They Call Us Bruce 184: They Call Us Rodney Faraon

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 former intelligence officer, security expert, writer/producer and amateur chef(!) Rodney Faraon. In the final episode of an extremely tumultuous year, we discuss a wide range of topics, including Twitter's sad plunge into the toilet, the mishandling of top secret secrets, what it's like to have your CIA career inspire a TV series starring Katherine Heigl, and why risotto is the kiss of death of cooking competitions.

Read These

They Traveled From South Korea. They Got Stranded Near Buffalo.
A South Korean tour group’s van became stuck in the snow outside a house in Williamsville, N.Y. They spent the weekend with the residents — who luckily had a well-stocked kitchen.

* * *
Defining 'Asian American' is complicated. Who gets left behind?
Asian Americans have long debated who is included in their cohort. South Asians and Southeast Asians, among others, sometimes feel overlooked by the umbrella term.

* * *
Why Hallmark's 'A Big Fat Family Christmas' left Asian American communities divided
An Asian American-led Hallmark Christmas movie sparks disagreement and discourse.

* * *
How the American Born Chinese TV series translates the classic graphic novel to screen
American Born Chinese author Gene Luen Yang, show creator Kelvin Yu, and star Ben Wang talk about working with Michelle Yeoh and bringing the Asian-American experience to screen.

* * *
'I'm Not Trying to Be America's Sweetheart': Hong Chau on Her Banner Year
As an actress, Hong Chau's resume is lean but mighty. What it lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality.

* * *
The Best Action Scene of 2022 Was Everything Everywhere All at Once's Butt-Plug Fight
Stephanie Hsu and Martial Club reveal how they made the film's wildly outrageous, Hong Kong-inspired fight sequences.

They Call Us Bruce 183: They Call Us Queen of Christmas

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 singer-songwriter Elizabeth Chan, the world's only full-time recording artist dedicated to original Christmas music -- and still, legally, the "Queen of Christmas." She talks about her prolific output of Christmas music -- an album a year for the past twelve years and counting -- her trademark victory over Mariah Carey to keep the crown, and what it's like to have the holidays in your heart year-round.

Read These

The viral AI avatar app Lensa undressed me—without my consent
"I have Asian heritage, and that seems to be the only thing the AI model picked up on from my selfies. I got images of generic Asian women clearly modeled on anime or video-game characters. Or most likely porn."

* * *
John Fetterman’s TikTok Whisperer
Fresh off a frantic election cycle, Annie Wu Henry, the former Fetterman campaign social media producer -- and dedicated Swiftie -- takes time to shake it off.

* * *
As an American, I want the right to celebrate without fear
Curtis Chin reflects on the recent signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill affirmatively recognizing and protecting marriages of same sex couples and of interracial couples at the federal level, a feat that seemed impossible only a few years ago.

* * *
In LA, The Rise Of The Asian American Progressive
Kenneth Mejia, the newly elected Los Angeles city controller who took office last week as the first Asian American to hold citywide office, is at the forefront of an increasingly visible group of Asian American progressives to enter local politics in the last few years.

* * *
Tell Him Your Story, and He’ll Photograph Your Wedding. For Free.
Vincent Po, an engineer turned itinerant photographer, has been shooting weddings in exchange for room and board for the last two years as part of his Portrait of a Young Couple series.

* * *
Meet the Bad-Ass Asian American Bakers Reshaping LA’s Desserts Scene
Cheesecake baos, mochi egg tarts, black sesame mooncakes, and more.

* * *
‘KPOP’ Composer Helen Park, Star John Yi on Representational Impact and Broadway's AAPI Inclusion
In an emotional panel following their final performance, KPOP creatives and other notable members of the theater industry's Asian community said goodbye for now to the history-making production.

* * *
Babylon's Li Jun Li on Capturing Anna May Wong Onscreen
Her character in Babylon may be named Lady Fay, but actress Li Jun Li says she took all her inspiration from trailblazing Chinese American actress Anna May Wong.

All The Asians On Star Trek 32: Peipei Alena Yuan

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 32, we welcome actress and stunt performer Peipei Alena Yuan, who served as the stunt double for Freda Foh Shen in the 2009 feature film Star Trek, directed by JJ Abrams. Outside of Star Trek, her long list of stunt credits includes Bullet Train, Stranger Things, The Terminal List, Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Flight Attendant, among many others. She talks about pivoting from visual effects to stunt work, her unexpected pivotal role in creating "Bully Maguire," and getting to perform a fight scene with a bucket list legend.

They Call Us Bruce 182: They Call Us The Black Widow

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 champion pool player Jeanette Lee, subject of the ESPN documentary 30 For 30: Jeanette Lee VS., and director Ursula Liang. They discuss the career and legacy of the "Black Widow" in professional billiards and beyond, overcoming pain and pressure from all sides when life knocks you down, and approaching the pool table with confidence, swagger, and your whole, authentic, black-clad self.

Read These

Time names Michelle Yeoh its 2022 Icon of the Year. She’s ready for Oscars love too
Michelle Yeoh has been named Time's 2022 Icon of the Year, highlighting her storied 40-year acting career that includes this year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once.

