The Sunday Read: ‘The High-Risk Feat of Bringing ‘American Born Chinese’ to TV’
The Daily18 Kesä 2023

The Sunday Read: ‘The High-Risk Feat of Bringing ‘American Born Chinese’ to TV’

Almost everyone who reads “American Born Chinese,” Gene Luen Yang’s groundbreaking graphic novel, is a little afraid of Chin-Kee.

The book is a classic of young-adult literature, threading together stories of Asian American boyhood with a revered Ming dynasty novel. Chin-Kee’s role in it is a small one, but he is the bomb at the book’s heart. He’s a kind of Urkel character, embarrassing comic relief that isn’t so funny for the people who have to live with him — a cruel marionette pieced together from ugly stereotypes. He makes the old schoolyard “me Chinese” rhymes and begins sentences with “Confucius say …” He sings “She Bangs,” in a library, in the style of the “American Idol” contestant William Hung. At one point, he eats a packed lunch with a cat peeking out of the container. A laugh track runs in a ribbon under each scene, a brutal little receipt: “HA HA HA HA HA.”

So when news arrived, in 2021, that “American Born Chinese” would be adapted as a live-action Disney+ streaming series, the first reaction from some readers was, more or less, “Oh, no.”

This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaksot(2797)

‘Thugs’: The Moderate Democrat Railing Against ICE

‘Thugs’: The Moderate Democrat Railing Against ICE

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada is nobody’s idea of a partisan firebrand. She’s a moderate, swing-state Democrat with a résumé steeped in law enforcement — all of which makes her an unlikely ...

19 Helmi 32min

Can A.I. Already Do Your Job?

Can A.I. Already Do Your Job?

“Vibecoding,” or using artificial-intelligence tools such as Claude Code to generate code for websites or apps, is the newest A.I. trend, and it could transform the software-development industry.Kevin...

18 Helmi 30min

After Venezuela, Is Cuba Next?

After Venezuela, Is Cuba Next?

For more than six decades, the United States has tried to topple the regime in Cuba. After ousting President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, who was one of Cuba’s closest allies, the Trump administration...

17 Helmi 31min

When A.I. Comes to Town: The Backlash Over Data Centers

When A.I. Comes to Town: The Backlash Over Data Centers

Tech companies are racing to build thousands of huge data centers to power the artificial intelligence revolution. To find the land they need, they are barreling into rural communities across the Unit...

16 Helmi 30min

Boos, Rivalries and Records: Inside the 2026 Olympics

Boos, Rivalries and Records: Inside the 2026 Olympics

In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” the host Rachel Abrams is joined by her New York Times colleagues Motoko Rich, Shawna Richer and Juliet Macur, who are all covering this year’s Olympic Games. Th...

15 Helmi 43min

'The Interview': The Woman at the Center of the French Rape Trial That Shocked the World

'The Interview': The Woman at the Center of the French Rape Trial That Shocked the World

Gisèle Pelicot opens up about surviving years of secret abuse and her life today.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcript...

14 Helmi 1h 3min

The Government Shutdown Fight Over Immigration

The Government Shutdown Fight Over Immigration

The U.S. government this weekend is expected to find itself in yet another shutdown. This time, it is only one agency shutting down: the Department of Homeland Security.Michael Gold, a congressional r...

13 Helmi 21min

The Secret Plan to End U.S. Climate Regulations

The Secret Plan to End U.S. Climate Regulations

The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is expected on Thursday to repeal a scientific finding that requires the federal government to fight global warming. The move is the latest pus...

12 Helmi 30min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
aikalisa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
viisupodi
rss-podme-livebox
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
rss-asiastudio
otetaan-yhdet
the-ulkopolitist
linda-maria
rikosmyytit
radio-antro
rss-sanna-ukkola-show-verkkouutiset
io-techin-tekniikkapodcast
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka
rss-tasta-on-kyse-ivan-puopolo-verkkouutiset