2.28.2025

They Call Us Dustin Nguyen

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 veteran actor Dustin Nguyen, star of the indie crime drama The Accidental Getaway Driver, a uniquely Vietnamese American story -- inspired by true events -- surprisingly told as a humanistic character study. He talks about the rage, hurt and loneliness of his character; his decades-spanning career journey and the evolution of his roles in Hollywood, from 21 Jump Street to V.I.P.; and his transition to filmmaking in Vietnam (and back). Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making The Accidental Getaway Driver.

2.22.2025

They Call Us Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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 diversity advocates and experts Mia Ives-Rublee and Sumi Pendakur to discuss the impact of the current political climate on Asian American activism and identity. They talk about the importance of diversity in higher education in shaping identities and worldviews, the assault on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the wake of Trump's executive orders, the challenges of leadership in uncertain times, and the alarming normalization of extremist ideologies. Also: pre-emptive chickenshit, Nazi salutes, and dangerous dumplings.

2.14.2025

They Call Us Sanjay Shah and Jude Weng

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 continue our celebration of Fresh Off the Boat's 10th anniversary and welcome writer Sanjay Shah (Everybody Still Hates Chris, Dream Productions, Central Park) and director Jude Weng (Finding Ohana, The Good Place, Only Murders in the Building) -- key creatives involved in the making of the groundbreaking series. They look back at the impact of the show on their careers, some of the challenges and critiques they faces during production, and the importance of storytelling from an Asian American perspective. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Fresh Off the Boat.

2.07.2025

They Call Us Hudson Yang

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 celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fresh Off the Boat with series star Hudson Yang (who also happens to be Jeff's son). They reflect on the show's impact on their family, Hudson's journey from childhood aspirations to landing a lead role, and the significance of the show in reshaping narratives around Asian Americans in media. They look back at the audition process, the challenges of navigating fame and public scrutiny as a child actor, and the lasting (and perhaps unsung) legacy of the series. Also: that time Hudson almost got fired from Fresh Off the Boat before it even got started.

2.01.2025

They Call Us Parents in the Year of the Snake

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 speical Lunar New Year episode, we welcome fellow Potluck Podcast pals -- and fellow parents -- Ada Tseng (Saturday School), Joanna Lee (Sound and Fury, The Korean Drama Podcast), and Marvin Yueh (Books and Boba, Good Pop) to celebrate new beginnings and the arrival of Marvin's twins while discussing the unique challenges of Asian American parenting. They explore the importance of cultural representation in children's media, the significance of language and heritage, and the realities of sleep deprivation and collaborative parenting strategies.

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