The official "Stay Angry" shirt design is now available as a hoodie! It has been truly wonderful to see this shirt out the wild, rocked by awesome people. By request, we've put it on a hoodie. We've printed up a limited test run of this popular design, so get it while you can. Perfect for staying angry in cooler weather.
Illustrated by Irene Koh, the iconic design is printed on a lightweight, super-soft white, 52/48 Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton/polyester Bella + Canvas sponge fleece unisex pullover hoodie, with white drawcord, pouch pocket, ribbed cuffs and waistband. It's cozy, but not super bulky. I like to layer it under a jacket.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, recorded live at Asia Society in New York City, Jeff welcomes newly minted Academy Award nominee Celine Song, writer/director of Past Lives. (Spoiler warning!) They discuss the real-life autobiographical moment that inspired her film's bilingual, bi-cultural center; telling a story about the people who hold and know the different parts of ourselves; and how things might have ended up differently for Nora and Hae Sung if they just had better tech and a stronger internet connection.
Asian Americans Are Often Invisible in Polling. That's Changing.
Polling Asian Americans while accurately reflecting the diverse difference in opinion within the community has traditionally been expensive. Few pollsters have made the investment, leaving Asian Americans without a voice in public opinion polls, which are seen as a key part of the democratic process. Without survey data, there’s little information about what issues matter to Asian Americans.
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Lunar New Year traditions were abstract until my grandmother died
"Most years, I visit my family in Taiwan for Lunar New Year. And each trip, since I was very small, I have found myself before a family altar, with a stick of smoking incense in my hands, wondering exactly what I’m supposed to do, think or say...But something clicked during this year's trip to Taiwan."
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The Divided Landscape of Indian American Politics
"You can tell that an ethnic group is really flourishing in the United States when they start to produce prominent xenophobes and racists, particularly of the anti-Black variety. The trajectory from victim to victimizer is one of the surest markers of upward social mobility... One of the few intriguing developments in the 2024 Republican primary is fresh evidence that Indian Americans -- or at least a significant cohort of them -- might join this longstanding trend."
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Some Authors Were Left Out of Awards Held in China. Leaked Emails Show Why.
The Hugo Awards, a major literary prize for science fiction, have been engulfed in controversy over revelations that some writers may have been excluded based on their perceived criticism of China or the Chinese government. After weeks of suspicion in the science fiction community, newly released emails show that the awards were likely manipulated because of political concerns.
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Ed Park's Korean-American Epic Blends Conspiracy and History
"Park is not writing a historical novel, hoping to dramatize some episode or series of episodes in the past. He is building an alternate history of Korea and its relationship to the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, telling a story by mining and transforming the historical record. And it begins with a question that returns again and again, until it is almost like a chant in a protest: What is history?"
These Grandmas Are Going to the Oscars
In the documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó, filmmaker Sean Wang chronicles the inner lives of his grandmothers, 96-year-old Yi Yan Fuei (Nǎi Nai) and 86-year-old Chang Li Hua (Wài Pó). Now, the film is nominated for an Academy Award.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome filmmaker Sean Wang, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó, a love letter to his own grandmothers. He talks about making an unapologetically personal film about the everyday lives of these two extraordinary women, why Wài Pó wields a sword, and the amazing gift of getting to experience the film's success as a family. Also: The Good, The Bad, and WTFarts of making Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we ring in the Year of the Dragon and welcome back friend, journalist and fellow podcaster Ada Tseng to talk about her Los Angeles Times piece which asked and answered a very important question: Which are the "most Asian" Costcos in Southern California? They discuss why the wholesale chain holds a particular appeal for Asian American shoppers, the specialty items you can only find at the Most Asian Costcos, and the spiritual journey of purchasing Kirkland clothing. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Costco.
What is time? Seriously, how is it that I'm writing they twenty-third annual version of this post?
