173: They Call Us Tanuj Chopra

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 back friend and filmmaker Tanuj Chopra, who directed season two of the Netflix series Delhi Crime. He talks about making the leap from indie films to international television, bringing an insider/outsider perspective to get the tone right, and the future of global storytelling.

Sacred Book Honors Japanese Americans Incarcerated During World War II

The Ireichō is on display at the Japanese American National Museum.



Over the weekend in Los Angeles, the Japanese American National Museum invited the public to view and sign the Ireichō, a sacred book that records -- for the first time ever -- the names of over 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly imprisoned in U.S. Army, Department of Justice, and War Relocation Authority camps during World War II.

Visitors were invited to view the names and use a special Japanese hanko to leave a mark for each person in the Ireichō as a way to honor those incarcerated during World War II. Community participation will "activate" it and rectify the historical record by correcting misspelled names or revealing names that may have been omitted from the record.

The Ireichō will be on display at JANM for one year. A companion virtual monument is available online.

More here: 'There’s our family name': Sacred book honors Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII

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How Constance Wu Survived That Tweetstorm
In Constance Wu's new book, Making a Scene, the former Fresh Off the Boat star reveals her isolation, racism in her career -- and yes, those tweets -- and how she's moving on.

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At Gracepoint Ministries, 'Whole-Life Discipleship' Took Its Toll
As Gracepoint Ministries, a predominantly Asian American church network, expands to dozens of college towns, former members come forward with claims of spiritual abuse.

* * *
New laws address anti-Asian hate in the long-term, but what about feeling safe right now?
This month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills seeking to address harassment on public transit and in businesses. Meanwhile, the Citizen personal safety app announced it was providing up to 20,000 Asian Americans in the Bay Area with a free one-year subscription. Both try to address anti-Asian hate, but their differences illustrate the complexity of the issue.

* * *
Talking about substance use can be hard for Filipino Americans. Why it's helpful to share stories
Honest conversations about substance abuse disorders and mental health can be difficult for some Filipino families.

* * *
Hua Hsu on His New Memoir, 'Stay True'
Hua Hsu's new memoir is both a coming-of-age story and an evolutionary step for Asian American literature.

* * *
The Stakes of Dictee
An introduction to Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's famously difficult work.

* * *
Watching Spirited Away Again, and Again
For Nina Li Coomes, each viewing of Miyazaki's animated feature Spirited Away is a gift.

* * *
"The Field Is Open": Ocean Vuong on Minari's Lasting Cultural Legacy
Ocean Vuong, author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, reflects on the history of Asian American farmers in an original essay from A24's Minari screenplay book.

They Call Us Bruce 172: They Call Us Yuji Okumoto

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 actor Yuji Okumoto, who stars in season five of Netflix's Cobra Kai as Chozen Toguchi, the role he originated in 1986's The Karate Kid Pt. II. He talks about stepping back into the Karate Kid Cinematic Universe, his (and ours, and everybody's) love for Kumiko, and getting an unexpected redemption arc for his character over thirty years later. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

Kelly Marie Tran to Star in Biopic on Activist Amanda Nguyen

Nguyen founded the non-profit organization Rise, dedicated to furthering the rights of sexual assault survivors.



Kelly Marie Tran is developing a biopic about her friend, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, telling the story of her transformation from a survivor of college sexual assault to an activist for survivors' rights.

Tran will star in and produce the biopic about Nguyen, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee who founded civil rights accelerator Rise and wrote the Survivor's Bill Of Rights, which inspired the federal law passed in 2016.

“Over the years, Amanda's activism has changed the lives of billions, as she continues to make our world safer for sexual assault survivors everywhere,” Tran said in a statement. "Her courage inspires me every day, and I am honored to help tell her story."

Tang Yi is in talks to write and direct the film, which is in the early stages of development.

More here: Kelly Marie Tran to Star in, Produce Biopic on Activist Amanda Nguyen

New Documentary Revisits the Legend of Linsanity

'38 at the Garden' premieres October 11 on HBO.



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.

Here's the trailer:

Wakaji Matsumoto — An Artist in Two Worlds: Los Angeles and Hiroshima, 1917–1944

Online exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum



Wakaji Matsumoto — An Artist in Two Worlds: Los Angeles and Hiroshima, 1917–1944 is an online exhibition and public program about an artist and pioneer in Pictorialism who documented the lives of Japanese immigrant farmers in rural Los Angeles during the early 1900s and created rare images of urban life in Hiroshima prior to the 1945 atomic bombing of the city.

