They Call Us Bruce - Episode 76: They Call Us Abominable

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.

On this episode, we sat down with Peilin Chou, Chief Creative Officer of Pearl Studios and producer of Abominable, currently the number one movie at the box office. We talk about the unique challenges of creating a Chinese animated feature with global appeal.

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A Photographer Looks for Herself
Photographer Rozette Rago revisits movies that made an impact on her while growing up, and re-imagines her place among them, re-casting iconic frames with faces that look more like herself.

* * *Why It Matters That 'Emily Doe' in the Brock Turner Case Is Asian American
In her memoir, Chanel Miller offers a new understanding of her treatment by the legal system.

* * *
Stories About My Brother
"The truth is, though I knew Yush better than perhaps anyone, I barely understood the man he had become. In recent years, we had become estranged due to our oppositional values: I became a vocal, ardent feminist. He saw feminists as extremists who were deeply hateful towards men."

* * *
Column: Chinatown without Chinese grocery stores, and the delicate balance of ethnic communities
Ai Hoa Market in Chinatown is one of the few remaining grocery stories in the L.A.'s Chinatown. It will be closing and relocating to South El Monte by the end of the year.

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A Filmmaker Explored Japan's Wartime Enslavement of Women. Now He's Being Sued.
When Miki Dezaki decided to make a documentary for his graduate thesis, he examined a question that reverberates through Japanese politics: Why, 75 years later, does a small but vocal group of politically influential conservatives still fervently dispute internationally accepted accounts of Japan's wartime atrocities?

* * *
'I Spent 30 Years Helping Men Tell Their Stories. Now It's Time to Tell Mine'
After a 30 year career helping some of the biggest men in the music industry shine, Sophia Chang is ready to set the spotlight on herself in her memoir, The Baddest Bitch In The Room.

Angry Reader of the Week: William Yu

"I want to tell stories that I wish I had known."



Hey, everybody! It's about that time to meet another 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 William Yu.

Read These Blogs

What Does It Mean to 'Look Like Me'?
Minorities can find it gratifying to see people who resemble them onscreen. But resemblance is a tricky thing.

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How Asian American Storytelling Is (Finally) Moving Forward In 2019
How are Asian American stories moving forward?

* * *
All refugees, like me, should have a shot at the American dream
"The cornerstone aspiration for the founding of the United States is to offer oppressed people refuge from violence and persecution. To forsake the vulnerable people currently seeking refuge would be to forsake what it means to be American. And yet, at a time of unprecedented global displacement, that is exactly what is happening."

* * *
After 34 Years as a Community Hub, Chong's Sesame Oil Is Being Forced to Stop Milling
The family behind Chong's Sesame Oil, the last oil mill in Koreatown, is feeling the effects of a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood after rents were hiked higher than they could afford.

* * *
Constance Wu's Hollywood Destiny
Coming late to celebrity, the star has felt the burden of representing all Asian Americans.

* * *
15 Asian Rising Stars in Hollywood You Need to Be Paying Attention to
This talented group has been writing, directing and starring in all of your favorite films and television shows

* * *
Here's What We Learn From Watching Adele Lim Walk Away From The Pay Gap
Screenwriter Adele Lim was a part of the writing team for the movie Crazy Rich Asians and brought cultural authenticity to the film that led to its success. But she walked away from the sequel over pay disparity.

* * *
My First Musical Memory with the cast of Soft Power
In anticipation of the opening night of Soft Power at The Public Theatre, the cast of the David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's groundbreaking new musical-within-a-play recalls their first musical memories.

* * *
Jackie Chan Pretended to be Hurt on 'Enter the Dragon' so Bruce Lee Would "Hold Me"
It seems everyone who worked with Bruce Lee was a massive fan — and that certainly includes Jackie Chan.

* * *
Jackie Tohn & Ellen Wong on How Their "GLOW Sisters" Helped Them Film the Most Intense Scene of Season 3
GLOW gifted us with one of the most intense, beautiful, and necessary episodes of TV this season.

Angry Reader of the Week: Sophia Chang

"The Baddest Bitch In The Room."


Photo: Dana Scruggs
Hello, friends of the internet. It's 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 Sophia Chang.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 75: We Call Us 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.

