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Decades After Infamous Beating Death, Recent Attacks Haunt Asian Americans
Vincent Chin, a Chinese immigrant, was beaten to death after being pursued by two white Detroit autoworkers in 1982. On the 40th anniversary of his death, many hear frightening echoes.

* * *
How I Became an Asian American
"I hope Mr. Chin becomes an even more potent symbol of overdue justice not only for Asian Americans but for all Americans who know their worth is more than what racism and capitalism demand."

* * *
"You Know What I Say About Men Who F--- Asian Women?"
"When white women hypersexualize Asian women onscreen, we suffer the consequences."

* * *
Don’t be fooled — Asian American voters are more progressive than you might think
"The Asian American community can be a progressive political force at the polls. However, political leaders, parties and organizations must make some serious long-term and sustained investments in our communities — not just when they need our votes."

* * *
'A lot of Costco love' — How the warehouse retailer became a staple of Asian America
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S. They’re also a disproportionate number of Costco's customers. Asians comprise about 7% of the U.S. population, but make up 11.9% of Costco shoppers.

* * *
"She showed the way" — Viet Thanh Nguyen on Maxine Hong Kingston
Viet Thanh Nguyen talks about Maxine Hong Kingston’s influence and editing a collection of the author’s writing.

* * *
How Dustin Nguyen of '21 Jump Street' helped change the way we see Asian American men
Dustin Nguyen doesn't sit around and think about being a "pioneer." But decades after his iconic, breakthrough role on 21 Jump Street -- as a rare Asian American heartthrob on a mainstream show -- that's what he is.

"An immigrants' kid punched Hitler in the mouth while cosplaying the American flag"

Gene Luen Yang on the corniness and coolness of Captain America -- the hero who is a flag on the move.



"The hero who dresses like the American flag. You can't get much cornier than that." As a young comic book reader, Gene Luen Yang didn't think much of Captain America. To be honest, he summarily dismissed Marvel Comics' star-spangled superhero as a dork -- and certainly nowhere near as cool as the X-Men.

But over time, Gene's relationship to Cap has evolved -- much like the flag, and America itself. In his foreword to the new Penguin Classics Marvel Collection edition of CAPTAIN AMERICA, the award-winning comic book creator shares about coming around to the appeal of Captain America's undeniable dorkiness, and his connection to Cap as a fellow child of immigrants. We're delighted to share Gene's foreword here:

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The man who murdered my brother post-9/11 just died. This is why I mourn him
"In the end, the legacy of the man who gunned down my brother is not only violence and hate. His memory is also one of reconciliation and love."

* * *
It's Been 50 Years. I Am Not 'Napalm Girl' Anymore.
For decades, Kim Phuc Phan Thi has struggled with the infamous photo of her at fleeing a bombed village when she was 9 years old. Today, she thinks of the children of Uvalde, cautioning that school shootings are the "domestic equivalent of war."

* * *
By Accident of Birth
NPR's Throughline tells the story of Wong Kim Ark, who forever changed the path of American immigration law in the 1897 Supreme Court cast United States v. Wong Kim Ark.

* * *
This photographer's surreal images explore the complexity of Asian American identity
Photographer Michelle Watt's portrait series "Lunar Geisha" is an exploration of Asian American female identity, examining who how East Asian women are perceived by society, how they are thrust into playing certain roles, the ways in which they become complicit in those stereotypes and the ways in which they rebel against them.

* * *
After his son died on a USC film shoot, a father is still looking for answers
When Peng Wang died on a USC film shoot in the Imperial Sand Dunes, his father flew from China to find answers.

* * *
Andrew Ahn Did Want to Show Dick on Fire Island
Andrew Ahn talks about directing Fire Island and the importance of having nudity onscreen.

* * *
'Fire Island' and the Bechdel Test: Turning the Debacle Into a Learning Opportunity
A tweet criticized the gay Asian rom-com for failing to adequately represent women. Now what?

* * *
The Indian Action Blockbuster That Should Make Hollywood Jealous
RRR is the heroic epic we’ve been waiting for—one that’s not afraid of its own extravagance.

