ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST

Clinical psychologist and progressive Christian Hall believes that, despite the killer's denial, this was an anti-Asian hate crime. Hall also believes that Long's so-called "sex addiction" has deep roots in the "purity culture" that continues to pervade white Evangelicalism. 

Adventurer, spiritual leader, and artist Gideon Tsang tackles this question with the signature style of a Seven. Intermixed with stories of travel and making new friends in surprising places, is a commitment to honest self-assessment. Gideon shares how his Enneagram journey has led to personal and spiritual transformation in a series of readings that will delight readers and enlighten readers who want to understand the world of the Seven more fully. 

Given the appalling 1,900% increase in violence aimed at Asian Americans today, friends and fellow podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp had an in-depth and honest conversation about not just pandemic-related racism focused on Asian Americans, but also the oft-ignored dark chapters of America's history where Asians have suffered and died because they were made the scapegoats..

The successful landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars prompted this second fascinating conversation with Dr. Vasavada, NASA's project scientist for the Curiosity rover, which has determined that Mars once could have been home to living organisms! If there was life, the technology on the latests rover will hopefully find evidence of this.

LA-based Korean American therapist Sharon Kwon decided to stick her neck out and write a piece to address the external and internal forces that keep contributing to Asians in America being overlooked and "othered." The Huffington Post published her piece on 2/18/21 and it immediately went viral.

Three former pastors and current podcasters Ken Fong, Brad Onishi, and Ken Kemp hosted a Zoom webinar on Feb. 10, 2021, sharing some of their respective journeys of deconstruction and awakening amidst Post Modern progressivism. They discuss the Insurrection, Inauguration, and the future of Trumpism, as well as take questions from some in the webinar.

Alex Lee is the first from Generation Z (born between 1996 and 2015) to be elected to the California State Assembly (11/2020). He is also openly bisexual and a proud Progressive Democrat who is following in the large footsteps of Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Long-time friends Lee and Kim wrote and directed this amazing film about a family of Korean American immigrants both struggling to achieve the American Dream and to figure out how to manage their complex generational differences.

This close-up look at the oldest Chinatown in North America brings readers to a deeper understanding of this iconic destination. Evan's images capture the diversity and humanity of the densest urban neighborhood west of Manhattan. This book tells the story of Chinatown from the perspectives of tourism, daily life, and celebrations and traditions

Princeton sociology doctoral student Megan Kang recently spent a month of Saturdays hanging out with impassioned Trump supporters in order to understand why they continue to stand with this twice-impeached, insurrection-inciter. 

Even though she's still in high school, Riya has already proven herself to be a pioneering leader and grassroots organizer. As a South Asian American female adolescent, her dreams of where she'll make her mark have only been expanded by the election of Vice President Kamala Harris. She is passionate about gender equality and the environment, and attuned already to the complexities of intersectionality.

Author and award-winning Harvard Business School associate professor Laura Huang lays out what her research has revealed about what anyone can do to gain an "edge" in nearly every avenue of life.

Toby's life was going great. He was doing amazing, fulfilling work and he had a wonderful, loving family. So when a blood vessel in his brain burst one morning, he didn't see it coming. Almost three years later, he still can't work, he might never fully recover, and his family is still living with the consequences of his stroke. This is a rare and invaluable conversation about how a person deals with his entire life coming to a screeching halt.

Onishi grew up in a non-religious family as Christian Nationalism began to explode and expand in Orange County and beyond. He became a zealous convert, graduated from a Christian college, but his graduate studies revealed a more complicated world beyond his bubble. Today he is a religious studies professor who is not a Christian, but still a person of faith. He is an expert on unpacking Christian Nationalism and the rise of Donald Trump.

Without a doubt, 2020 has been a year to forget, but one we will long remember. Friends and fellow podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp look back on their 2020 episodes for ones that still resonate strongly with them. They also talk frankly about a glaring blindspot for some of the champions for racial reconciliation.

Nancy Sun is also an actor and writer who coaches high-achieving professionals and creatives to advance their careers, pivot industries, and/or develop as leaders. She is a Lehman Bros. alumnus, a Princeton-in-Asia fellow, and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

How does a mother who grew up in the throes of the Cultural Revolution in China convey the impact of that to her only child who grew up as an Asian American? "Mulberry Child" is both a timeless lesson on the evolution of family dynamics and a fascinating history lesson.

