Sports. We played them. We are fans of them. We have complicated relationships with them as well. Prompted by watching THE LAST DANCE on Netflix two years after it came out, Chuck and His #1 Phan reminisce about the sports they played, being the rare Asians out on the court or the field, and whether they have that "competitor's mindset" that makes other people so successful (and at what cost). In the end, how would they change the culture of sports for others to thrive and grow?

TW: some discussions of self-harm, suicide, and mental health.

This episode is hopefully brought to you someday by a short shorts-providing sponsor.

On this special episode of "What's Eating Chuck?" Chuck and His #1 Phan talk about their similar journeys growing up in the same state, wanting to get out and explore the world, and eventually returning ... likely for good. Their stories of assimilation, individualism, obligation, Californication, and opportunity as much like their ancestors' own journeys as well as the past residents of their lands ... except with a lot less dysentery.

Also, they say a lot of things in this episode that aren't exactly ... accurate. Please take their silliness in stride, especially near the end. 

Chuck &  His #1 Phan grew up loving the X-Men, in particular through the animated series, the arcade games, and the comics. However, looking back there was something rather ... silly and perhaps even campy about this superhero universe. Does it all hold up now, and what of the future of the X-Men in the cultural zeitgeist. We hope you listen to this episode (it appears only one of does so on a consistent basis).

K-pop is now an unstoppable force in the global cultural stage, but Chuck and His #1 Phan have been aware of it for over three decades. Now they are fans, though the #1 Phan may have gone a little far down the rabbit hole. However, what does K-Pop mean for the general Asian American experience? Does it do much to advance representation and empowerment? What about the more problematic aspects of the industry? 

For those concerned about the length, well, we are sorry, sorry, sorry sorry.

Chuck and His #1 Phan wrap up AAPI Heritage Month, but it's kind of a whole deal. #1 Phan admits feeling awkward when people want to talk about it. Who started this tradition? What are we supposed to do during the month? Are we doing it properly? As educators, artists, and activities, it's a time for a lot of things, but should it only be during the month of May?

Note: one person who certainly did it right, regardless of time and place: Kiyoshi Kuromiya. More on this legend here. 

Chuck and His #1 Phan take a pause every year to think about all things Vietnamese on 4/30. (On this day i 1975, the American embassy in Vietnam was overrun by North Vietnamese troops, effectively ending the years-long civil conflict while starting a long, difficult process for all parties, to say the least. A day with a complicated history (less so for Chuck), they question the burden that's on their shoulders to remember and respond effectively.

TW: war, trauma, refugee, memory, Trojan horses.

The #1 Phan recently attended Sakura-Con in Seattle, where it's been It's been over 4 years since he attended with Chuck and started a new phase of "never growing old" together. Chuck and His #1 Phan reminisce on their experience against together in cosplay, their first panel, and the "jealously" expressed when one would get more attention or go more "extra." It's a friendly competition, we hope, as the plan for their next big thing.

See you at the next con!

The #1 Phan just saw a documentary on a Canadian multi-sexual, deranged comedy troupe from the 1980s that's pure "punk rock" and shaped the humors of Chuck and special guest Kelvin in the late 1990s. What begins as a trip down memory lane turns into a deeper understanding of the Dr. Seuss Bible, the pointlessness of alien anal probing, and whether they'd do well on a Dutch game show involving identifying objects using only oven mitts.

The Kids in the Hall are legendary. 

Chuck's #1 Phan wanted to share about his recent journey away from social media after decades of living a social life online. The two share their current status of our social media practices, what social media was like back in "the day" (rotary phones were mentioned at one point), and where they'd like social media to be in the future: a space where morals and ethics are considered over metrics and engagement.

John Carpenter's BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA - a tour-de-force in the very narrow category of Asian American fantasy action horror comedy - has provoked a lot of serious thought about its place in the cinematic zeitgeist among Asian Americans. Chuck and His #1 Phan grew up seeing this film repeatedly throughout their lives, yet there's always been an unsettling feeling of whether this is an artifact of cultural misappropriation ... or a misunderstood pro-Asian American masterpiece that has a lot of similarities to a story set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."

Special shout-outs
The Pig and the Lady
Anderson Le
Isaac Halasima
"Kelvin"