Yes, good readers, today happens to be the 23rd anniversary of Angry Asian Man. On this day in 2001, just a few minutes past midnight, I fired up the file transfer protocol and uploaded the very first version of this blog, scotch-taped together with rickety HTML, early Internet energy, and the recklessness of youth. Good times.
At the start, I was just trying to carve out a little corner of the internet to express myself, back before I even knew this space would eventually be known as a blog. So I started writing, and we were off. And what do you know? We picked up a following along the way. And it's been a ride. We've had some wins, endured some heartache, and tried to start a conversation about community, identity, where we've been and where we're going.
And somehow... it's now been two decades and change. I say this every year, but I'm serious: I feel like I did the math wrong. 23. Not a nice, round, commemorative number. Just a number that says I've been doing this for a long-ass time. I've dedicated twenty-three years of my life and sweat and heart to this website. But I'm thankful that it's given me purpose. I'm thankful for the opportunity to contribute a small part to the Asian American conversation. And I most thankful for all the great people this space has brought into my life.
I'll be the first to admit that I've slowed down, and the actual blogging is not what it once was, as I've diverted a lot of attention to podcasting, publishing and other projects. Also: I'm tired. Twenty-three years later also means twenty-three years older. (Seriously, what is time?) But I'm still in it. We're keeping it going.
Thanks for being part of this journey. Stay Angry.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham, who have joined forces for Lunar New Year Love Story, a heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love. They talk about Gene's real-life origins of merging Valentine's Day and Lunar New Year celebrations, the bad dates and relationships that inspired some of their characters' turmoil, and the natural pan-Asian diversity that infuses the cast and community narrative of Lunar New Love Story.
A Chinese and a Taiwanese comedian walk into a bar ...
Comedians Vickie Wang and Jamie Wang -- no relation -- create comedy over the cross-strait tensions between China and Taiwan, reminding their audiences that the tense relationship between the two governments doesn't mean there should be tension between Taiwanese and Chinese people.
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A new Avatar awakens: Inside The Last Airbender's live-action reincarnation
Water, earth, fire, and air converge as the stars and creative team behind Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, a live-action fantasy reimagining of the beloved animated show, lay out what the legions of cross-generational fans can expect.
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Young Filmmaker Lives His
'Fairy Tale' at Sundance
Sean Wang, a first-time director, received the Sundance Film Festival's audience award for his coming-of-age film, Dìdi. He also got the ultimate prize: a distribution deal.
This 'Expats' Star Can't Believe She's Actually in It
Watching scenes of herself with Nicole Kidman Expats, Ji-young Yoo said that "it still feels like I was Photoshopped in." The Amazon series is one of three big coming projects for the 24-year-old.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome back filmmaker Bao Nguyen, director of the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which goes behind the scenes of the fateful, once-in-a-lifetime night in 1985 when music's biggest stars gathered to record "We Are the World." He talks about the unique way this iconic pop song transcended cultures and generations, why he told this story like a heist movie, and getting to film at Bruce Springsteen's house. He also may or may not explain Dan Aykroyd's participation in "We Are the World."
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome Justin Chien and Sam Song Li, the stars of the Netflix family crime drama The Brothers Sun. They talk about getting their big shot to play Charles and Bruce -- the titular Brothers Sun; acting opposite the queen herself, Michelle Yeoh; and all the hard work that went into kicking ass (and not getting your ass kicked) in the show's epic fight scenes. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making The Brothers Sun. (By the way, this episode happens to be sponsored by Netflix and The Brothers Sun.)
'Slumdog Millionaire' star makes his directorial debut with a gritty action thriller produced by Jordan Peele.
Holy crap. Dev Patel makes his feature directing debut in the revenge action thriller Monkey Man. Produced by Jordan Peele, the movie follows one man's quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless. 'Slumdog Millionaire' star makes his directing debut with a gritty action thriller from producer Jordan Peele.
Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash.
