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W H A T ' S   N E W
 
NOVEMBER 2003 NEWS
The Asian/Asian Pacific American communities have a constant struggle to have their voices heard exist in these "interesting times" in the American media. Acquiring an in-depth perspective of our historical heritages provides greater evidence of our communities' legacy. As stated in a well-known axiom - "If one doesn't know one's history, one is doomed to repeat its mistakes."

This is especially true in light of the many prominent events and crucial issues that are occurring throughout the United States, the Middle East, South America, Europe, Africa and throughout the rest of the world. our remembrance of the and other things such as the following:

"It is one of the ironies of our time that the techniques of a harsh and repressive system should be able to instill discipline and ardor in its servants - while the blessings of liberty have too often stood for privilege, materialism and a life of ease." John F. Kennedy's words still ring true today.

As a result, an invitation is extended to attend the many events and issues that have recently occurred directly affects the Asian/Asian Pacific American (US Asian) and/or emantes from these communities. In October's "Event Section" - it is our suggestion to support Byron Yee's "Paper Son" and East West Players' "Passion."

In light of the vast spectrum of topics, issues and events that are related to our communities, we've divided the vast amount of news into various categories that are listed below:

APA Media Polls Business Community
Diversity Events Featured Artists
Film & Television Literature Music
Politics R.I.P. Sports
Theater    
 

Please note that upon "CLICKING" on each link listed within this section, one will have the ability to obtain additional in-depth information on each even.

Invitation is extended to "chat" with other parties about APA Media issues by clicking on the banner listed on the "right"

APA MEDIA POLLS

CLICK HERE to participate in a "Film Poll" where you can tell us what movies from and/or with artists from the Asian/Asian Pacific American communities has the most buzz and support - along with reading some of the latest information regarding other APA movies and the film industry.

Listed below are the current films in the poll. (Please note that some of the films listed below are included in the Dragon's Roar DVD.)

ABC American Adobo American Desi
Bend It Like Beckham Better Luck Tomorrow Charlotte Someteimes
Close Call Debut Eye
Flip Side Full-Time Killer Monsoon Wedding
Notorious C.H.O. Together Way Home

YOUR MUSICAL INPUT IS NEEDED as we seek identify the talented and upcoming Asian/Asian Pacific American music artists and their songs in our "Music Poll."

Click HERE to participate in this poll that will indicate your opinion(s) on the music groups listed below, along with reading some of the latest information regarding selected artists and the music industry.

The artists included in this month's poll are listed below. Please note that some of the below-listed artists, including others from our Asian Pacific American Music Station at MP3.Com have been featured in the Dragon's Roar DVD.

Mia Doi Todd Second Wind Phuz
Ghost Orgy Florelie Escano Shell Lee
KJWAN Dig Jelly Burning Tree Projekt
Justis Kuo The Speaks Michelle Branch
Wendy Woo Linkin Park Elements of the Outer Realm

FEATURED ARTISTS & LEADERS

DRAGON'S ROAR MUSID DVD
 

 
On February 2004 - the Dragon's Roar DVD will be released containing the performances from a wide spectrum of music (i.e. hip-hop, rock, rap, pop, etc) being performed by groups such as Elements of the Outer Realm, Prach Ly, Ill Again, Noel, Cut the Chemist and The Sounders that was recorded on September 5, 2003.

In addition, there are "one on one" interviews with the these music artists that will explore why they have gone beyond just entertainers to being fujll-fledged artists. An added features are "one on one" interviews with participants from films such as Charlotte Sometimes, Better Luck Tomorrow, Looking for YlloGrl, First Vietnamese International Film Festival and Movie-Producer.Net.

This DVD documents the artists from the Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Hmong, Korean, Chinese and Japanese American communities that were brought together to celebrate their common passions to creatively express their respective stories and talents for the general public.

SUSAN CHOI
 

 
The daughter of a Korean immigrant father and a Russian-Jewish mother, Susan Choi was born in Indiana and raised in Texas. He met Susan's mother, daughter of a Russian Jewish immigrant couple, at the University of Michigan. They divorced when Susan was nine..

