Jeff and Phil welcome Dolly Li, documentary filmmaker, journalist and cultural consultant on Ryan Coogler's epic vampire blockbuster Sinners. They discuss Dolly's documentary on The Untold Story of America's Southern Chinese, and the deep-rooted origins of the Mississippi Delta's Chinese American community; how Ryan Coogler's own family connection to the Delta Chinese inspired the Chinese characters in Sinners; and how Dolly worked with the filmmakers to make the movie historically accurate and authentic as possible -- right down to that one horny line of Chinese dialogue. And of course, they offer their own hot takes on Sinners.

Jeff and Phil welcome director Jennifer Lin and producer Jon Funabiki to talk about their documentary Ten Times Better and the incredible untold story of George Lee, a pioneering dancer with an unheralded place in ballet and Broadway history. They discuss the sensational skill and artistry that landed George the role he originated in The Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet; the filmmakers' search for the former dance prodigy that tracked him down in Las Vegas, where he was working in relative obscurity as a blackjack dealer; the ongoing struggle for recognition and inclusion in the performing arts; and the film's efforts to honor and preserve George's story, especially in this moment as diverse narratives face the threat of suppression and erasure.

It's May, and that means it's AANHPI Heritage Month -- possibly the last one ever, if certain people get their way. Jeff and Phil check in and discuss the significance of Heritage Month, reflecting on community resilience, cultural celebrations, and the challenges faced by Asian Americans in this moment. By way of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF, they explore the impact of recent events on mental health within the community, the ongoing importance of representation in media, and the troubling perceptions of Asian Americans in U.S. society as revealed by recent surveys. 

Jeff and Phil welcome back their old pals Rebecca Sun and Dino-Ray Ramos to talk about The Wedding Banquet, writer/director Andrew Ahn's contemporary re-envisioning of Ang Lee's 1993 beloved romantic comedy, starring Bowen Yang, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone, and Han Gi-Chan. The big question: does this remake justify its existence? They discuss the film's fresh take on LGBTQ+ themes and family dynamics; some of the more questionable but necessary narrative turns; and why Joan Chen and Youn Yuh-jung are Asian American cinema royalty. 

Jeff and Phil welcome Dr. Michael L. Wong, an astrobiologist, planetary scientist and podcaster who studies planetary atmospheres, habitability, biosignatures, and the emergence of life. And Star Trek. He talks about his involvement in the Stand Up for Science protests, the intersection of science, activism, and the challenges faced by the scientific community, particularly in light of recent budget cuts to space exploration and other STEM fields, and the broader implications of stifling diversity in science.

In this rewind episode, we dip back into the archives and revisit Phil and Jeff's 2024 conversation with friend, journalist and fellow podcaster Ada Tseng about her Los Angeles Times piece which asked and answered a very important question: Which are the "most Asian" Costcos in Southern California? They discuss why the wholesale chain holds a particular appeal for Asian American shoppers, the specialty items you can only find at the Most Asian Costcos, and the spiritual journey of purchasing Kirkland clothing. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of Costco.

Jeff and Phil welcome actress Ji-young Yoo, star of Freaky Tales and Expats. She talks about the cathartic act of fictionally beating the crap out of some Nazis; capturing the specific fun and weird ("Bay shit") vibes of 1987 Oakland, from her punk wig to nailing the accent in Freaky Tales; feeling a sense of belonging in Hong Kong and acting toe-to-toe with the likes of Nicole Kidman for her breakthrough role in Expats; and how her career journey may or may not include going back to take those two last credits to finish college. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Freaky Tales.

Jeff and Phil welcome Vicki Tan, digital product designer and author of Ask This Book a Question: An Interactive Journey to Find Wisdom for Life's Big and Little Decisions, a one-of-a-kind guide to smarter decision-making based in the science of cognitive bias and the wisdom of storytelling. Vicki shares her journey of writing the book, the significance of diversity in storytelling, and how her background in product design informs her approach to helping others navigate life's big and small questions -- including that immediate, persistent question: what should we have for dinner tonight? (Answer: mapo tofu, of course.)

Jeff and Phil discuss the evil, manipulative, and highly organized world of online scams with journalists Nelson Wang, who became the target of a "pig butchering" crypto scam, and Denise Chan, host of the Wondery podcast Scam Factory, which exposes the brutal reality behind these ripoff operations. There's a scam for everybody. They talk about the increasingly creative and sophisticated ways that scammers prey on their victims, how that scammer on the other side might actually be a victim of a scam themselves—trafficked and trapped—and the bizarre corporate infrastructure behind some of these scam factories. Pizza party!

Jeff and Phil welcome veteran actor Stephen Park, who discusses his iconic roles in projects like Do the Right Thing, Fargo, and In Living Color; the racist incident on the set of Friends that inspired his viral 1997 mission statement on Asian American representation in Hollywood; the ongoing challenges he's faced as a person of color in the industry; and a reconciliation of sorts with his own Korean identity, thanks to working with cool directors like Bong Joon-ho. Also: the unintended complexities of being known as Steve versus Stephen.