All The Asians On Star Trek 30: Patrick Kwok-Choon

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 30, we welcome actor Patrick Kwok-Choon, who plays tactical officer Lieutenant Commander Gen Rhys on Star Trek: Discovery. Outside of Star Trek, his credits include Open Heart, Backpackers, Shoot the Messenger, Wynonna Earp and SkyMed, among others. He talks being a part of Discovery's bridge crew, joining the tremendous legacy of Star Trek, and observing a healthy level of respect before putting his butt in the captain's chair.

New Comic Reimagines Lois Lane as an Asian American Teen

First look at 'Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story' by Sarah Kuhn and Arielle Jovellanos.



If you were like me, growing up as an Asian American consumer of comic books, you sometimes had to crane your neck to find representation within those four-color panels. And sometimes, intended or not, it was right there in front of you in plain black ink. I can't be the only one who interpreted Superman's canonically black hair as a signifier of Asian-ness -- by way of Krypton, of course. (Kal-El is an immigrant, don't ya know?)

For writer Sarah Kuhn, it was Lois Lane, intrepid reporter for the Daily Planet.

"Lois Lane is my idol — as a kid, I imprinted on her immediately and dreamed of becoming a hard-charging reporter on a quest for the truth (who also gets burgers and freshly squeezed orange juice delivered to her desk at 9 am)." Sarah says. "I was always desperately searching for some tiny scrap of representation in the stories I loved and Lois had dark hair, so sometimes I'd fantasize that she was Asian American -- like me."

Sarah, whose previous work includes the Cassandra Cain story Shadow of the Batgirl, gets to realize that fantasy in her upcoming original graphic novel, Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story, due out in April 2023. Part of the DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults line, with art by Arielle Jovellanos, the book reimagines Lois Lane as an Asian American teenager -- a small town girl with a big city summer internship trying to get a handle on friendship, romance and a burgeoning career.

I'm pleased to share this first look at preview pages from Girl Taking Over:

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How to Hit Back
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'I Felt Like We Are All Chinese — We Can Take Care of Each Other'
Asians and Pacific Islanders belong to the most economically divided racial group in America, and the need for child care often brings together members from the top and bottom of the ladder.

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From BTS to Zoom therapy, why Korean Americans are seeking more mental health help
Korean Americans are seeking more mental health help than ever before, shifting the stigma.

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The Mixed Metaphor
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How these Chinese doughnuts helped save my refugee family
Golden crullers, dipped in soy or served with rice porridge, are more than breakfast – for Jean Trinh and her family, they're a symbol of resilience.

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How Carla Ching tells a 'complex, nuanced' story about betrayal, revenge porn in new play
In Carla Ching's play Revenge Porn, leading character Kat Chan has to decide how she'll respond to her ex-husband releasing nude photographs of her.

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Hasan Minhaj Confronts His Own Clout-Chasing and the One Thing He Has in Common With the Crown Prince
Comedian Hasan Minhaj, whose last Netflix foray was censored after Saudi objections, reflects on his decidedly more personal stand-up special, The King's Jester, ahead of its premiere on the streamer.

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How Ali Wong Helped Make Her 'Favorite' Comedian Sheng Wang a Netflix Star
Stand-up comedian Sheng Wang tells The Last Laugh podcast how his friend Ali Wong directed him to new comedic heights in his first hour-long Netflix special Sweet and Juicy.

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James Wong Howe's Way with Light
"Wong Howe's path through Hollywood was not always easy, but in his best work he found a voice that was inimitably his own, imbued with the vulnerability and longing of an outsider trying to find his place in the world."

173: They Call Us Tanuj Chopra

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 friend and filmmaker Tanuj Chopra, who directed season two of the Netflix series Delhi Crime. He talks about making the leap from indie films to international television, bringing an insider/outsider perspective to get the tone right, and the future of global storytelling.

Sacred Book Honors Japanese Americans Incarcerated During World War II

The Ireichō is on display at the Japanese American National Museum.



Over the weekend in Los Angeles, the Japanese American National Museum invited the public to view and sign the Ireichō, a sacred book that records -- for the first time ever -- the names of over 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly imprisoned in U.S. Army, Department of Justice, and War Relocation Authority camps during World War II.

Visitors were invited to view the names and use a special Japanese hanko to leave a mark for each person in the Ireichō as a way to honor those incarcerated during World War II. Community participation will "activate" it and rectify the historical record by correcting misspelled names or revealing names that may have been omitted from the record.

