Herbert Wong aka Tom Dong
In a still-developing story that’s as bizarre as it is tragic, struggling adult film actor Stephen Clancy Hill (aka Steven Driver) allegedly utilized a prop Samurai sword and promptly went on a berserk tirade at the Van Nuys, CA offices of porn video distributors Ultima DVD, where he also apparently lived. Hill attacked a co-worker, and two others who came to the victim’s aid, badly injuring two and killing the third, identified as Herbert Hin Wong of Van Nuys Canoga Park. Wong who, like Hill, was also an adult performer (stage name “Tom Dong”), was set upon by Hill after he and another co-worker heard screams and came to the rescue. He was pronounced dead from multiple stab wounds after being rushed to Northridge Hospital Medical Center. Read more...
And now, to all our YOMYOMF viewers playing along at home, in the 7os and 80s, he was a fixture on Canuck television both as the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays and as host of popular game show, “Just Like Mom.” He’s also a major perrrrr-vert! Heeeere’s your host, Fer-gie Oliver!
Whoa, Canada!
There have been a handful of mild debates amongst friends since the video was sent around and viewed by our group of current and former network news professionals. A few reasoned that Mr. Oliver’s actions were harmless, an acceptable practice and product of a different, more innocent era free from overwrought scrutiny. Others countered that the video was indeed disturbing, the dude is inappropriate and a creep and, had this been in the present, it would be a matter of time before Chris Hansen and his “To Catch A Predator” crew snagged Fergie in their trademark stings. Read more...
Folks who follow this kind of thing know all too well that the attempted comeback resurrection of yester-star Whitney Houston has apparently been derailed again via a recent alleged relapse while on tour. Allergies are offered up as the latest excuse but regardless, it’s sad to see such a major talent stumble and slur its way back only to falter. But, for true Whitney fans — and fans of vocalise in general — the Kevin Costner-like Bodyguard against your despair is well on its viral-rapid way.
His name is Lin Yu Chun and he just blew you away. Read more...
As the music industry’s woes and general malaise — more than a bit of it, self-induced by decades of its own overstuffed arrogance and failure to genuinely diversify — continue, the outsider, anti-corporate spirit of DIY, not only lives on but, thrives in the form of some self-described musicians and singers, a good number of whom, for various reasons, likely wouldn’t have made it beyond the piles of demos in any label office.
Specifically, the indie spirit subsists via decidedly lo-fi, low tech and low budget (not exceeding more than a few chai boba lattes, which likely fueled the sessions) self-made music videos. For the most part, no more than web-camed, individual karaoke sessions shot in a bedroom, these recorded performances are broadcast by scores of un-shy singers with hi-speed connections and high-level social network savvy. This is MTV (when MTV actually played music videos) for a generation weaned on “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent” and for whom, there lies a tacit if not, actually verbalized dream to be discovered somewhere, somehow by someone a la their ‘scene’s’ Patron Saint, Arnel Pineda who famously parlayed YouTubed covers into a living-the- dream career as the new lead singer of Journey.
Most are barely listenable, far from emo-riffic — some even terrible — and how this all translates to live performances before real audiences still remains to be seen as well as heard but, a good number, have the pipes, the skills and most importantly, the tone and soul. This has also led to more than a few cool partnerships between video performers like the one below between Melissa Polinar, a Pinay singer/songwriter from Dallas and Jennifer Chung, a KA similar hyphenate from Irvine, who likely came to know each other online via their respective videos. Here they are dueting on Polinar’s original “Brave Face.” Read more...
I met Bay Area born and raised filmmaker Arvin Chen at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival a couple of years ago, where he was presenting his short film MEI, which he shot entirely in Taipei. The film had won the Silver Bear Award at the Berlinale a few months prior. MEI Synopsis: The story of a shy young man who has fallen in love with the daughter of a noodle stand owner in the night markets of the Taiwan’s capital city. Firstly, a quick history on Arvin: He graduated from UC Berkeley and became enamored in film, with a desire to enter film school after graduation. But through a family friend, he met famed Taiwanese director Edward Yang (YiYi, A Bright Summer Day, The Terrorizers), who invited Arvin to be his assistant in Taipei. After a number of years working for Yang, Arvin got accepted into USC Film School receiving his MA. Jaded by the graduate thesis film process at USC, where he felt restricted by the process and ultimately disappointed in the final product, he decided to write and direct MEI and move to Taipei to shoot it. Essentially, Arvin’s never left and is gearing up for the release of his first theatrical feature, AU REVOIR TAIPEI, which is inspired by MEI. Read more...
