entertainment news and things

Silly Pipe Dreams has a good interview with comedian/actor Ken Jeong, the funny Asian dude who many of you recently saw as Dr. Kuni in Knocked Up: Ms. Holly Wood, Dr. Ken Will See You Now. He's also one of the hilarious foursome known as the Kims of Comedy.

Lost star Yunjin Kim recently published a memoir, The World is Your Drama, chronicling her struggles and successes on the "rise to Hollywood stardom": 'Lost' Star Finds Success with Hollywood Memoirs. The book's first run of 7,000 copies apparently sold out in one week in Korea.

Censors in China have reportedly cut scenes of Chow Yun-Fat as Captain Sao Feng in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, saying they insult China's people: Chow's "Pirates" Scenes Cut in China. According to a Chinese magazine, "The captain starring Chow is bald, his face heavily scarred, he also wears a long beard and has long nails, images still in line with Hollywood's old tradition of demonizing the Chinese." I never got around to watching the movie (it's not like they really needed my ticket dollars), but it sounds like they were upset with some good ol' fashioned Hollywood yellow peril.

Bad news for all you Rain fans in America. The Korean pop megastar had to postone his U.S. concerts date this month, due to legal troubles over the use of the name "Rain": Singer Rain Postpones US Concerts. Rain Corporation, a music company, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Rain, his former management agency JYP Entertainment, Ltd. and concert organizer Star M Entertainment over the use of the name "Rain." Looks like Rain's plans for world domination will have to wait. Meanwhile, Stephen Colbert continues his hilarious "feud" with Rain: 06.05.2007 RE: Rain

Speaking of Korean heartthrobs, here's a Los Angeles Times article on Daniel Henney, the American hapa guy who has become an insanely popular actor in South Korea: A most unlikely Seoul sensation. I suppose it doesn't hurt that he's remarkably good-looking.

In the reality TV realm, we've got a few folks representing... on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance, 24-year-old Hok is back this season (he couldn't make it through in season two, due to a student visa issue), and has made it into the top twenty finalists. How good of a dancer is he? Watch this YouTube clip. Pretty damn good.

On Bravo's culinary competition series Top Chef 3, there's Hung and Sara N., both vying to prove they've got what it takes to rule the kitchen.

And finally on the other cooking show, Fox's insanely annoying Hell's Kitchen, there's Aaron, a 48-year-old retirement home chef from Palos Verdes, California. He's one of twelve chef wannabes enduring extraordinary verbal abuse from show's jerk head chef, somehow thinking it's worth it for the sake of bad television. If you'e seen the commercials, you know Aaron is kind of a walking disaster. Unfortunately, he'll probably be forever known as the guy who can't stop crying.

new orleans' vietnamese american community

Over the weekend, Dateline aired a segment on the Vietnamese American community in New Orleans who have bounced back since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina two years ago: Postcard from New Orleans. Anchor Stone Phillips' got invited along with a vanful of Vietnamese Americans who were going to celebrate the lunar new year. Here's his behind-the-scenes blog entry on the story: THE VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN COMMUNITY RECOVERS AFTER KATRINA. And here's Dateline producer Tommy Nguyen's blog entry on his part in the reporting: ARMED WITH MY FIRST-GRADE VIETNAMESE AND A DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA. Considering the sheer magnitude of the disaster, this community's story is pretty remarkable.

theatrical release for finishing the game

It looks like director Justin Lin's indie labor of love Finishing the Game has a distributor and a theatrical release date... The movie just popped up on IFC Films' schedule to screen in limited release at the IFC Film Center in New York City starting October 17, 2007, with more dates and cities likely to follow. I think IFC is a pretty good match for the film. It doesn't quite have the reach and muscle of one of the bigger studios, but it has a good indie vibe that'll be able to give Finishing the Game the attention it deserves. When I spoke to Justin a couple of weeks ago, he said he was trying to work out a possible multi-picture arrangement with IFC, which would be hugely beneficial and just plain smart. Distribution is not an easy game.

As for Finishing the Game's next stop on the film festival circuit: Opening Night at the 30th Asian American International Film Festival in New York. The movie doesn't have an official website yet (I suggest keeping an eye on youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com) but it does currently have a very yellow MySpace page.

outpost: asian canadians reframed

Canadaaaaa. I was going to post this weeks ago, but it sunk to the bottom of my in-box... Noreen tells me that she and fellow students from the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University in Canada are working on an art project, Outpost: Asian Canadians Reframed. Its purpose is to create awareness of Asian Canadian issues and to promote a community dialogue on perceptions of Asian Canadians They're conducting a survey on common perceptions of Asian people in Canada, and intend to produce a photo exhibition showcasing the responses. It's a pretty short survey, so why not help them out? They're hoping to get responses not just from people in Canada, because the questions could easily pertain to the broader spectrum of Asian North Americans... Take the survey here. Learn more about the project here.

last chance for the vangs

There is a significant community movement rallying around the Vangs, a Hmong American family in Michigan who face deportment after spending 18 years in the United States. They own a successful restaurant in Dearborn, but Guy and Genevieve Vang may soon find their days in the United States numbered.

They escaped from Laos as children, immigrated to France, and eventually made their way to America where they their planted roots and sought asylum. But it turns out, they couldn't technically seek asylum because they were already French citizens—by U.S. standards, they had a "safe harbor" in France.

Unfortunately, it took the INS their damn sweet time—more than a decade—to figure out the Vangs shouldn't be allowed to stay. Here's an article from back in April, with background on their situation: Business: Family's business future at stake.

A few weeks ago, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the family's case to remain in the United States. After a long fight to stay in the country -- it's lasted for several years -- it seems that the Vangs have pretty much exhausted all of their legal options with the INS.

Thus, a petition has been started to implore Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, as well as U.S. Representatives Sander Levin and John Dingell, to intervene on the family's behalf: Let the Vang Family Stay!. This could be their last hope to stay in the country, or else lose the lives they've built for themselves over the last eighteen years.

support the quincy 4

This just got forwarded along to me, about the trial of the "Quincy 4." Some of you might be familiar with the case, which I've discussed here a few times. The case starts today, June 18th. Community activists are asking folks to show their support for the Quincy 4 by filling the courtroom. Here are all the details, along with some background information for those who unfamiliar with the case:

The Quincy 4 case starts on MONDAY – June 18th. We need your help again: show your support for the Quincy 4 by filling the courtroom. We need to make a strong show of support for the Quincy 4 and send a clear message that these abuses will not be tolerated, and to demand that these victims of police brutality will be cleared of all false charges! Join us in fill-the-courthouse to show solidarity for these 4 victims! (information below) Contact me directly at lisette@cpaboston.org or 617-970-0052. Encourage your friends to come also!

We are signing people up for shifts from 9am-1pm and 2pm-5:00 pm, for Monday 6/18, Tuesday 6/19, and Wednesday 6/20.

Monday June 18th
-- Morning 9:00am-1:00pm
-- Afternoon 2:00pm-5:00pm

Tuesday June 19th
-- Morning 9:00am-1:00pm
-- Afternoon 2:00pm-5:00pm

Wednesday June 20th
-- Morning 9:00am-1:00pm
-- Afternoon 2:00pm-5:00pm

LOCATION:
Quincy District Court
1 Dennis Ryan Parkway, Quincy Center
(Red Line to Quincy Center)

Background:

The four young Chinese American victims (Karen, Quan, Tat, and Howard) were coming home from a Chinese engagement party on the night of April 30, 2006. They were first questioned by a state trooper near the Super 88 Market. While standing and talking to the state trooper, a Quincy police car pulled up. Without warning, a police officer jumped out and pepper-sprayed three of them directly in the eyes at close range.

Karen, who is just over five feet tall, was tackled by three male officers; receiving a black eye, a swollen face, and bruises from the attack. Another victim was knocked unconscious. Throughout the incident, the police officers repeatedly yelled at the victims, used profanities, and called them derogatory names. The four were then taken to the police station in handcuffs and falsely charged with resisting arrest and/or disorderly conduct. They now have a criminal record detrimental to their futures and could face jail sentences if convicted. Karen Chen and Joanna Ng, a witness to the incident, have filed formal complaints of police misconduct with the Quincy Police Department.