The Ireichō will be on display at JANM for one year. A companion virtual monument is available online.

More here: 'There’s our family name': Sacred book honors Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII

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How Constance Wu Survived That Tweetstorm
In Constance Wu's new book, Making a Scene, the former Fresh Off the Boat star reveals her isolation, racism in her career -- and yes, those tweets -- and how she's moving on.

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At Gracepoint Ministries, 'Whole-Life Discipleship' Took Its Toll
As Gracepoint Ministries, a predominantly Asian American church network, expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with claims of spiritual abuse.

* * *
New laws address anti-Asian hate in the long-term, but what about feeling safe right now?
This month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills seeking to address harassment on public transit and in businesses. Meanwhile, the Citizen personal safety app announced it was providing up to 20,000 Asian Americans in the Bay Area with a free one-year subscription. Both try to address anti-Asian hate, but their differences illustrate the complexity of the issue.

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Talking about substance use can be hard for Filipino Americans. Why it's helpful to share stories
Honest conversations about substance abuse disorders and mental health can be difficult for some Filipino families.

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Hua Hsu on His New Memoir, 'Stay True'
Hua Hsu's new memoir is both a coming-of-age story and an evolutionary step for Asian American literature.

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The Stakes of Dictee
An introduction to Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's famously difficult work.

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Watching Spirited Away Again, and Again
For Nina Li Coomes, each viewing of Miyazaki's animated feature Spirited Away is a gift.

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"The Field Is Open": Ocean Vuong on Minari's Lasting Cultural Legacy
Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, reflects on the history of Asian American farmers in an original essay from A24's Minari screenplay book.

They Call Us Bruce 172: They Call Us Yuji Okumoto

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 actor Yuji Okumoto, who stars in season five of Netflix's Cobra Kai as Chozen Toguchi, the role he originated in 1986's The Karate Kid Pt. II. He talks about stepping back into the Karate Kid Cinematic Universe, his (and ours, and everybody's) love for Kumiko, and getting an unexpected redemption arc for his character over thirty years later. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

Kelly Marie Tran to Star in Biopic on Activist Amanda Nguyen

Nguyen founded the non-profit organization Rise, dedicated to furthering the rights of sexual assault survivors.



Kelly Marie Tran is developing a biopic about her friend, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, telling the story of her transformation from a survivor of college sexual assault to an activist for survivors' rights.

Tran will star in and produce the biopic about Nguyen, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee who founded civil rights accelerator Rise and wrote the Survivor's Bill Of Rights, which inspired the federal law passed in 2016.

“Over the years, Amanda's activism has changed the lives of billions, as she continues to make our world safer for sexual assault survivors everywhere,” Tran said in a statement. "Her courage inspires me every day, and I am honored to help tell her story."

Tang Yi is in talks to write and direct the film, which is in the early stages of development.

More here: Kelly Marie Tran to Star in, Produce Biopic on Activist Amanda Nguyen

New Documentary Revisits the Legend of Linsanity

'38 at the Garden' premieres October 11 on HBO.



I'll always remember the night Jeremy Lin dropped a stunning 38 points on the Lakers at Madison Square Garden. A new documentary short, 38 at the Garden, chronicles the extraordinary ascendance of your favorite Asian American point guard during his landmark 2012 season with the New York Knicks -- the period that affectionately became known as "Linsanity." You know the story. But I'll never get tired of it.

A decade later, Lin's stature as a groundbreaking, cultural icon stands in stark relief to the recent hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. 38 at the Garden recognizes a pivotal moment in time for Lin and celebrates a phenomenon that was bigger than basketball for the world. The film features a candid, new interview with Lin, as well as journalists Lisa Ling and Pablo Torre, comedians Ronny Chieng, Hasan Minhaj and Jenny Yang, and Knicks teammates Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert.

Here's the trailer:

Wakaji Matsumoto — An Artist in Two Worlds: Los Angeles and Hiroshima, 1917–1944

Online exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum



Wakaji Matsumoto — An Artist in Two Worlds: Los Angeles and Hiroshima, 1917–1944 is an online exhibition and public program about an artist and pioneer in Pictorialism who documented the lives of Japanese immigrant farmers in rural Los Angeles during the early 1900s and created rare images of urban life in Hiroshima prior to the 1945 atomic bombing of the city.

