three heroes honored in san francisco

Last week, San Francisco's police commission honored three men who helped saved a 14-year-old girl's life: 3 men's bravery honored. Back in May, Kermit Kubitz, Dr. Sang-ick Chang and Jonas Svalling—three strangers who had never met—were enjoying their Saturday afternoon when they happened to get caught up in a crazy, deadly situation. Without warning, a recently-paroled guy attacked a young teenager with a hunting knife inside a bakery. Kubitz tried to intervene, and got stabbed himself. Chang saved the girl's life. And Svallin chased down her attacker. Crazy. But now they're heroes. Read all about what happened here.

stephen chow as kato?

So they've been talking about a Green Hornet movie for years, but the project has been bounced from studio to studio, and attached to various directors, including Kevin Smith at one point. For those unfamiliar with the character, Green Hornet followed the adventures of Britt Reid, a bored playboy who inherits his father's crusading newspaper, the Daily Sentinel. By night he's a masked hero, fighting crime with his martial arts expert sidekick/chauffeur Kato. While the 1966 ABC series was short lived, and I can't profess to ever being a fan, it's probably best remembered as the show that introduced American audiences to Bruce Lee, who played Kato. As I've written here before, I'm interested in seeing who they get to play Kato, if they ever actually get around to making the movie. And he better be badass.

Well, it was recently announced that Seth Rogen, that dude from Knocked Up, and his writing partner Evan Goldberg, are going to write and executive-produce The Green Hornet for Columbia Pictures: Rogen to pen "Hornet," don hero's mask. Rogen is also attached to star as the Green Hornet. What the...? Not the first, second, third through 100th person I would've thought of for the role, but it's certainly interesting. Rogen and Goldberg are the writing team responsible for the comedy Superbad, which opens in theaters on Friday. I've seen it, and it's hilarious. But with these two now involved, I can't imagine Green Hornet being anything but a comedy, or at least a superhero movie with some heavy comic undertones. I'm not saying it won't work... it's just different.

But back to the original question, the point we care about: who will play Kato? Well, Rogen apparently wants none other than Kung Fu Hustle star/director Stephen Chow for the role. Don't know how close this is to being reality, but I love it—especially if they're going with the comedic route. That's badass in a totally different way.

3rd annual newspeak slam!

Southern California People! The NewSpeak SLAM!, the annual Asian American spoken word showcase is back this weekend for its third year. This year's theme is LIVE.LAUGH.LOVE. - a celebration of word + music, an exclusive showcase featuring an all-star lineup of performers, including Shihan, Poetri, Dante Basco, SKIM, Far East Movement, DumbFounDead, Kristina Wong, Traci Kato-Kiriyama, DJ Soulspeak, among others. Saturday, August 18th, at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. It looks like it's going to be a pretty wicked awesome time. For more information about the show, including tickets, go here. And visit the Projekt NewSpeak's MySpace page here.

angry asian metrodad

Had to post this excerpt from a recent entry over at MetroDad, one of my favorite blogs. The post is titled "Memos to the World-at-Large":

To the guy who called me a "FUCKING CHINK" on the subway this morning...

In the overheated ant farm known as the NYC subway system, it's part of the social contract that exiting passengers be allowed to get out of the train before incoming passengers enter. Apparently, you're too much of an ignorant fuck to understand this common-sense rule that has been in place since the days of Noah's ark. No, my friend, you obviously felt some sense of entitlement. When I didn't budge to let you on the train because I was getting out, you felt compelled to call me a "fucking chink."

Normally, I don't take that shit lightly. I've only been in 6 fights over the course of my lifetime and they were all because someone felt compelled to slander me with racial epithets. Just so you know? I'm 6 for 6 in those fights. Don't fuck with an angry Asian man!

Anyway, the only reason I didn't throw your racist ass under the train tracks today was because YOU WERE WITH YOUR FUCKING KID!

Man, at that point, I just felt horrible for your little daughter. I felt terrible that she has a father filled with so much hate that every little misstep in daily life turns into a potential interpersonal Gulf of Tonkin incident. I felt disgusted knowing that she's being raised by a man who can spew racial epithets at the drop of a hat. And I felt worse thinking that, without proper perspective and life experience, she might end up adopting your racist views as her own.

In the end, I kept coming back to that brilliant Denis Leary quote, "Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps! End of list."

I hope your daughter realizes what a total fucking asshole you are and grows up to reject not only you but everything you represent. That, my acerbic little friend, would be an even greater revenge than kicking your ass up and down 7th Avenue.