The Quincy Police took the four innocent Asian Americans to the police station in handcuffs and falsely charged them with resisting arrest and/or disorderly conduct. If convicted, they may face jail sentences of up to 2.5 years and a criminal record detrimental to their future.

Over 150 people attended the first community meeting that was held on May 21, 2006 in show of support and solidarity for the Quincy 4. Since that first meeting, Karen Chen and Joanna Ng, a witness to the incident, have filed formal complaints with the Quincy Police Department about the police misconduct. The complaint is now being investigated by the FBI.

If you're in the area and free this week, consider coming out to the Quincy courthouse and showing your support! Fill the courthouse! Free the Quincy 4!

UPDATE: For the latest information and announcements on the trial, and how you can get involved (fill the courtroom!), visit Quincy4.com and Myspace.com/thequincy4. Or contact: justice@cpaboston.org / 617-357-4499. They need your packing the courtroom for the rest of this week, both in the mornings and afternoons.

happy father's day

Happy Father's Day. I got to hang with my pops briefly today, talking about warm weather and the benefits of recent freeway construction near the airport. Our conversations are kind of like that. But it's cool, and it's understood. As I get older, it's becoming clearer to me that I am actually a lot like my dad, in both appearance and demeanor. And I'm beginning to accept that that's not such a bad thing.

Here's a good essay by Sung J. Woo, about his father, that ran in today's edition of the New York Times magazine: Like Father? It's a bit sad, and kind of a downer, but it's well-written, and I have a feel there are a lot of Asian families out there who can relate to it, one way or another.

UPDATE: Here's another sad-but-great dad reflection piece by Michael Ko in the Seattle Times: Remembering Dad

Speaking of Asian American dads, one of my favorite blogs Rice Daddies recently launched the RiceDaddies Empowerment in Diversity Challenge, a new philanthropic initiative to support innovative teachers and diverse students in combatting negative images of Asian Americans and other people of color through Donors Choose, a philanthropic organization that directly connects teachers with donors in the community. To learn more about the challenge and how to give, go here.

national townhall on hate crimes

Next week marks the 25th anniversary of the hate crime murder of Vincent Chin, widely considered an Asian American civil rights milestone in the United States. On June 19, 1982, a Chinese American draftsman named Vincent Chin was killed in Detroit by two white autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz. Chin was out at a strip club celebrating his bachelor party, where he got into an argument with Ebens across the bar. Witnesses recall Ebens yelling at Chin, "It's because of you little motherfuckers that we're out of work." An altercation ensued outside, which eventually led to Ebens and Nitz bashing Chin's skull with a baseball bat. He died from the injuries a few days later, just five days before his wedding.

This hate crime, motivated by anti-Asian sentiments, served as a rallying cry for the Asian American community and is often considered the beginning of a pan-Asian American activist movement. Twenty five years later, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress and local partners around the country are holding a National Townhall on Hate Crimes to look back in time and assess where we are now. Each event will include a special screening of Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Pena's Academy Award-nominated documentary, Who Killed Vincent Chin? and panels with local community leaders. Here are details on events in multiple cities:

NEW YORK
June 19, 6:30 PM
Co-sponsored by the Museum of Chinese in the Americas
MOCA (70 Mulberry Street, 2nd Floor)
With: John Liu (New York City Councilman), Liz Ouyang (Executive Vice President, OCA), Darwin Davis (President and CEO, New York Urban League)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI
June 19, 6:00 PM
Co-sponsored by the Asian Victimes Relief Fund
St. Mary Magdalen Family Center, 1213 52nd St., Kenwood
With: Dan Levy (Chief Legal Officer, Michigan Dept. of Civil Rights) Pravina Ramanathan (Asian American Liaison, Michigan Dept. of Civil Rights), Ingrid Scott-Weekly (Director, City of Grand Rapids Equal Opportunity Dept.)

CHICAGO
June 20, 6:30 PM
Co-sponsored by the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (JAHHM), Japanese American Citizens League, Organization of Chinese Americans
JAHHM, 800 South Halsted, Chicago
Bill Yoshino (Midwest Director, JACL), Diana Lin (VP, Asian American Institute), Myron Quon (Legal Director, Asian American Institute), Rima Kapitan (Staff Attorney with Council on American-Islamic Relations)

DETROIT
June 23, 9:00 AM
Sponsored by the Organization of Chinese Americans and the AllState Foundation
Co-sponsored by the American Citizens for Justice, Governor's Advisory Council on Asian Pacific American Affairs and APAP
Chinese Community Center, 32585 Concord Drive, Madison Heights, MI 48071
This full-day event is being organized by the Detroit Chapter of OCA as part of their Initiative on Hate Crimes. APAP is proud to be a co-sponsor. In addition to the screening of "Who Killed Vincent Chin?", there will also be a series of panels and a visit to the gravesite at Forest Lawn Cemetary. Panelists include Frank H. Wu (Dean, Wayne State Law School), Roland Hwang (President, ACJ), Stephanie Lily Chang (ACJ) and many more.

WASHINGTON, DC
June 23, 10:30 AM
Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 901 G. Street (Chinatown)
Co-sponsored by South Asian American Leaders for Tomorrow (SAALT), Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), Sikh American Legal Education and Defense Fund (SALDEF), University of Maryland's Asian American Studies Program, and the DC APA Film Festival.
Moderated by Eric Byler (director, Americanese and Charlotte Sometimes). Keynote by Larry Shinagawa (Professor, Univ. of Maryland)

BOSTON (QUINCY)
June 23, 2:00 PM
665 Hancock St., Quincy, MA
Co-sponsored by Asian American Resource Workshop, American Chinese Federation, Chinese Progressive Association

LOS ANGELES
June 24, 2:00 PM
Co-sponsored by National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (NCPD), Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, South Asian Network, Muslim Public Affairs Council
NCPD, 111 Center St.
Hamid Khan (Executive Director, South Asian Network), Stewart Kwoh (Executive Director, APALC), Robin Toma (Executive Director, LA County Human Relations Commission), Renee Tajima (Director, "Who Killed Vincent Chin?")

SAN FRANCISCO
June 27, 6:30 PM
Co-sponsored by Chinese Historical Society
Chinese For Affirmative Action, 17 Walter U Lum Place (across from Portsmouth Sqare; on Clay between Grant Ave and Kearny St.)
Helen Zia (author and activist), Honorable Yvonne Lee (Member of the SF Police Commission and former Commissioner of the President's Commission on Civil Rights), Malcolm Yeung (Staff Attorney, Asian Law Caucus), Kavneet Singh (Managing Director, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

PORTLAND, OR
July 7, Time TBD
Location TBD
Co-sponsored by Thymos

RALEIGH/DURHAM
July 14, 2:00 PM
Co-sponsored by the National Association of Asian American Professionals-North Carolina and North Carolina Asian Pacific American Bar Association
Korman Communities - Theater, 300 Seaforth Drive, Durham, NC 27713

SAN DIEGO
July 21, Time TBD
SD Chinese Historical Museum
Co-sponsored SD Alliance for Asian Pacific Islander Americans
Moderated by Lee Ann Kim, Channel 10 New anchor/reporter
Panelists include David Kawamoto, Japanese American Citizens' League and more

I highly recommend watching Who Killed Vincent Chin? It's a stunning documentary on the case that'll leave you extremely motivated, discouraged, angry—or feeling a disturbing combination of all three sentiments. It's also not a very easy film to find. To learn more background on the case, read this AsianWeek article, written ten years ago on the fifteenth anniversary of Vincent Chin's murder: Remembering Vincent Chin. For more information on the National Townhall, go here. I'll be there, wearing my V. Chin shirt. No justice, no peace.

barack's new myspace friend

Chinese American rapper Jin, coming off of his recent all-Cantonese language album ABC, is now stepping out as a political activist. Sort of. He's been directing a lot of energy towards mobilizing folks, particularly young people, to vote... and come Election Day 2008, he plans to cast his vote for Barack Obama. And he's making his support known to all, loud and clear.

