guest post: su*per*he*ro

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Jerry Ma talking about comic books.

su·per·he·ro
Spelled[soo-per-heer-oh] - noun, plural -roes.
a hero, esp. in children's comic books and television cartoons, possessing extraordinary, often magical powers.

Comic books... often thought of as a hobby for "fanboys" or "nerds." Generally, comic books are looked at as a hobby to be embarrassed about. Not too many guys are bragging about their comic book collections the same way you see meat heads brag about their "fantasy" football teams.

I have such a strong respect and appreciation for the comic book medium. Especially the artists, as I've always dreamt of being one. I still remember sitting in the back of my father's art supply store with my two brothers huddled around the latest issue of Power Man and Iron Fist. Being able to create and tell a story visually was and still is amazing to me. Comic artists are the most underrated artists around. They're often looked upon as guys that draw muscled freaks in spandex. When people don't realize that is such a small part of being a comic artist.

angry reader of the week: clara c

Hello, friends. It's time to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is singer/songwriter Clara C.

guest post: teaching leaders to understand social media

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Kathy Khang and her half-read book review of Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li.

I grew up believing that taking advantage of the very best education money and hours of studying could get you was the key to the Asian American dream. There's no doubt a strong education remains key but an Ivy League degree isn't the only key. The world of social technology - the development and use of - is changing the way leadership and social power works.

So I was thrilled to pick up a copy of Charlene Li's fairly new book, Open Leadership: How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead. In the business world, the gurus are by and large men of a paler shade. It's been said of novelists that they subconsciously assume the race or ethnicity of their readers and characters. If you read enough leadership books, you may say the same about those authors as well. Just add gender to the mix.

poetry spoken here: projekt newspeak slam 2010

What's up poetry people? My friends at Project NewSpeak have been hard at work putting together the 4th annual Projekt NewSpeak SLAM, a spectacular night of spoken word and music featuring the likes of Beau Sia, Connie Lim, Kristina Wong, Poetri, Ruby Ibarra and Tony Nguyen. It's happening Saturday, September 25 in at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. Here are some more details:

guest post: eat food. not too much. mostly chinese.

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Lynn Chen talking about Chinese food.

Whenever asked what type of cuisine I would want if trapped on a deserted island (this question surprisingly comes up a lot) I answer without hesitation: "CHINESE." After all, I spent the first half of my life consuming the stuff and never got sick of it. Yet in the last year that I've been food blogging, I noticed that I rarely eat it. Probably because I've been unimpressed with most restaurants in Los Angeles, other than driving 45 minutes out to San Gabriel or Monterey Park.

And the sad truth is, I don't make it at home. My favorite dishes have meat in them, and since my husband is a vegetarian, I don't cook carnivorously. I'm afraid to stock my pantry with Sichuan Peppercorns, Cooking Wine, and Star Anise since I eat out a lot and don't want it to go bad, and waste limited cupboard space. I don't own a wok. I fear that if I can't do it "authentically," I can't do it at all -- why subject the world to another "stir fry" made from leftover duck sauce packets mixed with soy sauce?

The times when my blog readers get to see a lot of Chinese food is when I visit my parents in NJ, which, sadly, isn't very often (the last time was a video I made for Christmas in 2009). So when I recently spent time a week with them, I requested some recipes -- hopefully this will inspire me to get cooking back in LA!

Guest Post: The Ballad of Chol Soo Lee

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Oliver Wang on "The Ballad of Chol Soo Lee."

On a recent visit back to the Bay Area, I stopped by my favorite record store on the planet, the Groove Merchant, and waiting for me was this 7" called "The Ballad of Chol Soo Lee." The store's owner, "Cool" Chris Veltri knows I have a thing for Asian American records and this was practically an uber-example.

Here's "The Ballad of Chol Soo Lee." And here's a scan of the back cover, complete with lyrics and credits.

fierce fashion fun: audrey's night out 2010

This is for my fashion-and-fun-minded people in Southern California... Audrey Magazine presents its third annual Audrey's Night Out 2010, "an evening of fashion and fantasy and fun."

But it's not just for celebrities and fashion aficionados -- the whole community is invited, and that includes you. It's happening Thursday, September 23 at the Petersen Automotive Museum's Pavilion in Los Angeles. Here's some more information:

guest post: random big phony

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Bobby Choy aka Big Phony with some random-ass stuff.

