They Call Us Bruce

In Episode 239, Jeff and Phil discuss the HBO original limited series The Sympathizer, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, with author Viet Thanh Nguyen and scholar Philip Nguyen, host of the official Sympathizer Podcast. They talk about the meta-upon-meta textual sandwich of adapting this modern classic into an epic television series, that time director Park Chan-wook came over to Viet's house -- hide the octopus! -- and the brilliant decision to cast the "dude playing a dude disguised as another dude" as alllll the white guys in The Sympathizer. BONUS: Keep listening to hear an episode of The Sympathizer Podcast with Robert Downey Jr., Hoa Xuande, Vincent Van Dyke, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Don McKellar.

In Episode 238, Jeff and Phil welcome historian and professor Mae Ngai, co-editor of the book  Corky Lee's Asian America: Fifty Years of Photographic Justice, a collection of over 200 photos celebrating the history and cultural impact of the Asian American social justice movement from the lens of late photojournalist and activist Corky Lee. She talks about Corky's calling as "the inundisputed, unofficial Asian American photographer laureate" and his lifelong quest to document, empower and create community change with his camera. Also: Jeff talks about that time he and Corky lost track of time. 

Jeff and Phil welcome co-creator/executive producer Alexander Woo and director Derek Tsang, two of the key creators behind the Netflix series 3 Body Problem. They talk about the challenges of adapting Liu Cixin's epic science fiction novels for a global television audience, the authenticity required to re-create a dark moment China's history, who is responsible for what is possibly the best line of dialogue in the entire series, and the painstaking considerations that went into making that one really horrific scene. If you know, you know. Also: The Good, The Bad and The WTF of making 3 Body Problem.

Jeff and Phil welcome their old friends Sujata Day (Definition Please, Heroes' Feast) and Dino-Ray Ramos (DIASPORA) to talk about the action revenge thriller Monkey Man, written/directed by and starring Dev Patel. They discuss this new take on storytelling from the South Asian diaspora, this blessed era of the Dev Patel Glow-Up, some of the political, religious and cultural controversy surrounding the movie, and of course, the badass action sequences (both borrowed and new) -- including the moment that had everybody in the movie screaming. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Monkey Man.

Jeff and Phil welcome Pawan Dhingra, associate provost and associate dean of the faculty at Amherst College and current president of the Association for Asian American Studies. He talks about the newly minted AAPI Studies program at Amherst -- the first of its kind for liberal arts colleges -- what's behind the seemingly sudden surge of interest in Asian American Studies, and how the field still needs to grow and expand. Pawan also talks a bit about Kumon, the South Asian stranglehold on the spelling bee, and his incredibly titled book Hyper Education: Why Good Schools, Good Grades, and Good Behavior Are Not Enough.

Jeff and Phil welcome Albert Kim, showrunner of Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. He talks about the epic challenge of adapting the beloved animated series, "remixing" the original show's story elements for the streaming format, the cultural considerations that go into building an Asian-inspired fantasy world (does Iroh have an accent?) and casting Asian and Indigenous actors for these iconic roles. Plus: Jeff divulges Albert's personal email address. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Jeff and Phil welcome Kim Cooper and Scott Okamoto, co-hosts of the podcast Asians in Baseball, just in time for spring training. They discuss the current renaissance of Asian and Asian American players in Major League Baseball; becoming a baseball fan in this extraordinary moment; Shohei Otani's ass; the Lenn Sakata Fan Club; and the unifying love of Kim Ha-Seong. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Asians in baseball.

Jeff and Phil welcome Olivia Cheng and Dianne Doan, stars of the badass action series Warrior (now on Netflix!). They talk about how the show has embodied the fighting spirit of Bruce Lee; some of the initial trepidation and concerns they had about their roles at the beginning of the production; and why Olivia is the Ginger Rogers of Warrior. Also: a guest appearance from Dianne's dog and why Olivia's early role as "Dim Sum Girl #1" actually completes an interesting full-circle moment. 

In this special conversation recorded live at Asia Society in New York City, Jeff welcomes newly minted Academy Award nominee Celine Song, writer/director of Past Lives. (Spoiler warning!) They discuss the real-life autobiographical moment that inspired her film's bilingual, bi-cultural center; telling a story about the people who hold and know the different parts of ourselves; and how things might have ended up differently for Nora and Hae Sung if they just had better tech and a stronger internet connection. 