* * *
'Liquor Store Dreams' Tells Personal Story Of Korean-American Experience In One Pocket Of L.A.
In So Yun Um's feature documentary debut Liquor Store Dreams, she calls herself a "liquor store baby," a first-generation American born to Korean immigrant parents who opened corner stores in "Black and Brown communities in Los Angeles."

* * *
Worst Episode Ever Returns to Remind Us Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Once Went Bizarrely Racist
"It’s absolutely crazy this cartoon was made barely more than 30 years ago. In fact, the episode is so problematic that it was redubbed and re-edited after it originally aired in 1990, and that’s the only version currently available for viewing, and it still has the warning in front of it. And it should!"

Read These

States are mandating Asian American history lessons to stop bigotry
As anti-Asian attacks surge nationwide, a movement is hoping to combat hate with history, pushing states to require lessons on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in public schools.

* * *
May We Please Just Date Without Hate?
An Asian American college couple tries to let their young love bloom, but racist incidents keep disrupting their honeymoon phase.

* * *
You're called a 'model minority' as an Asian American — until they decide you aren't
"Privilege-adjacent. Invisible at times. As an Asian American, that's how I typically used to think of my minority status. Society labels us the "model minority" when it is convenient. Sometimes we're models to be emulated — when we're not on the receiving end of people's fear, anger and suspicion."

* * *
Why We Make Fun of the Way Other People Eat
On #Swedengate and why we fixate on other cultures' eating habits.

* * *
One 'underdog' candidate sees opportunity in N.Y. maps mess
New York congressional candidate Yuh-Line Niou is vying with better-known Bill de Blasio and Rep. Mondaire Jones, but she sees an opening with an electorate that is 20 percent Asian American voters.

* * *
A single photo can change the world. I know, because I took one that did.
"Kim Phuc and I are two people intertwined in history. To this day, I view her as family. She calls me 'uncle,' and I talk with her often. But I will always hate the circumstances in which we met."

* * *
The Doughnut Kids Are All Right
The next generation of Los Angeles doughnut shop owners are preserving, innovating on, and continuing a uniquely Khmerican experience.

* * *
Elvis reimagined as an Asian American icon
Tommy Kha has photographed a number of people who emulate Elvis Presley over the years, but in this portrait he offers himself as the American icon.

* * *
Chan Is Missing: Lost (and Not Found) in Chinatown
The 1982 film distills a set of broad social themes through intimate snapshots of San Francisco's Chinatown neighborhood and its delightful panoply of personalities.

* * *
Joel Kim Booster Doesn't Need Gay Rom-Com 'Fire Island' to Be Palatable for 'Certain People'
Fire Island star/writer Joel Kim Booster wrote his gay, Asian American romantic comedy script inspired by a trip Fire Island and Pride and Prejudice.

* * *
Daniel Dae Kim's Journey From Actor to Advocate
The actor talks about remaining true to his values, finding the courage to speak up, and why it's hard to watch 'Friends.'

* * *
Filmmaker Geeta Malik on Representation: 'Being Seen Can Be a Double-Edged Sword' (Guest Column)
"I feel like I'm always walking that tightrope between celebrating my culture and resisting people who try to make it the most interesting thing about me."

* * *
AAPI scribes on Grey's Anatomy and Pachinko reveal what it's really like in the writers' room
Three Asian American writers on high-profile shows discuss what's changed and what's remained the same in the writer's room.

* * *
Margaret Cho Has Always Been Unapologetically Ahead Of Her Time
Nancy Wang Yuen reflects on Margaret Cho's long career and its impact on her own life.

* * *
'Crying in H Mart' Made Michelle Zauner a Literary Star. What's Next?
The odds are against making a career as an indie musician. Finding success as a memoirist is equally unlikely. Michelle Zauner, improbably, has done both.

* * *
How Wayne Wang Faces Failure
Filmmaker Wayne Wang discusses his political and artistic education, the contradictions of being Asian in America, and the importance of "unlearning everything."

Read These

A photographer's journey to reconnect with his Chinese American identity
"These images tell the story of not only those who were brave enough to build new lives in America but the story of the generations that came after; how they persisted with their dreams and fought for their culture to exist in a society that wasn't welcoming."