A little over four months ago in mid June, I along with tens of thousands of hapless like-mindeds — inconsolable and defeated — mourned like the covert Scottish patriots at William Wallace’s public execution in BRAVEHEART as the last two American Virgins were sacrificed in New York and Hollywood.
More specifically, the last two Virgin Megastores. That, coupled with the shuttering of the venerable and iconic Tower Records chain, had the subtle effect of a Muay Thai elephant kick to the already deflated psyches of recorded media collectors worldwide. In a few fell swoops of corporate bottom-lining, the record store experience: Venues to escape and lose oneself filtering through bins, discovering a semi-obscure album and/or an underappreciated director, actor and film, became critically fewer. This was the day we all had been foretold and dreaded actually experiencing happen. Read more...
Consider the sport of rugby — imagine football but, sans padding and helmet — a game I discovered, fell in love with and played throughout college and well into my young professional life before various joints started to take longer to heal. It’s been described as a barbarian’s sport played by gentlemen, owing to its origins as a violent game contested primarily by the establishment. As if the sport itself was not brutal enough,
Witness the Haka.
More specifically, the Haka Timatanga, performed solely by the NZ Maori, an all-star team comprised of professional ruggers, all ethnically Maori. And now, the Ka Mate Haka of the NZ All Blacks, the national team. Read more...
Apart from a near-instant compulsion and excuse to candy-hoard (that one never goes away), Halloween — one of my favorite times of the year — for me, has always been about getting scared. More specifically, getting my fright on from a good, spine-chiller. As this favored time approaches, I fixed myself a nice cup of hot buttered cider with rum and pieced together my list of 5 characters who scared (and continue to scare) the crap out of me.
5. The Headless Horseman (THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW)
Read more...
Somewhere, Bruce Lee must be smiling the smile of justified contentment.
Thirty-six years after his untimely, shocking and still-mysterious passing, the martial arts, action film and ethnic minority icon who famously smashed widely-held notions of Asian male masculinity and perception, still inspires unyielding devotion from fans and derision from some revisionist academics and critics. Yet, here in 2009, nearing what would should have been his 69th birthday, Mr. Lee’s legacy of physicality shapeshifts in the form of two Asian men, Manny Pacquiao and Lyoto Machida, the respective best boxer and mixed martial artist in the world.
Filipino World Champion Manny Pacquiao helps convince Oscar De La Hoya to retire from the sport. Read more...
My fellow Offender Elaine is vacationing off in some remote corner of the world where the internet is still just science-fiction so I will be asking today’s “Around the horn” question of the day on her behalf. Since Elaine is one of our resident foodies (see here and here for proof), I thought I’d honor that by making today’s entry about food.
I’ll pretty much eat anything, but I usually tend to be a creature of habit and go for my comfort food fixes. But recently I’ve been trying some new places with very happy results. See below to read about what I’ve been eating and really digging here in L.A. these days—from my (mostly) new discoveries to my ultimate comfort food. All are highly recommended. Read more...
Dear Children of America:
Welcome back to a new year of school. I hope this year is filled with promise and opportunities and all the other positive things you should be getting from our educational system. Now, if you’re a minor and you’re reading this blog with its “adult content,” I’m assuming you’re doing so without your parents’ knowledge. If so, thank you for being a true rebel and supporting us. It gives me hope for the future knowing you have us secretly bookmarked alongside Oriental Butt Whores.com and The Anarchist’s Cookbook. Read more...
It’s September and autumn is just around the corner (although with the heat and fires here in L.A., it feels like the start of summer). And all across the country, children are returning to school for a new year full of promise, growth and…bullies.
