Stan Lee And Captain America

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Here's a recent Q&A with Stan Lee at Moviefone from a few days ago (thanks to Kurt for sending this in):

There was a rumor going around that Will Smith would be cast as Captain America. Any truth to that?

I would love us to do something with Will Smith, but I don't know that he's Captain America. That would be a long shot. It would be a real leap to make Captain America black ... then again, I don't know. It might be a really smart thing. If Barack Obama becomes President who knows ... suddenly a lot of our characters will be black!
Some quick thoughts:

1. His comment about more black characters being dependant on Obama winning the White House just makes me shake my head in the "Sounds like a typical white male privilege sound-bite who really doesn't get it" and while I'm sure he thinks he's really liberal pushing the boundaries in his career (see #2) he's really like a lot of other typical white liberals who might invite you into their home and say all the right things, but when push comes to shove, they'd really prefer their son or daughter be with someone who's white.

2. While I think think you could argue that Lee has helped to create characters who weren't white - or push them along via Marvel - along the same lines of #1, weren't The Black Panther and The Falcon just bit parts, where in essence they really just worked for the white man - Captain America?

3. I say if Wonder Woman can be black (and Gabriel Union would be great) so can Captain America.

That's A Lot Of Bull

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

So I happened to catch this down at woai.com (San Antonio) and let's just put it out there - asking this question, making these statements - it's just asinine:

I was reading through some blog comments from so-called Americans this morning and I was disgusted. Why do some of you feel the need to call yourself Mexican-American, African-American, Asian-American, etc?

Seems to me if you are born in the United States of America, you should call yourself an American - and nothing else. I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I just call myself an American. Why do some of you have a problem doing this? What’s your excuse?

This is a slap in the face to many Americans, to our nation and to our patriotism. The "politically correct" terms seem to be an "in your face" issue more and more these days.
I could care less if Rob just likes to call himself an American - that's fine - and that's his personal choice - but to question how American other people are who refer to themselves as Asian American, African American, or Mexican American, and to say that by calling yourself an Asian American is a slap in the face to our nation and patriotism - it's not just idiotic, but I have to ask myself how many Strom Thurmond milk bottles this guy drank after they put him into the whitewash room the moment he popped out of his mama's coochie.

I'm just surprised he didn't bring up the words "English Only".

Report: The State of Asian America

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Got word of a new public policy report called "The State of Asian America: Trajectory of Civic and Political Engagement" being put out today by LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics) and the University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multi-Campus Research Program (MRP) looking at (among other issues) demographic trends, political preferences and the emerging influence of Asian American voters.

Here's the press release in full:

“Minority” No Longer, Asian Americans Emerge as a Force in the Nation’s Civic and Political Life

A New Report by LEAP Examines Role of Asian Americans in Electoral Process

Washington, September 30, 2008 – A new report from LEAP has brought the nation’s rapidly growing Asian American population into sharper focus as they emerge from a silent minority into an awakened giant cognizant of their potential impact on society and ability to exert influence in the political and civic life of the nation.

The report, “The State of Asian America: Trajectory of Civic and Political Engagement,” published by Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP) a public policy institute, in collaboration with the University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multi-Campus Research Program (MRP) examines demographic trends, political preferences and the emerging influence of Asian American voters, among other issues.

“The political mobilization of Asian Americans—with one of the highest growth rates of voting age citizens among all racial groups in the U.S.—will have a significant impact on local and national elections in coming years,” said Paul Ong, Ph.D., editor of the report and professor at UCLA’s School of Public Affairs and Department of Asian American Studies.

“We wanted to fill a gap by publishing a major policy report on the political and civic interests of this increasingly influential group as it gains momentum and gathers national attention,” said J.D. Hokoyama Ph.D., president and CEO of LEAP, which in 1992 created the Asian Pacific American Public Policy Institute, a source of demographic information and policy analysis. “Our report includes a wealth of new research and findings on political and civic engagement, providing a clearer understanding of Asian Americans and their influence in the country,” Hokoyama continued.

The report’s 11 chapters, written by leading academics in Asian American studies, is the fifth in a series of major public policy reports by LEAP on “The State of Asian America.” The report is a future-facing look at the Asian American community and explores a number of issues including growth trends, political and civic engagement, immigrant status, the importance of the 2010 Census, Internet use, and state of Asian American non-profits.

The report points out that about 61% of Asian Americans are foreign born, the highest rate of any minority group in the country. Asians Americans as a predominantly immigrant population is a trend expected to continue through 2030, presenting challenges to the political mobilization of the community. Asian Americans nationalize at the highest rate of any immigrant population at 57%. But, nationalization is only the first of three barriers to political participation, the others, registration and turnout, can also be very challenging.

According to the report, party identification is central to the way that Americans think and act on politics, but it can be difficult for foreign-born Asian Americans to acquire partisanship, an affiliation that takes shape at a young age through familial and peer interactions. Without partisanship as a political and psychological compass to navigate the political environment, it can be difficult for Asian Americans to develop the emotional connection to candidates and issues that precipitate turnout. Despite the fact that first-generation Asian Americans immigrants are a fast-growing constituency, today’s political parties have not engaged them due to a lack of organizational capacity and cultural literacy.

Some tracking the growth of the Asian American political engagement liken Asian American’s political posturing to that of Hispanics in the 1980s due mostly to stunning population growth, the report says. Population growth in combination with increasing number of second and third generation Asian Americans means the community is becoming an increasingly important voting bloc. And like the Hispanics, they are a voting bloc that trends Democratic. By a margin of two-to-one, Asian Americans identify as Democrats.

The report notes that Asian Americans flex political muscle in states including California, where one-third of Asian Americans live, and in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Nevada, and other areas. In Virginia, another state with a significant Asian American voting bloc, the Asian American contingent helped to contribute to the razor thin victory of Jim Webb over Republican incumbent George Allan, according to Ong.

Through the report, LEAP seeks to provide community activists, policymakers and researchers with a roadmap for understanding Asian American political and civic engagement. To advance the knowledge created in the report LEAP will host a series of roundtable discussions in major cities across the country. (Washington, D.C. on Sep. 30th; New York on Oct. 1st; Boston on Oct. 2nd; Los Angeles on Oct. 7th; San Francisco on Oct. 8th; and date soon to be decided in Chicago and Seattle.) The report was underwritten by The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The James Irvine Foundation, and Washington Mutual, with further support of community roundtables from Nielsen Media Research.

