Recording Now! Podcast Panel, Q&A & Live Show with Potluck

Thursday, July 6 at OPodz in Little Tokyo



Podcast listeners of Los Angeles! You're invited to a special event featuring the creators and hosts of shows from the Potluck Podcast Collective, including Kollabcast, Saturday School, Drunk Monk, Asian Americana, They Call Us Bruce and the Korean Drama Podcast. The evening will include a panel discussion with the Potluck hosts and a live recording of They Call Us Bruce with a special guest.

It's happening Thursday, July 6 at OPodz in Little Tokyo. Here are some more details:

Suspect arrested in kidnapping of Chinese student

Yingying Zhang, who disappeared from the University of Illinois on June 9, is believed to be dead.



A suspect has been arrested in the kidnapping of visiting Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang, who has been missing from the University of Illinois since June 9. She is believed by authorities to be dead.

Man charged with kidnapping U. of I. student, who authorities believe is dead

27-year-old Brendt Christensen was arrested late Friday as a suspect in Zhang's kidnapping.

According to the FBI press release, "while Christensen was under law enforcement surveillance, agents overheard him explaining that he kidnapped Zhang. Based on this, and other facts uncovered during the investigation of this matter, law enforcement agents believe that Ms. Zhang is no longer alive."

Video: Motorist calls woman "Fucking Cambodian n**ger"

Things got real racist real fast on the streets of Sunnyvale.



Protip: If you get the feeling something racist is about to happen, it doesn't hurt to pull out your camera and start recording. This one comes to us from Sunnyvale, California, where a woman recorded a racist encounter with an asshole motorist who called her a "bitch" and a "fucking Cambodian n**ger."

Paula Nuguid says she riding her bike with her 9-year-old daughter, attempting to make a legal left turn, when a man in a Nissan Altima started honking at her and calling her a "bitch." She confronted the man, rolling up to his window and demanding, "How fucking dare you, you entitled white prick?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up," he cleverly retorted.

When Nuguid told him, "I can tell you're not from California," the man responded, "You fucking Cambodian n**ger, get out of here." Aaaaaaand there it is. Smile, asshole. You're about to become internet famous.

Nuguid posted video of the encounter on Facebook, saying "I hope his friends, family, and employer see this."

Angry Reader of the Week: Thien Ho

"I'm a storyteller at heart and connector of ideas and people."



Hey, everybody! Here's what's up. It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Thien Ho.

Police fatally shoot man wielding "what they thought was a knife." It was a pen.

20-year-old Tommy Le was killed by a King County Sheriff's deputy on June 14.



In Washington state, a 20-year-old student was shot and killed by police responding to reports of a man wielding a knife. He turned out to be carrying a pen. Now his family and community members want answers.

Man killed by King County deputy was carrying a pen, not a knife as initially reported

Tommy Le, who had just graduated from an alternative high school completion program at South Seattle College, was fatally shot by a King's County Sheriff's deputy on June 14.

Sheriff's deputies were reportedly summoned to a Burien neighborhood by several 911 calls about a man threatening residents with a knife or "sharp object." Deputies say they found that a homeowner had fired a "warning shot" in an attempt to scare off a man -- later identified to be Le -- who had been chasing his friend.

When Le continued to approach, the homeowner fled back inside his house. Le, who was barefoot, then pounded on the door and stabbed it, screaming he was "The Creator." Deputies say Le refused to comply with orders to drop "what they thought was a knife," and that firing tasers "had no effect." When Le moved toward officers, Deputy Cesar Molina shot him three times. He died of his injuries at the hospital.

A week after the shooting, the sheriff's office revealed that the "sharp object" in Le's hand was a pen.

FBI finds car linked to kidnapped Chinese student

Visiting scholar Yingying Zhang has been missing from the University of Illinois since June 9.



In Illinois, the FBI announced Tuesday that it had found the car that a visiting Chinese student was last seen getting into before she went missing from the University of Illinois nearly three weeks ago.

26-year-old Yingying Zhang, a visiting student in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, was last seen June 9 near the north end of campus in Urbana-Champaign. She had just gotten off a bus and was apparently on her way to an apartment complex to sign a lease.

Security camera footage shows her getting into the passenger seat of a black Saturn Astra. The FBI says the vehicle appeared to be driven by a white male who circled the area before making contact with Zhang. The car is seen pulling up next to Zhang on the sidewalk just after 2:00 pm. She talks for several moments to the unidentified driver before getting into the vehicle. The car then drives away.