* * *
What Corky Lee Taught Me
Photographer An Rong Xu pays tribute to Corky, who passed away in January last year. For decades, Lee worked to not only document the day-to-day lives of Asian Americans, but also to correct American history that left out Asian Americans.

* * *
A Genocide Left Their Families In A Cycle Of Trauma. Now, A Generation Of Cambodian Americans is Finding A Path Toward Healing.
Immigrating to the U.S. meant pushing aside the pain caused by Khmer Rouge atrocities. For those who grew up in the aftermath, moving forward means working with their elders to process damaging memories.

* * *
How a Family Fruit Stand Became Northern California's Best-Kept Pie Secret
After 70 years, the family-run market and destination pie stop Ikeda's maintains its charm off I-80.

* * *
The Ballad Of Chol Soo Lee: How Asian Americans United To Free A Man Wrongly Convicted Of Murder
Chol Soo Lee seemed an unlikely candidate to inspire a movement, but that's what happened when he was wrongly convicted of a San Francisco gangland murder in 1974.

* * *
Asians in Hollywood Are Finally Showing Their True Selves, Flaws and All
"The power of Everything Everywhere All At Once lies in its comfort of not performatively overcorrecting for the non-Asian audience. An Asian film need not get upon stilts to drive the point home that 'these are not your typical Asians.' We've already passed the audition. The characters should simply be because there is room for everyone."

* * *
'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Star Christina Chong Discusses Her Heartbreaking Childhood Connection to La'an Noonien-Singh
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Christina Chong discusses turning pain into strength and using all those emotions to better capture and understand the complexities of her character.

Read These

Remembering a Victim of an Anti-Asian Attack, a Hundred and Fifty Years Later
Gene Tong, a popular herbal-medicine doctor in Los Angeles, was hanged by a mob during one of the worst mass lynchings in American history.

* * *
James Hong Really Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
The 93-year-old vet has more than 450 credits under his belt -- and, as of this week, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

* * *
Smuggled, Heartbroken and Triumphant: How 3 Comics Tell the Immigrant Story
The profound and painful tribulations of the Asian American journey are centered in Asian American Eyz'd: An Immigrant Comedy Special — a film project by Ana Tuazon Parsons, Nicky Endres and Aidan Park.

* * *
How TikTok's king of poses teaches his 4 million followers to take better photos
Photographer David Suh teaches his 4 million TikTok followers how to pose with confidence.

* * *
In their search for love, South Asians swipe right on dating apps catered for them
Mirchi is among the growing world of dating apps created by and catering to South Asians.

* * *
Ellen Pao on What Asian American Women Need from Workplaces
TIME talked to four Asian American women who have built successful careers within their own industries while advocating alongside other AAPI professionals to build better workplaces for their communities.

James Hong: The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Finally! After seven decades in show business with over 600 film and television roles to his name -- perhaps the most credited Hollywood actor in history -- legendary actor James Hong is being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At 93 years old, he is the oldest actor yet to receive this distinction.

Most recently, you may have seen him playing Michelle Yeoh's father in Daniels' genre-bending multiverse epic Everything Everywhere All at Once. Here's a featurette from A24 with his cast mates including Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu, talking about Hong and his pioneering career:

Read These

The term 'Asian American' has a radical history
"Asian American" is a term that is both ambitious and contentious, depending on who you ask... There are significant limitations to a single category that encompasses such a vast and diverse population. But despite its imperfect nature, scholars of Asian American history say that the term's origins suggest that it has immense potential, too.

* * * More people now incorrectly blame Asian Americans for Covid than at height of pandemic
A new report finds that the percentage of Americans who say Asian Americans are responsible for Covid-19 nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022.

* * * Horrified by the surge of anti-Asian violence, she's giving her community tools to protect themselves
Medical studnet Michelle Tran was horrified by the spike in anti-Asian violence and wanted to do something to help her community. She co-founded Soar Over Hate, a nonprofit that works to support and protect AAPI communities in New York and San Francisco.