About Leap

Since its founding in 1982, Leadership for Asian Pacifics Inc. (Leap) has been intent on “growing leaders” within the Asian and Pacific Islander communities across the world. A global, nonprofit organization, Leap is guided by the philosophy that APIs can retain their unique cultures, identities and values while developing new and vital skills that will make them effective leaders within their own organizations, their communities and the broader society. Leap works to achieve its mission by developing people, because leaders are made, not born; informing society, because leaders know the issues; and empowering communities, because leaders are grounded in strong, vibrant communities. Through its mission of “growing leaders,” Leap expands civic participation, grows public understanding and leadership development of Asian and Pacific Islanders.

About The University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multi-Campus Research Program

The University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multi-Campus Research Program (MRP) promotes and coordinates applied and policy research on topics relevant to California's growing Asian American and Pacific Islander population. The MRP serves as a bridge linking UC researchers to community organizations, the media, and elected officials and their staff. These activities help the University of California to integrate research, teaching, and community outreach in ways that inform and enlighten public discourse on important public policy issues. The MRP is supported through funds from the UC Office of the President, UCLA's Asian American Studies Center, and other academic units from throughout the UC system. Professor Paul Ong is the Director, and Professor Bill Hing is the Associate Director.

Ju-Taun And Samoeun Cheng

Saturday, September 27, 2008

So I have to admit I haven't been catching MTV's Top Pop Group a ton on T.V. - but rather catching up online when I can - and while Jazmin is still around (although their last performance was panned and Chelsea E. was booted off) - one of the hottest bands on the show is Ju-Tuan with band member Samoeun Cheng (born in a refugee camp in Thailand and then brought up in the U.S. where he discovered his love for music).

Check out their latest performance on the show



For more on Ju-Tuan (which is pronounced zha–tawn) check out their MySpace page.

TIME and Jin

Saturday, September 27, 2008



It's not a huge article that came out this week, but I'm glad to see a magazine like TIME still looking to cover Jin and growing his career in Asia as I think it can help to bridge that gap between Asian and Asian American artists and the general viewing public in America:

Although Jin's Asian-American following is significant, his use of Cantonese has also helped him get "very big" in Hong Kong, says DJ Tommy, a founding member of Cantonese rap forefathers LMF. "People are excited," Tommy says.

Jin has no regrets, describing his Hong Kong move as "growth" and "going forward." Hopefully the chance to win fresh converts, target new Chinese-speaking markets and play a formative role in an Asian rap scene that yearns for someone of his experience will keep him content for a long time to come.
Read the full article here.

Palin Interview With Katie Couric

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Btw - just in case you happened to miss it, here's the interview Katie Couric did with Sarah Palin this week:

Part 1



Part 2



I could probably rip into this - a lot - but there's really no need - you can deduce for yourself whether or not you really want Palin as your VP.

Pig Roast & Tank of Fish

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Oregon Live has a good article on Ivy Lin's new documentary about Portland's Chinatown, which is the second oldest in the nation, and the struggle to revitalize the neighborhood and some of the obstacles in its way - including the voices that are sometimes silent within that community.



"Pig Roast & Tank of Fish" trailer from Ivy Lin on Vimeo.

Pig Roast & Tank of Fish will have its premiere Sunday at 7PM down at the Someday Lounge.

The Debate, Palin, And Those Preconditions

Saturday, September 27, 2008

While the debates last night were good television it left me with a few questions and comments including the following:

1. There seemed to be a lot of white people in the audience (maybe it was just me though).

2. I can't decide if McCain's strategy of being dismissive to Obama - shuffling papers while Obama tried to speak, and never looking at him directly - helps his case in the sense of trying to put out the image that he's in control and that Obama is in a sense a child (from his experience platform), or if in the end more people will just be put off by him de-personalizing and looking to mock Obama, raising the question that if he eschews an opponent in a simple debate as much as he did, how can he actually be expected to be diplomatic with anyone outside of the U.S. - including allies he might disagree with?

3. The question has to be asked if we really want a President who decides to keep on "the good fight" because a distraught mother asks him too. Because he just can't lose.

4. I thought as much as Obama made some great points, McCain did come off more authoritative in his speaking style at times, and I'm hoping that Obama rises up to the occasion to battle McCain harder versus deferring to the format, sometimes asking to get in a word.

5. As authoritative (or condescending depending upon how you look at it) as McCain was at times - he just didn't seem in control of his emotions and I'm hoping people will realize that we need someone with balance versus a maverick who shoots from the hip - because this isn't the Wild Wild West.

6. I just had to laugh at the fact that while Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden came out and talked about the debate, the GOP didn't send their VP candidate out to talk, because they didn't think she was up for the challenge (and after the week she's had I'm not sure I can blame the GOP).

Where in the world is Sarah Palin?

7. Here's some quick video on the preconditions - which Kissinger did in fact talk about according to news reports - and a point I wish Obama would have kept at harder.



8. Can't wait for the VP debate.

Short: MANOJ

Friday, September 26, 2008

Some of you might have caught this via film festivals earlier in the year, but if you haven't - or even if you have (just to refresh your memory) Hari Kondabolu, a South Asian comedian, made a short film called MANOJ (directed by Zia Mohajerjasbi) which he describes as being about "race and self-representation in standup comedy" - and if you check it out it's definitely pretty cool and not only makes you laugh but makes you think - and there's nothing better than comedy that makes you think and that has a point to it.

The films is playing in DC this Friday at the 2008 DC APA Film Festival (a little short notice I know, but you still have time to check it out on the big screen.

Check it out



To learn more about Hari Kondabolu go to his Web site and his MySpace page (thanks Hari).

Host A Japanese Game Show On MTV

Thursday, September 25, 2008

I caught this down at Nikkei View and while it does leave one wondering what they actually mean by a Japanese game show and what the person would be doing - if you're hip, cool, and between the ages of 21 and 35 - the next MTV game show host could be you!

MTV is searching for a host for a fun, energetic Japanese game show pilot. They’re looking for outgoing, articulate, spirited people who appear to be between the ages of 21 – 35 and appear to be Japanese or of Japanese descent. Candidates must possess bold personalities and a devilish sense of humor.

“People that exude a lot of enthusiasm, have wicked personalities, distinct styles and possess a unique charm on tape should apply ASAP. The perfect candidate would have a Johnny Knoxville-like appeal. If this describes you, please email nycastingteam@gmail.com immediately. Television credits are not necessary. Improv / comedy backgrounds are a plus. There will be compensation.
You can check out more details down at Nikkei View.