Her father's stories of life in Korea and of his experiences as a newly arrived immigrant in the American South would later inspire her own stories and her first novel.

She attended Yale, where she was a literature major, and went on to earn her M.F.A. in fiction at Cornell University. She now lives in New York City, where she has worked on the staff of The New Yorker. Choi's short fiction has appeared in Epoch, Documents, The Iowa Review, and Writing Away Here: A Korean-American Anthology.

The Foreign Student, her first novel, was chosen by Richard Eder of the Los Angeles Times as one of the Top Ten Books of 1998, and it won the Steven Turner Award for a First Book of Fiction. Her second, American Woman, based loosely on the Patty Hearst kidnapping in the '70s, is just released and already receiving raves from critics.

Her Publications include the following:

  • The Foreign Student, HarperCollins, 1998
  • "The Dark Ages," Epoch, v.47, n. 1, Fall 1998
  • "Harbor Deep," Shankpainter, n. 38, Spring 1999
  • "Memorywork," Hard Choices: An Iowa Review Reader, ed. David Hamilton, 1996
  • "The Runner," The Iowa Review, v.25, n.1, Winter 1995
  • "Seven," Writing Away Here: A Korean-American Anthology 1994
  • "Heir," Documents, n.4/5, Spring 1994
  • "Memorywork," The Iowa Review, v.23, n.2, Spring/Summer 1993
  • "The Way to Live Wisely," Epoch, v.41, n.2, Spring 1992
  • American Woman

SANDRA OH
 

 

Born in Nepean (suburb of Ottawa), Canada in 1971. Oh, whose parents emigrated to Canada from Seoul in the '60s, does not speak Korean and seems to see her Canadian identity as far more central to who she is than her Korean background.

Growing up, she began her career by studying and performing ballet (for fourteen years). In 1991, she left home to attend the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal, where she performed in eight plays.

She won the 1994 FIPA (Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels) d'Or for Best Actress for her role in the CBC production "Runaway: The Diary of Evelyn Lau." She received a Special Mention at the Turin (Italy) International Festival of Young Cinema (Nov. 18-24, 1994) for her role in "Double Happiness."

She won the 1995 Canadian Genie Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie "Double Happiness." Won the 1997 CableACE Award for Best Actress in a comdey series for her role in "Arli$$." Won the 1999 Canadian Genie Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie "Last Night." She's also played a detective on the TV series "Judging Amy" and an obnoxious newscaster in "More Tales of the City."

In 2003, Oh delivered a wrenching, critically acclaimed turn as a stripper with literary aspirations in the HBO movie "Dancing at the Blue Iguana." She appeared in the world premieres of "Dogeaters" at La Jolla Playhouse and "Stop Kiss" at New York's Public Theater, and she performed in "The House of Bernarda Alba" at L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum. In 2003, she appeared in the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" with Diane Lane.

She is married to Alexander Payne, of "About Schmidt," "Election" and "Citizen Ruth" fame.

STEVE BYRNE
 

 

He is one of the original "Kims of Comedy!"

Steve Byrne was born in Freehold, NJ on July 21, 1974. He is the son of Ok Cha and Steve Byrne. His mother is Korean and his father is Irish. He grew up in NJ and Pittsburgh.

When Steve entered his senior year of college at Kent State University, his family moved to New York City. September 30, 1997 he got onstage for the first time at Stand Up NY and has been performing ever since.

Steve was named as one of the top 10 comics to watch by Variety magazine. He just completed his first late night talk show stint on The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn. Steve followed that with a second late night set of stand up on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He taped a sketch for Dave Chappelles' show on Comedy Central. He has done dates as an opening act for Mariah Carey on her Charmbracelet tour.

Steve was on the very first episode of CBS's new version of "Star Seach" with Arsenio Hall. His stand up was featured on HBO, on "Comedy Shorts." He was invited on BET's "ComicView" twice, "Comedy Factory" television show in Rotterdam, Netherlands and he also taped a set on "Premium Blend" for Comedy Central.

