lot of questions along the way.