Friends, you have the special opportunity to watch Joy Dietrich's indie drama Tie a Yellow Ribbon, beamed straight to your TV set through the power of public television. Set in New York City, the film offers a compelling view into the lives of young Asian American women through the eyes of the main character, a Korea adoptee, and delicately addresses the abnormally high rates of depression and suicide among Asian American girls. This isn't your typical public television offering. Here's a blurb and synopsis from the broadcast press release:
In TIE A YELLOW RIBBON, Jenny Mason (Kim Jiang), a Korean adoptee and aspiring photographer, walks the streets of New York in a state of resigned indifference. Her days are spent with white friends and colleagues, her nights with white men. She has no contact with her Midwestern family due to a childhood indiscretion with her white brother, Joe (Patrick Heusinger). She rejects any attachment, dumping men as fast as she can pick them up. Yet she longs for a connection that would make her feel at home—a home that she has lost and is forever seeking.
One day, her roommate asks her to move out, fanning her fears of abandonment. She moves in with the beautiful but troubled Beatrice Shimizu (Jane Kim) and meets super-cool Simon Chang (Ian Wen), whose socially awkward sister, Sandy (Theresa Ngo), lives next door. Raised in the predominately white Midwest, she is both fascinated and repulsed by the other Asian Americans whom she meets. Her indifference toward life starts melting away however, as she embraces Bea, who battles her own self-esteem issues with family and a philandering boyfriend, Phillip (Gregory Waller), and tries to help Sandy overcome her shyness. Jenny's biggest obstacle is opening herself up to the possibility of a relationship with Simon. Meanwhile, Bea and Simon encourage and help jumpstart Jenny's career in photography.
Suddenly, Joe appears at her door, shattering her current life. As Jenny searches for a voice and photographic style that she can call her own, she finds that she must face her unresolved feelings toward her brother and family, and ultimately reconcile her identity as an Asian American.
"I wanted to make a film that gave nuanced portraits of young Asian American women whose stories are seldom told in mainstream media. The dirty little secret is that Asian American women have one of the highest rates of depression in the United States," said writer/director Joy Dietrich.
"While this film doesn't attempt to explain the reasons why, it does expose the isolating, alienating factors that make the young women feel the way they do—the greatest among them the lack of acceptance and belonging. TIE A YELLOW RIBBON is ultimately about three young women's search for love and belonging."
The film is a quiet character-driven drama that grapples with some very real human issues. It's worth checking out, and hey, you don't even have to leave the comfort of your living room. It airs on public television starting May 1. Check your local listings, or search the PBS schedule here. And to learn more about Tie a Yellow Ribbon, go here.
This news is a couple of weeks old, but I wanted to give some major props to Jose Antonio Vargas, who recently won the Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news category. He shares the award with other Washington Post reporters for a package of nine stories, two of which he wrote: Filipino Washington Post Reporter Wins Pulitzer.
Vargas wrote two front page stories on the Virginia Tech massacre, one of which included one of the first few interviews with an eyewitness to the shooting. And he found him on Facebook! He also wrote a story on how Virginia Tech students were using the internet "to let each other know what was going on, because it was chaotic" at the time. Nice work.
This is particularly cool news to me because Jose actually wrote an article about angryasianman.com a while back, almost three years ago, for the Washington Post: Incensed And Empowered. The profile put a very unexpected but interesting and welcome spotlight on this website. I've always appreciated that. Congratulations, Jose.
Brenda Song, who stars in the hit Disney Channel show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, has filed a lawsuit with a company called Vibe Media, which illegally used her image in an escort service print ad that appeard in L.A. Weekly: Disney Actress Sues Over Escort Service Ad. More here: Song Sings: See My Face in Court! Add some text and a phone number, and you've got an instant Asian prostitute.
As you can see, the ad has renamed her "Layla," who is allegedly a "Hawaiin beauty." Her attorney is looking for $100,000 in compensation, which actually sounds kind of low to me, considering that she's built an image and reputation as a clean-cut Disney star and the ad most certainly jeopardizes that. Maybe they thought they were using some random "exotic" image. It's time for Brenda to get legal on their ass. They've messed with the wrong Disney Channel star.
A follow-up on the 15-year-old student who was arrested a few weeks ago for making threats against fellow students at Glen A. Wilson High School... The 15-year-old student, who allegedly posted violent messages on the school's Wikipedia page, has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of making criminal threats: Student arrested for alleged threats on school's wiki.
While the threat prompted school officials to cancel classes on April 18, anonymous offensive messages apparently began popping up more than a year ago on Glen A. Wilson's Wikipedia page, including racial slurs aimed at Asians and possible shootings:
The writer, who said he was a student, hid behind an anonymous e-mail address to threaten by name Asian students at the San Gabriel Valley school, hurl racial slurs at the school's primarily Asian badminton team and allude to possible attacks.
"I would love to see her shot right between the eyes with blood gushing out from her mouth begging for mercy as she clings onto a single shred of life," read a message about an Asian student posted May 28, 2007. "Haha now there's a great fantasy."
School district officials and sheriff's detectives did not start investigating the messages until two weeks ago, after Wikipedia staff alerted them to a violent threat posted April 16, the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting and a few days before the anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School.
"On Friday, April 18, 2008, there will be a shooting at this school," the threat said, promising to target "a good majority of the badminton team and almost every single fob" -- a reference to recent Asian immigrants "fresh off the boat."
Rather disturbing. More details here: Violent threats on Wilson High's Wikipedia page went unchecked. I've been told by several people close to the situation that the kid who started all this, a sophomore, is actually an Asian American student himself. (Glen A. Wilson has a large Asian student body.) If this is true, it adds a really weird element to the case, considering its possible hate dynamic. Either way, the kid is still a big idiot. I have little sympathy for someone who does something like this.
This story amuses the hell out of me, simply because of the imagery it evokes. It's like out of a movie or something... In Scotland, a "crazed" Chinese chef challenged his boss—who had just fired him—to a duel... with meat cleavers. Oh, he wasn't messing around: Disgruntled chef challenged boss to meat cleaver duel.
After arguing with owner, Tat Chung Cheung, over a work permit, Xian Ming Wang grabbed the knives, placed a cleaver on the shop counter and screamed, "One for me and one for you." He then vowed to chop Mr. Cheung up, adding, "I have already chopped up a man--and I will do the same to you." How they settled things in the old country, I guess.
Wang admitted challenging his former to a fight, making threats of violence, brandishing the cleavers and placing a couple in a state of fear and alarm. He was jailed for seven months. That's straight up gangsta.
The above ad was recently published as a reponse from several concerned communities at Dartmouth to the racist comic that appeared last week in The Dartmouth. As you can see, the ad reprints the cartoon, provides a breakdown of its offending elements, and is sponsored by a large cross-section of the Dartmouth community.
Too bad the The Dartmouth charged them $437.40 to print the one-page ad. You think they'd give them a break, considering that it was The Dartmouth that made the idiotic mistake of printing the damn comic strip in the first place. Apparently, The Dartmouth even claimed they were doing them a favor by not charging a copyright fee for re-using the comic. Ridiculous. (Thanks, Hillary.)
B-boys are back in a big way. According to Variety, the South Korean dance group Gamblerz, featured in Benson Lee's hit documentary Planet B-Boy, are teaming up with music producer/rapper Teddy Rile to star in Paramount's dance movie Hype Nation: Koreans hip to Paramount's 'Hype'. The movie, budgeted at $25 million, will follow dance battles between the Gamblerz and American R&B group B2K. The film will be directed by Alex Calzatti.
Production on the movie is scheduled to begin in July, with roughly 40% to be shot in the United States and 60% in South Korea. They're reportedly currently casting for a Korean female lead. Considering B2K's involvement, isn't this basically a sequel to You Got Served? No joke, knowing how awesome the Korean B-boy crews are, a friend and I actually hatched an idea for the sequel, calling it You Got Served: You've Got Seoul... long before I ever heard this news. Alas, it seems that Young Film has beat us to it.
Hopefully, with movies like Planet B-Boy, Always Be Boyz, and now this one, we're seeing a modern resurgence in the popularity and interest in breaking. Of course, the first time around, back into the 1980s, it led to some pretty ugly exploitation. (Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo?) But it's definitely good to see Asians leading the pack, and recognized as some of the best B-boys in the world.
Dude. Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night: Late Night Laughs on McCain Veep Prospects. See the above clip. Is this man the future of the Republican party?
Believe it or not, for several months, the young Republican governor—the nation's first Indian American governor—has been discussed as a possible running-mate for John McCain. No joke. And now, his national profile has gotten a bit of a boost with this appearance on Leno. Could we actually see an Indian American vice presidential candidate running this fall?
Jindal has repeatedly dismissed the possibility, saying he intends to be governor for four years and run for a second term: Jindal says McCain won't ask him to be vice president. However, he hasn't definitively said that he'd refuse McCain if the opportunity arose. I guess I'd be more excited by this possibility if only Jindal's politics weren't so divergent from my own.
Chinese Students in U.S. Fight View of Their Home: "Chinese students in the United States have been forced to confront an image of their homeland that they neither recognize nor appreciate. Since the riots last month in Tibet, the disrupted Olympic torch relays and calls to boycott the opening ceremony of the Games in Beijing, Chinese students, traditionally silent on political issues, have begun to lash out at what they perceive as a pervasive anti-Chinese bias."
Young Indians Abroad Return to Help Better Country: "All over India, projects to fight trash, pollution, global warming and poverty are attracting kids from the Indian diaspora who want to spend a few years, or maybe longer, pushing for social change in the mother country. For many, that means increasingly better jobs and pretty good pay, not to mention the chance to hang out with an international gang of friends."
Natural phenomenon: Michio Kushi is credited for introducing the macrobiotic and natural-foods movement—aka "health food"—in the United States nearly five decades ago. "Along the way he picked up acolytes and influenced the widespread adoption in this country of Japanese practices, including shiatsu, aikido, and sleeping on futons, and planted the seeds for the organic-foods movement."
Elite Korean Schools, Forging Ivy League Skills: This year, during an insanely selective college application season, two rigorous prep schools in South Korea—Daewon Foreign Language High School and Minjok Leadership Academy—have achieved a spectacular record of admission to U.S. Ivy League colleges. Their secret, it seems, is relatively simple: study like hell. These schools sound totally insane.
A Place Where Indians, Now New Jerseyans, Thrive: Oak Tree Road, which runs through Edison, New Jersey and into neighboring Woodbridge Township, may be America's liveliest little India, with 400 Indian businesses that attract Indian immigrants from across the region. Says Korean American mayor Jun H. Choi, "If I meet an Indian anywhere, everyone knows Edison, New Jersey. They know Mumbai, London and Edison."
Dry Cleaners Feel an Ill Wind From China: After a federal tarriff was imposed last month on, of all things, wire hangers imported from China, the wholesale price skyrocketed. As a result, dry cleaning businesses, which uses steel wire hangers by the hundreds of thousands, have felt a huge impact on their profits—particularly among Korean American immigrants, who own an estimated 65 percent of New York City's 1,100 dry cleaners.
Forgive me, but I found this video clip, from the TV talent show Britain's Got Talent, quite entertaining. I know it looks like your average Michael Jackson impersonator at first... but stay with it, because the performance pays off in a way you wouldn't expect.
Over the weekend, University of Cincinnati free safety Haruki Nakamura was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. He was selected by Baltimore with the second-last pick in the sixth round of the NFL draft: Nakamura, Craig drafted. He was apparently chlllin' at his apartment with his family during a draft day barbecue when he got the call from the Ravens. He was never really a top draft prospect, but after waiting all day, watching the television until near the end of the draft to hear word, it had to feel good to finally get that call.
This is news is a couple of weeks old, but worth mentioning... In Vallejo, California, a woman recently returned to her home to find a racist message waiting for her. Someone had spray-painted "Fuck Asians" in foot-high, red letters on the white picket fence outside Maria Bitagon's home. What the hell.
The neighborhood has apparently had it's share of problems, and it's possible that Bitagon—who is described as a very outspoken—voiced her opinion about people hanging out in front of her place. The graffiti could be retaliation for that. Either way, it's plain stupid racism, and Maria will not be intimidated. Hell, you write something like that, it's not just directed at one person—it affects all of us.
Fortunately, Bitagon is using the incident to rally other residents in the area to improve their neighborhood and make positive change. The original news article has been taken down from the Vallejo Times-Herald website, but here's the Google cache version: Hateful words spark positive change for area neighborhood
I'm posting this photo because it's awesome. The sign. The look on her face. It kicks ass. That's Christine Tran, a student at the University of Washington, participating in a rally organized last week by anti-racism student group March 1st Solidarity. They were challenging the UW administration to divest from military contractors supporting U.S. troops in South Korea: UW students protest U.S. troops in South Korea. Like I said, awesome. (Photo by Nick Feldman.)
Not only does that make Spoelstra's the NBA's youngest current coach, it makes him the first Asian American coach in the NBA. Ever. Spoelstra, who has spent 13 years on the Heat coaching staff, is Filipino American. And now, he's got his work cut out for him.
While Riley's 1,210 career regular-season victories places him among the best coaches in NBA history, he finished the season with the NBA's poorest record (15-67)—easily the worst of his 25-year-old career. Riley will stay on as team president, but it's definitely time to get some fresh blood in there.
Mark your calendars. On May 17, APIAVote, with the support of various national Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations, presents the first National Presidential Town Hall hosted by the AAPI community. It should be a really amazing day, with over 2000 community leaders, elected officials, voters, and students representing our diverse community from across the country expected to participate in this historic event. They've also extended invitations to the three presidental candidates, and are working with their campaigns to schedule their appearances at the event.
It's all going down May 17 at Bren Events Center at the University of California, Irvine. If you're interested in attending, general tickets to the Townhall are actually being allocated through a lottery system... but you gotta act fast—registration closes on April 30. For further details on the National Presidential Town Hall, including map, directions and hotel info, go here.
Also check out this very cool electronic APIA Presidential Town Hall, developed Global Leadership Expriences Online (GLEO) in order to encourage political and civic engagement through the internet, with easy accessible information for the average user on the candidates and vital issues. Check it out. (Thanks, Mike.)
Okay. I'll admit, I don't know the full context behind this controversy at Dartmouth, nor do I have the time or energy to fully research the issues at hand. However, what I do know is that last week, The Dartmouth published a comic strip that personally attacked an Asian American student with racist and sexist remarks. The comic is directed at a student named Bonnie Lam, who is apparently organizing student opposition to a recent lawsuit launched by members of the Association of Alumni.
Again, I don't really know much about the background of this lawsuit, but it's obvious that this comic has nothing to do with the actual debate, and merely goes for the cheap shot racist jokes, since Ms. Lam happens to be Asian American. The comic, reproduced above, is really difficult to read, so here's the text:
"Hey, Flex, you hear Dartmouth is outsourcing propaganda?" "Why? So they can eliminate democracy and fudgepack the board?" Somewhere in Asia ... "Bone-y Ram, time for bed!: "Just finishing my work for Dartmouth Undying, Mommy." "Don't make me spank you!" "From the Students to Alumni: 'lawsuit is taking away our abilrity for dialrog' ** don't tell anyone, especially students." "Who is Bone-y-Ram?" "Another self proclaimed hooker ... I mean leader." "Ha ha. Mail order brides were better in 1891."
Do I have to say it? That's racist! While the comic made it into Thursday's print version of The Dartmouth, it looks like it's been pulled from the publication's website. See here: Comic Controversy. And here: Comic Description (and Pictures). Here's a note from The Darthmouth's Editor-in-Chief Katy O'Donnell apologizing and accepting responsibility for the publication of the cartoon: Editor's Note. The cartoon, "BlarFlex" by Alex Felix and James Bleuer, which appeared regularly in the paper on Tuesdays and Thursdays, has been discontinued. Good riddance.
Remember this guy? Last June, ex-UC Riverside student Audley Yung was arrested for plotting and threatening to the firebomb the school. Graduation was quickly approaching, and Audley didn't want to break it to his parents that he had actually dropped out of school a while ago. Rather than sucking it up and telling mom the bad news, he instead threatened to detonate explosives during commencement in order to scare officials into canceling graduation. A bomb threat, in order to avoid his parents' disappointment. Yeah. Not a very smart plan.
Last week, Yung pleaded guilty in Riverside County Superior Court to possessing a destructive device and making threats: Ex-student admits to bomb scare so mom wouldn't know he quit. He's facing three years in prison when he's sentenced on June 12. Ouch, you idiot. I imagine Audley is feeling pretty stupid right now. A year ago, he was just a college dropout. Not great, but hardly hopeless. Now he's facing three years in a jail cell. And he was worried about disappointing his parents? The kid would've been better off telling the truth.
It's time for another installment of fake-but-painfully-real Hollywood movie ideas, courtesy of our man Bao Phi. This one's a doozy:
Bao Phi's Ideas for Racist Hollywood 4: Be The Reds: Translating Victory (with thanks to C.S., J.L., and S.Y.K. for edits and advice)
THE PITCH: The fish-out-of-water story of a white translator, his Adopted Korean wife and their journey to Korea… with the exciting underdog success of the South Korean mens' soccer teams' battle for the World Cup in 2002 the dramatic backdrop for their transnational journey.
Brad Allen, an Asian Studies graduate of Dartmouth and Soccer fanatic, has his wildest fantasies come true when he lands a job translating for a team of Sports Illustrated journalists assigned to cover the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan – and his Adopted Korean wife, Kim, jumps at the chance to visit the land of her birth. Brad, an Irish American, teaches Kim that he knows what it's like to be a person of color because he hates the British and impresses a group of stoic Koreans with his extensive knowledge of Korean B-B-Q. Preview audiences are already buzzing about the heartfelt scene wherein Brad lectures both Kim - and the busboy at the L'hotel Sofitel they're staying in - that he knows what it's like to be a person of color because he's the minority as a white person in Korea. There won't be a dry eye in the theater.
As Brad teaches Kim how to pronounce sundubu jjigae, reminds her incessantly about how lucky she was to be adopted away from such a barbaric chauvinist culture and how she'd be wandering the streets eating out of grabage cans if not for her whtie adoptive parents, and narrowly saves her from a hilarious misunderstanding wherein Kim almost agrees to sign a 10-year contract to be the host of a televised game show in Communist North Korea called Spin Go Ill!, their cultural pratfalls and bumbling sweet romance will make you forget to ask the question, "hey, wasn't this fucking movie supposed to be about soccer?" (or futbol, depending on your nationality).
Starring: Napolean Dynamite's Jon Heder as Brad Allen and, in a bold move for such politically correct times, Angelina Jolie as Kim. Says Jolie of her gutsy decision to star as an Asian: "I believe in colorblind casting, and with my personal history with adoption, no one empathizes more with adopted people than me - not even adopted people themselves." The Oscar-nominated makeup artist for Norbit and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 is set to work his magic on Ms. Jolie.
Bao Phi is a mad genius. Once again, with a few tweaks, this could probably be real-but-bad movie. Let us hope, however, that nobody actually reads this and decides to make it.
The fallout continues over CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's "goons and thugs" remarks... According to a Hong Kong newspaper, a group of Chinese lawyers are now suing CNN, saying that Cafferty's comments "seriously violated and abused the reputation and dignity of the plaintiffs as Chinese people, and caused serious spiritual and psychological injury to the plaintiffs": Chinese lawyers sue CNN over 'goons' remark.
The lawyers are seeking the restoration of the Chinese people's reputation through publications and in the media and asked for $1.3 billion—a dollar, apparently, for each person in the world's most populated country. I think these guys don't have much chance of winning... but if they are indeed triumphant, what I want to know how they plan on distributing $1 each to 1.3 billion people.
Meanwhile, here's another Los Angeles Times story on the protests by Chinese Americans in the United States over Cafferty's remarks, part of a wave of nationalism that has swept across Chinese communities around the world: Protest over 'goons' remark reflects a shift in Chinese Americans' views
Professor Khatharya Um at UC Berkeley is leading a national research project called "War, history, and remembrance," focused on second generation Cambodian Americans and Vietnamese Americans and their process of reconciliation and remembrance of the war and genocide. At this point of the project, they need surveys to be filled out by second generation Cambodian Americans or Vietnamese Americans who are between the ages of 18-35. If you're interested in participating, go here to learn more about the project and download the survey. If you have any questions or comments about the project, contact Leana Taing at LTAING@BERKELEY.EDU.
As I mentioned before, last week, I attended the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards at UCLA's Royce Hall. Hosted by Dancing with the Stars' Carrie Ann Inaba and MADtv's Bobby Lee, the purpose of the annual event is "to honor Asian and Asian Americans' accomplishments in the arts and entertainment, sports and business." To see some photos from the red carpet, go here. Here are this year's winners:
OUTSTANDING FILM- Lust, Caution - Director, Ang Lee
OUTSTANDING FILM ACTOR - Tony Leung, Lust, Caution
OUTSTANDING FILM ACTRESS - Sharon Leal, This Christmas
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION ACTOR - B.D. Wong, Law & Order, SVU (NBC)
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION ACTRESS - Lindsay Price, Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
SUPPORTING TELEVISION ACTRESS - Sonja Sohn, The Wire (HBO)
SUPPORTING TELEVISION ACTOR - Rex Lee, Entourage (HBO)
FAVORITE TV PERSONALITY - Cheryl Burke, Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
FAVORITE REALITY STAR - JabbaWockeeZ, America's Best Dance Crew (MTV)
In addition, they presented honorary awards to YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, who received the Pioneer Award, and Oympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi, who received the special Inspiration Award. Hooray.
The event was fun, balanced with a lot of lame and cheesy. I've always had my share of objections to the way they've organized and run this show, but at the same time, what else have we got? There's the Latin Grammys, the BET Awards, et cetera—why not have our own awards show too? So we've got the Asian Excellence Awards. At the very least, it was an opportunity to gather a lot of folks from the community together and share a drink or two. Here are a few thoughts I had on the evening...
Jabba and Kaba... together again! Awesome to see the show kick off with a dance battle between JabbaWockeeZ and Kaba Modern. You all know how much I loved and supported them on America's Best Dance Crew. It's even better watching them perform live. It reminded me how awesome it would've been if both crews had made it made it to the top two spots in the competition. Skills.
