Honouliuli Internment Camp declared National Monument

"A monument to a painful part of our history so that we don't repeat the mistakes of the past."



Last week, President Obama announced the creation of three new National Monuments across the country, including the Honouliuli National Monument in Hawaii, where Japanese American citizens, resident immigrants, and prisoners of war were held captive during World War II.

President Obama announced the new designation along with the launch of the "Every Kid in a Park" initiative, providing all fourth grade students and their families with free admission to National Parks and other federal lands and waters for a full year. Honouliuli National Monument will help tell the difficult story of the internment camp's impact on the Japanese American community and the fragility of civil rights during times of conflict.

'Fresh Off The Boat' Episode Guide (106-108)

Asian American family sitcom airs Tuesdays at 8:00pm on ABC



Have you been watching Fresh Off The Boat? The very funny sitcom, featuring an Asian American family and inspired by the memoirs of renegade restaurateur/chef Eddie Huang, is a critical hit and has been decently kicking some ass in the ratings. The show airs Tuesday nights at 8:00pm on ABC.

Fresh Off The Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery and Ian Chen as Evan. Eddie Huang provides the voice over narration.

If you haven't had a chance to tune in, full previously aired episodes are available for free streaming on the ABC website, as well as Hulu. You can also purchase episodes of Fresh Off The Boat from iTunes.

Here's a preview of the upcoming episodes:

Jeremy Lin drops 25 points on the Boston Celtics

Jeremy came off the bench to lead the Lakers to a 118-111 victory in overtime.



While I was watching the stunningly bad, super white Oscars show last night, I should have changed channels to see Jeremy Lin turn in an awesome performance to help the Lakers beat the Celtics in an overtime victory.

Lakers stop 7-game losing streak with OT win over Celtics

Jeremy came off the bench to score a season-high 25 points, with 6 assists, to lead Los Angeles to a 118-111 overtime victory against their old rivals from Boston, snapping a seven-game losing streak.

Here's a fun video with Jeremy's game highlights from Sunday night:

Tom Cross wins Oscar for Best Film Editing for 'Whiplash'

Film beats out heavy favorites at the 87th Annual Academy Awards



There's been plenty of commentary about the Academy Awards' stunning lack of diversity. I won't add to that, except to say that it's pretty sad to find yourself looking in the blurry background of crowd shots during the Oscars broadcast to catch anything remotely resembling an Asian face, and cheering when a movie about a friggin' cartoon Asian boy and his robot take home the award for Best Animated Feature. That's me.

So I was jolted out of my sad Asianspotting stupor last night when Tom Cross, who is Vietnamese American, took home the Academy Award for editing for his work on the feature film Whiplash -- the movie's third Oscar of the evening -- beating out the category's heavy favorites Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Here's Tom Cross backstage on the official Oscars "Thank You Cam":

Read These Blogs

Hollywood's diversity problem beyond 'Selma': Asian, Latino stories are missing: "The Oscar nominees this year and most years, and the movie industry they represent, fall woefully short when it comes to mirroring American society and, increasingly, the moviegoing audience. And that's especially true when it comes to the fastest-growing racial group in the nation, Asians, and the largest minority group, Latinos."

* * *
The day Japanese Americans lost their rights: Thursday marked the 73rd anniversary of the day Franklin Delano Roosvelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcibly removing Japanese Americans from their homes and into concentration camps. Esther Toshiko Hirabayashi Furugori remembers camp life, and her brother, Gordon Hirabayashi, who questioned the constitutionality of the order and took his case to the Supreme Court.

* * *
Transgender grandchild: Rep. Mike Honda says 8-year-old's gender change not a phase: Congressman Mike Honda revealed that he is the "proud grandpa" of a 8-year-old transgender child after she asked him to speak out in support of people like her.

* * *
Asian immigrants less likely to seek deportation protection, data show: The number of Asian immigrants who apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is far less than those eligible.

* * *
Ai-jen Poo, MacArthur Fellow and Author of 'The Age of Dignity' on Caring for Our Elders: An interview with Ai-jen Poo, activist, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, co-director of Caring Across Generations, and author of The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Bloom in a Changing America.

Angry Reader of the Week: Mona Concepcion

"I was very good at school but not so much at adulthood."



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

Oh No! A turbaned, bearded Sikh dude is appearing across Facebook timelines talking about the Like feature. God save America!

