8Asians.com | Archive | August, 2010

The Asian Dancers in ‘Step Up 3D’

By Guest Writer | Friday, August 13, 2010

stepup3d The Asian Dancers in Step Up 3D By Bea

Having seen both Step Up 1 and Step Up 2, I’m feeling a little antsy with what to expect with Step Up 3D. Although it’s already out in the theaters, I’m one of those people who you actually have to drag to the movies a couple of days before they end the run of a film.

Trepidation aside, this post is actually about the different Asian dancers who director Jon M. Chu decided to put in his film. What I like about Jon is how he successfully uplifted dancers in such a way that nobody had in the past couple of years. I think from Step Up 2 came different ventures like ACDC vs M&M Cru (the online hip hop dance battle between Step Up 2 dancers, Miley Cyrus and friends that culminated in the Teen Choice Awards two years ago) and LXD (League of Extraordinary Dancers). The pull that Jon M. Chu has is undeniable, and I give him props for doing what he does.
Continue Reading »

| Posted in Entertainment, Movies | 3 Comments

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the day's stories from 8Asians.com, delivered to your inbox every evening at 6:00pm PST.

VIRAL LIKE SARS: “Beat It,” According to the Communist Chinese

By Ernie | Friday, August 13, 2010

Happy Friday, kids.

(Hat tip: Dino I.)

| Posted in Music, Viral Like SARS | 3 Comments

Shopping With GASP!

Eat Pray Love: A Cute, Lengthy Movie That Will Make You Hungry

By Dino-Ray | Friday, August 13, 2010

Throughout the entire (I repeat: ENTIRE) 133 minutes of the screening of Eat Pray Love, I had the pleasure of sitting next to a young woman who said, “That’s cute” every 15 minutes. Occasionally, she would repeat the dialogue said by the characters and then giggle to her friend. Other than that, she quietly vomited the words, “That’s cute” incessantly. Just when I was about to lean over and give her a hug and a slap, I realized that she may be on to something. Continue Reading »

| Posted in Entertainment, Movies | 7 Comments

POP 88 #43 – Long Awaited, Post-Poned and Delayed Episode

By Xxxtine | Thursday, August 12, 2010

POP 88 #43 - Long Awaited, Post-Poned and Delayed [ 38:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (394)

20081101 kbj5yrmm17asf7c5bxcch36qty POP 88 #43 Long Awaited, Post Poned and Delayed Episode Hey Everyone!

I’m finally back from my hiatus and hope everyone out there is enjoying their summer.

Lots of requests and new tunes with a bit of housekeeping all ready for your listening pleasure. I also talk about the new film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and what I have been doing to save my busy self from going insane.

If you like what you hear, please show your support by supporting the artists and buy their CDs and DVDs using the links provided on this site. Most will soon be available on iTunes, so please support them there as well!

For any requests, comments, suggests, dedications or feedback, feel free to leave a comment at Popcast88.com or send an email to christine [at] popcast88.com.
Continue Reading »

| Posted in Movies, Music, POP 88, Reviews | 1 Comment

Goo Goo Doll’s New Video Home Has Band Singing Around Asians

By Guest Writer | Thursday, August 12, 2010

By Ken

When the director discussed her vision for the Goo Goo Dolls video Home, alarms went off left and right: she wanted Asians to make up a surrealistic world to drop the band in, one in which the Goo Goo Dolls would feel alienated. I immediately called my friend and asked if the band was known for being racist — she couldn’t recall anything. That quelled some concern for stepping into an anti-Asian project, even though I was also concerned about it being non-union (SAG).

So I woke up agonizingly early for a shoot in Little Tokyo. The best thing about the whole day was the made-to-order omelets. The day made me appreciate AFTRA jobs so much more; I’m not sure how film shoots can go beyond 8 hours and not pay additional money, but there I was, for 13 hours.

Upon seeing the vid, my observations: What’s the point? Why Asian? And also: “Good. I got cut.” But what are your thoughts?

ABOUT KEN: Ken Choy is an actor, writer, community organizer, and producer of Breaking the Bow. He is gay, green, and gluten-free.

| Posted in Music, Observations | 39 Comments

Links: K-Pop Artists, Din Tai Fung, Daphne Kwok, Yakuza 3

No Comments

Ask a Korean starts reviewing the top 50 most influential Kpop Artists.
The “Legend” of Din Tai Fung, the story of the famous LA restaurant chain with amazing — but possibly overrated — soup dumplings.
President Obama has picked Daphne Kwok to chair the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (New American Media)
The video game Yakuza 3 gets reviewed by actual members of the Yakuza. (BoingBoing)

Asian American Commercial Watch: More Starburst Contradictions

By Moye | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Our favorite Scottish/Korean contradictions are back! This time, they encounter an even stranger contradiction: the living dead. Actually, I’d like to argue that the Scottish Koreans are weirder because zombies are everywhere and will eventually eat our brains in the apocalypse. Duh. However, I have yet to meet a Korean with such an impeccable Scottish accent.

| Posted in Viral Like SARS | 3 Comments

Our Right to be American: Repeal of 14th Amendment an Equal-Opportunity Offender

By Vanessa | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

14thamendment Our Right to be American: Repeal of 14th Amendment an Equal Opportunity Offender Recent calls from Republican senators to repeal the 14th amendment, lead by Senator Lindsay Graham, seeking to repeal the birthright granting American citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil, are shocking and absurd.

