They Call Us Bruce

Jeff and Phil welcome fashion industry commentator and writer Derek Guy, also known as "the menswear guy." He talks about how his interest in clothing and fashion led to his wildly popular blog and social media persona; how his writing weaves together humor, history, cultural criticism, and political commentary to make fashion feel relevant to anyone; why terrible politicians are such easy targets for sartorial critique; and why he...

Jeff and Phil welcome back actor, activist and author Maulik Pancholy, co-writer and star of the scripted comedy podcast Murder at the Patel Motel. He talks about the real-life "Patel motel cartel" that inspired the audio drama's small town murder mystery milieu; blending the tried-and-true tropes of an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit with a gay, Indian American family comedic twist; the creative challenges of writing for an audio...

Jeff and Phil welcome back their old friend Andrew Ahn, writer/director of The Wedding Banquet, a reimagining of Ang Lee's beloved classic. They discuss Andrew's journey as a filmmaker; assembling an all-star team -- including Youn Yuh-jung, Joan Chen, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang -- for the project; navigating the complexities and subtleties of contemporary queer representation; being a part of the legacy of Asi...

Jeff and Phil welcome back Shin Yu Pai to talk about the latest season of her podcast Ten Thousand Things, along with fellow podcaster Yowei Shaw (Proxy, NPR's Invisibilia). They talk about the objects that help us move forward -- like a gold star trophy; how layoffs can be like breakups that unravel your sense of identity, purpose, and self-worth; finding healing and reinvention in the wake of professional setbacks; and The Good,...

Jeff and Phil welcome Michael Luo, executive editor at The New Yorker and author of the book Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging, and the Epic Story of the Chinese in America, a sweeping narrative history of the Chinese in America, and their more than century-long struggle to belong in the face of bigotry, persecution, exclusion and racial terror. Michael talks about the real-life racist incident that partially inspired t...

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...

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 ...

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 ong...

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 questio...

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 ot...

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 th...

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 he...

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...

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 the...

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 wit...

Jeff and Phil welcome comedian and actor Asif Ali, star of the Hulu crime comedy series Deli Boys. They discuss evolution of South Asian roles from stereotypes to complex characters, and how the show puts a chaotic, hilarious twist on the mini-mart narrative. Asif talks about his professional journey in comedy, how he had to create his own opportunities (including some not-entirely-truthful hustling by Asif's manager, aka his broth...

Jeff and Phil welcome veteran actor Dustin Nguyen, star of the indie crime drama The Accidental Getaway Driver, a uniquely Vietnamese American story -- inspired by true events -- surprisingly told as a humanistic character study. He talks about the rage, hurt and loneliness of his character; his decades-spanning career journey and the evolution of his roles in Hollywood, from 21 Jump Street to V.I.P.; and his transition to filmmaki...