Guest Post by Vishavjit Singh


https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=315051235363542
Having the first black president has not settled well with the digestive tracks of many a folks in this great union of ours. And now with the overlords at Facebook deciding to feature me, a turbaned and bearded American in one of its 30 second newsfeed tips spot, it is creating a rumble in the mental bowels of some folks across the social network. The ad first ran in November last year and now is doing expanded rounds of timelines across the U.S.

There is no instant cure for these maladies. Passage of time with repetitive dose of reality is the best prescriptive course.

I am taking the extra step to intervene with 20 of these fellow Americans who spoke their mind in response to my countenance.

May this serve as a mental balm to the sporadic outbreaks of visceral ailments.

I Am Being Threatened with an Angry Asian Lawsuit [UPDATED]

Thank you to all who have expressed support regarding this matter. This hasn't been easy for anyone involved. I'm trying to work out a way to resolve and de-escalate this dispute. In the meantime, I've taken down my original blog post as part of the resolution process. Frankly, I'm looking forward to getting back regular business.

Your patience and understanding are appreciated.

Join us for the "Fresh Off The Show" Online Post-Show

Tuesday, February 17 at 8:35pm PST after 'Fresh Off The Boat'



Hey, Fresh Off The Boat viewers! After you tune into Tuesday night's episode at 8:00pm on ABC, head over to the internets and join me and Jenny Yang for "Fresh Off The Show," the unofficial Fresh Off The Boat aftershow. We had so much fun last time, we're doing it again and making it a regular thing.

Join in on the conversation via Google Hangout, and use the hashtag #FreshOffTheShow, starting at 8:35pm Pacific Standard Time. You can hop on and watch us here right after the episode airs on the west coast:

This is how Forever 21 celebrates the Lunar New Year

Just add a rice paddy hat. Instant Oriental-ness!



Last week, we learned about the ill-conceived Lunar New Year-themed rice paddy hat display at the Bloomingdales at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. The store quickly removed the hats when somebody (or perhaps many somebodies) informed them that this was a bad idea. However, it seems that the rice paddy hat-wearing mannequin thing might be some kind of really unfortunate trend in Orange County.

Forever 21 at MainPlace Mall Rides the Rice Paddy Hat-Wearing Mannequin Trend

OC Weekly reports that the Forever 21 is the latest store to get down with the rice paddy hat trend. It's so hot right now. The above photo was snapped at the MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana. According to store employees, the hats were not their choice -- the display was apparently a decision from the corporate office.

Forever 21 is not known for its cultural sensitivity. Like I've said, what better way to celebrate the lunar new year than to dress up some mannequins with a handsome rice paddy hat? When you're just too lazy to bother with all the things, it serves as a convenient cultural shorthand. Instant Oriental-ness!

Happy Year of the Ram.

(Thanks, Gustavo.)

Hindu temple vandalized with hate graffiti

Swastika found spray-painted on the side of the Hindu Temple Cultural Center in Bothell, Washington.



What the hell, people? This is some upsetting news out of the Seattle area, where a local Hindu place of worship in Bothell was targeted and vandalized over the weekend with racist, threatening graffiti.

Hindu center vandalized with hate speech

One day before their celebration of the Great Night of Shiva, members of the Hindu Temple Cultural Center discovered a red swastika and the words "GET OUT" spray painted on the side of their building:

Read These Blogs

Off Color: What's A 'Good Asian' Like Jenny Yang Doing on Stage?: NBC's 'Off Color' series, which explores the intersection of race and comedy in Asian America, features our friend Jenny Yang, who left her upwardly mobile career as "a proper yuppie" to pursue standup comedy full-time.

* * *
What I Learned Trying to Write a Muslim-American Cop Show for HBO: Writer Wajahat Ali and Dave Eggers wanted to create a cop show about a three-dimensional, fully human character with an interesting job who just happened to be Muslim. Was television ready?

* * *
To the Mother of the Boy Who Bullied My Daughter: "I wonder if you know my truth? I wonder if you ever ponder my side, my daughter's side. I wonder if you know that I had contacted teachers, counselors, principles for six months before my eight-year-old daughter stood up in the middle of that class and told her peers she would no longer take it. Six months, before my daughter stopped playing the victim role handed her."

* * *
With no trademark, Sriracha name is showing up everywhere: David Tran, who operates his family-owned Huy Fong Foods out of a 650,000-square-foot facility in Irwindale, doesn't see his failure to secure a trademark for his Sriracha sauce as a missed opportunity. He says it's free advertising for a company that's never had a marketing budget.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.