Veteran actor Grace Shen plays an older Asian American woman who survived being forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Army. 

Joe Kye was born in Korea and grew up in Seattle. He graduated from Yale and in 2013 launched his career as a professional violinist, looper, and innovator. On his return to the podcast, he talks about the impact the pandemic has had on his young family and how he's turned the challenges and obstacles of COVID-19 into opportunities to innovate even further.

As we both digested our respective Thanksgiving dinners, The Beached White Male Podcast host Ken Kemp and I discussed the possibility that coastal elites like us may have mischaracterized rural Americans who still voted for Trump. But that was just the jumping off point for our monthly collaborative conversation about what's happening in America.

It took them about 37 years to finally embrace their queer sexuality and non-binary gender identity. But that was after joining and leading a violent Asian gang, then joining a string of conservative Christian churches and letting them use them to promote a "pray the gay away" agenda around the world. But they are finally out, having found a path that affirms their full identity and faith in God.

Veteran broadcast journalist E. Samantha Cheng and her team just published "Honor and Duty: The Chinese American WWII Veterans." Now the little-know acts of heroism and significant, sacrificial contributions of tens of thousands of Chinese American veterans during the Second World War is finally established in the annals of U.S. history.

While it took him years to figure out what he was good at, Joe Ide's 4th novel in his "IQ" detective series is the latest evidence that he's definitely found his spot! He's masterfully reimagined Sherlock Holmes as a brilliant Black detective solving daunting crimes in the LA basin.

Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Fukunaga recently released his second full-length film "Ainu Mosir" on Netflix and in Japanese theaters. It's a soft-spoken coming-of-age story of a 14-year-old boy who belongs to the group of indigenous people in northern Japan called "Ainu."

Joshua Wong grew up as the closeted gay son of the "Billy Graham" in SE Asia. But his love for designing women's shoes ultimately had him working side by side with Ralph Lauren! These days, he heads up his own design studio while studying to be an Episcopal priest.

Ruby Le was an MFT but while counseling married couples, concluded that some couples never should have tied the knot. After working for several major dating companies, she launched www.goodgentleman.com. She has give a highly rated TEDx Talk on the dating, and has even had a 91-year-old man as a client. 

Two long-time friends and now fellow podcasters, Ken Fong and Ken Kemp decided to record their initial reactions and predictions an hour after they learned that Biden had officially beaten Trump.

Since Asian America launched over 6 years ago, there's been a veritable explosion of AAPI podcasts. With this being such a consequential election, "Dear Asian America" host Jerry Won worked with Biden/Harris' AAPI engagement team to pull together this representative group of AAPI podcasters, all of whom are using their platforms to help Biden defeat Pres. Trump.

Jason Chu is a poet, musician, artist, and activist who in part is inspired by his progressive faith as a Christian. He talks about the renewed partnership of AAPIs with BLM. He also expounds on how his music has evolved since landing in LA several years ago.

Growing up in rural Arkansas, An saw her parents struggle after fleeing the war. She's now partnered with the Asian Mental Health Collective. Intro: The Hard But Crucial Work of Reconstructing

Adrienne Robillard and Dawn Sakamoto Paiva are the writer and photographer of their first cookbook, "The 'Ohana Grill Cookbook". They share some of the personal stories behind their favorite recipes and the emphasis on storytelling in Hawaiian culture. (Intro: Midnight Diner)

Before COVID-19, Tina Wu Fredericks was frustrated with the issues she saw in her educational community and decided to run for Pasadena Unified School District Board Member. As the election on 11/3 approaches, she talks about how the issues she campaigns on have been impacted by the pandemic. (Intro: 3 Vignettes)

Congressional Candidate David Kim for CA-34 in the U.S. House of Representatives (https://davidkim2020.com/) shares some of his campaign platform and how being a second-generation Korean-American and immigration attorney led him to pursue this step in public service. (Intro: A Life That Brought Others Together)

Author Jenny Bhatt shares how she went from a myriad of careers to writing her debut book, "Each Of Us Killers": a collection of short stories exploring the space between our work and our emotional lives, particularly through her unique experience as a South Asian-American woman. (Intro: Running Out of Margin)

Two guests share their stories and connection to the Asian American Drug Abuse Program: Kevin Shibuya, a graduate and now counselor for the program, and renowned saxophonist Michael Paulo who has regularly contributed his musical talents to past Showtime events. (Intro: How I Got Involved with AADAP) 