On this episode, we check in and debrief The Good, The Bad and The WTF of This Week in Yang, including a certain clan competing on Family Feud, recent casting developments on Saturday Night Live, and the rising visibility of a presidential candidate.

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New SNL Cast Member Shane Gillis Under Fire for Racial Slur
So... yeah. You may have heard about this guy.

* * *
The Hidden Stress of Growing Up a Child of Immigrants
Though immigrants come from a variety of backgrounds, there are certain stressors that U.S.-born children of immigrants have in common -- including barriers to accessing mental health resources.

* * *
Battle for 'soul' of Seattle's Japanese American community as nursing home closes
Founded 41 years ago, Keiro Northwest was Seattle's oldest and largest Asian American senior-care facility. Last week, the nursing home's last resident moved out.

* * *
The Hottest Look in Streetwear Is a $20 T-Shirt From a New York City Corner Store
Gem Spa, the New York City corner store credited as the birthplace of the egg cream, is at risk of closing. But the shop's owner isn't vacating quietly, instead looking to a surprising source to save her business: hypebeasts.

* * *
Cinematographer James Wong Howe Put Diversity in the Picture in Early Hollywood
Few Hollywood stories can match the career highs and heartbreaking lows of James Wong Howe, whom Variety recognized in its July 15, 1976, edition as "one of the world’s foremost cinematographers."

* * *
Eva Noblezada on Her Film "Yellow Rose," the Power of "Hadestown," and Filipino Representation
On Broadway, Eva Noblezada stars as Eurydice in Hadestown. For Diane Paragas' film Yellow Rose, she plays a teen in Texas whose dreams of being a country star are wrenched when her mother is taken by ICE.

* * *
Shang-Chi's Director Isn't Interested in Bringing Any More Racial Stereotypes to the MCU
With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, director Destin Daniel Cretton isn't just crafting the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first feature with a predominantly Asian cast, he's also presenting a narrative that explores the relationships that exist between Asian characters of related, but distinctly different, ethnic backgrounds.

Angry Reader of the Week: Kimberly Yam

"I'm foremost about spreading love. I mean that in the most embarrassingly basic way possible."



Hello, friends of the internet. 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 Kimberly Yam.

Read These Blogs

What Caused The Mass Panic At Newark Airport? Racism.
An Alaska Airlines employee accused two Chinese-born men who did not know each other of acting suspiciously, called the police, and caused mass panic at the Newark Airport.

* * *
You Know Emily Doe’s Story. Now Learn Her Name.
For four years, Chanel Miller has been known as Emily Doe. In an upcoming memoir, Know My Name, she details her assault case, which became national news, the trial and her recovery.

* * *
After Decades-Long Immigration Fight, A Chicago-Area Family Says Goodbye To Its Matriarch
The narrative of the "good" immigrant will not protect you.

* * *
Democrats ignore Asian American and Pacific Islander voters at their peril
The Democratic Party has historically taken the AAPI vote for granted. This is a mistake.

* * *
On Halloween Nearly 150 Years Ago, An Anti-Chinese Riot Broke Out In Denver's First Race Riot
On October 31, 1880, an argument broke out between Chinese and white patrons at a saloon in downtown Denver that was the city's Chinatown, also known as Hop Alley.

* * *
My Harabeoji Taught Me It's Always Better to Add More Garlic
Harabeoji's favorite thing to eat, and the thing to which he attributed his long life, was raw garlic.

* * *
Facing the Stigma of Divorce While Finding Your People
Divorce can be taboo among South Asian-Americans, but it may open a portal to new friendships.

* * *
Wayne Wang on 'Coming Home Again' and the Legacy of 'The Joy Luck Club'
Wayne Wang's Coming Home Again unfolds largely over the course of a single day as a young Korean American man tries to prepare a New Year's Eve feast using his ailing mother's recipes.

* * *
Lonely In The Club: Constance Wu On 'Hustlers' And Her 'Unprecedented' Career
Constance Wu talks about what attracted her to the role in Hustlers, working on a female-driven movie, and the state of play for women and people of color in Hollywood today.

* * *
Steve Aoki Wants to Live Forever
Steve Aoki's new memoir, BLUE: The Color of Noise, journeys back in time through the world-famous DJ's storied life.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 74: They Call Us Constance Wu

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.