1. This is how Bloomingdale's celebrates the Lunar New Year.
What a convenient cultural shorthand.

2. Steven Yeun and Conan Go to the Korean Spa
A painfully hilarious adventure of sweating, touching and nudity.

3. Police altercation leaves grandfather partly paralyzed
His apparent crime: going for a walk. And being brown.

4. Meet the new Top Chef!
Mei Lin and Greg Gourdet cooked their ass off in the finale of Bravo's culinary competition.

5. Angry Reader of the Week: Vivek Murthy
"I love empowering and connecting people so they can create positive change."

6. Alabama cop fired for assault on Indian grandfather
Police officer Eric Parker faces assault charges for severely injuring 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel.

7. What happened to the dash cam video in this police shooting?
Three minutes of crucial squad car footage have (in)conveniently gone missing.

8. Fatal plane crash likely caused by pilot taking selfies
29-year-old pilot Amritpal Singh and a passenger were killed in a crash near Denver.

9. Join us for the "Fresh Off The Air" Online Post-Show
Tuesday, February 10 at 9:05pm PST after 'Fresh Off The Boat'

10. Say what's on your heart with #MuslimVDay cards.
For love in the time of a racialized, islamophobia-ridden America.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

Fourteen Angry Years

It's this blog's birthday.



Good readers, today officially marks the anniversary of Angry Asian Man.

Fourteen years ago today, I pulled some knobs and hit return to upload the very first version of this blog. I didn't even know what I was doing was referred to as "blogging." I wasn't sure anyone would read it, and I sure as hell didn't think I'd have a following. But here we are fourteen years later. I've been working on this thing longer than I've worked on anything in my entire life. I wouldn't be here without you, my awesome readers.

Thank you. Thank you to everyone who has contributed a helpful link or a tip, or has sent a note of encouragement, or even crappy message of hate. You've fueled the fire that has kept me busting my ass to make this happen, year after year. Thank you to true community, both online and off, and all of the incredible relationships I've been able to forge along the way -- you are the best part of this whole thing.

Thank you to all of you readers, listeners, viewers, contributors, donors, collaborators, sharers, likers, retweeters, high-fivers, huggers, gift-givers and lovers. Thank you to everyone who's bought me a drink or shared a meal. Thank you to all who have shown kindness and support when I needed it, and even a little butt-kicking when I needed that too. Thank you to my family, who have shown me endless patience.

Fourteen years. I keep thinking I've done the math wrong -- I say this every year -- but that's what we've got. There are some big plans and changes coming up. I hope you'll stick with me into year fifteen. Stay Angry.

Angry Reader of the Week: Vivek Murthy

"I love empowering and connecting people so they can create positive change."



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

Alabama cop fired for assault on Indian grandfather

Police officer Eric Parker faces assault charges for severely injuring 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel.



In Alabama, the police officer responsible for severely injuring and putting an innocent man in the hospital, paralyzing him, has been fired from the Madison City Police Department and faces assault charges.

Alabama police fire, arrest the officer who badly injured Indian grandfather during sidewalk stop

Madison police officer Eric Parker was arrested for his use of force on 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, who was visiting from India and staying with his son's family. Mr. Patel, who does not speak English, was on an afternoon walk when he was stopped by police responding to a call about a "suspicious person."

Parker and other officers tried talking to Mr. Patel, but he communicate with them. When the officers tried patting him down, Patel put his hands in his pockets and pulled away. A video released by police shows an officer throwing Mr. Patel to the ground:

Hari Kondabolu: Jokes and Conversations

With Sabrina Jalees, Aparna Nancherla and Ali Wong - Tuesday, February 17 at NYU Kimmel Center



This is going to be awesome. If you're in New York, don't miss the chance to hang out with comedian Hari Kondabolu, the A/P/A Institute at NYU Artist-in-Residence, sitting down to chat with friends and fellow comedians Sabrina Jalees, Aparna Nancherla and Ali Wong. It's happening Tuesday, February 17 at the NYU Kimmel Center. Like I said: awesome.

Here are some more details about the event:

Bloomingdale's apologizes for Lunar New Year "hat" display

"The use of hats was in no way intended to be disrespectful or insensitive to the Asian culture..."



The other day I posted a photo of some mannequins spotted at the Bloomingdale's at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, they were decked out in some questionable headwear.

Many of you were not cool with this display, and were quick to contact the folks at Bloomingdale's to let them know how you felt. The hats were reportedly removed from the display immediately.

In fact, I received this message from the store's public relations representatives, with an apology:

Meet the new Top Chef!

Mei Lin and Greg Gourdet cooked their ass off in the finale of Bravo's culinary competition.