In the wake of recent controversy over an Islamic center being built near ground zero and the Arizona immigration law, recent media response has exhibited the amazing breadth of this 14th amendment reform as an equal-opportunity offender to all ethnic and religious minorities non-indigenous to US soil. Which, by organic definition, would expose all of us so-called American citizens people worthy of deportation, except for Native Americans.

| Posted in Discrimination, Politics | 1 Comment

Vacation Bible School: Faith and APA Stereotypes

By Mihee | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I just finished a week of chaos and insanity, which happens every year during the summer. If you walk into pretty much any church, Asian and non-Asian, there will be signs up for the upcoming Vacation Bible School (VBS) with themes on everything from Egypt and heroes to ranches. A lot of Vacation Bible School is painfully cheesy, but the kids seriously love it all. Still, it makes me question what we use to teach kids about faith and spirituality, and of course, I was appalled by the video, Jesus Loves the Little Racist-Puppet Children. It reminds me of the nightmare that was Rickshaw Rally, a VBS program promoted as: “Far-out Far East Rickshaw Rally: Racing to the Son is a VBS race that will have kids dashing through the streets of Tokyo, climbing Mt. Fuji, and diving for pearls!” Oh dear God, that was painful, and sooo messed up. (I didn’t really know anyone that actually ended up using this curriculum.)

| Posted in Discrimination, Lifestyles | 4 Comments

‘Formosa Betrayed’ Debuts in Taiwan

By John | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Back in February, I blogged about the making of the film, Formosa Betrayed, the Hollywood production about Taiwan’s struggle for democracy. The film has been available on DVD in the United States since July, but more importantly, debuts this week in Taiwan! Producer and actor, Will Tiao, has been on a whirlwind media tour in Taiwan to promote the film. You can read Will’s fascinating account of his media tour and the film’s reception on his Formosa Betrayed blog. I am most interested to learn about how this American production is received by Taiwanese audiences. I remember while growing up, one of my aunts in America spoke about the KMT government having student spies in the United States to watch over outspoken Taiwanese Americans. Is this history widely known and acknowledged in Taiwan? How will my parents’ generation in Taiwan (including my aunts and uncles), as well as my cousins’ generation reacting to the film? The film so far has pre-sold over NT$ 1.2 million in tickets (Taiwan box office record is NT$ 2.0 million.)

| Posted in Current Events, Entertainment, Politics | No Comments

Far East Movement’s “Like A G6″ Getting Radio play

By Jeff | Wednesday, August 11, 2010

After a song ended on the radio and the DJ talked about the artists that he had just played, I thought that I had heard something different. I asked Number One Son, “did they just say The Far East Movement?” “Yes,” he replied. “Are you going to do a post about that?” Why yes I am! Just like when I noticed that Charice Pempengco‘s “Like a Pyramid” getting some radio play, it seemed like a notable event – one doesn’t hear that many Asians or Asian-Americans on mainstream radio other than Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas. I wonder, though, if this is only happening in the Bay Area. Are people hearing “Like a G6″ on the radio in Los Angeles? How about outside of California? Also, what is the “G6″ in the song anyway? Number One Son thinks it the Pontiac G6, but I think that it refers to the Gulfstream G650 that appears in the last part of the video.

| Posted in Entertainment, Music | 3 Comments

Happy Ramadan!

By Edward | Tuesday, August 10, 2010

During Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the holiest month of the year, Muslims from all over the world unite in a period of fasting and spiritual reflection. For those who are physically able, the fasting lasts during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset and is considered one of the five “pillars” of Islam. It will be starting on August 11th, 2010 but begins with the rise of the new moon tonight.

Ramadan is a period of fasting, reflection, devotion, generosity and sacrifice. While major holidays of other faiths have largely become commercialized events, Ramadan retains its intense spiritual meaning and is the one holiday where self-restraint is celebrated, rather than the act of indulging (you don’t see any JCPenney sale events going on in celebration of Ramadan…and if that were to be happen, that would be so wrong.)

But you do not have to be of Muslim faith in order to participate in Ramadan! If you choose to fast, you commit by abstaining from eating and drinking of any fluids from sun up until sun down during the holy month, starting on August 11, 2010. That basically means that if you decide to participate, enjoy your last lunch of the month and participate fully with your body and soul until September 10th. If you want to know the exact fasting schedule when it comes to sunrise and sunset, check out this very useful time table (this one is for folks in LA but you can change it according to your city and country). Considering that this will be the longest Ramadan (in terms of daylight hours) in about 30 years, for the non-Muslims who are interested in participating the full Ramadan experience, please keep in mind you cannot drink any fluids so participate only if you are physically able!

Many Asians and Asian Pacific Americans are celebrating Ramadan and thus I want to bring into attention this beautiful holiday. As a non-Muslim person of faith, I stand in solidarity with the Muslim community and as such, I am participating in Ramadan. This is how I choose to show my love and support for the Muslim community not only for them but for myself as I spend this time focusing on what truly matters in my life.

| Posted in Education, History | 3 Comments