She has not been seen or heard from since.

K-Drama Bullying Is No Joke: Korean Drama Podcast - Boys Over Flowers #4

A K-Drama re-watch podcast by (and for) people who don't watch Korean dramas.



Are you a fan of Korean dramas? Then this podcast is probably not for you. The Korean Drama Podcast is the K-Drama rewatch podcast by (and for) people who don't watch Korean dramas.

In season one, host Will Choi (founder of Asian AF) and I -- both self-professed Korean drama beginners -- with help and hand-holding by our resident K-Drama expert Joanna Lee, attempt to watch and discuss the 2009 megahit drama Boys Over Flowers in its entirety, episode by episode.

In this week's episode, we are faced with even more K-Drama tropes including personal space issues, awkward tardy dates (in the snow) and JEALOUSY! New rival Oh Minji adds drama to the drama and our hosts are powerless to resist. Also, Korean drama bullying is no joke (don't bully).

Jackie Chan goes full-on Revenge Dad in 'The Foreigner'

Trailer for upcoming action thriller promises a darker, revenge-ier Jackie Chan.



Jackie Chan is not messing around anymore. While the 63-year-old international action star is known for his comedic physicality and upbeat everyman hero roles, the new trailer for the upcoming thriller The Foreigner promises Chan in full-on Revenge Dad mode, à la Taken. And that means a lot of people are gonna die.

Chan plays a humble London businessman Quan, whose long-buried past (cue vintage photo of young shirtless Jackie) erupts in a revenge-fueled vendetta when his teenage daughter is killed in a terrorist blast. In his search for the identity of the bombers, Quan is forced into a cat-and-mouse conflict with a British government official, played by Pierce Brosnan, whose own past may hold clues to the identities of the killers.

Note the look on Jackie Chan's face. That's a look that says I am going to kill all the terrorists.

Idiot air passenger fears Sikh man is a terrorist

These snaps should give you a sense of what it's like for anyone who appears to be Muslim to travel by plane.



The thing about commercial air travel is that you never know what kind of weird or awful or questionable people you're going to be forced to fly with. For instance, this recent flight where a Sikh man boarded the plane. No, I'm not calling the Sikh passenger weird or awful or questionable. I'm talking about the asshole who freaked out over the sight of a guy with a turban and beard and broadcast his racist assumptions on social media.

Because a guy who looks like that could definitely be a terrorist, right? This jerk recently documented his ridiculous prejudice and paranoia on Snapchat, posting photos of the Sikh passenger seated nearby, taken surreptitiously over the course of the flight, chronicling his activities with fearful commentary like, "Please god just let the man sleep" and "Ok he just walk to the back of the Plane then to the front then to his seat."

Screen grabs of the Snapchat posts were shared on social media by educator and activist Simran Jeet Singh, who is also Sikh and is all too familiar with the "uncomfortable stares" of fellow passengers in an era of heightened Islamophobia. And yet Singh tries to show compassion even when faced with such ignorance.

"This series of snaps should give you a sense of what it's like for anyone who appears to be Muslim to travel by plane," Singh wrote in a series of tweets. "As a Sikh who flies frequently, I'm no stranger to the uncomfortable stares and misguided fears people have of me."

Store owner sentenced to eight years for killing shoplifter

Min Kim pleaded guilty to fatally shooting Jakeel Mason in the back.


Photo Credit: KOMO
Last week in Washington state, a Korean American convenience store owner was sentenced to serve eight years in prison for shooting and killing a fleeing shoplifting suspect last year.

Spanaway convenience store owner who shot & killed thief sentenced to 8 years in prison

31-year-old Min Kim pleaded guilty earlier this year to fatally shooting Jakeel Mason after he caught Mason shoplifting at his convenience store, Pacific Quick Shop in Spanaway. Mason was trying to flee from the store when Kim shot him in the back. Kim initially claimed he shot in self-defense.

However, prosecutors say surveillance video showed that Mason, who was unarmed, put his hands up and backed away when Kim pulled a gun on him. When Kim started fighting with him, Mason broke free and ran toward the door. Kim shot him twice in the back, killing him.

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The Slants show full meaning of free speech: Can freedom of expression and protection of the oppressed coexist? According to the Portland band whose dispute over their name lasted over eight years before finally going to the Supreme Court -- yes, it can.