The online exhibition, presented by the Japanese American National Museum, highlights rarely seen early photographs of Los Angeles prior to World War II and of Hiroshima before the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb through the single lens of photographer Wakaji Matsumoto.

"Wakaji Matsumoto's photographs of farms that were operated by Japanese Americans in the Los Angeles area demonstrate the difficult life of Japanese Americans and their resolve and resilience," says Dennis Reed, the curator of the exhibition. "His photographs of Hiroshima are the largest-known photographic archive of the city prior to the atomic bomb. Today, our knowledge of the city's horrific fate lends a pall of melancholy over these tender images. They bear the weight of history."

View the online exhibition here: janm.org/exhibits/wakaji-matsumoto

Eugene Cordero Upped to Series Regular on 'Loki'

He played Time Variance Authority employee Casey in season one.



Eugene Cordero has been reportedly promoted to series regular on season two of Marvel's Loki. Cordero played the Time Variance Authority employee "Casey" in the first season of the Disney+ series. He only made a handful of appearances on the show, so it's pretty cool to see him make the jump to a bigger role.

Eugene is one of my favorite actors working today. If you don't know him from, say, his fan-favorite role as "Pillboi" on The Good Place, you've probably seen him in a dozen other things, including Easter Sunday, The Mandalorian, Kong: Skull Island, Tacoma FD, and The Good Place, to name a few.

More here: 'Loki': Eugene Cordero Upped To Series Regular For Season 2

Judge Overturns Murder Conviction of Adnan Syed of 'Serial'

Syed has been in prison for 23 years for the murder of high school classmate Hae Min Lee.



Adnan Syed, whose case was chronicled by the popular podcast Serial, was released from prison Monday after spending 23 years behind bars on charges that he murdered his former high school girlfriend.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn of Baltimore City Circuit Court overturned Syed's murder conviction in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, finding that prosecutors had failed to turn over evidence that could have helped Syed at trial and discovered new evidence that could have affected the outcome of his case.

The office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City said in a motion filed last week that there was new information about two potential alternative suspects in the homicide. While prosecutors aren't saying Syed is innocent, they are saying they lack confidence in "the integrity of the conviction."

Prosecutors have 30 days to decide if they will proceed with a new trial or drop the charges against Syed, who was ordered to serve home detention until then.

More here: Judge Vacates Murder Conviction of Adnan Syed of 'Serial'


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Inside the forgotten story of the Chinatown mothers who mobilized during the Boston busing crisis
Boston's 1970s busing crisis typically has been cast as a Black and white struggle. What is less known is how Chinese immigrant women organized a three-day school boycott that changed Chinatown for decades to come.

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As anti-Asian bigotry rises across the U.S., a Temple professor’s civil rights suit becomes more relevant
Xiaoxing Xi, a Temple University physics professor who was falsely accused of spying for China, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2017. The case was dismissed. Xi was back in court Wednesday to get his lawsuit reinstated.

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Why Yuh-Line Niou Didn't Run Again
Yuh-Line Niou lost her re-election campaign by a narrow margin. While her supporters hoped she would run in the general election on a third-party ticket, she gave a rundown of reasons why she won't be challenging Dan Goldman this election cycle.

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'They Break Up Families' — Crypto Scam Leaves Lasting Scars for Atlanta's Korean Community
A multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency scam targeted Atlanta's Korean community, reflecting a national trend that targets immigrant communities.

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She Fought Racism in Early Hollywood. Now She'll Be the First Asian American on US Currency
Sixty years after her death, Anna May Wong's legacy lives on in film and fashion. Now her contributions will be honored by one of the most quintessentially American symbols: the quarter.

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Meet the cookbook author who's bringing Taiwanese-American flavors to cannabis edibles
From coffee jelly to snowflake crisp nougat, Monica Lo explores her heritage through culinary cannabis.

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Making a Netflix Rom-Com That's a Trojan Horse for Exploring “Structural Racism and Sexism"
Georgia Lee, showrunner of Netflix's Partner Track discusses how she used the rom-com genre to tell a different story about race, gender, love and the workplace.

