I'm posting this now in honor of Shang- Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that opens in theatres today:
Jun. 2, 2021 "Why Kim’s Convenience Matters": Today I found this article by Brian Ng on Vanity Fair. This was on my Facebook feed. When I clicked on the link, Vanity Fair said that this is the one free article I get to read. I thought this was a well- written article though I only saw the first 2 episodes of this show:
On March 8, the producers of Kim’s Convenience announced that the sitcom’s fifth season—which was then airing in Canada—would be its last. Their announcement apparently blindsided everyone else: The show had already been picked up for a sixth season.
The cocreators, though, said that they wanted to move on to “other projects”—so their seemingly surprised cast began issuing off-the-cuff goodbyes to their viewers on social media.
Like fellow Canadian show Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience had gained a global fan base after being picked up for redistribution by Netflix. That final fifth season begins airing on the platform today, positioning the show to win over even more viewers—even though a last-minute renewal is highly unlikely.
The show started as a play written by cocreator Ins Choi when he wasn’t finding the acting roles he wanted for himself—the classic minority playwright-screenwriter story. He based it on his own experience working at convenience stores when his family first immigrated to Canada from South Korea.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon play Appa and Umma, the Kim family’s respective father and mother figures (these being their Korean titles). Though they speak English with Korean accents, this is never approached as a punch line. Instead, their Koreanness is treated more as setting: They go to Korean church, eat Korean food, and exclaim “aicham!” in frustration.
The show’s first season was largely focused on the Korean immigrant experience, from Umma looking for a “cool Christian Korean boyfriend” for daughter Janet—played by Andrea Bang—to Appa’s antipathy for Japanese people, and his explaining to a white customer that ginseng is called insam in Korean.
It delved into the second-generation immigrant experience too: In one episode, Janet tries to speak to a waiter in Korean when out to lunch with her visiting cousin, but can only stammer a broken sentence.
In another, Janet’s art professor says she was looking for more “struggle” in a photography assignment, hinting that she thought Janet’s parents were refugees because she’s Asian.
After Appa disciplines the professor’s son for misbehaving in his store, the professor gives Janet a better grade for the “abuse” she’s endured; Janet takes it.
Over time, though, Kim’s Convenience shifted from these sorts of stories to a more general buffoonery—in its final season, Appa and Umma pretend to live in a posh suburb so they can use its nice tennis courts—and universal generational differences, as when Appa reads Janet’s diary.
Viewers didn’t mind. Kim’s Convenience was never a “struggle” show: The Kim family does not find it hard to maintain social relationships with various kinds of Canadians, and their business appears to be doing well.
Appa and Umma are also always shown giving their love freely and often to their offspring and are never painted as being stereotypical “tiger parents.”
The characters’ difficulties, such as Umma’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, come not from their being Korean, but from the unrelenting course of life.
But while the show is mainly lighthearted, with deeper issues generally getting resolved in a neat and optimistic manner, there’s also a darker strand running through it: Appa’s estrangement with son Jung, played by Simu Liu.
Jung’s past is drip-fed through the seasons, with more details of situations that eventually landed him in juvenile detention being revealed in the last season. Liu, in his Twitter statement about the show’s abrupt ending, said he was disappointed Jung would not be able to fully realize his growth, nor have a satisfying reconciliation with his father.
We find out about another dimension of Janet’s character as well, but this reveal is only touched upon—it seems the writers were waiting for the next season to fully flesh it out.
Kim’s Convenience has succeeded because it didn’t do what was obvious, or more specifically, what would have seemed obvious to a white audience; rarely has a show centered an Asian family cast without centering its story lines on being Asian.
But perhaps what has resonated most with Asian viewers of Kim’s Convenience is that this series—an oasis where integration, not mere tolerance, is standard—exists at a time marked by bleak coverage about the hatred of our community.