I was having a hard time coming up with something interesting to write about. I ended up with this short post.

guest post: dear metrodad

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Pierre Kim, aka MetroDad with advice for the younger generation.

Since our favorite Angry Asian Man has decided to take a visit to the mother continent, he asked me whether I'd be interested in writing a guest post in his absence. Since Phil has always been such a great supporter of my site, MetroDad.com, I couldn't turn him down.

My own personal blog deals primarily with the subject of being a single 41-year-old Korean-American parent in New York City. This probably resonates with... hmm, none of you!

However, for some reason, I do seem to have a sizable younger Asian and Asian-American readership. At least several times a week, I'll get e-mails from younger people asking me for my advice. Some of it is serious. Some of it is frivolous. However, most tend to be like the ones below...

caam summer screening: howl's moving castle, september 19

San Franciscoooooo. Our friends at the Center for Asian American Media have partnered up with the Japantown Merchants Association to present free outdoor screening of Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle. It's happening Sunday, September 19 at Japantown Peace Plaza. Here are some more details:

guest post: the "don scene"

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Parry Shen on Ken Leung's infamous "Don Scene."

There are some movies in my collection that never fail to raise an eyebrow whenever guests come over to the house. Below are a few such examples and along with them, my impassioned and often nonsensical justifications I blurt out for each:

THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) - "Are you kidding me?! Milla Zovovich is adorable as the vulnerable yet ass-kicking savior of the world! One of Luc Besson's best female characters ever -- 'Multee-Pass'!!"

FREQUENCY (2000) - "Oh, come on! James Caviezel prevents his Dad's death by communicating to him from the future but in doing so, gets his mom murdered! He needs to help his Dad stop it from happening while being 30 years in the future -- imagine doing what Marty McFly had to do but without the DeLorean!!"

THE CUTTING EDGE (1992) - "What's not to like about an ex-hockey player pairing up with a feisty, figure skater!? This odd couple is perfect for each other but they just can't see it! They even attempt the never been done, death-defying, Pamchenko Twist to win the nationals (do you even know how dangerous that is?!) 'TOEPICK'!!"

BOUNCE (2000) - "Not mine... my wife's."

And then there's KEEPING THE FAITH (2000) -- a film starring Ben Stiller and Edward Norton (respectively as a Rabbi and Priest) who both fall in love with their childhood gal pal (Jenna Elfman).

Overall, there's nothing remarkable about the movie. But the sole reason I proudly own this disc is what occurs at the 1:07 mark: The "DON SCENE."

guest post: k-town's groundbreaking reality show

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Eddie Kim addressing questions and concerns about the upcoming K-Town reality show.

Seo Taiji. Roora. Turbo. Jinusean. Yoo Seung Joon.1TYM. JYP. Rain. Hyori. BoA. Seven. Big Bang. 2NE1. Wonder Girls. SNSD. 2PM. Jaybeom. Flamingo. Mega. Velfarre. Le Prive. Karnak. VR. Le Cercle. Hodori. BCD. Albehneh. El Taurino. McDonald's on 7th and Western where ahjushis (old Korean dads and grandpas) squat and play Badook (a hardcore othello game that I still can't figure out how to play). K-Town thugs with zero fades and Dickies pants. K-Town girls with blonde hair and cigarettes. Korean ahjummas with visors the size of umbrellas. The local K-Town ahjushi SPART police patrolling at Jangtuh, the K-Town Festival. Hannam Chain. Kim's Jungee, the store where literally you can find everything in this universe! Third Street Elementary. John Burroughs. LA High; if you survived that school, then for sure you are gangsta! KP. Champion. The Arcade on 6th and Alexandria. Sticker pictures. Intercrew. Renaissance. Bohemian. Mazinga. Café Bleu. Gaam. White. Rosen. Bobo's. Olympic. Vermont. Western. Wilshire. This is where you can never forget April 29, 1992 when K-Town was up in flames! But more importantly, when Korean Americans young and old flooded the streets in demonstration for peace. Korean American Day. World Cup - Be the Reds! K.W. Lee. Sammy Lee. Colonel Young Oak Kim. Angela Oh. Chan Ho Park when he did the famous drop kick during his Dodger days. Margaret Cho. John Cho. Sandra Oh. Ken Jeong. Daniel Dae Kim. KYCC. KAC. KHEIR. KASCON. Chongdae. KoreAm Journal. Kollaboration. Projekt NewSpeak. Angry Asian Man. Far*East Movement...and now THE K-TOWN REALITY SHOW!

