True American Stories

A friend of mine was home for Christmas and went to see a high school friend of his, let’s say Chris just to make things easier. Chris had become a mortgage broker. He gave my friend his business card and showed him some of his business associates’ cards as well.

My friend noticed that Chris’s business associates had their photos on their cards. Chris’s business card, on the other hard, only showed a photo of a mansion.

Chris explained that, as a black man, it wasn’t a good idea for him to put his photo on his business card. He said in their photos, however, his white associates seemed to be saying, “Hey, come on over, you can trust me!”

That reminds me of a conversation I had recently with an acquaintance who’d become a district attorney. I asked him if his work was at all like it’s portrayed on Law and Order. He responded, “No, because white people actually get convicted on Law and Order.”

Odds and Ends Pt. 6

“Real Life” by GameSpot–Just in case you need to get an idea of what real life is like before you participate.

“What’s Lost Is Found, Very Cheaply”–If you’re ever in Scottsboro, Alabama, be sure to stop by the Unclaimed Baggage Center. I’m not sure how people lose some of the stuff that ends up in the store. One shopper, called Allan, is quoted as saying, “When Jesse Jackson was running for president his suits came in here. And one year when M.C. Hammer was touring, his backdrop came in here from his concert stage.” Jewelry, skis, works of art. Nothing’s too priceless to lose. (Check out the interesting stuff section of the store’s Web site for more gems. I won’t spoil it for you.)

Driving Under the Influence–I’ve only ever seen a few minutes of Reno 911! And I will look back on those minutes fondly.

Ask MetaFilter–Have I ever mentioned that I love this site? All the discussions I’ve ever read on there have been surprisingly good (and spam- and flame-free). Get or share your answers to such timeless questions as “What exactly do people, especially young people (18-22) DO at the lake or beach all day?” I’m still trying to decide whether or not I want to pay the $5 one-time registration fee to be able to post comments.

Metropolitan Opera–This New York institution (see Moonstruck) is having its first-ever open house Sept. 22. For those with no obligations that Friday, you can attend the final dress rehearsal for Madama Butterfly, which will kick off the Met’s 2006-07 season. Tickets to the rehearsal are free and will be distributed Wednesday, Sept. 20 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Survivor–The next season of this reality adventure show will premiere Sept. 14, with four teams of five members each based on race. Which means that the show will boost the total number of Asians on TV to 5. (OK, that might be a little harsh. More like, 6.)

Pluto’s demotion–Did anyone stop to think about the astrologers??

Odds and Ends Pt. 5

As it seems to happen to most people sooner or later, I’ve become slightly addicted to YouTube. Two recent favorites: MADtv’s Gangsta Shop Quartet, which is exactly what it sounds like, and Dave Chappelle in Grand Theft Auto. I haven’t seen much of Grand Theft Auto, but the clip is surreal, and hilarious.

Also, crazy story from my friend’s blog about her boyfriend, who was sent to a convention last weekend. When he checked into his hotel, they gave him the key to a room that was already occupied. He saw a sleeping figure, panicked, and didn’t even close the door all the way in his rush to get back to the elevators.

He told my friend, “How are they gonna send me, a black man, into someone else’s room? I could’ve gotten killed!” Which, as my friend observed, is sad but true.

Danny Leiner’s “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”

Note: My thoughts on this movie were originally posted in my sidebar and was written a few weeks ago.

Yes, the “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” is silly, but it’s refreshing to finally see a film that doesn’t feature an Asian male as The Nerd, The Japanese Mafia Guy, The Martial Arts Expert, The Immigrant or The Restaurant/Laundry/Cornerstore Owner.

The fact that two Asian males are the leads make this film even more remarkable to me. I feel that here’s finally a movie that reflects my experience, i.e., people of color as average Americans. (I also liked how the film touches upon the issue of racism. At one point in the movie, one of the “villains” snears at Harold and Kumar, “Better luck tomorrow!”)

"Shiri" and "Lost"

I was rewatching the Korean movie Shiri last night, just the conclusion — so sad — and realized that the actress who plays the movie’s female protagonist is on the show “Lost.” Though Yoon-Jin Kim speaks with a foreign accent on “Lost,” she grew up on Staten Island, attended the High School of Performing Arts (the school in Fame) and earned an acting degree from Boston University. Anyway, I thought that was interesting how an Asian-American actress would end up playing a foreigner on an American show. At least “Lost” is careful with character development, and I appreciate the fact that two Asians feature so prominently on a primetime sitcom.