ANTHONY MAR

American born Chinese Anthony Mar started his working career as a waiter at Yank Sing Restaurant in San Francisco. He worked for and with Alice Chan, the owner and Josephine Lo Fong the Head Chef. He has served luminaries such as Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Douglas and many others.

Mr. Mar has vast experience in business management from a variety of perspectives. He has served as CEO, CFO, Controller, Board Member and Analyst.

Mr. Mar’s background as an accountant and his tenure as an IRS agent have given him insightful knowledge that has secured many successes for the companies he advises.

His ability and talent in re-establishing profitability, developing relationships with credit resources, and thorough knowledge of tax minimization strategies create new avenues of wealth for his clients.

Mr. Mr. has developed and implemented corporate estate plans, employee stock option plans; cross purchase agreements and treasury stock buy back arrangements. He has worked with businesses across the country and throughout the Pacific Rim. He has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of San Francisco.

He established Anthony Mar Advisors, a business wealth advisory firm in 1999. The company consists of a team of highly qualified and experienced professional (i.e. Y.F. Cheung and Thomas Safir) with a bounty of products and strategies to help the business owner and the business make their vision a reality.

In most cases his firm does not take the place of either the company’s legal council or their CPA’s, in fact usually his firm compliments them. Mr. Mar’s firm uses a client based methodology in advising their clients.

Their one goal is to help business owners maximize the value of their companies thereby increasing the owners personal wealth and improving the quality of their lives. They accomplish this by synthesizingevery aspect of financial and operational management to turn under-performing companies into viable, growing concerns through re-capitalization, restructured operations and strategic planning.

They bring fresh perspectives concerning cash maximation, risk minimization, financial forecasting, financial institution negotiations, tax strategies, benefit and retirement plans and business insurance products. In addition, Anthony Mar Advisors provides support for the business owner with transition and succession planning, exit strategies and capital gains, estate and income tax minimization procedures. Their goal is to become a company's trusted advisor.

BAO TRAN CHI
 

 

Bao Tranchi's eccentric vision of defining individuality has been featured in the top magazines, on the top rock stars, while gazelling down the red carpets everywhere; colliding worlds of juxtaposition, masculine with feminine, delicate with edge, chaotic with a new world order. creating dripping decadence through the power of manipulation in handiwork and craftsmanship over the finest leathers, suedes, silk chiffons and jerseys, with the highest grades of woolens and cashmere.

Bao graduated at the top of her class at Otis College of Art & Design. Sweeping the awards, she then went to work with the elite of her industry: Madonna, Janet Jackson, Destiny's Child, Charlie's Angels, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Queens of the Dammed. Bao then took over the Henry Duarte store on the Sunset Plaza as the head designer and creative director.

There is nothing conformist about Bao Tranchi's design: avante garde, raw couture, with the deliverance of yesteryear's inspirations. The Bao Tranchi Collection is men and women.

L.A. -- so much more than Juicy 'We can do clothes that are avant-garde but also wearable,' says designer Bao Tranchi – whose fiancé and business partner is the musician Jack Atlantis.

RACHAEL YAMAGATA
 

 

This self-taught singer/musician released her debut EP in 2003 entitled EP. This recording was produced by Malcolm Burns for Private Music/ Arista Associated Labels) and reflected her influences of 1970's music (i.e. Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Carole King, etc.) and others (i.e. Fiona apple, Norah Jones, Bjork, Beth Orton, etc.).

Her background experiences also includes singing opera, fronting a funk-soul-hip-hop band, playing Madison Square Garden, opening for David Gray and getting radio airplay before releasing her first solo recording.

Rachael Yamagata was born in Arlington, VA inheriting her exotic beauty from her father of Japanese descent and mother of German and Italian ancestry. After her parents' divorce, she traveled between New York and Washington D.C.

At fourteen she began composing songs. Rachael attended Vassar and later Northwestern where she majored in theatre and spent a year studying opera. Upon her junior year in college, she met and eventually became part of Bumpus - Chicago’s funk/soul groove-oriented band – singing back-up vocals while playing keyboards and flute.