Longtime readers know that I'm a huge fan of Top Chef. Last night, the latest season of Bravo's hit cooking competition came to close with a heated showdown in Mexico between two serious kitchen contenders, finalists Mei Lin and Greg Gourdet. The two chefs were the season's early frontrunners, and as they whittled away the field, it became clear that this was going to be one hell of a finale. Who walked away on top?

Steven Yeun and Conan Go to the Korean Spa

A painfully hilarious adventure of sweating, touching and nudity.



It was an adventure that could only happen in Koreatown. The Walking Dead star Steven Yeun recently accompanied Conan O'Brien to film a hilarious segment exploring the wondrous haven known as Wi Spa in Los Angeles. The Korean spa, baby! There was lots of sweating, lots of awkward touching, and lots of painful scouring of skin -- mostly while completely naked. Best of all, they made some new friends.

Take a look:

Connect A Kid's 2nd Annual Comedy Show Fundraiser

Saturday, February 21 at Busby's East



Hey, LA. Connect A Kid is a mentorship program for adopted children. They are throwing their second annual fundraiser, and this year it's a comedy show, featuring acts from Amy Anderson, Kevin Shea, and many more. It's all happening Saturday, February 21, at Busby's East in Los Angeles. Here's more info:

NYPD officer charged with manslaughter in fatal shooting

Peter Liang pleads not guilty to felony charges in the death of Akai Gurley.



On Wednesday, a rookie New York City police officer pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and other felony charges in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man in the stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project last November.

Peter Liang, NYPD Officer Who Fatally Shot Akai Gurley, Charged With Manslaughter

27-year-old Peter Liang, the first New York City police officer indicted in more than two years in connection with a fatal on-duty encounter, was arraigned in the shooting of 28-year-old Akai Gurley.

The six-count indictment includes several felony charges, including second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Police altercation leaves grandfather partly paralyzed

His apparent crime: going for a walk. And being brown.



In Alabama, police officers are accused of using excessive force on an elderly man, leaving him temporarily paralyzed and hospitalized with a fused vertebrae. His apparent crime: going for a walk. And being brown.

Grandfather visiting Alabama from India stopped by police while taking walk, left partly paralyzed

On Friday, Madison Police responded to a call regarding a "suspicious person" in the neighborhood. That person turned out to be 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, who was visiting from India and staying with his son's family. Patel, who does not speak English, was on an afternoon walk when he was stopped by police.

According to the police statement, there was a "communication barrier." I don't know how you go from saying "No English" to getting your face slammed into the sidewalk, but you could say things escalated.

ABC greenlights 'Dr. Ken' pilot starring Ken Jeong

Real-life doctor turned actor to star in multi-camera medical comedy.



Dr. Ken is a go. Looks like we could be seeing a few more Asian American faces on television in the near future. ABC has officially greenlit the pilot for the medical comedy Dr. Ken starring Ken Jeong.

Ken Jeong to Star in ABC Medical Comedy Pilot 'Dr. Ken'

Jeong -- a real-life physician turned actor -- will star, write and co-executive produce the multi-camera comedy. He'll play a frustrated doctor juggling his career, marriage and parenting, "but succeeding at none of them."

2015 Seattle Asian American Film Festival

February 12-15 at the Northwest Film Forum



Seattle film lovers! It is time. The 2015 Seattle Asian American Film Festival is happening this week, February 12-15, at the Northwest Film Forum in Capitol Hill. They've packed the program with an awesome selection of films by and about Asian Americans across North America. Will you be there?

The festivities kick off this Thursday with the Opening Night presentation of the acclaimed feature documentary To Be Takei, followed by the Macy's Opening Night party at Velocity Dance Center with musical performances by Hollis Wong-Wear and Prometheus Brown. Sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Here's the festival trailer:

Submit a nomination for the 2015 American Courage Awards

Deadline for submissions extended to Friday, February 13.



Do you know someone who has shown extraordinary courage or commitment to the cause of Asian American civil rights? Advancing Justice | AAJC is accepting nominations for the 2015 American Courage Award and Distinguished Service Award. The deadline for submissions has been extended to Friday, February 13.

Here are some more details about the award and the nomination process:

Music Video: Beware the suitcase in Spazzkid's "Goodbye"

Mark Redito's prequel to "40 Winks" takes a dark turn.



Los Angeles-based beatmaker Mark Redito makes beautiful, dreamy, upbeat electronic music as Spazzkid. He recently released a new music video for "Goodbye," from his EP Promise. Directed by Czar Campos, and shot in Kyoto, it's a prequel to his previous music video for "40 Winks," which was rather mysterious.