I think we've all wanted to write a similar memo at some point or another, to every racist asshead we've had to deal with in our lives. MetroDad is dead right—racism isn't born. It's taught. And we witnessed right here on the subway.

roger fan in drillbit taylor

Just spotted my man Roger Fan in the trailer for Drillbit Taylor, about two kids who hire a bodyguard to protect them from the school bully. According to IMDb, Roger plays "Guy With Knives," presumably one of the interviewees for the bodyguard position. Ouch. Looks like he didn't get the job.

the rebel goes to the weinsteins

Here's an article on Charlie Nguyen's super kickass film The Rebel which has been wowing audiences and drawing crowds at festivals worldwide: 'Rebel' with a cause. Starring Johnny Tri Nguyen and Dustin Nguyen, it's a period action flick set in 1922 Vietnam during a peasant uprising against French colonialists. Made for a measly $1.5 million, it's still apparently the biggest Vietnamese film ever made, and looks amazing. And don't worry, you will get a chance to see it... eventually. The Weinstein Company has picked up home video rights to The Rebel: TWC nabs Vietnamese actioner 'The Rebel'. This might mean it'll sit on the shelf for a couple of years, but let's hope for the best. The Weinsteins Dragon Dynasty label has been coming out with some pretty solid releases. If all goes well, you'll be putting it in your Netflix queue soon. For now, check out the trailer on The Rebel MySpace page.

lou and lou: safety patrol

Remember Schoolhouse Rock? Some of you might. Some of you might not. They were brief, entertaining educational segments that ran Saturday mornings on ABC along with your regular dose of cartoons and cereal, way back in the day. Well, educational interstitials still run today amidst all the cartoon programming out there: Short Stops: Animated Interstitials. Not being a heavy Disney watcher, I wasn't aware of Lou and Lou: Safety Patrol, a popular interstitial for Disney Playhouse, which features Asian American boy-and-girl twins who challenge their audience to spot potentially hazardous conditions during three-minute segments. They're just normal, regular (though super-safety conscious) Asian American kids. And now that I have visited Lou and Lou's website, I am all caught up on my safety knowledge. Still, I think I prefer the old G.I. Joe public service announcements. Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

two south korean hostages freed

In Afghanistan, two women among the 23 South Korean missionaries kidnapped by the Taliban last month have been freed: Taliban free 2 South Korean women. They were left on a rural roadside then driven to a U.S. base by two waiting Red Cross SUVs. The South Korean Foreign Ministry identified the freed hostages as Kim Kyung-ja and Kim Ji-na. Thank God. Let's hope for the quick release of the other hostages.

three teens charged with murder/robbery

In El Cerrito, CA, three 17-year-old boys have been charged as adults in the shooting death of 24-year-old handyman Jinzhou Chang, who was robbed while helping his father with repairs at an apartment complex two weeks ago: Contra Costa teens to be tried as adults in El Cerrito killing. Christian Latimore, Raymond Richard and Marcellus Allen, who face murder and robbery charges, were identified with the help of a security camera at a Chevron gas station, where they had gone in hopes of buying gas with a credit card belonging to Chang. The three will be tried as adults because they're almost 18 years old and because of the severity of the crime. I hope they get what they deserve. Contributions to help the Chang family can be sent to a family friend, Joshua Lee, 1 Montgomery St., No. 3300, San Francisco, CA 94104 or sent to any Bank of America, account number: 04081-67348.

filipino party people

Here's an article in LA Weekly on Filipino Americans party crews dominating Southern California's Hollywood club scene: The Fil-Am Invasion. It's a pretty interesting look at the scene and some of its players. Though, my man Oliver apparently has a few issues with the piece (particularly the emphasis of connecting Filipino "tribal roots" and hip hop) over at Poplicks: L.A.'S FILIPINO INV(ASIAN)?. And I generally trust that O-Dub knows what he's talking about. Most of the time.

the asian american vote is up for grabs

It seems that the race is on for the Asian American vote... Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton was trying to woo Asian American voters (and donations) this weekend at the Dynasty Restaurant in San Jose: Clinton To Court Asian Vote In Bay Area Visit. $2300 apparently bought you a private session for some personal discussion with Hillary. Many believe that much of the Asian American vote is up for grabs, with the community showing a lot more political clout. As the the article points out, for the first time ever, there are now five Asian American mayors in the Bay Area. Asian American political power, baby. And Hillary wants it.

