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 Frank Chi, director of the documentary short 38 AT THE GARDEN, which chronicles the extraordinary ascendance of Jeremy Lin during his landmark 2012 season with the New York Knicks -- and the fateful game where he dropped 38 points on the Los Angeles Lakers. They look back at the sheer joy of that moment, what Linsanity meant for Asian Americans, and why it still resonates ten years later.
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.
In his third game for the Santa Cruz Warriors, Jeremy Lin went off.
Watch Jeremy Lin score 29, hit 7 threes for Santa Cruz in G-League win
If he keeps playing like this, Jeremy Lin could find his way back to the NBA sooner than later. On Saturday, in just his third G League game, Jeremy Lin finished with 29 points, nine assists, and 7-of-9 shooting from three in a 124-116 win for the Santa Cruz Warriors against the Westchester Knicks.
New Jersey Congressman Andy Kim Helps Clean Up Capitol. Literally.
Late at night, after a pro-Trump mob stormed and ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim was photographed in the rotunda, crouching on his hands and knees over the debris the crowd had left behind. He was picking up the trash. "When you see something you love that's broken you want to fix it," Kim told the Associated Press. "I love the Capitol. I'm honored to be there. This building is extraordinary and the rotunda in particular is just awe-inspiring. How many countless generations have been inspired in that room? It really broke my heart and I just felt compelled to do something. What else could I do?"
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Elaine Chao Announces Resignation Over Trump's Response to Riot
File under: too little too late. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has announced her resignation over the riot Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. Time to jump ship, apparently. In a statement addressed to the Department of Transportation, Chao wrote that she will resign effective Monday and was "deeply troubled" by the "entirely avoidable" events at the Capitol building. What a crock of cowardly shit. The time to jump ship was to never get on board. But Chao and her ilk have propped up Trump and this garbage fire of an administration for four years. You don't get to walk away with clean hands after being complicit in ugly shit that absolutely everybody saw coming. Get the fuck out of here yesterday.
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Rep. Michelle Steel, who questioned mask mandate, tests positive for coronavirus
Rep. Michelle Steel, who previously expressed skepticism about the need for a mask mandate in Orange County, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday. Steel learned that morning that she had been in contact with someone who tested positive. She sought a test in the afternoon "out of an abundance of caution," and it came back positive, according to a statement released by her office. In the spring, Steel repeatedly questioned the Orange County health office's decision to mandate face coverings countywide, but later called on residents and visitors to wear face coverings in public, when COVID cases surged. And now ya got the COVID.
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Jeremy Lin signs to play with Warriors G-League team
Before the season started, Jeremy Lin reached a deal with the Golden State Warriors that would have had him playing for its G-League team, a first step in working his way back to an NBA roster. But that fell apart because paperwork from his former Chinese team the Beijing Ducks (where he played last season) through FIBA (basketball's international governing body) did not get to the NBA in time. Lin has now signed outright to play for the Warriors' G-League team -- the Santa Cruz Warriors -- in that league's restart bubble starting next month. The dream is still alive and kicking!
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Raya and the Last Dragon Raya Pop! Vinyl Figure
In case you're a collector like me: Funko Pop! figures based on the upcoming Disney animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon are now available for pre-order. The Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy adventure, starring the voice of Kelly Marie Tran, will premiere in theaters and on Disney Plus on March 5.
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
Suspect Yells 'China' and 'COVID' in Pepper Spray Attack
In Washington DC, police are investigating a suspected hate crime assault at a Dupont Circle tea shop, where a man pepper sprayed the owner after yelling "China" and "COVID-19." Surveillance video shows the suspect entering Valley Brook Tea on Tuesday morning, shouting. When the owner, Yunhan Zhang, asked him to leave, the man pulled out the pepper spray on Zhang, who was reportedly sprayed on his face, arms and clothes. Zhang says this is not the first time he's been attacked, and it seems like the tea shop is the only business in the neighborhood dealing with such harassment. Wonder why. The Metropolitan Police Department says there are no arrests in connection with the case.