Latin teacher by day and tattoo artist by night, Phuc Tran shares how he went from TEDx stage to writing his now released memoir, "Sigh, Gone": a coming of age story interweaving his Vietnamese-American adolescence with his love of punk rock and classic literary references. (Intro: The 2020 Census)

Baoky Vu, a longtime Republican active in the political process, talks about his recent CNN Op-Ed suggesting that older Vietnamese-American voters could play a key role in voting margins in November and why he's not voting for Trump. (Intro: Mulan)

Maeley Tom's new book, "I'm Not Who You Think I Am", chronicles her life and career journey from political neophyte to seasoned insider as the first woman and ethnic minority to reach the top of an all-male, nearly all-white power elite in the California capitol. (Intro: Car Buying Hassles)

Helen Li helps make politics engaging to AAPI Gen-Z and Millennial youth through her podcast "Fresh Off The Vote" specifically timed for this year's election. Helen and Ken discuss her experience at the 2020 Democratic National Convention as a delegate representing American voters abroad. (Intro: First, Clean Up Your Mess)

Bao Nguyen, director of ESPN documentary film "Be Water" on the life of Bruce Lee, shares what makes his perspective on Lee's story unique as an Asian American filmmaker, and what we could learn from Bruce Lee regarding American systemic racism today. (Intro: Missing The Life Moments)

Susan Park lives with a mission to give as much as she can to those who are in need. Not only is she the founder of AA4H (Asian Americans For Housing), her family-owned restaurant Revolutionario serves meals to the homeless on Skid Row, and she plans to one day operate a mobile food pantry. (Intro: Living Room Update)

In "The Last Cherry Blossom", author Kathleen Burkinshaw honors her mother's survival of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima as a young girl through the lens of historical fiction, and hopes her book will help young readers learn about the damages of nuclear war and the healing of empathy and forgiveness. (Intro: Water Bill)

Dr. Alexander Jun and Reverend Wendy Tajima discuss how living out the Christian faith includes recognizing one's complicity in anti-black racism alongside showing solidarity for the black community, and invite you to attend the AAPI Christians for Black Lives prayer vigil in Los Angeles on August 1st. (Intro: A Bridge Too Far)

Speaker, strategist, and standup comedian Simmone Park shares about her journey to find herself, her identity as a strong and confident Korean Canadian woman, and how her desire to create a positive impact and speak the truth about what she sees in the world led her to comedy. (Intro: The NEOWISE Comet)

Angie Kim talks about how her experiences as a Korean immigrant, a former trial attorney, and a mother of a "submarine" patient led her to write her first novel, the award-winning legal thriller "Miracle Creek". (Intro: Into An Ice Age)

Lucas Kwan Peterson, award-winning columnist and video producer for the Food section of the Los Angeles Times, shares some of his favorite food spots in LA and Las Vegas, as well as the experiences that led him to a career built on loving food. (Intro: A New Way Of Togetherness)

In a world full of noise, is silence more than just the absence of sound? Filmmaker Patrick Shen shares what he's learned while making his latest film "In Pursuit Of Silence", a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence and the impact of noise on our lives. (Intro: It's Time To Move On)

Valerie Soe comes by the podcast to talk about her documentary feature film "Love Boat: Taiwan" that explores how a small government sponsored cultural program to promote Taiwan became a coming-of-age experience for many Chinese and Taiwanese Americans to hook up and find romance. (Intro: This Father's Day)

As a writer-director who grew up closeted in the conservative church, Steven J Kung couldn't find stories about Asian American men in leading roles or exploring LGBTQ+ identity, so he created his own: his feature film A Leading Man and the Koreatown episode of HereTV’s Falling For Angels. (Intro: Not An Agenda Pt. 2)

Ella Baker shares her journey of coming out as a transgender woman shortly after she turned 30, navigating her life as a person of faith as well as a queer transgender woman, and how she plans to use her experience as an educator to uplift transgender students. (Intro: Is This A Calling Bullshit Moment In History?)

