They Call Us Bruce

Jeff and Phil welcome Howard Ho, playwright/composer/YouTuber, and Diep Tran , Editor in Chief of Playbill , to discuss Asian Americans in theatre, Broadway, and controversy over the recent announcement that Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, would be taking over the lead role in Maybe Happy Ending , the hit Tony Award-winning musical about robots finding connection in future Korea. They talk ab...

Jeff and Phil welcome back pop cultural pals Rebecca Sun and Dino-Ray Ramos to discuss recent superhero movies like Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps . (But really, a good excuse for friends to hang out and gab, because it's been a minute.) They talk about the so-called "woke" Superman, where the heck Shang-Chi has been, watching these movies in a world of real-life supervillains, and the s...

Jeff and Phil welcome Maggie Kang, creator and co-director of the hit Netflix animated feature Kpop Demon Hunters . She talks about the seven-year journey of bringing the film to life; behind-the-scenes insights on crafting an epic animated action musical that incorporates both supernatural demon lore and kpop idol culture; assembling the voice and music team to tell this uniquely Korean story; an...

Jeff and Phil welcome Dylan Park-Pettiford -- TV writer, combat veteran and author of the memoir Roadside: My Journey to Iraq and the Long Road Home . He talks about growing up as a Black/Korean American kid in Campbell, California; getting swept up in the post-9/11 patriotism that sent him to Iraq, where his days alternated between boredom and terror; losing his brother to gun violence; uncoverin...

Jeff and Phil connect across travels and time zones to catch up and reflect on some of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of recent weeks, including K-Pop Demon Hunters , New York City mayoral candidates, "rooftop Koreans," ICE raids, Squid Game , and space sushi.

Jeff and Phil welcome fashion industry commentator and writer Derek Guy, also known as "the menswear guy." He talks about how his interest in clothing and fashion led to his wildly popular blog and social media persona ; how his writing weaves together humor, history, cultural criticism, and political commentary to make fashion feel relevant to anyone; why terrible politicians are such easy target...

Jeff and Phil welcome back actor, activist and author Maulik Pancholy, co-writer and star of the scripted comedy podcast Murder at the Patel Motel . He talks about the real-life "Patel motel cartel" that inspired the audio drama's small town murder mystery milieu; blending the tried-and-true tropes of an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit with a gay, Indian American family comedic twist; the creative...

Jeff and Phil welcome back their old friend Andrew Ahn, writer/director of The Wedding Banquet , a reimagining of Ang Lee's beloved classic. They discuss Andrew's journey as a filmmaker; assembling an all-star team -- including Youn Yuh-jung, Joan Chen, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang -- for the project; navigating the complexities and subtleties of contemporary queer representatio...

Jeff and Phil welcome back Shin Yu Pai to talk about the latest season of her podcast Ten Thousand Things , along with fellow podcaster Yowei Shaw ( Proxy , NPR's Invisibilia). They talk about the objects that help us move forward -- like a gold star trophy; how layoffs can be like breakups that unravel your sense of identity, purpose, and self-worth; finding healing and reinvention in the wake of...

Jeff and Phil welcome Michael Luo, executive editor at The New Yorker and author of the book Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America , a sweeping narrative history of the Chinese in America, and their more than century-long struggle to belong in the face of bigotry, persecution, exclusion and racial terror. Michael talks about the real-life racist...

Jeff and Phil welcome Dolly Li , documentary filmmaker, journalist and cultural consultant on Ryan Coogler's epic vampire blockbuster Sinners . They discuss Dolly's documentary on The Untold Story of America's Southern Chinese , and the deep-rooted origins of the Mississippi Delta's Chinese American community; how Ryan Coogler's own family connection to the Delta Chinese inspired the Chinese chara...

Jeff and Phil welcome director Jennifer Lin and producer Jon Funabiki to talk about their documentary Ten Times Better and the incredible untold story of George Lee, a pioneering dancer with an unheralded place in ballet and Broadway history. They discuss the sensational skill and artistry that landed George the role he originated in The Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet; the filmmakers' se...

It's May, and that means it's AANHPI Heritage Month -- possibly the last one ever, if certain people get their way. Jeff and Phil check in and discuss the significance of Heritage Month, reflecting on community resilience, cultural celebrations, and the challenges faced by Asian Americans in this moment. By way of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF, they explore the impact of recent events on mental h...