* * * A Story of Succession on a New Jersey Farm, in 'Seasons'
Nevia No's mother, who emigrated from what is now North Korea, was embarrassed of her chosen profession as a farmer; in turn, Gabriella Canal and Michael Fearon's documentary about Bodhitree Farm focusses on Nevia’s desire to pass on her work to her own daughter.

* * * Some of the Most Influential Asian American Literature of All Time
"This post was originally going to be called 'The Most Influential Asian American Literature of All Time' but who on earth could write that post?"

* * * From ‘Turning Red’ to ‘Everything Everywhere,’ the Asian (North) American mom goes mainstream
Imperfect, complex Asian American moms are the center of many recent mainstream narratives.

* * * Wayne Wang Still Isn't Satisfied
On the 40th anniversary of his breakthrough drama, Chan Is Missing, director Wayne Wang says a new generation of Asian American filmmakers must make more challenging work.

* * * Memories of a Vibrant Moment in Asian American Cinema
"To understand our contemporary moment, we must look back at the 1980s and ’90s, when cultural media organizations and film festivals that supported Asian American filmmakers robustly programmed a diversity of aesthetic approaches."

* * * Young Hollywood Was Asian
The playboys, half-castes, outsiders, and sirens who made motion pictures.

* * * 'Fresh Off the Boat' Was Just the Start
Though Fresh Off the Boat has ended, executive producers Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar are continuing to lead TV’s expansion in Asian American and Pacific Islander representation.

'Quantum Leap' Reboot Starring Raymond Lee is a Go

NBC picks up reboot of popular 1990s sci-fi time travel drama.



NBC has given a series order to Quantum Leap, a reboot of the popular 1990s sci-fi time travel drama. A Quantum Leap reboot was inevitable. What was not inevitable, but is awesome: it stars Raymond Lee.

The original series starred Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Backett, a scientist who finds himself trapped in the past, "leaping" into the bodies of different people on a regular basis and sorting out their problems whilst trying to get back to his own time. The show ran for five seasons and actually ended with Sam never returning home.

The reboot is set in present time. It's been 30 years since Sam stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in the hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

It was previously reported that Lee will play Ben Seong, who is described as both a scientist and man of faith. He's a world-renowned physicist working on the Quantum Leap time travel project. Other cast members include Caitlin Bassett, Ernie Hudson, Mason Alexander Park and Nanrisa Lee.

I was such a huge fan of the original show, so I welcome this reboot. But the fact that Quantum Leap will star an Asian American lead is kind of mind-blowing. Hell yeah, Raymond Lee. Count me in.

More here: ‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot Picked Up To Series By NBC

Call For Submissions: AAPI Poetry Anthology

Upcoming anthology of AAPI spoken word, slam, and poetry of oral traditions to be published in 2024.



Attention, poets! Haymarket Books invites Asian American and Pacific Islander poets, spoken word poets, slam poets, and poets who consider themselves part of various oral traditions to submit their work for an anthology of AAPI spoken word, slam, and poetry of oral traditions to be published in 2024.

This anthology (title pending) seeks to celebrate poetry from the space where Asia, the Pacific, and “America” meet. This project seeks to interrogate what we mean when we say “AAPI poetry,” lean into the complexities of solidarity-building, and highlight what connects our stories. Gathering prominent spoken word artists of the 80s and 90s with contemporary voices in literary publishing, this collection makes a case for the importance of the oral tradition in accountings of Asian/Pacific American literary histories and futures. We seek an aesthetically, demographically, and politically diverse range of poetic work, with an ultimate commitment to fighting—and imagining beyond—imperialism across our diasporas. The editorial team of this anthology are Franny Choi, Terisa Siagatonu, No'u Revilla, and Bao Phi.

You can submit up to three poems for consideration. The deadline is July 1, 2023. For further information, go here: OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Read These

Column: What we got wrong about Black and Korean communities after the L.A. riots
"Korean immigrants left their homeland trying to achieve it, and many lost their belief in it after the riots. But was the American dream ever real if Black people never had equal access to it?"

