They Call Us Bruce 222: They Call Us Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom

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.

They Call Us Bruce 221: They Call Us Blue Eye Samurai

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.

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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.

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America Loves Chinese Restaurants, but Michelin Gave Just One a Star. It's in San Francisco
Chef Brandon Jew's restaurant occupies a lonely position among all the top-tier establishments in America.

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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?

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Pittsburgh baker honors Asian American activists with cookie portraits
Jasmine Cho turns cookies into works of art. As part of her mission for social justice, the Pittsburgh baker creates detailed portraits of unsung Asian American heroes.

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Shohei Ohtani: What it means that the new face of MLB is Asian
"If you want to be a dominant offering, then you have to be international and representative of people who are not considered the archetype of said sport," said a marketing expert.

They Call Us Bruce 220: They Call Us The Golden Screen

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.

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32 Best K-Dramas of All Time
These are the 32 best K-dramas of all time, according to Jae-Ha Kim.

* * *
I won the National Spelling Bee. This is what it takes to master spelling.
"The secret to spelling is understanding the 'how' and 'why' of language."

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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.

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Qui Nguyen Was Done Writing Plays. His Family Pulled Him Back In
With Poor Yella Rednecks, playwright Qui Nguyen continues to tell his Vietnamese American family's immigrant story. Maybe one day his parents will even see the shows.

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Disney Rejected Her a Few Times. The 'Wish' Director Just Kept Trying.
After she was finally hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Fawn Veerasunthorn worked her way up the ranks, and has applied that lesson of perseverance to her new film.

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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."

* * *
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.

They Call Us Bruce 219: They Call Us The Mash-Up Americans

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.

They Call Us Bruce 218: They Call Us Mustache

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.

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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.

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Why the attacks between Ramaswamy and Haley seem so personal — and spiteful
As the playing field shrinks in the Republican presidential primary campaign, no two candidates have been at each other's throats quite like Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley.

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It’s Not Thanksgiving Without White Rice
"For many Asian American families who celebrate Thanksgiving, it's logical that rice has a seat at the dinner table."

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Filmmaker Celine Song and Musician Yaeji Compare Notes on Maid Costumes and Hotel Room Service
To mark the release of Yaeji's latest single, "easy breezy," she talks to Past Lives filmmaker Celine Song to unpack their relationships to their crafts, audiences, and identities.

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How ‘Blue Eye Samurai’s’ Exploration of Mixed Race Identity Helps It "Break All of the Boxes"
Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, co-creators of Blue Eye Samurai, discuss how various elements of the Netflix animated series' production -- including its art, music composition, setting and casting -- helped deliver their 17th century tale of revenge.

They Call Us Bruce 217: They Call Us Quiz Lady

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.

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How a Chinese restaurant in Detroit taught a queer L.A. writer everything he knows
When Curtis Chin started writing Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, it was a different memoir. But the COVID pandemic nudged the book in a different direction.

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Jeff Yang's new book is a 'cheer out loud' for the films that made Asian America
NPR speaks with authors Jeff Yang and Preeti Chhibber about The Golden Screen: The Movies that Made Asian America. The book looks at films that have shaped Asian American identities.

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Asian Americans' Political Strength and Alliances Face Test in New York
Whether they stick with Democrats or continue their shift to the right, Asian American voters will help decide competitive races on November 7.

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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.

* * *
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.

* * *
Thirsty Suitors Is a Hilarious and Refreshing Game Made for the South Asian Community
"I feel seen by this game."

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"Blue Eye Samurai" addresses multiracial shame, "to be ostracized from both sides," in Edo-era Japan
Co-creator/executive producer Amber Noizumi and director Jane Wu of the Netflix animated series Blue Eye Samurai discuss Maya Erskine, the masks we wear and a vengeful woman masquerading as a man.

They Call Us Bruce 216: They Call Us The Clones of Bruce

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.

Your Halloween Costumes 2023

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...

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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.

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‘The Golden Screen’ author reflects on the movies that shaped Asian America
Jeff Yang's new book The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America, serves as a kind of colorful mixtape examining the many works that have shaped our understanding of the Asian American community.

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Shannon Lee on growing up with her father Bruce and her problem with Quentin Tarantino
Shannon Lee, actress-turned-writer -- and daughter of Bruce Lee -- says she has never met Quentin Tarantino and 'doesn't know what his issues are' with her father.

* * *
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.

* * *
Chargers super-fan goes viral after loss to Cowboys on Monday Night Football
Despite the Bolts' recent loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, one Los Angeles Chargers fan's reaction to a game-tying touchdown caught the attention of ESPN’s cameras and now, the internet.