It has become impossible to separate watching Kim’s Convenience from the recent rise in anti-Asian racism, not least because members of its cast have done their part by releasing their own PSAs about the issue.
Liu wrote an op-ed for Variety and Yoon a Twitter thread; both told stories about those who claim anti-Asian racism doesn’t exist while decrying incidents that were making the news at the time—the attack that eventually led to Vicha Ratanapakdee’s death in San Francisco, and the fatal shooting of eight, six of whom were Asian women, in Atlanta-area spas.
The incidence of anti-Asian hate crimes taking over the news cycle has lessened since March, but that doesn’t mean these crimes aren’t still happening—recent numbers from activist organization Stop AAPI Hate say that reported incidents increased significantly during March 2021.
Kim’s features Asians of every stripe, and from every socioeconomic class. Its cancellation means more than losing another feel-good show—even though cocreator and former Schitt’s Creek writer Kevin White is planning a spinoff show that will focus on Shannon, Jung’s girlfriend and boss.
That series won’t really be able to replace its predecessor, and not just because it won’t center a fully nonwhite cast. Losing Kim’s Convenience means losing another series, maybe the last one airing with a global audience, where Asian lives are the norm. We can only hope there will be more to come.
Why ‘Kim’s Convenience’ Matters | Vanity Fair
Jun. 28, 2021 "James Corden to change to ‘Spill Your Guts’ segment on ‘The Late Late Show’ amid backlash": Today I found this article by Suzy Byrne on Yahoo News:
James Corden says changes will be made to The Late Late Show's "Spill Your Guts" segment.
For several years viewers have called out the CBS late-night host for the bit — in which celebrities must answer personal questions or eat "disgusting foods," per the show's own description. The criticism is that traditionally Asian foods are being mocked, and it's offensive.
A Change.org petition started by Kim Saira three weeks ago blew up the issue, leading Corden to address the controversy and promise change. However, Saira is "really disappointed" in how Corden addressed the issue, citing his lack of an apology.
"We heard [about the backlash] and the next time we do that bit we absolutely won't use any of those foods," the British TV personality said on The Howard Stern Show. "Our show is a show about joy and light and love. We don't want to make a show that will upset anybody."
Of the criticism, he said, "We completely understand." And while, "I don't know when we're going to do that bit again," he said, "When we do we absolutely won't use any foods [that offend]."
He added, "It's not for us to determine [why] somebody's upset or hurt about something. That's not for us to decide. All we can do is go: Alright, we get it. We hear you. We won't do that."
Corden's response came after Stern criticized the backlash. The shock jock also urged Corden not to give up the bit.
"It couldn't be a more harmless bit" featuring "bizarre food," Stern said. Then, "Outta the blue, I guess some group of people are offended by this because you are serving foods that are popular in their culture — which I don't know where culture this is, but what the f**k. Who the hell is eating this sh** — like 3,000-year-old eggs and all this horrible stuff."
Saira, whose petition has 45,500 signatures and counting as of Monday afternoon, isn't applauding how Corden has handled the controversy.
"The Late Late Show did not reach out to me about this statement," Saira tells Yahoo Entertainment. "After listening to what he said, to be completely honest with you, I'm really disappointed in this statement, which in my opinion, isn't an apology."
Saira continued, "In my petition, I specifically asked for [Corden] to publicly apologize on his show, and the reason why I was really specific about that was because I think that it is imperative for his hundreds of thousands of viewers to understand the harm that mocking these foods, rooted in Asian cultures, has on Asian people who still eat them. Besides that, I still think he should be donating to Asian organizations as well."
While Saira is "still looking forward to whether he will address this publicly and apologize," if it doesn't happen, "I'll take it upon myself and the Asian American communities and people who have helped me with this event, to create our own fundraiser to benefit Asian American organizations, since the Late Late Show has just ignored and refused it."
A rep for The Late Late Show hasn't responded to our request for comment.
