Hank Conger at the 2010 All-Star Futures Game/Getty
Keep your eye on Angels catching prospect Hyun-Choi “Hank” Conger, who was called up from the minors last Wednesday and made the most of his playing time. He came through with his first MLB hit and recorded two RBI in the 7-0 blowout over the Indians.
The Anaheim Angels’ first round pick in 2006, Conger is one of the top catching prospects in the minor leagues. At the 2010 All-Star Futures Game, he hit a three run home run, earning him MVP honors.
Asian Americans in movies! Coming very soon to a theater (or store) near you.
Brenda Song in The Social Network
It’s the film everyone is talking (and tweeting and status-updating) about. The Social Network tells the story of the troubled Harvard kids who created the online phenomenon known as Facebook. In the film, Song reportedly hooks up with Justin Timberlake, who plays Facebook’s first president Sean Parker. In theaters on October 1.
Michelle Rhee in Waiting For Superman
D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee is portrayed as the educational Joan of Arc in this documentary that lays out most of the arguments for what’s wrong with American public schools. Directed by Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth), the film is building tons of buzz, good and bad. In select theaters September 24.
Lucy Liu in Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
This straight-to-DVD/Blu-Ray Disney flick tells the story of Tinker Bell before she met Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Liu is the voice of Silvermist, a water fairy and one of Tinker Bell’s friends. In stores on September 24.
The cast of the Ktown reality show.
Eddie Kim, one of the producers of the much talked-about Ktown reality show, responded to questions and concerns about the project on Angry Asian Man. He’s been seeing a lot of comments on Facebook, news sites and blogs, and wanted to share with the community where he and his team stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Question #1: What channel will this show be on?
It’s in the works. True story. I’ve had a number of people commenting on facebook with passionate, fuming responses wondering when the F this show is gonna be on TV. And other FB patrons would respond by saying it’ll never be on air. At the same time, others are constantly confusing this with KTown Cowboys. I just met with my good friend Danny Cho from KTown Cowboys the other day, and he told me he gets asked a similar question all the time. All I can say is…it’s in the works. TV shows do not get made overnight. I am just grateful that there is such a huge demand from both yaysayers and naysayers. (Yaysayers…is that even a word?). Having said that, we hope to find out real soon. And when we do, I’ll of course let you know.
Common Question #2: Is this show going to perpetuate negative stereotypes?
This is an interesting question because the Asian American community immediately thought of the worst and made various negative judgments about the show while comparing it to Jersey Shore.
Although I understand the community’s desire to not display anything negative given the history of Hollywood’s portrayal of Asian Americans, I would like to remind the fact that the casting call said that this show would be similar to MTV’s Real World, Jersey Shore, The Hills, and more. The media and the community zoned in on the comparison to Jersey Shore alone. On a side note, I have a question: have you actually seen an episode of Jersey Shore? The guys there are pretty funny. All jokes aside, we are interested in portraying multiple sides to the cast’s personalities, not 1-dimensional characters. I would even argue that Asian male stereotypes might change from nerds to badasses. Hey, it’s possible. By the way, the last time there was an all-Asian cast on television, it was 15 years ago with Margaret Cho’s show, All American Girl. And last month, Margaret Cho stated on TMZ and CNN that she supports and would like to be a cast member of the K-Town reality show.
Common Comment #1: “This show is going to take Asians back 10 years!”
I’ve seen this comment floating around facebook a lot during the months of May and June. In fact, I personally know some of the people who were writing that statement and passing it on to their friends. It’s all good. As Tupac said, “I ain’t mad at cha. Got nothin’ but love for ya.” Let’s consider that comment though. 10 years ago was actually the year 2,000, man. What stereotypes have changed since that year? In the year 2,000, Michael Chang the tennis player won his final top title; Yu-Gi-Oh was a hit; and Yao Ming, the sexiest NBA player ever, was sought after only to join the league in 2002. In a related note, William Hung would enter our consciousness in 2004.
So I ask again, what major stereotypes have changed since the last 10 years? The bucktoothed ninja physicist with slanted eyes…I’m thinking that stereotype is still out there.
Common Comment #2: “This show is gonna be a disgrace to Asians!”
The last time I saw something similar to this kind of a response was during the VTech times of Cho Seung Hui or whenever anybody talked about Michelle Malkin.
Can this actually be a legit or even a logical comparison? But you know what? All of these comments and concerns are actually good. It proves that this show has struck a chord with America. This show has created more debate and discussion than anything in a long while. I’d say since Better Luck Tomorrow.
Overall, I believe this passionate debate is good. All of these clashing concerns are good. It’s been 8 months since the creation of this idea; 7 months since Tyrese Gibson (star of TRANSFORMERS and 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS) got involved; 5 months since casting; 2.5 months since filming the pilot; and 2 months since editing and planning for the show’s future. This show has garnered more press and attention here in America than any K-pop star, actor, or anything Korean since the LA Riots. And all I can say is that we are excited and we really appreciate all of the people who have been following this show! Let the healthy debate continue and please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube where all the updates are. Thank you!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ktownrealityshow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ktownrealitytv
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ktownrealityshow
So, this is what Asians like, according to OkTrends, the research project by mega dating site OkCupid. Researchers selected half a million OkCupid users at random and divided them into groups based their self-stated race. Then they looked at everyone’s profile essays and found the interests, hobbies tastes, and self-descriptions that are especially important to each racial group.
Look what we’re into!
Surfing the net
Currently studying
Computer games
That’s hot.
An interesting story in the Los Angeles Times reveals that while Asian Americans typically have the lowest unemployment rate in the U.S., once they lose their jobs, they have an especially hard time reentering the labor force.
One reason for their hurdles:
Asians often work for other Asians. During tough times, laid-off workers often aren’t sure where to turn. Language barriers and cultural differences can prevent some from understanding how to apply for jobs with employers outside their communities.
Have you seen this to be true? Please share your thoughts.
Photo from the Los Angeles Times
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Featured Event
One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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