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'She-Hulk' Actor Benedict Wong Talks Living in the "Wong Cinematic Universe"
With several appearances across the MCU's Phase 4, Wong has become a fan-favorite character. Most recently, the Sorcerer Supreme, played by Benedict Wong, joins the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

They Call Us Bruce 171: They Call Us Jamie Ford

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 bestselling author Jamie Ford, whose latest novel The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is described as an "epigenetic love story." He talks about the tragic real life of the first Chinese woman in America, weaving the intricate story of her imagined descendants, and exploring (and perhaps overcoming) inherited intergenerational trauma. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

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Indiana Jones and Short Round reunite after 38 years
Actors Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan, who starred together in 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, reunited over the weekend at D23 -- hugging it out for an instantly iconic photo.

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In Orange County, a House Race Is Testing What Asian Americans Want
In politically competitive Orange County, two Asian American candidates are facing off for the support of the growing Asian American electorate.

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A racial reckoning over a festival’s disrespect toward Asians in Monterey Bay
For decades, the city of Pacific Grove, California -- a predominantly white city of about 15,000 -- would celebrate its annual "Feast of Lanterns," a faux-Asian festival that used dated stereotypes and appropriated Chinese culture. The city announced it was ending the event earlier this year.

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Meet the Moms Who Are Fighting Anti-Asian Hate
As anti-Asian hate rages across the nation, moms are taking a stand. But the fight isn't new.

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Comedian Jenny Yang's Food Education Campaign Asks Goop to Rethink MSG Messaging
Comedian Jenny Yang's latest collaborative food education campaign, held in conjunction with MSG-producing company Ajinomoto, redefines "clean eating" and constructively calls Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's wellness platform, to action.

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Karen O Has Found a More Joyful Kind of Wildness
Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O talks about recording the band's new album Cool It Down, becoming a mother, and meeting other rock stars who look like her.

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How Younghoe Koo overcame a language barrier and being cut to thrive in the NFL
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All The Asians On Star Trek 29: Kathryn Lyn

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 29, we welcome Kathryn Lyn, who has worn several hats in Star Trek writers rooms, including as a writer/producer on Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. She also officially serves as Canon Consultant on Lower Decks, making her the go-to geek when the writers have deep-cut canon questions. She talks about her journey as a writer, her favorite episodes, and the tattoo that got her a job on Star Trek.

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For 'disabled oracle' Alice Wong, rest is a radical act
Alice Wong, founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, titled her memoir Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life, as a nod to her Chinese zodiac animal sign.

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A Chinatown Boy Scout troop has endured against all odds for 108 years. Can it survive today?
Founded in 1914, Troop 3, based in San Francisco's Chinatown, is believed to be the oldest Boy Scout troop west of the Mississippi.

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'If You Can Make a Salad, You Can Make Kimchi'
Kimjang, the act of preparing kimchi, allows Koreans of the diaspora to keep the tradition alive -- and invites everyone to join.

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'Industry' Star Ken Leung on Eric's Big Promotion and Navigating the Show's Financial Jargon
Ken Leung, who plays volatile boss Eric Tao in HBO's financial drama Industry, talks about showing a more vulnerable side to his character in Season 2, and how he wraps his brain around the show's dense finance-speak.

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What Arden Cho Learned About Speaking Up: "I Was Taught Not to Rock the Boat"
How Arden Cho risked her career over her pay inequity dispute and found a role on the Netflix law firm drama Partner Track.

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Shefali Shah, Tanuj Chopra On DCP Vartika’s Journey, Tackling Social Issues And Pandemic Impact In 'Delhi Crime' Season 2
"They came for the crime but stayed for the characters." The Indian crime drama Delhi Crime returns to Netflix for a second season, with Shefali Shah back as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi and U.S.-based indie filmmaker Tanuj Chopra on board as showrunner and director.

They Call Us Bruce 170: They Call Us Partner Track

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 Arden Cho, star of Partner Track, and Helen Wan, author of the original book that inspired the Netflix series. They discuss Helen's real-life career as a corporate attorney that inspired the novel, how Ingrid Yung became Ingrid Yun, and the convergence of timing and talent that finally made this adaptation possible. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

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My Dad and Kurt Cobain
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An L.A. mob once massacred 18 Chinese people. Now, a push to never forget the racist assault
More than 150 years after racist mob violence claimed the lives of 18 Chinese people in Los Angeles' Chinatown, city officials have put out a public call for ideas to memorialize this mostly forgotten moment in history.

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How Japanese American Incarceration Was Entangled With Indigenous Dispossession
"Until recently, Japanese American incarceration and American Indian dispossession have often been treated as unrelated discussions. In reality, different oppressions reinforce and bolster one another."