This is the world I grew up in. I graduated from UC Berkeley, worked for several years in U.S. politics, and wildly ended up in entertainment. As you can see, I am no stranger to K-Town, community empowerment, and the media. It's from this framework that I understand the community, and now I am one of the 4 producers of the most talked about reality show of this year: the K-Town reality show.

A lot of interviews, articles, opinion pieces, and facebook comments have been made about this show. The producers (Tyrese Gibson, Mike Le, Eugene Choi, and myself) and the cast have made a number of public statements through some of these articles. However, I couldn't help but relent to Angry Asian Man's request to write on his blog. I will, once again, address some of the questions that the community has posed and commented about.

clara c album release party at hotel cafe, september 24

I've been really looking forward to the release of Clara C's debut album... and it's almost here! I've marked my calendar for next week's official Clara C Record Release Party. It's happening Friday, September 24 at The Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. Here are some more details about the show:

guest post: the call of the mall

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Konrad Ng on canonizing Asian America.

I am grateful to Phil for inviting me to mind the blog for one posting during his trip. He wrote, "you can write about whatever you want" but to "please keep in mind, my mom reads my blog." I smiled.

Note to Angry Asian Man mom: Please be proud of your Angry Asian Man son! He is a good man.


During the Labor Day weekend, two news items could have been flagged
as being achievements for Asian American. The New York Times
published a piece about the rise of Asian Americans in the world of fashion design and Sonya "the Black Widow" Thomas, a woman of Korean descent, was crowned the 2010 U.S. Chicken Wing Eating champion.


OK, Sonya Thomas's ascent in the world of competitive eating, though amusing, may not be the best example of an Asian American accomplishment that will have lasting and widely reverberating cultural impact but the article about fashion designers Richard Chai, Jason Wu and Alexander Wang makes me wonder about the labor of canonizing Asian America.

guest post: why korematsu day is important

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Ling Woo Liu on the legacy of Fred Korematsu.

Who were your heroes when you were growing up? Think back to your high school or college days. What posters did you hang on your bedroom walls? Maybe pictures of singers and bands, movies and actors and perhaps some scantily-clad eye candy. Now, think again: how many people in those images looked like you or represented something that you believed in?

Last month, the Fred Korematsu Day bill was passed by the California legislature after a series of unanimous votes. It's now on the desk of Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has until Sept. 30 to sign the bill into law. If passed, this will be one of the first days officially named after an Asian American/Pacific Islander or hell, after any ethnic minority in the US! With all of the days that come and go, from federal holidays such as Memorial Day and Labor Day to not-so-official commemorations like Groundhog Day and Earth Day, why should we add Fred Korematsu Day to the list of days we celebrate?

guest post: fuck joel stein!

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here is Hari Kondabolu taking on Joel Stein.

In July, as many of you might remember, TIME magazine columnist Joel Stein wrote a terribly racist column concerning the Indian residents of Edison, New Jersey called "My Own Private India." The article offended a large percentage of the South Asian community, except sell-outs and those whose inability to read English spared them the frustration of experiencing something so unfunny that you almost forget how racist it is.

Adding to the pile of responses, and death threats, are the Kondabolu Brothers (Hari, a comedian, and Ashok, "Dap" from Das Racist) during their talk show "The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Project" last month in New York City.

cross post: fall 2010 tv season preview

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's an excerpt, cross-posted with permission, from Racebending.com's Fall 2010 TV Season Preview.

The Fall TV Season always brings in new shows, and this fall, shows that feature actors of color are featuring them in innovative ways. There's an Afro-Cuban president, and a Latino Supreme Court Justice. Two spy shows both feature actors of color as the titular leads!

Despite these advances, Ray Bradford, the national director for equal employment opportunities at the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) describes the Fall 2010 television season as "really troubling." "What I'm seeing is, with a few exceptions, not only shows that are predominately Caucasian with a smattering of minorities, primarily black or Asian in some roles; I'm seeing primarily Caucasian shows period," Bradford said. "So while for each quarter you may have a handful of African Americans or Asians or Latinos, the bulk of the work in these shows is white."