MV: Nobody

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Your latest certifiable dance hit from the Wonder Girls going motown with a funny video to boot - although doesn't the little hand gesture make you think of eating cookies?

MV: Rachael Yamagata - Elephants

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Here's the video for Elephants from Rachael Yamagata off her new album Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart due out October 7th.



Info on the new album from Wikipedia:

Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart is the second full-length album by Rachael Yamagata. It will be released by Warner Bros. Records on 7 October 2008 in the U.S. (International release dates are yet to be announced.)

The album is split into two parts/CDs: Elephants, which will feature a darker, more vulnerable and intimate tone, is said to be more familiar with Yamagata's debut, Happenstance; while Teeth Sinking Into Heart, shows a grittier, more cynical side of the artist, who has described it as "this mix of 'Pulp Fiction' surf guitar, PJ Harvey [and] Tom Waits-flavored rock tunes which would be great to play live but ... just developed into this entity that would break the beauty of ('Elephants')." The album will contain fifteen tracks (one of them hidden), the first ten appearing in Elephants, and the last five in Teeth Sinking Into Heart.

Most of the album was produced by Mike Mogis, known for previous works with artists such as Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, and The Faint, among others. John Alagia, who produced Yamagata's first album, Happenstance, has also produced two of the tracks in this record ("What If I Leave", and "Horizon").
For more on Rachael Yamagata check out her site.

h/t sylvie/hyphenmagazine

What do you get when you harass your Asian co-workers? A $60,000 Raise

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

This is just pretty crazy and even more puzzling after reading documents from Terry College's Office Of Legal Affairs - but let me catch you up to speed.

Apparently a teacher at Terry College named Barbara Caroll had accused department heads of being biased in favor of Asian professors on the tenure track and in pay scale - but if you check out the wording - she just seemed to have issues with people of Asian descent (and notice how if you're Asian you can't be American as well):

Both of these powerful people in our department are Asians. And since these two men 'took power' in our department, all new American hires are much lower-paid 'teaching fellows'. Many of the holdover Americans who have given years of service to this department in terms of research and teaching are paid dramatically less than Asians performing the same work.
At this point the Office Of Legal Affairs did an investigation into the accusations which they proved to be false, but in the course of the investigation, they actually found out that Caroll verbally attacked, harassed, and made discriminatory comments against co-workers in public because of their national origin and violated the non-discriminatory and anti-harassment codes creating a hostile work environment.

So Caroll got sent to non-discriminatory and anti-harassment classes, got documents placed in her employee file, and was told to cease and desist from making discriminatory comments about co-workers in public as well as through electronic communications (like listservs) - everything you would expect.

But here's where it gets crazy.

Even though she was the one doing the harassing, in order to stop her from bringing up a lawsuit against the college, the administration ended up reaching a settlement giving her a pay raise of about $60,000 dollars so she's now making $1450,000, and even though according to the settlement she has to retire in 2011, because retirement is based on the highest 24 months of salary she's not only getting $60K more a year, but her retirement benefits get increased substantially as well because of the settlement.

Now I know in some ways it's easier to just settle with people so they don't make trouble - but in this case?

What grounds does she have to bring up a lawsuit? Isn't the college worried about the Asian co-workers bringing up lawsuits now too (even though one left to be the dean at the University of Memphis)?

Like I said at the beginning of this post - it's crazy - and this is the message that it sends:

Harass and make discriminatory comments about your Asian/AA co-workers, get a slap on the wrist, and then pocket about $200K, increased retirement benefits, and keep your job for another three years.

Check out the article, documents, as well comments by Caroll herself here.

Would You Vote For This Mug?

Wednesday, September 24, 2008



Mr. Hyphen 2008 contestant Scott Chan will represent Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, a nonprofit organization that works to achieve its mission by developing leaders within Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the country. LEAP believes leaders know the issues and are capable of informing and empowering communities.
I think the answer might have to be a yes - but then again there will be more contestants for Mr. Hyphen 2008 - so be on the lookout - and if you want to know more about Scott - if anything - this video should tell you how much he really wants it.

iaTV cuts 80% of its staff

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Interesting and kind of sad news out on the TV front as reported out by Jeff Yang in his Asian Pop column:

...last week, the last remaining Asian American cable network standing, Imaginasian, laid off the bulk of its employees, prompting some close to the company to wonder about its future -- or even if it has one.

Just a month ago, I'd interviewed new CEO Adam Ware on his plans for rebranding the net -- goodbye ImaginAsian, hello "iaTV" -- and restacking its programming lineup; I spoke with him again to confirm the slashing of 80% of the channel's staff, and to get clarity on what it means for iaTV's continued viability.

"We're on the air, now and for the foreseeable future," he promised. "This isn't like what AZN did, where they eliminated all of the people creating their product and kept a sales and finance infrastructure -- our core programming team is in place, and all of our most senior and experienced people are on board and running the ship...
The article goes on to say that they'll be focusing on reestablishing themselves and building up their core programming and focusing on their Los Angeles infrastructure - and while they're definitely trying to put out the vibe that they'll be O.K. when you cut 80% of your staff it doesn't really give anyone the warm fuzzies and just begs the question to be asked - on the knees in shorts on a floor of razor blades - of what does an Asian American channel need to do to survive?

I have some thoughts myself - but that's for another time and a much longer post.

Here's to hoping they can weather the storm.

Seeking Houston-Area Volunteers to Help Hurricane Survivors

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Even though Hurricane Ike and Gustav didn't make as much news as Katrina, they've affected a lot of people - including Asian Americans and the Vietnamese population in that area.

The group BPSOS is looking for volunteers that can help out, so if you or anyone else can lend a helping hand, make sure and get in touch with them:

September 19, 2008: The Gulf Coast's Vietnamese Americans need your help! Ike and Gustav hit the Gulf Coast even harder than Katrina, and we are working to connect evacuees to urgently-need services. On Thursday and Friday alone, BPSOS-Houston staff and our fantastic volunteers helped 226 people deal with the disaster!

You can make a difference, especially if you are bilingual. Join us at the office to record people's needs and contact information, and refer them to the right services! Houston is the focus now, but we are collecting information about areas that are safe to deploy volunteers.

To volunteer in Houston, or at locations to be determined, call (281) 530-6888, or email info@bpsos.org.
Go to the BPSOS site for more information.

