Southern Fried Asian

At WICOMICON in Baltimore, comic book writer Greg Pak joins an all new live recorded episode of Southern Fried Asian.

Greg joins Keith live on stage to talk about how growing up in Dallas, Texas ultimately influenced his work (3:00) and his love of genres (5:00). He also explains the importance of "diversity within diversity" (9:30), feeling "rep sweats" as a creator of color creating Asian American characters (15:00), and what his obsession with Dungeons & Dragons as a child revealed about his own identity (18:00). Later, Greg explains how he engages politically online (26:30) and his love for Tex Mex and Korean food (33:00) before they both take questions from the live audience (35:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu. Episode recorded live by Alexia Prichard.

On an all new episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith sits down with comic book artist, Joshua Luna.

Josh and Keith talk about growing up in Virginia and what led Josh to creating comics about Asian American identity go viral on Twitter (2:00). They also discuss the South's hidden Asian American histories (4:30) and the origins of so many Asian American men's toxic masculinity (11:00). Josh then talks about creating the acclaimed Image Comics series Ultra, Girls, and The Sword with his brother Jonathan and dealing with Hollywood studios (15:00). Later, they try to break down the complexities of assimilation (25:00) and redefining what it means to be American through media representation (34:00) before ending on Josh's Fourth of July tradition of slow cooking pork shoulder (41:00)

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

Manny Jacinto may not be an actual Southern Fried Asian, but he plays one on TV! Keith welcomes the star of NBC's hit comedy, The Good Place star on a brand new pod!

After Manny describes growing up in Canada and moving to Los Angeles (2:00), he reveals how he got the role of Jason Mendoza on The Good Place (4:30). He and Keith then go into an extended discussion on how the show is "sneaky diverse" (8:30) and the identity crisis Manny felt when he traveled to Jacksonville during the Jaguars' playoff run (12:00)! Later, they talk about how The Good Place has become such a pop cultural phenomenon (16:00), how he's preparing for season three (24:00), and what it's like interacting with the show's dedicated fandom (28:00). Also, learn which Better Luck Tomorrow character Manny always pretended to be (30:00) and which Asian American stars he wants to work with next (35:15). Finally, he recalls the most interesting thing he put in his mouth at the Jaguars game and shouts out the pork buns at New Town Bakery in British Columbia.

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

In the very first live episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith traveled to Washington D.C., to speak with OCA National board member and Mississippi native Stan Lou as part of the 1882 Foundation's monthly Talk Story events.

On the show, Stan talks about his childhood growing up in Greenville, Mississippi during the era of Jim Crow and how immigrants were able to settle in the state during the Chinese Exclusion Act (3:45). Then he describes the integration of Chinese students into white schools in the midst of segregation (7:30) and how Chinese were already used as a "model minority" because of it (10:00). Later, Stan reveals how going to a white school contributed to his loss of identity (12:50), something that he did not reconcile for decades (19:00) when he became a devoted advocate for the Asian American community much later in life (24:00). Finally, he reminisces about his mother's chopped pork and salted fish (27:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Fellow Hard NOC Media podcaster Melissa Slaughter -- co-host of We're Not All Ninjas is the guest on a brand new episode of Southern Fried Asian!

Melissa kicks off by explaining the origins of We're Not All Ninjas (1:30) and being a "legacy" Southerner with family ties to Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma (4:00). Keith and Melissa also recount their experiences with microaggressions (9:00) before exploring her hapa identity and who owns the term, hapa (15:00). Then, Melissa talks about her work with Living Voices, a multimedia educational show in which she performs a story about Japanese American internment (25:00). Things turn political when they talk about racism beyond the South and whether progressive politics can thrive in the region (31:00); additionally, Melissa recounts how she got caught up in New York Magazine's "Steve Bannon Challenge" (38:00). Finally, Melissa reminisces about venison teriyaki and crispy venison wontons as well as her family's long hunting tradition (40:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

On a new episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith welcomes Hawaii Five-O actress and Atlanta native Christine Ko.