Case in point, this track, available on Jin's MySpace page: "Open Letter 2 Obama." Obama's campaign got wind of it pretty quickly, apparently digging the song enough to bestow Jin with the most sacred of honors: the number one "top friends" spot on Barack's MySpace page.

Here's a MTV article on Jin and his newfound political consciousness: Make Room, Moms For Obama: Jin Is Barack's New MySpace Friend. And here's video footage of Jin speaking last week at an Obama organizing event in NYC: jin_june 5th NYC Obama organizing speech. Very cool to see Jin using his craft and celebrity to mobilize people towards something substantial, outside the usual fare. Take it to the polls! Because Jin said so.

kenneth eng's psych exam

So you all remember that everybody's favorite Asian American freaknut hater Kenneth Eng was arrested last month for threatening to kill his neighbors (with a hammer, no less). he was charged with attempted assault, menacing, possession of a weapon and harassment. The court ordered a psychological exam (thank you), which apparently "raised more questions than it resolved" about good ol' Kenny: NYC man who hates blacks is held; psych exam provides few answers

According to the assistant district attorney, Eng was uncooperative during the examination. I have to wonder if the psych eval looked anything like this, with the examiner asking him questions, and Kenny insisting they talk about his totally awesome cyberdragon book. Baffling. Eng was ordered held without bail yesterday so prosecutors could further review the psychological report. I hope dear Kenneth is having a great time in jail.

mighty warriors of comedy dvd contest winners

We've got some winners in the house... Thank you to everyone who entered the Mighty Warriors of Comedy DVD contest. I asked folks to send in the name of their hypothetical Asian American sketch comedy group, for the chance to be entered into a random drawing to win the DVD. Here are the names that came out of the bucket, along with the name of their imaginary group:

Frank Y. of Sacramento, CA (The Mr. Miyagis!)
Wayne L. of San Francisco, CA (Incontinence Inducers)
Helen C. of West Roxbury, MA (Kiss Ass Asian Clan)
Michael Y. of Flushing, NY (Krayzian)
Linda N. of Las Vegas, NV (Jaundice)

Congratulations to these lucky readers. They'll each get a copy of the Mighty Warriors of Comedy DVD, courtesy of director Sung H. Kim. For the rest of you non-winners, I still recommend checking out the film. It's an entertaining, well-made documentary about the crazy Asian American sketch comedy troupe 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors. Buy your copy from the Center for Asian American Media.

get ready for secret asian man

As we announced here a few months back, United Features recently picked up Tak Toyoshima's Secret Asian Man comic strip for daily syndication—which is sort of like hitting the big time in the comic strip world. I got to hang out with Tak for a bit the last time I was in Boston, and he was pretty excited. It's a shot at a larger audience, if newspapers choose to run it. That makes Secret Asian Man the first ever nationally syndicated comic strip featuring an Asian American leading character. That's pretty damn cool.

The strip departs from Secret Asian Man's weekly format, instead now being adapted for the daily thing, with a starring cast of characters and ongoing storyline. It's a partly autobiographical strip, based on Tak's own career and personal life. According to the press release:

Osamu "SAM" Takahashi is a struggling comic strip artist who dreams of hitting the big time. A second generation Japanese American who grew up in a big city surrounded by people from all walks of life, SAM is fascinated by what makes us the same as well as different. SAM is a laid-back guy who has a wife and young son. Although secure with his identity, he is a member of a frequently marginalized group and is therefore reminded by the world around him of the many unresolved issues regarding race, gender and orientation. SAM navigates through this cultural minefield with with and humor and through it all remains an optmistic dreamer.

Secret Asian Man starts running in newspapers worldwide and on the web at www.comics.com on July 16. For those of you in Los Angeles, Tak tells me that the strip just scored a big group sale with Los Angeles Newspaper Group. For the rest of you, if you'd like to see Secret Asian Man published in the comics section of your local paper, contact the editor and let them know what's up. They won't know if you don't tell them...

vegas wants asians

The New York Times has another article on Las Vegas casinos and their efforts to attract Asian gamblers: Las Vegas Caters to Asia's High Rollers. They've adopted increasingly aggressive strategies to woo Asian both domestically and abroad, aiming not only at the newly wealth from China, but also Asian Americans and other recent Asian immigrants. These efforts include redesigning large portions of a casino floor to cater to the tastes of Asians guests; advertisements written in Asian dialects and placed in community newspapers in nearby cities; and mailers written in a recipient's native language. None of this, of course, helps address the increasing high rate of gambling problems within the Asian community...

The vigor of their efforts is stirring the ire of some Asian activists and others. "If the casinos singled out African-Americans and marketed to them as heavily as they do Asians, I'd imagine there'd be this huge political outcry," said Timothy W. Fong, co-director of the Gambling Studies Program at the University of California, Los Angeles. "The marketing has been so aggressive, and the penetration so deep, we're starting to see alarming increases in the rates of problem gambling among Asians."

While gambling has arguably always been a big part of Asian cultures, this kind of marketing by casinos borders on exploitation, particularly when they're targeting less-affluent Asian American communities. Studies suggest higher rates of problem gambling among Asians than other groups. One long-term study under way in California suggests that Asians are three times as likely as other groups to develop a serious gambling problem. This is a real problem in our community, more than most are probably aware of, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.

the chinese guy in ocean's thirteen

Forgot to mention Shaobo Qin, back as the Amazing Yen and reteaming with his gang of thieves for Ocean's Thirteen, which opened in theaters last Friday. I guess he's sort of made a name for himself as "the Chinese guy" in the Ocean's series. The movie took the top spot at the box office over the weekend, with most critics saying the movie returns to the charm of Eleven, while making up for the debacle of Twelve. However, last month at the Cannes Film Festival, members of the Chinese press noted that some are not pleased with Qin's character:

On a slightly more serious note, a Hong Kong reporter said that the Chinese are not thrilled with the way in which Qin's character, Yen the grease-man, has been portrayed throughout the series. Soderbergh was visibly shocked when the reporter asked why he is made to seem like a "clown" and why a joke is made of him only speaking Chinese.

The running joke is that he only speaks Mandarin, and everyone else in the crew just seems to understand him. Kind of like Han Solo understanding Chewbacca's growls. I saw the movie over the weekend, and honestly, I don't have a huge problem with his character in Ocean's Thirteen or either of the previous films. Shaobo here does his usual thing, hanging out with the usual suspects, doing some acrobatic stuff, and just generally being along for the ride. He's not entirely useless, but it's not a huge role. I suppose it just wouldn't be an Ocean's movie without him.

pearson v. custom cleaners

"Whether the word "pants" has never been uttered this many times in a courtroom is debatable. What's is certain is that never has some much time and legal energy been wasted on a pair of them." This is great. I was kind of curious about the Pearson vs. Custom Cleaners court proceedings, which began today. What would the trial over the most expensive pair of pants in the history of mankind look like? Thankfully, a bunch of folks wrote in to inform me that Emil Steiner of the Washington Post has been blogging all day from the courtroom: Blogging Live From This Year's Most Frivolous Lawsuit. He's been breaking down trial, offering wry commentary on every little bit of worthless minutiae—what Pearson wore to the trial (a well-pressed blue pinstripe suit and purple tie), irrelevant witness testimony, laughter in the courtroom (looks like the judge had to stifle a chuckle or two), Pearson's apparent breakdown on the stand... Yeah, that's right. Pearson appeared to have some kind of break down. Steiner writes:

If I had $54 million in my pocket, I'd almost give it to Roy Pearson to end this thing. Pearson took the stand this afternoon in his trial against Custom Cleaners, and it wasn't exactly spellbinding.

Pearson went into seemingly every minute detail of life: his history of community service, his weight gain as a middle-aged man, his financial woes and his painful divorce. Even the opposing defense counsel was rubbing his eyes and suppressing yawns. But the judge let Pearson tell his story, taking occasional notes, always with a somewhat bemused expression on her face. I could almost see the thought bubble over her head: Take as much time as you need to orchestrate your circus. (Though if circuses were this slow, Barnum & Bailey would be out of business.)