Eventually she took over the female lead vocals and recorded two albums with Bumpus, along with touring extensively with them. To find an outlet to release her musical vision, she decided to go solo after being with Bumpus for 4 ½ years.

Rachael recorded a 5-song demo with Doug McBride and Joe Wolmouth at Chicago's Gravity Studios. Craig Winkler became her manager after hearing her music at a CD duplication company that he runs.

Rachael's second solo performances included L.A.’s Viper Room in November 2001 and Chicago's MOBfest in 2003 that led to her being signed on Private Music, part of the Arista Associated Labels, by Executive VP/General Manager David Weyner and a team that included AAL Senior VP, Worldwide Marketing Jeb Hart and veteran A&R man Steve Ralbovsky (RCA).

In 2003, she was the opening act for David Gray at Detroit’s Fox Theater and at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 2003.

At the beginning of 2003, Rachael went into Malcolm Burns' Kingston Studios to record EP with help from leading lights Kevin Salem (Yo La Tengo), Matt Walker (Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage), Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors) and Jane Scarpantoni (everybody from Bruce Springsteen to Adam Green).

Rachael is presently working on her debut full-length follow-up to EP with John Alagia (Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, John Mayer) as well as planning a nationwide tour in 2003.

   OUR GOALS
The purpose of this section is the following:
OPPORTUNITY
to discover more about our dreams
UNDERSTANDING
our fears and our hopes and
UNCOVERING
invaluable and missing information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For additional and specific details on the information listed below, please CLICK on the “Titles” listed below.

APA & MEDIA NEWS
MANHATTAN'S CHINATOWN
Nobody says much about Chinatown these days. Not Manhattan Chinatown, anyway.
Read More>>>>>

HONG SUK CHON'S COMING OUT
Mr. Hong, a popular television actor, became the first well-known figure in South Korea to state publicly that he is gay.
Read More>>>>>

BOBBY JINDAL
In Louisiana's race for Governor, Republican Bobby Jindal, 32, born and raised in Baton Rouge by parents who emigrated from India whose experiences already include being a state health secretary, executive director of the national commission on Medicare, president of the University of Louisiana system and a top health-policy adviser to the Bush Administration could be governor.
Read More>>>>>

EWP'S SEASON
Lloyd Suh's "Masha No More," Philip Kan Gotanda's "The Wind Cries Mary," and David Henry Hwang's "M. Butterfly" are part of EWP's upcoming season.
Read More>>>>>

REVIEW: BYRON YEE'S "PAPER SON"
Byron Yee has been honing his autobiographical one-man show, "Paper Son," for several years on the small-theater circuit and was reviewed at Variety.
Read More>>>>>

REVIEW: FLOWER DRUM SONG
The 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Flower Drum Song" was a first. It is also a second. "It was the first Broadway musical comedy to focus on Asian Americans," says playwright David Henry Hwang.
Read More>>>>>

RUSH LIMBAUGH EFFECT
The NFL considers Limbaugh's comments insensitive to minorities, yet all but six NFL teams feature blatant T & A shows on their sideline and many, like the Eagles, sell lingerie or bikini calendars featuring these women with their buttocks fully exposed, with nothing but arms and elbows covering their breasts.
Read More>>>>>

HOLT CHENG - MEDICAL PIONEER
Holt Cheng was the first Chinese American who graduated from a U. S. medical school and passed the California Medical Board.
Read More>>>>>

JESSICA HAGEDORN'S NEW NOVEL
A narrative collage hopscotching from year to year, from place to place and from one point of view to another: that's what Jessica Hagedorn offers in her intricate new novel.
Read More>>>>>

INTERVIEW: JASON SCOTT LEE
Though forever remembered as a young Bruce Lee in the film Dragon (1993), Hawaii-based actor Jason Scott Lee is gearing up for one of his best year's yet.
Read More>>>>>

PULMUONE STAYS IN CALIFORNIA
Despite California's high business costs, Pulmuone USA Inc. (subsidiary of South Korean food giant Pulmuone Co.) has pinpointed Southern California as its beachhead for conquering the U.S. market for soy-based products.
Read More>>>>>