* * *
Broadway's trailblazing 'KPOP' musical is abruptly closing. What went wrong?
KPOP, the first Broadway musical about Korean pop culture, announced that it's closing nine days after opening -- after just 44 preview performances and 17 regular performances. How did the show fail to find an audience?

* * *
KPOP Songwriter Helen Park Reflects on a Broadway Run Cut Short
KPOP composer Helen Park reflects on the the groundbreaking Broadway musical's abrupt closing.

* * *
As an immigrant kid, I learned about Christmas from TV — and it nearly broke my heart
New to the U.S. and unfamiliar with Christmas traditions, holiday movies shaped Nancy Wang Yuen's childhood, for better or worse.

* * *
I Had Korean Double Eyelid Surgery at 18. I Look Back Now with Regret.
Years after going under the knife, writer Iris Kim examines her complicated relationship with Korean plastic surgery and impossible standards of beauty.

* * *
How a rom-com launched the greatest fake band in San Francisco history
The story of Hello Peril, Randall Park's authentically good but fake band in Always Be My Maybe.

* * *
Atsuko Okatsuka Wants Her Grandma to Feel Hotter
Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, who stars in her first standup special The Intruder on HBO, talks about not always feeling hot, her love of dancehall, and discovering her superpowers.

* * *
Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh on Creating Iconic Characters From Roles Written for Men
Icons Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett in conversation.

* * *
Don't believe the K-dramas: Look to "Return to Seoul" for a more realistic view on Korean adoptees
In Davy Chou's film Return to Seoul -- Cambodia's Oscar entry for the Best International Film category -- Park Ji-min is a transracial adoptee who impulsively ends up seeking out her birth family.

* * *
On Stage And Screen, 'Industry' Star Ken Leung Is Leaning In To The Fear
Veteran actor Ken Leung talks about sustaining a career full of variety and his return to theater after twenty years in Evanston Salt Costs Climbing.

They Call Us Bruce 181: They Call Us Atsuko Okatsuka

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 comedian Atsuko Okatsuka, who stars in her first HBO comedy special The Intruder. She talks about the actual and metaphorical intruders that inspired her act, going really really really viral on TikTok with the "drop" challenge, blurring the personal and private on stage, and why her grandma deserved a lap dance at Magic Mike Live.

Read These

New York Times Theatre Critic Jesse Green Draws Criticism for KPOP Review
Company members of Broadway's KPOP are speaking out following a negative review of the musical by New York Times theatre critic Jesse Green, who took issue with the amount of Korean language in the show.
* * *
Asian American voters could help decide the Senate runoff in Georgia, experts say
National political leaders and advocates are trying to rally Asian American support in the final days before the Senate runoff between Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock in Georgia.

* * *
After Strangers Saved an Asian Man in a Subway Stabbing, I Fought Back My Own Fear
Bystander intervention training and a self-defense class—both tailored to the Asian experience—showed Rodlyn-mae Banting how to protect herself and her community.

* * *
Everything Everywhere All at Once Director Daniel Kwan on His New Children's Books, ADHD, and What He Never Wants to Read Again
"I think some of my best work comes out of an informed naivety. I think there's something really great about boldly making decisions that an expert would not make, and I feel like these books definitely feel like that."

* * *
'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Star Ke Huy Quan On Getting A Second Chance To Pursue His Dream: "I'm Always Grateful"
Ke Huy Quan walked away from acting due to the lack of roles for Asian actors. He talks about that time, how Crazy Rich Asians inspired him, and his comeback with Everything Everywhere All at Once.

* * *
Bilal Baig Steps Into Their Comfort Zone
Sort Of star and co-creator Bilal Baig is learning to tolerate being perceived.

* * *
Why Celeste Ng calls her new novel, 'Our Missing Hearts,' 'scarily real'
Celeste Ng's new novel, Our Missing Hearts, may feel like a departure to the legions of fans who read her first two books, but the bestselling author does not see it that way.

Read These

What Does It Mean to Care About COVID Anymore?
Tips on navigating COVID mitigation as we approach the third pandemic winter.

* * *
From homeless to city hall: the Hmong American mayor making history in Oakland Sheng Thao, the newly elected mayor of Oakland, is the first Hmong American woman to lead a major U.S. city, the youngest Oakland mayor in 75 years and the first renter to hold the position.

* * *
10 Must-Read Novels About Asian American Politics Ryan Lee Wong names ten novels that expand upon, challenge, and imagine futures for an Asian American political identity -- stories of rebels and revolutionaries, organizers and outsiders taking histories into their own hands.

* * *
As Anna May Wong quarters roll out, a younger generation reflects on the actress’ legacy Trailblazing actress Anna May Wong is the first Asian American to to be featured on a U.S. quarter.

* * *
Broadway Musicals Don't Have Asian Roles. Helen Park Is Changing That. Helen Park, composer of the new musical Kpop at Circle in the Square Theatre, is Broadway’s first Asian American woman composer and only the sixth Asian composer of a Broadway show.

* * *
David Siev, Jaclyn Siev, Rachel Siev and Chun Siev on a Year Living on Edge in "Bad Axe"
David Siev's Bad Axe documents his family keeping their restaurant afloat and navigating conservative politics in a rural town in the early months of the pandemic.