Then, just before 3:30, Roy L. Pearson broke down, appeared to almost cry, and quickly requested a break. Would it be heartless to ask whether he had been bored to tears?

Spare me. Excuse me if I don't feel sorry for the guy. Can the people take legal action against Roy Pearson for subjecting them to this worthless nonsense? The Chungs' defense counsel hits the nail on the head when they describe the proceedings as—and I quote—"a monumental waste of time." Indeed. We can only hope that it will all be over soon. Follow along with the riveting legal drama here. Support the Chungs here.

UPDATE: The trial continues on to Day 2, with the Washington Post's Marc Fisher picking up the blogging duties from the court room: Pants Trial Day Two: We See The Pants. It appears to be the end of the line for Pearson, whose odd and laughable world view continues to dig himself into a hole.

UPDATE 2: The trial is over, but Judge Judith Bartnoff isn't ruling until next week. Let's hope this means an end to Pearson's idiocy, as well as some relief for the Chungs. Here's the New York Times coverage of the trial: Judge Tries Suing Pants Off Dry Cleaners

too many people, not enough names

Wow. There are over a billion people China. Of those 1.3 billion or so people, 85 percent of the population share only 100 surnames, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Ministry of Public Security. Current Chinese law states that children are only allowed to take the surname from either their mother or father, but the lack of variety means there are now 93 million people in China with the family name Wang, 92 million sharing the name Li, 88 million sharing the name Zhang, and so on and so forth... This of course, is bound to cause some confusion, and it's only getting worse.

So, in a landmark move to end the madness, Chinese authorities have released a new draft regulation allowing parents to combine their surnames for their children, which could open up 1.28 million new name possibilities: Chinese surname shortage sparks rethink. For example, "a father named Zhou and mother named Zhu could choose to call their child either Zhou, Zhu, Zhouzhu or Zhuzhou." Pretty soon, you're going to start seeing some crazy, interesting names coming out of China, and eventually making their way over to the States. It's like a brand new generation of Chinese names. Imagine, your children could soon be going to pre-school with a kid named John Wutang. Awesome.

rhee apointed dc school chancellor

In a dramatic move, Washington DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced this morning that he has chosen to fire DC School Superintendent Clifford B. Janey and replace him with Michelle A. Rhee, the founder of a teacher-training organization: Fenty To Oust Janey Today.

Rhee operates the New Teacher Project, a New York-based nonprofit group that recruits and trains teachers to serve in urban districts. According to the story, she is apparently well-known in education circles but could be a tough sell with school employees, parents and DC Council members, who must confirm the appointment. She doesn't have superintendent experience, and has spent just three years working within a school system, as an elementary school teacher in the mid-1990s. And oh yeah, she's Asian American.

If confirmed, Rhee would be the system's first non-black chief in nearly forty years. I'm sure there will be some who will take issue with this. This editorial points it out as a fact that will likely "disappoint some": The New Chancellor. Needless to say, she's got a hell of a challenge ahead of her...

se ri pak, golf pioneer

The New York Times has a profile on pro golfer Se Ri Pak, a pioneer who inspired an entire of generation of South Korean women in the sport: Pak Inspires New Generation of Countrywomen. I'm a little concerned when I hear about the crazy kind of training her father put her through at a young age—according to the article, to train Se Ri's mind, he would have her hit golf balls in a cemetary at night and watch put bulls fight. That's just scary. No wonder she eventually felt burnt out... But her impact on the sport is undeniable. When she joined the LPGA Tour in 1998, there was only one other South Korean player. This year, there are 45 South Korean-born players on the Tour, a dozen of whom started playing golf in or after 1998. When she is inducted later this year, she will become the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame's 23rd member. Michelle Wie might be considered the hot young golf princess these days, but Se Ri Pak is a queen on the course.

do not mess with this family

This is awesome. Simply awesome: The family that beats a robber together ... So this punkass loser, identified as Darrel Rolle, tried to rob a family... and received a serious beatdown. The Ni family returned home one night to find this guy in their master bedroom, pointing a gun and demanding money. Somehow, Wu Ni manages to grab the robber's arm and take the gun away from him. And that's when things got craaaazyyy.

According to the police report, Ni's parents and a cousin jumped on the guy, moving him to the living room, where Ni's wife, Rong Lin, "pummeled Rolle with a metal broomstick." Like I said, awesome. But that's not where the melee ends. When the broomstick bent, good ol' Rong Lin got a shovel from the back yard... I don't know what she was planning to do, but the police arrived just before the shovel action got started. The family let him go when the officers entered the living room.

You gotta wonder what would've happened if the cops hadn't gotten there when they did. Rolle was treated at a hospital for scratches and a bite on his ear and then taken to jail, where he was charged with armed robbery, burglary and battery. Got that, sucka? Don't mess with the Ni family!

rock the asian american vote

Some practical advice for political parties in upcoming key elections: Pay attention to Asian-American voters. Do you need it spelled out for you? Read the article. The numbers are too significant to ignore.

Speaking of the Asian American vote, check out Archipelago's super brand-new "Rock the Asian American Vote" t-shirt—it's pretty freakin' sweet. It's an upgrade of their previous "Rock" design, but the message and the mission stays the same: "get Asian Americans to the voting booths and let our voices be heard." Buy it, wear it, spread the word. Vote.

couple drowns in sinking car

Another heartbreaking story... in Texas, Young Hwan and Sook Yeon Kim drowned last week when they got lost in a rainstorm, took a wrong turn, and drove their car into a river: 911 call reveals frantic plea from sinking car. The couple got lost trying to find a pizza restaurant. When their car hit the water, they attempted call the restaurant's owner, and 911, but they apparently couldn't understand what was wrong:

Mr. Kim also called 911. But the 911 operator couldn't understand what he was saying. A woman, presumably Mrs. Kim, can be heard screaming in the background. The sound of what appears to be rushing water can also be heard.

The operator repeatedly tried to find out what was wrong with the caller and where he was calling from. "What language are you speaking?" she asked. "Are you speaking Chinese or something?"

But the line went dead before she could get any information. The 911 operator tried to call the man back but got voice mail.

That's messed up. MESSED UP. I understand that the Kims' English skills were probably limited, which prevented him from communicating clearly with the 911 operator. But operator demonstrates supreme ignorance and insensitivity when she asks, "Are you speaking Chinese or something?" It's just frustrating. More here: Korean Couple Drown 'Due to Poor English'. And here: Korean couple found dead in U.S. river

announcing: 30th asian american international film festival

The Asian American International Film Festival in New York, presented by Asian CineVision, celebrates its 30th year this summer, July 19-28. That's right, thirty years of Asian American cinema. Priority ticket sales for ACV and Asia Society members begin today, June 11. General advance ticket sales begin June 18th. The complete schedule of programs should be up and running soon at the AAIFF website, but for now...

The festival will kick off with the New York premiere of Justin Lin's Bruce Lee-themed mockumentary Finishing the Game, then a Centerpiece Presentation of Chen Shi-Zheng's drama Dark Matter, and round things out with the Closing Night Presentation of Gina Kim's Never Forever. The festival will also pay tribute to trailblazing Hong Kong director Patrick Tam, with a retrospective that includes two rarely-seen classics that helped launch the Hong Kong New Wave, The Sword and Nomad. Mark your calendars, New York, because July is going to be hot.

reminder: win the mighty warriors of comedy dvd

Just wanted to remind everybody that you still have a chance to win a copy of the Mighty Warriors of Comedy DVD, Sung H. Kim's documentary on the famed Asian American sketch troupe 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors. It's good stuff, and it can be yours! Enter for your chance win... all you have to do is simply answer this question: if you had your very own Asian American sketch comedy troupe, what would your group be called? (Hint: there are no right or wrong answers.) Email me your response, along with your name and mailing address by the end of tomorrow, Monday, June 11th. Please include "MIGHTY WARRIORS DVD" in the subject line of your email. I'll throw all the entries in a bucket, draw a few names, and we'll have our winners. Easy. So get those entries in, you sexy people.

ucla director spolight, june 12

For those of you in Los Angeles, here's a great opportunity to see the work of some great up-and-coming filmmakers. Student filmmakers Ted Chung and Juli Kang are among seven outstanding student filmmakers to receive Director Spotlight awards this year, as part of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Festival 2007.

