If you remember our last (and only) Senior Profile post back in May, then you already know that our beloved '09ers have trouble responding to Blaaag-related requests. We still love them, but with a bit of added sadness that they're holding out on the awesome stories (which we know exist; we've partied with them, after all).

Name, school
Nhu-Y Ngo, Columbia College

Hometown
Lincoln, Nebraska (technically Hue, Vietnam--I'm transnational, baby)

Greatest achievement
Being the first in my family to graduate from college and being a somewhat respectable role model for my three younger siblings. And inciting dance offs at Curry in a Hurry and NYCAASC, respectively.

Most hilarious anecdote from student organizing
I once was called an "illegal" at a city council meeting in Fremont, Nebraska. My absurd sense of humor makes me think its hilarious. Tragic, a bit, but totes hilarious.

Favorite yearly/semesterly tradition
How insane/irrational/illogical/ridiculous everyone becomes during finals/term paper season, so much so that they don't mind my painful cries (known in the AAAPC circle as "Ngoises").

Fondest memory of AAA/PC
The late night runs to Hamilton Deli, and the lovely friends I have made. Awwwzz. And when some of us drove non-stop from New York to Atlanta for NAASCon...and back. The Cracker Barrel stops along the way were worth it.

Favorite neighborhood haunt
I really like La Negrita, day and night. Though it has poor lighting for reading during the day.

Your weakness or poison, five words or less
Saji's chicken katsu

The name of your future dissertation
I'm not sure, but I know it will most likely involve Beyonce and immigration history.

What you'll miss most and least about Barnard/Columbia, post-grad
I'll definitely miss the friends I saw regularly on campus (who are now spread throughout the United States and world, doing a-ma-zing things!), the interesting conversations, the requisite college angst, the time to explore my interests and call it academia, and the four boys & supporters of EC1412. I won't miss the twisted excitement I experienced when the Red Bull promoters rolled up to Columbia with free energy drinks.

Where we can find you in ten years
A few years out of law school and most likely having life crisis number three.

Where we can find you in thirty years
Sipping sweet tea on a porch, hopefully living near a lake with my family, contemplating that life crisis I had twenty years prior, and doing what I love.

Dream occupation(s) other than the one you're pursuing?
I want to be a public interest attorney, but secretly, I want to write for MTV reality TV shows.

Three words of advice for incoming AAA/PC'ers in the 2013 class
1) Take care of yourself. Self-care is extremely important, especially when balancing school, life, activities, relationships, etc. It's good to take time out for yourself.
2) I had some great mentors during my college career, and I encourage you to seek them out. They can be profs, staff, upperclassmen, etc. And once you're an "upperclassmen," mentor others.
3) Obviously, challenge yourself and everything you believe. Don't think in absolutes and dichotomies. Everything is annoyingly nuanced--it'll drive you insane. That's a good thing.

Again, we end the year by asking our exalted seniors (there are some in every year!) some questions about their time, Asian Americana, and memories of organizing at Columbia. Since sending them out, our eager fellow Blaaager Ryan Fukumori was the first to respond! May we take wisdom from his words. Also, if you're a senior who got this - DO YOUR PROFILE I COMMAND YOU. That's all.

Name, School
Ryan Heiroku Fukumori, CC

Hometown
Northwest Aztlán, a.k.a. Berkeley, CA

Greatest achievement
Clocking in nearly 100 hours in the first Party Room without smelling like I was decomposing (or so I hope). Or 50 Yen.

Most hilarious anecdote from student organizing
At the 2008 New York City Asian American Student Conference, I attempted to stave off the effects of sleep deprivation by drinking a few of those 6-hour energy shots . They did the job, but they also made me really weak in the knees, which Nhu-Y claimed was polio. She was also throwing things at me all day. And I'm not sure this is hilarious to anyone beyond ourselves...

Favorite yearly/semesterly tradition
Pacing nervously and drinking six cups of water right before cultureSHOCK performances

Fondest memory of AAA/PC
April 21, 2007, eating gravy & cheese fries with Geologic of Blue Scholars in EC1412, after they performed their first show (ever!) in NYC. Blue Scholars played drinking games (with Street Fighter, of course) and bought us food from Hamilton Deli, and their manager passed out on an air mattress at 5am while Geo smoked cigarettes out the window and waxed poetics & politics with us. For a bunch of the '09ers it was the end of our tenures on the AAA board--elections were that following afternoon--so it was a great parting gift.