Here's The Total Count For All The People Who Weren't White On The Emmys - And I Included Everyone

Monday, September 22, 2008



For some reason, I just decided to count all the people who weren't white that I saw on the Emmys - kind of as a joke at first - and I actually thought I'd stop about half way through, but since I saw so few people of color, decided to actually keep on counting and post up on my results.

Before I get down to the final numbers and some quick breakdowns and comparisons I should probably tell you about my methods for counting and how I came up with the numbers that I did:

1. When seeing POC I just made a slash mark for each individual and then a diagonal for every fifth person and then counted up all the blocks in the end. My piece of paper looked something like this:



2. I did all my tallying on a standard 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper, and to be more precise - a half a sheet.

3. I counted every single non-white person I saw on the Emmys including audience members, people from television clips they showed, winners, presenters - basically anyone I saw on the program anywhere, even if it was a half a face.

4. While I may have missed one or two people or possibly counted the same person twice by accident in the audience, I'm actually pretty confident I'm within 10-20 people of the real number.

And The Final Count Is...

The total count for every single person who wasn't white who I saw on the Emmys was (drum roll please) - 93.

Out of that 93, thirteen were in the Josh Groban montage either from the singers and musicians on stage as well as some of the clips (mainly from the Jeffersons), and fifteen of the people were from the nominees segment for writing for a variety, music, or comedy show - and ten of those were from Conan O'Brien and a picture of Angelina Jolie (whether those were baby pictures of the actual staff or just random kids I don't really know - and I'll take them either way).

If your counting, those two segments made up about 28 people, roughly 30% of the total.

And in comparison?

While you had two segments make up about a 1/3 of all POC shown on the 3 hour program - in two segments for outstanding guest on a series and director for a series (I think drama, but it doesn't really matter) the total amount of white people shown was about 150 give or take a few (including a section of the audience which if you didn't notice was pretty white).

That's more than the combined total of all the people I was counting put together.

At the same time - to give you another comparison, although not direct - the new Windows "I'm A PC" commercial shows roughly the same amount of people who weren't white as the Emmys did - in a one minute commercial.



So...

I'm not really that surprised I guess given the state of T.V. (and I'm still wondering what actually possessed me to do this and make scratch marks on a piece of paper) - but if you were looking to the Emmys to see any people of color (or maybe rather hoping) you really didn't find that many - anywhere - and if you decided to make this into a drinking game - it probably wouldn't be that fun.

Rick Rolling Asians

Monday, September 22, 2008

To be honest, I don't really get this - but I'm sure other people do - so it's at least nice to see an Asian face in it.

MV: Taboo

Monday, September 22, 2008

Not sure how long this will stay up but here's the new video for Koda Kumi's single Taboo to be released early next month.

Ryder Cup: Anthony Kim

Monday, September 22, 2008


Golf.com

Over the weekend the U.S. golf team ended a long winning streak by its European counterpart (who had won the last three contests since 2002) to take back golf's Ryder Cup - and one of the key players who helped do that, was none other than 23 year-old Asian American Anthony Kim who not only played well in his team matchups but also helped set the tone for individual play by beating Sergio García in the first of the singles matches.

Anthony Kim came in as a rising 23-year-old star, but a Ryder Cup neophyte. His talent was undeniable, but many wondered how he would handle golf's biggest stage. When the pairings were announced on Saturday night, their match, the first in Sunday's singles competition, was the instant eye-catcher.

The atmosphere on the first tee was electrifying, as Kim waved to the crowd and Garcia grinned at the blue European flags and singing fans [...]

Kim, five years Garcia's junior, was thriving in the Ryder Cup atmosphere. He smiled constantly, waved to fans in the fairways and played a free-flowing game. Kim was living up to the hype.

Both Kim and Garcia will certainly be stalwarts for their teams for many Ryder Cups to come, but it seemed that more was riding on this match than one point and Ryder Cup pride. As Kim leaves Valhalla, his performance has catapulted him to the upper echelon of the sport.

Read more down at golf.com.

Film: Jong W. Lee And Roses Have Thorns

Monday, September 22, 2008

In a previous post on the 72 Hour Film Festival one of the films - my favorite short of the festival - was from a group called Cinemasia - and while I got news that they were putting out a feature film I just got word that the feature film Roses Have Thorns (directed by Jong W. Lee) is going to be showing Thursday (8:00 PM) down in the East Village at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival - so if you are in the area - definitely get on out and support the film and everyone involved.

Here's the trailer



For more on the film and Cinemasia go here.

Austin Asian American Film Festival

Monday, September 22, 2008

For my peeps in Austin - and anyone else that can get out there - the 2008 Austin Asian American Film Festival is coming your way next month October 9th through the 12th and the lineup seems to be looking pretty good.

Check out the trailer



For more on the films and to reserve tickets go to the AAAFF Web site.

APAture: Get Your Live Blog On

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Got some info sent out that there's some live blogging going on for Kearny Street Workshop's APAture (which is celebrating their 10th year) by blogger Claire Light, a founder and former senior editor for Hyphen Magazine:

4:23 - I'm late to this four pm event at I-Hotel/Manilatown Heritage Foundation, but we're nowhere near starting yet. We're on PoC time. Yeah, I said it.

4:24 - Quick greeting and hug from Jason Mateo, who says "Don't write nothing bad about us." This will be a theme. I can see it now.

A little background: this performance ,"Speak Out," is by Youth Speaks. One of the nice things about doing away with the APAture age limit is that we can get even younger folks out to APAture. I think this is the first time. I'll check later.

Check out the live blog here

Ma-Yi Theater Company: Savage Stage

Saturday, September 20, 2008



Here's some info on the new anthology put out by the May-Yi Theater Company called Savage Stage:

The highly anticipated anthology Savage Stage: Plays By Ma-Yi Theater Company contains nine World Premieres by the nation's leading Asian American theater company, as well as several critical essays. The book will include the plays Savage Acts by Kia Corthron, Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Han Ong, and Sung Rno; Flipzoids by Ralph Pena; peregriNasyon by Chris Millado; Middle Finger by Han Ong; Woman From the Other Side of the World by Linda Faigao-Hall; wAve by Sung Rno; Trial by Water by Qui Nguyen; The Romance of Magno Rubio by Lonnie Carter; and Project: Balangiga by Ralph Pena and Sung Rno.
A snippet from an article at the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

“Savage Stage” is a compilation of nine previously produced Ma-Yi original plays as well as essays that locate the texts within the larger framework of Asian-American theater and Filipino diaspora.“This book invites the reader to study the plays’ and the company’s participation in the discourse on the ‘savage’ tropes of danger and deceit in plays that at initial reading seem to be merely about domestic dramas; the lure of self-exoticizing in the marketing of theater productions; and the articulation of nationalist struggles in homelands, even as the production site—New York—necessitates a rethinking of both cosmopolitanism and nationalism,” Barrios-Leblanc says.“The act of publishing the plays, therefore, is also a way for the company to re-evaluate not only the work it has done but also its vision of Asian-American theater in the context of contemporary developments in the world.”
To pick up the anthology go the Ma-Yi Theater Company's Web site.