Ted Chung's Mike's, "in which a reclusive roommate realizes there's more to life than he thought," and Juli Kang's Damn the Past!, "in which music happens when a singing mute meets the girl of his dreams" (this was a big hit at this year's VC Filmfest) These works, among others, will be screened Tuesday, June 12th at the Director's Guild of America Theatre. The Directors Spotlight was created to provide an opportunity for student filmmakers to present their work to the entertainment industry. This is a chance to see the cream of the crop, from one of the best film schools in the country. It's free and open to the public. For more information, and to RSVP, go here.

the first national asian american theater festival

This Village Voice article poses an interesting question about Asian American theater: The Asian Equation. What exactly should an Asian American theater festival celebrate? Discussions between particpants at an Asian American theater conference apparently revealed an interesting generational divide at the heart of the debate. Why does it always have to be about identity? Why is racial identity such an obsession? Why do companies keep producing plays about being Asian? According to Ralph Pena, director of the Ma-Yi Theater Company, "The younger group wants to branch out into new and different territory, while the older generation still sees race as important." It's definitely a debate worth having. I think it doesn't always have to be about racial identity, though the truth is, it's always about identity, even when it's not. Figuring out how to keep Asian American theater fresh and relevant, that should be the real debate. But hell, what do I know?

The very first Asian American Theater Festival kicks off next week, starting June 11, presenting 31 works from more than 25 companies around the country at multiple venues in New York. A huge, diverse selection of works from all over, showcasing a variety of different styles, genres, performers and views—drama, musical, solo works, spoken word, sketch comedy, and everything outside and in between. For the full lineup of shows, and ticket information, visit the festival's website here. Support Asian American theater!

entertainment news and stuff

So Yong Kim's In Between Days, a festival favorite and Special Jury Prize winner at last year's Sundance Film Festival, has finally been picked up for a limited theatrical release: Festival Fave 'In Between Days' Finally Gets Theatrical Release Date. Variety reports that Kino International will be releasing In Between Days on June 27th at the IFC Center in New York. I've heard nothing but great things about this film, so I can't wait to check it out. To learn more about the film, go here.

Korean pop megastar Rain will make his Hollywood movie debut in Wachowski brothers' upcoming big screen version of Speed Racer, based on the classic landmark anime series: Rain Lands Part in Hollywood Movie. No specifics on what part he'll be playing (it's not Speed Racer), though his manager claims his role "holds the key to the movie." No, my friend. The car is the star.

Here's a NPR Weekend Edition feature from a few weeks back on the Los Angeles multiethnic supersound band Ozomatli, with founding members Uli Bella and Jiro Yamaguchi in the studio talking about the band's latest album: Ozomatli's Diverse Music Gets Personal. The new CD is called Don't Mess With The Dragon. And in case you didn't know, this band is freaking awesome.

Shalini Kantayya is hanging in there as one of the chosen few remaining contestants on Fox's filmmaking reality series On the Lot. I've been trying to tune in and follow along, but to be honest the show is kind of a snoozefest. Booooring. But this week Shalini's film Laughing Out Loud: A Comic Journey was easily one of most interesting of the bunch. Hopefully this competition will take her somewhere, but even if it doesn't, she's got bright future.

According to Variety, Comedy Central has signed a deal with to develop a show around Asian American comedian JoKoy, described as a variety show with elements of sketch comedy: Comedy developing JoKoy show. I've seen this guy perform a couple of times, and the guy is off-the-charts hilarious. Like, crap-in-your-pants funny. I'm interested in seeing what kind of show he comes up with. Check out his official website here.

The planned Hollywood remake of the violent Japanese film Battle Royale is apparently on hold, or being significantly retooled, because of the events at Virginia Tech: Battle Royale Remake Update. Yeah, making a film about ninth graders dropped on an island to kill each other might not be the most sensitive course of action these days. I'm sure it'll get made eventually. And I will be sad.

And finally, here's a story on Asian Canadian women, both directors and actors like Mina Shum and Olivia Cheng, making it happen for themselves and gaining recognition in the industry: Make your own Happiness

man kills 2-year-old, dumps body

This is pretty damn awful... In St. Louis, a man was charged with the murder of a 2-year-old boy, Adin Choi, whose body was found in a dumpster behind a school: Man Charged In Death Of 2-Year-Old. Randall D. Gabler apparently became upset with the child because he wouldn't stop crying and urinated on himself, and beat him to death. He then dumped the body behind a school, and falsely reported that the toddler went missing at a local park. He was supposed to be babysitting the child for his girlfriend, Adin's mother, who was out of town. What a lowlife. More here: Man is charged in toddler's death

asian american marrow donors needed

Two more people in serious need of a bone marrow transplant... Elyse Yu is the eldest of triplet sisters born February 1, 2007. That's right—just four months old. The doctors diagnosed Elyse with HLH disease, a rare blood disorder that occurs in one out of a million people. Her parents, Tim and Susan, and her two sisters, Faith and Erin, are asking for your support to find her a bone marrow match. You could help save this supercute baby's life. To learn more about her situation, progress, and what you can do to help, visit ElyseYu.com.

Vinay is an Indian American physician living in Boston. Since November, he's been undergoing intensive chemotherapy, until recently receiving the news that the chemotherapy wasn't effective, and that Vinay requires a bone marrow transplant. The truth of the matter is, there are not enough South Asians in the bone marrow registry. Since Vinay is of Indian descent, there's a greater likelihood of finding a match among a population sharing similar genetic markers. Thus, it's important that more Indians join the Bone Marrow Registry in the upcoming weeks to maximize Vinay's (and many others') chances of finding a suitable donor. To learn more about Vinay's situation, go here: Help Vinay!

Unfortunately, these two stories are not uncommon. Asians, Pacific Islanders and multi-racial individuals are desperately needed to register as potential marrow/stem cell donors. Please consider getting registered. For more information, go to the Asian American Donor Program and Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches.

72 hour film shootout early deadline

For those of you interested in taking part in this year's 72 Hour Film Shootout, be aware that early registration ends this Friday, June 8th. Save $50 by registering early (the regular registration deadline is June 15). On the weekend of June 22-25, filmmaking teams nationwide will have 72 hours to write, shoot, edit and produce a short digital film. This year's Shootout judging panel consists of Eric Byler, Karin Chien, Tanuj Chopra, Grady Hendrix, Michael Kang, Sung Kang, Ellen Kuras, Grace Lee, Marci Phillips, and Russell Wong. Anyway... if you want to get in on this, you better get a move on.

bay area: inspire 07 and mr. hyphen 07

Bay Area folks... couple of things for you to do this weekend. Tomorrow night, APA Five is throwing launch event/fundraiser for their upcoming leadership conference INSPIRE 07. The conference is a three-day event bringing together Asian Pacific American professionals and leaders for the largest interdisciplinary network in the country, happening August 31 to September 3 (Labor Day weekend) in San Francisco. Details are still coming together, but looks like it's shaping up to be a pretty awesome conference. The launch event is this Friday, June 8th at 111 Minna, where you can learn more about the conference and meet some of the organizers and guest speakers. For details about the event, go here. For more information about the conference, here.

On Saturday, an evening of community and competition, where one man will stand before all and be crowned with the coveted title of Mr. Hyphen '07. Recognize. Saturday, June 9th at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. They've gathered the best and brightest from the Asian American community to compete in a pagaent of talent, fashion, eloquence and general awesomeness, with the winner taking home a prize donation to his respective nonprofit organiztion. View the fine lineup of this year's contestant's here. Comedienne Ali Wong will be emceeing the festivities. It's going to be a fun night, for a good cause. For more information, including ticket details, go here. Who will be Mr. Hyphen???

n*gger wetb*ck ch*nk

Three words: N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK. Before you get all bent out of shape, be aware that N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK is a provocative, critically-acclaimed, smash-hit three-man stage show blending theater stand-up comedy, slam poetry, and true-life stories to take on racial slurs, stereotypes and the concept of race itself in a 90-minute stage production. Here's a recent article on the show: Show's unspeakable name opens dialogue on race. And another one here: Trio gives personal, funny look at racism. According to cast/co-writers Miles Gregley, Rafael Agustin, Allan Axibal:

"The show traces the origins and evolution of three derogatory terms that shaped our lives and took the place of a genuine understanding of our distinct cultures. In doing this show we hope to depower these words for ourselves and for our audiences."