Beware the suitcase. Take a look:

Fatal plane crash likely caused by pilot taking selfies

29-year-old pilot Amritpal Singh and a passenger were killed in a crash near Denver.



Texting while driving is dangerous. You also shouldn't take selfies while driving. And sure as hell shouldn't take selfies while flying a friggin' plane. In Colorado, it looks like a fatal plane crash may have been caused by distracted flying. The pilot and passengers were -- you guessed it -- taking selfies.

Taking Selfies May Have Played Role In Fatal Plane Crash Near Watkins

Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board released its report on a May 2014 plane crash that killed two people when it went down near Denver. According to the report, pilot Amritpal Singh and his passenger were taking selfies with their cell phones at low altitudes, which may have contributed to the crash:

Say what's on your heart with #MuslimVDay cards.

For love in the time of a racialized, islamophobia-ridden America.



Hallmark can suck it. For the fourth year running, my good friend writer/artist Taz Ahmed is back with another set of her awesome #MuslimVDay Cards, snarky sentiments for Valentine's Day conveying "the exact emotions you feel of love in the time of a racialized, islamophobia-ridden America."

Taz started the #MuslimVDay cards in 2011 as a personal counterculture art project, intended as a lighthearted answer to Islamophobia and the confining stereotypes that trail her as a Muslim woman in the post-9/11 era. They were an instant hit, taking the internet "like drones dropping bombs" -- her words, not mine.

The 2015 series includes six cards printed on 4.25 x 5.5 postcard size cardstock. Each card is full-colored, and is numbered, signed and dated, with a limited print of 100 cards per image. Order your set at Etsy.

Join us for the "Fresh Off The Air" Online Post-Show

Tuesday, February 10 at 9:05pm PST after 'Fresh Off The Boat'



Did you watch last week's broadcast premiere of ABC's Fresh Off The Boat? If you enjoyed it and plan on tuning in again, watch the show in its regular time slot on Tuesday night with two episodes at 8:00pm and 8:30pm... then join us on the internets for the after-show, "Fresh Off The Air"!

Comedian/writer Jenny Yang and I are hosting an unofficial Fresh Off The Boat post-show which will stream online via Google Hangout. We'll talk about the episodes, raise some issues and answer a few questions. Log on and help us continue the conversation about our new favorite show.

We'll hop on here at 9:05PM Pacific Standard Time, immediately after the show airs on the west coast.

This is how Bloomingdale's celebrates the Lunar New Year.

What a convenient cultural shorthand.



Well, this is a sight. A keen-eyed reader spotted these sexy mannequins at the Bloomingdale's at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, California. What better way to celebrate the lunar new year than to dress up some mannequins with a handsome rice paddy hat! What a convenient cultural shorthand.

If only they could find a way to place some chopsticks in their hands. Happy Year of the Ram.

(Thanks, Dan.)

What happened to the dash cam video in this police shooting?

Three minutes of crucial squad car footage have (in)conveniently gone missing.



In Minnesota, a man is suing a Brooklyn Park police officer for shooting him last year. There are about four minutes of police dash cam video might shed light on what actually went down that night. Conveniently or inconveniently -- depending on whose side of the story -- that video footage seems to have disappeared.

4 minutes of crucial dash cam video missing in man's case

Last year, 22-year-old Shoua Yang was at Valentine's Day party when a fight broke out and police were called to a banquet hall. According to the criminal complaint, three men ran into a car and the driver put it in reverse in high speed toward Officer Jason Chadbourne, who fired multiple shots at the vehicle. Yang was shot.

Yang, accused of driving the car at Chadbourne, was charged with second-degree assault, but was acquitted by a jury last month. His lawsuit offers a different side of the story:

Read These Blogs

A bumpy maiden voyage for 'Fresh Off the Boat': Fresh Off the Boat, the new family comedy on ABC, set out on its voyage with a relatively promising forecast. The show has been mostly well received by critics and stands as the first network sitcom about an Asian American family since Margaret Cho's short-lived All-American Girl premiered two decades ago.

* * *
'Fresh Off the Boat': A TV Dad and Hundreds More Cram Viewing Party: "It was supposed to be a quiet, casual community gathering." Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Yang, whose son Hudson plays Eddie Huang on Fresh Off the Boat, reflects on the packed New York City viewing party for the premiere of the show.

* * *
Watching Fresh Off the Boat With 999 Asian-Americans: Vulture writer E. Alex Jung also reports from the wildly successful and well-attended "live community viewing" of Fresh Off the Boat in New York City.