Favorite neighborhood haunt
The Intercultural Resource Center--I never lived there, but I've spent innumerable hours there in meetings and made connections to a lot of amazing people doing great progressive work in their organizations, peer circles, and communities. Also, Saji's has the best Japanese food in the area, hands down (I may not speak the mother tongue, but I do know the cuisine)

Your weakness or poison, five words or less
Poison: I plead the fifth, Weakness: Funyuns

The name of your future dissertation
Get back to me in five years, when I'm actually writing one (aaaahhh!)

What you'll miss most and least about Barnard/Columbia, post-grad
Will: Having the time, space and energy to explore new things, starting my day at 2pm, and the people with whom I've been fortunate enough to spend my time here.
Won't: the folks (and there are a lot of them) who filter everything through middle-class politics and don't consider their own class privilege in what they say, think, or do. And the, uh, aftereffects of eating at John Jay, to put it politely.

Where we can find you in ten years
Struggling to win tenure at some nondescript institution of higher learning in California. And, raising kids? What a scary thought.

Where we can find you in thirty years
Coming to the inevitable and horrendous conclusion that I've become technologically illiterate, as my kids look on embarrassingly.

Dream occupation(s) other than the one you're pursuing?
If I had Jeff Chang's job, but I also got to drive an ice cream truck.

Three words of advice for incoming AAA/PC'ers in the 2013 class
1. Asian Americans are people of color! Building bridges with Latino/a, African American, and Native American students, and critically engaging the issues common to multiple communities of color, were huge sources of inspiration and empowerment for me and definitely helped break down the (mis)conception that Asian Americans have to be an isolated student population on campus. And hell hath no fury like a multiracial alliance fighting for institutional change.

2. I came here with a lot of problematic attitudes about gender and sexuality. It hurts to admit that, but I owe everything to my sistas who (whether they know it or not) helped me break down my own sexism and promote gender equality in my everyday actions, not just my words. So, to my fellow APA men: really take the time to learn from the women around you, and don't be afraid to be wrong. And--the notion that Asian men are effeminate really does suck, but if we start upholding sexist and homophobic ideas to combat that stereotype, we're part of the problem and not the solution.

3. This isn't original, but: HAVE FUN! It's not worth the time if it's all chores and obligations. Make friends, and make the most of the opportunity and learn new things.

Name, School
Yitian Li, GS 2011

Greatest personal feat of genius, AAA-wise?
See above.

Fondest memory?
Culture shock sophomore year. It was the first time we named the show Culture Shock, the first time we tried a lion dance/hoheup collaboration, the first time we tried a fashion show, and the first and only time Calvin, Tian and I ran the show. The week of rehearsals was a disaster. Groups didn't show up, movies didn't work, and we even blew out a projector bulb. By the day of the show everyone was nervous as hell. The show started and the opening video played without a glitch. Then the groups performed well. And all the lighting worked. And nobody screwed up. And before you knew the show was over. We absolutely nailed it.

Favorite weekend hangout?
EXCELSIOR!!!

Pick your poison, in five words or less.
Gin and tonic.

Name the Asian American activist you think would be best in bed.
All the sexy ladies of AAA PC!

Favorite Asian American political cause and why?
Awareness. Making people realize that there are Asian American issues
in immigration, voting rights, media representation and that we can do
something about it is like teaching people how to fish.

Favorite AAA yearly/semesterly tradition?
OCM interviews.

What would you sooner eat: seasoned cow penis or blended hot peppers?
Blended cow peppers. I'm not gonna even touch the other one.

What you'll miss most about AAA, post-graduation
The people, duh.

Where can we expect to see you in ten years?
Planting avocados in Argentina.