I've heard a lot about this show, and have been wanting to check it out for a while. It's been touring at colleges and venues all around the country for the last couple of years, and is landing back in Los Angeles—where it all started—this week, starting tonight. Seven performances a week, running June 7th through July 29th at at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood. For more information about N*GGER WETB*CK CH*NK, go here. Also check out some cool video clips here and here. For ticket info, go here.

make that $54 million pants

Roy L. Pearson, the asshead jerk who was slapped a dry cleaners with a $67 million lawsuit over a pair of pants, is now instead asking for only $54 million, according to a May 30 court filing in D.C. Superior Court: OK, OK — just make it $54 million for the pants. As if that makes the suit any more reasonable, or easier on the owners of Custom Cleaners. Ridiculous. Pearson is now focusing his claims on signs in the shop that have since been removed, alleging that the Chungs committed fraud and misled consumers with signs that claimed "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Same Day Service." Christopher Manning of Manning & Sossamon, the law firm defending the Chungs, made the following statement in response to Pearson's recent actions:

"Although it is always encouraging to see claims withdrawn, it is simply baffling that Mr. Pearson continues to assert that he is entitled to tens of millions of dollars as a result of two completely harmless, completely straight-forward signs. Mr. Pearson's claims are not founded in common sense and are extraordinarily abusive towards the Chungs. As a result, the Chungs' terrible ordeal continues. The Chungs' decision to move to and build a business in America began with the classic American dream. Mr. Pearson has turned that dream into an American nightmare."

Okay, so not getting your pants back sucks. A little. And maybe as a customer you're idiotic enough to feel misled or dissatisfied because of these signs. You might be owed a little something for your trouble. But no judge in his right mind is going to award you even a fraction of $54 million for a frakkin' pair of pants. All Pearson is doing with this lawsuit is doing is making life miserable for the Chungs. To donate to their legal costs, or to send them a note of encouragement, visit Custom Cleaners Defense Fund

According to Manning & Sossamon, this case will be tried next week in courtroom 415 of the District of Columbia Superior Courthouse on June 12th and 13th, beginning at 9:30am each day. I don't know if people will be gathering to support the Chungs (given the press coverage this has gotten, I imagine the proceedings could be a little more interesting than your average lawsuit). And maybe you'll catch a glimpse of Evil Roy Pearson. Bring some eggs.

introducing seriously

Some fresh music for you... Up-and-coming Asian American rock band Seriously just released their self-titled debut EP from indie label Chaos Theory Music. I previously mentioned these guys when they announced their web-based reality series, "The Making of Seriously," which can be viewed here. The series follows the emerging band as they pursue rockstardom, performing and recording in the studio. Five catchy pop rock tunes from four guys who seem too young to be making such kickass music. Guaranteed to get the teenage girls screaming at the next show. I've listened a few of the tracks, and liked what I heard. (Seriously, how old are these guys?) Preview the music on the band's MySpace, and buy the album over at the Chaos Theory website, as well as on iTunes.

your chinese food still sucks

An update on the Eggrolls Etc. situation, reported here back in April... A "Chinese" takeout and delivery restaurant in Tuscon had drawn quite a bit of controversy from the local Asian American community for its advertising and menu materials, which included a lot of racist and offensive jokes. For example, the restaurant widely distributed fliers that read, "Every order is deliverd via rickshaw by first generation Chinese immigrants... We really should charge more for delivery, old Chinamen are getting expensive these days." These were bad bad bad, unfunny jokes, by a restaurant already guilty of selling awful, bastardized "Chinese" food. Of course, responding to the outcry, owner Mike Reynolds dismissed it with the standard "can't you take a joke?" excuse.

It seems now that Reynolds has had a change of heart... Eggrolls Etc. has removed raciallly insensitive language from its menu, website and advertising fliers: Chinese eatery ends offensive advertising. Reynolds apologized in a telephone interview yesterday for usin the word "Chinamen" in his ads, claiming he was unaware that it was widely considered a derogatory term.

Reynolds said he still doesn't think his menu, on the whole, could be construed as "intended to hurt or damage anyone," but apologized for any "misunderstanding" created by the jokes on his menu, which included a parody of the inability of immigrant Chinese to pronounce words containing the letter "r."

Reynolds said his menu and advertising fliers were "never intended to harm or insult the Asian-American or Chinese-American community."

Reynolds, who never responded to letters from local and national groups urging him to be more sensitive in his advertising, said he doesn't now plan to respond or issue a formal apology.

My guess is, Reynolds just got tired of dealing with the controversy, over something he simply thought was adding off-color humor to his advertising. Mind you, racist ignorance is no excuse. It's that easy for someone to pepper a restaurant menu with idiotic, juvenile, racist language and think nothing of it. To him, it's all just a big "misunderstanding." But what about the indignity and dehumanization of such language? It's a hell of a lot harder to undo that damage. That's racist!

the plot against laos

Ten men—including a prominent Hmong general who commanded CIA operatives fighting communists during the Vietnam War—were charged in Sacramento federal court Monday with plotting to overthrow the government of Laos. The men, led by respected community leader Vang Pao, allegedly conspired to obtain AK-47 assault rifles, ground-to-air Stinger missiles, anti-tank weapons, mines, rockets, explosives and smoke grenades with which to oust the Laotian communist regime: Ten accused of conspiring to oust government of Laos. They are accused of violating the federal Neutrality Act by plotting on American soil to invade a foreign country with which the United States is at peace. It sounds like they were trying to put together an army... and unfortunately, this news doesn't do much to dispel the growing notion of Asian immigrants as potentially violent, with our guns and our plots. More here: Hmong-Americans stunned by Laos charges

the voice of giant robot

Here's a brief interview with Eric Nakamura, one of the masterminds behind the ever-expanding Giant Robot empire: Giant Robot Revealed. What I like about Eric and Martin and what they've accomplished, is that they've always just stayed true to what they love doing, and it's simply grown from there... starting from a cheap, humble zine and expanding over the years into a bi-monthly glossy, four stores and a restaurant. It sounds crazy, but it's been completely organic. And I've always really respected that.

"can't beat 'em, join 'em"

The New York Times has an interesting story on residents who have lived in Flushing since before it was heavily Asian, and are now taking steps to adapt by participating in a weekly Mandarin clsss: In Queens, Classes in Mandarin Are Also Lessons in Adaptation. The class attracts a varied assortment people, many of whom have adopted a "can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude in regards to area's the booming Asian population. I guess it's not just wealthy white parents sending their kids to Mandarin lessons—old folks are learning too!

win the mighty warriors of comedy dvd

Check it. Sung H. Kim's film Mighty Warriors of Comedy was recently released on DVD. It's a documentary about the wacky, heralded Asian American sketch comedy troupe 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, following their struggles to fight the good fight, have their voices heard and keep it real on the comedy stage. It's a well-made documentary with great insight on Asian Americans in performing arts, from people are in thick of it, making it happen for themselves. Good stuff. The film recently won a Northern California Emmy for "Arts/Entertainment - Program Special." The DVD also includes "Hatest Grits"—all the skits from the Warriors' "Best of" show, and a 16-minute documentary on 18MMW's comrades in the struggle, Partner's in Crime. It's available for purchase from the good folks at the Center for Asian American Media.

For you, the good readers of this website, we've got a giveaway. And I know you love the free stuff. You have the chance to win a shiny DVD copy of Mighty Warriors of Comedy. To enter, simply answer this question: if you had your very own Asian American sketch comedy troupe, what would your group be called? (Hint: there are no right or wrong answers.) Email me your response, along with your name and mailing address by the end of next Monday, June 11th. Please include "MIGHTY WARRIORS DVD" in the subject line of your email. As always, entries that do not follow these simple instructions will be thrown out, because people who can't follow simple instructions are fools. Same goes for duplicate entries. I'll throw all the entries in a bucket, draw a few names, and we'll have our winners. Easy. So get those entries in, you sexy people.

dawen wang won!