Actor Michael Tow talks about his role in the newly released film "Lucky Grandma" and the cultural easter eggs in it that await Asian-American audiences. He also reflects on his seasoned career as an actor and producer, and how casting calls for Asian-American roles in Hollywood have changed over time. (Intro: 8 Minutes)

Victoria Vang Rivera, host of the podcast "American Born Hmong", reflects on her experience as a Hmong American and her mission to spark dialogue within the Hmong community through the stories of healing and personal growth that she shares on her podcast. (Intro: Searching Individual) 

(Part 2 of 2) Al & Jane Nakatani share about how gun violence and HIV/AIDS led to the deaths of each of their three sons, Glen, Greg, and Guy. After their deaths, Al and Jane formed the non-profit, "Honor Thy Children, Inc.", to honor their memory. (Intro: Not An Agenda)

(Part 1 of 2) Al & Jane Nakatani talk about the systemic and societal failures that contributed to the deaths of all three of their sons and how they arrived at their lifelong mission of educating parents and institutions how to affirm the inherent value and diversity of children and youth. (Intro: Try New Things, But Also Do What's Helpful)

It's a special episode to kick off our 6th year of the podcast! We get an extensive overview of the new PBS documentary series "Asian Americans" from showrunner and senior producer Renee Tajima-Peña, as well as a look at the unique curriculum created for the series with educator Nick Yeh. (Intro: Welcome to Los Angeles)

Michelle Hanabusa, Bryan Pham, and Tammy Cho talk about creating #HateIsAVirus, a social media campaign raising $1 million to support small Asian-owned businesses and bringing awareness of racism in the community due to COVID-19. (Intro: An Acute Pain Felt All Over)

Nina Wallace, communications coordinator at Densho, addresses why Andrew Yang's Op-Ed for The Washington Post, particularly his reference to Japanese Americans serving during WWII, is a problematic one. She also discusses Yang's recent response to the criticisms towards his controversial remarks. (Intro: Back Pain)

From his musical influences, the story behind how he chose his artist name, and how he plans to expand his career path after graduation from Wesleyan University, it is clear that rapper Son of Paper (Kyle Jae Shin) applies thoughtful intentionality in everything he does. (Intro: The Limits of Sympathy).

Psychotherapist, former journalist, and spoken word poet Sam Louie returns to discuss the problematic racialization of the COVID-19 pandemic on AAPIs, including President Trump's use of the term "Chinese Virus" to describe the virus. (Intro: Andrew Yang, You're Not Helping).

Infectious diseases MD Dr. Scott Kim offers his informed view on what may lie ahead with the novel COVID-19 pandemic and what the United States needs to do effectively right now, as well as his predictions of how long the pandemic will last depending on what action is taken. (Intro: Masks). 

Hana Wu shares her journey to becoming an actor after a life in academia, discovering along the way her own definitions of calling, faith, and success. She also opens up about her personal struggle with depression and practicing self care in a competitive acting industry. (Intro: An Unexpected New Friend).

Shandra Woworuntu recounts how she became a survivor of human trafficking after coming to the US from Indonesia. Not only did she eventually escape her captors and help convict her traffickers, she now serves as an advisor and founder of organizations fighting for human rights. (Intro: Care During Coronavirus)

Ken invites physician Dr. Leana Wen and sociologist Dr. Rosalind Chou to discuss the current impact of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), including clearing up misconceptions about the virus and fighting against awakened xenophobia towards Asians and AAPIs. (Intro: Debunking The Myth)

Husband and wife team Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu return to the podcast to talk about how their award-winning short documentary film "Finding Cleveland" turned into full-length documentary "Far East Deep South" that is currently on the festival circuit. (Intro: That's Not Teriyaki)

Josh Chuck talks about co-directing with his father, Harry Chuck, the documentary film "Chinatown Rising", which explores the iconic neighborhood, its rich and changing history, and the activists who helped shape it during times of oppression. (Intro: Checking My Idealized Expectations)

Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reveals the pervasive damage the "Doctrine of Discovery" as a distorted view of Christianity has done to justify American triumphalism, white supremacy, and ongoing injustices towards minorities and indigenous peoples in his new book with co-author Mark Charles, "Unsettling Truths". (Intro: President's Day)

Dr. Jun Young shares his personal journey of coming out as a gay Christian in mid-life and the aftermath, including the rejection by faith organizations that he previously served in, and his new non-profit, Beloved Arise, that serves to celebrate and empower queer youth of faith. (Intro: Things Are Moving)