What are three things you would tell the AAA board of 2012-2013?
1. Enjoy what you're doing.
Don't forget that the main goal of AAA is to hold events that you enjoy with people whose company you enjoy. The moment that's not true anymore, you gotta change something.
2. It's ok to make mistakes.
This is one of the only times you'll get to use thousands of dollars and work with great creative people to pursue whatever events you want with almost no consequences for screwing up. Take advantage of it. The real world is not as forgiving.
3. There are no stories involving dolphins, bats, or people ridin' dirty. If anyone tells you differently, they're trying to sell you something.

Have a great year AAA!

Name, School
Tian Xie, SEAS '08

Greatest personal feat of genius, AAA-wise?
Photoshopping the protagonists of Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai into a rock band and a Chinese watercolor into a hip-hop poster for Culture Shock in November 2006. My proudest moment came when a friend asked, "Why are only their instruments in color?"

Fondest memory?
How about the lack thereof at Aftershock, the Culture Shock after party, in Fall of 2006? Actually, I think my lack of memory at Round Three might have been better.

Favorite weekend hangout?
The now defunct Club Excelsior.

Pick your poison, in five words or less.
Vodka Gimlet on the rocks

Name the Asian American activist you think would be best in bed.
Regie Cabico, because he's always ready to go back stage.

Favorite Asian American political cause and why?
Immigration reform because we're currently reaching a watershed moment where major reforms must be made to our broken immigration policy and because I am an immigrant myself.

Favorite AAA yearly/semesterly tradition?
Culture Shock, watching all of your hard work and effort come together in one spectacular evening of performances is just awesome and supremely cathartic.

What would you sooner eat: seasoned cow penis or blended hot peppers?
Most certainly seasoned cow penis. I've already tried unseasoned boiled cow penis and I generally found it large, hard, and ultimately unremarkable. Plus, following along the lines of Cartesian dualism (thank you Columbia education), cow penis is only mentally discomforting whereas hot peppers are (extremely) physically discomforting.

What you'll miss most about AAA, post-graduation
The activism, the community, everything. Honestly, I have no idea how I can stay active in the APA community post-graduation. Considering all the other alumni I know, after graduation you either immerse yourself entirely in community activism by making it your full-time job or you focus on your uninvolved full-time job that leaves you with only a desire to get shit-faced at every moment of free time. Considering that I am already excluded from the former, I will probably resemble the latter (especially on weekends).

Where can we expect to see you in ten years?
I wish I could provide a satisfactory answer to this question for myself, that would at least make my relationship with my parents a lot easier. But dreams aside, there's always Starbucks.

Okay, we're pathetic for putting this off since March. But, as promised, David transcribed the interview, and Ryan even put out an album review!

ML & DZ: How did you come across the Cowgirl restaurant and what were your first reactions?

TN: My girlfriend and I were walking around the West Village looking for something to eat at nine, ten o' clock in the evening. [After seeing the display] I was about to rip some heads off, you know what I mean… I was really pissed. It took a while to sink in. There were three big windows filled with those grotesque images that really remind you of the nasty portrayals of Asians and Asian Americans in history and media. There were a few "Fu Manchu" mannequins… a couple dressed in yellow face and garb. Really old-school, pre-60s stuff... So me and my girlfriend were like, "Is this really what we're seeing, in the west village of all places?" As I looked into the restaurant to see what kind of people were there, it was a particular kind of white, touristy folks who went there. The manager saw me looking around, and came out to take a smoke break, trying to see what my reaction would be. I could tell it was the kind of thing where they're trying to be smart or funny.

I can have a temper, so my initial reaction was to throw a trash can into the window. But I have a criminal record already, and if I were to go to jail again… I thought about the kids I teach, and my girlfriend urged me not to. There's a lot of balled up anger there; those images kind of bring up a lot of negative emotions. I didn't know what to do so I decided to write up a letter and take pictures - my girlfriend had a camera. That stuff happens all over the country, and it's minor compared to the real human rights abuses that go on all over the world. I did as much as I could, as sensibly and peaceably as I could.

ML & DZ: What do you think of people who think you're humorless or overreacting?

TN: As far as this cowgirl thing is concerned, I think there's a better way to do “humor”. Humor is funniest when contradictions of humanity are brought up. With this kind of "humor", it's at someone else's expense, at a whole group's expense. The images are so strong. For so many years, that's all Asian men were portrayed as… that evil, low-life, villainous Fu Manchu.