Bai Ling was in the house, being her crazy usual Bai Ling self. You had to cringe listening to her stumble through reading her lines off the teleprompter. She's like an alien. She defies description. But like every good train wreck, you just can't seem to avert your eyes.
B.D. Wong won Outstanding Television Actor for his role on Law and Order: SVU. You know how to guarantee that you'll win in your category? Be the only one in your category who actually shows up to the award show. No joke. Naveen Andrews, Daniel Dae Kim, Masi Oka, Sendhil Ramamurthy—all no-shows. Not that B.D. doesn't deserve it. He's a talented actor who's been on television for years. And he brought his mom to the show! That's classy.
Sonja Sohn won Outstanding Supporting Television Actress for her role as Kima Greggs on The Wire. If you weren't aware, The Wire is pretty much the greatest show in the history of television. Her acceptance speech was extremely moving, talking about her mother's influence on her, and feeling accepted as a mixed-race Asian within the community. Love her.
Oh, another sure sign that you're going to win in your category? Have your co-star present the award. The Wire'sAndre Royo (who is not Asian) was on hand to read Sonja Sohn's name off the envelope. I got to meet and talk with him briefly at the afterparty, and he was really cool, friendly guy. I was totally geeking out. I met Bubbs!
Tia Carrere performed two songs from her Grammy-nominated Hawaiian music album Hawaiiana... and she was great. I mean, I knew she could sing—remember her as rocker chick Cassandra in Wayne's World? Okay, maybe you don't want to remember that. Long way from there though. Good to see her doing something she really loves.
Holy smokes. It's Steven Seagal. Looking like he's seen better days. The guy comes off exactly the way you'd imagine. Dude, you're not Asian. No matter how hard you try, no matter how many martial arts moves you think you've mastered, you're not Asian. While presenting the award for Outstanding Film Actress, he went ahead and professed his love for all things of the Asian persuasion. Who invited this guy? Good Lord, don't encourage him.
While I probably would've given the Outstanding Film Actress award to Tang Wei, it was nice to see Sharon Leal win for This Christmas, if only because her acceptance speech was so nice. Yes, make no mistake, she is one of us. Her mother is Filipino, and she can do an impression of her, accent and all.
From where I was sitting in the balcony, I could see Ron Jeremy, live in the disgusting flesh. The girl sitting next him looked thoroughly grossed out. Presumably not his date, I hope. This has got to the be third or fourth time I've seen the guy lurking around at an Asian event. And there were dudes who want to take pictures with him, and shake his hand. Nasty. Of all people, why would you want to touch Ron Jeremy's hand?
Kelly Hu presented the Pioneer Award to YouTube founder Steve Chen. In contrast, I would like to shake that guy's hand—in just three years, YouTube has basically revolutionized the way everybody uses and views the internet. Also, I just want to know what it feels like to shake a gajillionaire's hand.
From my seat, I could also clearly see Ian Ziering's blond head among a sea of black-haired heads in the audience. Just sitting there, enjoying the show. I had to wonder, what is he thinking? At this very moment, what is Steve Sanders thinking?
The weirdest, most off-color moment of the evening had to be Rob Schneider receiving the tongue-in-cheek "Half Asian" Award, honoring his illustrious film career in acclaimed movies like The Animal, The Hot Chick, and of course, Deuce Bigalow. The whole segment seemed unnecessary and downright insulting, especially since a large number of the night's winners were also, in fact, half-Asian. And none of them had anything remotely as ridiculous as Schneider's "yellow face" role in I Pronounce You Chuck & Larry on their resume. Bad idea.
I'll admit, Schneider did have one funny moment during his acceptance speech, where he remarked that "Outstanding Asians on TV" awards also happen to be the "Only Asians on TV awards." He's got a point.
Each year, one way the Asian Excellence Awards attempts to generate more buzz, excitement and publicity about the event is to anchor the show with some "big name" non-Asian stars, mixed in with all the lesser-known Asian American personalities. It's sad, however, when the biggest names on your red carpet happen to be Quentin Tarantino (making his third annual appearance at the show) and that guy who played Mini-Me.
So by the end of the show, when Steve Sanders walks onstage to present the award for Outstanding Television Actress, that's a good time put all your money on Lindsay Price to win for Lipstick Jungle. It's the 90210 connection, baby.
Okay, so I know it seems like I'm mostly pointing out the lame stuff from the show, but really, there was a lot to applaud and cheer about. I appreciate what the awards are all about, and cach year, it does get a little bit better. We need this. Despite the demise of AZN Television, the awards will be televised this year for everyone to see, and I hope they continue to go on and grow for years go come. The Asian Excellence Awards will air this Thursday, May 1st at 6:00pm on E! Check your local listings, set your DVR. The show will also be available On Demand from Comcast starting May 7. To learn more about the awards, go here.
All right, friends. Today's the day. It's the long-anticipated return of your favorite stoner buddy heroes... Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay opens in theaters everywhere today. I have seen the movie, and it is everything you have probably expected... and more.
The movie pretty much picks up right where White Castle left off, with Harold and Kumar bound for Amsterdam. Things, of course, go horribly wrong when they duo are mistaken for terrorists ("Bong, not bomb!"), and their trip takes an unexpected detour to a prison cell at Guantanamo Bay. What follows is the epic journey of two friends. A story of boys becoming men. A tale illegal substances. Neil Patrick Harris.
I think I've talked for months about the significance of the the Harold and Kumar movies. I don't think I have explain why it's so significant to see a mainstream Hollywood comedy with Korean American and Indian American actors as the titular lead heroes. The crazy thing is, on one hand, this is your typical outrageous gross-out stoner comedy. It's gross. It's disgusting. You will see seminal fluid within the first five minutes of the movie. It takes everything to the next level of craziness, for better or for worse.
On the other hand, it's this completely revolutionary and political movie, by virtue of the fact that these two Asian American characters get to just be. Be stupid, be funny, be imperfect, be regular average dudes. And it's great. Before Harold and Kumar, this was unheard of. For years, the frat-boy comedy genre has pretty much been devoid of Asian Americans, except as the lame butt of jokes. Suddenly, we get to see the Asian kids as heroes? It shouldn't be such a crazy idea, but dammit, it is.
Harold and Kumar is not for everybody. I know a lot of folks who did not like White Castle. If you didn't like the first one, for whatever reason, I guarantee you will hate the sequel. That said, most folks who are going to see Guantanamo Bay know exactly what they're getting into, boobie/pot/fart jokes and all. It should be a very interesting night at the movies.
The fight for Asian American Studies continues... Got news that students at the University of Maryland are stepping up to demand that Asian Americans are included in the future of the University. The current draft of the University "Strategic Plan"—a document which governs future resource allocation and academic affairs policy for the next 5 to 10 years—completely ignores Asian American Studies and does nothing to address meeting the needs of Maryland's growing Asian American student population.
Given forecasted fiscal shortfalls for the state of Maryland, many students fear that Asian American Studies, as well as other academic programs dedicated to the study of race, gender, sexual orientation and issues of identity, face elimination or severe cutbacks in the case of a budget crisis. I think it's a legitimate concern, especially considering how we've seen a surge of hostility lately towards ethnic studies, race-based student groups, and the like (i.e. Arizona).
As the deadline nears for community input, several Asian American groups at the University of Maryland are preparing to lobby and write letters demanding that the Provost add provisions to ensure that Asian American Studies be protected and promoted one day into a Major. Other demands include that there should be more needs based assessment surveys so counseling services can be improved, and that there should be a space on campus for Asian American cultural events.
Do it, my brothers and sisters. Fight it. Here's a recent opinion piece by Lee Fang and Scottie Siu, published in the student paper, expressing their concerns about the Strategic Plan: Guest Column: Excluded from the plan.
If you happen to be in the vicinity of the Newport Beach Film Festival this weekend, here's a cool event to check out... ALTRA Magazine has teamed up with the Newport Beach Film Festival to kick off their "Asian Films Cinema" showcase, hosting two separate discussion panels to honor successful Asian American media and entertainment professionals in the U.S. They're happening this Sunday, April 27th, 3:15-5:00pm and the Edwards Islands Cinemas – Fashion Island in Orange County. Here are some details:
The first panel is the post-screening Q & A of the Korean American indie gangster drama West 32nd at 3:15pm (the screening is at 2:00pm). Director Michael Kang, producer Teddy Zee, and cast members including Hans Kim will be in attendance. Watch the movie, hear from the filmmakers.
The second panel will feature both successful and rising Asian American professionals, talking about their careers and the media/entertainment industry: Bill Imada (Chairman & CEO of IW Group Inc.), Janet Yang (Producer, Dark Matter, The Joy Luck Club, The People vs. Larry Flynt), Camille Mana (Actress, Smart People, Equal Opportunity), Simon Yin (Actor, VJ of the channel formerly known as MTV Chi), Ron Oda (Writer/Director, Asian Stories (Book 3)).
The panels will be moderated by ALTRA Magazine's Publisher and Editorial Director Nancy Moran. Both events are free and open to the public. For the full list of films and ticket information for the Newport Beach Film Festival, visit the festival website here.
What the hell. A man who came from South Korea to run the Boston Marathon has been accused of trying to kill his wife hours after completing the race: South Korean man accused of attacking wife after Marathon. Police arrested 41-year-old Kim Yong Sik earlier this week after being called to the parking lot of the Sheraton Hotel in Framingham. According to hotel security, Kim tried to choke the woman by stepping on her throat, then later kicked her while she was on the ground.
Kim told investigators (through a translator) that he had come to Boston with a tour group to run in the Boston Marathon. He apparently finished the 26.2 mile course in just under 5 1/2 hours. Perhaps he was mad he didn't get a better time? That's no reason to try to kill your wife, you idiot. Kim was charged with attempted murder and domestic assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Check this out. At the University of Pennsylvania, junior Wilson Tong has been elected chairman of the Undergraduate Assembly: Tong elected UA chairman for next year. Tong, the current vice chairman for external affairs, is not only the first Asian American chairman in the UA's history, I'm told that he's the first non-white male ever to hold this position at U. Penn. They apparently had one non-white female back in the 1980s. Props, Wilson. That's progress. Little by little, here and there... but that's progress.
Here's a very brief but very satisfying bit of news... In New York, a man who attacked a Chinese delivery man, stabbing him within inches of his life, will spend the next 20 years in prison for the crime: Man gets 20 years in attack on Queens Chinese food deliveryman. David Moore, 23, was sentenced yesterday after being convicted of attempted murder, assault and weapons possession for attacking Jian Lin Huang in October 2006. Justice. Gotcha, sucka.
As fans of Stephen Colbert and/or Rain are aware, there has been long-running "feud" between the two personalities, ever since the Korean pop megastar beat out Colbert in 2007's TIME online readers' poll of the most influential people of the year. Here's a clip from The Colbert Report a few weeks back of Colbert talking about this year's poll, where he trails Rain once again. I guess Colbert's Korean music video wasn't enough to boost him in the rankings.
On last night's show, the rivalry took another interesting turn, with Rain talkin' some smack back and advising Stephen not to quit his day job. Not backing down, Colbert opened a challenge to Rain for a dance-off. I love it. Personally, I hope Rain continues to kick Colbert's ass in the poll—he's just so much more entertaining when he's losing. You better bring it, Stephen.
It's on. Today, the Senate passed S. 1315 (96 affirmative, 1 against): U.S. Senate OKs measure benefiting Filipino veterans. The Filipino Veterans Equity Act would give veterans' benefits to Filipinos who fought on the side of the U.S. troops during World War II. Fortunately, Senate Republicans were unsuccessful in their attempt to strip the bill of the provisions for the Filipino veterans.
Like I've said before, this never should have been under debate in the first place. Filipino veterans having been waiting for justice for over 60 years, after they were promised the same benefits given to other World War II veterans, but Congress took them away in 1946. This bill would restore some of those benefits. Now, the fight moves on to the House of Representatives...
This week in San Dimas, CA, an Asian man was stabbed in the face and torso during a hate crime attack at Lone Hill Middle School: Attack labeled a hate crime. According to Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, the attackers—a 15-year-old boy and a man in his 20s—shouted racial epithets and "White Power" while stabbing the man. Paramedics flew the victim to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Deputies identified the 15-year-old suspect and arrested him, but the man in his 20s was not in custody as of Wednesday evening. Authorities can't confirm whether the attackers were members of a white supremacist group, but the sheriff's hate crimes task force is investigating the incident.
It's frightening. A 15-year-old! We're not talking about old, bitter white men hardened by life (a stereotype, I know). This is a kid. What the hell is he doing screaming "white power"? Someone had to teach this kid to hate. And that is scary and ridiculous. That's racist!
UPDATE: Authorities have arrested a "person of interest" in connection with the attack: "Person of interest" arrested in hate crime stabbing. Aaron Duggan, 27, was arrested on a parole violation but is viewed by detectives as the "primary person of interest" in the hate crime stabbing that left a 22-year-old Asian man hospitalized in critical condition.
Imagine, you're walking down the street one evening, minding your own business, and you get attacked by these punkass "white power" shits. And these guys wanted to kill. The victim was stabbed in the face and torso. It's jacked. I hope they get what's coming to them.
Hello. Last night, I attended the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards. Afterparty went kind of late, so I'm feeling it a bit this morning. Overall, it was a pretty fun night. Some cool, inspiring moments, mixed in with a bunch of lame ones. Every year, there seem to be fewer lame ones, so I guess that's progress. Anyway, I'll write some more detailed observations on the show when I get the chance to collect my thoughts. In the meantime...
Speaking of Asian Americans in Hollywood, here are a couple of recent articles... This one's the usual examination of Asian Americans in Hollywood, with a focus on the practice of "whiteout" (haven't heard that term before, but it makes sense)—replacing roles originally intended for Asian actors with more "bankable" white actors, like in the recent movie 21: Goodbye yellowface, hello whiteout?
This article is a bit more optimistic, giving a general positive overview of the state of Asian Americans in front of the camera: A new wave of Asian Americans makes significant strides in film and television. Basically, the message is that things in Hollywood are getting better, which is true, but definitely not where they should be. I think we can all agree with that.
Of course, everybody's talking about Harold and Kumar. Here's yet another article on the movie and its multicultural message, slyly packaged in a stoner comedy: 'Harold and Kumar' push the limits of multiculturalism. I liked this quote from co-writer/director Hayden Schlossberg: "The theme in these movies is that Harold and Kumar are sort of beyond race... They don't really care that much about their own identities; it's the people around them that sort of haven't gotten it yet."
And here's an interview with actor John Cho, also known as Harold, the MILF guy, and now Sulu: John Cho rises to the top, with Harold's help. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay opens in theaters tomorrow, April 25. Watch it, and you will see John Cho's ass.
In Wisconsin, authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after a Hmong family's truck was set on fire and spray painted with the letters "KKK": Possible hate crime in Windsor. Tell me, how is this a "possible" hate crime? That sounds like a definite hate crime to me.
The suspected arson happened at about 1:00am Sunday in the Town of Windsor, just north of Madison. Authorities disocvered the pickup truck in the driveway of a duplex where a young Hmong family moved in several months ago. The vehicle's interior had bee set on fire, and both sides of the truck had been spray painted, with the letters "KKK" in red on one side.
Detectives processed the truck Monday for evidence and are asking the public to come forward with any information about the crime. It might have just been some punk ass kids getting their kicks, but that doesn't make it any less disconcerting. I don't think it's any coincidence that the Hmong family on the block was targeted. That's racist!
Some news on Ang Lee's next project... the Academy Award-winning director is returning to the gay genre with a movie revolving around the Woodstock music festival: Ang Lee making gay Woodstock movie.
Taking Woodstock centers on "the colorful life of a Greenwich Village-based interior designer and part-time Catskills hotel manager who headed the Bethel, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce. He issued the permit for the legendary 1969 concert on his neighbor Max Yasgur's farm." The film is based on Elliot Tiber's 2007 memoir Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert and a Life.
Lee will be collaborating again with long-time creative partner James Schamus, CEO of Focus Features. Their previous gay-themed projects include The Wedding Banquet and of course, Brokeback Mountain. Ang Lee is a badass.
Lots of movement this week regarding S. 1315, the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act... Yesterday, U.S. senators battled over whether to give pension benefits to aging Filipino veterans who fought alongside U.S. forces in the Philippines during World War II. This has been a long time coming, and to me, it's about justice.
The proposal would provide about $300 a month to some 18,000 Filipino World War II veterans living in the Philippines, but is opposed by President George W. Bush and Senate Republicans who say the Democratic-backed provision is too generous: Senate Battles Over Filipino Veterans Benefits.
In my opinion, this debate shouldn't even be happening. These veterans, who answered the call and risked their lives for the United States' war effort, should've been entitled to these benefits from the very beginning. Their recognition is long overdue. The average age of these veterans is 80 and time is running out to do what's right.
Tonight, we get a little taste of the big time, when the red carpet rolls out for the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards. Yes, the awards show returns for its third year to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Asians and Asian Americans in film, television, music and the performing arts. Hosted by Carrie-Ann Inaba and Bobby Lee, the live show happens tonight, April 23, at UCLA's Royce Hall. Comedian Russell Peters will serve as backstage host, providing the voice and comic relief. Special honorary awards will be presented to YouTube founder Steve Chen and Olympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi.
Award nominees include Devon Aoki (War), Sharon Leal (This Christmas), B.D. Wong (Law & Order: SVU), Parminder Nagra (ER), Navi Rawat (Numb3rs), Michaela Conlin (Bones), Michelle Krusiec (Dirty Sexy Money), Sonja Sohn (The Wire), Rex Lee (Entourage), Will Yun Lee (Bionic Woman), James Saito (Eli Stone), Cheryl Burke (Dancing with the Stars), Mark Dacascos (Iron Chef America) and many more. For the full list of nominees, go here.
Presenters include Bruno Tonioli (Dancing with the Stars), Christian del la Fuentes (Dancing with the Stars), Jack Yang (Cashmere Mafia), Daisy Fuentes (Shop Like a Star), Brenda Song (Suite Life of Zack and Cody), Roger Fan (Finishing the Game), Tamlyn Tomita (The Eye), among others. The show will also feature performances from JabaWockeeZ and Kaba Modern, singer/actress Tia Carrere, and rapper Roscoe Umali.
The show will be taped tonight, then air on E! Entertainment on May 1 at 6:00pm ET/PT, if you're curious. The show will also be available on Comcast On Demand throughout the month of May in honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month. Yay.
I think I've already expressed how I feel about these awards, back when the nominees were announced last month. In short, I think an Asian American awards show is a great idea, but some of the nominees in these categories... what the hell? I just think there's a better way to do it. That's all I'll say. Nevertheless, I'll be attending the show tonight to check out the scene. Hopefully, I'll have something excellent to report back here. See you there.
Awww yeah. Everywhere at Once, the much anticipated new album from hip hop artist Lyrics Born, is out in the stores today. And damn, it kicks some serious ass. I just downloaded it from iTunes, and I haven't even made it through the whole record, but I'm really digging it. You might have heard the single "I Like It, I Love It" on the radio. Great stuff. I'm going to be listening to this one all week.
To learn more about Lyrics Born, aka Tom Shimura, go to his official website here, and check out his MySpace page here. I'm told you can also stream the entire album over at Rhapsody.com. In my book, he's easily one of the most exciting artists out right now. Check it ouuuuut.
According to police at the University of Texas at Austin, a masked robber has recently been targeting Asian students on campus: Third armed robbery reported on UT campus. This morning a student reported an armed robbery that happened yesterday between 5:30 and 6:00pm at Taylor Hall. The suspect description is the same as in two previous robberies—a male approximately 6" tall, medium to muscular build, wearing a mask and gloves, and brandishing a weapon. In each instance, the suspect has demanded money.
This is the third reported armed robbery at UT in three weeks. The first robbery occurred April 3 at the Music Recital Hall and the second occurred on April 16 at Robert Lee Moore Hall. All three victims are Asian students.
Once again, we have string of crimes where Asians are specifically being targeted. Why does this keep happening? Is it because perpetrators think Asians are weak, easy targets? That we won't speak out, or won't fight this? To hell with that. That's racist! These assholes need to be caught. To all my friends at UT, stay strong and stay vigilant.
UTPD is asking all students, faculty, and staff to be alert and report suspicious activity. It's about safety in numbers. Avoid studying, working, or walking alone. If you have to study or work alone, lock yourself into your room/study room/office or sit facing the door. If you must walk alone, stay in well lighted areas were there are other people around. You can also contact UTPD at 471-4441 to arrange for a Sure Walk escort.
If you know any information regarding these three robberies please contact our Criminal Investigations Unit at (512) 232-9640. As always, if you see any type of suspicious activity, please contact UTPD at 471-4441 or 911 from any campus phone.
I like this. From the Nichi Bei Times, published back in January, an opinion piece by Wayne Nishioka on why he—and his 94-year-old father—are voting for Barack Obama for President: A Lesson from My Father: Vote for Obama. Here's an excerpt:
At 94, going on 95, my dad is voting for Barack Obama.
Why? Because he likes Obama's judgment and the fact that Obama's multi-faceted life forces him to see life from many different perspectives and gives him a fuller understanding of people. My dad also likes Tiger Woods a lot, but Tiger isn't running for president.
I support Obama because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I respect my dad's judgment. I studied Obama, read his books, and learned of the Asians in his family, his growing up surrounded by Asian influences in Hawaii, and his feeling the effects of harsh government policies while living in Indonesia for four years.
Obama's living in Hawaii gave him a historic and an everyday perspective of Asian life. Obama, in describing his family's arrival in Hawaii in 1959, makes historical reference to the indenturing system that kept Japanese, Chinese and Filipino immigrants stooped sunup to sunset in the sugarcane fields and pineapple plantations of Hawaii. My dad was in Hawaii for a number of months, living with an uncle, before his final leap to America. Obama also vividly recounts that a Japanese American man named Freddy, who ran a small market near his family's house in Hawaii, would save his family the choicest cuts of aku for sashimi and give him rice candy with edible wrappers. When I was young, I remember the fun of eating the "wrapper" around the rice candy.