After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city's sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome back our favorite usual suspects, Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of DIASPORA, to do a deep dive into the Netflix family crime drama The Brothers Sun, starring Michelle Yeoh (but not before a brief recap of recent award show happenings, including the Emmys and Golden Globes). We discuss "rice rocket energy," the #1 Seafood Restaurant, why the San Gabriel Valley is the perfect setting for this Asian American gangster show, and our hopes for a second season of The Brothers Sun. (By the way, this episode happens to be sponsored by Netflix and The Brothers Sun.)
The Manzanar Baseball Project will stage two games at the Manzanar National Historic Site.
Here's an incredible project that could use your eyes and dollars -- a unique community event that combines sports, history, memory and social justice. This spring, The Manzanar Baseball Project will stage two baseball games on a newly restored field at the Manzanar National Historic Site in the Mojave Desert.
Manzanar was the first of ten detention camps where Americans of Japanese ancestry were unjustly imprisoned by the U.S. government during World War II. Overall, it was the largest mass incarceration in American history with 120,000 people being imprisoned between 1942 and 1945.
For many incarcerated Japanese Americans during this time, resilience meant creating a sense of "home" in any way possible, including playing sports. And in the 1940s, baseball was the most popular sport in the country -- including and especially in the camps, where dozens of leagues were formed with hundreds of players.
Netflix series wins eight awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, Best Actor and Best Actress.
The Netflix limited series Beef was a big winner at the 75th Emmy Awards on Sunday night, taking home eight trophies including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Lead Actor for Steven Yeun and Lead Actress for Ali Wong. Series creator Lee Sung Jin also took home awards from writing and directing.
Beef is the first show created by and starring Asian Americans to win an Emmy for Outstanding Series. Ali Wong's win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology makes her the first Asian American woman to win an Emmy for a lead role. Steven Yeun's win is only the third Emmy for a Lead Actor of Asian descent.
How I honored the 300 who reached a refugee center in Asia only to die before trip to U.S.
Joseph Ruanto-Ramirez shares about working with the Khmer American community of San Diego to hold a ceremony for the nearly 300 refugees who were processed from 1980 to 1995 at the Philippine Refugee Processing Center in Morong, Bataan, Philippines, but died before they were able to cross the Pacific to come to the United States.
An Open Letter to Independent Lens about "Beyond Utopia"
Concerned film producers say the documentary Beyond Utopia, which recently aired on PBS' Independent Lens, presents an unbalanced and inaccurate narrative about Korean history and North Korean society.
Peacock orders 'f-ked up rom-com' from writers Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna.
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order for the comedy Laid, starring Stephanie Hsu and from writers Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna. Let me stop you right there -- I will absolutely watch this.
But here's some more information. Laid revolves around a woman who finds out that her former lovers are dying in unusual ways and must go back through her "sex timeline" to confront her past in order to move forward.
S. Leo Chiang reflects on U.S., China and Taiwan relations in his short documentary 'Island in Between'
Filmmaker S. Leo Chiang was born in Taiwan, grew up in the United States, worked extensively in China and now lives in Taipei. This mix of experiences has given him a front-row seat to the complex, decades-long dance between these nations. In his short documentary Island in Between, Chiang reflects on his relationship with Taiwan, the U.S. and China from the islands of Kinmen, just a few miles from mainland China.
Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, is a group of islands governed by Taiwan that were the front lines of the first and second Taiwan Straits Crises decades ago. They lie just a few miles from mainland China, and these days, locals are unsure what escalating tensions mean for the future.
Island in Between, part of the New York Times' Op-Docs series was recently announced on the short list for the 2024 Academy Awards, in the category of Documentary Short Film.
33-year-old Sehee Cho was tortured and killed during the group's "initiation" process."
In Georgia, members of a Korean religious cult were charged in the murder of a 33-year-old woman who was killed during the initiation process into a group that called itself Soldiers of Christ. Police say Sehee Cho was held captive for weeks, tortured and starved her until she died.