ML & DZ: For other people who encounter something like this, what do you think should be done?

TN: I can't really say what the correct way is. I think a great example of something like this is the Abercrombie stuff and how the Asian American community and other communities rallied around the racist things that Abercrombie was putting out. I think there are many ways to do things: rallies, petitions, protests, public awareness. Once the knowledge is out there, have people judge for themselves what is the best way.

ML & DZ: How did you decide that your album would be called Love Is Growth?

TN: When I first started making an album three years ago, it was going to be a hip-hop album, strictly beats and rhymes. But as I started it, I knew I wasn't really being true to myself. There was a whole soul, singer-songwriter, rhythm and blues side to me. This song came about—"Love Is Growth"—originally as a persona mantra. Love isn't something that's fixed; love isn't that overbearing parent. Love is something where you want that person to grow, to evolve. Then this song came. It was a song that I felt was combining hip-hop and soul almost equally. It was melodic, yet had a strong groove, rhymes. I thought, this is the perfect example of what I'm trying to do – bringing beats and rhymes with melody and soul.

ML & DZ: Your raspy singing voice - is that something you recently established?

TN: I've always wondered that about myself, too. I used to be a smoker, so I guess my voice is just naturally raspy. I'm also a folk artist at the heart – I'm not professionally trained. I have training as an actor, but not as a musician. So the artists that have inspired me are the ones that don't get training… Bob Marley, a lot of hip-hop emcees… they're a bit raw and not clean-cut, but I'm not a clean cut guy, so for a number of reasons I've come across that way.

ML & DZ: “Immigrant Mother” is one of your most compelling songs – it sounds like you have a lot of family or home experiences that have added to your experiences. What were some challenges or supports from your family while you did music?

TN: My parents were supportive, but in a very detached way. As long as I did certain things, like keep up grades or get into a good school or job, they pretty much let me do what I want. My mom has been very supportive. She is my biggest critic, always saying how I could do better. She's great; she's an artist herself. She grew up drawing and painting, and is a creative spirit in her own right.

ML & DZ: I remember at Sulu Series, you said at age sixteen you finally decided to do music. What was stopping you before then?

TN: Hip-hop was how I started. Thirteen was when I first started writing rhymes. My neighborhood and high school friends would rap and rhyme – that's where it came from. They were always very rudimentary and ordinary rhymes. But I had always kept these writings and poems, very private stuff. It was not until I met Ishle at age sixteen when she really encouraged me and gave me the confidence to share my poetry. That definitely started my life and career as a professional performing artist.

ML & DZ: Do you remember your first gig?

TN: Yeah, I do; and Ishle introduced me! It was a reading through the Asian American Writer's Workshop. They had this huge program for young teenage writers, and selected two or three writers to read. That was like the first ever, I'd say, professional event. I was sixteen, and Ishle introduced me; nine years later, she introduced my album.

ML & DZ: I'm sure people ask you this all the time, but your music persona has shifted from rhymes to singer-songwriter. Are you going through different stages or has this been a continuous creative process?

TN: It's definitely been different stages. I started out as an emcee/creative poet and people like Ishle in the spoken word community taught me the power and the beauty of language, rhythm and performance… But after a while, I got kind of tired of it, particularly by the cliquey, catty scene. I felt there was more to art and life than just words. There was beats, percussion, everything beyond the logic of words. Spoken word does that to an extent, but music is something I could have a conversation about with anyone in the world.

ML & DZ: When did you first get involved with Sulu Series? How did you get around to becoming artistic director?

TN: Sulu came about very organically. When Katrina happened, a bunch of things were happening in New York that were really lacking. Me and a whole bunch of other artists were pissed off at how the Asian American community in New York were not united and didn't give a fuck about what was going on down in New Orleans. Usually, before then a place like the Asian American Writer's Workshop was a focal point of the community, where people could express their concerns… and the leadership of the AAWW at that time was very upwardly mobile. They were about catering to the burgeoning "condominium class", if you will.. and so they were really losing their sense of community consciousness. So when Katrina happened, we were so upset that there were no community organizations reacting to the tons of Vietnamese folks down there… displaced, losing everything… "why aren't we reaching out to them?" They weren't getting much play in the media… so we felt it was our duty to look out for our own.