PARIS CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR
Actors Gong Li and Jackie Chan are honorary patrons of a nine-month nonstop festival bringing Chinese opera, circus and ballet - plus museum exhibits devoted to Chinese history, art and pop culture - to cities throughout France.
Read More>>>>>

KREUK IN "SMALLVILLE" DVD
One of the WB's most acclaimed and popular series is "Smallville" is being released on DVD with Kristen Kreuk.
Read More>>>>>

GROUCHO & MINORITIES
Although minorities were rarely seen on TV in the 1950's, except in minor and stereotypical roles, "You Bet Your Life" featured African American, Latino and Asian American contestants.
Read More>>>>>

GHETTOPOLY
The game is Ghettopoly (created by David Chang), which claims to satirize ghetto culture and gangsta-rap stereotypes. And in the last two weeks, since sales have expanded from the Web to the hip, Philadelphia-based retailer Urban Outfitters, it has been flying off shelves - and drawing protests from community leaders from the Asian and Black community (in addition to a lawsuit from Hasbro) to make the games unavailable.
Read More>>>>>

SUSAN CHOI'S "AMERICAN WOMAN"
Susan Choi, whose quietly skillful first novel, ''The Foreign Student,'' recounted dislocations in the life of a young Korean translator, could not have timed the arrival of her second any better. ''American Woman,'' a fictional account of the intersection of the radical activist Wendy Yoshimura with the fugitive Patty Hearst, takes us straight into one of the strangest segments of our ever-surreal American dream life.
Read More>>>>>

QUOTA ON ASIAN GOLFERS
Jan Stephenson said: "This is probably going to get me in trouble, but the Asians are killing our tour. Absolutely killing it. Their lack of emotion, their refusal to speak English when they can speak English. They rarely speak or challenge the statements.
Read More>>>>>

TAIWANESE YOUTHS PREFER HIP-HOP & J-POP
Taiwanese youth are attracted by things Japanese, with 40% like Japanese pop culture most, 23% like European and American pop culture, followed by local pop culture at 19%.
Read More>>>>>

DATING HABITS
When someone argues that a woman like Lucy Liu, who plays a sexy lawyer named Ling Woo on FOX TV's Ally McBeal, reinforces stereotypes of Asian women as exotic sexual beings, the complaint seems to ignore the larger reality that women - especially women in film and television - are constantly portrayed as erotic subjects. In other circumstances, Lucy Liu is accused of being stereotyped as a "Dragon Lady" that kicks butt.
Read More>>>>>

STORY BEHIND MEDIA PORTRAYALS
Until the late 1980s whiteness was consistently naturalized in U.S. television--social whiteness, that is, not the "pinko-grayishness" that British novelist E.M. Forster correctly identified as the standard skin-hue of Europeans.
Read More>>>>>

YELLOW PORN
In the U.S. adult film industry, Asian women are a sexual fetish and Asian men are almost completely absent. Prof. Darrell Hamamoto wants to change that -- by producing skin flicks with Asian male stars.
Read More>>>>>

VAN VO'S STRONG SHOWING
Perhaps the most surprising local showing came from Van Vo, a talk-show host in Little Saigon. He campaigned heavily in Asian American neighborhoods, boosting him to fifth among candidates for California's governor in Orange County, with 0.4% of the vote.
Read More>>>>>

R.I.P.: DOUGLAS FANG
Douglas Fang, chief operating officer of the San Francisco Examiner and other Fang family Bay Area publications, has died. A graduate of Lowell High School in San Francisco, Douglas Fang earned his bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley. Master's and doctorate degrees in computer science followed at USC, where he served briefly on the faculty. After graduating, Fang helped start, develop and operate several high-tech companies, including Bridgespan, where he served as a senior vice president.
Read More>>>>>

SHIRIN EBADI WINS NOBEL PRIZE
Iranian jurist and activist Shirin Ebadi was awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for her long fight for human rights in her native land, becoming the first Iranian and the first Muslim woman to win the honor.
Read More>>>>>