Some shows stick to formula, using actors of color in key roles, but still orbiting the white, male, featured lead. But we hope that the shows that are willing to take risks will do really well this fall and encourage more network television studios to offer equal opportunities to actors of color.

Here, Racebending.com takes a look at some of Fall 2010's diverse network television offerings. Thankfully, these are not the only shows this fall that will feature people of color in key roles!

guest post: going green the wong way

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Kristina Wong on being carless in Los Angeles.

For two years I've been doing something that horrifies people to no end. I've been living without a car. In Los Angeles.

For those of you who live in San Francisco or New York, or any other compact city that was not urban planned by a drunk person as Los Angeles was, let me give you an idea of what I'm up against sans wheels:
San Francisco is 47 square miles. Manhattan is 22 square miles. Philadelphia is 135 square miles. Los Angeles is 498 square miles!

498 square miles? That's a lot of silicone breast implants!

guest post: who's allowed to be angry?

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Brian Hu on being angry and Asian. Or not.

With Angry Asian Man on vacation, we should use this opportunity to talk about what he stubbornly refuses to discuss. That's right. Himself. And what it means to be angry, Asian, and male. Sure, he throws in the usual autobiographical asides, but I'm more interested in the cracks in psyches, the windows unto furnaces of rage. (Especially because Angry Asian Man appears so lovable in person!)

Last week, we got a peek. In a somewhat throwaway post, we sense a frustration that some might associate with a loss of composure. It was the day after James J. Lee took hostages at the Discovery Communications building, and Angry Asian Man decided to share a racist email he received in the aftermath of the incident, the sort of knee-jerk bigotry he typically chooses not to dignify with a reaction.

I feel weird giving the email sender (name: "Dirty Hippie") any more credence by analyzing him/her, but I can't escape one line in particular: "learn to control your anger." The "you" is directed to the email recipient (Angry Asian Man), to possible future killers and hostage-takers of Asian descent, and to the Asian American community more generally.

guest post: kindness over genius

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's spoken word artist Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai with exclusive video of her poem, "Kindness Over Genius."

angry reader of the week: yul kwon

Gather 'round, because it is time to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Yul Kwon, who you might recognize from Survivor: Cook Islands. (He won.)

guest post: a new school year begins at south philly high

I'm on vacation! Taking a much-needed break. But don't worry. While I'm away, I've enlisted some great guest bloggers to keep things going around here. Here's Helen Gym of Asian American United talking about what's going on at South Philadelphia High.

Last week, I got my children ready for their first days of school - buying uniforms and supplies, planning lunch meals, and rushing through the waning days of summer. I also helped get another set of students ready for school but in a far different way.

SASA (South Phila. High Asian Student Advocates) - which includes the core organizations and individuals who have been actively working with students and families at the school around anti-Asian/anti-immigrant harassment - conducted a three-hour training for nearly 40 incoming students to South Philadelphia High School. (Read more about it here.)

It was a deeply moving event, with students and adults sharing their experiences of harassment, intimidation and even violence. It was a safe place, where students could express their fears and frustrations and ask questions. And it was an empowering space - co-led by current and former students who had challenged the District to fulfill its responsibility to stop the abuse of Asian immigrant youth.

It was a sobering event. We reviewed a list of racial slurs so new immigrant students would recognize them if they heard them; students witnessed a role play in the school cafeteria about harassment acted out by student organizers - observers were then asked how they would respond if they were the victims or bystanders; we went through steps about what to do if they were harassed or hurt at school. They went home with translated safety pamphlets.

And we went home with our prayers for a better school year.

angry asian vacation

All right, everybody. I'm long overdue for a much-needed vacation, so that's starting... now. I'm off to partake in some food, fun and adventures in Hong Kong and Seoul for a couple of weeks. But do not worry! I'm not leaving you lost and lonely. The blog goes on!

Don't go anywhere, because I've enlisted a bunch of cool guest bloggers to share some unique wisdom and insight here while I'm away. Lots of great stuff coming from a bunch of different, interesting folks. A big thank you in advance to all great friends and colleagues who graciously agreed to share.