We had a huge Katrina benefit. We pulled together something like thirty different organizations, leaders of the community, all for a huge benefit at the Imaginasian Theatre. We raised something like ten g's. Ten G's in the bigger picture is not that much, but we raised awareness of what was going on with Asians down south… which was of course neglected by the government. That big benefit was the first Sulu, and since then we've been having these monthly series ever since. I, by default, became artistic director. I never chose it. During the Katrina benefit, someone had to get those artists together on the stage. I happened to be the guy who knew most of them. This Sulu thing came by default – I never imagined doing it. And it doesn't really take that much work. (laughter)

ML & DZ: Last night, everyone was singing praises for you, saying how "Taiyo's the nicest, kindest person around… he's the best…" Are you willing to own up to this? Also, Magnetic North was talking about how, after coming to NYC, everyone told them to get in touch with you. What has your role been in helping artists connect to one another and grow?

TN: Even though I left doing spoken word, I felt broken hearted because I did care so much about our community and building those connections. Doing workshops and performances and reaching people like you. Nothing makes my heart sing more than to connect with people – it's my life and work. Whether it's music, talking to a guy on the street, or doing a favor for an emerging artist – it's something that I love.

ML & DZ: What is your advice for an aspiring artist just getting into the scene?

TN: Is he good?

ML & DZ: Let's say he is.

TN: Well call me, we'll get him out to Sulu. I remember the days when I was a teenager, the internet wasn't taken up like it has. I talk to people who say how different it is today. Back then, when you were an Asian American looking for a community or people or music, you had nowhere to go. Today, all you need to do is look on the internet. Today, there's so much knowledge at our fingertips. And if you do good work, it'll pay off – you don't have to schmooze or talk shit, the rest will follow.

ML & DZ: Your top five hangouts? Where can we find Taiyo Na?

TN: Haha you're really setting it up for stalkers. I can tell you my top five restaurants: ___ amazing thai restaurant in Elmhurst, madras café south Indian vegetarian restaurant in the east village, that Vietnamese restaurant in Flushing, a great Dominican restaurant in the Lower East Side called La Isla, and lastly, in Chinatown there's a basement-level Malaysian and Indonesian joint that my Malaysian/Indonesian friends say their parents go to.

ML & DZ: Any last advice?

TN: Soak in as much of college when you're in college. I was so immature in college; I wanted to be out there, working, doing stuff. I don't regret what I did, but if I were in college again, I would want to travel. Take advantage of the study abroad programs, grants, programs, researching… doing your thing. Some of my best times in life have been traveling as an artist, meeting new people and finding out more things about this country firsthand. That said, I know people who have traveled the world, yet still can't talk to their mother, or still have unresolved issues at home. You have to travel in that way, too.

Check this out - Albert Lim from Fallout Central interviews such greats as Bobby Lee, Kaba Modern, Apl.de.ap (Black Eyed Peas), Jabbawockeez, Eric Hsu (Johnny Hi-Fi) and Jade Kira, Russell Peters, Quentin Tarantino, Jack Yang (Cashmere Mafia), and Ron Jeremy. Why Tarantino and Jeremy were there is open to conjecture, but we're glad our friend Albert Lim got to interview these amazing people. He even got Jack Yang to tell us his own secret for his hair.

This concludes Calvin's Harold & Kumar 2 interview series. Enjoy!

Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg, writers and directors of Harold & Kumar 1 & 2

At long last, Calvin's interview with Harold and Kumar 2 actor Kal Penn (... with the help of some other very excited kids)! Read up, this comes to The Blaaag only once in a while. Excuse the looks on Mr. Penn's face, I'm sure he was dying for some of that delicious Fiji water right next to him (in the picture beneath the interview).

--

Kal Penn walks in smiling. The table bristles with excitement as the first question is asked.

So how did you feel about doing a sequel to the first Harold & Kumar film?

KP: I was surprised there was even a sequel. The first one didn’t do well in theaters or DVD marketing. However, I believe that the subsequent reaction over time gave New Line Cinemas enough money to do a sequel. Therefore, this sequel is dedicated to the fans who made this happen.