* * *
Op-Ed: For my Korean-Black family, the aftermath of the L.A. riots cut deep
Helena Ku Rhee remembers her cousin Louise and the rift that the L.A. uprisings caused within her family.

* * *
Charges of racism and red-baiting in race for congressional seat created to elevate Asian Americans A new Southern California congressional district was created expressly to empower Asian Americans. But the race to represent the district has turned into a mud-slinging battle rife with accusations of racism, sexism and red-baiting between two Asian American candidates.

* * *
Can Nail Techs Win Better Working Conditions?
They hope legislation will establish standards for safety and determine wages and benefits.

* * *
I Made My Mom See "Everything Everywhere All At Once" And We Both Cried
After Scaachi Koul made her mom watch the film, she prodded her to discuss intergenerational trauma.

* * *
The Guardian of Bruce Lee's Legacy
Jeff Chin has dedicated his life to promoting the martial arts legend’s philosophy of pride and self-love.

* * *
What do Olivia Rodrigo, Saweetie, H.E.R., Bruno Mars, Elle King and Remy Martin have in common? Me.
"Filipino Americans are not easily categorized. But we still need to see our dreams being lived by people who share our heritage."

* * *
How the AAPI Community Is Redefining the Humble Fortune Cookie Fortune cookie makers have turned the confection into a medium for social activism.

Read These

This movie's Asian American metaphor is a message to the not-so-United States
"Everything Everywhere All at Once is absurd, exhilarating, and enrapturing. And it's a startlingly perfect metaphor for this thing we call Asian America, a culture and identity."

* * *
A Daring Dream and a Lifelong Love, Dashed in a Moment of Violence
GuiYing Ma built a modest life of service in New York until a shocking attack tore her from her devoted husband.

* * *
'The fear is very real': how Asian Americans are fighting rising hate crime
As the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States, Asian Americans are finally in a position to do more than stock up on pepper spray and hope for the best.

* * *
"Multiple Things Can Be True": Understanding the Roots of Anti-Asian Violence
A conversation with public defender Jason Wu, who says if we do not learn from history, we risk misdiagnosing the problems -- and applying remedies that will continue to fail us.

* * *
The art gallery where Christina Yuna Lee once worked honors her life and legacy
Christina Yuna Lee was brutally murdered two months ago. The art gallery she once worked at opened an exhibition in her memory.

* * *
I'm Jeff Yang, not Jeff Chang! The everyday horror of having to say 'Sorry, wrong Asian'
Jeff Yang asks Asian Americans to share their funny-not-funny stories of being mistaken for other people.

* * *
Asian Men Needed a Movie Like Everything Everywhere All at Once
It took a reality-transcending action dramedy to create more realistic representation.

* * *
"Everything" star Stephanie Hsu on playing all-powerful: "We would just unleash ultimate chaos"
Stephanie Hsu, who plays both Joy and Jobu Tupaki in Everything Everywhere All at Once, talks about learning to punch Michelle Yeoh, and the wisdom of Jamie Lee Curtis and rocks.

* * *
Ronny Chieng Will Use His Platform However He Sees Fit, Thank You
In conversation about his new Netflix special, The Daily Show tenure, and the current "moment" in Asian Hollywood, comedian Ronny Chieng reflects on his comedian duty toward provocation.

They Call Us Bruce 158: They Call Us Marvelous and the Black Hole

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.

In this episode, we welcome writer/director Kate Tsang and actress Miya Cech to talk about their film Marvelous and the Black Hole. They discuss making a different kind of Asian American coming-of-age movie, working with the inimitable Rhea Perlman, and mastering the secrets of sleight of hand.

Read These

How 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Helps to Heal Generational Trauma
The film Everything Everywhere All at Once addresses how the effects of trauma are passed down between generations -- especially for Asian American women -- and gives a glimpse on ways to heal.

* * *
The Daniels on the ADHD theory of "Everything Everywhere All at Once," paper cuts and butts
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka Daniels -- the directing duo behind Everything Everywhere All at Once -- spoke to Salon about how their film embraces the profound and profane.