On this episode, we welcome Constance Wu. She talks about skyrocketing to stardom on Fresh Off the Boat, the steep learning curve of being in the spotlight, the loneliness in her new film Hustlers, and yes, those tweets.

Read These Blogs

Cookie Artist Teaches Edible Lessons In Asian American History
Jasmine Cho, a baker based in Pittsburgh, creates intricate, hand-drawn cookie portraits of Asian-American figures as a way to increase representation and raise awareness of Asian American history and identity.

* * *
Constance Wu on fight for 'Hustlers' and 'Fresh Off the Boat' storm
When Constance Wu saw the role for Destiny, an exotic dancer-turned-criminal in the new film Hustlers, she fought hard to take the role -- and got it.

* * *
Inside Tom's One-Hour Photo 24 Hours After Kacey Musgraves Made Him a Viral Star
Superstar singer Kacey Musgraves created a fan appreciation account on Instagram for a local business owner after visiting his struggling portrait studio. "We work hard but it's not easy to make money," says his wife.

* * *
Laotian American history shows us why we need ethnic studies
There is a dearth of Laotion American history taught in our schools -- another reason why ethnic studies is so important.

* * *
Where Does Affirmative Action Leave Asian-Americans?
A high-profile lawsuit against Harvard is forcing students and their families to choose sides.

* * *
A Tennis Pro's Parents Ask, 'Are You Done Yet?'
At the U.S. Open, Kristie Ahn reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam event for the first time. Her parents aren't entirely thrilled.

* * *
When Police Clamped Down on Southern California's Japanese American Bicycling Craze
In 1905, cycling brought Riverside together but a backlash quickly followed.

* * *
A new book claims WWII incarceration wasn't about racism. It's wrong.
Ugh. Richard W. Lotchin thinks that racism wasn't a key cause to Japanese American concentration camps in the U.S. Don't buy his book.

* * *
AMC's "The Terror" And The Truth About Japanese Internment Camps
The second season of the AMC series depicts the horrors of Japanese American internment -- an experience my grandmother lived through, and one we are now in danger of repeating.

* * *
‘The Terror: Infamy' and the Strategic Deployment of Japanese Language on the Show
From generational differences to wartime jobs, the show highlights the dual cultural and linguistic influences of immigrants in America.

* * *
The Comedians Challenging Stereotypes About Asian American Masculinity
A new generation that includes Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang is redefining old notions — while reminding us how much further the culture has to go.

* * *
'Ms. Marvel,' Muslim Identity and a Changing Hollywood
The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel will be Marvel Studios' first to center on a Muslim character, a group that has been villainized in film and on TV for years.

* * *
RZA and ODB Manager Sophia Chang Gets Advice From Method Man and Raphael Saadiq in New Audiobook Excerpt
Hear an excerpt from The Baddest Bitch in the Room, the upcoming memoir from music business icon Sophia Chang, who has managed the careers of RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, D'Angelo,

* * *
Actress Poorna Jagannathan: 'I Want To Portray The Mess Of My Life'
Poorna Jagannathan says that her part in the HBO series The Night Of, where she played the mother of a college student accused of murder, opened up new roles to her.

* * *
How Red Panda Became the NBA's Favorite Halftime Performer
Rong Niu, better known as Red Panda, has become a mainstay at NBA halftime shows across the country.

* * *
If you only watch one episode of Four Weddings And A Funeral, make it this one
The latest episode of Hulu's Four Weddings And A Funeral, "Game Night," features one of the series' eponymous weddings, but it's not the church-set, bride-walking-down-the-aisle nuptials we're used to seeing on this show or even anywhere else on television.

Angry Reader of the Week: Andrea Walter

"Enjoy your life, it's frigging awesome you are here."



Hey, everybody! 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 Andrea Walter.

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"Me love you long time" Sticks Around For A Really Long Time
The racist, sexist phrase that will not die.

* * *
A Love Letter To My American Father's Chinese Accent
"If the words of our roots are uncomfortable for some, then our beautiful accents are weaponized to dehumanize us."

* * *
An Uneven Playing Field: The Complex Educational Experiences of Asian Americans
Asian Americans are viewed as the success story of American education, but there's more than meets the eye.