For several years now, people have been calling on Corden to end or change the segment, including in Reddit threads dating back to 2016. In 2018, Andrew Sun wrote a piece for Inkstone News called "James Corden, stop dissing Asian food for laughs", noting how "ingredients that Asians consider prized and expensive delicacies" were being mocked.
Sun asked, "I want to know which white, European epicurean arbiter decided that fattened duck or goose liver, which sounds better using its French name, foie gras, is gourmet and luxurious, but chicken gizzard and duck tongues are uncivilized and gruesome?"
Saira is the one who escalated it, first in a TikTok video that went viral with 2.8 million views. It showed guest Jimmy Kimmel participating in the segment and the men talking about how "terrible," "horrific" and "really disgusting" the traditionally Asian foods like a thousand-year-old egg, pig blood curd and balut were.
That was followed by the petition, which noted: "The foods that are presented are meant to be 'gross,' as they are supposed to encourage the guest to answer his questions instead. However, many of the foods that he presents to his guests are actually from different Asian cultures. He's presented foods such as balut, century old eggs and chicken feet, and which are often regularly eaten by Asian people."
It noted, "During these segments, [Corden] openly called these foods 'really disgusting,' and 'horrific.' In the wake of the constant Asian hate crimes that have continuously been occurring, not only is this segment incredibly culturally offensive and insensitive, but it also encourages anti-Asian racism. So many Asian Americans are consistently bullied and mocked for their native foods, and this segment amplifies and encourages it."
The petition called for the segment to be removed or revamped in a non-offensive way, a formal apology on the show and a donation to local Asian American organizations that are working to help Asian-owned restaurants and small businesses.
The show segment has featured a number of big-name stars, including Kendall Jenner, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, Jimmy Kimmel, Demi Moore and Anna Wintour. Corden told Stern that if they do it again, not giving a date as to when it would be, the food choices will be more like was offered to the Vogue editrix, who was offered a cheeseburger with bacon in a donut, bacon-wrapped pizza and deep-fried butter.
My opinion: I don't watch his late night show, so I didn't know about this segment at all. I as an Asian person am not personally offended.
The way to revamp the segment to be not offensive is to know what the celebrity hates to eat. You may have to do a little research like if a celebrity doesn't like eating seafood, then serve seafood.
This week's theme is about TV and movie articles and race:
"Why did it take so long for Shane Gillis to be fired from SNL?"/ "SNL embraces it's new-found relevance"
"Accountant changes careers for a different role- as an actor" (Simu Liu)/ "How movies translate to the workplace"
My week:
Aug. 27, 2021 Canada's 2021 Election:
"Canada election: Justin Trudeau rally cancelled after angry protests": Today I found this article on Yahoo News:
Justin Trudeau has been forced to cancel an election rally after a crowd of angry protesters ambushed the event.
The Canadian prime minister had been set to address supporters in Bolton, Ontario, but the event was called off over security concerns.
Dozens of protesters gathered at the rally and shouted obscenities before Mr Trudeau could speak.
The 49-year-old said the protests showed how the pandemic had been hard on everyone.
"We all had a difficult year. Those folks out protesting, they had a difficult year too, and I know and I hear the anger, the frustration, perhaps the fear," Mr Trudeau said.
Opposition parties have criticised the Liberals for calling a five-week long campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic's latest wave simply for "political gain".
Canada election: Justin Trudeau rally cancelled after angry protests (yahoo.com)
Aug. 19, 2021 "'I'm pro-choice,' O'Toole says as abortion issue emerges on the campaign trail": Today I found this article by John Paul Tasker on CBC:
Pushing back against Liberal claims that he's just "pretending" to support a woman's right to choose, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said today he's pro-choice and a government led by him would make sure abortion services are available nationwide.
O'Toole has been clear that women should be allowed to safely end pregnancies — a position that has drawn the ire of some socially conservative members of his party. His predecessor, Andrew Scheer, described himself as "pro life."