Jeff and Phil welcome back their old pals Rebecca Sun and Dino-Ray Ramos to talk about The Wedding Banquet , writer/director Andrew Ahn's contemporary re-envisioning of Ang Lee's 1993 beloved romantic comedy, starring Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, and Han Gi-Chan. The big question: does this remake justify its existence? They discuss the film's fresh take on LGBTQ+ themes and famil...

Jeff and Phil welcome Dr. Michael L. Wong, an astrobiologist, planetary scientist and podcaster who studies planetary atmospheres, habitability, biosignatures, and the emergence of life. And Star Trek. He talks about his involvement in the Stand Up for Science protests, the intersection of science, activism, and the challenges faced by the scientific community, particularly in light of recent budg...

In this rewind episode, we dip back into the archives and revisit Phil and Jeff's 2024 conversation with friend, journalist and fellow podcaster Ada Tseng 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 s...

Jeff and Phil welcome actress Ji-young Yoo, star of Freaky Tales and Expats . She talks about the cathartic act of fictionally beating the crap out of some Nazis; capturing the specific fun and weird ("Bay shit") vibes of 1987 Oakland, from her punk wig to nailing the accent in Freaky Tales ; feeling a sense of belonging in Hong Kong and acting toe-to-toe with the likes of Nicole Kidman for her br...

Jeff and Phil welcome Vicki Tan , digital product designer and author of Ask This Book a Question: An Interactive Journey to Find Wisdom for Life's Big and Little Decisions , a one-of-a-kind guide to smarter decision-making based in the science of cognitive bias and the wisdom of storytelling. Vicki shares her journey of writing the book, the significance of diversity in storytelling, and how her...

Jeff and Phil discuss the evil, manipulative, and highly organized world of online scams with journalists Nelson Wang, who became the target of a "pig butchering" crypto scam , and Denise Chan, host of the Wondery podcast Scam Factory , which exposes the brutal reality behind these ripoff operations. There's a scam for everybody. They talk about the increasingly creative and sophisticated ways tha...

Jeff and Phil welcome veteran actor Stephen Park, who discusses his iconic roles in projects like Do the Right Thing , Fargo , and In Living Color ; the racist incident on the set of Friends that inspired his viral 1997 mission statement on Asian American representation in Hollywood; the ongoing challenges he's faced as a person of color in the industry; and a reconciliation of sorts with his own...

Jeff and Phil welcome comedian and actor Asif Ali, star of the Hulu crime comedy series Deli Boys . They discuss evolution of South Asian roles from stereotypes to complex characters, and how the show puts a chaotic, hilarious twist on the mini-mart narrative. Asif talks about his professional journey in comedy, how he had to create his own opportunities (including some not-entirely-truthful hustl...

Jeff and Phil welcome veteran actor Dustin Nguyen, star of the indie crime drama The Accidental Getaway Driver , a uniquely Vietnamese American story -- inspired by true events -- surprisingly told as a humanistic character study. He talks about the rage, hurt and loneliness of his character; his decades-spanning career journey and the evolution of his roles in Hollywood, from  21 Jump Street to V...

Jeff and Phil welcome diversity advocates and experts  Mia Ives-Rublee and Sumi Pendakur to discuss the impact of the current political climate on Asian American activism and identity. They talk about the importance of diversity in higher education in shaping identities and worldviews, the assault on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the wake of Trump's executive orders, the challenge...

Jeff and Phil continue their celebration of Fresh Off the Boat 's 10th anniversary and welcome writer Sanjay Shah ( Everybody Still Hates Chris , Dream Productions , Central Park ) and director Jude Weng ( Finding Ohana , The Good Place , Only Murders in the Building ) -- key creatives involved in the making of the groundbreaking series. They look back at the impact of the show on their careers, s...

Phil and Jeff celebrate the 10th anniversary of Fresh Off the Boat with series star Hudson Yang (who also happens to be Jeff's son). They reflect on the show's impact on their family, Hudson's journey from childhood aspirations to landing a lead role, and the significance of the show in reshaping narratives around Asian Americans in media. They look back at the audition process, the challenges of...