* * *
So You Want To Teach Asian American History? These Educators Are Here To Help
Around the country, thousands of K-12 teachers are signing up for training on the struggles and contributions of Asians Americans.

* * *
Traveling to a newly reopened Asia allowed me to be myself again
"After attacks and racism against Asian Americans like myself at home, I found relief on the other side of the world."

* * *
Ali Wong announces divorce from her husband — but media got the #WrongAsian
The news of Ali Wong's divorce from her husband Justin Hakuta was somewhat overshadowed by the fact that news outlets ran incorrect photos -- of Randall Park -- with their reporting.

* * *
Marvel turned Mandarin into 'gibberish.' Even one of its stars called it out
Viewers of Marvel's Moon Knight are calling out a scene in which a character purportedly speaks Mandarin, but apparently butchers the language into gibberish. Even Shang-Chi himself, Simu Liu, had words.

* * *
You Can Finally Watch the Long-Lost Indie That Showed Denzel Washington at Peak Hotness
Mira Nair on directing the actor at his most romantic in Mississippi Masala.

They Call Us Bruce 157: They Call Us Michelle Yeoh

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.

In this episode, we welcome the legendary, incomparable Michelle Yeoh, star of Everything Everywhere All at Once. She talks about being the center of the multiverse, embracing absurdity, and playing a role unlike anything she's done before: the fantastically mediocre Evelyn Wang.

They Call Us Bruce 156: They Call Us Daniel Kwan and Stephanie Hsu

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.

In this episode, we welcome writer/director Daniel Kwan (one-half of Daniels) and actress Stephanie Hsu to talk about everybody's new favorite film Everything Everywhere All at Once. They discuss meaningful pelvic thrusting, why Stephanie is actually a witch, and the exclusive secret origin of "Jobu Tapaki."

Read These

One Garment's Journey Through History
The evolution of the traditional Korean hanbok is a lens into the history of the country, which is now being traced in the series Pachinko.

* * *
Asian Americans are having 'the talk' about racism for the first time - with their parents
The rise in anti-Asian hate, fueled by misconceptions about the pandemic's origins, has exposed generational divides in how Asian Americans view racism.

* * *
Asian American wrongfully accused of spying recounts damage of racial profiling
"My lifetime of outstanding scientific work was destroyed. And my entire life was shattered."

* * *
Experts: Asian population overcount masks community nuances
Advocates and academics believe the overcounting of the Asian population by 2.6% in the 2020 Census likely masks great variation in who was counted among different Asian communities in the U.S., and could signal that biracial and multiracial residents identified as Asian in larger numbers than in the past.

* * *
The Mysterious Man Who Built (and Then Lost) Little Tokyo
The remarkable hidden history of Tony Yoshida, who transformed a single block in New York City, helped start the cocktail revolution -- and inspired John Belushi to become a samurai.

* * *
Kim’s Video Survives at Alamo Drafthouse
Youngman Kim explains to IndieWire his strange journey from growing up on an Air Force base in Korea to becoming the proprietor of a legendary movie collection.

* * *
'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Gives Us The Asian Woman Hero We Need
"In this time of elevated anti-Asian hate, we need the fully human -- and badass Evelyn Wang to uplift Asian women in the diaspora and help all audiences identify and empathize with Asian women."

* * *
Ke Huy Quan: From Short Round to Romantic Lead in Just Four Long Decades
A child star in the 1980s, Ke Huy Quan hit a dry patch and turned to stunt work in the 2000s. Now he has returned to acting in a part that blends his action and drama chops.

* * *
The one role out of more than 500 that's stuck with James Hong
93-year-old Hollywood legend James Hong, who appears in Everything Everywhere All At Once, talks about just how far Asian American representation has come.

* * *
Meet the self-trained martial artists who fought their way from YouTube to Everything Everywhere...
Why Hollywood filmmakers are battling to employ brothers Andy and Brian Le.

* * *
Next Big Thing: 'Pachinko' Star Minha Kim on Bringing History to Life
The relative newcomer Minha Kim drew on her grandmother's memories to play a Korean woman living under Japanese imperialism in Apple TV+'s epic new series Pachinko.