So here I go. Barring any spectacular emergencies, I respectfully ask that everyone please refrain from emailing me stuff for the next few weeks. I won't be checking email regularly, and my in-box tends to get clogged up pretty quickly. So if it's not a pressing matter, hold off. Thanks! See ya on the flip side.

plate by plate san francisco/bay area, september 18

Mark your calendars, hungry people. Next week, Project By Project San Francisco will host its 1st annual tasting benefit, Plate by Plate San Francisco/Bay Area benefiting APA Family Support Services.

It's a huge-ass tasting event featuring food stations for the top restaurants and chefs from all over the Bay Area. It's happening Saturday, September 18 at Terra. Here are some more details:

ali wong headlining comix comedy club, september 10

If you're in New York, funny gal Ali Wong is headlining Comix Comedy Club this Friday, September 10. She'll be performing two shows, along with some special guests. Here's some more information:

clara c & sam ock collaborate: "little light"

Loving this. In honor of another round of awesome and successful International Secret Agents concerts, last year's ISA/JCPenney winner Clara C teamed up with this year's winner Sam Ock, for an original collaboration: "Little Light." It's a really nice track. Check out this video of Clara and Sam doing their thing:

where is the outcry over floyd mayweather's racist remarks?

Here's a good ESPN commentary examining the controversy over Floyd Mayweather's racist, homophobic tirade against Manny Pacquiao last week. And by controversy, I mean the complete lack thereof: Where's Floyd Mayweather Jr. outcry? Here's my favorite part:

in theaters this friday: fool for love (de mai tinh)

This weekend, you do not want to see Resident Evil: Afterlife. Forget that. Instead, go see the Vietnamese romantic comedy -- Vietnam's number one hit of the year -- Fool For Love (De Mai Tinh), directed by Charlie Nguyen and starring Dustin Nguyen and Kathy Uyen. It opens in select cities this Friday, September 10 from Wave Releasing. Here's the trailer:

it's team jumba!

In this video, KevJumba confirms that yes, he and his dad are indeed competing on The Amazing Race. Thus, they must prepare for the challenge. Team Wu! No... Team Jumba! Since that's what everyone on the internet is already calling them. Season 17 of The Amazing Race premieres on Sunday, September 26. Mark your calendars.

apply for the caam fellowship program

Here's a really awesome opportunity for young filmmakers... The Center for Asian American Media introduces the CAAM Fellowship Program, connecting young, talented individuals with leading media professionals in the field.

Selected fellows will get a mentor of their choosing, professional guidance, a two-day retreat, and participation in a producer's workshop. Here's some more information:

9500 liberty to air on mtv networks

This is great news... Today, MTV Networks announced that it will be airing Eric Byler and Annabel Park's critically acclaimed documentary 9500 Liberty on several of its cable channels later this month.

new music: "lumiere" by blue scholars

Another fresh cut from Blue Scholars. The track is "Lumiere," flipping an instrumental from The Xx. Great stuff. Download the song for free here.

Here's a little bit of background on how the song came into being: NEW MUSIC: Lumière (by Blue Scholars AKA us). This explains nothing while explaining everything. For more from Blue Scholars, go to their website here.

homefront video game: this is what the north korean occupation will look like

Got this from a reader who happens to be an actor... He received an audition for an internet ad campaign for the video game Homefront, which imagines an oppressive North Korean occupation of the United States. These are actual sides for the audition:

the greatest action sequence in the history of modern cinema

Saw this kickass video here... I've watched it like six times now. It's got everything -- a helicopter, a jeep, a beautiful woman, a bearded man, and a machete. If my research is correct, it's a scene from the 2009 movie Magadheera. And it is quite possibly the greatest action sequence in the history of modern cinema.

house race gets ugly: who's really playing "the race card"?

Things getting ugly in the House race for Pennsylvania's Sixth Congressional District... Last week, a spokesman for the Republican incumbent, Representative Jim Gerlach, accused the Democratic challenger, Manan Trivedi, who is Indian Ameircan, of playing "the race cared" by "going to Indian American groups to raise money": In Pennsylvania, a 'Race Card' Accusation.

east west players presents mysterious skin

Starting this week, East West Players' presents the Los Angeles premiere of Mysterious Skin by Prince Gomolvilas, directed by Tim Dang, and adapted from the novel by Scott Heim. You might also be aware of the 2004 film adaptation by Gregg Araki. The play runs September 9 through October 10 at the David Henry Hwang Theater in Little Tokyo. Here's some more information:

stupid restaurant name: me soo hungry

This is an actual Chinese restaurant that will opening soon in Long Beach, California. Really? This was best name you could come up with? If I'm rolling through Belmont Shore, and I see this sign, I'm not going anywhere near this place. (Thanks, Marlon.)

pakistani officials leave in protest after airport interrogation

Just caught up on this news... Last week, a delegation of senior Pakistani military officials visiting the United States for a major defense conference headed home in protest after they said they were interrogated and rudely treated by security officials at Dulles International Airport: Pakistani officials leaving in protest.