I thought the 200 million dollars was made from the first film?

KP (incredulous): Well if that’s the case, I haven’t seen that money! I wouldn’t be wearing the same clothes I’m wearing now. In fact (laughing), I would have to hire a lawyer because we definitely didn’t have that much money to put into the sequel.

Was the purpose to put the heroes into the minority?

KP: The purpose was to make an All-American buddy movie. It could be labeled as a teen film, a satire, or a stoner comedy. It may be all three or none of those things. That’s why the audience loves it: you see characters in situations you haven’t seen them in before, and it’s not because of their ethnicity, it’s because of the good writing.

Is there a little bit of reality in which the racist imagery in the film is grounded?

KP: Well it’s funny, because in one of the first scenes in the airport where Harold and I are waiting in line, I get pulled out because of I’m a “suspicious man of color.” It goes back to an actual story where the director and writer of Harold & Kumar, John Cho, and myself were waiting in line in Austin, Texas. So they go through, no beep. John [Cho] goes through, no beep. But when I went through without beeping, I of course still got pulled out of the line by TSA officials.

So they search me and pat me down and do all the security checkpoint stuff and let me go. Then one of the writers [for Harold & Kumar] came up to me and was like “I have something to tell you that might piss you off.” And then I was like, “I’m already pissed off. How can it get any worse?”

Well the thing was that prior to meeting us at the airport, he was coming back from a weekend camping trip and had a hunting knife on him that he forgot to take it out of his bag as he was checking into airport security. However, the TSA officials were so focused on me, as that “suspicious man of color,” that they didn’t even pay attention to the hunting knife.

So yeah, all ethnicities have gone through it before. This sequence helped with writing the opening scene, but in a light way that John & Hayden would write it.

Do you feel the burden of it being marketed as an Asian American film?

KP: I don’t think that is the appeal; I think the appeal is to a wider audience. I remember back in the day I wouldn’t see anyone like me except for Indiana Jones & Temple of Doom or Apu [from the Simpsons]. Now I think [Asian Americans] are of course going to get excited about seeing people looking like them. However, the movie is also cool in that it still appeals to all kinds of people who enjoy different appeals. Frat boys enjoy it, Asian Americans enjoy it, etc.

You see, both Harold & Kumar in the film went to Columbia (Calvin cheers, Kal stops to nod in approval), and they’re both smart. Just that one’s a banker, and one’s not sure about medical school. It’s not that one’s smart and one’s dumb or one’s clueless and one’s isn’t. Both are bright, it’s just different personalities. However, it’s weird that people call me Kumar in real life.

So you have two careers now?

KP: Yes. One’s serious and one’s comedic.

Does being Kumar prevent you getting parts like in The Namesake?

KP: Actually it helped because Mira Nair’s son is a big fan of Harold & Kumar. When I heard the casting call for “The Namesake” I begged the casting department for the role but I never got a reply back. Apparently Mira already had a short list of actos she wanted for the part of Golgol and I definitely wasn’t on it. However, thanks to my involvement in Harold & Kumar, every night and every morning Mira would hear to no end from her son who begged her constantly to “get Kumar in The Namesake.” So eventually she relented and I got the chance to audition and eventually work with a very smart writer & director.

What are you doing now?

KP: I’m working on a TV show called House. I play a regular called Lawrence Kutner who likes the unorthodox way of doing medical stuff.

Anyone you want to work with?

KP: Natalie Portman, Mira Nair, Spike Lee, Larry Clark.

Do you have to be more selective now as an actor?

KP: That’s the goal of the actor: To build up your resume to get the foot in the door. You think we’re doing well after Harold & Kumar, but on the inside it’s actually much tougher. For example, I’m getting older so I can’t do Harold & Kumar 14.

How old are you now? Can you still feel you can do more roles like Harold & Kumar?

KP I’m 30. I still act like I’m 11 though.

Do you feel a responsibility now to break stereotypes as a South Asian American actor?