I don’t want to belittle the bullying that many children experience because it’s clear it’s a serious problem with real consequences. A study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found that 1.6 million children in grades 6-10 in the U.S. were bullied at least once a week. Bullying creates many short and long term problems for both the bully and the bullied, including depression, higher rates of suicide and alcohol and drug use. You can read more about this here. Read more...
In 2002, writer/director Todd Haynes released the film that may be remembered as his masterpiece, Far From Heaven. Julianne Moore starred as Cathy Whitaker, a wife, mother and homemaker in 1957 New England suburbia who appears to be living the perfect life. She has a handsome and successful husband (Dennis Quaid), two beautiful children, a lovely home and good friends.
But then the cracks start to show. Quaid’s character is a closeted homosexual and Cathy catches him one night with another man. As her life unravels, Cathy turns to Raymond (Dennis Haysbert), her sensitive African American gardener who lives with his young daughter, for solace. Their friendship grows and, although there is nothing illicit going on between them, tongues start to wag and Cathy finds herself shunned by her conservative white friends/community. Here’s the original trailer: Read more...
A quick entry for our loyal weekend readers. The following clip was posted a few weeks ago by our friends at 8asians–a Jell-O commercial from the 1960s:
I’m not sure if there’s any question whether or not that particular ad is chinky or not chinky, but it reminded me of other commercials from the past that may or may not be offensive, but probably wouldn’t be made today.
The Frito Bandit:
Calgon’s Ancient Chinese Secret:
Afro Sheen:
But my favorites are the ones geared towards the children:
Have a great weekend! Yabba Dabba Doo!
Dear White People:
I know some of you tend to be overtly sensitive so I want to say up-front that I have nothing against white people. In fact, I love white people! Some of my best friends are white. Oh, and I love white people food. Why, just the other day I had some vanilla ice cream and crepes. And don’t get me started on your women. Who’d want to be with a quiet, subservient Asian woman when you can be with someone bitchy and loud? Sign me up! Read more...
Ah, summer. The season of weddings. And this year, it seems like there’s been more than the usual amount of weddings to attend. At one such event, I spied the bride’s best friend (an Asian American male) looking at her with what I could swear was longing in his eyes. I’m pretty convinced he was in love with his best friend/the bride who was marrying this other man. Read more...
When Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers: The Story of Success came out last year, there was an outcry from some in the Asian American community over one of the chapters which made the argument that the reason why Asians are so good at math had to do with our history as rice farmers. Now, just hearing that out of context does make the statement sound ridiculous and possibly racist. But many of those who found fault with Gladwell’s thesis hadn’t actually read the book so their complaints were based on a superficial (mis)understanding of what Gladwell was trying to say. Read more...
Director John Sturges’ 1955 film Bad Day At Black Rock is a lot of things—one of the tautest action films made (with a brisk running time of only 81 minutes and not a single frame of film wasted); a movie with some of the finest acting from the toughest screen guys around including Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine; but most of all—it’s probably the best film that Hollywood has made about Asian Americans that features no Asians in the cast. I make this last statement with all sincerity because I love Bad Day At Black Rock, but, as great as Tracy is in this, I also think it would have been a far more interesting film had his part been played by an Asian American actor. Read more...
I realize I’ve been posting a lot of entries in my “How To Survive” series recently. I usually like to spread them out, but I guess it’s just been one of those weeks where these urgent issues seem to be confronting us constantly. If you’re Asian American and on Facebook, you may have noticed a link to this article being sent around in the past couple of days: Are Korean-American women narrow-minded and uncultured? Read more...
(“Valkyrie sucked, mothafucker!”)
Regular readers of this blog know that my fellow Offender Roger wrote about his disheartening experience with the table read for the new remake of Red Dawn (read his original post here). After calling out Tom Cruise, Roger has expressed his fear that he will be assassinated by ninjas sent by Mr. Cruise. Here in the Offenders family, we look out for each other so this is a very special edition of the “How To Survive” series addressed specifically to Roger so that he can survive if these Cruise-sanctioned ninjas come to take him out. Read more...