The trouble started when one of the delegates, after a long, weary day of traveling, made a comment something to the effect of "I hope this is my last flight." This apparently spooked a flight attendant, who got the delegation pulled off the plane:

morrissey calls chinese people "a subspecies"

Morrissey described the people of China as "a subspecies." The outspoken former Smiths frontman, who is a longtime vegetarian and animal rights advocate, doesn't think very highly of Chinese people: Morrissey: Chinese People Are A 'Subspecies'. His comments appeared in an interview with Guardian Weekend:

asian american climb the fashion ladder

New York Fashion Week begins on Thursday. Over the weekend, the New York Times ran front-page story on the growing number of promising new designers who are of Asian descent -- representing an important demographic shift on Seventh Avenue: Asian-Americans Climb Fashion Industry Ladder.

Significant, up-and-coming designers include Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Thakoon Panichgul, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim and Derek Lam -- names that are increasingly likely to represent the future of fashion. So where are all these Asian designers coming from? And why's it all happening now?

doctor arrested for illegally prescribing pain medication

Asians behaving badly... prescription drug scam edition! Last week in Los Angeles, Dr. Zhiwei Lin was arrested for allegedly prescribing pain medication to homeless people who didn't need the drugs: L.A. doctor arrested for allegedly prescribing painkillers to homeless people who didn't need them.

Authorities believe the people were recruited and paid for Vicodin prescriptions that were turned over to drug dealers who sold them by the pill at a huge markup. Lin is set to be arraigned Friday on five counts of illegally prescribing drugs, misdemeanors each punishable by up to a year in County Jail and a $20,000 fine:

mayweather "apologizes" for racist rant against pacquiao

Shortly after making a profanity-filled racist rant against rival Manny Pacquiao on uStream, boxer Floyd Mayweather took to the internet again to "apologize": Mayweather apologizes for racist tirade. The problem is, the apology is even worse:

the next big thing in urban hipster lit

The Associated Press has an interesting profile on author and "literary phenom" Tao Lin, whose net-savvy, buzzworthy style has apparently made him the next big thing in urban hipster lit: True stories invented: Tao Lin at work.

His latest novel, Richard Yates, is about a young New York writer and the New Jersey teen he meets online. The book's title is not to be confused with the author of Revolutionary, nor should his characters Haley Joel Osment and Dakota Fanning be confused with the child actors of the same name.

read these blogs

Culture Breach Exclusive: Jeremy Lin blog summit: In honor of Asian America's newest basketball hero, Jeremy Lin, the recently launched blog Culture Breach posted a pretty interesting blogger conversation between Oliver Wang, Jay Kang and Hua Hsu.

Pasadena Weekly Column Draws Criticism for "Racist Remarks": Joz writes about a recent column by Jim Laris in the Pasadena Weekly which seems to be an attempt at humor, but only comes off as unfunny and racist.

Asian Americans need just as much help as other minorities in education sector: When it comes to acquiring a college degree, there is a general assumption that Asian Americans do it best. Congressman Mike Honda explains why this assumption is both erroneous and dangerous.

this week's angriest post

Not really the angriest, just the most viewed.

• kevjumba (and his dad) on the amazing race season 17


• discovery hostage fallout: the hate mail begins


• gunman holds hostage in discovery channel building


• glee promo: tina + mike hook up?!