The online exhibition, presented by the Japanese American National Museum, highlights rarely seen early photographs of Los Angeles prior to World War II and of Hiroshima before the U.S. dropped the atomic bomb through the single lens of photographer Wakaji Matsumoto.

"Wakaji Matsumoto's photographs of farms that were operated by Japanese Americans in the Los Angeles area demonstrate the difficult life of Japanese Americans and their resolve and resilience," says Dennis Reed, the curator of the exhibition. "His photographs of Hiroshima are the largest-known photographic archive of the city prior to the atomic bomb. Today, our knowledge of the city's horrific fate lends a pall of melancholy over these tender images. They bear the weight of history."

View the online exhibition here: janm.org/exhibits/wakaji-matsumoto

Eugene Cordero Upped to Series Regular on 'Loki'

He played Time Variance Authority employee Casey in season one.



Eugene Cordero has been reportedly promoted to series regular on season two of Marvel's Loki. Cordero played the Time Variance Authority employee "Casey" in the first season of the Disney+ series. He only made a handful of appearances on the show, so it's pretty cool to see him make the jump to a bigger role.

Eugene is one of my favorite actors working today. If you don't know him from, say, his fan-favorite role as "Pillboi" on The Good Place, you've probably seen him in a dozen other things, including Easter Sunday, The Mandalorian, Kong: Skull Island, Tacoma FD, and The Good Place, to name a few.

More here: 'Loki': Eugene Cordero Upped To Series Regular For Season 2

Judge Overturns Murder Conviction of Adnan Syed of 'Serial'

Syed has been in prison for 23 years for the murder of high school classmate Hae Min Lee.



Adnan Syed, whose case was chronicled by the popular podcast Serial, was released from prison Monday after spending 23 years behind bars on charges that he murdered his former high school girlfriend.

Judge Melissa M. Phinn of Baltimore City Circuit Court overturned Syed's murder conviction in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, finding that prosecutors had failed to turn over evidence that could have helped Syed at trial and discovered new evidence that could have affected the outcome of his case.

The office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City said in a motion filed last week that there was new information about two potential alternative suspects in the homicide. While prosecutors aren't saying Syed is innocent, they are saying they lack confidence in "the integrity of the conviction."

Prosecutors have 30 days to decide if they will proceed with a new trial or drop the charges against Syed, who was ordered to serve home detention until then.

More here: Judge Vacates Murder Conviction of Adnan Syed of 'Serial'


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Inside the forgotten story of the Chinatown mothers who mobilized during the Boston busing crisis
Boston's 1970s busing crisis typically has been cast as a Black and white struggle. What is less known is how Chinese immigrant women organized a three-day school boycott that changed Chinatown for decades to come.

* * *
As anti-Asian bigotry rises across the U.S., a Temple professor’s civil rights suit becomes more relevant
Xiaoxing Xi, a Temple University physics professor who was falsely accused of spying for China, filed a discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. government in 2017. The case was dismissed. Xi was back in court Wednesday to get his lawsuit reinstated.

* * *
Why Yuh-Line Niou Didn't Run Again
Yuh-Line Niou lost her re-election campaign by a narrow margin. While her supporters hoped she would run in the general election on a third-party ticket, she gave a rundown of reasons why she won't be challenging Dan Goldman this election cycle.

* * *
'They Break Up Families' — Crypto Scam Leaves Lasting Scars for Atlanta's Korean Community
A multimillion-dollar cryptocurrency scam targeted Atlanta's Korean community, reflecting a national trend that targets immigrant communities.

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She Fought Racism in Early Hollywood. Now She'll Be the First Asian American on US Currency
Sixty years after her death, Anna May Wong's legacy lives on in film and fashion. Now her contributions will be honored by one of the most quintessentially American symbols: the quarter.

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Meet the cookbook author who's bringing Taiwanese-American flavors to cannabis edibles
From coffee jelly to snowflake crisp nougat, Monica Lo explores her heritage through culinary cannabis.

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Making a Netflix Rom-Com That's a Trojan Horse for Exploring “Structural Racism and Sexism"
Georgia Lee, showrunner of Netflix's Partner Track discusses how she used the rom-com genre to tell a different story about race, gender, love and the workplace.

