Posted in Culture Interview

Programmer and Actress Melissa Dawn Johnson Dishes on Yale in Hollywood Fest 2023

On the week of the 4th annual Yale in Hollywood Fest streaming all its programs free and worldwide, I sat down with programmer Melissa Dawn…

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Posted in Culture Interview

Quentin Lee on His First Children’s Book Pumpkin Head Lost His Head

On the day before Halloween, I took the opportunity to chat with filmmaker Quentin Lee on his first children’s book Pumpkin Head Lost His Head,…

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Posted in Culture Entertainment

First Person: Creating Last Summer of Nathan Lee

When I was going to high school in Montreal as a 15-year-old immigrant from Hong Kong, I remember meeting Nick, a fellow 11th grader, who…

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Posted in Culture

Interview with Quentin Lee on his First Published Play Caliban’s Offspring

On the eve of publishing his first play, multi-hyphenate creator Quentin Lee talked to CHOPSO about writing and getting his debut play Caliban’s Offspring to the world as a book, sold exclusively on Amazon.com.

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Posted in Culture Dirty Laundry

A Requiem for Dennis Phung

Not only Dennis Phung was one of the first people I met coming to LA, he also turned me away from working in porn, not…

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Posted in Culture Interview

The Slants’ Founder Simon Tam’s Latest Television Series Premieres on AAM.TV

Simon Tam, founder of The Slants and The Slants Foundation, has created his latest television series titled Asian PaCIVICS featuring ten artists from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community who have written a song specifically to drive social change. Each has partnered with a grassroots organization in unique ways to support their chosen causes.

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Posted in Culture

The Producers Guild of America Celebrates Pride Month with “Pride and Leadership” Virtual Panel on June 8, 2023

In celebration of Pride month, please join us for a virtual panel conversation with Nicole Conn (Producer, Writer & Director of Claire of the Moon), Jeffrey Reddick (Producer, Writer, Director & creator of the Final Destination franchise), Silas Howard (Director of Transparent) and Stephen Israel (Producer of Swimming With Sharks). Carving out uniquely creative careers in their own right, these trailblazing storytellers will discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ leadership and the power of representation. The panel will explore the unique experiences and perspectives that shape LGBTQ+ storytelling. Moderated by David Canfield, entertainment contributor of Vanity Fair.

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Posted in Culture Entertainment

An AI Future for Writers and Creators

First, as someone who has used and observed technology since I was 12, getting my first Apple IIe in 1983, all technology, including AI, is not to be feared of but rather understood and used. Having worked with the advancement of computing, the transition of celluloid to digital filmmaking and flatbed editing to non-linear editing… etc., I can attest that AI, like any other technology, is not here to impede but to simplify and enhance human life.

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Posted in Culture Entertainment

Producers Guild of America Celebrates AAPI Heritage Month with “Diversity and Leadership in Entertainment”

Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, on May 5 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET, Producers Guild of America’s AAPI Working Group, with community collaborator Gold House, will host a FREE PUBLIC WEBINAR / virtual panel conversation titled “Leadership and Diversity in Entertainment” with Albert Cheng (Head of Amazon Prime Video), Jinny Howe (Head of Drama, Netflix), Jonathan Wang (Academy Award & PGA Award-winning Producer of Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Shruti Ganguly (Filmmaker & Writer). Throughout their careers, these leaders have used their backgrounds to shape the entertainment landscape and pave the way for future generations of creatives. Cheng, Howe, Wang and Ganguly will share insights on their personal journeys. They’ll also discuss how they’ve leveraged their cultural heritage and experiences to drive innovation and creativity in their respective fields. The chat is moderated by President and Co-Founder of Gold House, Bing Chen.

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Posted in Culture

Chinese New Year Killers

For me, a Chinese immigrant myself, what is sadder than the Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay shooting tragedies is the lack of cultural understanding of mainstream media in reporting the events, causing the unnecessary panic of hate crimes and deflecting from three main issues behind both tragic crimes: 1) accessibility of lethal weapons in America, 2) the lack of mental health resources for older Chinese immigrants and 3) like Christmas for Americans, Chinese New Year can be a triggering time of the year for Chinese immigrants who are psychologically unstable.

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