* * *
A Deep-Fried Pho Sparks Scandal at the State Fair of Texas
A debate over who gets credit for inventing a dish proliferates on and off the Dallas fairgrounds.

They Call Us Bruce 215: They Call Us Albert Pyun King of Cult Movies

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.

They Call Us Bruce 214: They Call Us Kishi Bashi

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.

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'Korea is hiding our past’: the adoptees searching for their families – and the truth
Amid allegations of a corrupt adoption system in Seoul that falsified children’s records, those sent to Denmark as youngsters are desperate to find out their real stories.

* * *
I Was Told My Parents Were Dead. 38 Years Later, I Got An Email That Changed Everything.
In 2011, Cat Powell-Hoffmann opened an email from an adoption agency that changed her life.

* * *
The Pink-Haired Secret Weapon Behind Blue Eye Samurai
Animation director Jane Wu used to hate who she was. Her new Netflix series Blue Eyed Samurai explores a warrior who also hides to fit in.

* * *
Alice Wu's Saving Face Told a Queer Asian Story When It Was Far From the Mainstream
"Wu's trailblazing film made space for me to simply imagine a world where I could tell intersectional stories."

* * *
The Miami Marlins' Kim Ng is the first female GM to lead an MLB team to the playoffs
The Miami Marlins' Kim Ng is the first female general manager in MLB history to lead her team to the playoffs.

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Fumi Abe Will Not Be Handing Out Business Cards
Fumi Abe is on Vulture's annual list of "The Comedians You Should and Will Know."

They Call Us Bruce 2013: They Call Us Here Lies Love

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.

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The Parents Trying to Pass Down a Language They Hardly Speak
"Losing your family's language can feel like an inevitable side effect of immigration -- but it’s one I want to prevent."

* * *
Saving Chinatown, While Also Making It Their Own
A younger generation of Asian Americans are fighting to keep the history and culture of the Manhattan neighborhood alive — and for the very idea of what an ethnic enclave can be.

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Former enslaved Calif. sweatshop worker recalls captivity, honored by Labor Dept.
Last week in Washington DC, 81 Thai garment workers were inducted into the Department of Labor's Hall of Honor for exposing their former employer's abusive practices in 1995 -- a landmark case that was considered the first recognized case of modern-day slavery.

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As Haley and Ramaswamy Rise, Some Indian Americans Have Mixed Feelings
For the first time in the nation's history, two Indian Americans -- Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy -- are serious presidential contenders who regularly invoke their parents' immigrant roots. But their deeply conservative views make it difficult for some Indian American voters to fully celebrate the moment.

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Facing eviction, a beloved Little Tokyo cafe charts its survival in a gentrifying city
After more than half a century serving Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, an eviction lawsuit has forced family-run Japanese restaurant Suehiro Cafe to relocate, spurring community discussions over the future of legacy businesses in the historic Japanese American neighborhood.

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Mitski says she doesn't feel either fully Asian or American, and fans say they identify with that
Some Asian American fans say they recognize themselves in the lyrics of Mitski's latest album.

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Sung Kang's Lightsabers Are Cooler Than Yours
Sung Kang, who makes his feature film directorial debut with the indie horror flick Shaky Shivers, talks about how starring in Obi-Wan Kenobi sparked a new passion.

They Call Us Bruce 212: They Call Us Magnificent Jerk

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 Maya Lin Sugarman and James Kim, producers behind the podcast Magnificent Jerk, "the true story -- of a fake story -- about a real life." They talk about the fascinating life and career of Maya's late uncle Galen Yuen, and the box of his belongings that sent Maya on mission to discover her family’s biggest secrets -- including the truth behind the possibly autobiographical screenplay that eventually became a bad B-movie starring.... Rob Lowe, Burt Reynolds, and Ice-T. Also: The Good, The Bad and The WTF of making Magnificent Jerk.

Wing Luke Museum Windows Smashed in Hate Crime

Seattle museum targeted by man with a sledgehammer who said "the Chinese ruined my life."

Seattle's Wing Luke Museum was targeted in a hate crime last week when a man smashed the outside windows of the museum with a sledgehammer. The suspect later apparently told police, "the Chinese ruined my life."

Link: Shattered windows and nerves, Seattle's Wing Luke Museum targeted in alleged hate crime

According to the police report, 76-year-old Craig Milne used a sledgehammer to break the windows of the museum along Canton Alley South on Thursday evening, as dozens of patrons were inside touring an exhibit.

After the attack, Milne apparently remained outside the building, and was heard saying he had come to the Chinatown International District to cause damage because, ahem, "the Chinese ruined my life."

You fucking fool, you ruined your own life. And the good people at this museum didn't do shit to you.