* * *
For a dad stung by stereotypes, 'Fresh Off the Boat' is point of pride: Jeff Yang writes about being stung by the stereotype Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles, the disappointment of All-American Girl, and now, witnessing the mind-bending, time-twisting arrival of Fresh Off the Boat.

* * *
'Fresh Off the Boat': Hudson, Jeff Yang talk playing Eddie Huang: Hudson Yang, who plays young Eddie Huang in Fresh Off the Boat, sits down with his dad for a radio interview to talk about starring in the show.

This Week's Angriest Posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.



1. Chinese People Try Panda Express For The First Time
Taste testers of Chinese descent sample greatest hits from the fast food chain's menu.

2. Students hurl racist chants at high school basketball game
Classy fans at Esperanza High yelled "Jackie Chan" and "shrimp fried rice" at Reed Nakikihara.

3. An Open Letter to Asian American TV Watchers
'Fresh On The Air' by Jeff Yang and Louie Chin

4. Jenny Yang's Smartass Answers for Your Dumbass Questions
"Actually, I'm not that good at math."

5. 'Fresh Off The Boat' Episode Guide (101-105)
New Asian American family sitcom premieres Wednesday, February 4 on ABC

6. Angry Asian America Ep. 12: Fresh Off The Boat Premieres!
With co-host Jenny Yang and special guests Constance Wu, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen

7. This Portrait of Bobby Jindal is the Whitest Thing Ever
Louisiana governor's goofy pale portrait invites internet mockery.

8. Throwback Thursday: That time Randall Park was a rapper.
The star of ABC's 'Fresh Off The Boat' use to moonlight as an emcee for Ill Again.

9. George Takei to star in 'Allegiance' on Broadway
Musical tells the story of Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II

10. Ann Arbor restaurant robbed second time in six months
The owners of Mary's Fabulous Chicken & Fish were robbed Wednesday night at knifepoint.

Stay Angry, my friends.

Angry Reader of the Week: Hieu Ho

"I love people who are passionate about what they do and care enough to fight for it."



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

Fund This: Aasif Mandvi's sitcom parody 'Halal in the Family'

"Introducing America's Favorite Muslim Family... Don't Worry, They're Not THAT kind of Muslim!"



Halal in the Family is a comedic webseries by actor/comedian/writer/producer Aasif Mandvi, best known for his work as a correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It's a sitcom parody about an all-American Muslim family that aims to challenge stereotypes and misinformation about Muslim communities.

It started as a one-off gag sketch on The Daily Show, but in the course of covering way too many stories revealing the depth of prejudice against Muslims in the United States -- and getting worse every day -- Mandvi was inspired to expand the idea of a Muslim family sitcom into a full-fledged webseries.

You may remember that this project was originally titled The Qu'osby Show, a take on Bill Cosby's beloved, groundbreaking family sitcom. But when it became fairly clear that the man we knew and loved as Cliff Huxtable is actually serial rapist, it cast a rather dark shadow on our collective memory of that show. The team took a moment to rethink and rename the series. And so: Halal in the Family.

Here's Aasif with more information:

Read the latest chapter of 'A Challenge'

Jeremy Arambulo's serialized graphic novel tells the story of three friends in 1964 San Francisco Chinatown.



Yes! Cartoonist Jeremy Arambulo just released the latest installment of his original graphic novelist A Challenge. Set in San Francisco's Chinatown in 1964, the story follows three young friends whose lives are changed after they meet a martial artist named Bruce Lee. I'm really enjoying it so far.

In Chapter 3, Frank gets his butt kicked, and the gang attempts to drum up some much-needed publicity for Jack's martial arts school. Meanwhile, Bruce Lee's notoriety grows.

Here are a couple of pages from Chapter 3:

Big Trouble in Little Tokyo presents 'The Joy Luck Club'

New film series kicks off Wednesday, February 11 at the Japanese American National Museum



For all you movie fans in Los Angeles, join us next week for a special screening of 1993's The Joy Luck Club, kicking off a new film series called "Big Trouble in Little Tokyo," presented by the Japanese American National Museum in partnership with Angry Asian Man, First Pond Entertainment and Visual Communications.

It's happening Wednesday, January 11 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. The evening will begin with a light reception at 6:00pm, followed by the screening at 7:00pm, and a Q&A with director Wayne Wang and additional panelists (to be determined).