Four Women Go Into A Room And Watch The Joy Luck Club...

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Like I asked about in a previous post - is there a Joy Luck Club revival going on? I think there has to be, because more news, articles - and experiments keep on coming up:

Experiment: Take four Asian American women in 2008 who haven't seen The Joy Luck Club, and see what they think about it fifteen years after its original release.

The idea was partially inspired by David Henry Hwang's introduction to a new paperback edition of C.Y. Lee's novel Flower Drum Song. Rodger and Hammerstein's Broadway adaptation Flower Drum Song spawned the first ever Hollywood film to feature an all-Asian American cast, though it was criticized by many in the Asian American community for its representation of Chinatown and ethnicity. But in his 2002 essay, Hwang writes that, for him, seeing the film many decades later, there's something valuable and empowering in it that you could never have seen originally because everyone was blinded by the exotification debate.

Enter The Joy Luck Club. Different time period, similar stigmas.
Check out the article down at Asia Pacific Arts for the discussion and what each has to say on the film as it's pretty interesting - although I had to ask the question of why there weren't any men in the experiment, especially seeing as how part of the criticism of the movie came from Asian American males.

Are we just not that important to the discussion?

Random Reader Comments

Saturday, September 20, 2008



Some reader comments that have been made from various posts (some on recent posts and some from posts back in time as the comment system was installed for all posts new and old):

From K On Dropping WWE Knowledge

It's definitely messed up when compared to the 90s with talent like Ultimo Dragon, Akira Hokuto, and Great Sasuke. Nowadays, the Japanese female talent alone can outshine most of the wrestlers in WWE. So, yeah.
From Peter On LPGA Gets A Clue And Rescinds English Only Policy

It wasn't xenophobic, it was linguaphobic. Get your PC slanders correct.
From Tad Nathaniel On A Quick Letter To Pau Gasol

Time-slip, if you will, back to the 1950-1960’s. The boss (of course, male) walks into the office, and pats his female secretary’s rear end. He says, "I like them round and plump." Now, someone from the 21st century tells this boss that he has done and said an awful thing, and he is being downright sexist.

His response: "I was giving my secretary a friendly greeting. It was just harmless fun. It is absurd for anyone to make a big thing of it. How could women possibly take offense at this? I’ll have you know that I am friends with many women!"

Dear stupid Spaniards, don’t you think it’s about time you learned that it is offensive when the people to whom you direct your words and actions, think it’s offensive? The ones dishing it out (that’s YOU) have NO say in whether people should be offended or not.Join us. We have already moved into the 21st century.

Hope you can catch up.
From Jeremiah On Halle Berry caught making racist Jewish joke on Jay Leno - and Leno tries to cover it up

lighten up people wtf, people are so f*cking uptight these days it's so sad.

"Next time maybe you can do some photos of you with some slanty eyes with some chopsticks and a laundry ticket and start sputtering out stereotypes and latent prejudices about Asian people too?"

wow you need to cover that remark buddy. That is so disrespectful of you to say, even if you were trying to make a point that is so offensive. how dare you.

You make me sick.
From Brian K On Because Breakfast at Tiffany's Just Can't Seem To Die

Cohn got a clue - and as you noted in your update, chose not to show the movie. You neglected to quote the article above in full, where you could have noted that "Cohn confessed he hasn't seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in decades and didn't recall the offensive content."

So, he was ignorant. But not insensitive.

And another correction - the event was not cancelled, just the choice of the offensive movie. They switched to RATATOUILLE.

Steve Cohn got it wrong, and made it right. Worth noting.
From Eddie On Heath Hyche: Last Yellow Face Comic Standing

you realize he was ridiculing 50s American Cinema for their racist portrayal of the Japanese during WWII, and not making fun of Japanese people at all, right? guess not. Neither did dumbasses Richard Belzer and Steve Schirripa. At least half the audience got it.
From Uglyblackjohn On An Open Letter To Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland Who Called Obama Uppity

At first, I just took the term to mean elitist or pernickety. But damn...great point.
From Park Ridge neighbor On Aurora Austriaco

Aurora Austriaco is an idiot and a fraud.
From Scott On Dumbass Blog Post: Is America Now No Longer Racist?

Nice try, boys. I'm essentially done as well because if you lose the racism issue, you have nothing at all to rail about. Your blog becomes some inane posts about hip hop and movies.

Anyway, keep up with the enlightened posts about how America is a hopeless cauldron of racist animals and I'll keep up with my posts about how America is the freest of nations and offers hope and properity to everyone.

Enjoy life in the greatest nation on Earth, I served in the armed forces to ensure that you have that right and privilege. I didn't serve for whites or Irish-Americans, I served for all Americans.

BTW, judging by your blogroll, you support a "progressive" agenda. The point of me bringing up FDR and the other cases was to clue you in that they has "progressive" agendas as well.

Enjoy being bitter about supposed racial injustice, I'll celebrate the diversity and opportunity afforded those who live here legally.

NewsBytes

Saturday, September 20, 2008

As this week has been a little busy and I haven't been able to read or post as much as normal, here's a little longer version of NewsBytes with some news from blogosphere and around the way in no particular order from this week, and some recent happenings still worth mentioning:

Are You Excited... To Vote?