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Japanese American Incarceration for Children: Brandon Shimoda on Reading with His Daughter
“I did not grow up with children's books about Japanese American incarceration. There were not many."

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‘Pachinko’ author Min Jin Lee on wrapping up trilogy about Korean life
A Q&A with Min Jin Lee on writing, activism and anti-Asian violence.

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The Year of Michelle Yeoh
She’s been a beauty queen and an action hero, but now with the awards buzz of Everything Everywhere All at Once and that Avatar sequel on the horizon, Michelle Yeoh finds herself at the zenith of the Hollywood firmament. It’s no surprise if you've been paying attention.

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Aklasan Fest, the only Filipino punk festival in the U.S., celebrates its return
Featuring 15 bands from across the country, Aklasan Festival in San Francisco is the only Filipino punk festival of its kind, prioritizing the often unheard and unseen voices of punk.

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‘Easter Sunday’ Writer Ken Cheng on How He Celebrated Filipino Culture Through the Film's Comedy
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They Call Us Bruce 169: They Call Us Free Chol Soo Lee

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 Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, directors of the documentary Free Chol Soo Lee, which tells the story of a community's landmark fight to free an innocent man. They discuss the important legacy of the case, why they were compelled to shine a light on this singular moment, the generational responsibility of unearthing our stories. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

They Call Us Bruce 168: They Call Us Wesley Chu

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, recorded live at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, we welcome novelist Wesley Chu, author of the epic fantasy The Art of Prophecy. He talks about writing fight scenes, allowing his characters to do what they want to do, and why this wuxia-inspired novel is the story he's been wanting to tell his whole life. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

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Racist and sexist disinformation is sowing divisions among Asian Americans
A new report spotlights how disinformation not only pits Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders against other marginalized groups but also sows divisions within the community itself, sometimes to intentionally diminish its collective political influence.

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The New York Times’s Interview With Yuh-Line Niou
Yuh-Line Niou is a state assemblywoman in New York's 65th District, representing parts of Lower Manhattan since 2017. She is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's newly drawn 10th district.

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Yuh-Line Niou on Her Especially Personal Run for Congress
From representation to disability policy, she says there’s a common theme: Courage.

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Asian American Voters Rallied for Democrats in 2020. Will They Again?
The Democratic party confronts a mood of frustration among the rising electoral force that helped vault it to power. The campaign in Georgia will test that bond.

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Big projects like the Sixers’ arena plan have often threatened Philly’s Chinatown. But the AAPI community always fights for the neighborhood.
For 150 years, Philadelphia's Chinatown community has fought for its life as big development project after project has targeted the neighborhood, threatening not only its existence but its unique authenticity -- most recently with the 76ers’ proposal for a new arena in the neighborhood.

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My ICU Summer: A Photo Essay
Alice Wong’s months in the ICU highlights the steep costs of medical care for disabled individuals and their families due to a broken healthcare system.

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A New Documentary Sheds Light on a Pivotal Movement in Asian American History
Social justice activism in the Asian American community today owes much of its legacy to the pivotal case of Chol Soo Lee, whose heartbreaking, remarkable, and undeniably complex story is the subject of a new documentary.

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The Metamorphosis of Mindy Kaling
Starting with her rise to fame on The Office to now creating some of streaming’s biggest hits, the actress, writer, and producer has transformed Hollywood. But her most fulfilling project yet is happening behind the scenes—as a mother, mentor, and mogul.

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Sujata Day on Her Search For Samosas As Good As Mom’s
Director and writer Sujata Day recalls a restaurant in L.A. she yearns for the most.

They Call Us Bruce 167: They Call Us Yuh-Line Niou

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 congressional candidate Yuh-Line Niou, who is running for the House of Representatives in New York's newly drawn 10th district. She talks about truly representational politics, making the legislative process more accessible for all, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of running for congress. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

They Call Us Bruce 166: They Call Us Katherine J. Wu

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 journalist Katherine J. Wu, who covers science as staff writer for The Atlantic. She talks about joining science with storytelling, where we went wrong (and right) with our collective pandemic response, and the most erroneous assumptions we're making about COVID right now. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

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What It Means to Be Asian in America
In a new Pew Research Center analysis based on dozens of focus groups, Asian American participants described the challenges of navigating their identity in a nation where the label "Asian" brings expectations about their origins, behavior and physical self.

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How a tiny Chinatown bookstore became a hub for authentic Asian American stories
Yu and Me Books, the first Asian American female-owned bookstore in New York, highlights titles from immigrants and people of color, with a special focus on Asian Americans.