Jeff and Phil welcome filmmaker Sean Wang, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó, a love letter to his own grandmothers. He talks about making an unapologetically personal film about the everyday lives of these two extraordinary women, why Wài Pó wields a sword, and the amazing gift of getting to experience the film's success as a family. Also: The Good, The Bad, and WTFarts of making Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó.

Jeff and Phil ring in the Year of the Dragon and welcome back friend, journalist and fellow podcaster Ada Tseng to talk about her Los Angeles Times piece which asked and answered a very important question: Which are the "most Asian" Costcos in Southern California? They discuss why the wholesale chain holds a particular appeal for Asian American shoppers, the specialty items you can only find at the Most Asian Costcos, and the spiritual journey of purchasing Kirkland clothing. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Costco.

Jeff and Phil welcome graphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham, who have joined forces for Lunar New Year Love Story, a heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love. They talk about Gene's real-life origins of merging Valentine's Day and Lunar New Year celebrations, the bad dates and relationships that inspired some of their characters' turmoil, and the natural pan-Asian diversity that infuses the cast and community narrative of Lunar New Love Story.

Jeff and Phil welcome back filmmaker Bao Nguyen, director of the documentary The Greatest Night in Pop, which goes behind the scenes of the fateful, once-in-a-lifetime night in 1985 when music's biggest stars gathered to record "We Are the World." He talks about the unique way this iconic pop song transcended cultures and generations, why he told this story like a heist movie, and getting to film at Bruce Springsteen's house. He also may or may not explain Dan Aykroyd's participation in "We Are the World." 

Jeff and Phil welcome Justin Chien and Sam Song Li, the stars of the Netflix family crime drama The Brothers Sun. They talk about getting their big shot to play Charles and Bruce -- the titular Brothers Sun; acting opposite the queen herself, Michelle Yeoh; and all the hard work that went into kicking ass (and not getting your ass kicked) in the show's epic fight scenes. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making The Brothers Sun. (Note: this episode happens to be sponsored by Netflix and The Brothers Sun.)

Jeff and Phil welcome back their favorite usual suspects, Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of DIASPORA, to do a deep dive into the Netflix family crime drama The Brothers Sun, starring Michelle Yeoh (but not before a brief recap of recent award show happenings, including the Emmys and Golden Globes). They discuss "rice rocket energy," the #1 Seafood Restaurant, why the San Gabriel Valley is the perfect setting for this Asian American gangster show, and their hopes for a second season of The Brothers Sun. 

Jeff and Phil welcome back their pals Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter and Dino-Ray Ramos of DIASPORA to take one last look back at the year that was, plus a look forward, with a special super-sized edition of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF (What's The Future). They discuss, among other things, the post-Everything Everywhere All at Once Multiverse, messy Asians, controversies, Beef, Past Lives, Joy Ride, Shortcomings, Elemental, hopes, dreams, fears, and much more. This episode is sponsored by the Netflix series The Brothers Sun.

Jeff and Phil close out 2023 and welcome critic and commentator Jae-Ha Kim to talk all things K -- from K-dramas to K-pop, and all the other ways Korean pop culture has spread its infectious K-embrace across the globe. They discuss the best K-dramas of the year (according to Jae-Ha), what happens when BTS takes a break for military service, and the recent tragic death of Lee Sun-kyun. Phil also admits -- nay, declares -- his love of NewJeans.

Jeff and Phil welcome James Wan, filmmaker behind iconic movies like Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, Aquaman and now, its sequel, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. He talks about his journey from making indie horror flicks to tentpole blockbusters, shares his tricks for avoiding sequel-itis, and attempts to say something bad about Randall Park. Presented in partnership with Gold House.

Jeff and Phil welcome two of the creators behind the Netflix animated action series Blue Eye Samurai, co-creator/co-showrunner Amber Noizumi and supervising director/producer Jane Wu. They discuss some of the personal connections that sparked the tale of mixed race warrior Mizu, bringing a decidedly Asian American take on an Edo-period samurai story, and the lengths they went to assemble the personnel for one of the most badass shows you'll ever see.

Recorded live at Bās Bookshop in Honolulu, Hawaii! Jeff and Phil celebrate the release of Jeff's new book The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America, which explores the history of Asian Americans on the silver screen, and the iconic films that have shaped Hollywood, representation, and American culture. They talk about why this moment in representation seemed like the right time for this book, how Jeff chose the movies that "made the cut," and a reconsideration (or reimagining) of Long Duk Dong. Also, in The Good, The Bad and The WTF, they offer some unpopular opinions about Asian American cinema. Special thanks to Aly Ishikuni-Sasaki and the team at Bās Bookshop.