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'She-Hulk' Actor Benedict Wong Talks Living in the "Wong Cinematic Universe"
With several appearances across the MCU's Phase 4, Wong has become a fan-favorite character. Most recently, the Sorcerer Supreme, played by Benedict Wong, joins the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

They Call Us Bruce 171: They Call Us Jamie Ford

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 bestselling author Jamie Ford, whose latest novel The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is described as an "epigenetic love story." He talks about the tragic real life of the first Chinese woman in America, weaving the intricate story of her imagined descendants, and exploring (and perhaps overcoming) inherited intergenerational trauma. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

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Indiana Jones and Short Round reunite after 38 years
Actors Harrison Ford and Ke Huy Quan, who starred together in 1984's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, reunited over the weekend at D23 -- hugging it out for an instantly iconic photo.

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In Orange County, a House Race Is Testing What Asian Americans Want
In politically competitive Orange County, two Asian American candidates are facing off for the support of the growing Asian American electorate.

* * *
A racial reckoning over a festival’s disrespect toward Asians in Monterey Bay
For decades, the city of Pacific Grove, California -- a predominantly white city of about 15,000 -- would celebrate its annual "Feast of Lanterns," a faux-Asian festival that used dated stereotypes and appropriated Chinese culture. The city announced it was ending the event earlier this year.

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Meet the Moms Who Are Fighting Anti-Asian Hate
As anti-Asian hate rages across the nation, moms are taking a stand. But the fight isn't new.

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Comedian Jenny Yang's Food Education Campaign Asks Goop to Rethink MSG Messaging
Comedian Jenny Yang's latest collaborative food education campaign, held in conjunction with MSG-producing company Ajinomoto, redefines "clean eating" and constructively calls Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's wellness platform, to action.

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Karen O Has Found a More Joyful Kind of Wildness
Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O talks about recording the band's new album Cool It Down, becoming a mother, and meeting other rock stars who look like her.

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How Younghoe Koo overcame a language barrier and being cut to thrive in the NFL
From not knowing any English to becoming a starter, Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo is one of the most improbable success stories of the National Football League.

All The Asians On Star Trek 29: Kathryn Lyn

The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.



All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 29, we welcome Kathryn Lyn, who has worn several hats in Star Trek writers rooms, including as a writer/producer on Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. She also officially serves as Canon Consultant on Lower Decks, making her the go-to geek when the writers have deep-cut canon questions. She talks about her journey as a writer, her favorite episodes, and the tattoo that got her a job on Star Trek.

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What Can Bruce Lee Tell Us About Our Contemporary World?
Daryl Joji Maeda on how the historical and political forces of the late 20th century made a cinematic icon.

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For 'disabled oracle' Alice Wong, rest is a radical act
Alice Wong, founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, titled her memoir Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life, as a nod to her Chinese zodiac animal sign.

* * *
A Chinatown Boy Scout troop has endured against all odds for 108 years. Can it survive today?
Founded in 1914, Troop 3, based in San Francisco's Chinatown, is believed to be the oldest Boy Scout troop west of the Mississippi.

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'If You Can Make a Salad, You Can Make Kimchi'
Kimjang, the act of preparing kimchi, allows Koreans of the diaspora to keep the tradition alive -- and invites everyone to join.

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'Industry' Star Ken Leung on Eric's Big Promotion and Navigating the Show's Financial Jargon
Ken Leung, who plays volatile boss Eric Tao in HBO's financial drama Industry, talks about showing a more vulnerable side to his character in Season 2, and how he wraps his brain around the show's dense finance-speak.

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What Arden Cho Learned About Speaking Up: "I Was Taught Not to Rock the Boat"
How Arden Cho risked her career over her pay inequity dispute and found a role on the Netflix law firm drama Partner Track.

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Shefali Shah, Tanuj Chopra On DCP Vartika’s Journey, Tackling Social Issues And Pandemic Impact In 'Delhi Crime' Season 2
"They came for the crime but stayed for the characters." The Indian crime drama Delhi Crime returns to Netflix for a second season, with Shefali Shah back as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi and U.S.-based indie filmmaker Tanuj Chopra on board as showrunner and director.

They Call Us Bruce 170: They Call Us Partner Track

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 Arden Cho, star of Partner Track, and Helen Wan, author of the original book that inspired the Netflix series. They discuss Helen's real-life career as a corporate attorney that inspired the novel, how Ingrid Yung became Ingrid Yun, and the convergence of timing and talent that finally made this adaptation possible. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

Read These

My Dad and Kurt Cobain
When Hua Hsu's father moved to Taiwan, a fax machine and a shared love of music bridged an ocean.