Awwww snap. I'm told that Dawen Wang has indeed won the Starbucks Avant Grande Music 2007 contest, thanks in part to your votes. Dawen was one of three winners who will have their music played on WXRT this Saturday and will perform in a concert at FitzGerald's on August 1st. That's pretty damn cool. No doubt, your online votes were influential in his victory. Learn more about the contest and Dawen's win here. Nice work, Dawen.

call your senator to support family immigration

Got this email forwarded along to me from the OCA National Office, regarding the controversial immigration legislation currently under consideration in Congress:

Action Alert
June 2, 2007
Contact: Stephanie Kao, Program Manager
skao@ocanational.org
202-223-5500

URGENT: Call your Senator to Support Family Immigration

The Senate could be holding a VOTE on the Comprehensive Immigration Bill next week Thursday ! This means OCA needs to pressure our senators to make the bill more family reunification friendly. We need to make sure that we have as many votes as possible in case the Senate requires a 60 vote minimum to pass the Family Based Amendments.
What you can do:

- Call your Senators District and Hill Office and encourage them to support family reunification amendments, especially if your senators is listed below. You can find the phone script here and contact information here.

- Edit and Fax a Letter to your Senators Hill Offices with a letter to support the amendments to make the bill more family reunification friendly. If you don't have access to the fax, edit it and send it back to jtsang@ocanational.org with the names of your senators and OCA will fax it in for you. Click here for the fax letter.

Phone Numbers:
+ Find contact information for Hill & District Offices:
- http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm
- Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be directly connected to your senator
- Or in this spreadsheet of targeted Senators.

Papers:
+ Phone Scripts: http://www.ocanational.org/images/stories/docscenter/phone%20scripts.doc
+ Letter to be edited and faxed to Senator: http://www.ocanational.org/images/stories/docscenter/chapter%20letter.doc
+ Fax numbers: http://www.ocanational.org/images/stories/docscenter/senator%20contact%20information.xls
+ 2 Page summary of the basic bill
+ Actual Bill S. 1438: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN01348:

Targeted Senators
Alaska
Lisa Murkowski
Ted Stevens

Arkansas
Blanche Lincoln

Indiana
Evan Bayh
Richard Lugar

Kansas
Sam Brownback

Louisiana
Mary Landrieu

Maine
Susan Collins
Olympia Snowe

Michigan
Carl Levin

Minnesota
Amy Klobuchar
Norm Coleman

Missouri
Claire McCaskill

Montana
Max Baucus
Jon Tester

Nebraska
Ben Nelson

Nevada
Jim Ensign

New Mexico
Jeff Bingaman
Pete Domenici

North Carolina
Elizabeth Dole

North Dakota
Byron Dorgan

Ohio
George Voinivich

Oregon
Gordon Smith

Pennsylvania
Bob Casey

Rhode Island
Sheldon Whitehouse

Tennessee
Lamar Alexander

Texas
John Cornyn
Kay Bailey Hutchison

Utah
Orrin Hatch

Virginia
James Webb
John Warner

For more possible action go to OCAs Action Center.

And there you have it. If you don't know, now you know. It requires you to do a little work, but it's important and urgent enough to the make the effort. Spread the word.

ah, the old shoelace blindfold joke

In New Zealand, a high profile police detective was under investigation by police colleagues for making racist remarks at an Asian police conference. Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Grimstone apparently suggested "people who could be blindfolded with a shoelace" could not be trusted: High profile detective apologises for racist remarks. For those of you who don't get the joke, he means us. Us shifty, sneaky Asians and our slanted, chinky eyes. Guess he still remembers that joke from elementary school. You know who really can't be trusted? Idiot bigots in law enforcement. That's racist!

people making moves

Sports Illustrated ranks the 50 top-earning American athletes, and teen golf pro Michelle Wie is the only woman on the list, at number 22: The Fortunate 50. Not bad for someone who just graduated from high school, though she missed her graduation ceremony at Punahou High School in Honolulu this weekend, instead returning to play at the LPGA Tour last week: In Her Time Away From Golf, Wie Enjoys Being 17 Years Old

Novelist Naomi Hirahara recently won the the most prestigious mystery-writing prize, the Edgar Allen Poe award: Pasadena novelist wins Edgar award. Her writings explore "how history reverberates and echoes." She won the award for Best Paperback Original, for the third and latest book in her "Mas Arai" series, Snakeskin Shamisen. In the books, Mas is a U.S.-born A-bomb survivor who after returning to his ancestral country of Japan then returns to Altadena, where he is forced to revisit his often painful past—and solve a few mysteries on the side. Previous novels include Summer of the Big Bachi and Gasa-Gasa Girl.

Here's a Los Angeles Times article on forensic scientist Henry C. Lee, whose near-celebrity expertise was recently called in for the Phil Spector trial murder trial, but whose career took a bit of a blow when a judge challenged his credibility: A burnished image marred

In Illinois, DuPage County Circuit Judge Kenneth Moy, the state's first Asian American judge, unexpectedly resigned last week after a controversial decade on the bench: For judge, the end of his American dream

This July, Princeton linebacker Brig Walker, who is Japanese American, will travel to Japan for the International Federation of American Football World Championships to play for Team USA: Walker will represent Team USA in Japan

Golfer Mi Hyun Kim, who is currently playing on the LPGA Tour, recently donated $100,000 to the victims of the tornado that devastated Greensburg, Kansas last month: Kim makes 6-figure donation to Kansas tornado victims

Here's an interview with Rich Cho, assistant general manager for the Seattle Supersonics, talking a little bit about his duties and his background: Q&A with Assistant GM Rich Cho

this is rock and roll

Oh hell yes. More proof that Asians rock, all day, all night:

Thank you, Poplicks: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RHYTHM, PERCUSSION, AND BEAT PRODUCTION AS EXPLAINED IN TWO MINUTES BY A FLY GUY WHO COULD BE OLIVER'S OR MY UNCLE

new asian american tv channel: myx

My pal Marian Liu of the San Jose Mercury News writes about MYX, a new satellite TV channel that recently jumped into the messy fray of television programming aimed towards Asian American audiences: In the MYX. Based in Philippines and carried by DirecTV, it attempts to succeed where other similar ventures have failed. For those keeping score, we've now got MYX, while AZN and ImaginAsian seem to still be hanging in there, and the MTV channels (Chi, K and Desi) have gotten axe. Something's gotta stick... sooner or later.

include more asian groups in admissions data

At a press conference last week, members of UCLA's Asian Pacific Coalition promoted the "Count Me In" campaign and State Assemblyman Ted Lieu's Assembly Bill 295, policies for university admission data to include more Asian groups, in order to highlight some of the issues faced by certain ethnic groups in regard to access to higher education: Groups rally for admissions data to 'Count Me In'

Lieu's bill calls for state agencies that collect demographic data on ethnic origin, not including the University of California, to further separate categories for Asian and Pacific Islander groups. In addition to the existing groups of Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, agencies would include 10 more Asian American groups such as Bangladeshi, Fijian and Hmong. The proposed divisions would mirror the method used by the United States Census.