write for ialink

Calling all writers, journalists, thinkers... iaLink, ImaginAsian's monthly online magazine, is currently seeking submissions for its September issue, which will concentrate on political and social issues. Anyone interested in submitting a story can email their ideas to Jamie Quiroz at JQuiroz@Iatv.tv. Got a story to share? A perspective that needs sharing? Break out of the confines of your blog and get your message out there on iaLink. Check out the current issue here.

reasons to visit milwaukee

Here's one Asian American columnist's plea to everybody's favorite Chinese NBA draftee Yi Jianlian, who seems to be having hard time making up his mind about coming to play for the Milwaukee Bucks. She gives a few "great" reasons for being part of the Milwaukee's Asian community: Hey, Jianlian, give us a chance. Can't say a lot of these will actually apply to Yi ("the exotic factor"?) but at least he's got one friend to hang with in Milwaukee... if he decides to come play.

there goes the neighborhood

South Bay, represent! Last year, Santa Clara County's population gained more Asians than any other county in the United States. Population estimates released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau say Santa Clara County gained nearly 18,000 new Asian residents in 2006, a 3.3 percent increase from 2005, and a 20 percent jump this decade. It makes for some very interesting changes and opportunities in the community: Santa Clara County adding Asians at nation's fastest pace

On the other side of the country... Asians were the only major racial or ethnic group to record population gains in every county in the New York metropolitan region since 2005. And since 2000, New York has recorded the greatest increase in Asians (309,773) of any metropolitan area: Asians Make Broad Gains in New York Population. You hear that, America? We're growing. And we're coming to get you! Muhahahahahahahahahaha!

chef settles discrimination lawsuit

This news is a couple of weeks old, but it's worth noting... Noted New York chef Daniel Boulud recently settled a discrimination lawsuit brought by Latino and Asian workers who claimed he promoted white French workers ahead of nonwhite workers at one of his Manhattan restaurants: Noted NYC chef Daniel Boulud settles discrimination lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought by low-paid Latino and Bangladeshi bus boys and runners who claimed they were denied opportunities to advance to higher-paid positions, passed over in favor of newly hired white employees with less experience, and subjected to harassment and racial insults if they complained. That's racist! The settlement called for Boulud's restaurant to pay $80,000 in damages to eight workers, adopt a policy to ensure that race and national origin are not factors in promotions, and train managers about employment law. And there you go.

kenneth eng sentenced to mental health treatment... then arrested again

Hey look! Everybody's favorite "Asian Supremacist" Kenneth Eng has been sentenced to a year of mental health treatment for his latest act of crazy: Asian supremacist sentenced to therapy. Back in May, good ol' Kenny was arrested for waving a hammer at a neighbor's face and threatening to kill her and her family... and her dog. He pleaded guilty in Queens County Court yesterday to attempted assault and harrassment. Is anyone really surprised? So the Dragon Master will be headed to a 12-month outpatient mental health program. Not sure what that really entails, but if he fails to comply with the program's requirements and fails to take his medication, or if he violates his neighbors' orders of protection, he can be resentenced up to 4 years in prison.

Here's the interesting thing... the article notes that after his sentencing yesterday, federal authorities produced an arrest warrant and took Eng into custody with new charges. He apparently arrived at home to find the feds waiting to bust him on a sealed complaint: ASIAN BIGOT BUSTED. So what are the new charges? What has Krazy-ass Kenny gotten himself into this time?

warner brothers, you bastards

I can't believe this. This is the worst idea in the history of cinema. This is a tragedy. This is evil. In a sea of recent movie remakes, both good and bad, there is one movie that should never be touched. EVER. And yet, Variety reports that Warner Independent Pictures is planning a remake of Enter the Dragon. Enter the frickin' Dragon! This cannot be. I don't want to believe it: Warners to remake 'Enter the Dragon'.

Kurt Sutter will write and make his feature directing debut on Awaken the Dragon, "a noir-style remake" of Enter the Dragon, the 1973 martial arts classic that made Bruce Lee an international star. It'll be produced by John Wells, and original movie producers Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller. The bastards. Here are some details:

Sutter said he's writing "Awaken the Dragon" as a contemporized drama about a lone FBI agent who pursues a rogue Shaolin monk into the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs.

Original film starred Lee as a martial artist who's drafted by law enforcement to participate in a martial arts tournament and infiltrate a drug smuggling operation run from the host's heavily guarded island.

"I'm a huge noir fan, and this plot lends itself to the film I want to make," Sutter said. "I wanted to set it in these underground fight clubs where the action is really raw and expose the brutality of Shaolin kung fu. This will be more 'Raging Bull' than 'Crouching Tiger' in its viciousness."

