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 Adam King and Sam Hyun, co-founders of the Asian American sneaker brand 1587. They talk about their inspiration for starting a company dedicated to "unapologetically Asian American" footwear, and how they're celebrating our community's oft-forgotten or neglected stories through shoes. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of starting an Asian American sneaker company. (This episode is sponsored by the HBO original limited series The Sympathizer and its official companion podcast.)
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 Village Well Books & Coffee in Culver City, Jeff and Phil celebrate the book launch of Rising from the Ashes: Los Angeles, 1992. Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire with author Paula Yoo and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Hyungwon "HK" Kang. They talk about Paula's drive to tell a nuanced and empathetic account of the 1992 Los Angeles uprising, the three families at the center of the unrest -- beyond the headlines and soundbites -- and some of the incredible and heartbreaking untold stories from this incendiary moment for Los Angeles' Black and Korean American communities. (This episode is sponsored by the HBO original limited series The Sympathizer and the official Sympathizer companion podcast.)
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 writer, stand-up comedian and media studies PhD Grace Jung, author of the book K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry into Why We Love Korean Television. They discuss the explosion of Korean dramas from bootleg VHS tapes to DramaFever (R.I.P.) to the most popular shows on worldwide streaming services; the wildest K-drama tropes from amnesia to leukemia to kimchi slaps; what makes these shows so irresistibly bingeable, and what can we learn about our societies and ourselves from watching them.
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 discuss the HBO original limited series The Sympathizer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, with author Viet Thanh Nguyen and scholar Philip Nguyen, host of the official Sympathizer Podcast. They talk about the meta-upon-meta textual sandwich of adapting this modern classic into an epic television series, that time director Park Chan-wook came over to Viet's house -- hide the octopus! -- and the brilliant decision to cast the "dude playing a dude disguised as another dude" as alllll the white guys in The Sympathizer. BONUS: Keep listening to hear an episode of The Sympathizer Podcast with Robert Downey Jr., Hoa Xuande, Vincent Van Dyke, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Don McKellar.
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 historian and professor Mae Ngai, co-editor of the book Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice, a collection of over 200 photos celebrating the history and cultural impact of the Asian American social justice movement from the lens of late photojournalist and activist Corky Lee. She talks about Corky's calling as "the inundisputed, unofficial Asian American photographer laureate" and his lifelong quest to document, empower and create community change with his camera. Also: Jeff talks about that time he and Corky lost track of time.
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 co-creator/executive producer Alexander Woo and director Derek Tsang, two of the key creators behind the Netflix series 3 Body Problem. They talk about the challenges of adapting Liu Cixin's epic science fiction novels for a global television audience, the authenticity required to re-create a dark moment China's history, who is responsible for what is possibly the best line of dialogue in the entire series, and the painstaking considerations that went into making that one really horrific scene. If you know, you know. Also: The Good, The Bad and The WTF of making 3 Body Problem.
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 friends Sujata Day (Definition Please, Heroes' Feast) and Dino-Ray Ramos (DIASPORA) to talk about the action revenge thriller Monkey Man, written/directed by and starring Dev Patel. We discuss this new take on storytelling from the South Asian diaspora, this blessed era of the Dev Patel Glow-Up, some of the political, religious and cultural controversy surrounding the movie, and of course, the badass action sequences (both borrowed and new) -- including the moment that had everybody in the movie screaming. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Monkey Man.
The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.
All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 36, we conclude our conversation with Garrett Wang. For seven seasons, he starred as Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager. In Part 3 of our interview, Garrett talks about the nuances of cross-cultural casting; negotiating the relative Asian-ness of Harry Kim (how "Asian" is playing the clarinet?); his very first on-camera acting role as an extra in Death Wish IV; and the heartbreaking missed opportunity to reprise the role of (a finally promoted) Harry Kim in Star Trek: Picard.
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 Pawan Dhingra, associate provost and associate dean of the faculty at Amherst College and current president of the Association for Asian American Studies. He talks about the newly minted AAPI Studies program at Amherst -- the first of its kind for liberal arts colleges -- what's behind the seemingly sudden surge of interest in Asian American Studies, and how the field still needs to grow and expand. Pawan also talks a bit about Kumon, the South Asian stranglehold on the spelling bee, and his incredibly titled book Hyper Education: Why Good Schools, Good Grades, and Good Behavior Are Not Enough.
The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.
All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 35, we welcome back actor Garrett Wang. For seven seasons, he starred as Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager -- which, at present time, makes him the Asian with the most screen time across the entire Star Trek franchise. In Part 2 of our interview, Garrett talks about some of the early struggles in his acting career -- including parental disapproval -- his personal favorite episodes of Voyager, and how, perhaps contrary to popular perception, Harry Kim was actually the "busiest" man in the Delta Quadrant.
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 Albert Kim, showrunner of Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. He talks about the epic challenge of adapting the beloved animated series, "remixing" the original show's story elements for the streaming format, the cultural considerations that go into building an Asian-inspired fantasy world (does Iroh have an accent?) and casting Asian and Indigenous actors for these iconic roles. Plus: Jeff divulges Albert's personal email address. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The Podcast In Which We Interview All The Asians On Star Trek.
All The Asians On Star Trek is the podcast in which we interview all the Asians on Star Trek. In Episode 34, we welcome actor Garrett Wang. For seven seasons, he starred as Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager. In Part 1 or our interview, Garrett talks about the epic, arduous audition process that earned him the role of Harry Kim, the glacial pace of Hollywood diversity from the nineties to now, and the meaningful moment he realized he was carrying the banner of Asian American representation on Star Trek.
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 Kim Cooper and Scott Okamoto, co-hosts of the podcast Asians in Baseball, just in time for spring training. They discuss the current renaissance of Asian and Asian American players in Major League Baseball; becoming a baseball fan in this extraordinary moment; Shohei Otani's ass; the Lenn Sakata Fan Club; and the unifying love of Kim Ha-Seong. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Asians in baseball.
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 Olivia Cheng and Dianne Doan, stars of the badass action series Warrior (now on Netflix!). They talk about how the show has embodied the fighting spirit of Bruce Lee; some of the initial trepidation and concerns they had about their roles; and why Olivia is the Ginger Rogers of Warrior. Also: a guest appearance from Dianne's dog and why Olivia's early role as "Dim Sum Girl #1" actually completes an interesting full-circle moment.
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 & Wà i 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 (Wà i 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 & Wà i 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 Wà i 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 & Wà i 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.