KP: I don’t feel any responsibility to break stereotypes. I think there’s an acknowledgement you can do certain things in that capacity. But folks don’t realize that this really relies on the writers instead of the actors, which are jobs that the Asian American community doesn’t encourage their people to go into. It’s really good writing that creates those stereotype breaking roles, not good actors.

For sure though, playing fields are definitely getting more diverse nowadays, and Harold & Kumar contributes to that. I can certainly relate to the sense of empowerment.

Does this movie encourage drug use?

KP: No. I think anytime they do use drugs, they screw up, you know? If anything, what’s important about this film is that in any other country we’d get short or imprisoned for making fun of our prime minister, president, king, whoever. Here in this film we make fun of President George W. Bush in such a ridiculous way and that’s okay! And it’s not even an anti-Bush movie or anti-Drug, or an Asian American film. It’s a simple fun film about 2 guys on a journey.

Kal’s agent hounds us for asking too many questions as all of us rush to take pictures with him as he’s wrapping up the last question. To save time, Kal decides to take a group picture and encourages us all to facebook each other for the photo.

This is part two of the Harold and Kumar Q&A / Interview series, where Neil Patrick Harris answers questions about acting and his role in this movie. We're still not totally sure how it relates to Asian America, but I'm sure this is just the buildup to the Kal Penn part, which Calvin will transcribe in due time.

NPH enters smiling; a reporter shrieks and NPH laughs at her. I make fun of fellow interviewer: ‘She’s actually not here to interview, we found her on the street and paid her to looked excited.”

NPH laughs as he sits down and is asked the first question.

What was your career like before it took off?

NPH: My career was very different back then: I did a lot of Broadway: Cabaret, Proof, Assassins. I wanted to cultivate a skillset without worrying about the fame ramifications of it. Harold & Kumar was nice in that it was a quick glass of notoriety.

John & Hayden (The writers & directors of the Harold & Kumar movies) was fans of me way back, and they thought it was funny to write me in the movie, and so they did. And then I read the script, responding that I loved it.

Are you upset that you got killed off?

NPH: Did you not stay until the end of the credits?

Journalist who had asked that question gets quiet.

NPH: There are 250 people out there who are cursing your name right now. Think about them. What about the gaffers? The grips? Shame on you.

What is your schedule like?

NPH: The TV schedule is more than half the year and is a bigger time commitment for what’s usually owed to Broadway: 6 months. There’s no time to the do the 12-14 month gig.

Has anyone mentioned a Doogie Howser reunion movie?

NPH (laughs): No.

How similar are you in real life to NPH in the movie?

NPH: Almost surprisingly similar...but no, really, it’s everything up until the point I stopped using a fake ID.

Was it your or the writers’ say to make your character very sexual?

NPH: You know, they wrote me that way before they even met me; before they knew me at all. Thats the idea they had of me when they wrote me. Yeah...

NPH then talks about his Whoopi Goldberg stand-in lovechild in the film. If you have no idea what we’re talking about, then go see it...NOW!

So do you prefer to eat at White Castle?

NPH: I’ve only eaten at White Castle late late late at night. I’m not an onion guy, and that’s like the main part of what makes those “sliders” so great, right? So it’s not my thing. I would have to order them sans-onion, but then again what’s the point? I might as well go to McDonalds.

How did you feel about H&K when you were filming it?

NPH: When you’re filming a movie, you have no sense of how it turns out until much much later. It’s very nice to have this role in this chapter of my life because it’s nice to have a demographic like me to have nice things to say.

And what do they say?

NPH: A lot of specific questions of “did that really happen? Did you really ride a unicorn? Did you really snort coke off a stripper’s ass?”

If your body could be made from anything else than skin and bones, what would it be?

NPH: Silly putty.

Like Gumby?

NPH: Like Stretch Armstrong.

What role do you look forward to doing that you haven’t done?

NPH: Someone villainous. I’m always envious of the super-villain in the Batman movies. Those are an actor’s dream job.

So whats the next thing?

NPH: There are a few more episodes of “How I Met your Mother.” Then there’s this project involving a site specific theater thing. It’s like an interactive activity with the audience....you’ll see.

What did you think of the writer’s strike?