• welcome to the neighborhood: oregon family threatened with hate crime


• caught on tape: floyd mayweather's racist rant


• middle school only allows whites to be class president


• the education of a vietnamese writer


• what could have been: star trek: the next generation casting memo


• daughter of u.s. ambassador to thailand dies in window fall

Have a great Labor Day weekend, everybody.

another glee promo: charice is the "killer competition"

Yet another Glee promo. In this one, we get a brief glimpse of Filipino singing sensation Charice Pempengco, who will be making an already-much-publicized guest appearance on the show. We even get to hear a little bit of singing. Take a look:

happy valley hate crime threats are a hoax

Oh, you've got to be kidding me. Remember yesterday's news out of Oregon about the Huynh family, who were threatened with anonymous hate crime messages when they moved into their new neighborhood? Turns out, the whole thing was a hoax perpetrated by the family's 16-year-old son: Racial slurs, threats in Happy Valley actually planted by family's oldest son, police say.

The kid was apparently distraught by the family's recent move to Happy valley from Southeast Portland because he didn't want to be separated from his school friends. Yeah. So he pretended to be a racist psycho threatening to burn his own house down? This seriously bums me out.

clara c and jane lui: crazy ass album announcement

As I've expressed before, two of my favorite artists are Clara C and Jane Lui. Cool ladies with a lot of talent. They're both about to release new albums, and they want to tell you about it... so they made this video: Album Announcement!

I think it speaks for itself.

Freaking hilarious. The Art in My Heart by Clara C will be released on September 24. Pre-order it here. Goodnight Company by Jane Lui will be released on October 5. Get more info about it here.

community leaders express doubt about changes at south philly high

Earlier this week, we heard that the Department of Justice had "found merit" in the claims of Asian students who said they were targeted and abused at South Philadelphia High School. In response, district officials said they would work to change the situation.

"Change," however, is something community members have heard before, without seeing much of it. This week at a press conference, Asian American community leaders responded with doubt to the new programming planned for South Philly High:

angry reader of the week: david hou

Gather 'round, because it is time to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is self-professed workaholic David Hou.

the epic chinese traffic jam returns

Remember China's massive, nine-day-plus traffic jam from a couple of weeks ago? It's baaaaaaack. Yet another huge-ass traffic jam has blocked the same road linking Inner Mongolia to metropolitan Beijing: The Return of the China Traffic Jam.

According to Chinese media, more than 100 regional police officers manned the road in an effort to break the gridlock -- eleven days long and counting -- that has basically turned a 75-mile stretch of the Jingzang Highway into a 10,000-vehicle parking lot:

caught on tape: floyd mayweather's racist rant

Saw this on Huffington Post... Yesterday on Ustream, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. went on a racist and homophobic on-camera rant about Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao: Floyd Mayweather's Racist Rant Caught On Tape.

During the course of the video, Mayweather says that once he beats Pacquiao (whenever the hell that match finally happens), he'll force him to "make some sushi rolls and cook some rice" and "cook him with some cats and dogs."

Trash talk is trash talk. But racist trash talk is still racist. If this damn fight ever happens, I really look forward to seeing Manny beat Mayweather's ass.

fbi offering $10,000 reward in robbery cases targeting asians

So you know about the series of armed robberies that have been targeting Asian American-owned businesses in Pennsylvania. In eleven weeks there have been eleven home invasions and one burglary, and all the victims were Asians who own or operate businesses in West Philadelphia and Upper Darby.

Make no mistake: Asian American business owners are being targeted. And the authorities finally seem to be getting it. The FBI is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for the robberies: $10,000 reward in home invasion cases targeting Asians.

aaww presents bittersweet: flavor tripping book party for monique truong's bitter in the mouth

This sounds cool... Next week, the Asian American Writers' Workshop invites you to a Flavor Tripping Book Party in celebration of Monique Truong's second novel Bitter in the Mouth, a story of family secrets, discovery, confession and revelation. It's Tuesday, September 7 at the Asian American Writers' Workshop. Here are some more details:

asian americans for equality's community development fellowship

Students! Here's a great opportunity to get involved within your community. In Flushing, Asian American for Equality recently announced its city-wide Community Development Fellowship Program which will train and engage college-aged youth to connect with careers in community development.

vote for your favorite aaiff short on dramafever

This is cool... Our friends at DramaFever and Asian CineVision have partnered up to showcase a selection of short films from the Asian American International Film Festival in New York. Check them out here.