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Asian 'Boat People,' Once Opposed More Than Syrian Refugees Today, Speak Out: One Lao and two Vietnamese refugees speak frankly about how their experiences relate to the need to support refugees today. "There are a lot of innocent people who are refugees, and given the opportunity, [they] would give back 100 times more than what was given to them."

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Be Better: A Guide to Avoid Cultural Appropriation: Soleil Ho breaks down cultural exchange versus cultural appropriation -- and even provides examples what you should and should not do at a party.

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No, it's not "fine" to call me a Chinaman: Is it so hard to recognize Asian Canadians as Canadians in Vancouver?: C'mon, you lazy racists. People can be both Asian and Canadian.

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The Lost Generation: From 'The Joy Luck Club' To 'Crazy Rich Asians': An entire generation in the U.S. missed out on seeing Asian American families represented in film and television.

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The Inner World of Ali Wong: How the San Francisco native grew up, cracked filthy jokes, got pregnant, filmed a Netflix special, and became the next big thing in comedy.

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5 reasons Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon stayed married after turning their love life into 'The Big Sick': Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon weren't just co-writers on the screenplay for producer Judd Apatow's The Big Sick; they put their own real-life romance on-screen for the world to see. Here, Nanjiani and Gordon dole out some dating advice based on their experiences.

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Why Are Brown Men So Infatuated With White Women Onscreen? While projects like The Big Sick, Master of None, and Homecoming King offer welcome depiction of brown Muslim men in love, the characters pursue white women at the expense of women of color.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 13: The Call Us The Slants

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 week, we welcome Simon Tam, front man for the embattled Asian American rock band The Slants. He talks about the eight-year fight to trademark their band name, the landmark Supreme Court ruling in their favor, and the important right for Asian Americans and other marginalized communities to call ourselves whatever we want.

Angry Reader of the Week: Alfa

"I'm still learning how to stay authentic, and not to veil my true self."



What's up, good people of the internet? It's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Alfa.

There will be a vigil tonight outside the home of Vincent Chin's killer

Vincent Chin died on June 23, 1982.



Thirty-five years ago today in Detroit, four nights after being severely beaten in the head with a baseball bat, Vincent Chin died. The case would become a seminal rallying point for the Asian American community. And tonight, concerned community members plan to gather for a vigil outside the home of Chin's killer.

For those unfamiliar with the case: Chin was out at a strip club celebrating his bachelor party when he got into a fight with a couple of disgruntled auto industry workers, Ronald Evens and his stepson Michael Nitz. Witnesses say they heard Ebens yell "It's because of you little motherfuckers that we're out of work!" -- referring to U.S. auto jobs being lost to Japanese manufacturers. Vincent Chin was Chinese American.

The fight was broken up, but Ebens and Nitz weren't finished. They searched for Chin outside the club, tracked him down to a McDonald's and attacked him. Nitz held Chin in a bear hug while Evens repeatedly bludgeoned him with a baseball bat until his head cracked open. Vincent fell into a coma and died on June 23, 1982.

NPR's Morning Edition aired a Story Corps interview Vincent Chin's best friend, Gary Koivu, who talks about his lifelong friendship with Vincent and hauntingly recounts the night he witnessed his murder.

Officer, at least unbuckle his seat belt before you unjustly beat the shit out of him.

Dash cam video of Minnesota traffic stop shows police officer violently assaulting motorist.



The ACLU of Minnesota is calling for an investigation into the police officers who pulled over a motorist and violently assaulted him. Dash cam footage shows one officer viciously beating the young man who is still buckled in his car seat, while another officer purposely turns off the camera's audio.

In the Blink of an Eye, Police Officers Turned This Traffic Stop Into an Unnecessarily Violent Encounter

Anthony Promvongsa was driving in Worthington, Minnesota on July 28, 2016 when Agent Joe Joswiak of the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force pulled him over and proceeded to beat the shit out of him. Well, first Joswiak threw open Promvongsa's door and screamed "Get the fuck out of the car, motherfucker!" Then he beat the shit out of him. Promvongsa didn't even get a chance to unbuckle his seat belt before Joswiak started swinging.