* * *
How Sandra Oh found common ground in the moms of 'Turning Red’ and ‘Umma’
Sandra Oh talks about the common mother-daughter themes that drew her to take on two very different projects, the horror drama Umma and Disney/Pixar's animated feature Turning Red.

They Call Us Bruce 155: They Call Us Ke Huy Quan

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.

In this episode, we welcome a generational icon: Ke Huy Quan, who stars in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. He talks about his humble beginnings as a child actor in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies, how Crazy Rich Asians inspired his triumphant return to acting, and how to kick ass with a fanny pack (but not on the first take).

They Call Us Bruce 154: They Call Us Everything Everywhere All at Once

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.

In this episode, we welcome back our old friends Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of Diaspora to discuss our new favorite movie, Daniels' multiverse masterpiece Everything Everywhere All at Once. From Ke Huy Quan to butt plugs to hot dog hands, this film has it all and then some.

Read These

This Southeast Asian Artist Uses Iconic Pink Doughnut Boxes as a Canvas for Storytelling
Phung Huynh expands on the refugee narrative by centering Khmer voices in her exhibition Donut Whole

* * *
Do Your AAPI Employees Feel Safe Coming Back to Work?
Because of an increase in racism, xenophobia, and hate crimes targeted specifically against the Asian American Pacific Islander community, many members are scared to come to work because they don't feel safe.

* * *
The Establishment of Emma Eun-joo Choi
NPR's newest—and youngest—podcast host Emma Eun-joo Choi considers the weight of her voice.

* * *
The Grammys Interview: Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner Has Had Quite a Year
The best-selling author and frontwoman of Japanese Breakfast—who's up for two Grammys this weekend—reflects on her whirlwind literary and musical breakthrough.

* * *
Grieving His Mother's Death, Ocean Vuong Learned to Write for Himself
Ocean Vuong worked on his new poetry collection Time Is a Mother while mourning, in a world consumed by the advancing pandemic.

* * *
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a love story between parents in a strange land and a daughter they're doing their best to rescue from alienation and depression. A review by Walter Chaw.

* * *
Five years ago, Ghost in the Shell accidentally destroyed a racist Hollywood tradition
The much-maligned Hollywood adaptation of the anime classic Ghost in the Shell inspired sweeping changes across the entertainment industry that are still felt today.

* * *
The Quiet Ascent of Justin H. Min
He found fame playing a ghost in Netflix's The Umbrella Academy. Now he's an android in After Yang, holding his own opposite Colin Farrell. In the human realm, though, he's simply Justin: an actor of rare and sensitive gifts, with deep and wide-ranging ambition, working hard to ready himself for his moment.

They Call Us Bruce 153: They Call Us Turning Red

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.

In this episode, we welcome Shirley Li (The Atlantic) and Anita Li (The Green Line) to talk about Meilin Lee and Disney/Pixar's animated feature Turning Red. They discuss the incredible specificity of this Chinese Canadian story, what makes a film "relatable" and why it's so meaningful to let your teen girl characters go "AWOOGA!"

Silent River Speaks: Getting into the Present with Chris Chan Lee

Guest Post by Jacqueline (Jae) Kim



It's September 2021, year two of the Coronavirus pandemic -- and the world premiere of Silent River at Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (otherwise known as 'VC'). Among many of my friends, I haven't seen the director, Chris Chan Lee, in quite a while. After the film, I avoid the crowd and slip out but send Chris an email asking if he'd like to talk about his latest work via Zoom? I feel pretty sure the conversation will be something to document. Five months later, the film has been gaining critical momentum, earning its recent award at the Paris International Film Festival. Here's an excerpt:

Jae: Okay, so -- when I started getting involved with making my own films and eventually my own art projects, I started to see the processes and the results as self-diagnosis.

Chris Chan Lee: Mm.

Jae: How does that sit with you with regards to Silent River?

CCL: Well, you know, when I sit down to write, I never first think about the thematic content. I just think about, like telling the story, right? But I definitely notice a pattern with everything that I do that's not necessarily intentional: it's always about dealing with past and like regret and stuff like that. So that's always inherent in my work.

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