Friday Fun: Margaret Cho

To kick-off the weekend, I thought I'd share a clip of one my favorite comediennes, Margaret Cho. For those of you who haven't heard of her, she's Korean American, grew up in California, and starred in a primetime show called "All-American Girl" which aired on ABC in the mid-90's. This particular clip came from a 2000 documentary film of her one-woman off-Broadway show called I'm the One that I Want.

Have a hilarious weekend!

China's Stolen Children

We usually like to keep things light and happy on My Asian Heritage, but I'm still in awe after spending the last 90 minutes watching HBO. And no, it wasn't an Entourage marathon...

Around 70,000 children are snatched from the streets of China each year. That statistic - along with the gripping personal stories of parents whose children were kidnapped by human traffickers, a rescued child, a couple who aren't old enough to legally marry and need to sell their infant baby girl, a trafficker who sold his youngest son because he needed money, and a courageous detective who's trying to help find as many kidnapped women and children as he possibly can - make up China's Stolen Children, a mesmerizing and chilling documentary that premiered last night on HBO.

The production crew posed as tourists, and it's remarkable how they got everyone to talk so candidly about their experiences. It's absolutely baffling how the couples in the film who're looking to sell their children, as well as those who are in the market to buy, are so nonchalant about the whole process. Narrated by Ben Kingsley, it's hard not to get sucked in once you see the first few minutes. I don't want to get into a discussion on politics or ethics, so I'll stop typing now....but I encourage you all to check this out. You can see a preview below, and check out the official site for more info on the actual production, history, stories, and schedule.

I'm off to give my little one a huge hug and kiss now...

Super Tuesday - Sushi Pack!

No, the super Tuesday bit doesn't have anything to do with elections. It's about a cute sushi superhero cartoon that I discovered while flipping channels on a recent Saturday morning.

Sushi Pack, which airs on CBS, is about a team of wasabi, and salmon egg, crab, tuna and octopus sushi who live in a Japanese restaurant with humans and come up against the evil Legion of Low Tide. Led by the bad Titanium chef, The Legion of Low Tide is a group of not-so-nice sushi who live in the Titanium chef's sushi restaurant.

The Sushi Pack use their powers and smarts to overcome the bad guys, save the world, and most importantly, teach kids valuable lessons about friendship, teamwork, social skills and more. With characters ranging from Kani, the crab sushi who uses her pigtail crab claws to pinch the bad guys, to Maguro Maki, the calm tuna sushi who enjoys meditation and Feng Shui, to Fugu, the mean blowfish who puffs himself up when he's up to no good, Sushi Pack is an endearing bunch that's suitable for pre-school kids and above.

Check out clips from recent episodes here and the opening theme song below. Got any other Asian-inspired cartoon recs? Thoughts on Sushi Pack, or Ni Hao Kai-Lan? Let us know!

Ni Hao Kai-Lan

Ni hao Kai-Lan - which means "Hi Kai-Lan" in Mandarin - is Nick Jr.'s new show (launched the week of Chinese New Year) that is designed to introduce children to Chinese and Chinese-American culture, language and values. The main character Kai-Lan is an exuberant six-year old who, along with her friends, face a different "dilemma" in each episode. The show also features Kai-Lan's grandpa YeYe, whose mission is to pass along Chinese culture and traditions, as well as Kai-Lan's friends - Tolee the panda, Hoho the monkey and Rintoo the tiger. The characters are cute and entertaining, and each episode is intended to impart Chinese-American values including:

Mind-body connection - In many Chinese-American communities, the good thing to feel is often calmness and contentment.

Perspective-taking - In many Chinese and other East Asian families, children are encouraged to take the perspective of others to maintain harmony in relationships with other people.

Being a good member of the group - A key Chinese and Chinese American value is to be a good member of a group.

Social & Emotional Goals - Highlight cause-and-effect thinking about social and emotional issues relevant to preschoolers and to support their social and emotional development.

In each episode the characters also introduce a handful of Mandarin phrases; however, my one concern is that none of the characters translate those words and phrases into English. So, viewers are left to translate on their own based on the context of that scene and associated visuals. Lucky for me, I've still got the basics down...but it's probably not as easy for those who don't have that base knowledge to ensure they've got it right.

If you're a fan, be sure to check out the Nick Jr. site for games, crafts and other Ni Hao Kai-Lan related downloads. And for more on Karen Chau, a 30-year old graphic artist and the brains behind the show, read the New York Times profile.

Are your kids into this show? How are you using it as a teaching tool for yourself, and/or your children? Overall, what do you think - is it a keeper? Drop us a note, and let us know.

Becoming American: The Chinese Experience

I'm all about a good mini-series. And lucky for me, while channel surfing this weekend I stumbled upon Becoming American: The Chinese Experience, a four-part PBS special that originally aired in 2003. It's a definite must-see for those who are interested in the Chinese immigration experience, starting with the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, and told through narratives and personal stories. The episodes cover a range of topics, from those that are familiar - racism, the Exclusion Act, family values and the struggle to fit in - to those that might not be as familiar - "paper" sons, Chinatown bachelors, and Anna May Wong, the leading Chinese actress in the 1930s.

Looks like PBS is re-airing the series on some stations, starting today - check out your local listings, set your Tivo/DVR, and set aside time to be thoroughly sucked in...