From now until September 6, viewers can vote thumbs up or thumbs down for their favorite short films. DramaFever will add up the thumbs up, subtract the thumbs down, and the short film that has the best ranking will be featured on the front page of DramaFever for a week in September. Here's the list of films:

welcome to the neighborhood: oregon family threatened with hate crime

In Oregon, the FBI and local police are investigating a hate crime against an Asian American family who recently moved into a new house in Happy Valley: Vandals target Happy Valley family with racist graffiti, threaten to burn down their house. Here's a local news report:

glee promo: tina + mike hook up?!

Another Glee promo: Hook Ups. This one's just 22 seconds long... but it's a bit of a doozy. Is it me, or at the :02 mark are we seeing a bare-chested Mike Chang making out with Tina Cohen-Chang? I don't think my eyes are deceiving me. See for yourself:

suspect shot dead; linked to at least four murders

This has been all over the news in the Bay Area... In Vallejo, California, a murder suspect who led officers on a high-speed chase with his dead girlfriend in the passenger seat is a central figure in the investigation of at least four killings: Dead suspect may be linked to 4 slayings in Calif.

38-year-old Efren Valdemoro was shot and killed by California High Patrol officers Tuesday night after refusing to drop a meat cleaver. Inside the car, officers found the dead body of Valdemoro's girlfriend, Cindy Tran. He had apparently kidnapped her earlier that day. And that's only the beginning:

photo: kal penn at the dmz

Something about this photo, posted on Kal Penn's Twitter, amuses me. The actor we know and love as Kumar is currently visiting U.S. troops with the USO in South Korea. If I'm correct, this photo was taken at the DMZ between the North and South. It looks like he's up to some mischief. Do not mess with that soldier, Kalpen.

discovery hostage fallout: the hate mail begins

...aaaand the hate mail begins. A word about the hostage situation that went down yesterday at the Discovery Channel building in Maryland. When something like that happens, and the perpetrator's Asian face is flashed all over the news, I brace myself for inevitable emails I receive from assbrained idiots who want to take their racist frustrations out on somebody. Like this guy:

smtown live '10 world tour in los angeles

This is for all you K-pop fans in Los Angeles (and I know you're out there)... This Saturday, AEG Live, SM Entertainment and Powerhouse present the SMTown Live '10 World Tour, featuring BoA, Kangta, U Know, Max, Super Junior, Girls' Generation, SHINee, f(x), TRAX and other artists. It's happening September 4 at the Staples Center. Here are some more details:

jin: bilingual beats, rhymes and life

Here's a cool Wall Street Journal piece on Jin, and what the Chinese American emcee has been up to these days (hanging out in Hong Kong, finding God, building an acting career, still making cool music... in English and Cantonese): Chinese-American Rapper MC Jin Discovers God, Cantonese.

refugee families face homelessness in the united states

This is a heartbreaking article in The Seattle Times about increasing numbers of refugee families -- displaced people from war-torn parts of the world -- who are finding their way to the United States only to face homelessness all over again: Refugees face homelessness all over again in U.S.

first glee season two promo

It's been kind of a crappy day. How about some singing. Vulture's got the first promo for the second season of Glee. We don't get to see too much of Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina, or Harry Shum Jr. as Mike... but it's Glee. And a lot of people love this show. So here's a 30-second taste of what's coming up:

gunman holds hostage in discovery channel building

DAMMIT. Police in Maryland are responding to a hostage situation after reports that a man with a handgun entered the Discovery Channel headquarters building and fired at least one shot: Police respond to hostage situation at downtown Silver Spring building.

The suspect is being described as an Asian male.

kevjumba (and his dad) on the amazing race season 17

CBS has announced the lineup for the new season of The Amazing Race, and yes there are Asians in the cast. And holy crap, it's KevJumba and his dad. I am not lying. 58-year-old Michael and 20-year-old Kevin Wu, of YouTube fame, are going to be contestants on the 17th season of the popular reality show: 'The Amazing Race': Meet the new cast. Take a look:

case-mate commercial: now with weird, floating asians!

Check out this creepy, weird-ass commercial from Case-mate promoting its new iPhone and iPad case: Case-mate will freak you out with iPhone case commercials. I'm not really sure how it compels you to buy one of these ugly-looking cases, but take a look:

man charged in hate crime assault of sikh convenience store clerk

In Seattle, a man is facing assault and hate crime charges for accosting a Sikh convenience store clerk last week. 35-year-old Brock Stainbrook is accused of calling the victim a terrorist then attacking him: Seattle man attacked shopkeeper, calls victim a terrorist.