Sutter will look to discover a fight star in the role of the monk and cast an established American actor to play the FBI agent.

Noir? This doesn't sound anything like film noir. Does this Sutter guy even know what the hell he's talking about? It sounds like a steaming pile of crap. How many suck-ass 1980s direct-to-video action flicks have been set in "the bloody world of underground martial arts fight clubs"?

For that matter, hasn't Enter the Dragon already been remade (and when I say remade, I mean ripped off) countless times over the last 30 years? In everything from Bloodsport to the upcoming Balls of Fury? Hell, Jean-Claude Van Damme is responsible for half of them. We do not need an Enter the Dragon remake. This is just a ridiculous attempt to cash in on the legacy of the original.

In the name of all that is good and decent in the world, do not do this. No doubt, Sutter's plans for "an established American actor" probably means a "white actor." Never mind that what was so appealing about the original movie was Bruce Lee himself. The guy was an amazing onscreen presence—a phenomenal martial artist, but just as impressive when he wasn't doing martial arts. That's what set him apart.

And consider the symbolic, historic impact of Enter the Dragon, as strange as that sounds... an Asian man kicking ass in a Hollywood movie? Unheard of. Revolutionary. Life-changing. I know I'm sounding excessively dramatic, but this remake is a horrible idea. I shake my fist at you, Warner.

caught on youtube: australian priest's racist tirade

I've heard from several folks telling me about this YouTube video, of a priest in Australia flying off the handle and going crazy on some unruly trespassing skateboarders. Basically, the guy loses it and starts screaming all sorts of nasty stuff at the skaters, crossing waaaay over into the sexual and racist. True colors come out. At one point, he points at one of the Asian kids in the group and calls him a "little foreigner" with "seedy eyes" and "black hair." That's racist! Granted, the fisheye video is annoying as hell, and these obnoxious punkass skaters are pretty much harrassing this guy. But there's no reason to go there with the racist remarks. Reverend Monsignor Geoff Baron was apparently placed on leave by church authorities after the video was posted on YouTube: Priest's racist rant posted on YouTube.

eve and the fire horse on dvd

Forgot to mention this... Julia Kwan's magnificent film Eve and the Fire Horse was released on DVD a couple of weeks ago. I've said quite a bit about this film over the last year, and I just can't recommend it enough. A critically-acclaimed, award-winning, beloved film on the festival circuit, it deserves a space on your DVD shelf:

The humorous and magical tale of Eve, a precocious nine year old with an overactive imagination. Eve was born in the year of the Fire Horse, notorious among Chinese families for producing the most troublesome children. Her family begins suffering misfortunes when her mom (Vivian Wu of THE JOY LUCK CLUB, THE LAST EMPEROR) goes against superstition and cuts down the apple tree in the back yard. Eve decides only she can save her family, but her vivid imagination often lands her in trouble. After a visit by missionaries, Eve’s 11 year old sister becomes fascinated with Christianity, and drags Eve along with her to Sunday School. Soon the emaciated Jesus finds a place next to the fat, jolly Buddha on the family mantle-piece, and Eve’s confusion grows.

Caught between her authoritative sister's fantasies of sainthood and cultural confusion and her own sense of right and wrong, Eve faces the challenges of childhood with fanciful humor and wide-eyed wonder. Sometimes the most troublesome children are the ones that touch our hearts most deeply.

Special features on the DVD include a director's commentary, deleted scenes, and Julia Kwan's beautiful previou short film Three Sisters on Moon Lake. Good stuff. Learn more about the film here. And purchase the DVD here.

new report on asian american students

According to a new government report, several Asian American groups are not well-prepared—academically or financially—to succeed in college: Report refines image of Asians. Take that, model minority stereotype. I know that a lot of people regard Asian American students as brainy, successful, affluent over-achievers, but many APA groups aren't making the grade. While many Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian students typically do well in school, the Government Accountability Office reports that Pacific Islanders and Southeast Asians of Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian, Thai and Burmese descent often don't enroll in the rigorous math and reading classes necessary to succeed in at the college level. Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander youths are also more likely to need outside financial support. A copy of the government report is available for download here. I think the quote from L. Ling-chi Wang, chairman of the University of California-Berkeley's ethnic studies department, pretty much sums it up: "The report confirms the need to avoid making national generalizations about Asian American achievements in education and conflating all Asian American subgroups as if all Asian-Americans are homogeneous." Indeed. It also demonstrates the importance of the "Count Me In" campaign.