Like Wayne's father, my whole family and I are voting for Barack Obama too. All eyes are on Pennsylvania today, where Hillary Clinton goes into today's primary trailing Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. Once again, it's going to be another interesting day...
My friends at Chaos Theory Music recently turned me on to the music of Kang Eun-Il's Haegum Plus, one of the most acclaimed haegum artists in the world, bringing a new kind of distinctive crossover music blending Korean traditional instruments with non-traditional genres. Kind of like the Twelve Girls Band, except Korean... and less cheesy.
Mixing a little bit of something old with something new, Kang Eun-Il has performed with world renowned artists and groups such as Bobby McFerrin, Luciano Pavarotti, Yoshida Brothers, Salta Cello, NHK Orchestra, and the KBS Korean Traditional Music Orchestra. Her music was also prominently featured in the score for acclaimed filmmaker Kim Ki-Duk's The Bow.
Kang Eun-Il Haegum Plus is currently embarking on the "Remember the Future" Tour, starting this week with east coast stops in New York, Durham NC, Washington DC, Culpeper VA, then back again to New York. Her music is very different from my kind of thing, but I like it. To learn more about Kang Eun-Il's Haegum Plus, the tour, and to hear some samples of her music, visit the Myspace page here, and her artist page over at the Chaos Theory Music site here.
The Cubs front office was apparently flooded with angry emails from fans in response to the story, compelling officials to investigate and track down the vendor selling the shirt. Mark Kolbusz, who runs the souvenir trailer that sold the shirt, said it was his top selling shirt this season, but complied with the team’s demand to pull the shirt and cease production. I wonder how many shirts he actually ended up selling?
I'm sure that was a pretty easy decision for the Cubs—the shirt was an unlicensed product, using a trademarked Cubs logo. It's not like the Cubs were making any money off its sale, and they sure as hell weren't going to let anyone else profit from it, especially if it was going to generate this kind of negative response.
It's good to know that people spoke up about this. Of course, the existing shirts are out there. The damn things have probably become collectors' items or something now. Hopefully somebody can come up with a cooler shirt that actually celebrates Fukudome, rather than mocking him.
Okay. It's racist garbage like the commercial above that continually remind me about what's wrong with this country, and how far we still have to go when it comes to basic, everyday understanding of each other, and the proliferation of racist crap. It's one of those cheaply-made local commercials for South Oak Dodge, a car dealership in Matteson, Illinois, and it's... I can't describe it. Just watch it. You'll see what I mean.
Where do people come up with stuff? It's a few months old (it was added to YouTube last December), I think. But damn, this thing actually aired on television. Yes, that's a white dude in a sumo suit, rocking the incomprehensible, faux-Japanese growl. And then SuperDon comes along and kicks his ass (all the way back to Japan, presumably). Buy American, and kick the foreigner's ass! Selling cars, and creating anti-Asian sentiment at the same time. Awesome. That's racist!
UPDATE: According to Elaine Low of the Japanese American Citizens League, FOX Chicago (the main network airing the Import Man commercials) met with members of the JACL, the Asian American Institute, and the Organization of Chinese Americans, and have since pulled the ad after the groups relayed the community's negative response to it. The JACL and AAI also plan to meet with FOX Chicago's staff in the near future to continue the dialog on media portrayals of Asian Americans.
Fans of Joss Whedon, the creator of popular TV series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, are probably aware of his upcoming return to network television with an original drama series called Dollhouse, starring Eliza Dushku. The show is another sci-fi-themed series about an elite team of secret agents who have "the ability to be imprinted with custom personalities and abilities for special assignments. When they return, their newly acquired memories are wiped." The show follows Dushku's character Echo as she "takes on a variety of assignments—some romantic, some adventurous, some uplifting, some illegal—and gains awareness of her role and confinement."
Okay, sounds interesting enough. According to various websites out there that are already following the production of Dollhouse pretty closely, Dichen Lachman has been cast as Sierra, one of "dolls." According to the casting breakdown, she's described as:
Sierra 20's, Asian or any ethnicity - certainly not Caucasian. Strikingly beautiful. A Doll like Echo, she has every personality in the world but her own. Is not as self-aware as Echo, but is instinctively drawn to her as a friend. Series Regular.
I never got on board the Buffy bandwagon, but I became an admirer of Firefly and Serenity later on DVD. Whedon and Co. have built enough cred to have me at least curious about the universe they create with Dollhouse. I hope it doesn't suck. The show won't be out until the fall, or even mid-season, so I guess I guess we'll have to wait and see.
I've been hearing from quite a few concerned people about this... According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, an Arizona legislative committee has passed an amendment to a routine homeland-security bill (WTF?) that would prohibit students at the state's public universities and community colleges from organizing groups based on race. The amendment was approved by the Arizona House Appropriations Committee last week, and awaits a vote by the state's full House and Senate: Arizona Proposal Would Prohibit Race-Based Student Groups. This is ridiculous.
The amendment, introduced by State Rep. Russell K. Pearce, would also allow state officials to withhold funds from public schools sponsoring activities that "denigrate American values and the teachings of Western civilization." The proposal was added to Senate Bill 1108, a measure that has nothing to do with education but was intended to allow designees of mayors and police chiefs to serve on homeland-security advisory councils. Are you kidding me?
Dude, how is this possible? What the hell is going on here? Obviously, they're thinking of something very specific when they refer to "American values" and "Western civilization," and it sure as hell doesn't have anything to do with Asian American culture nights or conferences. This bill passes, and Arizona schools can say goodbye to Asian American student orgs, and all culture-based student groups and ethnic studies, for that matter.
In the words of State Rep. John Kavanagh, "This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values... If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture." Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Kavanagh. I was under the impression that my "culture" was actually part of what makes America so awesome. I have no culture to "go back to," because, well, I'm already here. Get used to it, you racist ass.
The implication here, of course, is that any group that gathers in the on the base of race or culture, such as, say, the Asian American Students Association, is inherently un-American. That's racist! Read the full text of the legislation here. Somebody, please tell me what "American values" are? Because I can't make it out through all the coded white supremacist language. Good Lord, something must be done about this... Stay tuned.
Anticipation grows for Harold and Kumar Escape and Kumar Guantanamo Bay, which opens in theaters this Friday. While the first movie has a lot of crazy, rabid fans, most people probably don't realize that White Castle actually only made about $18 million at the domestic box office—not a huge hit, by most standards. But the movie really took off on DVD, gaining bona fide cult hit status in dorm rooms acorss the country. I have a feeling the comedy duo will do a lot better at the box office this time around.
So, what makes Harold and Kumar so appealing, particularly among Asian American audiences? It's more than just fart jokes and boob jokes (though, there are plenty of those to go around). There's definitely something more to it... Here's an interesting Newsday story looking at the Harold and Kumar phenomenon: 'Escape From Guantanamo Bay': What's it about? (Full disclosure: I'm quoted in the article.) And another article on the movie, from a political and racial standpoint, here: Mining Post-9/11 America for Laughs.
Just learned about this website, Asian Actors Manifesto. The site is maintained by someone claiming to be a talent agent who has decided to use his/her knowledge to help Asian Americans succeed as actors in Hollywood. Tired of seeing the entertainment industry's weak-ass representation of Asians, "Agent X" is using the site as a means of dispensing advice, thoughts and insider information to help push Asian Americans through the Hollywood ceiling.
There isn't a lot on the site just yet, but there are couple of casting calls for those who are interested, whether you're a novice or a veteran. By the way, "Agent X" is not me. I'm not entirely sure how legit this site, its author, or the information is, but it's certainly a cool idea. Just letting you know...
National health care studies often treat Asian Americans as a homogeneous, and largely healthy group, but a new study analyzing three years of government-compiled data has revealed substantial pockets of poor health and low insurance levels within the population. In particular, Korean Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders register with lower levels of insurance than African Americans and whites: Study Reveals Health Care Woes of Asian Americans.
The analysis, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, found that the proportion of non-elderly Asians who are uninsured varies widely, ranging from 12 percent of Japanese and Asian Indians, 14 percent of Filipinos, to 21 percent of Vietnamese and 24 percent of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Koreans have the highest rates of uninsured—31 percent.
Interestingly, the low level of insurance in the Korean American community is not the result of poverty, as one might expect, but rather because most Korean Americans—around 60 percent—either own or are employed by small companies that can't afford to provide their workers with health insurance. Among those Koreans with insurance, only 49 percent have employer-sponsored health coverage. To see the full report, go here: Race, Ethnicity & Health Care.
I saw this video a couple weeks back, but I've sitting on it, because I wanted to think of an appropriate response... It's the video for Natalise's "China Doll." In it, she plays this stereotypical Asian female character, starting right off the bat as a bad driver with a terrible accent... and it kind of just devolves from there: dragon lady, tourist, math nerd, masseuse, nail salon worker, you name it. The video is just crammed full of images that'll make you cringe. I mean, I get it. I think.
Now, I'm familiar with Natalise's previous work, and from what I've seen, she's talented and attractive, and has the potential to be a real breakout pop singer. But this song and this video... are awful. I kept waiting for the reversal, that bang moment where all this stuff gets flipped and subverted, and we see that her intention all along was to make fun of these stereotypes, but it never quite happened. At least, it was never apparent to me, in a way that really nailed it. And with lyrics like, "If you want to have a shot at my Fortune Cookie/You better act a little less like a Rookie..." Wow. Sorry, Natalise. Really really really not diggin' this one.
Heard about this through the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund... At Texas A&M University, a Sikh American graduate student was viciously attacked by an unknown individual in Bryant, Texas and had his turban forcibly knocked off of his head. The attack has been classified as a hate crime. Here's an excerpt from the SALDEF press release from a couple of weeks ago:
Sikh Graduate Student Falls Victim to Texas Hate Attack
SALDEF works with local authorities to ensure attack is classified as hate crime
Washington D.C. – April 11, 2008: A Sikh graduate student at Texas A & M University was viciously attacked by an unknown individual in Bryan, TX and had his turban forcibly knocked off of his head. The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) filed formal complaints with the Bryan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has learned that the attack has been classified as a hate crime.
On February 28, 2008, Mr. Singh (name withheld for privacy) was walking back to his vehicle at a local Wal-Mart parking lot when he was approached by an unknown male who called Mr. Singh a ‘terrorist’ and then made other disparaging and racist remarks. Mr. Singh responded by telling the suspect that he did not want any trouble at which time the individual approached Mr. Singh and punched him in the face and head, knocking both Mr. Singh and his daastar (turban) to the ground. Mr. Singh did not sustain any major injuries.
The immediate reaction of some of the police officers involved in the case was less than ideal. Mr. Singh was initially discouraged from making a police report on the night of the incident. Within two weeks of the incident occurring, the Bryan Police Department allegedly closed the case, despite overwhelming evidence involving witness identification of a vehicle at the scene of the crime and a partial license plate which later matched the vehicle description.
After Mr. Singh reported the incident, SALDEF immediately contacted Bryan Police Department Chief Ty Morrow inquiring about the status of police investigation. SALDEF asked for a vigorous investigation and for crime to be prosecuted and classified as a hate crime. On March 31, 2008 the Bryan Police Department informed SALDEF that the incident had been re-classified as a class 'C' assault with hate crime enhancement. The necessary paperwork has been filed and the case is currently in active investigation.
Needless to say... that's racist! To read the rest of the press release, and to learn more about SALDEF's work, go here. If you believe you have been the target of bias, workplace discrimination, harassment, or a hate crime please contact SALDEF immediately via email or at 877-917-4547.
Check out the video for "Should've Known" by Mud, from their album Yearbook. It's kind of a low-budget video, but they make do with what they've got. Besides, that's one serious kickass song. I haven't heard the album, but if it's anything like this track, I'll take it. And forgive me, but I think I've got a bit of a crush on lead vocalist Nikki Aclaro.
The video, directed by Alex Munoz, will be screening next month at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival as part of "The Gift of Sound + Vision," the festival's music video program. To hear more from Mud, visit the band's official site here, and their MySpace page here.
Over the weekend, more than a thousand Chinese American protesters gathered outside CNN's offices in Hollywood, calling for the dismissal of commentator Jack Cafferty, who recently made remarks during a broadcast of The Situation Room referring to the Chinese "goons and thugs": Protestors target CNN after Jack Cafferty's remarks on China.
The protesters lined Sunset Boulevard, chanting "Fire Cafferty" and "CNN Liar," singing the Chinese national anthem and other patriotic songs, and waving Chinese, American and Taiwanese flags. What exactly did Cafferty say to get these folks up on a Saturday morning, yelling at the top of their lungs at a glass tower? Here's the quote:
On the April 9 airing of "The Situation Room," Cafferty said of America's relationship with China: "We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export . . . jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."
Yeah, that made a lot of people angry. CNN later said Cafferty's comments were directed at the Beijing government, not the Chinese people. But the protesters aren't having it. A similar protest took place at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. People are mad, Jack. Mad!
I recently saw the trailer for The Children of Huang Shi, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-Fat and Radha Mitchell, and directed by Roger Spottiswoode. I had heard about this movie a while back, and based on the description, it didn't really sound like something I was interested in seeing. The trailer seems to confirm my suspicions... The story, in short:
Inspired by true events, the film tells the story of George Hogg, a young British journalist, who rescues 60 orphaned children. He leads them on a treacherous 1000-mile journey along the Silk Road, through the Liu Pan Shan Mountains into the spectacular Gobi desert. Over the course of the journey he falls in love with a determined, self-trained nurse, and makes a friend in Chen, the leader of a Chinese partisan group. Madame Wang, a surviving aristocrat, assists in guiding them to safety in a remote village near the western end of China's Great Wall.
You've got the Japanese on one side trying to kill and conquer, and you've got the Chinese nationalists on the other side trying to conscript boys to fight in their army. Who will save them from this terrible situation? Ah yes. The white guy. Everybody's hero! You will be saved, good Chinese people, by Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Yet another story where the white guy comes in and saves all the helpless Asian folks. Sure, sure, I know—it's apparently based on a true story. It just goes to show, you can have movie set in anywhere, during any time period, and still find a way to have a white guy be the hero... in the fine tradition of movies like The Last Samurai. You gotta love it.The Children of Huang Shi opens in limited release on May 23.
Amidst all the recent protests and clashing between pro-China and pro-Tibet demonstrators, Grace Wang, a Chinese freshman at Duke University, unexpectedly found herself as the flash point of international ire and rage—targeted by thousands of internet threats of gruesome violence and death, as well as vandalism of her parents' home in China. All because she tried to be peacemaker between the two sides of the debate: Chinese Student in U.S. Is Caught in Confrontation.
On the day the Olympic torch was carried through San Francisco earlier this month, she came out of her dining hall to find a handful of students gathered for a pro-Tibet vigil facing off with a much larger pro-China counter-demonstration. Ms. Wang, who had friends on both sides, tried to get the two groups to talk, traversing "the middle ground."
In the end, I don't think she was able to accomplish much in the way of understanding on either side... however, the real conflict for Ms. Wang would come the next day, when a photo of her appeared on an Internet forum for Chinese students with the words "traitor to your country" emblazoned across her forehead, her Chinese name, identification number and contact information were also posted, along with directions to her parents' apartment in the Chinese city of Qingdao:
Salted with ugly rumors and manipulated photographs, the story of the young woman who was said to have taken sides with Tibet spread through China’s most popular Web sites, at each stop generating hundreds or thousands of raging, derogatory posts, some even suggesting that Ms. Wang -- a slight, rosy 20-year-old — be burned in oil. Someone posted a photo of what was purported to be a bucket of feces emptied on the doorstep of her parents, who had gone into hiding.
More here: New Freedom, and Peril, in Online Criticism of China. Obviously, Ms. Wang didn't expect the kind of craziness and international attention her actions would generate. And she sure as hell didn't think her parents, half a world away, would become the targets of retaliation: Student's home vandalized in China. Somebody apparently poured a bucket of feces on their apartment door. I mean, come on, who the hell does that? Her parents have reportedly gone into hiding.
Here's an opinion piece by Grace Wang in today's Washington Post on her ordeal: Caught in the Middle, Called a Traitor. She says it's been a frightening and unsettling experience, but she's determined to speak out even in the face of threats and abuse.
A bunch of new photos of the upcoming live-action G.I. Joe movie popped up on the web today. Among them: That's Korean actor Lee Byung-Hun as Storm Shadow and Sienna Miller as The Baroness, two characters that fans of the original cartoon/toy/comic book know and love. The Baroness is looking pretty good (black leather, you really can't go wrong)... but damn, what the hell did they do to Storm Shadow? He's supposed to be a freakin' badass Cobra ninja assassin. Here, he looks ready for a night out clubbing in K-town. Ugh. Seriously disappointing.
Though I was a big fan of this franchise while growing up, I have to be honest, most of the news I've heard about this project has been pretty disappointing. It has the potential to be a huge disaster, and this latest batch of photos doesn't do much to make me think otherwise. However, the photo of Rachel Nichols as Scarlett? Hot.
Damn. In Massachussetts, 20-year-old Lauren Chang died Monday after collapsing during a daylong cheerleading competition over the weekend: Cheerleader hurt in contest dies. She was competing with her cheerleading squad at the Minuteman Cheerleading Championships when something went wrong during a routine, and she collapsed.
According to authorities, she suffered collapsed lungs after apparently being kicked in the chest by a tumbler. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on Monday afternoon. At the website for Energized Athletics, they've posted a memorial for Lauren.
According to people who attended the competition, the accident was just one of several that occurred during the course of the day. In fact, according to the article, from 1982 to 2006, 10 female athletes have died from injuries sustained—directly or indirectly—during cheerleading stunts performed at the high school and college level, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. First of all, who knew that cheerleading could be so dangerous? And secondly, who knew that there was a National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research?
UPDATE: Lauren Chang's family is calling for increased safety measures and emergency medical care at cheerleading competitions: Late cheerleader's kin seek safer contests.
Southern California theater fans, I've got one for you... The award-winning Lodestone Theatre Ensemble kicks off its 9th season with the world premiere of Nic Cha Kim's Trapezoid. And this time, there going somewhere a little bit different.
Trapezoid, Lodestone's very first science-fiction mainstage production, tells the story of a Korean American poet in love hired by a technology think tank to put the "art" in artificial intelligence. When the robot creation falls in love with the human creator, it's man-made versus mankind with sometimes comic and sometimes tragic results. Yeah, that happens sometimes. I have not seen the show, but I admit that I might curious to see some man-robot love.
The show premieres April 19 and runs through May 25 at GTC Burbank. The cast includes Julia Cho, Antonia Grace Glenn, Alberto Isaac, Lanny Joon, Elaine Kao, Charles Kim, Ryan Mercado, Leonard Wu, Elpidio Ebuen, John Fukuda, Grace Kim, Stephanie Lincoln, Brian P Nichols and Enoch Wu. For more information about Trapezoid, go here.
I know a lot of Cubs fans are happy about what Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome has brought to the team this season... which is why it's so ridiculous that anybody would buy and wear this t-shirt: Fukudome doesn't find racist T-shirts in Wrigleyville funny. But a Fukudome t-shirt with a racist image is apparently the hottest-selling item at souvenir stands selling unlicensed Cubs-related merchandise.
As you can see above, on the front of the shirt is the traditional Cubs cartoon bear face but with slanted eyes and wearing oversized Harry Caray-sized glasses. It's accompanied by the words "Horry Cow" in cartoonish "Japanese" script. (The late Caray was the Cubs' longtime announcer, and among his catchphrases was, "Holy cow!") Fukudome's name and number are on the back.
Great. I don't know what's worse—the fact that somebody (who is apparently "an Oriental guy") made this shirt, or that it's so damn popular amongst Chicago fans. What a way to welcome the franchise's first Japanese player. That's racist!
Yesterday at Glen A. Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, CA, students were sent home early because of a rumored threat of violence, three days before the ninth anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School, and one year after Virginia Tech: Parents concerned over school threat. And the school is closed today: SoCal High School Closed Friday Due To Rumored Threat.
From what I understand, the school has a large Asian American student body. Police searched students as they entered the campus yesterday, alarmed by a threat against the school that authorities discovered on a website. The message, apparently posted to Glen A. Wilson's Wikipedia page, specified the date of the shooting and the names of students who would be harmed. EDIT: I originally had the message posted and linked here, but I've taken it down for the sake of the students named, as they are minors.
Needless to say, it's pretty scary, regardless of whether or not this is a legitimate threat. It could certainly just be a stupid, sick prank. Unfortunately, we live in an age where these kinds of things have to be taken seriously. As you can see, the initial threat specifies several Asian names, as well as the badminton team (which I'm told is also largely made up of Asian kids) "and almost every single fob."
Sounds like someone out there has a lot of issues. I just wish people would find a way to deal with them in a way that did not involve a mass shooting. Hell, the way things have been going lately, whoever wrote this could very well be Asian too. We'll probably find out soon enough... (Thanks, Brian.)
UPDATE: A male student has been arrested in connection with alleged threats made against fellow students at Glen A. Wilson High School: Student arrested in high school threats. Interestingly, this article notes that even though many of the students named in the threats appeared to have Asian names, investigators haven't decided if it rises to the level of a hate crime. To be honest, that dimension hadn't really occurred to me.... but if they're bringing it up, I'm sure it's worth looking into.
As you know, I'm a big fan of Benson Lee's Planet B-Boy. It's a great movie, and everyone should go check it out. But I also wanted to highlight another B-boy themed movie, John Kwon's Always Be Boyz. I haven't seen it, but I've been hearing some great buzz about it. This one's a narrative feature on b-boy culture in Korea, with real b-boys in the starring roles. Watch the trailer here.
The film played to a sold out screening and won the Special Jury Prize last month at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and will screen next month, May 7, at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. To learn more about the film, go to the website here, and the MySpace page here.
If you're in Southern California, come on out to Little Tokyo this weekend... On Saturday, J Town Voice will host "J Town VOICED!," a rally to bring attention to the Little Tokyo community's desire for a meaningful dialogue with 3D Investments and American Commercial Equities (ACE), new owners of the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Japanese Village Plaza. The rally will take place this Saturday, April 19, 1:00pm at the Noguchi Plaza.