Here are some more details about the screening:

George Takei to star in 'Allegiance' on Broadway

Musical tells the story of Japanese Americans in internment camps during World War II



Some big Broadway news! Allegiance, a new musical starring George Takei and telling the powerful story of Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II, will finally open on Broadway next season.

Breaking News: ALLEGIANCE Will Arrive on Broadway This Fall; George Takei Set to Lead Cast!

Allegiance, which had its world premiere in a record-breaking engagement at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre in 2012, will open on Broadway at a Shubert Theater to be announced. Previews are set to begin on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 with opening night set for Sunday, November 8, 2015.

Based on Takei's real life childhood, Allegiance is described as "a touching and uplifting story about a family's love, loss and heroism during the period of the Japanese -American internment in World War II."

Mr. Takei calls Allegiance his "legacy project":

Throwback Thursday: That time Randall Park was a rapper.

The star of ABC's 'Fresh Off The Boat' use to moonlight as an emcee for Ill Again.



In honor of last night's broadcast premiere of Fresh Off The Boat, I present this vintage video of series star Randall Park, who plays patriarch Louis Huang on the show. Back in the day, circa sometime in the middle of the last decade, Randall moonlighted as an emcee for the LA-based hip hop group Ill Again.

Here's Randall dropping rhymes in this goofy music video for "Next":

Ann Arbor restaurant robbed second time in six months

The owners of Mary's Fabulous Chicken & Fish were robbed Wednesday night at knifepoint.



You've got to kidding me. These folks just can't catch a break. In Michigan, less than six months after being brutally beaten and robbed by two teens outside of his restaurant, the owner of Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish in Ann Arbor was robbed again -- at knife point -- this week.

Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish owners robbed for 2nd time in 6 months

On Wednesday night, an assailant entered the restaurant, pushed 75-year-old Yong Kim to the ground and held his wife, 68-year-old Doo Kim, at knifepoint. The robber then took about $120 and ran away. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the incident. But damn, this restaurant could use some better luck.

Last summer, Mr. Kim was attacked outside the restaurant while he was walking to his car. Two teens punched, kicked and beat Kim with a plastic milk crate before robbing him and running away with his wallet. The suspects were arrested and pleaded guilty in the assault.

Steven Yeun Wants You to Know: Not All Asians Look Alike!

Also: Steven is fed up 'The Walking Dead' nitpickers.



One of our favorite dudes, Steven Yeun, was back on Conan the other night promoting the second half of season five of The Walking Dead. Turns out that Steven, who plays Glenn on the hit AMC zombie drama, is a Redditor on a mission to dispel the widely held misperception that all Asians look alike. All Asians do not look like Steven, and vice versa. And he's brought along some photos to back it up.

Take a look:

Chinese People Try Panda Express For The First Time

Taste testers of Chinese descent sample greatest hits from the fast food chain's menu.



Everybody knows that there's Chinese food... and then there's "Chinese food." If you don't know the difference, let me be the one to break it to you. Most of the stuff that is dished out and sold at your average strip mall Chinese takeout joint is nowhere to be found on menus in China. It's something else entirely.

The quintessential franchise version of "Chinese" cuisine is, of course, Panda Express. A staple of every mall food court, the ubiquitous fast food chain has had a hand in shaping America's palate for "Chinese" food. But what do Chinese people think about Panda Express?

In this BuzzFeed video, Chinese People Try Panda Express For The First Time. Taste testers of Chinese descent -- virgin tongues to the Panda's flavors -- sample and give their thoughts on Egg Rolls, Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Chow Mein, and other greatest hits from the Panda Express menu.

Their reactions are interesting. Take a look:

This Portrait of Bobby Jindal is the Whitest Thing Ever

Louisiana governor's goofy pale portrait invites internet mockery.



So... this is a portrait of Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal. You might notice that instead of making him looking like a really goofy, badly-principled Indian American politician, it does a very good job of making him look like a really goofy, badly-principled Caucasian politician. Man, this thing is white. How white is it?

Bobby Jindal's New Portrait Is White Enough to Win an Oscar

Seriously -- who is the white dude in that portrait? Jindal, who is often held up by Republicans as a young, brown example of inclusivity in a party of older, white men, is looking rather pale in this painting. For your reference, here's what Governor Jindal actually looks like:

Angry Asian America Ep. 12: Fresh Off The Boat Premieres!

With co-host Jenny Yang and special guests Constance Wu, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen



Hey, video watchers. I am pleased to share the latest edition of our talk show Angry Asian America on ISAtv.

