CNN in My Living Room

I'm not accustomed to being on the other side of the interview. Save for job interviews where I am apparently, a "force of nature" (keke I will never let that go, I am so flattered!), I'm usually the one that asks the questions. I'm the one holding the mic. My thoughts? My opinions? I save them for this blog, not for the article or the story.

But I did sit in the hot seat one afternoon a few weeks ago. (And oh man, was it HOOOOT. Those camera lights burn!) And it was...not bad.

A couple of producers at CNN Entertainment have been working on a story featuring the one and only Wong Fu Productions and their influence on Asian youths and for some reason, I was contacted to set up some interviews with Wong Fu fans.

I got ahold of some of the best and brightest Wong Fu admirers (thanks Phil!) and this little shindig took place in my humble abode.

Because of my dashing personality (I'm sure), I was also asked to hold a cute teddy bear and a couple of questions on camera.
Here's me trying to be eloquent. Or maybe they were just all interested in my homemade chalkboard...?
Here are some Wong Fu fans who really know what they were talking about! And look at their cute shirts!
Though I still feel more comfortable carrying the badge and firing off the questions, I must say, it was pretty frickin' cool to speak for a story for CNN!

P.S. Not advertising but the teddy bear, hat and Wong Fu shirts can all be purchased at their site. Let's support some independent film-makers!

EPIK HIGH

Timeliness. Something I should think to work on.

No excuses that this blog has been neglected for the past couple of weeks (month?) but it's "time" (excuse the pun) to catch up! I recently made a new fan by the name of Eve and I can't disappoint! Let's bring it!

So I get all these cool perks working for KoreAm, right? One of them came out of nowhere. Epik High, Korea's biggest hip hop stars, rambled through the U.S. for a tour, alongside cool cats, FM and Kero One and MYK.

I must admit, I had no idea who they were before I got the assignment to go and interview them at their red carpet. So imagine my surprise when my friend Freckles and I drove into the Sunset's House of Blues parking lot and faced this...

This is just the tip of the iceberg, kids! Lemme tell ya, the lines stretched all the way around the block! It was ridonkulous! Some of the fans we interviewed said they had been waiting since 7AM to get good seats to the House and were quite miffed that people in the roped off section seen in the pix above bought HOB merchandises to cut the line.

HOB merchandises are the least of Epik High fans' worries. These baby ballas got chauffeured to this concert in their parents' Mercedez's or BMW's. Why not drive themselves? Probably because they're not even old enough to get their licenses yet!

So Freckles and I had a lot of time to kill because we got there early and the red carpet started late. What do two Asian girls, with some time, a nice camera and an empty red carpet equal to?

PIC-TURE TIME~!!

Just when we were starting to feel at home on the other side of the red carpet, the main attractions came.

Awesome hip hoppers Far East Movement first touched down in Cali-town. I really admire these guys. I've loved their music for years now and say what you will about "Girls on the Dance Floor" (which, BTW, sounds nothing like their other stuff) it's dang catchy!

And Epik High! I've never heard their music before this but it's really good! It's poppy, playful and decent even though I have no idea what they're saying. I went crazy asking them questions because everybody else on the red carpet seemed all shy. But then one other reporter started turning on her Korean and for awhile, they spoke only in Korean. I was like..."NO! Language has failed me!" and I couldn't let her dominate the questions so I asked a final question, which was something like, "how do you guys feel about your fans?"

The ensuing conversation resulted in a "high"larious end quote which I want to tell you now, but will save for when I link to you my article. =)

Thanks Freckles for a fabulous evening! Your photog skills are amazing and I miss you oodles.

*Edit: Article published! Awhile back but you know you want to read it anyway. BTW: Epik High music is really really good. I have no idea what they are rapping/singing about but I can't stop listening to it regardless. Get it!

First One In

Just went in for my first "real job" interview.

Was called a "force of nature."

Not sure what this means but we'll find out soon enough!

Gahh...it boggles my mind to think that I may be employed in two weeks. Didn't I just graduate last week?

What Could Have Been

It's probably not the coolest thing to admit this but I adore the Disney Channel.

With their bubble-gum pop tween stars and cheesy lines and phony laugh tracks, the Disney Channel, in my sugar-coated opinion, has some of the most amusing shows on air right now. Selena Gomez casts a spell on "The Wizards of Wizardly Place" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" fills me with giggles over the twins' crazy antics.

But before the "It's A Gas Production" perfected this formula of creating zany sitcoms with kids dressed in crazy clothes and speaking lines one might hear in "I Love Lucy" or "Friends," there were a different breed of shows on the Disney Channel. Shows like "Flash Forward" and "The Torkelsons" were a little more somber, the acting a little more natural and the characters a little less endearing but all the more lovable.

My favorite show though was the incomparable "Even Stevens"

Goofball Louis propelled actor Shia Labeouf to superstardom as the talented actor with Tom Hanks' "Everyman" appeal stars in Indiana Jones movies and the ginormous "Transformers" summer franchise.

But as awesome as Shia and his Optimus Prime is, it's always been Ren, played by Christy Carlson Romano, that was my favorite. Uptight, excessively stylish, an ambitious perfectionist go-getter, Ren was exactly the girl I strived to be. (Hey, beats having Hannah Montana as your role model, ok??) I'm even going into broadcast journalism because Ren worked on her school's television station on the show. (Ok, I would never base my life career decision on a television show, ok?! Or would I...)