Officers discovered Cho's decaying body in the trunk of a car, left in the parking lot in metro Atlanta's busy Korean business district. Video evidence shows the group beating Cho with a belt and putting her in ice baths. Seven individuals, including the group's leader Joonho Lee, face charges of felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome back our pals Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of DIASPORA to take one last look back at the year that was, plus a look forward, with a special super-sized edition of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF (What's The Future). We discuss, among other things, the post-Everything Everywhere All at Once Multiverse, messy Asians, controversies, Beef, Past Lives, Joy Ride, Shortcomings, Elemental, hopes, dreams, fears, and much more. This episode is sponsored by the Netflix series The Brothers Sun.
Controversial Trump administration program targeted Chinese academics for possible espionage.
The Department of Justice ended a controversial program nearly two years ago called the China Initiative, which targeted mostly ethnic Chinese academics and their links to China. The program was stopped in 2022 after criticism of racial profiling. Now, a proposed House spending bill wants to bring the initiative back.
So yeah, we're still doing this. The China Initiative, created during the Trump administration, was an effort to investigate and prosecute Chinese espionage in the United States, and targeted academics and scientists of Chinese descent who found themselves under scrutiny for past affiliations with Chinese institutions.
About 90% of the more than 70 cases prosecuted under the initiative involved people who were ethnically Chinese. Just about a quarter were convicted and usually for much lesser charges. In February 2022, the Department of Justice ended the China Initiative, citing in part racial and ethnic bias, though the FBI says it still has more than 2,000 cases related to China. The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment. And now a proposed House spending bill wants to restart the initiative.
In some cases where the Justice Department was unable to find evidence of espionage, officials brought lesser charges, only to drop them -- but not before damage was done to the scientists' reputations and careers. The suspicion extends to national security employees with ties to Asia, who are regarded as potential intelligence threats because they have family members in, say, China or Taiwan.
Netflix series wins Best Limited Series and lead acting categories for Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
The Netflix road rage drama Beef cleaned up with historic big wins at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night, taking home trophies for Best Limited Series, and Best Actor and Actress for Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
Ali Wong is the first actress of Asian descent ever to win in Best Actress in a Mini-series or Motion Picture for TV. Steven Yeun is only the third actor to win in the category. And Wong and Yeun are only the third duo in Golden Globes history to win both lead limited series acting categories.
Beef won the award for Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture -- the first-ever honor for a show created by and starring Asian Americans. Accepting the award, series creator Lee Sung Jin thanked the nameless driver involved in the road rage incident that inspired the show.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we close out 2023 and welcome critic and commentator Jae-Ha Kim to talk all things "K" -- from K-dramas to K-pop, and all the other ways Korean pop culture has spread its infectious K-embrace across the globe. We discuss the best K-dramas of the year (according to Jae-Ha), what happens when BTS takes a break for military service, and the recent tragic death of Lee Sun-kyun. I also admit -- nay, declare -- my love of NewJeans.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome James Wan, filmmaker behind iconic movies like Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, Aquaman and now, its sequel, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. He talks about his journey from making indie horror flicks to tentpole blockbusters, shares his tricks for avoiding sequel-itis, and attempts to say something bad about Randall Park. Presented in partnership with Gold House.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome two of the creators behind the Netflix animated action series Blue Eye Samurai, co-creator/co-showrunner Amber Noizumi and supervising director/producer Jane Wu. They discuss some of the personal connections that sparked the tale of mixed race warrior Mizu, bringing a decidedly Asian American take on an Edo-period samurai story, and the lengths they went to assemble the personnel for one of the most badass shows you'll ever see.
There's No Christmas Lunch Like a Korean American Church Lunch
Miyuk guk, good vibes only: After-service meals have long been key spaces for first-generation immigrants establishing themselves in the United States. But younger Koreans are finding less need for them.
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Can a play solve the mystery of the Monterey Park mass shooter? Survivors aren't sure
A new play tries to make sense of the mass shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park. While the play aims to help a community heal, it was created with limited input from those tied to the massacre -- and despite the concerns of many survivors.
