Tag: Comedy invAsian III

In 2016 — perhaps even earlier — while I was developing my now-defunct Chinese feature Morning, Paris! in Beijing, I met Ludi Lin, then a starry-eyed young actor with unmistakable charisma. Over the past decade, we’ve stayed close as friends, and honestly, I’ve rarely witnessed an actor’s trajectory evolve with such dynamism, discipline, and sheer cinematic momentum. When Ludi decided to venture into stand-up comedy, I introduced him to my comedy partner-in-crime, Keith Nahanee, who invited him to perform live at Vancouver’s Rez Comedy showcase. Later, when financing finally aligned for Season 3 of Comedy InvAsian, Ludi was one of the very first people I called about joining the ensemble.

Kicking off AAPI Heritage Month in style, Quentin Lee’s Margin Films celebrates its 30th anniversary with Cinemasianamerica—a vibrant new book and a seven-day screening series lighting up the Laemmle Royal Theatre in Los Angeles. The series is also streaming on AAM.tv, bringing the celebration to audiences everywhere. On Friday, May 1, 2026, Cinemasianamerica opened with a 30th anniversary screening of Shopping for Fangs, the groundbreaking debut feature from Lee and Justin Lin. The night drew a feast of collaborators, who turned out in full force for both the screening and a lively after-party in West Los Angeles.

Yesterday morning, March 29, 2026, I woke up in London, about to fly home, when I discovered that fellow comic Robin Tran had posted a photo of herself with Alex Duong. As I scrolled further through Facebook, I realized that he had passed after his battle with cancer. Sadness and shock overcame me—I knew he was so young, younger than me. He passed at 42.