Now, it's been about 6 years since the show has gone off air and while Shia is off showing off his newfound status as a "movie star" or whatever, Christy is doing this...

Life is not fair, man.

Glass Half Full

Over the past couple of weeks, a few things happened or will be happening to me:

1) I'm separating from all the friends I've made for the past four years and leaving the lovely little nest of UCLA which I have called home for the last four years and moving back home to a life of curfews, weight watching and not coming home drunk every other week.

2) A relationship that I thought had a shot of working out ended.

3) I will be getting my wisdom teeth pulled.

4) I'm facing temporary unemployment.

But you know what, life is all about perspectives so let's think of it this way...

1) I'm moving back home to hopefully establish a healthier and closer relationship with my parents whom I've drifted apart from over the years. I won't have to cook for myself or pay for rent and I get my own room!

2) I now have the freedom and time and space to find someone that will be a better fit for me. I learned, I grew and I once again realize all the wonderful support I have.

3) I get to lie in bed eating ice cream and watching movies all day as visitors shower me with gifts and flowers.

4) I have the room to expand on my hobbies and figure out what I really want to do and take that time to search for a job and try my darned tootin' hardest to convince employers why I am the perfect fit for them.

So yea, life is good. And optimism is even better.

EDIT: I got a "C"! I have never been so happy being so average. NOW I have OFFICIALLY graduated from college!!!!!!

VC Film Festival

(Former) student by day, red carpet interviewer by night.

BREAKING NEWS

James Franco bailed on UCLA's commencement ceremony on June 3, 2009.

This will be the second year in a row that we have lost a commencement speaker. (Bill Clinton dropped out last year)

Some people on the list of backups have been mentioned but the one that stood out most in my mind is a one -of- a- kind gingerheaded talk show host who's moving to LA for his new gig.

My friend Michelle Castillo works at Entertainment Weekly and one of the writers called NBC to see if they could get said host to come to UCLA and speak at our commencement ceremony.

NBC apparently LOOOVEES the idea and are in negotiations to speak with him about it TODAY!!!

So...come Friday, I may have this man at my commencement ceremony...

This man is Conan O' Brien, BTW

EEEEEEEEKK!!!!

Update: Conan, unfortunately, was unable to attend our commencement. He has, you know, like an entire new show to run. He released the following statement explaining why he couldn't make it:

“I am honored to be asked but I am so busy launching ‘The Tonight Show‘ there just is not enough time to give this speech the preparation it deserves. I wish everyone in the class of 2009 the best and I am honored that they thought of me."

Just when we thought all hope was lost, Linkin Park guitarist, Brad Delson came to our rescue. Delson was a 1999 UCLA grad and a truly stellar great example of someone who came out of the University of California, Los Angeles. He majored in Communications Studies, graduating summa sum laude and then went on to a successful musical career with his band, Linkin Park, garnering Grammy awards and hit singles.

But he didn't let success get to his head. Delson gives back to society by participating in several non-profits like, Music for Relief and to his school with the Delson Scholarship Fund at UCLA.

After hearing Delson speak at our commencement, I wasn't at all disappointed by the lack of "big name stature" or "fame" or "prestige" that our keynote speaker had. Instead, I was inspired by the boldness of this former Bruin's decision to follow his passion and dive into an uncertain, shaky world with a millionth of a chance of success while his peers took safe and structured routes to their future. I was motivated by his ability to have "made it" but to not take his success for granted. I was enchanted by his easy-going smile and self-deprecating humorous attitude. I was more than entertained by his awesome speech. I felt a sense of kinship, because 10 years ago, Delson was exactly like us (even more close to me, being a Comm. Studies major). And I think these are more important feelings that a keynote speaker should spark within the graduating class than any Tonight Show leftover jokes can give.

Below is pt.1 of Delson's commencement speech held at the UCLA Letters and Sciences commencement last Friday, June 12. I'm not sure how long you would be able to view the clip on my site before Youtube yanks it down but you can catch it on Youtube by typing in, "Brad Delson UCLA."

Um, so in other news, I'VE GRADUATED! Massive update soon!

In Fine Company

The Perez Hilton of Asian American blogs (with far more captivating and newsworthy posts though), Angry Asian Man has come out with a list of "30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under 30"

He's cited designer Alexander Wang, presidential assistant Eugene Kang and rocker Karen O in the list. I was amused to read that a couple of friends and acquaintances have also landed on the list.

But I was especially excited to find that two of my editors (and friends) have made the honorable mentions list next to the likes of Utada Hikaru and Daniel Henney. Congrats, Michelle and Ada!
Michelle is my managing editor at KoreAm Journal and Ada at Asia Pacific Arts. They're both talented, hardworking, ambitious mentors and amazing young women. I can only hope to reach their status in the near future.

Make room for me on your list next year, Angry Asian Man.

Ok, for serious, no more blogging for a couple more days.

Until then!

Please excuse the lack of updates in recent weeks.

I get irritated at bloggers who all of a sudden abandon their ship and fail to update anymore so trust me, I refuse to become one of them. I've been taking a break from blogging though in order to focus on the shouldn't-be-but-suprisingly-is rather difficult task of graduating!!!! Must turn in those final papers and study EXTRA HARD for that last final, y'all. And then I will see you again. Meanwhile, here is a snippet of wisdom that I aspire to reach.