Christine recounts her time growing up in Atlanta (2:00) and what compelled her to become an actor (8:00), including a stint acting in Asia before coming to Hollywood (11:30). Keith and Christine then get into an extended conversation about her experience in the industry, from being cast on The Great Indoors for a role originally written for a white actress (18:00) to now being on Hawaii Five-O and no longer being the only Asian on set (27:00). Christine also discusses the traits that make her southern (36:00), the pride of seeing Atlanta becoming the hub for a lot of Hollywood productions (39:00), and feeling represented on screen for the first time (44:00). Finally, she reveals why her father's braised pork shoulder brings her back to Atlanta every time (55:00).

Catch Christine's return to Hawaii Five-O as Jessie Nomura this Friday on CBS at 10:00pm.

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

This week on Southern Fried Asian, Keith speaks with Gina Ortiz Jones, a candidate for Congress representing the 23rd District of Texas. And if you happen to live in Texas, early voting for the primary elections has already begun. So get out and vote!

Gina talks about raised Filipina American in San Antonio and the cultural similarities between the city's Filipino and Latino communities (3:30). They also talk about having progressive ideals in a red state (7:40) and why all politics are "identity politics" (11:00). She then shares her mother's immigrant story (12:20) and why she left the Trump Administration to run for office (14:20) with the potential to be the first openly gay Asian American woman to represent Texas in congress (25:00). Finally, she shares her affinity for San Antonio's breakfast tacos and why they're so hard to get right outside of Texas (29:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes, Google Play, NPR One and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

On the latest episode of Southern Fried Asian, Keith is joined by the hilarious actor/writer/director whose credits include 21 Jump Street, The Big Short, and the award-winning short film Hand Fart, Stanley Wong.

Stanley tells Keith about what it's like to be considered a "walking stereotype" (4:30). Growing up outside New Orleans, Stanley admits that he didn't really associate with other Asians in school, until Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift sparked a friendship later in life (17:00). While Stanley's family also runs one of the top 50 Chinese restaurants in the country, he never felt pressured to follow in their culinary footsteps (19:00). They also discuss what ultimately brought Stanley from Louisiana to Los Angeles and the reality about how much money actors really make (30:00) before figuring out what it really means to be Southern and Asian (36:00). Then they discuss the inspiration behind Hand Fart (45:00) and close out talking about the epic Wong Family Thanksgivings back home in New Orleans (49:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes and Google Play, and support Hard NOC Media on Patreon.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Southern Fried Asian is produced by Keith Chow and Jes Vu.

On the first Southern Fried Asian of 2018, Keith welcomes film, television, and stage actress -- and Virginia Beach homegirl -- Michelle Krusiec.

Keith and Michelle reminisce about growing up in Hampton Roads (2:00) and growing up in the storage closet of a Chinese restaurant (5:00). Later, she reveals how she met her first professional agent as a waitress at that restaurant (16:00) and become an actress, including her first role in Hollywood as an older Molly O'Brien on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (20:15). They also discuss the politics of growing up Asian American with adoptive, interracial parents (25:00) and what it was like seeing "cool" Asian kids in school (32:00). Michelle then explains the creation of her one-woman show Made in Taiwan and exploring the Asian immigrant experience (35:00). Later, they explore the legacy of the film Saving Face and the importance of representation (42:00). Finally, they sing the praises of the 757's Waffle Houses and all-you-can-eat buffets (48:00).

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes and Google Play.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.

Fellow Hard NOC Media podcaster Preeti Chhibber, of Desi Geek Girls, stops by a brand new episode of Southern Fried Asian.

Preeti tells Keith about her childhood growing up in West Virginia (1:55) and her parents' experiences (or lack thereof) with racism (7:30) before diving in to the differences between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation (9:30). Later, Preeti explains what led her to identifying as a geek (16:00) and the culture shock of moving from small town West Virginia to South Florida and no longer being the only POC in school (30:30). Then they talk about how 9-11 changed everything about the way kids were racist in the South (36:00) and what it's like being the "hyphen" between Asian and American (42:50) and the fine line between authenticity and in-authenticity (47:00). As always, Keith closes the pod on a discussion about food, but with a twist as they discuss the politics behind certain people's food preferences (53:00).

As promised on the pod, this is the Vice news segment regarding the racisim of anti-MSG hysteria.

Subscribe to the Southern Fried Asian podcast on iTunes and Google Play.

Our official theme music is the song "Top Down" by Chops, Timothy Flu, and Mic Barz.