Rowena Chiu recounts her alleged assault by Harvey Weinstein and the decades of traumatizing silence afterwards. She talks about how her upbringing in a Chinese church culture influenced her fear of speaking up and urges these communities to create safer spaces for people to be imperfect. (Intro: My Daughter's Aquarium)

Walk with Anime is a premiere MC, DJ, host, and full-time accountant. She talks about the struggles of dating as an accomplished woman with ambition, why her mother is the reason for her drive to succeed, and her mission to be "Asian Ellen DeGeneres" and spread positivity through her work. (Intro: A Week of Reminders) 

Fashion and graphic designer jeffstaple (née Jeffrey Ng) schools us on street culture in fashion and how he went from college dropout to founder and creative director of the world renowned Staple Design Studio. (Intro: A Prayer For Ryan)

Cartoonist Gene Luen Yang returns to talk about his latest work as a writer for DC comics ("Superman Smashes the Klan", "New Super-Man") and his upcoming graphic novel "Dragon Hoops", showing us a historical look behind the similarities between superhero culture and the immigrant journey. (Intro: The Green Ninja)

Arthur Dong returns to promote his book "Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films", a richly detailed look at the Chinese American influence on American cinema. He also shares his passion for exploring stories about oppression within the AA and LGBTQ communities. (Intro: From Sidewalk To Press Tower)

Dr. Karen Umemoto, the current director of the Asian American Studies Center at UCLA, talks about her influential work in the fields of race relations and restorative justice, as well as how ethnic studies programs help foster more empathy in students and citizens. (Intro: 2019 Recap)

Chef Jenny Dorsey dives into how she uses her culinary art to explore complex emotions related to her Asian-American experience, the lessons she learned in both business and culinary school, and how she uses VR to create immersive culinary pop-up events. (Intro: A Fundamental Decision)

Jenny Ly and Bree Lee share how a parody video idea based on pop hit "7 Rings" and Asian Creative Network built a viral Internet hit. As a follow up, they have just released a new video, "Don't Call It Asian", calling out food vendors who culturally appropriate Asian cuisine to make profit. (Intro: Life Is Like A Three Act Show). 

NPR personality, author, performer, and professor Sandra Tsing Loh reveals the inspiration behind her comedic holiday play "Sugar Plum Fairy". Throughout the episode, she gives a candid look into her life story and how it contributed to her unique voice in storytelling and media today. (Intro: The Real Prize)

Writer Marie Myung-Ok Lee stops by to expand on the ideas in her recent Los Angeles Times Op-Ed Piece "Andrew Yang seems invisible to the mainstream media - just like most Asian Americans", the current presidential candidate race, and her upcoming new novel, The Evening Hero. (Intro: Invisible)

Zeda Zhang decided to pursue a career as an MMA fighter and wrestler after her experiences with bullying, sexual harassment, and gender stereotypes. Her grit and determination to prove her naysayers wrong contributed to her success as the first female Asian-American wrester for the WWE and Asia. (Intro: Play Fighting)

Sue Kim Bonifazio is one third of The Kim Sisters, a trio of Korean musicians who went from performing songs for GIs in the Korean War to appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show a record 22 times. You might even say they were the first "K-Pop" group to break into the US! (Intro: Beneath The Surface)

BD Wong stops by to promote “The Great Leap”, a play by Lauren Yee that he has performed in twice and is now directing at The Pasadena Playhouse. Later, the conversation turns to his most recent acting performances in “Mr. Robot” and the upcoming “Awkwafina is Nora from Queens”. (Intro: A New Family Member)

Comedian Margaret Cho and Ken talk about the chance encounter they had at an airport. Margaret delves into her experience growing up in the Korean American church, fighting against beauty standards set by the media, and her successful careers in comedy, acting, and music. (Intro: Welcoming Them Home)

Fourth generation Japanese American and former politician Warren Furutani shares his life story. He discusses the difference between empowerment and power and his predictions for the final four candidates of the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. (Intro: Aubergine)

Designer and community leader Steve Yamaguma talks about the upcoming Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest and his role as co-chair. He also shares his experiences with the Asian American movement on college campuses and in the music scene around the San Jose area during the 1970's. (Intro: I Was Expecting You)

Actor and dancer Anu Bhatt discusses her new autobiographical play HOLLOW/WAVE. Anu shares how she found empowerment through the correct pronunciation of her name, the challenges she faced while in school for acting, and bringing difficult topics in the South Asian community to the forefront. (Intro: Rat Trap)