APAMC'S MEDIA REPORT
The grades in the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition's report reflect the progress or lack of progress each network has made in its diversity efforts relating to Asian Pacific Americans (APA) resulting from their efforts - so states Karen Narasaki.
Read More>>>>>

STATE OF CHINESE POP
During the 2003 Chinese Pop Music Forum in Beijing early last week, more than 150 pop music composers, songwriters and arrangers from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore met to discuss the status of Chinese Pop.
Read More>>>>>

PLANET BOLLYWOOD
Indian musicals are hip, sure, but the Hollywoodization of Bombay cinema may not be as imminent — or as desirable — as advertised
Read More>>>>>

CHINESE BUSINESSMEN ARE HAGGLERS
"I just made that a policy," Uberdeveloper John Elkington (who speaks for "Over-the-Rhine" business owners in Cincinnati and paid by Counselman John Cranley and Mayor Charlie Luken for consultant services) says. "Chinese businessmen are hagglers. They use different math." The man singing the praises of diversity won't rent to Chinese restaurants.
Read More>>>>>

KOREAN IT LEADERS
Prominent Korean/Korean American players in the worldwide proliferation of the International technology industry include Chong-Moon Lee, Dr. William C.Y. Lee, Sungshin Kwak, Tae Hea Nahm, Anthony Sun, Sateesh B. Lele, Michael Yang, Sung Y. Yoon and Dr. Fan Hsu.
Read More>>>>>

COKE APOLOGIZES TO YAO
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming and Coca-Cola's China subsidiary have agreed to an out-of-court settlement over his contention that the soft-drink giant used his image without his permission, the company and the government's official news outlet reported.
Read More>>>>>

YOYO IS STILL #1
Classical Crossover's # 1 position belongs to Yo-Yo Ma! Obrigado Brazil continues to chart on the Billboard top 200 and on airwaves across the USA.
Read More>>>>>

INTERNMENT CAMP'S BASEBALL DIAMOND
Baseball was one of the positive points of internment camp life. ``While we were interned,'' Kashino (an internee) told William C. Rhoden of the New York Times, ``baseball saved us.''
Read More>>>>>

CULTURE PERCEPTIONS
"What's the difference between minstrelsy and black behavior, black culture?" Ms. Tricia Rose (teacher of an African American studies course) asked the class of about 125, waving her hands as she paced, her dark curls shaking.
Read More>>>>>

APA PORN FILM DISTRIBUTORS
Anh Tran, 27, and Danny Ting, 28, two former consultants who worked for the now defunct Arthur Andersen are entrepreneurs who are literally helping to change the way people look at adult movies via their website Wantedlist.com.
Read More>>>>>

INDIAN SPICE
Kochia India's people, known as Malayalees, call it "God's own country" or "the blessed land," not least because of its irresistible food.
Read More>>>>>

LIGHTING OF CHINATOWN
In pursuit of a more distinctive ambience for the area, members of L.A.'s Chinatown Business Improvement District paid $200K to supplement the L. A. Bureau of Street Lighting's $300K for 50 dark green poles & 42 "post-top" pedestrian lights featuring windowed lamps shaped like Asian temples and decorated with gold detail motifs, including a Chinese dragon.
Read More>>>>>

LAURA KIM @ WARNER INDEPENDENT PICTURES
Laura Kim, a PR veteran, has been named EVP of publicty and marketing at the new Warner Independent Pictures.
Read More>>>>>

ANDY LAU'S FOCUS FILMS
Andy Lau's Focus Films Limited will focus on films investment and distribution, while constantly seeking opportunities to finance or co-finance in films.
Read More>>>>>

R.I.P.: MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK
Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the widow of China's leader during World War II and the era's last surviving global figure, died in New York. She was 106.
Read More>>>>>

BRUCE LEE - AFRICAN/ASIAN FUSION
Anyone who is not already steeped in the kung fu cult of Bruce Lee movies may have a problem with "Black Belt," a puzzling new exhibit at the Studio Museum in Harlem about the intersection of African-American and Asian-American cultures in the 1970s and '80s.
Read