It’s not that I’m against Sunny Leone (NSFW). I am totally pro desi woman in any non-mainstream industry. I even blogged about her on Sepia Mutiny previously as a ‘cool desi woman under 30.’ I like her, you know, for a porn star [...] So here’s my personal request. Though it’s great Sunny is the first desi face in a voting PSA, I think there should be more. And since the boys have Sunny, how about we gals get some brown sugar like Sendhil Ramamurthy, Naveen Andrews or Kal Penn to make a voting PSA? That would definitely rock my vote.
An Unusual Cancer Burden: APAs battle both disease and taboos

When it comes to cancer, APAs are not the model minority. Lack of awareness surrounded by taboo and a tendency by health professionals to treat APAs as a homogenous group make the battle over the disease especially challenging. With all cancers considered, APAs may have lower rates of cancer compared to other groups. But what makes the burden of the disease unique is that APAs are the only group with death rates from cancer exceeding that of heart disease.
Bhangra Idol Contest In Canada

The 3rd Canadian Bhangra Idol contest kicks off in Vancouver. 10 teams of singers and dancers will take stage tomorrow at the Orpheum Theater, donning traditional Punjabi clothes. Grammy Award-winning hip-hop and R&B group 112, and British Bhangra star Jassi Sidhu, will also perform at the event.
Korean Mexicans And Korean Cubans Explore Their Roots

One of the things we love the most about being Latina is being able to claim ties with a vast and varied group of people. Of course, that’s only cool once we kind of gloss over some of the historical aspects of how it that some of these people came to Latino in the first place. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a segment of Latinos often forgotten - Korean Mexicans...
Shuffled! Marlino Bitanga aka DJ Marlino “da5footafunk”

As a 20-year veteran to the DJing game, Marlino’s DJ career started as a mobile disc jockey in 1988, which led to an opportunity to work in the radio industry in 1995 at WILD 107.7 FM (which shortly changed to WILD 94.9) in San Francisco. In 1997, he landed himself a spot as an On-Air Personality and Mixshow DJ at Jammin Z90.3 FM in San Diego where he made his mark as the first DJ in San Diego to spin live on the air on 3 turntables.
113th Birthday For World's Oldest Man

The world's oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe celebrated his 113th birthday on Thursday, September 18, 2008. For his birthday, he got gifts, flowers and $1,000 cash from the mayor of his hometown of Miyakonojo. Tanabe told reporters he wants to live about another five years. The guy looks young for his age.
Kearny Street Workshop Presents APAture 2008 & Win Free Tickets

Holy! It's that time of the year again for Kearny Street Workshop's (KSW) APAture! Can you believe they're celebrating their 10th year already? Check out the awesome event schedule below, and join the 90+ artists, musicians, filmmakers, comedians, writers, and performers for 10 exciting days of APAture starting this Thursday, September 18-27, 2008
ROCK OF ASIAN: Kid Koala

Few tickle vinyl with such brilliant fervor as our favorite Canadiasian deejay Kid Koala, whose turntable-told stories fascinate us, and soft-spoken illustrative aesthetic somehow warms our icy cold hearts. Kids are cute, koalas even cuter...
meet ken of survivor: gabon

Oh boy. The new season of Survivor premieres next week. This time, among the castaways, we have Ken Hoang, a 22-year-old professional gamer from Westminster, California. Yes, as in video games. According to his bio, he is the current international champion of Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Melee game, and apparently known to the gaming community as "the King of Smash".
MILITANT NEWS FLASH: MARGARET CHO PLAYS FREAK POLITICS!

I've already said my piece about her so I'll let you decide whether or not she's pulling stunts for ratings tonight. I did think this was funny in a freaky, political kind of way.
Oh, Danny Bhoy!

So, anyway, on the subject of Asian stand-up comedians, one of the most talented and yet underrated young comedians in the world, I must admit, is Scottish comedian, Danny Bhoy. I say underrated because he is still very obscure in the USA. He is much more well known in the UK and er… colonies, I suppose is the word I’m looking for! Well, I mean Australia, New Zealand and Canada is what I mean!
Actor George Takei, Partner Wed in Private Ceremony

Actor George Takei, best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on “Star Trek,’’ married his longtime partner Brad Altman on Sunday in a private ceremony in Los Angeles. About 200 friends and relatives — including fellow “Star Trek’’ actors Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols — attended the ceremony. Takei, 71, and Altman, 54, had been planning the nuptials since May, when the California Supreme Court declared the state’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. They were among the first to obtain a marriage license in West Hollywood when they became available in June.
White People Like taking credit from Asians: Who is Myles Valentin?

“#11 Asian girls” is the all-time most popular post of web-phenomenon Stuff White People Like, but it was written by Filipino-Canadian Myles Valentin, not White-Canadian Christian Lander. While Christian Lander received a $350,000 advance and receives royalties for his book, Stuff White People Like: the Definitive Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions, Myles Valentin is living paycheck to paycheck in East Vancouver.
Crimes of Fashion

The arrival of Fashion Week and a controversial Vogue India photo shoot featuring poor rural villagers decked out in designer bling have Jeff Yang thinking about globalization, extreme consumerism and the perils of cultural criticism.
Asian and Asian-American films at caachi

Caachi distributes award-winning independent films for downloading and streaming on its website http://www.caachi.com. Independent filmmakers sell their films directly to their fans and retain 75% of the sales revenue.

Where Are The Asians? GE And Jossip

Saturday, September 20, 2008



Caught this news about GE CEO Jeff Immelt and some comments that were made at the Black Corporate Directors conference:

Two weeks ago at the "off-the-record" Black Corporate Directors conference, GE CEO Jeff Immelt (the Don Geis of the real world) made some comments that raised eyebrows. Jossip first broke the thin OTR seal late yesterday and reported them thusly:

At the panel, [moderator Soledad O'Brien] asked Immelt about diversity at NBC Universal — primarily, its lack of it. Immelt responded, according to our tipster, that he hires who he is "comfortable with." He followed up that statement by listing, in order, the "type" of people he trusts. And they are:

1) White Men
2) White Women
3) Black Men
4) Black Women

Okay, honestly, more than just eyebrows were raised. But since it was off the record and Jossip had only one source, GE officials are disputing this account.

Off the record, on the record (and does it really matter anyway?) while in some ways we've come to expect this type of thinking from Corporate America (and at the top of Corporate America where so few people of color have broken barriers because of this type of thinking) - did you notice who didn't even make it on this little racist list of trust?

Probably has something to do with Jeff thinking we're all spies.

TIME, McCain, And The Subtlety Of Racism

Saturday, September 20, 2008

I wanted to reprint a portion of this post from TIME Magazine's blog because I think it helps speak to the different ways that subtle (racist) connections are made:

When politicians interject race into a campaign, they seldom do it directly. Consider McCain's new ad, which the campaign says it will be airing nationally [...] This is hardly subtle: Sinister images of two black men, followed by one of a vulnerable-looking elderly white woman.

