Writer and Playwright
Writer and playwright; Oversees content for the production company Yomyomf, owned by Justin Lin, who directed The Fast and the Furious and True Detective
PROFILE
Phil Chung
Guest
FROM Phil Chung
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Can Hollywood’s Diversity Problem Be Solved? This week the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences appointed three new governors: Reginald Hudlin, Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Gregory Nava. It was their first tangible action in reaction to the furor over the #oscarssowhite campaign. But anger over racism in Hollywood continues to flare up. Twenty-five Asian-American directors and actors sent a letter this week to the Academy, protesting Chris Rock’s Asian jokes at the Oscars last month.Of course, the problem of racism in Hollywood is much bigger than the Oscars. A USC study last month found, once again, that Asian, black, Latino, female and LGBT people are underrepresented in front and behind the camera in films and TV. So, with all this attention are things getting better? Will they get better?
Recommended
Bookworm
Morgan Parker: There Are More Beautiful Things than Beyoncé Morgan Parker says that the poems in her book There Are Things More Beautiful than Beyoncé take a stand against the clichés of the dominant culture.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Gov. Jerry Brown: California and China will fight climate change together President Donald Trump reportedly wants the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, and he’s expected to announce a decision soon. California Governor Jerry Brown heads to China to strengthen climate and clean energy ties.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why is Trump so behind on filling staff jobs, establishing concrete policies? Yesterday Donald Trump signed a “decision memo” to revamp the air traffic control system. But there was little legislative detail in the plan. There’s not much to other splashy announcements from the White House, including tax cuts and the arms deal with Saudi Arabia. And hundreds of positions are unfilled in federal agencies.