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Jeremy Lin works out with Stephen Curry amid NBA comeback bid
In his bid to make a return to the NBA, Jeremy Lin was spotted working out with Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry. This week, Lin was photographed playing some pickup ball with Curry and other Warriors players such as Eric Paschall, Kevon Looney, Marquese Chriss, and Alen Smailagic. After winning a title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, Lin played one season with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association, before announcing his intentions to the return to the NBA. Hopefully this is a sign we'll be seeing him playing stateside soon.
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Claim Us If You're Famous
If you didn't know, now you know: our new Vice President is Black and Asian and South Asian and Indian American. On this week's Code Switch, they discuss what exactly it means for Kamala Harris to be the United States' first Black-South-Asian-multiracial-female-vice-president-elect. They get into a lot of messy territory, like what her political prominence might help illuminate (or obscure) about South Asian political identity, how multiracial people are perceived, and how Blackness intersects with all of those things.
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Bishal Dutta to Direct Untitled Horror Feature for New Line
Director Bishal Dutta will make his studio debut with New Line, directing an untitled original horror feature based on a spec by Joshua Rollins, and produced by James Wan's Atomic Monster. Plot details are being tightly held, but the project is an original horror film set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles.
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New Blue's Clues & You Will Feature Josh's Lola
This is fun. An upcoming new episode of the children's show Blue's Clues & You will feature a visit from "Lola" -- Josh's grandmother, played by Carolyn Fe. In "Blue's Big Baking Show," Josh and Blue will spend the day making bibingka, a cake from the Philippines that is "masarap"! The episode will premiere Friday, November 20 on Nickelodeon.
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
"I wear my mask if I want F**KING ASIAN you create the virus"
In San Francisco, police are investigating a hate crime in the city's Sunset District, where a man vandalized an Asian American woman's home and left a letter saying, "I wear my mask if I want FUCKING ASIAN you create the virus." The hate incidents were apparent set off by an altercation in which the woman, who was outside her home with her infant twins, asked a passing man to wear a mask. The man later returned multiple times to throw a water bottle, then an egg and then to leave not only the letter but a mask with writing on it, which said "keep America without Asian." Police are investigating the incident as "racially motivated." Ya think?
Woman Pushed Off Vancouver Bus After Spitting on Man
Metro Vancouver Transit Police are investigating after a video was posted on TikTok showing a woman who appears to have been pushed off a bus after she spit on another passenger. In the video, the bus is stopped when a woman, who is standing in the aisle and not wearing a face mask, appears to spit on a man. The man, who is wearing a face mask, appears shocked and disgusted, gets up from his seat and appears to push the woman twice. After the second push, the woman can be seen falling onto a sidewalk. I can't say I condone physical violence, but hell, I'm not gonna fault this guy for losing his cool in the moment.
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Steven Yeun Could Become the First Asian American Best Actor Nominee
With Hollywood's upcoming awards season starting to take shape, A24 has confirmed that Steven Yeun will campaign as a lead actor for his performance in Minari. Co-star Yeri Han will also campaign for best actress, while his cast mates Alan S. Kim, Will Patton and Yuh-Jung Youn will look for consideration in the supporting categories. If nominated for best actor, Yeun would be the first Asian American to ever be recognized in the category. Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Minari tells the story of a Korean American family who searches for a better life when they move to a small farm in 1980s Arkansas. The film is scheduled for release sometime by the end of this year.
And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.
Trump Crossed Out 'Corona' and Replaced It with 'Chinese' Virus
Donald Trump was photographed reading from notes at the daily coronavirus task force press conference where the word "corona" was crossed out and replaced with "Chinese" to described COVID-19. The photograph, taken by a Washington Post photographer, showed the word crossed out in what appeared to be Sharpie and in the president's own handwriting. This petty, racist man is fucking with our lives for a sound bite.
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Governor Newsom Ends His Presser by Calling Out Racism
On the opposite end of political leadership... On Thursday, California governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order for all residents to ‘stay at home’ amid a coronavirus outbreak. That's not a suprise. Shit is real right now. What was cool was how he concluded the press conference, calling out the racism and xenophobia that's been directed at Asians in the wake of the virus outbreak.
