Suspect Identified in Hate Crime Attack on 92-Year-Old Man

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Suspect Identified in Hate Crimes Assault of Elderly Man in Vancouver
Police say they have identified a suspect, based on numerous tips from the public, in the hate-crime assault of a 92-year-old Asian man in Vancouver. No word if an arrest has been made yet. On March 13, the elderly victim, who suffers from severe dementia, wandered into a convenience store and the suspect began yelling racist remarks at him, including comments about COVID-19. Once outside the store, the suspect shoved the man, which caused him to fall and hit his head. The suspect then fled before police arrived. Here's hoping they catch this piece of garbage and nail his ass.

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Surprise, Surprise. Trump's New HHS Spokesman Tweeted Racist Shit
And literally nobody is shocked to learn that Michael Caputo, the new spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, made racist and derogatory comments about Chinese people, among other things, in a series of now-deleted tweets. Caputo, a longtime New York Republican political operative who worked on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, remarked that "millions of Chinese suck the blood out of rabid bats as an appetizer and eat the ass out of anteaters." He followed up at another user, "Don't you have a bat to eat?" and tweeted at another user, "You're very convincing, Wang." Seems like he'll fit in quite well with this administration.

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The Loh Down on Science: Special Pandemic Edition
=Hosted by Sandra Tsing Loh, The Loh Down on Science is a daily radio “minute” (90 seconds) of humorous yet informative current science. In light of recent events -- you know, the deadly global pandemic thing -- they're launching a limited radio/podcast series called The Loh Down on Science: Special Pandemic Edition, featuring three-minute family friendly radio/podcast/audio modules covering a range of pandemic science. Topics will include: The science of herd immunity. The wonders of soap. The curious story of Lady Montagu, English aristocrat and early vaccine adopter. Could a mad scientist create a virus in a lab? (Well, not a very good one.) Why are our house cats going nuts? The surprising healing powers of copper. Can you harness your home computer, when you're sleeping, to join an army of computers crunching data to find COVID-19’s Achilles Heel? Hint: Yes! It's been done to solve Ebola!

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Hollywood
What if you could rewrite the story? The new Netflix limited series Hollywood follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers in post-World War II Hollywood as they try to make it in Tinseltown -- no matter the cost. Each character offers a unique glimpse behind the gilded curtain of Hollywood's Golden Age, spotlighting the unfair systems and biases across race, gender and sexuality that continue to this day. Darren Criss stars as a white-passing biracial Filipino American director, while Michelle Krusiec guest stars as real-life Chinese American screen icon Anna May Wong. The series premieres May 1 on Netflix.

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Family Meal: A Virtual Dinner Party and Conversation
On May 1, I'll be participating in a fun little live event with some cool folks to help kick off AAPI Heritage Month. Seed & Spark presents Family Meal: A Virtual Dinner Party and Conversation. We've brought together a group of Asian American podcasters to have a frank conversation on anti-Asian racism in the time of COVID, while we eat our favorite dish. Participants will include Jeff Yang, Dino-Ray Ramos, Rebecca Sun, Taz Ahmed and myself. It's happening Friday, May 1 at 8pm PT/11pm ET. For more details, go here.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 34: They Call Us Valentine's Day

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.

On this Valentine's Day-themed episode, we welcome Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed -- activist, storyteller, and co-host of the #GoodMuslimBadlimPodcast. We talk about romantic comedies, Muslim Valentine's Day Cards, and that time Taz brought a fake date to an ex's wedding.

Say what's on your heart with #MuslimVDay cards.

For love in the time of a racialized, islamophobia-ridden America.



Hallmark can suck it. For the fourth year running, my good friend writer/artist Taz Ahmed is back with another set of her awesome #MuslimVDay Cards, snarky sentiments for Valentine's Day conveying "the exact emotions you feel of love in the time of a racialized, islamophobia-ridden America."

Taz started the #MuslimVDay cards in 2011 as a personal counterculture art project, intended as a lighthearted answer to Islamophobia and the confining stereotypes that trail her as a Muslim woman in the post-9/11 era. They were an instant hit, taking the internet "like drones dropping bombs" -- her words, not mine.

The 2015 series includes six cards printed on 4.25 x 5.5 postcard size cardstock. Each card is full-colored, and is numbered, signed and dated, with a limited print of 100 cards per image. Order your set at Etsy.

Angry Asian America Episode 4: "Do Your Tweets Create Social Change?"

With co-host Jenny Yang and special guests Taz Ahmed and Jason Lee & Eddie Lee of Jubilee Project



Heeeeeyyy! Proud to share the latest episode of Angry Asian America, my web talk show with the fine folks at ISAtv. In episode four, co-host Jenny Yang and I welcome good friends Taz Ahmed and Jason Lee and Eddie Lee of Jubilee Project (and a special guest appearance from a big green lizard).

We talk about online activism, Asian Americans, and getting people to give a sh*t. This episode was particularly fun because we get to shoot with some cool Godzilla set pieces at the YouTube Space in Los Angeles. Jenny has waaaay too much fun with a green foam hand. Take a look:

Send that special someone a #MuslimVDay card

"This burka is built for two."



We all have our different ways of acknowledging Valentine's Day. Some go all out, do the fancy dinner and flowers and chocolate. Good luck with that. Some ignore the day entirely. My good friend writers/artist/activist Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed made some awesome, weirdly warped Muslim Valentine's Day cards.

Originally conceived as a Twitter hashtag three years ago, she created them as a fun, cheeky response to some of the perceptions placed on her as a single Muslim woman. They were an instant hit. This year, she printed up some cards and made them available for purchase from Etsy.

Check these cards out:

The UnValentine's Comedy + Music Show + Mixer

Saturday, February 15 at Echoes Under Sunset



Hello, lovers. And non-lovers. And singles. And everyone else. If you're in Los Angeles, you are invited to a very special comedy/music event this Saturday presented by Mishthi Music and Disoriented Comedy. It's The UnValentine's Comedy + Music Show + Mixer, "for singles and the partnered friends who love us."

The evening will feature comedians Jenny Yang, Hasan Minaj, Mona Shaikh, Kosha Patel, Nancy Lee, Janel Santacruz, Atsuko Okatsuka, D'Lo and more. With music from Azeem Khan, Elephants with Guns and Tablapusher. Hosted by my pal Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed. It's going down February 15 at Echoes Under Sunset.

Here are some more details about the show: