The Story of the Great Japanese-American Novel
John Okada's novel No-No Boy captures the injustice of incarcerating Japanese Americans during World War II -- and serves as a warning today for our own fractured society.
Opinion: It's time for UC to stop using the SAT
Decades of research show that the SAT and ACT add little or nothing to the high school GPA's prediction of a student's performance in the first year of college.
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In Conversation: Bao Phi and Jane Kim
Poet/autor Bao Phi sits down to chat with his longtime friend, San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, to talk about everything from Lost, to Ali Wong, to stepping into their power as marginalized people.
Conrad Ricamora Is Ready to Be a Leading Man
Why is Conrad Ricamora starring in the musical Soft Power in New York while filming How to Get Away With Murder in Los Angeles? Because he finally gets to play the hero.
Greetings, good people of the internet. It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Arthur Dong.
The hour-long series finale is set to air on February 21.
It's official: Fresh Off The Boat will end this season. After six seasons, the ABC comedy -- the longest-running sitcom about an Asian American family in broadcast television history -- is coming to close next year.
The network reportedly informed Fresh Off The Boat's cast and crew this week that it would not be ordering further episodes, and the current season's 14th and 15th episodes would mark the end of the show's run.
Contrary to popular belief, Jeremy Lin was not the first player of Asian descent in the NBA. In 1947, Wat Misaka, a 5-foot-7 Japanese American point guard from Utah, suited up and played three games with the New York Knicks to become the first nonwhite player in professional basketball.
Now you know. Now check out this incredibly cool Wat Misaka Throwback replica jersey, created by acclaimed poet/emcee G Yamazawa, paying tribute to the pioneering sports figure.
Produced with the blessing of Misaka's family, this handmade, custom cut and sew throwback jersey comes in black and white inspired by Misaka's championship run at Weber College, as well as a fire red Japanese colorway. Each purchase includes a retro basketball card (including randomly inserted autograph editions) designed by Gabe Gets. 20% of profits will be donated to the Special Olympics.
Kurt Suzuki, a yonsei (4th gen. Japanese American) wore one of those disgusting white supremacist hats when visiting the White House. It was horrifying, and symbolic of larger issues of Asian Americans and adjacency to white privilege.
The question I always want to pose to these garbage Japanese Americans is, how can you support a guy whose campaign and supporters have voiced support for the incarceration of Japanese Americans and have used it as a justification for oppressing other minority groups?
Suzuki couldn't even muster an apology. He said he was just trying to "have some fun." I wonder if he could go to a migrant concentration camp, look a mother and child in the eyes while wearing that hat, and claim it's just about having some fun.
I wonder if he could look me in the eye as a fellow yonsei and say it's just about having some fun.
Death, migration and the loss of culture
In Chinese culture, the transition to the afterlife is memorialized in tomb-sweeping festivals and food rituals. But what happens when years of migration cause treasured family traditions to vanish?
When comfort food means a heaping plate of Tex-Mex
"My love of Tex-Mex is the story of my family's journey and the hardships they faced, what they lost and what they gained. It is a story that begins in a riverside village in rural Guangdong province in southern China, long before I am born."
Submit your awesome costume photos for our annual Halloween gallery.
What are you rocking this Halloween? Show us your stuff! In what has become a fun tradition on this website, we invite readers to submit photos of your cool, funny, scary, adorable and totally-not-racist costumes for our annual Halloween gallery, just for fun. Email or tag me on social media. We can't guarantee everyone will make it into the gallery, but don't be afraid to share! The world should see and enjoy your awesome costumes. Super-cute kid costumes are particularly welcome.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we're talking about LOVE BOAT! We discuss the infamous Taiwanese culture and language study tour with filmmaker Valerie Soe, director of the documentary Love Boat: Taiwan, and writer Abigail Hing Wen, author of the forthcoming young adult novel Loveboat, Taipei.
'Magic Motor Inn' will center on an Indian American family.
Plans for a Fresh Off the Boat spinoff, centering on an Indian American family, are underway. The series, tentatively titled Magic Motor Inn, will likely be led by Bollywood star Preity Zinta and actor/comedian Vir Das, who are set to guest star on an upcoming episode of Fresh Off the Boat.
Written by Fresh Off the Boat writer-producer Rachna Fruchbom, the episode centers around an Indian family whose daughter attends school with Eddie. Das and Zinta will star as the girl's parents. The episode would reportedly serve as the basis for the proposed spinoff, which would go through the regular pilot process.
Watch the trailer for the new remake of the Japanese horror classic.
Wait, a Hollywood remake of a remake of an Asian horror movie... starring an actual Asian person? Actually starring John Cho, actually. In this trailer for the upcoming new take on The Grudge, we see Cho as a real estate agent named Peter Spencer arriving at a spooky house and inspecting a really yucky bathtub. Later, we see poor Peter taking a shower... and more yucky things happen. Dude needs some new shampoo.
80th Anniversary Bruce Lee Tribute Statue from Blitzway
Holy crap. Next year would have been Bruce Lee's 80th birthday. It's hard to imagine the famed martial artist as anything but a young man, but here's an awesome tribute that immortalizes Lee in his finest form.
This highly detailed, 1/4 scale 80th anniversary Bruce Lee Tribute Statue from Blitzway features a mixture of polystone, PVC, and fabric type elements that make this one of the realest looking Bruce figures in your collection. The statue stands about 21.5 inches tall, standing on a stylized base and a flag diorama.
But this one's only for the true Bruce fans -- it'll set you back $499. Pre-order it here.
Asian hair, and what we talk about in L.A. barbershops
"Haircuts became another way for me to learn about the city, affording the rare opportunity to have an intimate, low-stakes conversation with a stranger. I always ask for the same haircut, and it always comes out different depending on where I am."
"...swimming in that divine feminine essence and letting it pour out to everyone around me."
Hey, everybody! Gather 'round, because 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 Ally Vega.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we welcome actor, advocate and author Maulik Pancholy, who talks about The Best At It, his new novel for young readers. They discuss 30 Rock, camel nuggets, Snake Americans, being true to yourself, and The Good, The Bad and The WTF of being The Best.
The late writer and activist, who died by suicide in 2004, is best known for The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. The best-selling 1997 book is widely considered the definitive account of the Nanking massacre, documenting atrocities committed against Chinese by forces of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Her other books include Thread of the Silkworm and The Chinese in America.
The Whitewashing of “#WhitePeopleDoingYoga"
Chiraag Bhakta's art installation #WhitePeopleDoingYoga was about the appropriation and whitewashing of yoga. San Francisco's Asian Art Museum didn't understand.
"Pay attention dummy, we don't have time for that anymore."
Hello, internet friends! You know what time it is. 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 Miki Ishikawa.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we welcome music industry veteran Sophia Chang, who talks about her many identities: former manager of some of hip hop and R&B's greatest acts (RZA, GZA, Old Dirty Bastard, A Tribe Called Quest, D'Angelo and Raphael Saadiq, to name a few), kung fu practitioner, daughter of Korean immigrants, and now, author of the new audio memoir The Baddest Bitch in the Room.
"I wrote and directed this film... Please stay after for the Q&A."
Writer/director Lulu Wang's family drama The Farewell is one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year, first debuting to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, then scoring a magical summer box office run for a film of its modest indie stature. But the hype inevitably had to die down. That said, three months after opening in theaters, it's still playing on a handful of screens.
On Monday night, Wang apparently held a Q&A for the one moviegoer who showed up to the 10:15pm showing of The Farewell at the Angelika Film Center in New York City. Wang says she and her best friend wanted to see her deeply personal film "as real audience members" at a theater where they've seen countless film together. It so happens that there was one other person in attendance. So the director surprised him with a Q&A.
Here's Ms. Wang introducing the film. It is adorable:
Superman smashed the KKK once, and now he's doing it again Superman Smashes the Klan, the new graphic novel from writer Gene Luen Yang and artists Guruhiru, pits the Man of Steel against the KKK -- an updated take on a famous 1946 radio serial.
Hasan Minhaj Goes Into the Lion's Den
Hasan Minhaj, host of Netflix's Patriot Act, talks to Vanity Fair about the politics of provocation, and what it means to be funny in Trump's America.
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Mindy Kaling Didn't Sign Up to Be a Role Model
This year alone, she wrote, costarred in, and coproduced the Sundance darling Late Night, cocreated, cowrote, and co–executive produced a re-imagining of the '90s rom-com Four Weddings and a Funeral, and cocreated, wrote, and co–executive produced a forthcoming Netflix, Never Have I Ever.
Angela Dimayuga's 10 Essential Filipino Recipes
The creative director for food and culture at the Standard hotels and former Mission Chinese Food chef chooses the dishes that define the cuisine for her.
"I am a university teacher and researcher. I am a political scientist."
Hey, everybody! It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Janelle Wong.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we welcome actor Manny Jacinto, best known for playing Jason Mendoza on NBC's The Good Place. We talk about his stereotype-busting breakthrough role, the unmatched work ethic of Tom Cruise, and what it's like to play the dumbest character on television.
The 20 best Asian American films of the last 20 years
"Clearly, it’s time for a canon, a set of films that fans can debate, but which make undeniable that Asian American cinema exists and elicit some consensus about their quality and cultural impact." What are the 20 best Asian American films of the last 20 years? A list for discussion and debate.
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‘Harvey Weinstein Told Me He Liked Chinese Girls'
In a powerful testimony, Rowena Chiu reveals her own #MeToo story as Harvey Weinstein's assistant over 20 years ago. “I've had many years to ruminate on how I fell into Harvey's trap, and the best way to understand it is through the four power dynamics of gender, race, seniority and wealth."
Why Are There So Many Filipino Nurses in California?
In California, Filipinos make up the second largest group of the state's active workforce of nurses. After filling a nursing shortage in the 1960s, immigrant caregivers have changed the practice and the politics of health care.
Reading Recommendations for Filipinx* Americans
Randy Ribay, author of Patron Saints of Nothing, recommends recent examples of Filipinx and Filipinx American representation in children’s literature -- "books that I wish were on my childhood shelf but am grateful exist for kids coming up today."
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When Nail Salon Workers Organize, Customers Also Benefit
Almost 80% of workers in nail salons are immigrants working in challenging conditions, including wage violations and exposure to harsh chemicals. When they organize for better work environments, everyone benefits.
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How Do You Make the Reverse of The King and I
Playwright David Henry Hwang and composer Jeanine Tesori created Soft Power, in which the power dynamics of stories like The King and I are reversed.
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At the Academy: ABOMINABLE
The creators behind the hit animated film Abominable talk about balancing cultural authenticity with universality.
"I love making podcasts. It's one of the few things I'm passionate about."
What is up, good people of the internet? It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is James Kim.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, recorded live at Cal Poly Pomona, we welcome author/activist Helen Zia. We discuss the tumultuous forces of history, migration and intergenerational trauma that propel her latest book, Last Boat Out of Shanghai: The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution.
Imminent Collision will develop "comedy-forward stories from Asian American perspectives."
From Deadline: Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park has teamed with longtime creative partners and friends Michael Golamco and Hieu Ho to launch Imminent Collision, a production company dedicated to developing comedy-forward stories from Asian American perspectives.
In a competitive situation, the company has signed a first-look television deal with 20th Century Fox Television, the studio behind Fresh Off the Boat. Park, Golamco and Ho drew inspiration for the name of their company, Imminent Collision, from a play of the same title they worked on as members of Lapu The Coyote That Cares, the Asian American theater company co-founded by Park at UCLA over 20 years ago.
You gotta love this funny quote from Randall, Michael and Hieu in the press release: "Our immigrant parents came to America with a dream. That dream was for their children to land a first look television producing deal, scripted and unscripted, at a major Hollywood studio. We would like to thank Carolyn, Howard, Dana, Craig and the entire 20th team for helping us make our parents proud."
A personal message from the CEO of Xi'an Famous Foods.
Look, if you go to Xi'an Famous Foods and order your noodles "not spicy" -- honestly, what's the point? -- then complain that the food is "too bland," that shit is on you. I'm sorry, but you have made a bad life choice.
The New York City noodle chain has an important advisory for its customers: "Not Spicy = Not As Good." Xi'an's CEO Jason Wang recently posted a "personal message" to customers at the company's 14 locations, warning people that if they order certain menu items as "not spicy," they may be disappointed. You can have it the way you want it. Just know that the way you want it... does not taste good.
Federal judge rules Harvard can consider race in its admissions process in pursuit of a diverse class.
From NPR: A judge has ruled in favor of Harvard University in a high-profile court case centered on whether the school's admissions process forces Asian Americans to clear a higher bar to get in.
Federal District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued her decision Tuesday, saying "the Court finds no persuasive documentary evidence of any racial animus or conscious prejudice against Asian Americans."
In the decision, Burroughs said that while Harvard's admissions program is "not perfect," "ensuring diversity at Harvard relies, in part, on race conscious admissions."
Screenwriter Christina Strain's Hawaii-set feature is "a Goonies style adventure starring all Datas."
Jude Weng, Christina Strain and the cast of 'Finding Ohana'
Netflix has nabbed the rights to director Jude Weng's feature film debut, the Hawaii-set family adventure Finding Ohana, with newcomers Kea Peahu and Alex Aiono leading a large ensemble of Hawaiian and Asian actors.
Finding Ohana follows two Brooklyn siblings whose summer in a rural Oahu town takes an exciting turn when a journal pointing to long-lost treasure sets them on an adventure, leading them to reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage. According to screenwriter Christina Strain, it's "a Goonies style adventure starring all Datas."
Read this great Twitter thread, in which Strain explains why and how this project came together:
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we sat down with Peilin Chou, Chief Creative Officer of Pearl Studios and producer of Abominable, currently the number one movie at the box office. We talk about the unique challenges of creating a Chinese animated feature with global appeal.
A Photographer Looks for Herself
Photographer Rozette Rago revisits movies that made an impact on her while growing up, and re-imagines her place among them, re-casting iconic frames with faces that look more like herself.
Stories About My Brother
"The truth is, though I knew Yush better than perhaps anyone, I barely understood the man he had become. In recent years, we had become estranged due to our oppositional values: I became a vocal, ardent feminist. He saw feminists as extremists who were deeply hateful towards men."
A Filmmaker Explored Japan's Wartime Enslavement of Women. Now He's Being Sued.
When Miki Dezaki decided to make a documentary for his graduate thesis, he examined a question that reverberates through Japanese politics: Why, 75 years later, does a small but vocal group of politically influential conservatives still fervently dispute internationally accepted accounts of Japan's wartime atrocities?
Hey, everybody! It's about that time to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is William Yu.
All refugees, like me, should have a shot at the American dream
"The cornerstone aspiration for the founding of the United States is to offer oppressed people refuge from violence and persecution. To forsake the vulnerable people currently seeking refuge would be to forsake what it means to be American. And yet, at a time of unprecedented global displacement, that is exactly what is happening."
Here's What We Learn From Watching Adele Lim Walk Away From The Pay Gap
Screenwriter Adele Lim was a part of the writing team for the movie Crazy Rich Asians and brought cultural authenticity to the film that led to its success. But she walked away from the sequel over pay disparity.
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My First Musical Memory with the cast of Soft Power
In anticipation of the opening night of Soft Power at The Public Theatre, the cast of the David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's groundbreaking new musical-within-a-play recalls their first musical memories.
Hello, friends of the internet. It's time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Sophia Chang.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we check in and debrief The Good, The Bad and The WTF of This Week in Yang, including a certain clan competing on Family Feud, recent casting developments on Saturday Night Live, and the rising visibility of a presidential candidate.
The Hidden Stress of Growing Up a Child of Immigrants
Though immigrants come from a variety of backgrounds, there are certain stressors that U.S.-born children of immigrants have in common -- including barriers to accessing mental health resources.
Shang-Chi's Director Isn't Interested in Bringing Any More Racial Stereotypes to the MCU
With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, director Destin Daniel Cretton isn't just crafting the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first feature with a predominantly Asian cast, he's also presenting a narrative that explores the relationships that exist between Asian characters of related, but distinctly different, ethnic backgrounds.
"I'm foremost about spreading love. I mean that in the most embarrassingly basic way possible."
Hello, friends of the internet. It is time, once again, to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Kimberly Yam.
What Caused The Mass Panic At Newark Airport? Racism.
An Alaska Airlines employee accused two Chinese-born men who did not know each other of acting suspiciously, called the police, and caused mass panic at the Newark Airport.
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You Know Emily Doe’s Story. Now Learn Her Name.
For four years, Chanel Miller has been known as Emily Doe. In an upcoming memoir, Know My Name, she details her assault case, which became national news, the trial and her recovery.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
On this episode, we welcome Constance Wu. She talks about skyrocketing to stardom on Fresh Off the Boat, the steep learning curve of being in the spotlight, the loneliness in her new film Hustlers, and yes, those tweets.
Cookie Artist Teaches Edible Lessons In Asian American History
Jasmine Cho, a baker based in Pittsburgh, creates intricate, hand-drawn cookie portraits of Asian-American figures as a way to increase representation and raise awareness of Asian American history and identity.
If you only watch one episode of Four Weddings And A Funeral, make it this one
The latest episode of Hulu's Four Weddings And A Funeral, "Game Night," features one of the series' eponymous weddings, but it's not the church-set, bride-walking-down-the-aisle nuptials we're used to seeing on this show or even anywhere else on television.