Daniel Dae Kim Tests Positive for Coronavirus
NOOOOOOO. Daniel Dae Kim announced on Instagram on Thursday that he's tested positive for coronavirus, opening up about his journey to diagnosis and pleading for the public to follow self-isolation guidelines. Watch the whole video -- the guy is a class act, through and through.
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Jeremy Lin Rips Trump for 'Empowering' Racism with Talk of 'Chinese Virus'
And Jeremy Lin chimes in, calling out Trump for his "Chinese Virus" remarks: "I wish you would powerfully support the vulnerable people that will suffer due to our mismanagement of this virus, including those that will be affected by the racism you're empowering."
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New Streaming Service Brings Kamen Rider and Ultraman to US Fans
On a totally different note, if you're looking for something to watch during your social distancing, PlutoTV just launched an awesome new channel in partnership with Shout! Factory: TokuSHOUTsu, bringing you old school Japanese shows like Ultraman and Super Sentai to U.S. audiences -- including the wildly popular Kamen Rider, available to stateside audiences for the first time.
Jeremy Lin was recently stopped from boarding the player bus in Milwaukee.
The Good News: Jeremy Lin and the Toronto Raptors are headed to the NBA Championship Finals for the first time. The Bad News: Jeremy Lin still gets stopped by security personnel who don't recognize him as a player.
Lin has been candid about this. It happens to him fairly regularly. The latest incident occurred earlier this month in Milwaukee after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. A security guard stopped Jeremy from boarding the Raptors' team bus at Fiserv Forum, demanding to see his credentials.
"After game two in Milwaukee, I was trying to get to the team bus and one of the dudes in the Milwaukee Arena just screams at me," Lin recently shared on the Bill Michaels Sports Talk Network. "He's like, 'Where do you think you’re going?!' And I'm like, 'Uh, I’m trying to get to the team bus.' He’s like, 'What? Where's your pass?'"
"'I don't know what you’re taking about,'" Lin recalls saying. "'I don't have a pass.'"
Nets guard suffers ruptured patella tendon during Brooklyn's season opener.
Noooooooooooo! Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin has been diagnosed with a ruptured patella tendon of the right knee and is expected to miss the rest of the 2017-18 season, the team announced Thursday.
The injury occurred Wednesday night during the fourth quarter of Brooklyn's season-opener against the Indiana Pacers. Lin landed awkwardly on a drive to the basket and crumbled to court in obvious pain. His immediate emotional reaction seemed to indicate he knew the injury was pretty serious.
"I'm done," he said, shaking his head, before doubling over in anguish. It's painful to even watch.
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. 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.
This episode, we discuss Jeremy Lin's hair. Yes, his hair. Specifically, the recent dustup over our favorite Asian American point guard's decision to sport dreadlocks, and where it's situated in the larger conversation about cultural appropriation.
Have you heard of that guy Jeremy Lin? He's got game.
No, not Jeremy Lin, point guard for the Brooklyn Nets. I'm talking about a 14-year-old kid also actually named Jeremy Lin, who was recently highlighted as one of the standout players from the 2017 Ballislife Jr. All American Camp by adidas Hoops. The kid can ball. According to ballislife.com, young Jeremy exhibited impressive range and passing abilities, landing him a spot in the top 25 game at the camp.
NBA star sports a gravity-defying 'do for a "secret project."
Outside of his performance on the court, the number one topic of discussion regarding Jeremy Lin in recent years has to be what the hell is going on with his hair. We ask it again.
The Brooklyn Nets star recently posted a photo of himself and his latest 'do on Instagram, attributing it to a "secret project" and likening the gravity-defying hairstyle to the animated character Jimmy Neutron.
Four years after "Linsanity," is New York City ready to welcome back Jeremy Lin? In this Comedy Central video, the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets recently took to the streets to pull a few surprises on unsuspecting fans outside the Barclays Center. As you can see, they weren't thrilled about getting the crap scared out of them... even by Jeremy Lin.