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To 'Free Chol Soo Lee,' Asian Americans had to find their collective political voice
NPR talks to Julie Ha, co-director of the new documentary Free Chol Soo Lee, which tells the story of a 20-year-old Korean American man imprisoned for a murder he did not commit -- a case that became a pivotal moment for the Asian American community.

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Jo Koy's 'Easter Sunday' puts Filipinos front and center
Comedian Jo Koy stars in Easter Sunday, the first big studio movie with an all-Filipino ensemble.

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Tia Carrere in "Easter Sunday" Marks a Profound Change for Filipinos in Hollywood
Tia Carrere, who cemented herself in Hollywood three decades ago as the iconic Cassandra Wong in Wayne's World, appears in the family comedy Easter Sunday -- the first time in her prolific, 30-year-plus career that she is playing a Filipino.

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Nobody wanted to make 'Squid Game.' Now it’s making history
For a very long time, no one wanted to make Squid Game. Now it has 14 Emmy nominations.

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Paper Girls Star Ali Wong on Comics, Erin's Journey, and Her Childhood Dreams
Ali Wong, who stars as adult Erin in the series Paper Girls, talks about her relationship with the Paper Girls comic book, the dynamic between the two Erins, and her childhood dreams.

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88Rising's NIKI is Owning Her PAST - and Taking a Cue from Taylor Swift
Filled with reproduced and never-before-heard music, NIKI's second album is an exploration of her start in the industry -- and a taste of where she wants to go from here.

They Call Us Bruce 165: They Call Us Jo Koy

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 special bonus episode, Jeff talks to Jo Koy, comedian and star of the movie Easter Sunday. He talks about the execs who told him his Filipino American story was "too specific," getting the backing of none other than Steven Spielberg, and doing it for the culture. For the culture!

They Call Us Bruce 164: They Call Us Lou Diamond Phillips

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 man, the myth, the legend: actor Lou Diamond Phillips, who appears in the new movie Easter Sunday. They discuss how Filipino Americans are having a moment, LDP as LDP, achieving "icon" status, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of being ambiguously Filipino. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

They Call Us Bruce 163: They Call Us Simran Jeet Singh

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 Simran Jeet Singh, scholar, activist and author of the book The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform You Life. He talks about his journey of faith, dad jokes, his refusal to give in to negativity, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of being Sikh.

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How a skid row store faces the tensions in Black-Korean history — by discussing its bleakest chapters
Danny Park, owner of Skid Row People's Market in Los Angeles, wants his store to be more than its inventory. On a given shift, employees might serve as therapists, social workers, confidants or mediators.

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Food Is Identity. For Korean Chefs Who Were Adopted, It's Complicated.
Raised in the U.S., Korean American adoptee chefs are exploring a heritage they didn't grow up with through restaurant cooking -- and finding both fulfillment and criticism.

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For Asian American cooks, ties with Italy run deep
They may not share a common origin, but evidence suggests that these starchy foods developed concurrently for hundreds of years, with China coming first.

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Why Wearing a Mask Makes Me Feel Powerful
"Over the years, my constant poker face hardened to such a point that it could cut diamonds and became so natural that it took little effort to maintain. People often told me—unsolicited, of course—that I looked unhappy, or bored, or even contemptuous."

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The Biggest Boba Fan in the World
Nataraj Das is an audio-visual engineer and drinks 200 boba beverages a year.

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East West Players: Asian American Visibility, Also Sustainability
How the historic theater company East West Players has stabilized both its mission and its finances.

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Pop iconoclast Rina Sawayama: 'Drag is turning trauma into entertainment. That's what I'm doing'
British-Japanese pop star Rina Sawayama's genre-mashing second album is the product of her hard-won self-knowledge. She talks about reckoning with her Asian identity, forgiving her mother and her determination to be happy.

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Why Brandon Perea's 'Nope' Audition Made Jordan Peele Cry
Breakout ator Brandon Perea's unexpected take on Angel, the Fry's worker, so won over Nope director Jordan Peele that he decided during their meeting to rewrite the script.

All The Asians On Star Trek 28: Eric Bauza

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 28, we welcome voice over artist Eric Bauza. He played the role of "Cerritos Conn Officer" and other characters on several episodes of the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks. Outside of Star Trek, he's a prolific voice over artist with dozens of credits, having provided voices for some of animation's most iconic characters -- including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety most recently in Bugs Bunny Builders. He talks about getting his breaks as a voice actor, almost getting cast as another Lower Decks character, and making merchandise from obscure Canadian kids TV shows.

