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September 5, 2024 30 mins

We speak with filmmaker Alice Gu about her 2020 documentary 'The Donut King.' The film tells the story of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who escaped the Khmer Rouge and built a donut empire in California in the 1970s. Ted's success helped hundreds of fellow refugees start their own shops, transforming the West Coast's donut industry. But as Ted enjoyed the American Dream, personal struggles with gambling and infidelity led to a dramatic fall from grace. In our conversation, Alice reflects on the rise and fall (and rise again) of Ted's fortune, and the immigrant experience at the heart of his story.

Actual Facts is hosted by Eric Steuer

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Theme music by Yalls: https://www.dancasey.me/

'The Donut King': https://www.donutkingmovie.com/

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