O'Toole also recently voted against a bill introduced by a fellow Conservative caucus member that would have banned "sex-selective" abortions. While most Conservative MPs backed the legislation, O'Toole did not.
"I'm pro-choice and I'm a pro-choice leader, period," O'Toole told reporters today at an Ottawa campaign stop.
"Let me be perfectly clear. As a pro-choice leader of this party, I will make sure that we defend the rights of women to make the choice for themselves with respect to their own health. We will make sure abortion services are available from one ocean to the other."
In a series of social media posts, Liberal incumbent MP Maryam Monsef said O'Toole's pro-choice claims shouldn't be believed.
"Tonight in Quebec, Erin O'Toole pretended to be pro-choice. He did the same thing in his platform. But in reality, he'll let his team bring forward legislation to restrict abortion access. That's the same position as Andrew Scheer," Monsef said, citing a speech O'Toole gave in Quebec last night meant to reassure voters there that he is not anti-abortion.
'I'm pro-choice,' O'Toole says as abortion issue emerges on the campaign trail | CBC News
Aug. 29, 2021 "Who is Jagmeet Singh? A look at how the NDP leader’s past has shaped his campaign": Today I found this article by Christopher Reynolds on Global News. This is an in-depth article about how he was a lawyer:
But overall, Singh’s achievement chart has notched upward, fuelled by a sense of empathy-infused social justice.
He tapped that resource as a member of provincial parliament between 2011 and 2017, and more recently as federal party leader, to sound off on affordability, universal pharmacare and a tax-the-rich populism.
My opinion: For the last 6 yrs, Justin Trudeau did an average job as a Prime Minister. However, I see there are a lot of people who hate him and didn't like that he legalized pot.
I like that Erin O'Toole is pro-choice. However, there are people saying he's pretending to be pro-choice. Is he really pro- choice?
I like the NDP.
Sept. 1, 2021: Trudeau shouldn't have called an election 2 yrs early.
When I make a big decision, I ask:
1. Do you want to?
2. Do you need to?
3. Do you have to?
He wanted to. He didn't need to or have to. This campaign and election affects the whole nation.
Sept. 2, 2021 No TV: I didn't watch any scripted dramas for 5 days in a row.
Self- development videos: If you go on my Facebook page, you can see I have been busy listening to these free online event series:
Reinvent Yourself hosted by Shawn Marshall:
Bret Lockett
Amber Dugger
“Security” isn’t actually secure
Walk in your Worth hosted by Danielle Schaaf:
Emily Killeen is sobriety coach, spiritual yoga teacher and a transformational retreat facilitator! She believes that connection, community and accountability along with SOME sort of spirituality and health and wellness are essential for sobriety success!
After 15 years of bouncing in and out of recovery she’s finally found so much freedom, abundance and joy in sobriety and is on a mission to help others discover their own path to recovery to experience the gifts of living an amazing sober life! Emily created Recovery Revival which is a 3 Month Sobriety Group Coaching Journey for women and also hosts a FREE Sober Girls Book Club on Tuesday nights which is open to the public and held on zoom of course! In addition she opened an off-grid, alcohol-free wedding venue called Ananda Retreat with her husband in Northern Arizona and soon it will be a wellness retreat as well!
https://www.walkinyourworthseries.com/speakerpage-emilykilleen
Sept. 3, 2021 Staples: Last night I recycled my pens, batteries, calculators, and 2 computer mice that don't work. I looked around the store. I asked a sales woman at the printer area if I can have scrap paper like of people who accidentally print the wrong things. She says she can't give me that and the sales people don't access that. I was saving the environment by reusing scrap paper.
Screenwriter's Meetup: I then walked over to Second Cup where this was held. There was a good turn out, 9 people including me. I was the only woman. I met 2 new people like the writer who wrote the screenplay we were to all critique. Dan L. also came and he brought his friend who is the other guy I met.
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