The Bitter Taste of 'Not Too Sweet'
No one is louder about good desserts being "not too sweet" than the Asian American diaspora. Asian Americans have claimed the phrase as a defiant shorthand and a cheeky rallying cry. But is that maxim really true?
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, recorded live at Bās Bookshop in Honolulu, we celebrate the release of Jeff's new book The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America, which explores the history of Asian Americans on the silver screen, and the iconic films that have shaped Hollywood, representation, and American culture. We talk about why this moment in representation seemed like the right time for this book, how Jeff chose the movies that "made the cut," and a reconsideration (or reimagining) of Long Duk Dong. Also, in The Good, The Bad and The WTF, we offer some unpopular opinions about Asian American cinema. Special thanks to Aly Ishikuni-Sasaki and the team at Bās Bookshop.
Lucy Yu’s thriving New York bookstore burned down. How can she rebuild without burning out?
Lucy Yu, who runs what's believed to be New York City's first Asian American woman-owned bookstore, lost her brick-and-mortar business to a fire earlier this year. The Guardian asked three experts to consider Yu’s predicament and share their advice on her plan to reopen Yu & Me Books in its original location in Chinatown.
How Greta Lee, not Greta Gerwig, came to star in 'Past Lives'
Greta Lee describes Past Lives as the role of a lifetime: "[Celine Song] gave me the space to use my full facility, no strings attached, and without being burdened by having to do this extraneous labor. Just getting to act."
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Meet Charles Melton, the Breakout Star of May December'
Ex-Riverdale star Charles Melton transformed himself for Todd Haynes's new drama May December. As an actor, he's caught between wanting to be seen and wanting to disappear.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome our old friend Amy S. Choi of The Mash-Up Americans, who talks about starting her podcast/media company with a question ("Why not us?"); bringing the Mash-Up lens to the images and stories that don't get told in overly simplistic news verticals; and the latest season of their podcast, which aims to give you The Ultimate Guide to a Mash-Up Life. Also: stay tuned for a special bonus episode from The Mash-Up Americans featuring one of our favorite individuals on the planet, Randall Park.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome filmmaker Imran J. Khan, writer/director of the indie coming-of-age film Mustache. He talks about facial hair, Alicia Silverstone, telling culturally-specific stories without having to simplify or over-explain for audiences, and the bizarre time traveling that happens when you make a movie about a Muslim American family and community set in the late 1990s.
6% of Asian characters on streaming have lead roles and most have 'proximity to whiteness'
Of the top films and television shows on streaming platforms that included at least one Asian cast member in 2022, only 6% had an Asian character in a leading role, according to a new report, "A Balancing Act for Asian Representation: More Visible But Not Yet Specific." The study found 42% of AAPI characters had light skin and most female characters had a white male love interest.
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'Defining Courage' tells the story of WWII 'Nisei' soldiers
NPR speaks with David Ono about his new stage show, Defining Courage, which shares the story of Japanese American troops born in the United States but seen as the enemy by their own government.
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'We begged them': Some Monterey Park shooting survivors feel left out of donations
In the aftermath of the Monterey Park mass shooting, the Monterey Park Lunar New Year Victims Fund raised over $1 million. But some survivors -- witnesses present at the massacre who saw their friends and family killed -- did not tehnically qualify to receive funds because they were not physically injured.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome Jessica Yu, director of the comedy Quiz Lady, starring Sandra Oh and Awkwafina. She talks about bringing her diverse (and Academy Award-winning) directing experience to a wacky feature comedy; assembling and working with a team of dream collaborators for Quiz Lady; and how they reworked the original script to better reflect the nuance and layers of these mismatched Asian American sisters. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Quiz Lady.
In Nikki, Vivek, and Kamala, Indian Americans Find Incomplete Representation
The presence of Kamala Haris, Nikke Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy as standout contenders speaks to the complexity of the politics of representation; while their ethnic backgrounds are intertwined with their political identities, they all differ in distinct ways from the average Indian American voter.