This is a very special episode in which co-host Jenny Yang and I sat down and talked with 4/5 of TV's Huang family -- Constance Wu, Hudson Yang, Forrest Wheeler and Ian Chen -- the cast of Fresh Off The Boat. (Our pal Randall Park, unfortunately, was sick with the flu.) We talked about the show, being on the brink of fame, and the responsibility of being the first Asian American family on network television in a very long time.

Check it out:

An Open Letter to Asian American TV Watchers

'Fresh On The Air' by Jeff Yang and Louie Chin



The premiere of Fresh Off The Boat is almost upon us. It's been widely touted as the first Asian American family on network television in over twenty years, and that is a big a deal. Among other milestones, the show heralds the screen debut of Hudson Yang, the eldest son of my good friend Jeff Yang, as young Eddie Huang. So you could say this is a pretty big week for the Yang family.

The show's already getting great reviews. Here, Jeff makes an appeal -- as Asian American culture watcher, and as a proud dad -- asking you to give Fresh Off The Boat a chance. An open letter in comic form:

Students hurl racist chants at high school basketball game

Classy fans at Esperanza High yelled "Jackie Chan" and "shrimp fried rice" at Reed Nakikihara.



Sarcastic slow hand clap for the classy students at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California, who yelled racial taunts at an Asian American basketball player from a rival school during a game last week.

Esperanza High Students Chant "Jackie Chan," "Shrimp Fried Rice" at Foothill High Player

During Friday night's game against Foothill High School, fans in Esperanza High's student section reportedly yelled chants like "Jackie Chan" and "shrimp fried rice" at Reed Nakakihara, point guard for the Knights.

Esparanza High School's administration is apparently looking into the matter. Principal Ken Fox says, "This is unacceptable and we're embarrassed." Sorry, you have some racist idiots in your student body.

'Fresh Off The Boat' Episode Guide (101-105)

New Asian American family sitcom premieres Wednesday, February 4 on ABC



Okay, so as you're probably aware, the new Asian American family sitcom Fresh Off The Boat this week. If you can't tell, I'm pretty excited about it. The long-awaited comedy premieres this Wednesday, February 4 with a two-episode preview at 8:30pm and 9:30pm (before and after Modern Family) on ABC. Then the show settles into its regular time slot on Tuesday, February 10 at 8:00pm, followed by another episode at 8:30pm.

All that info might be a little confusing, so here's a breakdown of Fresh Off The Boat's first three weeks, plus the episode descriptions and airdates. Take note and tune in:

Jenny Yang's Smartass Answers for Your Dumbass Questions

"Actually, I'm not that good at math."



Boom. Last month, BuzzFeed put a call out on Facebook for questions to use in a video feature called "Ask an Asian," in which our friend comedian Jenny Yang would answer people's questions about Asian Americans. They received almost 7,000 submissions, and a large bulk of the questions were less than spectacular.

So much ignorance out there. But hey, might as well turn all of that stupidity into fodder for a video. "Ask An Asian" has dropped, and Jenny's got lots of smartass answers for your dumbass questions. It's delightful.

Check it out:

Two teens plead guilty to assault on restaurant owner

16-year-old boys admit to brutally beating and robbing Yong Kim



News out of Michigan... Last week in Ann Arbor, two 16-year-old boys pleaded guilty to robbery and assault charges in the brutal assault on an elderly restaurant owner outside his business last summer.

Teens admit to severely beating Ann Arbor restaurant owner with milk crate

Antonio Young and Carmichael Chavis, who were arrested in September, admitted that they attacked 74-year-old Yong Kim, owner of Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish, while he was walking to his car. They punched, kicked and beat Kim with a plastic milk crate before robbing him and running away with his wallet.

Read These Blogs

A Bloom in TV's Asian-American Desert: The New York Times talks to Wall Street Journal columnist Jeff Yang and his son Hudson, who plays young Eddie Huang in ABC's Fresh Off The Boat.

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Everything That's Happened Around Adnan Syed's Case Since 'Serial' Premiered: A Timeline: Vulture put together a handy timeline detailing the events surrounding the Adnan Syed case since the Serial podcast began, and will keep updating it as new things happen.

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Stop Being Indian-American!?!: Recently, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who is Indian American whether he wants to be or not, said that he doesn't believe in "hyphenated Americans." Parthiv Parekh responds.

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Friendship and Race and Knowing Your Place: Nicole Soojung Callahan reflects on growing up in white spaces as a transracial adoptee: "I wonder to what extent my assimilated adoptee accessibility functions at the expense of other people of color; I wonder how many of my relationships provide safe ground from which people can claim not to be racist."