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An L.A. mob once massacred 18 Chinese people. Now, a push to never forget the racist assault
More than 150 years after racist mob violence claimed the lives of 18 Chinese people in Los Angeles' Chinatown, city officials have put out a public call for ideas to memorialize this mostly forgotten moment in history.

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How Japanese American Incarceration Was Entangled With Indigenous Dispossession
"Until recently, Japanese American incarceration and American Indian dispossession have often been treated as unrelated discussions. In reality, different oppressions reinforce and bolster one another."

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Japanese American Incarceration for Children: Brandon Shimoda on Reading with His Daughter
“I did not grow up with children's books about Japanese American incarceration. There were not many."

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‘Pachinko’ author Min Jin Lee on wrapping up trilogy about Korean life
A Q&A with Min Jin Lee on writing, activism and anti-Asian violence.

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The Year of Michelle Yeoh
She’s been a beauty queen and an action hero, but now with the awards buzz of Everything Everywhere All at Once and that Avatar sequel on the horizon, Michelle Yeoh finds herself at the zenith of the Hollywood firmament. It’s no surprise if you've been paying attention.

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Aklasan Fest, the only Filipino punk festival in the U.S., celebrates its return
Featuring 15 bands from across the country, Aklasan Festival in San Francisco is the only Filipino punk festival of its kind, prioritizing the often unheard and unseen voices of punk.

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‘Easter Sunday’ Writer Ken Cheng on How He Celebrated Filipino Culture Through the Film's Comedy
Easter Sunday screenwriter Ken Cheng details how he told a culturally specific story with universal appeal and the film's wild journey to the screen.

They Call Us Bruce 169: They Call Us Free Chol Soo Lee

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 Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, directors of the documentary Free Chol Soo Lee, which tells the story of a community's landmark fight to free an innocent man. They discuss the important legacy of the case, why they were compelled to shine a light on this singular moment, the generational responsibility of unearthing our stories. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

They Call Us Bruce 168: They Call Us Wesley Chu

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, recorded live at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, we welcome novelist Wesley Chu, author of the epic fantasy The Art of Prophecy. He talks about writing fight scenes, allowing his characters to do what they want to do, and why this wuxia-inspired novel is the story he's been wanting to tell his whole life. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.

Read These

Racist and sexist disinformation is sowing divisions among Asian Americans
A new report spotlights how disinformation not only pits Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders against other marginalized groups but also sows divisions within the community itself, sometimes to intentionally diminish its collective political influence.

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The New York Times’s Interview With Yuh-Line Niou
Yuh-Line Niou is a state assemblywoman in New York's 65th District, representing parts of Lower Manhattan since 2017. She is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's newly drawn 10th district.

* * *
Yuh-Line Niou on Her Especially Personal Run for Congress
From representation to disability policy, she says there’s a common theme: Courage.

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Asian American Voters Rallied for Democrats in 2020. Will They Again?
The Democratic party confronts a mood of frustration among the rising electoral force that helped vault it to power. The campaign in Georgia will test that bond.

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Big projects like the Sixers’ arena plan have often threatened Philly’s Chinatown. But the AAPI community always fights for the neighborhood.
For 150 years, Philadelphia's Chinatown community has fought for its life as big development project after project has targeted the neighborhood, threatening not only its existence but its unique authenticity -- most recently with the 76ers’ proposal for a new arena in the neighborhood.

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My ICU Summer: A Photo Essay
Alice Wong’s months in the ICU highlights the steep costs of medical care for disabled individuals and their families due to a broken healthcare system.

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A New Documentary Sheds Light on a Pivotal Movement in Asian American History
Social justice activism in the Asian American community today owes much of its legacy to the pivotal case of Chol Soo Lee, whose heartbreaking, remarkable, and undeniably complex story is the subject of a new documentary.

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The Metamorphosis of Mindy Kaling
Starting with her rise to fame on The Office to now creating some of streaming’s biggest hits, the actress, writer, and producer has transformed Hollywood. But her most fulfilling project yet is happening behind the scenes—as a mother, mentor, and mogul.

* * *
Sujata Day on Her Search For Samosas As Good As Mom’s
Director and writer Sujata Day recalls a restaurant in L.A. she yearns for the most.

They Call Us Bruce 167: They Call Us Yuh-Line Niou

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 congressional candidate Yuh-Line Niou, who is running for the House of Representatives in New York's newly drawn 10th district. She talks about truly representational politics, making the legislative process more accessible for all, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of running for congress. This episode is paid for by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Find boosters near you at vaccines.gov.