Let me stipulate: Obama's Fannie Mae connections are completely fair game. But this ad doesn't even mention a far more significant tie--that of Jim Johnson, the former Fannie Mae chairman who had to resign as head of Obama's vice presidential search team after it was revealed he got a sweetheart deal on a mortgage from Countrywide Financial. Instead, it relies on a fleeting and tenuous reference in a Washington Post Style section story to suggest that Obama's principal economic adviser is former Fannie Mae Chairman Frank Raines. Why? One reason might be that Johnson is white; Raines is black.

And the image of the victim doesn't seem accidental either, given the fact that older white women are a key swing constituency in this election.
Here's the Ad.

Race Round Up

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Some news from across the way.

'Uppity' Insult Recalls Jim Crow-Era Racism

Critics of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama have occasionally used the word "uppity" to describe him and his wife. Whether they know it or not, these critics are tapping into racial politics that harken back to the Jim Crow era. Uppity was a derogatory term applied throughout the South to Black people who climbed the socioeconomic ladder, ABC News reports. Using the word to describe Obama and his family implicitly says that he, as a Black man, does not know "his place."
Racism still prevalent in background

In the white racist frame of mind, to rationalize discriminating against a group of people, you make them into a they or them. They are not like us. We are the good folk and they are the inferior folks. Now we have defined them as inferior, we can discriminate against them.
Film series to shed light on racism

The Eracism Film and Discussion Series Committee selects films which document the experiences of people of color or of ethnic minorities. These films are mostly about people from other places, but we also arrange for a facilitator, mostly from the local area, who leads a discussion about what the film means for Fort Collins.
Did Somebody Say Racism.....

Some people will never believe the deck is stacked AGAINST Black Quarterbacks. Even most Black Quarterbacks say it isn't. What else are they going to say if they want to play in the NFL even if only occasionally. But here we are after just TWO games and while NO White Starting Quarterbacks have lost their jobs already Vince Young, Tarvaris Jackson and Troy Smith are relegated to the Sidelines. Don't expect to see any of these 3 starting again this season if ever.
Fox 29 Accused Of Racism In City Council

The opening session of Philadelphia's city council is often filled with warm wishes and good feelings for the days ahead. But on Thursday, during the first meeting, a top aide to a city councilman accused this television station and its investigative reporter of racism.
Last Poets preach against racism, hatred

Oyewole is part of the Last Poets, a group that was founded in the heat of the civil-rights movement in 1968. After fading a bit in the '70s, the group has been on the road again for 18 years, Oyewole says, preaching against racism, hatred and what he calls a "war against humanity." The Kente Arts Alliance, a nonprofit group headquartered in the North Side, will present the Last Poets on Saturday as its first guests of the season.

MTV's Top Pop Group Videos: Jazmin

Saturday, September 20, 2008

While they had a short life on AGT, hopefully they'll have a longer shelf life on MTV's Top Pop Group where they've lasted out a couple episodes and the judges and fans seems to like them (and their story) - although they do have some good competition.

Here's some video of Jazmin from MTV's Top Pop Group (sync is off a little bit).

Group Casting Call



Week 1 Show



Go here for full episodes.

Wayne Wang, The Princess Of Nebraska, And YouTube

Saturday, September 20, 2008



Wayne Wang (Chan Is Missing, Anywhere but Here, The Joy Luck Club) will be having The Princess Of Nebraska aired in full on YouTube in the next month on October 17th - which is pretty cool.

Check out the trailer



Here's the info from the release that was sent my way:

Magnolia Pictures announced today acclaimed filmmaker Wayne Wang’s new film THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA will make its world premiere on YouTube on Friday, October 17, 2008. The free release on YouTube's recently launched YouTube Screening Room (http://www.youtube.com/ytscreeningroom), a channel dedicated to premium film content, is part of a larger distribution plan, which will launch with Magnolia Pictures' theatrical release on Friday, September 19 of Wang's companion film A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS. Magnolia, Cinetic Rights Management and YouTube worked together to plan the parallel distribution strategy.

Magnolia Pictures' Ray Price stated, “The internet's ability to provide free streaming video is going to radically redefine independent film's access and availability to its audience. It provides a new platform, which can free us from the 'Top Ten' mentality in the same way that FM radio did for the music business."

Filmmaker Wayne Wang added, "THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA is about a young woman from China who tries to locate her identity through different kinds of new media. The piece was shot with this kind of mentality with various kinds of easily accessible digital sources. I am very excited that the distribution will be consistent with the way the piece was conceived and produced!"

"For years, filmmakers have asked me when a veteran icon would release a new work for free, online," said Matt Dentler of Cinetic Rights Management. "That time is now, and we're thrilled to be part of this exciting distribution strategy."

THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA and A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS are both adapted from a collection of short stories by Granta prize winning author Yiyun Li. They mark the seventh and eighth of Wang’s Asian-themed films that explore the bonds of family and Chinese identity in the modern world, making up one of the largest bodies of introspective work in independent film over the last 25 years.

In THE PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA, Sasha (Ling Li) is a foreign exchange student who finds herself pregnant. She’s the new generation of China, unmoored to traditions and history. As she says, “In America I learned a new phrase, ‘moving on.’ Tomorrow I can start a new page.” She travels from Nebraska to San Francisco to get an abortion, but in her exploration of the city in the next 24 hours she learns that turning a new page doesn’t necessarily mean turning your back on the past.

MV: Aya Kamiki

Thursday, September 18, 2008

From her September release Are you happy now?



Extra info:

Aya Kamiki (上木 彩矢, Kamiki Aya) is a J-rock artist born September 10, 1985 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. She currently resides in Osaka, and is currently signed with the Giza Studio recording label.

Aya learned to play the piano when she was 4 years old. In junior high school, she began singing live. Influenced by punk rock, she also learned how to play the guitar.

From 2003 to 2004, Aya was part of the independent record label FLME (For Life Music Entertainment) using the stage name Klim (久里 夢). She released her first two singles “Breath” and “W.H.Y?”

In 2005, Aya released her two mini-albums “CONSTELLATION” and “ROCK ON” from the independent record label WEED.
Check more out down at Last.fm.

Gordon N. Chan And The Post Office

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Thought this was interesting, and cool news:

The San Jose City Council voted unanimously Tuesday in support of Rep. Mike Honda's bid to rename the city's main post office on Lundy Avenue after Chinese-American community leader Gordon N. Chan.

Chan, who died in December 2001 at age 65, ran his family's plant nursery in San Jose for 30 years and became an influential leader in the area's Asian-American community.

The organizations he was involved with included the Bay Area Chrysanthemum Association, Asian Americans for Community Involvement, the Santa Clara Farm Bureau, the Santa Clara County Planning Commission, the Open Space Commission and the Santa Clara County Fair board. He also was an active member of the First Chinese Baptist Church of San Francisco.
Even though it still requires congressional approval - it seems like a good start to me, and his wife might also be added as well.

Stage: Under the Porcelain Mask

Wednesday, September 17, 2008



For all my peeps in Minneapolis - Asiamnesia by Sun Mee Chomet and Sia(b) by May Lee Yang, produced out by Mu Performing Arts is going to be heading to a theatre near you (starting today) at The Playwrights' Center until October 5th:

Asian American Women Speak Out
featuring two one-act plays:

Sia(b) by May Lee-Yang Directed by: Robert Karimi
Tired of being dissected and studied, one Hmong woman looks for the real heart of her community - only to learn that the Hmong heart, like the people, are a little off-center.

Asiamnesia by Sun Mee Chomet Directed by: Randy Reyes
Four daring young Asian-American women are driven to dance, drink, argue, reflect, and rest on one another as they clash between historical stereotypes and their own limitless dreams.
Go here for more information and to buy tickets.

UC Berkeley: Marrow Drive

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Just a word to the folks on campus that the University of California Berkeley and the Asian American Donor Program are holding a marrow and stem cell drive this Thursday:

The University of California, Berkeley and the Asian American Donor Program are holding a marrow and stem cell drive on campus today and Thursday to recruit potential donors.

People who want to register can visit Upper Sproul Plaza or the Campanile Esplanade until 4 p.m. today or starting at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

Qualifying registrants will have a sample taken using a cheek swab, and the sample will be taken in for testing.

Potential donors should be in good health and between the ages of 18 and 60. Registration requires a driver's license or a social security number.
For more information, call (800) 593-6667.

The Slants Go National

Tuesday, September 16, 2008



For the music heads out there - just wanted to make sure and mention that today The Slants went national with their debut album which should get them seen by a lot of new faces and hopefully heard by a lot of new people.

Not bad for a band that had their first show a little over a year ago.

Check out more down at their MySpace page or at their official site.

Blindness: Sandra Oh

Tuesday, September 16, 2008



Mentioned back in February, while the release date has changed multiple times, Sandra Oh should be coming to screen near you soon (end of September) in the movie Blindness where she's playing the Minister of Health.

Check out the extended trailer below

YouTube, Racism, And Thinking Out Loud

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

So I was checking into YouTube and caught some Asian faces on the Featured Videos section - which is always great to see - and I clicked on one which turned out to be a video by a user called fafinettex3 who gives out beauty and makeup tips (her most recent video has gotten about 100,000+ views).

From the comments people seem to like her, the tips are useful, and technically all should be good for this Asian American making an impact in her own way.

But the keyword is should.



Just Thinking Out Loud For A Moment

Originally I was going to pop in a screen shot of the YouTube user fafinettex3, but when I ended up viewing the post, I just couldn't get myself to do it. I couldn't bear to see this nice Asian American face with the phrase SMDYFDAC below it once I saw it out of the environment it was originally in - an environment where I almost expect to see this type of behavior because of the anonymity that it can bring with it.

And it started me thinking.

At first while I knew the comment got to me in the "Here's another racist person who doesn't have a clue" type of way, it didn't really get to me like it did when I put it together here without anything except the picture and the comments, and I have to ask myself the question of how desensitized do I sometimes get when witnessing racism in an online environment where in some ways we've been taught to think that it's not as real - that in some ways racist epithets online don't matter as much because they can be deleted and forgotten. Because sometimes we don't always think of them as "real words" coming from a "real person", but someone who just has a user account and a screen name.

Someone who in a way, we don't always think exists.

And while the fact is they do exist, that they are real, and that the words they use are directed to real individuals, I question if the same weight is given to racism online as it is offline or if instead we just brush it aside easier - and if I look at some of the things I post about in regard to race and racism, more often than not, I'm talking about things that happen in "real life" - movies, television, politics, songs, etc. - not really a lot of racism as it happens in the online world. There is some, but overall not as much - and I wonder if I just don't see it or I'm just not noticing it because of conditioning, and what does that say if it's not being recognized as much as offline racism.

DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival

Sunday, September 14, 2008



For my folks out in DC - the 9th annual Asian Pacific American Film Festival is coming your way September 25th and running through October 4th 2008 and in addition to having some pretty slick films (see below) they'll also be having a great music lineup during their kickoff party down at Temple Lounge including Exit Clov, Kid Koala, and Priscilla Ahn.

Check out the films playing:

Here are some other festival links: Purchase tickets, Program Schedule, Main Site, Blog, and Flickr.

It definitely looks like it should be a great time, so make sure to get on out, enjoy the festival, and support some APA film.

Dropping WWE Knowledge

Saturday, September 13, 2008

I'll fully submit to it now (sorry I couldn't help it) that I really don't have a lot of WWE knowledge, nor have I ever really followed the world of wrestling to the point that others have, so I can't really write an in-depth article on the lack of Asian faces in the WWE - but this recent article down at the Bleacher Report by Ronnie Bryce definitely delves into the topic:

The last time WWE had a champion of Asian descent was 1987 and it was Ricky Steamboat as Intercontinetal Champion. With the amount of talent from Japan and of asian decent you'd think WWE would have had more asian champions.

In today's day and age when we might be about to elect the first black president, and finally after centuries and decades of predjudice towards people from different countries and ethnicities, we as a country are finally making strides to treat everyone equal with the same equal opportunities.

That is however an exception if your in WWE.
Even though the WWE and wrestling isn't quite up my alley, a lot of people do enjoy it - and a lot of kids - so how about it WWE?

Can we get some better representation?

Bad Read: The Ninja Handbook

Saturday, September 13, 2008



Chalk this up to a book I won't be buying because I'm sick of askaninja.com, white guys who create ninja characters, white ninjas, bad white ninja opening songs, white ninja accents, and just all around white ninja-like people and characters.

I mean do we really need more of this?

David Carradine



Chuck Norris



Steven Seagal



Chris Farley



Uma Thurman



More David Carradine



Tom Cruise



Jack Black



I'm thinking the answer is no.