The goal is to call upon 3D, ACE and major property owners to take formal steps to help preserve Little Tokyo's community institutions, small businesses, and traditions.... because the concern is, they won't. J Town Voice has had an online petition calling for dialogue with these companies: Preserve LA's Little Tokyo!.
The rally will be preceded at noon by "The Little Tokyo Tour of Memories," an interactive historical tour of Little Tokyo, with an emphasis on sites that demonstrate significant changes in the neighborhood over the past 100 plus years. For more information on this Saturday's events, go here or email jtownvoice@yahoo.com.
Last spring, Andrea Wong was named president and chief executive of the Lifetime network. In her position, she's responsible for day-to-day operations for Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime's website, including advertising sales, affiliate sales, research, programming, public affairs, marketing, business and legal affairs, and strategic planning and operations. She's kind of a big deal.
Her recent big score was snatching the hit cable show Project Runway from Bravo, which got a lot of people talking. Here's a good profile on her in the Los Angeles Times: Lifetime CEO has designs for the channel lined up on runway. Not bad for someone who started out studying to be an electrical engineer.
Finally got around to re-watching Dark Matter, which is currently playing theatrically in limited release. Directed by renowned opera and theater director Chen Shi-Zheng, and starring Liu Ye, Meryl Streep and Aidan Quinn, the film tells the story of Liu Xing, a brilliant Chinese science student pursuing a Ph.D. in the U.S. in the early 1990s. Driven by ambition, yet unable to navigate the hazards of academic politics, Liu Xing watches as his personal and professional pursuits crumble. Pushed to the edge, he explodes in a final shocking act of violence.
It's not a perfect film, but it raises some very interesting and compelling themes. In the end, Dark Matter is a dark, powerful film about the unattainable American dream. Liu Xing naively holds on to the idea of American academia as a free market of ideas, and American society as wide open to immigrants like himself.... only to be ultimately stifled by egos, pressure and politics. I think many students, particularly from abroad, who toil in graduate studies will be able to relate to Liu's isolation.
The film's violent conclusion will undoubtedly draw comparisons to last year's Virginia Tech shooting, and the timing of the theatrical release this month, on the anniversary of the massacre, seems rather unfortunate. But Dark Matter is actually loosely based on another school shooting at the University of Iowa in 1991, in which a Chinese student reacted violently after being passed over for an academic prize, killing five people and paralyzing a sixth before killing himself.
Here's an interesting article on director Chen Shi-Zheng, who gives some insight on making the film: Bringing a School Shooting to the Screen. The film opens this Friday, April 18 at theaters in Southern California. To learn more about Dark Matter, visit the website here.
CNN has another sad story on Daniel Kim, the 21-year-old senior at Virginia Tech who killed himself after falling into depression last December: Dad: Virginia Tech treated suicidal son like 'joke'. Daniel's father strongly believes that despite serious warning signs, including even emails from Daniel's friends warning the University of his suicidal behavior, officials did not do enough to prevent his death. This is an email sent by Shaun Pribush, one of Daniel's friends, in early November:
Emergency E-mail Shaun Pribush sent this e-mail to Virginia Tech's health center on November 5, 2007.
"Dear health center, This is a serious email, this is not a joke. I am Shaun Pribush, a student at RPI, but I am e-mailing because me and some other individuals are very worried about our friend at Virginia Tech, Daniel Kim.
Daniel has been acting very suicidal recently, purchasing a $200 pistol, and claiming he'll go through with it. In one incident, he said on a Friday, he would do it after the weekend, but then told us he failed to go through with it.
On about November 2nd, Daniel told me and a friend over "Instant Messenger" that he just swallowed 22 pills and said this is the end and signed off, but on the morning of November 5th, he logged on saying "third time will be a charm i made myself puke up the pills when i was on the road and then ... couldnt shoot myself so then i was thinking about getting into a car accident then i got all depressed over that sh-t and slept in my car. ..."
We are very concerned for his safety and are unsure the next time he might attempt suicide or go through with it, please forward this to who can give him the best care. Once again, this is very serious; this is not a joke.
Please update me if you acknowledge this and take action so I know if I reached the right e-mail adress. Thank you."
That is, without dispute, a cry for help. Daniel was lucky to have a friend like this. If only the University's psychological services had acted appropriately in reaction to this tip. University protocol states that a suicidal person needs to see the "psychologist on call," but that obviously never happened. Instead, Virginia Tech passed on the information to local police, who showed up at Daniel's doorstep for what police records show was a "welfare check." All they did was knock on his door, saw that he was "okay," and left. The visit took thirty seconds. But Daniel wasn't okay, and shortly after, he shot himself while sittin in his car.
My heart goes out to Daniel's family, for the anguish they must feel. This guy was surrounded by so many people who cared about him, and yet they couldn't do anything to save him. It's awful. You'd think after dealing with the worst school shooting in history last year, Virginia Tech would've handled something like this with more care. That should've been the real wake-up call. Instead, as Daniel's father says, they treated is like a joke.
Ladies, I'm sorry. Over the weekend, I got word from my man Yul Kwon that he is now engaged: Survivor Winner Yul Kwon Gets Engaged. The Survivor: Cook Islands winner proposed to girlfriend Sophie Tan, and the lucky lady said yes. They were at a benefit concert on Saturday night at Stanford, Yul's alma mater, where Seriously played the couple's special song. Yul then took the stage to pop the question, presenting Sophie with a platinum, 2.2-karat, cushion-cut diamond ring. Niiiiice. The man's got the moves. (A million bucks doesn't hurt either.)
This news, of course, breaks the hearts of women everywhere. I know quite a few people who have had a crush on Yul since Cook Islands. Hell, I've had a crush on Yul since Cook Islands. Ah, well. Congratulations to the happy couple.
I'm posting this photo because it is awesome. Though no doubt, a waste of good beer. It comes from this TIMEphoto essay on international law enforcement. Also, check out the photo of the ninja-looking South Korean rope guys, and the knife-fighting Filipino female commandos. Badass. (Thanks, Charlie.)
Just so you know... Tomorrow night at Cal State Fullerton, I'll be participating in APIs Unite!, an API community panel discussion presented by the CSUF Multicultural Leadership Center, Asian American Studies Program, and the Asian American and Pacific Islander Leadership Institute.
Fellow panelists include Taz Ahmed, Founder and President of South Asian American Voting Youth (SAAVY); Phil Lee, President of Media Action for Asian Americans (MANAA); Tam Nguyen, President of Advance Beauty College and President & Founder of Vietnamese American MBA Alumni Association; Nusa Vaifale, Orange County Social Worker and Pacific Islander Community; and moderator Mike Matsuda of APIA Vote.
We'll be talking about various pressing issues facing the API community, and the actions we can take to get more involved and create change. Good times. It's happening Thursday, April 17, 7:00pm at CSUF Titan Student Union, Tuffree AB. For more information about the panel, take a look at the Facebook event page here. If you're in the area and plan on attending, please say hello. Hope to see you there!
Just got this bit of info passed along to me... the producers of Margaret Cho's new VH1 series The Cho Show are looking for audience members for an upcoming episode taping next week. Here's the information, originally posted as a MySpace bulletin:
Looking for Audience Members in LA
The producers of "The Cho Show" are currently seeking audience members for an upcoming episode of Margaret's new series on Vh1.
If you're at least 18 years old, live in the Los Angeles area, and available Wednesday, April 23rd from 10:00am to 6:00pm please email your contact info to the email address below. However, if you are unavailable for the full 8 hour taping please let us know what time you're available, and for how many hours.
Due to limited seating we can only admit the first 100 people that respond so send us your contact info as soon as possible to assure yourself a spot on the guest list.
Thank you!
Email:ChoAudience@yahoo.com
I know there are a lot of Margaret Cho fans out there who might be interested in this. So if you've got all of next Wednesday free, try getting in as an audience member of this taping... and then tell me how it goes.
Come on, man. The University of Texas Police have arrested a student for bringing a gun onto campus. And guess what? He's Asian! An anonymous tip led to the arrest of 20-year-old Jason Liao, who apparently told friends who saw him with a semi-automatic weapon that he was "on a mission": U.T. student arrested for having a gun on campus. Liao is charged with unlawfully bringing a weapon into a prohibited place. If convicted he faces 2 to 10-years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Ah yes. Another one of these guys. While having a gun on campus is no doubt a serious matter for the police, I can't help but wonder if the fact that Liao is Asian made everyone a little more jumpy. Who knows? His friends and roommates defended him, saying he's not a threat, and just "a harmless, gangster wannabe who got caught up in Chinese movies depicting gangs." This, unfortunately, makes him sound more like a loser.
Here's another story on the earliest known Chinese American film, The Curse of Quon Gwon, written and directed by Marion Wong over 92 years ago: Chinese Film from 1916 is a rare gem. The 1916 film was recently uncovered by filmmaker Arthur Dong, on a very old nitrate film stock. It's an amazing find because the film was so well-preserved, but also because the silent film reveals a little bit about the regular lives of Chinese Americans in 1916—a rare depiction, since most Hollywood films of that era portrayed Asians as "mysterious, opium smoking deviants."
For those of you in the Bay Area, The Curse of Quon Gwon will receive a one-time only special screening 7:30pm tonight at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland. With live accompaniment by the Mighty Wurlitzer organ, the way silent films were shown back in the day. Sounds like it's going to be very cool. The screening will by followed by Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese.
Awwww yeah. Bao Phi returns with his latest installment of fake Hollywood movie ideas. This one's an epic, super-powered inspirational story:
BAO PHI'S RACIST IDEAS FOR HOLLYWOOD: CHAD, THE RACISM ANNILIHATOR!
THE PITCH: The story of young Southeast Asian refugees and their struggles with racism and class-ism in the Midwest as told through the explosive style of Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay!
In an effort to bring the story of race, class, and immigrant struggle to as broad an audience as possible, director Michael Bay radically re-envisions the story of displaced Vietnamese, Hmong, Cambodian, Lao, Thai, and Burmese refugees in the Midwest as a parable featuring the character Chad Peterson, a well-meaning white farm kid. In his first year of college Chad struggles with having a Black roommate and stumbles through the proper etiquette at the International Student's Dinner, all while feeling ignored and unloved by his city slicker peers. He soon becomes best friends with his roommate and begins to learn the ins-and-out's of social interaction when some multicultural bullies with English accents push him around during lunch in front of the whole school.
That night, while listening to his roommate/best friend's Chingy collection, a freak electrical storm fries Chad's Ipod and imbues him with super powers – super powers to end racism - and he becomes CHAD, THE RACISM ANNIHILATOR! See what Michael Bay calls "my version of The Departed meets Spiderman" as the campus literally explodes with Chad's paranormal abilities to end oppression: he proves his liberalism kissing a guy at the Queer Union dance, travels back in time so he can march with Black people for their rights, and bands together with a special cameo appearance by the Beastie Boys as they steel themselves for the ultimate showdown against the evil Red Chinee in an all-out battle to Free Tibet!
Starring Matt Damon as Chad and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Chad's Best Friend, with a special appearance by Lou Diamond Phillips as Che Guevera.
If we're not careful, Michael Bay might just ditch the Transformers sequel and make this his next movie. Another fine idea, Bao. Stay tuned next week for another edition.
In light of all the protests surrounding the Olympic torch run in San Francisco last week, actress Joan Chen, who was born and raised in China, recently wrote a piece in the Washington Post giving reasons for her support of this summer's Beijing Olympics: Let the Games Go On.
On a related note, here's a story on the protests and some of its impact on the Chinese American community: Chinese Americans feel sting of Olympic protests. For many, the demonstrations seem to have gone beyond criticizing China's communist government and ventured into full-fledged anti-Chinese sentiment.
By the way, since we're talking about the Olympics, here's a Wall Street Journal article on the top ping pong players for teams around the world... who, as it happens, are mostly of Chinese descent: Pong Dynasty: In Table Tennis, Chinese Rule. In recent years, many have changed citizenship in order to play for national teams elsewhere.
And finally, here's an interesting story on 15-year-old gymnast Ivana Hong: Olympic Hopes Are Rooted in Tale of Escape. She's Chinese American, but her parents were actually born in Vietnam. At age 15, her mother fled Saigon in 1976, and survived the journey to the United States. And now her daughter is an American Olympic hopeful.
Last week, during Friday's Masters broadcast, former pro golfer and current CBS announcer Bobby Clampett referred to golfer Liang Wen-Chong as "the chinaman" during the Masters broadcast. Yeah. He did. Some people might not be aware of this, but "chinaman" is actually a slur. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Clampett was taken off the broadcast after the comment, then subsequently released an apology:
"It has been a privilege to be here with you the last 2 days describing action of all of the players. In describing the Asian player Wen-Chong Liang if I offended anybody please accept me sincere apologies."
More here: Clampett apologizes for description of China's Liang. Like this guy, I'm always a little skeptical about apologies that begin with "If I offended anybody..." I appreciate apologies, but make sure you're apologizing for the right thing. In this case, you should apologize for uttering the slur, not the reaction of being offended by the slur. Consider yourself schooled, Mr. Clampett.
America's Best Dance Crew is returning to MTV for season 2, and they're looking for dance crews to audition in New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago. The above flyer landed in my mail box, with all the relevant audition details. Maybe your crew could be the next JabbaWockeeZ or Kaba Modern. Represent.
I can't believe this story. It's absolutely ridiculous... This New York Times story profiles the Servano family, who came to the United States from the Philippines more than twenty years ago, but are now battling a deportation order: Perfectly Legal Immigrants, Until They Applied for Citizenship. Unfortunately, the Servanos are among a growing group of legal immigrants working towards citizenship, only to run afoul of highly technical immigration statutes.
The Servanos have been legally living and working in Pennsyvania for years, with the hopes of eventually becoming American citizens by applying for naturalization. You know, the way legal immigration is supposed to work. However, they've encountered a legal hitch involving their marital status when they came from the Philippines many, many years ago—a detail that could get them kicked out of the country.
Dr. Servano has been a legal immigrant in the United States for over 25 years. He and his wife have four children, all Americans by virtue of being born here. Basically, the Servanos are long-term immigrants who were fine, and could have continued to live here legally... had they not actually sought to become citizens. How messed up is that?
Ah, nerd love. The lengths a man will go to woo his special lady... One guy, a software programmer in Jersey City named Bernie Peng, reprogrammed his girlfriend Tammy's favorite video game, Bejeweled, so a ring and a marriage proposal would show up on the screen when she reached a certain score. Tammy reached the score... and said yes. Congratulations to the happy couple. Bernie blogged about his nerdy-but-romantic feat last December, but the Associated Press got wind of it today: Programmer pops question on girlfriend's video game.
PopCap, the Seattle company that makes "Bejeweled," is apparently flying the couple to Seattle as part of their honeymoon, and supplying copies of the game to hand out as favors to their wedding guests. You gotta love it. The couple plan to marry over Labor Day weekend.
The movie Street Kings, starring Keanu Reeves, opened in theaters over the weekend. Though I haven't been following it very closely, this movie has been on my radar for a little while now... Formerly titled Kings X, or The Night Watchmen, the movie first popped up around here last year when we heard there were some racist Asian elements in the film. Now the movie's out, and this review gives an example of what's wrong with Street Kings:
Night: Koreatown. Tom Ludlow (Reeves) stops by a liquor store and gulps down a couple teeny airline bottles of vodka. He insults some Korean hoods, who want to buy a machinegun he's got stashed in his trunk, insinuating that they're Japanese. "You dress white, talk black and drive Jew," he tells them before throwing in an all-purpose anti-Asian slur.
Ludlow is a racist cop, a renegade cop, a vigilante cop. We know this because next he wantonly massacres a bunch of Korean bad guys and makes it look like they shot one another. Then, when he's confronted by his African-American ex-partner, Terrence Washington (Terry Crews), he yells, "I'm racist!" In response, Washington calls him a "white boy." This seems especially odd because the Chinese-Hawaiian-Caucasian Reeves is, ancestrally speaking, roughly as white as Barack Obama.
All this, I suppose, is to show that Keanu is a badass, don't-give-a-F cop on the edge blah blah blah. Ooooh. Of course, ultimately, we're supposed to root for him... so the fact that he exhibits all this racist behavior towards Asians during the course of the movie, that's negligible, right? Because, dude, in the end they're just bunch of nameless, faceless Asians. And nobody cares about them. Just another day in Hollywood!
This is just some horrible news from the weekend... In Southern California, four young men were killed in a high-speed car crash when their car swerved on the 60 Freeway in Pomona and slammed into a concrete divider: 4 killed in crash on 60 Freeway. The victims, Richard Kim, 21, Kevin Na, 19, Daniel Kim, 18, and David Chung, 16, were all members of a Korean American church group, part of a caravan of cars on the way to a youth group event at an ice skating rink: Walnut church recalls four of its own. A fifth passenger—Kevin's brother, Stanley Na, 16—survived and was in stable condition late Saturday. This tragedy has got to be an unbelievable loss for their friends and family. My thoughts and prayers go out to them. More here: Church congregation mourns four people killed in car crash.
Robin Li, a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology, is looking for folks to help out and take an online survey on the social, political, and personal attitudes of Asian American adults. If you are an Asian American over the age of 18, read on:
Asian American Volunteers Needed!
- Do you identify as Asian American?
- Are you at least 18 years of age?
If so, please consider participating in a research project on the social, political, and personal attitudes of Asian American adults.
Participation consists of completing an online survey, which will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. After completing the survey, you may choose to enter a raffle for a chance to win a $50 amazon.com gift card.
This research project is part of my training as a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology. If you have any questions about my project, please contact me at asianamericanattitudes@gmail.com
To participate, please click on the following link:
If you know anyone else who may be interested in participating, please feel free to forward the link to the survey.
Take the survey, spilla little bit of your soul to the computer, help a Ph.D student out. And hey, you could win a $50 Amazon.com gift card. For more information about the study, go here.
The Chink's Steaks controversy continues, this time picking up with a story in the Washington Post, which gives a basic overview of the situation: Asian Groups Fight to Change Eatery's Name. For those unfamiliar with the controversy, there is an actual restaurant in Philadelphia called Chink's Steaks. And it's been around for years. It was named years ago after the original owner, who earned the nickname as a child because he supposedly had "slanted, Asian-looking eyes." Thus now, the restaurant is named after a racial slur, and the owner, Joseph Groh, refuses to change it. Basically, all parties involved acknowledge that it's an unfortunate name for the restaurant, and yet there are those who are adamant that the name should stick for the sake of "tradition."
What's really going on here? Brothers and sisters, let's be real. How is it that this restaurant is still named for this offensive, hurtful racial slur, and an entire city doesn't give a damn? If this restaurant had been named for the "n-word" back in 1949... well, let's face it, it wouldn't be around anymore. But I guess people are okay and comfortable with "chink." The fact of the matter is, people don't seem to mind that Asian Americans are affected by this derogatory term. As long as nobody gets in the way of their cheesesteaks. That's racist!
Well, we know the China-bashing has been going on for quite some time, even before this whole Olympic torch controversy began. Not that some of it isn't justified—no doubt, I always appreciate critical, nuanced examinations of China and its government's shortcomings. What I don't appreciate is outright fear-mongering, scapegoating and name-calling... which is exactly what Jack Cafferty recently did on CNN, calling the Chinese "goons and thugs." Yeah, really classy, Jack. Is this guy being paid for his "expert" analysis? The video's quality is poor, but you can hear it pretty clearly here.
Normally, I'd just call him an idiot and be done with it, but his comments seem to have struck a nerve with people. Cafferty's remarks have sparked an online petition calling for an apology: Demand for Apology from CNN and Situation Room. You say something like that on national television, you're going to have to deal with the repercussions.
UPDATE: The Chinese Foreign Ministry is demanding that Jack Cafferty apologize for remarks he made on CNN last week, in which he called the Chinese "goons and thugs" and said products manufactured in China are "junk": China demands apology from Cafferty.
In Seattle, the "Beacon Hill Groper" is still on the loose. For months, a man has been targeting Asian women as they walk to and from a number of bus stops, sometimes in broad daylight. This sicko has assaulted more than 25 victims, and while no on has been raped or critically hurt, he is getting increasingly bold and brazen in his attacks. Until he's caught police are asking people to be careful and vigilant.
Last week, dozens of women attended a bi-lingual workshop, taught by a black belt karate instructor, on how to protect themselves and get away if they find themselves in such a situation. They were advised to remain calm and stay strong if they're ever targeted: Women learn to protect themselves from Beacon Hill groper. Ladies, stay strong, and stay safe. And somebody, please catch this sick-ass loser.
Heads up, Chicago film fans... The 13th Asian American Showcase is going down right now, bringing you the best in Asian American film, music, visual and literary events. Things kicked off on Friday night, and run through April 24 at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Come and check out some of latest and best in Asian American cinema, including Amyn Kaderali's Kissing Cousins, Regina Park's Never Perfect, Richard Wong's Option 3, Francis Hseuh and Steven Hahn's Pretty To Think So, Michael Kang's West 32nd and Ron Morales' Santa Mesa, among other features, as well as some kickass shorts programs.
I've got a fond place in my heart for the Chicago Asian American Showcase—it was the first Asian American film festival I ever attended, waaaaay back in the day. My first taste. Now you can call me a festival junkie. For more information about the festival, and to see the full lineup of events and screenings, go to the website here.
In New York, the teenager charged with assaulting Columbia University graduate Minghui Yu was arraigned in Family Court last week: Court Charges Suspect for Assaulting Yu. Yu was fleeing from the assault when he was struck by a passing car. He died a few hours later at the hospital of severe head trauma. 14-year-old "Sheldon J," who was questioned and arrested at the assault scene, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.
The suspect apparently attacked Yu to impress some friends. That's pretty damn infuriating. He later told police that he tried to stop Minghui from running into oncoming traffic on Broadway, but Minghui pushed him away: Suspect Says He Tried To Stop Yu's Fatal Run. Ah, so he was concerned with Minghui's safety? Call me crazy, but it would've been nice if Sheldon had exhibited the same kind of concern when he chose to attack Minghui in the first place.