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The Man Without a Face
What if Hollywood studios had cast an actual Asian actor in the role of Charlie Chan? In fact, incredibly, they did. And it wasn't just one Asian actor, but three -- a detail that is mostly forgotten today.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, presented in partnership with the Hawaii International Film Festival, we welcome actor/filmmaker Daniel Wu and HIFF artistic director Anderson Le -- fellow Bruce Lee superfans -- to discuss the fascinating documentary Enter the Clones of Bruce, which explores "Brucesploitation," the unique (and often bizarre) 1970s martial arts film subgenre that exploded in the wake of Bruce Lee's untimely death. They talk about Brucesploitation as a classic supply and demand scenario (powered by "all-look-same" racism), their favorite Bruce lookalikes -- Li, Le, Liang, et al -- and the wildest phases of the Bruce Multiverse. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the Clones of Bruce.
This episode is sponsored by the Westside Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors, starring Constance Wu and Corbin Bleu. Use the discount code LSOPOD10 for $10 off tickets.
Our annual gallery of awesome reader-submitted Halloween costumes.
Happy Halloween! You know what that means. Every year, I put the call out for photos of your awesome costume photos for our annual Angry Asian Halloween Costume gallery -- starring you, the amazing readers and supporters of this website. It has become an extremely popular feature, and something I look forward to sharing every year (especially the adorable kid costume photos). Please keep them coming!
Check it. Here's the first round of photos, with more costumes coming...
Hasan Minhaj Addresses Embellished Stories Detailed by The New Yorker
After a New Yorker piece chronicled fabrications in Hasan Minhaj's stand up act, the comedian issued a video rebuttal, saying he thought "the lines between truth and fiction were allowed to be a bit more blurry" in his personal storytelling.
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Spilling the Tea
Growing up in his family's iconic Chinese restaurant taught Curtis Chin how to survive in 1980s Detroit -- and how to embrace his identity as a gay Asian American.
The Unholy Son
On searching for faith, freedom, and the love of a father.
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Constance Wu Talks Landing Her Dream Role in 'Little Shop of Horrors'
Constance Wu has wanted to play Audrey, the timid flower shop worker in Little Shop of Horrors, ever since she caught a community production of the musical as a kid. Shge's finally taking on her bucket list role in the Off-Broadway revival.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, presented in partnership with the Hawaii International Film Festival, we welcome Lisa D'Apolito, director of the forthcoming documentary Albert Pyun King of Cult Movies, and Anderson Le, Artistic Director of the Hawaii International Film Festival, to talk about the life and career of prolific cult filmmaker Albert Pyun. They discuss Pyun's passion for movie-making by any means necessary, from chasing early cinema dreams in Hawaii, to breakout success with The Sword and the Sorcerer, to his ridiculously extensive 50+ movie resume stuffed with direct-to-video titles like Nemesis, Dollman and Crazy Six. Also, believe it or not: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the films of Albert Pyun.
This episode is sponsored by the Westside Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors, starring Constance Wu and Corbin Bleu. Use the discount code LSOPOD10 for $10 off tickets.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome singer, violinist and multi-instrumentalist Kishi Bashi, whose latest project is the album and "songfilm" Omoiyari, a musical journey to understand World War II-era Japanese American incarceration, assimilation, and what it means to be a minority in America today. He talks about exploring empathy and compassion through music, drawing parallels between incarceration camps and contemporary treatment of migrants and Muslims, and finding better understanding of his own bi-cultural identity in the process.
Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.
What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.
In this episode, we welcome Arielle Jacobs and Jose Llana, the stars of the revolutionary new Broadway musical Here Lies Love, an immersive roof-raising disco musical that tells the story of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos. They discuss the unique thrill of performing in this groundbreaking, form-busting theatre experience, their immense pride in being a part of Broadway's first ever all-Filipino cast, and the complicated responsibility of narrativizing this very real history of the Philippines -- The Good, The Bad, and The WTF.