They Call Us Bruce 162: They Call Us Love and Noraebang

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 key creatives behind the k-drama/telenovela-inspired narrative podcast rom-com Love and Noraebang: co-director Amy S. Choi, co-writer Quincy Cho, and actress Julia Cho. They discuss telling stories with joy and authenticity, and why Randall Park is the perfect voice of Los Angeles.

All The Asians On Star Trek 27: Away Mission with Andrew Ahn

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 27, we embark on another Away Mission, in which we invite fellow Asian American fans of Star Trek to do a deep dive into an episode of their choosing. For this edition of the Away Mission, we welcome filmmaker Andrew Ahn (Fire Island, Driveways, Spa Night) to discuss "Timeless" from season five of Star Trek: Voyager -- a perennial series favorite. We discuss, among other things, why Deanna Troi is a gay icon, how survivor's guilt over faulty phase variance data can really age you, and Andrew's big ol' crush on Ensign Harry Kim.

In 'Quantum Leap,' Time Travel is Not Just For White People

Raymond Lee stars in the new 'Quantum Leap' reboot as Dr. Ben Seong.


I cannot express how I excited I am for NBC's upcoming restart of Quantum Leap. Not only was a huge fan of the hit 1990s time travel drama, I'm pretty psyched to see Raymond Lee in the starring role as the titular leaper.

The original show centered Dr. Samuel Beckett, who unwillingly finds himself "leaping" through space and time into the identities of individuals, helping history along the way before leaping into the next life. In the update, Lee stars as quantum physicist Dr. Ben Seong, who sets the reboot in motion when he makes an unauthorized leap into the past. His team begins searching for answers, scrambling to bring him home before he gets in too deep."

Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive preview on the new show, including some insightful background information on Dr. Seong from Lee and the showrunners:

Described as a spiritual scientist, quantum physicist Dr. Seong has a specific approach to time travel. "He is compelled over and over again to make the right decision, even if his own life is at stake, so he is a much better person than I am in real life. He's something to strive for," Lee says. Dr. Seong immigrated from Korea with his mother, which will be integral to the story Quantum Leap is telling. "We're telling an immigrant story at its core, and it is how Ben is experiencing life moving forward," Lilien explains.

More here: Quantum Leap bosses preview thrilling new chapter

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She's running for Congress, despite the anti-Asian attacks against her
Yuh-Line Niou is campaigning to represent New York's 10th District, which now includes two Chinatowns.

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Kristi Yamaguchi Is Remembered as the Perfect Olympics Hero. It Wasn't Always That Way.
The figure skater won a gold medal, but to many, she still had to prove she was American.

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Brazen robbery of $60,000 Rolex in 99 Ranch parking lot shocks Asian Americans
A shocking robbery in the parking lot of a 99 Ranch has shocked the Chinese community in San Gabriel Valley.

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Constance Wu Doesn't Need To Apologize
Constance Wu revealed that vicious community backlash over her tweets -- yes, those tweets expressing frustration over Fresh Off The Boat's renewal -- made her suicidal.

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Watching my son watch 'Ms. Marvel' feels like a game-changing event
Ms. Marvel is an important step forward for Muslim American representation on screen.

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My hot, rowdy Indian summers at Hindu youth camp
Actor and filmmaker Sujata Day remembers how over several summers attending Hindu camp as a camper, then a counselor, she overcame bears, a serial killer and the wrath of the gods.

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Discovering the Modern South Asian Ritual of Making Chai
Sujata Day is obsessed with her homemade chai and doesn't go a day without it.

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Panda Express' orange chicken changed the game for American Chinese food 35 years ago
Panda Express' orange chicken, the quintessential American Chinese invention that helped bolster a nationwide craze for Chinese takeout, turned 35 on Friday.

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John Cho Has Entered His DILF Era
"I have found myself speaking about issues of race -- often against my will -- it seems like for all my career," says John Cho. But his latest film, Don’t Make Me Go, cares less about identity than everything else.

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Henry Golding and His Powers of Persuasion
Jane Austen wrote William Elliot as one of literature's most memorable cads. In a buzzy new Netflix adaptation of Persuasion, Hollywood's nicest guy proves it's a role he was born to play.