It seems that things haven't gotten any easier for Jeremy Lin, at least in terms of getting past security.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets said that despite having played in the NBA for six seasons -- including that phenomenal little period known as "Linsanity" -- he still gets stopped, singled out and asked for credentials by security as he walks into arenas with his teammates.
CBS Sports says the Brooklyn Nets' three-year, $36 million contract with Lin is a steal.
So you've heard that Jeremy Lin is headed back to New York City. This month, the free agent signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Nets. And Brooklyn might just be getting the best deal in the NBA.
CBS Sports' Ananth Pandian has compiled a list of the top ten bargains in this summer's free agency, and Lin's deal with the Nets tops the list. The three-year, $36 million contract is a steal, Pandian writes.
Jeremy Lin agrees to a three-year, $36 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Put away your Hornets jerseys, kids. Jeremy Lin is headed back to New York City. Brooklyn, that is. Your favorite Asian American point guard has agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets. The deal reportedly includes a trade kicker, bonuses and a player option for the third year.
Lin tweeted about joining the Nets on Friday morning:
Point guard declines $2.2 million player option with the Charlotte Hornets.
Jeremy Lin is hitting the open market. After playing one season with the Hornets, Lin declined his $2.2 million team option to return to Charlotte next season and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
The point guard took a two-year, $4.3 million contract with Charlotte last summer, after a less-than-stellar season with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he's now coming off one of his best seasons in years, playing a crucial role off the bench with the 48-win Hornets. Dude has earned himself a raise.
Lin averaged 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 26.3 minutes per game with Charlotte. Those are actually comparable numbers to his stint in Los Angeles and with the Houston Rockets, but he clearly brought a different energy to the Hornets last season, proving himself as a valuable sixth man.
Charlotte nabs their second straight playoff victory over the Miami Heat.
No big deal. Just Jeremy Lin being hella Jeremy Lin when the Hornets need it the most. The guard from Harvard has been on fire, dropping 21 points off the bench Monday night and helping Charlotte nab their second straight playoff victory over the Miami Heat, tying the Eastern Converence series 2-2.
Lin was the second-leading scorer behind Kemba Walker in the Hornets' 89-85 victory over the Heat. The guy has been relentless, not just in Game 4, but this entire series. In four playoff games, he's averaging 19.1 points per 36 minutes and shooting 50 percent inside the three-point line.
As usual, here's a conveniently compiled video of Jeremy's game highlights from Monday night:
Lin scored 18 points to lead Charlotte to a 96-80 rout over the Miami Heat.
Boom. In case you missed it.. Over the weekend, Jeremy Lin stepped up with 18 points to lead the Hornets to a 96-80 rout over the Miami Heat and helping Charlotte nab their first playoff win in fourteen years.
Miami took the first two games over Charlotte in the opening series of the Eastern Conference playoffs. But in game three, the Hornets stung back. The win is the Hornets' first in the playoffs since 2002, and snapped a 12-game playoff losing streak that would have tied the NBA's longest with another defeat.
Charlotte' bench outscored Miami's 34-13 on Saturday night, led by Jeremy's team-high 18 points off the bench. He also added four rebounds, four assists and a steal in 26 minutes.
And, of course, here's a video of Jeremy's highlights from Saturday night:
All this poor young woman from Tennessee wanted was a tattoo of a Chinese phrase on her ankle to celebrate her love of languages and travel. So she asked someone on the internet to translate a phrase for her. And, of course as the laws of the internet decree, she got trolled. Somebody tricked her into getting NBA star Jeremy Lin's name in Chinese permanently etched on her skin.
"Always check your sources," is now something Holland Christensen will never forget. So according to the video above, she reached a crossroads. She could kill herself forever for making such a foolish mistake, or embrace it. She chose the latter.
Holland didn't even know who Jeremy Lin was, but she did her research, as thoroughly as she probably should have checked the tattoo, and quickly became Lin's biggest fan.