Meanwhile, Minghui Yu's parents arrived in New York City on Thursday night. Zhaofu and Aihu Qi Yu were granted travel visas to fly to New York from China to plan their son's memorial service: Yu Family Granted Visas. Thought the process can often take weeks or months, they were given expedited visas just two days after submitting their request to the State Department. Sadly, their first trip outside of China is for the purpose of burying their son.
Here's an article on veteran filmmaker Arthur Dong's documentary Hollywood Chinese, a look at the 100-year history of the participation and portrayal of Chinese in feature films: Arthur Dong documentary: 'Hollywood Chinese'. I haven't been able to catch the film on its various festival stops, but the film is now playing in limited release at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland.
I've just been perusing the Hollywood Chinesewebsite, and now I'm really interested in check out this film. Featuring interviews from actors, writers and directors like James Hong, Tsai Chin, Joan Chen, Nancy Kwan, Ang Lee, Justin Lin, James Shigeta and B.D. Wong, the film goes all the way back to the beginnings of Chinese American in cinema, looking at both the triumphs and ugly stereotypes of the industry.
Hollywood Chinese also includes a look at The Curse of Quon Gwon, the very first Chinese American film known to exist today, only recently re-discovered in 2004. Written and directed by Marion Wong, it waws produced in 1916 by the Mandarin Film Company in Oakland, and is also one of the few American silent feature films made by a woman. That's pretty fascinating. To learn more about Hollywood Chinese and The Curse of Quon Gwon, check out the website here. Also see this article here: Chinese film in focus. And an interview with Arthur Dong in Mother Jones: Hollywood Chinese: An Interview with Arthur Dong.
This week in New York, the students of the Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter (CRAASH) will host a conference, "Strengthening Education: Empowering Asian American Studies." The event will address the need for support of Asian American Studies in higher education, and feature notable speakers, panel discussions, and a proactive workshop. It's this Wednesday, April 16 at Hunter College. Here are some details:
STRENGTHENING EDUCATION: EMPOWERING ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES CONFERENCE HUNTER COLLEGE, LANG RECITAL HALL Room 424 Hunter North Wednesday, April 16th 1:00 – 4:00 pm
-- Come LISTEN to performers, activists, and influential voices from the Asian American community! (ALVIN LAU, poetry slam national champion will be a speaker/performer!!)
-- Help CREATE a proposal for an improved Asian American Studies Program at Hunter College!
--NETWORK with media, government, and nonprofit representatives!
--FREE Korean food and refreshments at networking reception!
PLEASE COME SHOW HUNTER ADMINISTRATORS YOUR SUPPORT FOR ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES AT HUNTER COLLEGE AND NATIONWIDE!!!
No RSVP needed, 1st come 1st serve.
Our friends at Hunter College formed CRAASH last year in response to the inadequate conditions of the Asian American Studies Program, which lacks sufficient financial, structural, and institutional support from both Hunter College and the greater CUNY administration. For a diverse New York City college whose student population is 26 percent Asian/Asian American, it's important that the school's Asian American Studies program meets the needs of its interested students. I met some folks from Hunter College the other day, and they're a spirited, passionate group of students. I wish them the best of luck. To learn more about CRAASH and the conference, go here.
Last week, it was announced that most families of the Virginia Tech massacre victims have agreed in principle to accept an $11 million settlement in exchange for agreeing not to sue the state: Va. Tech Families Tentatively Back Deal. The settlement—a taxpayer-financed package of compensation, health benefits and other assistance—came less than a week before the one-year anniversary of Seung Hui Cho's school shooting rampage that killled 32 students and teachers, and then himself. This week, there will no doubt be memorials and remembrances for the victims of this tragedy. Still, we'll never really understand what exactly drove Cho to do what he did. And no settlement will ever make up for that.
Meet Seriously. Hailing from Orange County, the quartet first jumped onto the scene with splash, making their debut at the world-famous Asian American talent show Kollaboration, which they apparently entered on a whim. That performance could have been the band's first, last, and only gig, but they walked with away the competition's top prize. The guys' act grabbed the attention of husband-and-wife management team Woody Pak and Gloria Lee, who signed Seriously to their label, Chaos Theory Music. Last year, the band released their self-titled EP, a tasty fresh blend of melancholy pop/rock tunes, and will soon be back in the studio working on a full-length album.
Currently, through the month April, Seriously has embarked on their Heart Tour, with shows at UC Berkeley, Stanford, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Irvine and the Asian Cultural Festival in the New York. For more information on the band, the tour, and to hear some sample tracks, visit Seriously's MySpace profile here.
I recently hung out with the members of Seriously, chatting and sharing a pizza in their studio/crash site/headquarters at Chaos Theory Music. Turns out, they're a cool bunch of guys with a good perspective, a great deal of loyalty to each other, and a hell of a lot of talent... all in spite of their young age. Read on:
Please introduce yourselves. Your name, age, and what you play in the band.
Josh: I'm Josh. I'm 23, and I play the bass.
Chris: I'm Christopher Phan. I'm 19. I sing.
Nathan: Nathan Park. I am 20, and I play guitar.
Philip: My name is Philip. I'm 20, and I play the drums.
You guys are 19 and 20? For real? I knew you guys were pretty young, but for some reason I thought you were a little older.
Nathan: Well, I'm 19, but I'll be 20 when you put the interview up.
Josh: I'm a grandpa.
How did you guys start out and get together as a band?
Philip: It was for the talent show Kollaboration. We got together just for the event, and apparently we won...
Apparently?
Philip: It was totally unexpected. We did it for fun. We just tried out and we were like, if we make it, that'll be great. We definitely didn't expect to win.
Josh: We got together like three weeks before the show. It was pretty spontaneous.
So you guys got together specifically for Kollaboration? I knew you won that year, but I wasn't aware that the band came together just for the competition. What did you guys play at the show? Was it an original song?
Chris: Yeah, it was an original song. The electric guitarist that was in this band, Alex Yi, we wrote a song together called "Irony." Oh, and actually Josh didn't play bass for the audition. We had this other guy. He's out of the picture.
He's like the fifth Beatle.
Chris: So it was basically for kicks. We thought it was going to end that night.
But you won. I mean, I've been to Kollaboration. There are a lot of talented acts. When you won, we're you like, hey, maybe we can actually do this...?
Chris: When we won, we were so shocked. We really thought we didn't play our absolute best. But I guess we did something right, or I guess we did something that stuck out to the audience and judges. So when we won, Woody and Gloria came up to us. And Woody, who was a judge, was actually super-skeptical about us. He actually scored us very low. But Gloria saw something about us, and she decided to take us in and really go the full stretch with us.
Josh: Even after Kollaboration, we were supposed to only record one song, the "Irony" single. But then after working with Woody and Gloria for a little bit, they were like, maybe we should develop it a little bit more and see where it goes. So that kind of brings us to today.
It seems like you originally had no intention of actually pursuing this and making it happen, but Woody and Gloria really helped nurture and coach you into the process of becoming a real functioning, working band. Am I right?
Josh: I guess they really pushed us, in a way, to develop whatever talents we might've had as a band. Some of us had never really written songs before, or done anything like that. But they asked us to try. So I guess through being pushed a little, we found out that maybe we have certain talents we didn't know about.
Nathan: I think another thing is, Seriously didn't even know about the recording demo deal until about a week before the actual show. They were like, the first place musical act gets a demo deal with Chaos Theory Music. That really upped the game for everyone's mentality. I wasn't even in the band at the time. I was in another group that performed at Kollaboration. So we were all competing against each other. And like the guys were saying, they were just planning to record one song, but Woody and Gloria kept pushing them, bringing out the best in every one of us.
Philip: I think, pretty much, they gave us the opportunity, and we took it.
How would you guys describe your sound?
Chris: These days, we're pretty much exploring every genre. All the songs we've written have such a different feel. But I'd say, in general, it's like pop/rock/blues. Indie. Some indie. And then like, some pop. I don't know.
Nathan: I think the main thing is that all of us are writing songs. Not just one main songwriter. And because we all have vastly different musical influences, when we write songs we have our own perception of it. But when we bring it to the band, everyone adds their own little spunk to it. That's why our sound is kind of all over the place.
Who are some of your creative influences?
Philip: I guess I could say my main influences right now are the bands Muse, Maroon 5 and Dave Matthew Band.
Nathan: My favorite style of music is jazz, funk and blues, around that realm. Solo artists that have made an impact in the jazz and funk world, like Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, who's a crazy bassist. With respective to bands, my favorites are U2 and Muse.
Chris: When I was a kid, I grew up listening to Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, because I didn't have any money to buy CDs. So I just listened to whatever my sister had. And she actually had John Mayer's Room for Squares, so I grew up listening to that stuff too. So I'd say even up to now, John Mayer's one of my huge influences—singing, writing, guitar-playing.
Josh: During the time when the band started, I was kind of into those singer/songwriter kind of guys.. Low-key, not a big name, really lyric-centric, very understated style. But now, playing in this band, and getting influences from Nathan, Chris, Phil, I really like the big band sound like Muse, U2. They have this great energy to them.
What's the Heart Tour all about?
Nathan: We're actually partnering up with bone marow donor programs, and what we're doing is a call to awareness, trying to recruit possible donors and putting their names in the registry. Our goal is to raise 2000 participants in this program, because on any given day there are over 6,000 patients looking for a bone marrow donor. Basically, we're trying to do something for a cause that's bigger and greater than us, and hopefully through this, we'll help bring that cause to fruition.
Josh: We should mention Asian for Miracle Marrow Matches, the Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation, and the Asian American Donor Program. That's who we're partering with.
I know that in the short time you've been around, you've managed to build a pretty sold Asian American fanbase. How would you guys describe your fans? Have you seen some crossover with non-Asian audiences as well?
Philip: Looking at all our gigs in the past year, we've been playing a lot at Asian venues. It's true that a lot of Asian Americans are our big fanbase, but now and then we'll play at gigs where there are African American and white people in the audiences, they actually really love our music. So I guess you could say that we really have the believe in our heart that we could reach out to everyone and every race.
Nathan: We really believe that we can break the mold that people have... these preconceptions of Asians, and Asian males, with respect to what they can do in entertainment and the music industry. We're not going to listen to them. We really believe in ourselves, and we really believe that we can do this, and break out of whatever boxes that people put Asian Americans in.
Josh: I guess we want to reclaim what William Hung lost for us. That whole attitude that only Asians who are comical or something can make it to the big time. Hopefully with hard work and good music we can change that.
Have you guys faced obstacles or barriers as an Asian American band?
Josh: I wouldn't say they're obstacles so much as... Sometimes people that I talk to will make a passing comment like, oh, why an Asian band? I'm like, I don't really know what to say to that. Why not? I wouldn't say it's a big obstacle, but I can sometimes feel that people have their reservations or skepticism about an Asian band doing very well.
Sometimes it's the Asian folks who are the biggest skeptics.
Josh: Yeah! They're like, oh, you don't play in the orchestra? Mom, I play in a rock band now.
It's obvious you guys have dedicated a lot time and energy to the band. You're literally sleeping in the studio. I mean, there are actually beds in here. Do you feel there's a lot of sacrifice involved with this process?
All: For sure. Most definitely.
Josh: For the past couple of months, these guys have been all I've known. As soon as I'm done with work, I come up here, we rehearse, and...
Nathan: Repeat.
Josh: Yeah, rest and repeat. We don't make money. It's really out of the love for it. I mean, I don't see it as a sacrifice, especially because we love doing it. It can be frustrating, but you love it at the same time. I don't feel like we're losing anything by putting our time into this. If anything, we're gaining. Even if it all falls apart in the end, I feel like what we've done here is a really good thing.
I normally don't like to ask this question, because I feel like it's fairly typical for Asian American artists, in general, to get asked this... but because you guys are pretty young, I have to ask: what do your parents think of Seriously?
Chris: My mom just says, "Make sure you get your degree." Insurance, I guess, right?
Josh: As long as I get the bills paid, I'm in the green.
Nathan: When I first told my parents, they flipped. It was crazy. I guess my parents are really proud of the fact that I'm going to UCLA, pursuing my career. But when I was like, I'm going to take a quarter or two off, my mom was like, "What? No no no." It was really bad, actually. But over time, you know... My mom actually had dinner with Woody, and they talked. And my mom knows that he has no intention of snatching me out of school, and he'll make sure I finish my degree. You know, I think my parents have eventually come to accept what I'm doing as long as I take it as a "serious hobby." So yeah, it's much better now.
Philip: Same as Nathan, yeah, my parents flipped. I've never seen them react so harshly before. With just one statement. It was amazing. I was jumbled with so many different emotions. It was to the point where I can honestly say my parents wanted to kick me out. I guess it was a lot to say in one statement, at that time. It was difficult. It was crazy. But my parents came to meet with Woody and Gloria... and that brought a lot of temper and pressure off of them. Right now, they've come to accept it. But they still definitely want me to finish college. If I make sure I do that overall, I'm pretty sure they'll be okay with it later on.
How would you describe your working and personal relationship with Woody and Gloria?
Josh: I would say "family-esque." They take care of us. And when we need to be rebuked, we get rebuked. And they yell at us like they're our parents sometimes, to get our acts together. But I can honestly say that I feel like they love us a lot, not just as a product or some kind of money-making thing, but as real members of a family.
Nathan: If you look at some of the big music labels, you never hear about managers or producers nurturing their artists the way they nurture us. So in that sense, we're extremely blessed. We're not even paying a penny to live here, or to record the album. They're taking care of everything. Their vast musical background, their knowledge of the music industry, and their belief in us, it just really instills belief in ourselves that we can really do this. We're extremely lucky that we have these family-esque figures in our life. We respect them with all we are.
Chris: We also babysit.
After the Heart Tour, what's next for you guys?
Philip: After the tour, I think we're going ahead with our upcoming album, which we're pretty stoked about. Hopefully, it's going to be amazing. Well, more than hopefully.
Josh: It has to be amazing.
Philip: Okay, it will be amazing.
Are you planning for the album to have a particular sound, influence or direction?
Josh: It is even more all over the place than our EP. It is ridiculous.
Nathan: In a good way.
Josh: Yeah, in a good way. Sometimes, I'll be like, dude, we just played like ten genres right now.
Nathan: But even in all those genres, you can still hear the Seriously foundation.
Chris: I think we're still trying to find our real identity within this band. And hopefully we'll find it prior to our album release. When you have a direction it definitely helps you shape how your music's going to sound. And with us being Asians and all, we really want it to be amazing. So when people hear it, they won't think, oh, this is an Asian band, or whatever. They'll just think it's really awesome.
Josh: I think what I really appreciate about this whole project is that Woody is really into trying anything. He's very experimental, all about the crossover of genres, different wacky ideas. He gives us that freedom. It's just a good place to be to explore our sound.
What makes you angry?
Josh: Slow drivers in the fast lane. Especially on the way to the studio.
Nathan: Racism.
Josh: Yours is all deep. Mine's so lame and shallow.
Philip: I recently bought a new nano iPod. You know how the back is all shiny and silver? For some reason, there's always a scratch on the back. I can never avoid that. That pisses me off.
Chris: Not having a lot of socks. Forgetting musical equipment. Bad food.
Happening this weekend: 2nd New York City Asian American Student Conference, organized by New York University, Columbia University, Fordham University, CUNY Hunter and CUNY Barch. This year's conference theme is "Redefine." It's all going down on April 12 at NYU's Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square. For details and information on the conference, go here.
Just another reminder, I'll be taking part in a conference panel called "Challenging the Mainstream: Asian Americans in the Ethnic Blogosphere," alongside esteemed fellow bloggers Kai Chang (Zuky), Carmen Van Kerckhove (Racialicious), William Lee (Fallout Central), Jenn Fang (Reappropriate), Jen Wang and Diana Nguyen (Disgrasian). They've all posted items about the conference on their respective blogs, so I thought I'd give it another plug too. It should be a very interesting discussion. If you're in the area, please come on out and say hello.
Canadaaaaaaaa. The Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Canada's oldest festival dedicated to exhibiting films and videos by North American artists of Asian heritage, is now accepting submissions for its 12th annual festival:
2008 Call for Entries
The Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF) is Canada's oldest festival dedicated to exhibiting films and videos by North American artists of Asian heritage. It is committed to supporting both emerging talent and established filmmakers. Visiting artists have included Loni Ding, Justin Lin, Wes Kim, and Michael Kang, as well as BC filmmakers, Desiree Lim, Nilesh Patel, Eunhee Cha, and Jeff Chiba Stearns.
VAFF invites submissions for its 12th annual festival, November 6-9, 2008. Early bird deadline is April 30th; final closing deadline is May 31st (postmarked - no exceptions).
All films in the Open Call must include a North American Asian in a key creative role (writer, director, producer). Earlybird entry fee: $10 (CDN or US); Regular entry fee: $20 (CDN or US). Entry fee is non-refundable.
Genres for consideration include narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental. Exhibition formats accepted are 35mm, Beta SP (NTSC), and DigiBeta (NTSC) - and preview screeners may be submitted as VHS tapes or DVDs. No materials or screeners will be returned.
Awards include a juried award for Best Canadian Short. Programming includes Q & A sessions with the filmmakers, panel discussions with industry professionals, a Filmmakers' Luncheon, and special gala events. All screenings take place at Cinemark Tinseltown, a multiplex theatre within the city's Chinatown and Downtown districts. For more information and submission guidelines, visit www.vaff.org or email programming@vaff.org.
VAFF is a not-for-profit organization that provides a forum for independent North American Asian filmmakers to showcase their work to both Asian and non-Asian audiences. The society endeavours to represent the often ignored North American Asians caught between two cultures. It provides a cultural bridge between the Asian and non-Asian communities as well as the Asian communities themselves.
Early bird deadline is April 30; final closing deadline is May 31. You're made your film. Now share your work with the world! For more information about submitting your film, go here. The 12th annual Vancouver Asian Film Festival goes down on November 6-9.
This week, the Los Angeles Police Department's highest-ranking officer, Terry S. Hara, was officially promoted to Deputy Chief. Hara is the first ever Asian America in the history of the Department to achieve the rank of Deputy Chief, and will serve as Commanding Officer of Operation West Bureau: LAPD's Highest-Ranking Asian American Officer is Promoted to Deputy Chief. The promotion ceremony ws attended by community leaders, friends, family and colleagues, including Chief William J. Bratton, Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa, and actress Tamlyn Tomita(!), whose father was apparently a former LAPD sergeant. No joke, you know it's an awesome occasion when Tamlyn Tomita shows up to your event.
Just wanted to throw up another quick reminder to all my people at UCLA... Tonight, I'll be participating in SubVerses 2008, panel discussion on Asian American popular culture, presented by the UCLA Asian American Studies Graduate Student Association. I'll be there along with fellow panelists Daniel Lee (UCLA Faculty), Jeff Liu (Visual Communications), and Eric Nakamura (Giant Robot). Details:
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2008 Time: 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Place: UCLA-MOORE HALL Room 100 405 Hilgard Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90095
I don't really know what's going to happen, but I'll try my best to say something interesting and make it fun. Here's a story in the Daily Bruin on tonight's event: Asian American pop culture in spotlight. Come on out and say hello. See you there.
It's all going down in San Francisco... Massive protests forced officials to drastically change the Beijing Olympic torch route through the city today, with the flame leaving McCovey Cove by bus instead of being carried along the Embarcadero by runners. Sounds like it's been a pretty chaotic day, with both pro-Tibet and pro-China protesters gathering to greet the torch on its only North American stop: Torch route drastically changed to thwart hordes of protesters.
SFGate has extensive coverage right now on its front page, including video, photos and a map of the torch route. In the photo above, that's Kasang Chodon of El Cerrito, shouting for Tibetan freedom at United Nations Plaza.
UPDATE: Here's another story on mixed feelings for the Beijing Olympics within the China American community: Chinese-Americans Divided Over Olympic Protests. Reactions are as divided as diverse as the community itself. Though the guy quoted at the end sounds like he has NO idea what is going on.
South Korea launches its way into the final frontier. Yesterday, 29-year-old scientist Yi So-Yeon blasted off from a Russian cosmodrome to become the first Korean in space: Scientist Yi So Yeon becomes first Korean astronaut. The Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft carrying Yi and two Russian cosmonauts took off from the Baikonaur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, bound for the International Space Station. The launch makes South Korea the 37th nation to send a citizen into space. And with her, they sent kimchi:
The Korea Food Research Institute and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute have spent years turning traditional South Korean delicacies into a form that can be stored and eaten in zero gravity, including steamed rice, red pepper paste, doenjang fermented bean soup, green tea, red ginseng tea, instant noodles, sujeonggwa cinnamon punch and, above all, kimchi – the pungent pickled blend of cabbage, chilli and garlic that is the national dish.
Yi was actually the second in line to go. Last month, she replaced Ko San, who was removed from the mission because he repeatedly broke rules imposed by the Russian space authorities. According to the South Korean Government, he "accidentally" sent a pilot's training manual back to Seoul in a package of personal possessions. A few weeks later, he was caught with a spaceship control manual that, as an accompanying scientist, he had no right to read. And thus, Ms. Yi is now the one on that space shuttle.
The time has come to say goodbye to AZN Television. As it was reported back in January, Comcast announced that it would be pulling the plug on AZN TV, after several years of limping along as the self-annointed "Network for Asian America," due to trouble gaining advertisers and distribution. But wait, you ask, didn't I hear news of AZN's demise, like, years ago? Yes. And it's been a long, slow death. AZN sent out the following email blast last week:
An important message from AZN TELEVISION
The management of AZN Television regrets to announce that the channel will be taken off the air effective April 9 at 12 p.m.
AZN was having difficulty gaining advertisers and distribution. After considerable review of the network’s financial situation, it was decided that it was no longer financially viable.
We thank you, our loyal viewers, for your support of AZN over the years. AZN has paved the way for Asian American television and wishes other media outlets success in creating compelling programming and fostering Asian American talent.
The network ceases brodcasting today at noon: AZN closing shop April 9. There's not a whole lot left to shut down anyway, nor are there too many viewers left to miss it. I've always had sort of a love/hate relationship with AZN. What started off as a promising destination for original Asian American television content quickly deteriorated in a tired, recycled content. Plus, it had an awful name.
At the same time, I was certainly encouraged by the fact that not just one, but several television channels were out there trying to represent for Asians, at least in theory. Too bad they couldn't keep it going. Farewell, AZN. I wasn't a huge fan, but it was always nice knowing you were around. It's all on you now, ImaginAsian! No pressure.
I recently learned about the In Solidarity campaign, which was born out of response to Max Karson's "If it's war the Asians want..." column at the University of Colorado back in February. The aim of the campaign is to unite not only the Asian American community but all diverse communities nationwide together to encourage racial acceptance and understanding, and to demand social justice in these instances.
Basically they're tired of these types of things continually happening to Asian Americans... and nobody doing anything about it.
You can purchase an In Solidarity T-Shirt ($12) and wear it on May 2, 2008 to symbolize our unity as a community, all equally affected by this incident and ones similiar to it—and we all know there seems to be no shortage of such incidents, on college campuses and elsewhere. Get a shirt, take a photo of yourself wearing it, and send it in! All proceeds will go toward an “In Solidarity” event scheduled for an evening in August. To learn more about this movement, visit the website here. Or join the Facebook group here.
Bao Phi does it again! Here's the second in his series of fake Hollywood movie ideas. To catch up with part one, go here. Stop me if you've heard this one:
BAO PHI'S RACIST IDEAS FOR HOLLYWOOD 2: MY SHRILL CHEAP CHINESE WEDDING
THE PITCH: Grace Wong considers herself just another Chinese American photography editor of an urban sophisticate hip hop fashion magazine in New York - in love with vintage Adidas and soup dumplings and secret bars where you can actually smoke indoors while having a Cosmopolitan. But when she turns 28, her thick-tongued immigrant parents turn it up a notch, nagging her constantly about why she hasn't found a nice wealthy Chinese boy to marry. Enter her best friend, Ankur Agarwal, an aspiring gay actor facing possible deportation for attempting to rob a White Castle with a painted banana after getting thrown out of a club for drunken romping. A phony wedding banquet is planned at Jimmy Chu Lopez's restaurant and everything goes according to plan--until Smith McCain, Grace's college sweetheart, crashes her wedding in an attempt to woo her younger sister, Clementine. But his mischievous blue eyes, rumpled brown hair worn in the "I don't care how I look okay maybe I care a little bit" style, and quietly yearning gaze awakens something deep down in Grace's flustered, urban, bewildered and upwardly mobile soul, something dormant she believed long buried.
Will Clementine pout that once again, her big sis gets all the good guys? Will the immigration officials who crash their wedding be suitably impressed with Ankur's lavish Bollywood dance routine set to the new Neptunes' remix of "I'm Coming Out"? How predictably will the script attempt to justify the non-existence of an available Chinese bachelor in New York City? Will the Director of Photography know how to properly light and shoot the crispy skin duck to maximize its natural caramelization and fatty deliciousness?
Starring Michelle Krusiec as Grace, Matthew Whats-his-face as Smith McCain, and special cameo by Naughty By Nature's Treach, for no reason.
"It's like the Wedding Planner meets Eat Drink Man Woman meets Bride and Prejudice on crack and steroids mixed with a lychee martini!" - Ain't It Cool News
Like I said before, this is hilarious, but sadly, not so outrageous that it couldn't work as an actual Hollywood movie—I'm afraid we've seen worse. I guess that's why it's funny. Check back next week for another installment of Bao Phi's Movie Ideas for Racist Hollywood. Me, I eagerly await The Gangsters of Pho Street: A Musical.
Yesterday at Columbia University, hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil to mourn Minghui Yu, the 24-year-old graduate student who was struck by a car and killed last week while fleeing attackers: Students Mourn Minghui Yu at Candlelight Vigil. He was apparently a popular, well-liked student, so this has definitely been a shock to the community. The University is currently working with Senator Chuck Schumer to bring Yu's parents, who live in China, to the United States as soon as possible by expediting the process of obtaining visas. Unfortunately, what awaits them when they do arrive is the sorrow and sober reality that their son is dead, and was killed senselessly.
Many, many, many people have written in to remind me that singer/songwriter Marie Digby's debut album Unfold is out in stores today from Hollywood Records. Marie is something of an internet sensation, amassing a devoted fan following after her acoustic YouTube cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella" started turning heads last summer, eventually getting the attention of radio stations and talk shows and stuff.
Aside from her rendition of "Umbrella," which is nicely done, I hadn't heard any of her other music. So right now I've been checking out the tracks on her Myspace and YouTube channel. Some pretty good acoustic pop/rock. Not bad, not mind-blowing, but I like it. And I can definitely see the appeal. Anyway, the album's out now. Do check out this recent interview she did with Asia Pacific Arts.
I'm told that after many years of student efforts to create an Asian and Asian American community center at Cornell University, the school's administration finally gave official approval and support for a center last week: Skorton expresses support for cultural center for Asian and Asian-American students. Of course, this Cornell blog used the opportunity to write a hi-larious fake post on the news, using all sorts of the usual tasteless, racist stereotypes. Pokemon reference, math nerd jokes, cat-eating, bad drivers, squinty-eyes, and oh-so-classic mixup of Rs and Ls—this one's bursting at the seams with the usual racist foolishness:
Asian Community Center to be Built Adjacent to Uris Library
President David Skorton announced the plans for the construction of an Asian Community Center at a midday press conference today. The building is to be located directly adjacent to Uris Library on the Clocktower Side, and will be designed by the famous architect I. M. Pei.
"I believe that this building will dramatically reduce the amount of Asian suicides at Cornell," Skorton announced. "We also plan to fill in the gorges with those chewy bubble tea orbs so that distraught students will have to rely on other methods."
Among the centers many features are the Pokemon Card Trading Arena, the Mi-So Slipi Lounge equipped with 100 beds for study break naps, and one-seater dining areas with calculators built into the tables. Many students are most excited, however, about the center's Lucky Sun Moon Restaurant, which features MSG, beef with broccoli, and cat-fish casserole, which incorporates not catfish but a mixture of cat and flounder.
"Our plans were substantially modified after meeting with the Asian and Asian-American community," said architect I. M. Pei. "The original plans called for an underground parking lot, but it was scrapped based on the projected amount of parking mishaps. That was something I did not foresee, perhaps because of my squinty eyes."
Most Asian students jumped for joy upon hearing the news. Student Mi-So Honee remarked, "Is so close to libelly!"
Other students were appreciative that the name was changed from the Little Rice Room Place. "Besides being a sirry name, I couldn't rearry pronounce arr those R and Ls," said Henry Joon-Kimyung-Jook.
Ah yes. Making fun of suicides among Asian American students? Classy. What is it about college campuses, where the best and brightest young minds are supposed to dwell, that always seems to foster this kind of ridiculous ignorance? And of course, this little gem was written on April 1, hiding behind the stupid pretense of April Fool's Day. Har har. Me play joke! Oh yeah, I forgot. It's supposed to be "satire." Clever, clever. No thank you. That's racist!
UPDATE: The post in question has been removed from the blog. Please take a look at the text reprinted above for future reference. The author has since written an open apology for the offending piece, offering his reasoning for writing the damn thing. Take it or leave it.
As you've no doubt heard by now, the Olympic torch will make its way through San Francisco tomorrow for its only North American stop on the road to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. While the torch is supposed to symbolize the friendly and competitive spirit of the games, thus far it's mainly been a serious international magnet for controversy. Hosting the Olympics puts a prestigious spotlight on Beijing, but there's also absolutely no denying the Chinese government's horrifying record when it comes to human rights—a fact made even more evident as of late as tensions in Tibet come to a full boil.
That's why it may seem strange that respected activist/writer Helen Zia will be one of the individuals running in Wednesday's torch relay. As a longtime advocate of social justice, some may find her participation hypocritical. But she has her reasons. Here's a nicely-written opinion piece by Helen Zia: Why I will carry the Olympic torch.
I think she's able to balance the mixed sentiments evoked in this issue. The sentiment of support for the Chinese people and what the games mean to them (and the world) can exist simultaneously with being critical of the Chinese government. I've wrestled with this issue myself, considering what it means for us as Asian Americans. I think activists can certainly use the Beijing Olympics as a rallying point to draw attention to what's really going on in China. But ultimately, I think boycotting or withdrawing support of the Olympics will only serve to further isolate and define China as "the enemy," which really doesn't do anyone any good in the long run. In any case, you can definitely expect this controversy to intensify as the games draw nearer.
About a month back, I had the opportunity to sit in on a roundtable talk with actor John Cho, in town for the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. He stars in Michael Kang's indie crime drama West 32nd, and reprises his co-titular role in the stoner buddy comedy Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay—both of which played at the festival to sold-out houses. He talked about these roles, his career, and the general state of Asian Americans in entertainment. He's been hard at work, and you'll be seeing a lot of him soon.
I tried to get him to reveal a few details about his role as Sulu in J.J. Abrams' upcoming re-imagining of Star Trek, but his lips were sealed. He was, however, nursing a bandaged wrist for an injury that may or may not have been sustained on the bridge of the starship Enterprise:
What's up? You hurt that doing Star Trek?
You know, it could very well be a video game injury, for all I know. But I think it's from Star Trek. I tweaked something in my wrist, and I'm just being careful with it. But honestly, it doesn't really hurt until I do something really ridiculous like, um, try to unbutton something.
So, your movie is crazy popular. Harold and Kumar's screening at the film festival is completely sold out. When you look at the Harold and Kumar phenomenon, I think the movie has come to mean a lot of different things to different people, particularly to Asian American audiences. What sort of reactions have you encountered, and did you anticipate this kind of response?
I'd hoped for this kind of response, a good response from Asian Americans. I was a little trepidatious with the first movie, and I think some Asian Americans were as well. Particularly the old guard that kind of wanted... well, there's an inclination with the previous generation to want noble Asian characters, and certainly we weren't giving them that. So I wasn't sure whether people would take this to heart, or whether people would consider this an Asian American movie, in a positive sense. And you know, I think it was slow to catch on with Asian Americans. We didn't have big Asian American support that first weekend. You know, in the previews—and this is an example of internal racism too—I mean, from watching some of the previews, I think a lot of Asian Americans felt that it was a racist portrayal. It could've been the advertising tagline, you know, "Starring the Asian guy from American Pie and the Indian guy from..." um... what did he do?
Van Wilder.
Van Wilder. And also, I know some Asian Americans thought that I was playing a nerd, which is a stereotype. And I was not. But to me, that's the example of internal racism—we see that, and we're quick to jump to that. For me, I was playing the straight guy in a buddy comedy, and I was playing kind of an everyman, in my mind. But it's what we set up for ourselves when that's what we've been fed.
Why do you think the movie resonates so much with Asian American moviegoers? I mean, I know there are some rabid Harold and Kumar fans out there.
I don't know. I think there's something, from a racial standpoint, an attitude that feels accurate... And I think it might be the fact that it addresses race as we do—as people of color do—that we're aware of it, that we live with it, but it doesn't consume us. And sometimes, white media thinks that we're obsessed with it, and then Asian American films... we make films that obssess over her our race. It's an hour and a half of people talking about what it means to be Asian.
But Harold and Kumar addresses it, then doesn't, then addresses it, then kind of addresses it, then laughs at it... and then somebody smokes pot. You know, which kind of feels like life, which feels accurate. And there's something that resonates about that attitude. That's a guess. I really don't know. It really does beat me.
To say this movie lacks political correctness is an understatement. How much do you work with the directors when you might feel like there's something that might be too over the top?
Well, I think if I had a problem, or if I was touchy about anything, there's no way I'd be making these movies. So you sort of go with it, and hope for the best. But as far as communication with the directors, it was very open line. I'm sure we could've said something about that. But we were mostly really on board, trying to nail the jokes. And every night, the directors and I would get together in my apartment—we were on location—and we'd have a glass of scotch, and we'd talk about the events of the day, what went wrong, what we could've done better, and then discuss the scenes we were shooting the next day, and maybe do a little re-write or whatever. Because there wasn't a whole lot of time for improv. So that's kind of how we worked. Really 24-7 filmmaking.
Do you feel like this film has a political message of any kind?
It might, and probably does for some people. We weren't really focusing on that, so I feel like I should really stay away from that. We're really using politics in this movie as a device to make fart jokes.
Do your parents and your family watch all your movies?
I think they do, as far as I know. But my parents always complain that I forget to tell them that I'm on certain things. And they're right. I quite frequently forget to tell them I did something. Especially television—I don't keep track when something's coming on. I do it, then forget about it. Movies, I have to do something like this, so I'm very aware that a movie's coming out. But you know, I do an episode of something and I'll forget about it, then it'll air, and then my mom's friends will call my mother. And then she gets very angry that I didn't tell her that I was on TV.
Do they "get" the Harold and Kumar movies?
I don't think so, entirely. As far as all the racy stuff, I think that they recognize the movie comes from a good place, in terms of attitude, that it feels like it has a good heart. Even the sexual stuff, it's such adolescent kind of sexuality, you know? It's like, ooh, boobies. It's that kind of boyish attitude towards sex...
We have a "bottomless" party in this movie. And we didn't get a NC-17 rating. We have a lot of women walking around without pants.
What does your wife think of that?
It's not her favorite part of the movie. The other parts she likes better.
Considering the way Asian Americans are generally represented in media, I think you've become one of the few Asian American actors with some degree of marquee recognition—as "the Asian guy in American Pie," Harold, and now Sulu. Do you consider any of these roles have been your "breakthrough" in any way? And do you feel this recognition comes with a broader sense of responsibility with respect to our community?
I'm not sure whether I've had a "breakthrough" anything. Maybe American Pie was the closest thing I've had, because it led to some more comedy jobs. It gave me more comedy cred, because everyone saw that movie. It was an incredibly successful series of movies. I just happened to, you know, stumble into that movie, really. And Harold and Kumar probably wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for that movie. Because the writers saw me and started following me career, and had me mind when they wrote it. I really do feel like I'm one of the few people Hollywood where... it really has been a ladder for me, rung by rung. As close as you get in L.A. to climbing a ladder steadily.
And yes, I do feel a responsibility, and always have, and it's been an odd burden for me. Even when I started and no one gave a shit, I was trying to avoid doing roles—and it's no accident that I've never done something with a chop suey accent. It's no accident that I've never played those parts. I strongly believe there are a lot of Asian American actors who think that that's the price to pay before you get to wherever you're going. And I take real issue with that. Because you have to maintain integrity from the start, and on a personal level, you have to not do something that's going to make you sick to your stomach.
But on a political level, how are things supposed to ever change if there's someone willing to do it? I can tell you now, having worked in the business, that you can gather an army of people to hold picket signs and stand outside the studio, and say, "we destest this portrayal"... but it doesn't matter if there's a guy—who they know, a peer—who's willing to do it, who stands in front of the crew and does the buck-tooth accent. If he or she is willing to do it, it makes the protestors look like extremists. It makes this guy look like the normal guy. Because we all work in the same industry. So the willingness of one actor negates a thousand protestors and a thousand angry letters.
Do you still see a lot of those limitations for Asian American actors?
Well, yeah. There's a limited palette. You turn on the television, you go to the movies, you don't see a lot of Asians. So you have to deal with that. But I want to emphasize on the other hand, it's tough being an artist, and it's tough being an actor. The odds are against you at every turn, and being Asian is one of many limitations that you have to deal with. I get frustrated with them, but I also try to look at it as my opportunity, you know? The way I deal with this particular Rubik's cube, maybe some good can come of it. I hope to leave the situation better than I found it. If that's on my tombstone, I'd be very happy.
Do you think it's getting easier for Asian Americans actors? Do you think you have a part in that process of making it easier?
You know, I'd like to think it's a little easier, and I'd like to think that I'm a part of that. A friend of my wife's, he told me recently—he's an actor, a white guy—he was at a commercial audition, and he said, "I went to this commercial audition yesterday, and the casting breakdown called for a 'John Cho type.'" It was odd. And I said, "They didn't ask for an Asian man?" It was an odd moment. So we were trying to figure out what that meant, and that discussion took maybe two or three beers. But yeah, it's getting better. But having said that, I want to throw out the caveat that we're not where we should be. There's reason to be optimistic, and there's a reason to strive further.
One thing I'm oddly encouraged by though, there's a lot of Asians in commercials. The reason why I think that's important... you know, there's the casting where they say, okay, we're going to make our show look cosmetically multicultural. We're gonna try and do this thing that you guys keep asking for. And then there are commercials, which are just pure commerce, in that we're trying to sell you this product. Asians, buy this detergent. And if they're trying to sell us detergent, or trying to sell us a Lexus, maybe eventually they'll try to sell us movies, you know? Come see this movie. We've put together a cast of people that look like you. So maybe that's the next move.
You're also in another festival film, West 32nd. What was your experience with that film like? Do you prefer comedy or drama?
I don't have any preference for either. In some ways I had to just forget the comedy in Harold and Kumar, because Harold is a real straight character, so it's best not to think of it that way, at least in the moment. But no, I have no preference. It's nice to go back and forth. It's funny, there's a gallows humor about doing a drama too. I remember it as a funny experience because there was so much joking in between scenes [on West 32nd]. You kind of have to do it, to keep it light. Because it's some dark subject matter. But it's a fantastic film that I'm really proud of. Personally, I enjoyed it a lot because I got a chance to shoot it in New York.
One thing I'm excited about with West 32nd, financing came from Korea, and I hope it leads to more co-productions between Korea and Hollywood. I feel like it's a good way... I mean, in the independent film community, we always feel like our hands are tied because we're always peddling for money in Hollywood, and going to the same investors. But if we can shift that overseas, maybe it'll shake things up. I think that's probably a very healthy thing.
Also, there's been like a political attitude with Asian American films where it's very pan-Asian-oriented. West 32nd is very specifically Korean, and that's a very refreshing attitude. Because I know Koreans think of themselves as Korean, and Korean Americans will also think of themselves as Korean before thinking of themselves as Asian American. I think maybe that'll switch as the generations go on, but at this point, I feel that the former is the case. So I think this film is an interesting reflection of that attitude.
I really liked your work in West 32nd, but what I was really surprised by Jun Kim's performance, because I had never really heard of him before. He was solid. What was it like working with him?
Yeah, he's a good actor and it was a pleasure working with him. He's probably one of the most dedicated actors I know. He's sort of always thinking about the movie. I, in contrast, really relish breaks. Be it five minutes or a day, I feel like that's very necessary. And I like to laugh between scenes, because it relaxes me. Relaxing is the hardest thing to do when acting. The tension is a killer. But Jun, in contrast, is the most intense guy I've ever known. Unbelievable.
What was it like working with director Michael Kang?
I had a great time with Michael, and it probably had something to do with the fact that we were all Korean. A lot of the crew was Korean. We had Korean actors from Korea. And you know, I've done Asian American movies, and there was a certain kind of brotherhood to that... but this was very specific, and it was a Korean movie, and we were shooting in Flushing and Manhattan's Koreatown. So, we really lived that experience. We were in noraebangs all the time, and it was great. I had more Korean food than I've had since, basically when I lived with my parents. That movie's been a real gift in that way.
I know you can't talk a lot about the details of Star Trek, but can I ask...
The ending of the movie... (laughs)
You heard it here first! In what ways have you taken cues from George Takei's Sulu? He's sort of defined the role for forty years. And in what ways have you tried to make the character your own?
Well, I think... I won't speak to any particulars, partially because I don't think it's a good idea, and I don't think we're allowed to, but I'll just say this. For myself, the filmmakers, the other actors, I think we've all tried to honor the original series and do something new at the same time. I think that's been a general ethos around the set, and it seems to me that we're all doing that. The actors, the desigers, the director.
Did you watch Star Trek while growing up?
Not as much... You know, I'm of the generation that dug Star Wars, and that was sort of my sci-fi thing. Star Trek was sort of a slow burn for me, because I would watch it on reruns whenever it was on. Over the years, I was like, this is a very interesting show. Things didn't get solved generally by beating somebody up. It was probably a bit of ingenuity and thinking that got the job done on that show. And I was always just blown away by George Takei's presence on the bridge. In contrast to what other Asians were doing on television, it was just such a beacon.
Have you talked to George Takei? Has he called you up to make sure you're playing the young Sulu properly?
We talked. I wrote him a letter and asked if we could have lunch. We did, and it was very pleasant. He had some words of wisdom, but we also just had a good time and got to know each other a little bit. I'd been acquainted with him, we'd run into each other a few times, but hadn't really gotten a chance to talk. So it was nice. And for the record, if you don't know him, he's like this renaissance man. It's like he stepped out of a time machine. They don't make guys like him anymore—he's well-versed in all these subjects, he's literate, and interesting.
And the voice!
I don't know where he got that voice. I don't know where he bought that voice. It's very low.
Is it too soon to proclaim that Ichiro Suzuki is one of the greatest baseball players of all time—in the United States, Japan, or wherever? In his eighth season in the major leagues, the Seattle Mariners outfielder is on the verge of several significant achievements: Suzuki Is Nearing Milestones at an Unprecedented Pace.
Ichiro entered the season just 130 hits short of 3,000 for his two-country career and could become the youngest player in history to reach that professional milestone, although it woudn't be an official major league record. There's no doubt the guy is a unique, special player. Baadasssss.
Dr. Charlotte T. C. Tan, who for many years was a driving force behind the testing of drugs that proved effective in treating children with leukemia and other cancers, died on March 22 at her home in Brookline, Massachussetts. She was 84: Dr. Charlotte Tan, 84, Oncologist, Dies. From 1952 to 1996, Dr. Tan, an oncologist, conducted her research at what became the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan; she was a vice chairman of developmental therapeutics in the department of pediatrics.
Before I came across this obituary, I wasn't really familiar with Dr. Tan's career, but her research and accomplishments certainly sound like the work of a pioneer—particularly as an Asian American woman in the medical field. Recognize.
Check it. Visual Communications has announced its official lineup for the 24th annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, happening next month at the Director's Guild of America (DGA), Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatres, ImaginAsian Center, The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre. The festival will kick off with Jessica Yu's comedy narrative feature debut, Ping Pong Playa, and close with Australian director Tony Ayres' moving drama The Home Song Stories, starring Joan Chen. Here's a big rundown of the festival's highlighted programs, according to the festival's press release:
HIGHLIGHTED PROGRAMS
OPENING NIGHT - Thursday, May 1 – DGA PING PONG PLAYA - A Film by Jessica Yu - The Los Angeles premiere of PING PONG PLAYA marks filmmaker Yu’s comedy narrative feature debut starring Jimmy Tsai, Roger Fan, Elizabeth Sung, Smith Cho, Andrew Vo, Khary Payton, Javin Reid, Scott Lowell and Peter Paige
CENTERPIECE FILM - Sunday, May 4 - DGA KISSING COUSINS - A Film by Amyn Kaderali - Filmmaker Kaderali brings his debut feature film to this year’s festival starring Samrat Chakrabarti, Rebecca Hazlewood, Gerry Bednob, Zack Ward, Jaleel White and David Alan Grier
CLOSING NIGHT - Thursday, May 8 - Aratani/Japan America Theatre THE HOME SONG STORIES - A Film by Tony Ayres – Australian based director Ayres brings a personal story starring the amazing Joan Chen in one of her most powerful performances as a glamorous Shanghai nightclub singer and a mother of two who migrates to Australia and tries to begin a life for her family.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
THE XIN LU BUS TOUR OF L.A. – teaming up with local filmmaker and longtime festival fave Ming-Yuen S. Ma, the Festival will present his four part series the way it was always intended to be shown: as a mobile bus tour of LA with the director.
LA ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FEST FILMMAKER SEMINARS - This year panels are open to filmmakers and to the general public that will include:
* TOKE 2: THE HAROLD & KUMAR STORY – join the writers/directors of HAROLD & KUMAR: ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY – Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Scholossberg - along with actor John Cho, as they discuss the films and its franchise which has now achieved "classic" status amongst a new generation.
* MEDIA MESSENGERS: ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS AND OUR POLITICAL VOICE – meet the filmmakers, actors and media movers who have chosen to use their craft and embraced the media tools and the internet to level the political field and ensure that Asian Pacific American voices are being heard.
* SUCCEEDING AT SCREENWRITING – Oscar® nominated film scribe Iris Yamashita (LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA) will join renowned UCLA screenwriting professors Kris Young and Weiko Lin in this screenwriters boot-camp covering topics from pitching, choosing the right idea, character sketches, treatments, structure, writing habits and other tools and issues that help in developing a strong and successful script.
* VISUAL STORYTELLING – hailed cinematographer Matthew Libatique (IRON MAN; REQUIEUM FOR A DREAM) is slated to be one of the guests on a panel of visual geniuses featured in this panel of artists who have mastered the lens to bring films to life visually.
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: THE PHILIPPINES This year, the global cinematic spotlight will be on the Philippines with six films from Filipino international artists and two from Filipino American directors. These new filmmakers are fast becoming the “new wave of modern cinema” and the festival has cultivated some of the best from these new visionaries:
* SLINGSHOT - Brilliante Mendoza * FOSTER CHILD – Brilliante Mendoza * TRIBU (TRIBE) – Jim Libiran * YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A CHILD OUTSIDE – John Torres * NEO-LOUNGE – Joanna Vasquez Arong * PHILIPPINE SCIENCE – Aureaus Solito * SANTA MESA – Ron Morales * THE SENSEI – Diana Lee Inosanto
2008 FEST HIGHLIGHT: ASIAN AMERICAN FEMALE FILMMAKERS This year, an unprecedented number of 10 Asian American female directors have feature films in our program. These include:
* PING PONG PLAYA – Jessica Yu * NEVER FOREVER – Gina Kim * YOURS TRULY, MISS CHINATOWN – Daisy Lin Shapiro * OH SAIGON – Doan Hoang * JOYFUL LIFE – Anita Chang * WINGS OF DEFEAT – Risa Morimoto * AGAINST THE GRAIN – Ann Kaneko * LONG STORY SHORT – Christine Choy * THE SENSEI – Diana Lee Inosanto * CHANTS OF LOTUS – Fatimah Tobing Rony
Other film programs will be announced at a later date. For ticket and program information, and to purchase tickets, visit the festival website at www.vconline.org or contact Visual Communications at (213) 680-4462 x68. Tickets will go on sale online today. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival runs May 1-8.
Totally forgot to mention this... I recently heard from comic book artist Bernard Chang, who's been kind to me over the years, informing me that the issue of Wonder Woman (#18) he drew hit the shelves last month. I think he might be the first Asian American artist to draw the Wonder Woman main monthly title (excluding specials and other books). Is that right?
Bernard is also drawing issue 19, which is out this month. It's a two-part story were Wonder Woman begins a mating ritual and then goes off to fight an alien race known as the Khunds (sort of an intergalactic version of the "Huns"). Life's wacky like that. The book has apparently been getting some good buzz, thanks to the writer, Gail Simone. Cool, Bernard.
The leader of a crew that took casinos for about $7 million in a cheating scheme pleaded guilty last week to racketeering conspiracy charges in San Diego: Leader pleads guilty in casino scam. Phuong Quoc Truong, nicknamed "Pai Gow John," ran a sophisticated operation that enlisted shady dealers to rig blackjack and mini-baccarat games and gamblers to place big bets. Federal authorities are describing it as one of the largest cheating schemes ever busted. Truong pleaded guilty, along with six others involved with the scheme. Twelve other suspects await trial. Truong's crew once won $868,000 in a 90-minute span by executing their trick of choice, the "false shuffle":
According to federal prosecutors, the scheme worked like this: A member of the crew, called the card recorder, would track the order of blackjack cards, relaying them with a hidden transmitter to an off-site associate who would enter the sequence into a computer.
The bribed dealers would then perform false shuffles, creating a "slug" of unshuffled cards. The slug would be returned to the shoe, the device that holds the cards being dealt. When the slug cards were dealt in later rounds, the card recorder would signal associates at the table to dramatically increase their bets on hands the recorder knew would probably win. The off-site associate, using a card-tracking computer program, would relay when the odds were the greatest.
"Executing the scheme in this fashion the . . . organization would frequently steal approximately $50,000 in approximately 10 minutes of play," the indictment states
The cheating ring, which included several former dealers from San Diego-area card clubs, targeted 16 casinos across the country. Intriguing. Sounds like you could make, like, a movie or something about these guys. Of course, I imagine producers would probably change things up so that Pai Gow John would be played by Brendan Fraser or something. I've heard Hollywood does that sometimes, you know?
Okay. Last week, I had tons of people write in to tell me about the pregnant man (who is part Asian). I kid you not. He's six months pregnant, and appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show last week. Granted, he's a transgender man, Thomas Beatie, who was technically born a woman but decided to become a man 10 years ago. He began taking testosterone treatments and had breast surgery to remove glands and flatten his chest... but didn't do anything to his reproductive organs because he wanted to have kids someday. And now, a man is pregnant: Pregnant man tells Oprah: It's a miracle. I think it's mustache that trips people out. More here, with video: Pregnant Man On Oprah: I Have Intercourse With My Wife.
UPDATE: Here's a first-hand, less sensational account of Beatie's story and struggle to get pregnant, in his own words: Labor of Love.
Secret Asian Man just launched a silly little contest, inviting readers to fill in the thought bubble in the comic strip above. All you have to do is send creator Tak Toyoshima what you think the guy next the SAM is thinking. E-mail a caption, print out the strip and write it on the printout and take a picture with you and your caption, or if you're feeling inspired you can draw a picture in the space. Send it to tak@secretasianman.com.
Originality will count. Be creative. And I know it's an illustration of two dudes standing at the urinals, but let's try to keep it (relatively) clean. The winner will receive a massive 8" wide die cut vinyl SAM sticker. The contest will run through the month of April. For more information, go to the Secret Asian Man website here.
S.F. Asians fret over insult to Olympic torch: Chinese American community leaders in San Francisco became vocal last week after city supervisors passed a resolution critical of China's human rights record, encouraging the city to accept the Olympic torch (during its only North American stop) with "alarm and protest."
Chinese Americans discuss fate of unearthed remains: Los Angeles' Chinese American community is still grappling with what to do with the remains of early Chinese Americans unearthed by the MTA during construction. The question is whether to study the century-old bones and artifacts, or re-bury them immediately.
No Justice, No Mani-Pedi!: Last October, nail salon worker Susan Kim won a much-publicized labor lawsuit over her former employer. Since then, her victory has sparked a rebellion of sorts within New York's nail salon industry, with many more manicurists coming forward to speak out against unfair working conditions.
Burmese resettle in the East Bay, adjust to urban living: Burmese are the fastest growing refugee population in the United States. In 2007, the United States accepted about 15,000 Burmese refugees, more than any other refugee group. And a large wave of these refugees has settled in the Bay Area.
Post-war prejudice gave rise to The People's Airline: We recently got news that Aloha Airlines was shutting down. Here's an interesting story on the origins of Aloha, founded in 1946 by Ruddy Tongg as an answer to Hawaiian Airlines, which reportedly excluded Asian pilots, flight attendants and staff in favor of Caucasians.
A Fabric of Life Loses a Thread That Binds: After nearly 25 years in business as the neighborhood dry cleaners, Kyung Dong and Kyung Ja Oh closed the doors of their Cobble Hill shop for good. The couple, both in their 60s, were priced out of their storefront rental, forcing them into an early retirement.
A year later, parents of dead Chinese students still want answers: On March 8, 2007, three Chinese students at Urbana University in Ohio were killed in a tragic chain-reaction crash started by a car driving 98 mph. Over a year later, the parents of Jin "Jack" Bian still want for answers about the crash... and justice for their son.
Little Saigon activists tell USC to take down Vietnam flag: The University of Southern California has recently come under fire from Vietnamese American activists for displaying the communist flag of Vietnam. University officials, however, say the current flag conforms to state and U.N. standards.
Young, Asian American, and Christian: As many college kids know, involvement in faith-based organizations can be a significant part of the Asian American college experience. This article takes a look at the large (and growing) number of Asian American students in Christian fellowships at UC Berkeley.
A lot of people are talking about Vincent Who?, a documentary film directed by Tony Lam and produced by Curtis Chin, about the historic Vincent Chin hate crime case and its impact on our community. The film takes a look back at the facts of the murder and trial, but more importantly, it examines how the case has shaped and changed the Asian Pacific American community since then. In many ways, it acts and serves as a follow-up, 25 years later, to Christine Choy and Renee Tajima's landmark documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?—a film that changed my life. If you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest seeking it out.
As for Vincent Who?, you probably won't have to look so hard—it'll probably be making the rounds on the festival circuit in the next year. I got a look at an early cut of the film not too long ago, and I think it's an important effort, especially given the clueless looks of the students interviewed in the film's opening scene (shown in the trailer above). A generation removed, have people forgotten about the legacy of Vincent Chin?
Just heard about 24-year-old Minghui Yu, a Columbia University graduate student who was killed when he was struck by a car on Friday night: Popular Columbia student battled attackers before tragic car hit. He was coming home from his girlfriend's place when he was attacked by two muggers. He tried fighting them off before fleeing into traffic, where he was struck and killed by oncoming traffic. Yu was apparently a pretty popular student, well-liked and very active in the university's Chinese Students and Scholars Association. It's very sad. More here: Vehicle Kills Student, 24, as He Flees 2 Attackers.
EDIT: A 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged with manslaughter Saturday night in connection with the death of a Minghui Yu: 13-year-old boy charged in death of Columbia student. The teen was caught on surveillance video attacking Yu before he ran away into traffic and was hit by a car. It's beginning to look like the attack wasn't a robbery, but some sort of altercation. A source said the arrested boy told cops he boasted to his 15-year-old pal before attacking Yu, "Look what I do to this one." Cops are still searching for the second attacker. Possible hate crime? We'll see what evidence suggests.
What the hell? Something weird in the air lately... The other day, there was this Asian guy with a cache of weapons in Florida who arrested for making Virginia Tech-like threats on the internet. Now, there's news of another guy in Sacramento who allegedly made vague threats against an unspecified San Diego campus: Local colleges alerted to vague shooting threats. And yes, you guessed it, the guy is Asian. Thai Tranh Dang, 22, allegedly made the threats while in custody in Sacramento:
"He said something like, 'I might be the next school shooter,' and was specific enough to say San Diego, but not a specific college," said Lt. Lamine Secka of the San Diego State University campus police. "Any time we get word of any threat, we take it very seriously, certainly."
Secka said he didn't know why Dang was in jail for a few months.
The safety alert from Sacramento said Dang has threatened in the past to kill police officers. Dang may have a relative in San Diego, but was not known to have attended school here, Secka said.
Yeah, vague is right. Dang was released from jail on March 26, and authorities have apparently been "keeping an eye on him" since then. Meanwhile, the University of California San Diego and the University of San Diego have poasted alerts, along with Dang's photo and description, on their campus police websites.
Dang is described as 5'10", about 200 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He is known to drive a blue 1973 Lincoln Continental with California license 012HBU or a white 1995 Ford Explorer with California license 3MUG913. Watch your back. What's with all the crazy Asian dudes coming out of the woodwork? One thing's for sure: the media loves to report them.
Bad news for Bucks fans. Milwaukee Bucks rookie forward Yi Jianlian will miss the final eight games of the regular season with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee: Yi will miss the rest of season. The Bucks made the announcement Friday night before their game against the Indiana Pacers. 20-year-old Yi, the No. 6 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, hurt his knee earlier in the week in a game against the Washington Wizards. I guess the question is, going into the summer, will he be ready to play for China this August in the Summer Olympics?
Thank you to everyone who entered last week's Summer Palace DVD giveaway, courtesy of Palm Pictures. We had an overwhelming response from folks who wanted a shot at winning a copy of the movie. Entries had to answer this question: Summer Palace is a love story revolving around Chinese college students during the late 1980s. What school do they attend? The answer, for your information, is Beijing University (or Peking University). Five winners were chosen from the correct responses... and here they are:
Tameko P. of Philadelphia, PA Ada T. of Los Angeles, CA Linda N. of Saint Paul, MN Kshama S. of Gainesville, FL Jesse C. of Irvine, CA
Congratulations, winners. As for the rest of you, better luck next time. Summer Palace, directed by Lou Ye, is available in stores and at all the usual online retailers. It's a great film, so check it out.
After a hit opening weekend at the box office, the furor of Hollywood's racist casting practices in 21 continues to get some attention, picking up some notice here and there outside of just APA-centric blogs. For those who are coming into this a little late, 21 is based on the bestselling book Bringing Down the House, the true story of how a group of MIT students perfected a blackjack card-counting system that took Vegas casinos for millions. In real life, the team was mostly Asian. In fantasy Hollywood movieland, the leads were beautiful white people.
Spotted this posting over at Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch Blog: Calling the bluff: Is '21' racist? This entry over at the movie blog Cinematical debates the issue of 21 and the "screwed-up Hollywood movie-making process": Discuss: Is '21' Racist for Changing the Ethnicities of Its Characters? The ensuing discussions in both blogs are pretty interesting, a few bonehead comments aside. At least people are talking about it.
Also worth checking out is this op-ed piece in MIT's paper by Alvin Lin, one of the most vocal opponents of 21 since this whole uproar started: '21' Discriminatory Casting Unjustified. If any good can come of this, in any case, it has people scrutinizing what we all know Hollywood does on a regular basis—excluding Asians from the process. While the movie was number one at the box office last weekend, I doubt it'll stay on top for long. Harold and Kumar is coming.
Here's an old, interesting blast from the past, a primitive cartoon from 1930 featuring all sorts of weird racist caricatures and details. Slant-eyed chinese laundry cats and opium-smoking rats. At one point, it looks like the Chinese rats try to kidnap a female mouse, but then this mouse dude in a car comes to her rescue. Beware the scary Chinese laundry/opium den! Yeah, yellow peril is all over this one. That's racist! All that aside, the piece actually rather boring. (Thanks, Wayland.)
Some baseball history for you. In 1964, the San Francisco Giants drafted Japanese pitcher Masanori Murakami, who became the first foreign-born Asian player to play in the major leagues. Although he only played for two years due to contractual obligations with his team in Japan, he played amongst some fo the best ball players in Giants' history—Willie Mays, Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda, among others. In many ways, he's the Asian Jackie Robinson.
So what happened to that guy? Next month, the Giants will invite 63-year-old Murakami back to the mound to commemorate and honor his contributions to Major League Baseball during Japanese Heritage Night on May 16. The evening is part of the Giants' annual Asian Heritage Week celebration: A 'Giant' Impact on The Asian American Community. Fans will get a limited edition Masanori Murakami bobblehead with pre-game ticket purchase. Cool! (The Giants will be playing the Houston Astros that night.)
Since we're talking about baseball, along similar lines... this is pretty cool. MetroDad, one of my favorite blogs, has put together his roster for an all-Asian fantasy baseball team: Field of Dreams: My All-Asian Fantasy Baseball Team. Because, as he explains, two of his greatest passions in life are "(1) being a proud Asian-American man, and (2) baseball" ...and he believes that Asian baseball players "are our greatest weapons in battling mainstream media's perception of the emasculated Asian male." Indeed. Here are the players he's drafted, and their positions:
CF Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) 2B Tad Iguchi (Chicago White Sox) RF Kosuke Fukudome (Chicago Cubs) LF Hideki Matsui (NY Yankees) 3B Akinori Iwamura (Tampa Bay Devilrays) C Kenji Johjima (Seattle Mariners) SS Chin-Lung Hu (Los Angeles Dodgers) 1B Kaz Matsui (Houston Astros) DH Johnny Damon (NY Yankees)
SP Daisuke Matsuzaka (Boston Red Sox) SP Chien-Ming Wang (NY Yankees) SP Hiroki Kuroda (Los Angeles Dodgers) SP Akinori Otsuka (Texas Rangers) SP Kei Igawa (NY Yankees)
RP Hideki Okajima (Boston Red Sox) RP Chan Ho Park (Los Angeles Dodgers) RP Cha Seung Baek (Seattle Mariners) RP Takashi Saito (Los Angeles Dodgers)
When you put them all together like this, damn, that's a pretty awesome lineup of players. Impressive, considering there were no players of Asian descent in the Major League when I was growing up. To read the full blog post, with MetroDad's reasoning and commentary (he put a lot of thought into it), go here.
And finally, here's an interesting story on Yosh Kawano, famed clubhouse manager for the Chicago Cubs, who turns 87 this year after 65 seasons with the team: Cubs change role for clubhouse fixture Yosh Kawano. Having been with the Cubs since shortly after World War II, the guy is an old timer, a recognizable dugout fixture and a living history of the franchise.
This season, however, Kawano will be given "new duties" because of concerns about his health. He's not the young guy he used to be. But don't fret— he's apparently the only Cubs employee with a guaranteed job. When the Wrigley family sold the team to Tribune Co. in 1981, a clause in the deal mandated that Kawano be retained and have a job for as long as he wanted. That's a valued employee.
Looks like Chinese Laundry is at it again. The newly opened "Asian fusion" restaurant, located in Providence, RI, was the subject of some controversy last month after running an ad in the Providence Monthly featuring a headless, tattoed naked woman's body. What this had to do with "Asian" food is anyone's guess, but I'm sure it stirred the hearts of Rhode Island's Asian fetish freaks.
After some heated outcry from Asian American community members, Chow Fun Group "maestro" John Elkhay said he would pull the ads. Great. So what happens? The modified ad above, for Chinese Laundry, was recently spotted in the current issue of Providence Monthly. I don't know about you, but to me, this really isn't a hell of a lot better than the first one. It's the same freaking ad! Elkhay seems to have missed the point. Once again, it's the same kind of racist, sexist objectification.
Ridiculous, really. If this makes you angry (again), and you'd like to voice your opinion to the appropriate people, may I direct you to John Elkhay's contact information:
John Elkhay Chow Fun Food Group 201 Wayland Square Providence, RI 02906
Also consider writing to the Providence Monthly, who published the ad:
Providence Monthly 167 Valley Street Providence RI 02909 Phone 401.521.0023 /// Fax 401.521.0024 providencemonthly@providenceonline.com
Of course, by now, they've heard it all. If Chow Fun Group didn't really get it the first time around, I highly doubt they're interested in changing their minds over another round of angry letters. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't contact them anyway. (Thanks, Wen.)
Here's another great piece on Gene Luen Yang's acclaimed graphic novel American Born Chinese, which quickly became one of my favorite books of all time: A.B.C.: Gene Yang's 'American Born Chinese'. The book was nominated for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2006—the very first graphic novel ever to earn this distinction. It's brilliant.
American Born Chinese was published a little while back now, but still manages to get quite a bit of attention, with new fans continuing to discover its awesomeness. Which is why I think this campaign, spotted over at Greg Pak's comics blog, is so cool. DonorsChoose.org is a charity that allows you to contribute directly to public school teachers and programs. One teacher on the site has a proposal requesting funding to teach American Born Chinese to public school students in Tonawanda, New York: Ending Discrimination Through Graphic Novels.
Donations would go towards a literature unit focusing on diversity, discrimination and its effects. I think this is a fantastic idea. She's asking for just $700 to purchase 30 copies (a class set). As I write this, she still needs $540. Read the details of her proposal, and donate to her project here. And dude, if you haven't read American Born Chinese yet, please, get yourself a friggin' copy right now.
This one's for all my people at UCLA. The UCLA Asian American Studies Graduate Student Association presents the 8th Annual SubVerses, a campus-wide event addressing Asian American community issues and providing a forum of expression for a collection voices. I'll be taking part in panel discussion on "Asian American Popular Culture," along with Daniel Lee (UCLA Faculty), Jeff Liu (Visual Communications), and Eric Nakamura (Giant Robot). It should be a good discussion (I will try to say one or two interesting things).
Just take a look at the flyer above—there's a cool crazy robot busting through! I mean, it has to be good. It's happening next Thursday, April 10, 7:00 to 9:00pm at UCLA Moore Hall Room 100. The event is free, though parking in a lot will cost you $8. If you have any questions, feel free to contact AASGSA at AASGSA@gmail.com. See you there!
Oh, man. Come on. COME ON. You've got to be kidding me. Ever since the Virginia Tech massacre, I think there has been an unfortunate and unfair spotlight cast on Asian men, with the underlying irrational fear that your average Asian guy on the street might actually turn out to be the next Seung Hui Cho. It's stupid, but you can't deny that this perception was out there, especially in the weeks and months right after the shooting. That said, it also certainly doesn't help that are weird Asian guys out there who are actually fulfilling this crazy stereotype...
In Miami, 20-year-old Calin Chi Wong was arrested after threatening over the internet to undertake a Virginia Tech-style massacre, according to authorities: Cops: Man threatens Va. Tech-like attack. Oregon authorities apparently learned of a March 25 internet message allegedly posted by Wong, threatening to re-enact the Virginia Tech killings. Two days later, police in Florida searched Wong's home and found a weapons cache—13 firearms in all, more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition, and 100 rounds in a feeding clip with bullets "meant to take down aircraft or military machinery," as well as bullet-proof vests and two handguns. What the hell? You stupid punk kid.
Wong was charged with making written threats to kill or do bodily injury via the computer and bonded out for $7500. Additional charges are pending. The guy sounds like he's a young, dumbass kid who wanted some attention. Was he just making threats out of frustration, and not really intending to carry them out, like he claims? I don't know. But I certainly feel better with him now under the watchful eye of the authorities. Just what we need—another weird, crazy Asian dude in the news. With guns.
I know I've mentioned this many times before, but I will continue to remind everyone about the great need for people of Asian descent—especially folks of mixed ancestry—to get themselves on the National Bone Marrow Registry. There just aren't enough of us registered... and doing so could save a life.
Today, I point you to the website of Erica Murray. In February 2006, she was diagnosed with leukemia, and now, the cancer has returned and she's fighting a relapse. She is currently waiting to find a bone marrow donor match to save her life, and she needs your help.
Erica and her sister made a clever little music video to help get the word out about the shortage of Asian American donors currently registered. The song is called "If I Had a Real Good Donor" (to the tune of Barenaked Ladies' "If I Had a Million Dollars"). Yesterday, she was on the local show The View From the Bay with Survivor winner (and champion for the cause) Yul Kwon, informing folks about her situation, and the importance of bone marrow donor registration. To learn more about Erica, and how you can help, visit her blog here.
Ah, time to say goodbye to Ramiele Malubay. The 20-year-old Filipino American from Miramar, Florida was voted off American Idol last night: Fans give Ramiele Malubay the hook on "Idol." She received the fewest amount of votes in this week's Dolly Parton-themed competition. I'm sorry, Ramiele. I forgot to vote this week.
While she's had a solid fan base that has kept her in the competition up to now, I guess it wasn't enough to take her all the way. She's cute, and she's got a big voice, but she's never been able to produce that "wow" moment, and her performances up to now have been rather underwhelming. For the most part, it was a nice run. Hopefully she garnered enough to attention to get a career off the ground. She's young, and has a big future ahead of her.
This week in New York, 23-year-old David Moore, who lured a Chinese food deliveryman to a housing development and then viciously stabbed him, was convicted of attempted murder: Conviction in vicious attack on Queens Chinese food deliveryman. The attack happened back in October 2006. Moore stabbed 39-year-old Jian Lin Huang, but ran away when he was alarmed by Huang's loud screams. He was later arrested after TV stations aired security video from the crime scene.
Moore was convicted late Tuesday of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and fourth-degree weapon possession. He'll be sentenced on April 23, and faces up to 25 years in prison. I hope he gets all of it. It would be nice to think harsh sentences would be a deterrant to future vicious attacks on Chinese food deliverymen... but I know that's not going to happen. The reality is, this will happen again.
Trying something different around here... For those of you who have seen Planet B-Boy, you were probably impressed by the movie's kickass soundtrack. I was told that 90% of the film's music is actually original stuff, primarily composed specifically for the film by the most talented Woody Pak. This includes all the music featured during the Battle of the Year. How cool is that?
If you're like me, you had Planet B-Boy's badass theme song ringing in your ears after the movie... So check this out. You can purchase the theme track as a digital download right here, on angryasianman.com, for just $0.99. This is a semi-exclusive release in association with the good people at Chaos Theory Music. It's a fantastic track, guaranteed to get your ass moving. To download the song, click on the "BUY NOW" link below, which will take you to PayPal:
UPDATE: Sorry, the track is no longer available. Thank you to everyone who purchased and downloaded it.
You will dig it. Many thanks to Woody and Co. for making this available. To learn more about Planet B-Boy go to the official site here. To hear more of Planet B-Boy's music, go here. And to learn more about Chaos Theory Music, go here.
The Los Angeles Times recently ran a really interesting profile on Jimmy Sakoda, the LAPD's first Japanese American lieutenant, who has been pursuing a murder case for 27 years. His efforts finally resulted in the international arrest of Kazuyoshi Miura for the murder of his wife Kazumi: After 27 years, his duty still calls.
Acclaimed artist/architect Maya Lin, celebrated as the creator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is working on what she says will be her "last memorial": Maya Lin's earthly concerns. The work-in-progress will grieve for the animals, birds and plants driven into extinction—and warn of the urgency of acting now to halt the devastation.
Another story, this time in the Orange County Register, on author Jennifer 8. Lee and her recently-published book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, all about the history and culture of Chinese cuisine in America: Chinese food - as American as apple pie. As I've said before, it's a really informative, fun read, and I recommend it to everyone.
Here's an interview with up-and-coming cinematographer Rain Kathy Li: REEL Lady: Cinematographer Rain Kathy Li. A former protege of sorts of renowed Hong Kong cinematographer Christopher Doyle, she recently worked on Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park, and was named one of Variety's10 Cinematographers to Watch.
Check it out.... Planet B-Boy has taken over YouTube today. The above clip is just one of the many B-boy videos featured on the site's front page, all in honor of Benson Lee's awesome documentary—in select theaters now. Lots of good stuff there. I've already talked about how great this movie is. I also posted an interview with Benson Lee earlier this week. If I haven't made it clear, I love this movie, and recommend everyone head out to theaters to check it out.
Yikes. Last week, Chi Mak, a Chinese-born former electrical engineer, was sentenced to 24 years and five months in federal prison for conspiring to export U.S. military technology to China: Engineer sentenced to 24 years in China conspiracy case.
That's right, baby. Spies! Sort of. According to prosecutors, Mak acted illegally as an agent of the People's Republic of China when he attempted to compromise sensitive technology used in the operation of U.S. warships. He was convicted last year of conspiracy to violate export control laws, attempting violate export control laws, acting as an unregistered agent of China and lying to the FBI.
The sentencing capped an 18-month investigation of Mak's family. They were not, however, charged with espionage because the information they attempted to export to China was not classified. "I believe you betrayed the United States," said U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney. Bummer.
For those of you in New York, here's a heads up on some cool stuff coming your way later this month... the 2008 Asian Cultural Festival is happening April 23-27 at Queens Theatre in the Park, located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York. The festival created three years ago with the goal of bridging cultural differences through a shared arts experiences.
This year, they've assembled a pretty cool lineup of both established and emerging artists from local New York, across the nation, and from overseas, including drum ensemble Dulsori, haegum player Kang Eun Il, performance artist Kristina Wong, rock band Seriously, comedian Henry Cho, singer/songwriter Kevin So, and more. Lots of great stuff to experience. For more information, visit the Queens Theatre website here.
Why is this video so awesome? Is it the wicked 80s hairstyle of the lead singer? The sweet 'stache on the guitar player? No. Watch the video and you will see. It is the beat of the funky drummer. The rest of his bandmates are holding him back. Let him unleash the mighty fury of his beat! His funky beat. Lowell, this one's for you.
In the wake of controversy of color-biased casting in 21, and Kaba Modern falling to third place in America's Best Dance Crew, spoken word artist Bao Phi was inspired to do a little writing on the state of racist Hollywood... In the spirit of "if you can't beat them, join them," not to mention in the spirit of "racism doesn't exist towards Asians" and "no one will pay to see an Asian man do anything except maybe karate," Bao crafted a fictional pitch of a movie idea for Hollywood. I liked it so much, I'm reposting here—the first of series of such pitches. Thus, I give you:
BAO PHI'S MOVIE IDEAS FOR RACIST HOLLYWOOD #1: KABA MODERN: THE MOVIE
THE PITCH: The Kaba Modern dance crew has such a long and storied tradition that they draw aspiring dancers from all over the country to UC Irvine. Although race is not an issue (just mad skillz), the kids are predominantly Asian and the group has its roots as an Asian American-based student club.
But all of that is turned upside down when Johnny Apple, a white Midwesterner who impersonated B2K videos growing up, auditions to be in the group. He kills the audition, getting skeptical Orientals to jump up in their Pumas (tm) and pump their fists, but Johnny almost blows it when he tells Chun Li, the attractive Korean choreographer of Kaba Modern, that she looks like Tila Tequila. Hi-jinks, drama, interracial romance, and explosive dance moves with a rain machine shot using gratuitous slow motion ensue, turning the Kaba dance world upside down as Johnny learns to jiggle his shoulders like an urban youth of color, go face-to-face with the villainous Archie 'Yakuza' Tanaka, and teach Chun Li's immigrant parents that THEY are the racist ones for not accepting the fact that he's dating their daughter.
With Mark Wahlberg as Johnny Apple and that one actress from Smallville as Chun Li.
*I will soon be holding auditions for my new dance group, Kaba Senior, or Kaba Archaic. Our catchphrase will be "OW! My back!"
Hilarious. The funny (and sad) thing is, with a few tweaks, I envision this could actually work as real Hollywood movie. I really hope no industry folks with influence are reading this... Anyway, if you like that one, stay tuned for future installments, including "My Shrill Cheap Chinese Wedding," "Immortal Kickboxer" and "Yo, Yao." Bao, you rule.
Got word passed along to me about some outcry at the University of Pennsylvania over lowered funding for the Asian American Studies program... Last week, the University notified officials in the Asian American Studies department that their budget, which was apparently descreased by 25% for this academic year, will likely remain at the same lower level for the 2008-2009 academic year: Lower ASAM budget criticized.
Curious news, considering that the University recently announced that its endowment has grown to $6.6 billion, and has launched a $3.5 billion fund raising drive. But it seems none of that money will be going to the Asian American studies department. The funding decision was made without any formal discussion or meeting with the department, according to ASAM department administrators.
This development comes at a time when the Asian American Studies has never been more important. Do I need to remind folks of U.Penn's recent Punch Bowl controversy? That was just two months ago. The department has also made quite a few stridges, recently celebrating its 10th anniversary, giving two professors tenure, and getting none other than actor Kal Penn to teach a course on Asian American in the media.
The program will continue to operate as usual, just on a lower budget, I guess. Caution, though. If we're not careful, we could see this move marking the beginning of the end. An online petition has been started to Save Asian American Studies at Penn. Props to Ben Alisuag, who has been spearheading this movement, as the head of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition. (Thanks, Matt.)
UPDATE: Hold up. Not so fast with those budget cuts... It looks as though 1500+ signatures and the threatened resignation of the Department Chair was good enough to change the U. Penn administration's mind today. Got this letter passed along to me, from the Asian Pacific Student Coalition:
Hello All, The Asian Pacific Student Coalition and the Asian American Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board are pleased to announce that Asian American Studies will indeed exist next year at Penn.
After extensive conversations between both administrators in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Asian American Studies program, we have solidified a budget plan that will no doubt allow our program to function even beyond adequate levels. Thank you to everyone who supported our cause. We have accumulated over 1500 signatures on our online petition and we are grateful to have such a supportive community.
The rally is still on. Please join us Thursday, April 3rd from 12-2pm on College Green to demonstrate our support for Asian American Studies.
Thanks, Asian Pacific Student Coalition
PS. Please forward to as many people as possible! We really, really appreciate it!
*****
A RALLY for ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES Thurs, April 3rd: 12-2pm, College Green
The 25% budget cut has been reversed thanks to the efforts of students, alumni, faculty and administrators.
Please join us in celebrating this achievement and reaffirming our support of the Asian American Studies program.
School of Arts and Sciences Dean Bushnell, Director of Asian American Studies Dr. Grace Kao and many student leaders will speak at the rally. Maintaining our institution is a continuous process but this is definitely a good step forward.
Keep up the fight!
Hell yes. It seems that the planned protest rally at the University of Pennsylvania has suddenly become a celebration rally. Props to everyone involved with this process, and all who worked and spoke out to ensure this outcome. Nice work, brothers and sister. Keep it going.
The trailer for Mike Myers' new comedy The Love Guru premiered a few months back, and man... it looks awful. Just astoundingly bad. Myers stars as Pitka, "an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus." So it's not technically a white-dude-in-Indian-makeup, but it might as well be.
Pitka apparently goes to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality. Hilarity supposedly ensues. But based on the trailer, I don't see much to laugh about. It's completely littered with cheap, stereotypical jokes. And as expected, it's got some Hindu communities up in arms about The Love Guru's comic portrayal of their religion: Myers Upsets Hindu Community.
Actor Mike Myers has sparked controversy in Hindu communities for "lampooning" the religion in his new movie The Love Guru. The 44-year-old plays Guru Pitka in the upcoming film and repeats the mantra of "Mariska Hargitay" - inspired by the American actress - as his calming technique. But Hindu leader Rajan Zed has accused Myers of stereotyping the culture, adding the movie "appears to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus." Studio Paramount Pictures has agreed to a preview of the movie for Hindu leaders prior to its release. A spokesman says, "Love Guru, which is not yet complete, is a satire created in the same spirit as Austin Powers. It is our full intention to screen the film for Rajan Zed and other Hindu leaders once it is ready."
Surely, Myers and Co. should've expected this reaction. Stereotypes aside, I cannot stress enough how fantastically unfunny this movie looks. Watch the trailer here, and decide for yourself. I just can't get over it. The Love Guru is expected to be released on June 20. I can guarantee you I will not be watching this movie.
Some sad news out of Utah... A 7-year-old girl who disappeared from her family's apartment in South Salt Lake was found dead on Tuesday night--less than 100 feet from her own front door: Missing 7-Year-Old Girl Found Dead In Bathroom Of Neighboring Apartment. Good Lord, what a nightmare.
Hser Ner Moo, whose family immigrated from Burma, was reported missing on Monday afternoon. Authorities launched a large-scale search effort to find her, including surveillance from the air, ground volunteers and K-9 units. Sadly, her body was found inside a bathroom of one of the neighoring apartments. It's unclear how exactly she died, but there is apparently some trauma present. And arrests have made in connection with her death, though no suspects have yet been identified. All around, at this point, it's just a big tragic mess of questions.
Missed this one when it was posted last month... A few weeks back, from SXSW, Ain't It Cool News posted an interview with John Cho, Kal Penn... and Neil Patrick Harris, talking about Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay: Quint chats with Kal Penn, John Cho and Neil Patrick Harris! Possible NPH spin-off movie?!? And a tidbit on STAR TREK!. It's a wacky little interview talking about all sorts of stuff from the movie... so if you like your movie with a few surprises, don't read it. I'll just give you some keywords: cyclops, unicorn, female genitalia.
John Cho does let loose a little tidbit about Star Trek though... As you know, he's playing Sulu in J.J. Abrams' new re-envisioning of the sci-fi franchise. The project is super-secret, and details are hard to come by. But he got this question from NPH, of all people:
Neil Patrick Harris: Can I ask a question?
John Cho: Yeah.
Neil Patrick Harris: A serious question that you might not be able to answer? Are they anticipating a franchise? Is that the plan? Did they make the movie to get it going again or did they make a movie to homage the pasts?
John Cho: I'm not really sure how I can answer that without giving something away. I think there’s a possibility of them making more of these, yeah.
Neil Patrick Harris: Cool. I can't wait. I'll be first in line.
It's not much, but it's something... the possibility of more Star Trek movies jumpstarted by this one. But first we have to wait for this one. And it has to be good. The hype is so huge already, I don't know how it's going to live up to everyone's expectations—and it's still over a year away. Anyway, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay opens in theaters nationwide on April 25. It's crazy.
Residents of an upscale community in West Covina, CA have been on edge since the murder of woman in her home two weeks ago: SoCal area jittery after 911-call death.
45-year-old Hsiao Hsu was shot to death—as many as five times—in her gated, high-security mansion, while she was on the phone calling 911 for help. The dispatcher apparently heard two shots before the call ended. More here: Investigation continues in West Covina killing.
Investigators believe Hsu's murder might have been burglary gone wrong. Like I said, it's got community members, who thought the area was relative safe, very shaken and concerned: Slaying of Covina woman stuns family, neighbors.
Seriously, the supercool OC-based pop-rock band, kicks off their Heart Tour this week with a concert at VASCON4 at Georgetown University, then with shows throughout the month at UC Berkeley, Stanford, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, and the Asian Cultural Festival in New York. This website is proud to be a media sponsor for the Heart Tour.
I've been a fan of these guys ever since I got their self-titled EP last year. They're a talented band with a fun, catchy sound... and they're even better live. If you're in the vicinity, and can make it to any of these tour dates, I highly recommend checking them out. Watch a short promo video for the tour here. To learn more about Seriously, and to sample some of their music, check out their official site here, and their MySpace profile here.
Calling all students in NYC! The 2nd New York City Asian American Student Conference is going down on Satudray, April 12 at New York University Kimmel Center. Organized by students from Columbia University, New York University, Hunter College, Baruch College, and Fordham University, the NYCAASC is an annual gathering dedicated to promoting awareness of APA issues and history among college students.
This year's conference theme is "Redefine," with a wide variety of speakers, panels and workshops dedicated to issues such as Asian American immigrant rights, voting rights, LGBTQ issues, gender roles and dynamics, US militarism abroad, Asian American Studies, gentrification, human trafficking, educational equity, campus politics, pop culture, female body image, and blogging, just to name a handful. Here's a blurb with the conference's mission statement:
The New York City Asian American Student Conference is an annual gathering dedicated to promoting awareness of APA issues and history among college students.
This year, we have chosen the theme "Redefine" for our conference. Our theme explores the evolution of the APA community, highlighting its past, present and future.
Through our conference, we hope to bring all our voices - new and old, heard and unheard - into dialogue with each other, while acknowledging the differences and conflicts that are rooted in divergent experiences and shape vast and rich histories. Over the course of the day, we plan to showcase the stories of APA artists, activists, professionals, scholars, and more. We invite you to join us in our celebration and struggle, so that we may not forget our responsibilities to each other, but empower each other to redefine our identities.
NYCAASC's committee is comprised of students from Columbia University, New York University, Hunter College, Baruch College, and Fordham University. As a committee, we strive to reflect the spirit of celebrating and unifying the Asian American voice in all its forms and representations, perpetuating the presence of a vibrant community.
To learn more about all the conference details, and to register, go to the website here. Lots of great speakers, panelists and performers, including a keynote from activist Dennis Chin, and entertainment from spoken word artist Regie Cabico, comedian Ed Cho, musicians Taiyo Na and Kevin So. Good times.
I'll actually be speaking on a panel about APA bloggers, alongside awesome fellow internet voices like Kai Chang (Zuky), Carmen Van Kerckhove (Racialicious), William Lee (Fallout Central), Jenn Fang (Reappropriate), Jen Wang and Diana Nguyen (Disgrasian). It's going to be a fun panel. Hope to see you there!
Goodness, what have done to this movie? The trailer for My Sassy Girl, the Hollywood remake of the hit 2001 Korean comedy, was leaked onto the web last week... and man, it looks baaaaad. A real stinker.
Ever since they announced the remake (several years back), I've had a hard time seeing it, mainly because so much of the original movie's zany humor was cultural. It seems those doubts have been confirmed. Here, it looks like they've somehow stripped it of all its original charm, and turned it into your substandard Hollywood romcom.
And Elisha Cuthbert is definitely no Jeon Ji-Hyun.
I don't know when this is being released, but I'm not making any plans to see it. Do yourself a favor. I'm actually not against remakes of Asian movies in general... but I am against terrible-looking movies. Seek out and watch the original My Sassy Girl on DVD.
Oh, please. This week, Toronto Councilor Rob Ford, who we all know and love for his "Oriental people are slowly taking over" remark at a debate last month, apparently "quietly" apologized, sort of, for his controversial comments: Rob Ford Issues Quiet Apology For Asian Remark. Despite widespread public protest from the Asian community, Ford has consistently refused to apologize for his statements. But when Councilor Adam Vaughan presented him with a petition on Monday signed by 260 people asking for a public apology, he finally gave in... just barely:
At first Ford tried to get around it by reading his own petition, which he claims was from Asian community supporters who weren't offended by what he maintains was a compliment. He then began by defending his use of the word "Oriental."
"Mr. Lee wants to know [why] Oriental studies is okay, but not Oriental people," he stated. "Someone please explain. Welcome to the faculty of Oriental studies at Oxford University, the school of Oriental and African studies at the University of London, and one of my Asian constituents brought this to my attention over the weekend, at No Frills, they're advertising Oriental flavour, 100 per cent pure corn starch."
Then came the sorry - again, sort of. "Asian people do work very hard, and are very, very aggressive," he started a second time. "If I have offended anyone in the Asian community, I will proudly retract my statements."
That still wasn't good enough for council, especially for Vaughan. "Our responsibility is to treat citizens and taxpayers as individuals, respect their individual rights, and when we transgress their rights, we are to stand up and apologize like adults," he lectured.
Finally, councilors voted 33-8 to force his apology. Ford stammered for a moment, tried to carry on, was reprimanded again and then very quietly said, "sorry."
It was small comfort to those in the gallery who had originally been hurt by his comments. They not only seemed sure he wasn't truly apologetic, but he said his 'sorry' so quietly, very few actually heard it come out of his mouth.
That's absolutely pathetic. All he had to do was apologize and be done with it. Just suck it up, man. But no, the guy has to dig his grave deeper and deeper, attempting to school everybody on the use of the word "Oriental." I particularly liked the part about "Oriental flavour." It actually took a council vote to squeeze out a barely audible "sorry" from Ford. It's just sad and ridiculous, because you know he really doesn't give a damn. Sorry, man. Nobody bought that.
... and she was great. I mean, I knew she could sing—remember her as rocker chick Cassandra in Wayne's World? Okay, maybe you don't want to remember that. Long way from there though. Good to see her doing something she really loves.