In police dash cam footage obtained by the ACLU, Joswiak can be seen punching, kicking and elbowing Promvongsa several times in the back before yanking him out of the driver's seat of his Honda Pilot, throwing him to the ground. Then he presses his knee to the back of Promvongsa's neck, pinning him face down on the pavement while he and Sgt. Tim Gaul of the Worthington Police Department handcuffed him.

At some point, Gaul intentionally turns off the audio of the encounter. After he is placed inside the squad car, Promvongsa can be heard breathing heavily and sobbing.

"Perm Boy, Violin Guy, Pottery Boy and Ringo": Korean Drama Podcast - Boys Over Flowers #3

A K-Drama re-watch podcast by (and for) people who don't watch Korean dramas.



Are you a fan of Korean dramas? Then this podcast is probably not for you. The Korean Drama Podcast is the K-Drama rewatch podcast by (and for) people who don't watch Korean dramas.

In season one, host Will Choi (founder of Asian AF) and I -- both self-professed Korean drama beginners -- with help and hand-holding by our resident K-Drama expert Joanna Lee, attempt to watch and discuss the 2009 megahit drama Boys Over Flowers in its entirety, episode by episode.

In this week's episode, we dive back into the story of Perm Boy, Violin Guy, Pottery Boy, and Ringo in Episode 3 of Boys Over Flowers. As we try to piece together the not-quite-love triangle (or a line with 3 points) forming among the characters, we continue to wonder: where are all the adults?

The Amazing Debut of Beat Box Man and Poem Woman

"How a Mother Remembers"



Behold! The debut collaboration between "Beat Box Man and Poem Woman," aka poet Christy NaMee Eriksen and her 8-year-old son Diego. Christy shares a poem entitled "How a Mother Remembers" while Diego backs her up with some sweet, sweet vocal rhythm. It's a little rough around the edges -- Diego introduces the video with the disclaimer that it's "just a test" -- but it's absolutely lovely and charming. Enjoy:

She's white, dammit, and she wants to see a white doctor.

"Can I see a doctor please that's white, that doesn't have brown teeth, that speaks English?"



This one comes from our neighbors to the north... A woman at a Toronto-area clinic was caught on video demanding for a "white doctor" who "doesn't have brown teeth" and "speaks English" to treat her son.

Video shows woman demand a 'white doctor' treat son at Mississauga, Ont., clinic

The video was filmed on Sunday at the Rapid Access to Medical Specialists walk-in clinic in Mississauga, Ontario, where the woman was awaiting treatment for her son, who was apparently experiencing chest pains.

Except she made clear that she wanted a very specific kind of care.

"So you're telling me that my kid has chest pains, he's going to have to sit here until 4 o'clock?" she asks a clinic employee. "Can I see a doctor please that's white, that doesn't have brown teeth, that speaks English?"

Trust the Process: An Interview Poet Bao Phi

Award-winning poet opens up about his latest collection 'Thousand Star Hotel.' By tk lê.


Photo Credit: Anna Min
Bao Phi is a performance poet and writer based in Minneapolis. His second poetry collection, Thousand Star Hotel skillfully weaves a range of topics -- police brutality, Asian American representation, masculinity, fatherhood, and his immigrant experience growing up in Minnesota, to name just a few. In this interview, Bao talks in-depth about what the process of writing this book has been for him and elaborates on some of the heavier subject matter. Also, kittens.

92-year-old former internee receives high school diploma

72 years after internment, Mary Matsuda Gruenewald finally graduates from Vashon High School.


(Photo Credit: Aileen Imperial/KCTS 9)
Over the weekend in Washington, a 92-year-old Japanese American woman received her high school diploma -- with honors -- alongside the graduating class of Vashon High School -- 74 years after her education at the school was interrupted when her family was forced into an internment camp during World War II.

92-year-old woman receives high school diploma 74 years after internment

Mary Matsuda Gruenewald was 17, in the middle of her junior year in 1942, when her family was forcibly removed from Vashon Island and incarcerated in a dusty California concentration camp, like thousands of other innocent Japanese Americans on the west coast. She was a good student, a member of the honor society and served on the student council. But she missed the opportunity to graduate with her classmates.

On Saturday, she finally graduated from Vashon High School. Receiving a standing ovation, she was presented with her diploma, along with a copy of the 1943 yearbook and the 2017 yearbook signed by students and staff. The ceremony was streamed live on YouTube (Gruenewald is first acknowledged in the principal's remarks at the 51:46 mark, and receives her diploma at 1:48:02):