* * *
Cross-cultural umami in the form of Vietnamese staple Son Fish Sauce
The story of Son Fish Sauce and its owners Danny and Albee Tran is neither a refugee nor a diaspora narrative.

* * *
How to Draw Yourself Out of a Creative Funk
Malaka Gharib, the author of the coming-of-age graphic memoir I Was Their American Dream, shares her tips.

* * *
Meet the Designer Connecting Anyone Arrested in NYC With a Free Lawyer
Meet Stephanie Yim, Co-Founder and Director of Design at Good Call, a tech nonprofit focused on early legal intervention for people arrested in New York.

* * *
Overlooked No More: Lau Sing Kee, War Hero Jailed for Helping Immigrants
Kee was awarded for his bravery in World War I, but later became a convicted criminal when he skirted discriminatory laws to help immigrants move to America from China.

* * *
How Japanese and Mexican American farm workers formed an alliance that made history
Along with other migrant groups, workers of Japanese and Mexican heritage have been central to the story of modern American agriculture.

* * *
MariNaomi is Making Space for Marginalized Comic Artists
The Advocate asks bi Japanese American graphic novelist MarniNaomi about her work, podcasting, marginalized artists, and overthrowing the patriarchy.

* * *
these striking portraits of asian men explore what it means to be 'the all-american'
Photographer Andrew Kung's new photo book The All-American examines how traditional ideas of masculinity and Americanness have complicated Asian identity.

* * *
Brittany Runs a Marathon Star Utkarsh Ambudkar Is Inescapable
Utkarsh Ambudkar, the multi-hyphenate star of the new rom-com Brittany Runs a Marathon talks to GQ about being Lin-Manuel Miranda's BFF, Mulan, helping Indian guys on Tinder, and more.

* * *
Lilly Singh: From YouTube Superwoman to NBC Late Night TV Trailblazer
An online star with 15 million subscribers dives into the white-hot center (emphasis on white) of broadcast television with A Little Late as the first openly bisexual woman of color to sit in a talk show host's chair: "I'm very much all or nothing."

Randall Park joins the cast of Marvel's 'WandaVision'

'Fresh Off the Boat' star will reprise his role as Agent Jimmy Woo.



Jimmy Woo will be back! Randall Park will return to the Marvel universe in the upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision as FBI Agent Jimmy Woo, reprising his role from Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Details are scant, but the series will star Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen reprising their roles as Vision and the Scarlet Witch from the Marvel film franchise. And it's apparently going to be weird.

Marvel made the casting announcement Friday at the D23 Expo. The cast will also include Kat Dennings reprising her role as Darcy Lewis from the Thor movies, and Kathryn Hahn as a "nosy neighbor."

More here: Kat Dennings, Randall Park, and Kathryn Hahn join Disney+'s WandaVision

Ming-Na Wen joins the cast of The Mandalorian

'Agents of SHIELD' star will appear in the highly anticipated 'Star Wars' live action series.



From Deadline: Ming-Na Wen, already a Disney staple as the voice of Mulan in the iconic original animated film and as a star of ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., has been confirmed as a cast member of The Mandalorian, the upcoming Star Wars universe series for Disney+.

Ming-Na Wen Joins Cast Of ‘The Mandalorian’, Securing Disney Franchise Trifecta

Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed the news Friday during D23 Expo, where Wen was one of the recipients of the annual Disney Legends honors. No word about her role in The Mandalorian -- the first live-action Star Wars series -- but if you ask me, they're wasting everybody's time if her character isn't at least a little bit badass.

But here's the first official trailer for The Mandalorian:

Andrew Koji to star as Storm Shadow in 'Snake Eyes'

'Warrior' star will play Snake Eyes' arch enemy in G.I. Joe spinoff.



Because you can't have a Snake Eyes without a Storm Shadow. Andrew Koji, star of Cinemax's Warrior, will play the ninja Storm Shadow in the G.I. Joe spinoff Snake Eyes. He'll star opposite Crazy Rich Asians breakout Henry Golding, who'll play the title role as Snake Eyes.

'G.I. Joe' Spinoff 'Snake Eyes' Finds Its Storm Shadow in 'Warrior' Star

Directed by Robert Schwentke, from a screenplay by Evan Spiliotopoulos, the story will reportedly center on Snake Eyes' origins where he tries to join a clan of shadowy ninja assassins.