I think a lot of people will appreciate not having to check off the "Other Asian" category. This will go a long way towards addressing individual communities' needs, and dispelling the monolithic "model minority" myth. It's pretty difficult to provide accurate admissions data when so many ethnic groups are combined into one category. For example, there are currently 26 students at UCLA who identify as Hmong. How do we know this? The Association of Hmong Students says so. This isn't really an accurate count—the figure was compiled by the organization because UCLA has no official data. Hopefully this will change, and they'll be able to get a better count for the future.

reunion at tanforan

This weekend at the former site of the Tanforan racetrack in San Bruno, CA, there was a reunion of Japanese Americans babies—now parents and grandparents—who were born in makeshift barracks between April and October 1942, before being shipped off to remote federal internment camps: Internee babies of Tanforan. The site is now a shopping mall. The reunion served to remind people of the injustices that the internees experienced and to honor the many who have died as well as the survivors. Never forget!

rise: blood hunter

Also in theaters this weekend in super limited release: Rise: Blood Hunter, starring Lucy Liu as a investigative reporter-turned-bloodthirsty vampire, hell-bent on getting revenge on the vampire cult that made her this way. According to the website, it's currently playing in theaters in Minneapolis, Phoenix and Seattle, on its way to video bin obscurity. Honestly, it looks pretty crappy. But at least Lucy gets to hold a crossbow.

vote for dawen

One last push of support for musician Dawen Wang, who is currently embroiled a fierce showdown of talent, will, and internet votes as finalist in the Starbucks-93XRT Avant-Grande Music Competition in Chicago. Okay, it's not really that dramatic, but the winner will get their music aired on 93XRT. That would be a huge deal for an indie Asian American artist like Dawen. He's got a great sound, with something to say, so it would be nice to see him win. Listen to samples of his music here. Then vote for him here. You have until Sunday, June 3rd.

new immigration bill threatens asian families

Here's an article in the San Francisco Chronicle on immigration changes being proposed in Congress, and what they mean for Asian families in the United States (it's not good): Asians frustrated, angry over immigration plan. Here's another one from the New York Times, about the bill's impact on New York City: Overhaul of Immigration Law Could Reshape New York

If you recall, I first wrote about this back in April: stop the new asian exclusion act. Basically, the latest immigration bill includes provisions to remove certain family-based immigration categories completely, taking away the right of legal immigrants to sponsor their relatives to join them. The thing is, this will dramatically affect Asian communities, since the majority of people who apply for visas under family sponsorship are families from Asian countries. According to the Office of Immigration Statistics, the Asian American community is the second largest group of immigrants who enter the United States through family sponsorship or by being immediate relatives of American citizens. As it stands now, there's a sever backlog of family-based visas, espcially for families from China, India, Mexico and the Philippines—some waiting over 20 years to reunite with their family members. This immigration bill being considered by the Senate will continue to keep families apart.

If you feel strongly about this, there are some steps you can take to get involved. Learn about campaigns from the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Asian American Justice Center, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Asian Law Caucus. Stop this immigration proposal from moving forward!

wingmen, a comedy about asian guys in america

Marie Yuen tells me that Wingmen, "a new comedy about Asian guys in America," has been officially accepted in the Chicago Comedy TV Pilot Competition, and will be one of the pilots featured at the 10th Annual Chicago Shorts and Video Film Festival this summer. Basically, Wingmen is a TV series they've been developing for a while, with the hopes of the getting a positive depiction out there of Asian guys as regular dudes. At this point, they're doing what they can to raise money and get the word out there about this project... and hopefully turn it into something that goes beyond just one episode. To learn more about the show, go here. And follow Marie's updates here.

michigan's vietnamese americans celebrate the flag

After several years of lobbying, the Michigan Legislature recently made the decision to let the flag of South Vietnam represent Michigan's Vietnamese American community and their contributions to the state: State's recognition of banner from S. Vietnam pleases crowd. It may not sound like much, but the symbol means a great deal to the community. Other states that recognize the South Vietnamese flag as the flag of their Vietnamese communities include Ohio, Minnesota, Georgia, Texas and Colorado.

david henry hwang's yellow face

David Henry Hwang's new play Yellow Face recently opened at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and runs through July 1st. It sounds pretty intriguing, a satire with a real-life twist: David Henry Hwang's Yellow Face Opens in Los Angeles May 20

Although he does not appear in the play, Hwang (M. Butterfly) has written himself into his "wild satire," which begins with his backstage realization (at a Broadway flop - likely inspired by 1993's Face Value) that "a white actor had been unknowingly cast in the role of an Asian, which is especially embarrassing for Hwang, who had led the Asian-American protest when a Welsh actor was cast as a Eurasian in the 1991 Broadway opening of Miss Saigon." The work explores "racial identity versus cultural identity, issues of artistic and journalistic integrity and the very nature of reality."

The play sounds like it juggles a wide range of issues and ideas with an intelligent sense of humor. It's been getting some pretty good reviews from all over, including the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Los Angeles CityBeat and Variety. I hope I get to see it at some point...

the guy who's never seen star wars

You might have heard that last week marked the 30th anniversary of the original Star Wars movie opening in theaters. Geeks rejoice. Few can deny the immense worldwide impact George Lucas' epic sci-fi saga has had on popular culture. Hell, I'll proudly proclaim my lifelong love of the original trilogy, even though the prequels sucked ass... But here's one guy who cannot profess such love. Meet Eddie Wong, a guy claims to have seen Star Wars approximately zero times. Never. Not once, from start to finish: What's "Star Wars" Again? This Guy Never Saw It. He's never seen it! But it's definitely not an Asian thing, because, dude, look at the photo above. That's eleven-month old Jada Chow at opening day of "Star Wars Celebration IV" last weekend. Parents, don't do things like this to your children.

hate crime against sikh student in queens

Two Pakistani students at Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens, stand accused of pulling off the turban and cutting the hair of a 15-year-old Sikh student in a school bathroom after a verbal altercation. Police are calling the attack a hate crime:

According to Mr. Kelly, the Sikh student and a Pakistani student got into an argument, and the young Sikh student apologized after making an insult. However, the apology was not accepted, Mr. Kelly said, and the Pakistani student said, "To apologize appropriately, you will have to cut your hair." The Pakistani student dragged the Sikh student into the bathroom and, with two other students standing watch outside, tore off the Sikh’s turban, and cut his hair, Mr. Kelly said. After the Sikh student filed a complaint, the Pakistani student was charged with hate crime and menacing, Mr. Kelly said.

Umair Ahmed, 17, was charged last week with two counts under hate crime statutes: unlawful imprisonment and menacing. He was also was charged with aggravated harassment, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon. More here: Cops: Sikh Student Victim Of Hate Crime. It's pretty appalling. This wasn't just a prank—it was a vicious attack on this kid's fundamental beliefs. If convicted, Ahmed could face up to seven years in prison.

the anna mae he situation

Of all the news stories I've seen over the last few years while running this site, the Anna Mae He custody battle is probably one of the most heartbreaking. All along, it's simply been a situation where nobody really wins, and worst of all, poor Anna Mae has been caught in the middle. Last week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Paul Stevens turned down what was probably the Bakers' last hope, turning down a bid for an emergency stay of the ruling that Anna Mae must be reunited with her biological parents: Anna Mae Custody Battle Nears End. I'm bothered by this article, because it really seems heavily skewed in favor of the Bakers—the white, wealthy American family who have so many people convinced that they'll ensure Anna Mae a better life. That might even be true. But like I've said from the beginning of all this, I've been astounded and angered by the stubbornness of the Bakers, and their selfish unwillingness to sympathize with Jack and Casey He's situation.

The Bakers have appealed the ruling, but at this point it's considered pretty useless: Anna Mae He's Foster Parents Petition U.S. Supreme Court. Now Anna Mae is eight years old, and will inevitably have to be handed over to her rightful, biological parents... but separated from the only family she's ever known. Who really suffers here? Oh, there's going to be trauma, and it's going to be ugly. Like I said, nobody really wins.

charlyne yi and ken jeong in knocked up

Here's a profile on comic/actress Charlyne Yi, who makes her feature film debut as "Jodi" in the comedy Knocked Up, opening in theaters today: Charlyne Yi is sitting pretty. I'm not familiar with her act, but according to the article, she's apparently a pretty hot name on LA's alternative comedy circuit. She sounds like a pretty funny lady. Her small part in Knocked Up is "the stoner girlfriend of an uber-slacker." I have no idea what she is doing in the above photo from the movie (on the right), but it looks funny. [UPDATE: She is really funny in this clip.]

Also in Knocked Up, there's good old Ken Jeong playing Dr. Kuni, delivering the great miracle of life. Here's a hilarious deleted scene featuring Dr. Ken from the movie:

That's right, he said smegma.