In this special episode, Ken bids goodbye to Chris as co-producer of the Asian America podcast and welcomes new co-producer Alison Chang. Alison discusses the unusual path she took to pursuing her passions, her spiritual journey, and how she got involved with the podcast. (Intro: Lost Package)

Actor Tzi Ma talks about how THE FAREWELL went from indie movie darling to internationally distributed hit. Tzi discusses his support for Asian-American independent film projects, his role in upcoming Disney live-action film MULAN, and the importance of promoting diverse stories. (Intro: Learning to Coexist)

Actor Albert Tsai talks about his starring role in the new hit animated film ABOMINABLE. Albert discusses how he first got into acting, what it’s like to ad-lib during voiceover sessions, and why authenticity in casting and culture were so important in the making of ABOMINABLE. (Intro: Healing)

Author and physician Dr. Russell Low shares about his new book “Three Coins: A Young Girl’s Story of Kidnappings, Slavery, and Romance in 19th Century America”. Russell discusses the decades-long search for Ah Ying (the courageous heroine of his story), and why it’s so important to know where and whom we’ve come from. (Intro: Primary Wound)

Actor Tim Lounibos shares about his life in film and television. Tim discusses his crazy childhood filled with tragedy and drama, his early success in Hollywood, and how his mid-career departure from the industry gave him even more gravitas, depth, and life experience for his roles now. (Intro: Not My Pic)

Actor Amy Shu shares about her starring role in the play THE CHINESE LADY. Amy talks about the amazing story of Afong Moy (the first female Chinese immigrant to America), how this play reveals the true meaning of liberty, and the thrilling vulnerability of performing live. (Intro: RIP Dylan)

Duncan Ryuken Williams talks about his book American Sutra: A Story of Faith and Freedom in the Second World War. Duncan discusses his 17-year journey to write this book, being simultaneously Buddhist and American, and Japanese American relocation and resettlement. (Intro: Opposite)

Actor Kurt Kanazawa shares about his life on stage and screen. Kurt discusses the freedom of non-racial casting, his burgeoning career as a professional opera singer in Europe, and the devastation when a doctor told him he might never sing again. (Intro: Secret Asian Agents)

Aaron Takahashi shares about his career on-screen, most notably as a commercial actor. Aaron discusses how he booked his first big national commercial, why he turns down roles that call for Asian accents, and his portrayal of the “everyman”. (Intro: No Control)

English professor King-Kok Cheung (UCLA) talks about Asian American literature, and how it should be respected and valued as more than just ethnography. She discusses how Asian Americans so often reach for “white” standards, and why good writing is so powerful. (Intro: The Legend of Velda)

Businessman Al Lowe spent his life breaking through racial barriers. Journalist Larry Wilson talks about how Al led the integration of his community’s segregated schools, and changed the culture of the formerly all-white Tournament of Roses committee. (Intro: Plus One)

Concert promoter and Producer Gerald Ishibashi shares about his life in music. Gerald discusses his early choice for a guitar instead of a motorcycle, putting on live concerts for corporate America, and having three daughters in the entertainment industry. (Intro: Dylan)

Artist Ariel Chan shares about her work in comics and animation. Ariel talks about her upcoming graphic novel “Yuwen’s Journey”, how nothing is truly original anymore except for one’s artistic voice, and learning to trust God with her dreams. (Intro: Yellow Belly)

Theater director Tim Dang talks about his upcoming stage production of THE JOY LUCK CLUB. Tim discusses his unique approach to actors’ auditions, how he got his nickname “Teflon Tim”, and why it’s crucial to cultivate a healthy Asian American economy of actors, writers, producers, and executives. (Intro: The Farewell)

Spoken word poet Alex Luu talks about his art and performs several pieces on the podcast. Alex discusses how he uses spoken word to reconnect with his cultural identity, when he discovered that he was ethnically Chinese (not Vietnamese!), and how he won the prestigious Texas Grand Slam poetry slam competition. (Intro: No Bird)

Arlene Inouye shares about her relationship with Tohru Matsuo, the founder of the Agape Fellowship cult. Arlene details how Tohru convinced her to marry him, how Tohru brainwashed her and so many others in the community, and how she finally exited the cult and found healing on the outside. (Intro: Pop Secret?)