"Yeah, I pushed you": Anti-vaxxer assaults Calfornia lawmaker

And streamed it live on Facebook.



An anti-vaccine activist was cited for misdemeanor assault Wednesday after shoving a California lawmaker who has worked to tighten the state's laws for childhood vaccinations.

'Yeah, I pushed you': Anti-vaxxer cited for assaulting lawmaker while live-streaming on Facebook

54-year-old Kenneth Austin Bennett livestreamed the confrontation on Facebook, showing him exchanging words with state Senator Richard Pan before shoving him on the sidewalk near the capitol in Sacramento.

Pan, a pediatrician, has authored several bills that limit exemptions for child vaccinations, including legislation that prohibits parents from opting out of vaccinating their school-age children on account of personal beliefs.

His efforts have made him the target anti-vaccination activists, including screaming protestors, online harassment and death threats. But this is apparently the first time things have gotten physical.

Administrator stabbed to death at Cal State Fullerton

Suspect described as "an Asian man in his mid-twenties with black hair."



From The Orange Country Register: A retired administrator was stabbed to death Monday morning at Cal State Fullerton, with police deploying bloodhounds to try and track down the suspect.

The victim, a man of Asian ethnicity in his late 50s, was found with multiple stab wounds inside a gray car in Parking Lot S at College Place and Langsdorf Drive. He was working as a consultant at the university.

No motive for the killing was known.

More here: Retired administrator stabbed to death at Cal State Fullerton, with police looking for the suspect

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Bruce Lee Was My Friend, and Tarantino's Movie Disrespects Him
NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a friend and student of Bruce Lee, believes filmmaker Quentin Tarantino was sloppy, somewhat racist and shirked his responsibility to basic truth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

* * *
America's Exclusionary Past and Present and the Judgment of History
The Trump Administration's immigration policies are part of the shameful legacy of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which ushered in a new, discriminatory governing framework for U.S. borders.

* * *
My Grandfather, A Killer
"I never met my grandfather, Lolo Vicente, but I'd heard stories about him. On our living room wall, there's a picture of him. He was handsome. Dad said he was strict, but he never talked about him coming to America, much less that he killed someone."

* * *
Op-Ed: Asian women fought the West's slave trade. And then they were written out of history
In the early 20th century, people like Tien Fuh Wu were key players in the fight against sex trafficking, a pervasive form of slavery in the West.

* * *
Their 'Tough' Mom Was Also The Navy's 1st Asian American Woman Officer
To siblings Flip and Christine Cuddy, Susan Ahn Cuddy was "Mom." But she was also a Korean American lieutenant in the U.S. Navy who trained pilots to shoot down enemies during World War II.

* * *
Skin Lightening Is Fraught With Risk, But It Still Thrives in the Asian Beauty Market—Here's Why
Skin lightening products are still in demand in Asia, but these products can be harmful.

* * *
Here's What to Know About the Mulan Boycott
The current political turmoil in Hong Kong has extended to an unlikely battleground: Disney's live-action remake of Mulan. On Thursday, an online protest emerged against the film after its star, Liu Yifei, expressed support for the Hong Kong police on social media. Here's what to know about the developing controversy.

* * *
In 'Blinded By The Light,' A Brown Immigrant Finds Himself in the Music of the Boss
Deepa Iyer writes about her personal connection to the immigrant story at the center of the new Bruce Springsteen-loving film, Gurinder Chadha's Blinded By The Light.

* * *
Before "Crazy Rich Asians," YouTubers Paved the Way for Better Asian Representation
YouTube was filled with Asian-American creators telling their stories long before Hollywood became invested.

* * *
Padma Lakshmi Has Always Been a Comedy Nerd
Padma Lakshmi has emerged as an unlikely comedy curator, centering POC comics and not white men in general.

* * *
'Hook' Child Star Shares Advice to Young Actors: "Be 12. You’re Fine"
Dante Basco, who played Rufio in 1991's Hook, reveals how he helped his niece, Ella Jay Basco, prepare for her own breakout in Warner Bros.' Birds of Prey.

Angry Reader of the Week: Derek Mio

"I live other lives on camera and make people laugh on stage."


Photo: Tommy Garcia
Hey, everybody. You know what time it is. It's about 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 Derek Mio.