NPH: The strike was strange because all of a sudden you find yourself trying to create your own material. I did something with Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer). It’s this Dr. Horribles Sing-Along thing...yeah, I can’t describe it.

Will you direct?

NPH: Oh yes. It’s a big time commitment; with Harold & Kumar I work for 5 days whereas the director works for 18 months. There’s so much more involved behind the camera.

And that’s a wrap! As he takes pictures with the journalists, I ask the final question:

So what would Neil Patrick Harris do?

NPH (laughs): The question is: What wouldn’t NPH do?

Next up: KAL PENN!

This interview with Christopher Meloni marks the beginning of a series of Harold and Kumar 2 interviews which our AAA Chair and guest blogger Calvin Sun also conducted with Kal Penn and Neil Patrick Harris (what would NPH do?). Fans of Law & Order: SVU, Oz, and/or Wet Hot American Summer are free to emit cries of joy.

Sadly, there are no pictures because Chris's agents were especially unfriendly compared to Neil's and Kal's.

After a Saturday night Finishing The Game screening at the IFC Center, I took 17:37 minutes to sit down with stars Sung Kang and Roger Fan to talk about acting, Asian Americana, and our favorite hair products.

David Zhou/The Blaaag: My first question for you guys is, what is your favorite film?

Roger Fan: I think my favorite film that influenced me the most was Trainspotting. The first time I saw it, I went out and shaved my head. It was interesting just because it was a film about rebellion, questioning society, 401k, that kind of stuff. Finally I just sat down and said, "Oh my God." So I went an bought the book by Irvine Welsh. That's my favorite film.

Sung Kang: My favorite film was The Goonies. Really inspired a sense of adventure and exploration, you know? I think it reminded me of my childhood, but we never really found the same treasure. We always went out and explored... it really encourages imagination for kids.

DZ: I think in a way these movies illustrate you guys, where one film is a quest of a guy finding one's life and the other is comedy and adventure. Did you guys have any source of inspiration for your acting? Any actors from your childhood that has inspired what you do?

RF: The funny thing about it is when you first conceive of acting, you think it's all about you. It's like, you're going to be actor. Then you realize you're going to Hollywood, and it's a full team sport. And if it's not a team sport, chances are you'll get annihilated. My inspiration is being a part of a team more than anything else at this point.

SK: Everybody tends to say so-and-so person inspired us to be actors, but...

DZ: Yeah, I guess it's a question that a lot of actors get - like whom did you want to be when you started acting?

SK: As a kid my role models on television were the typical American role models... the typical western, John Wayne, James Dean, the action adventure, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, that's just how it went... whereas when you get a little older, you realize that there's really no one with your face up there. Unless it's from a kung fu movie, and I can't really identify with Jet Li or Jackie Chan. They were never my heroes. So as an actor, to go, "I really aspired to be like him," I don't think that really hits it. I think that there are a few people of our age, of our generation, working inspires me to give it a shot, but can you name any heroic Asian American males out there? It's really tough.

DZ: In your careers as actors, what was the most interesting audition that you've been to?

RF: I think it's a wake-up call when Asia comes to cast in L.A... I came about five, six years ago - you would walk in to do a typical Hollywood audition, and it's like no matter what you do, you're just not in the minds of the people in the room. Every now and then, Asia comes in to cast something in L.A., even for something as basic as a car commercial. And the second you walk in, everyone in the room has a unanimous agreement that you are a leading guy, you are the person who should be the face of this product. That for me was an eye-opener. In Hollywood, you're always going to be that Asian person; in Asia, there's just nothing holding you back.

SK: Yeah, I agree.

DZ: This is a question my co-editor and I have been dying to ask. We're big fans of Heroes-

SK: Yeah, Heroes.

DZ: Right, with Masi Oka. And he's become, along with you guys, the next step in Asian American actors. So we were talking about the fact that Masi Oka, while being a part of this new step, he's also in a way pretty typecast.

RF: It's great that there are Asian Americans in mainstream television that actually have a prominence. The issue is, there always are - the same three or four guys that are rotated through. The question is, can we expand upon the existing archetypes that are happening right now? Masi Oka - I went to college with him, great guy - happens to be a really amazing actor that fits a very specific archetype. At the end of the day, Masi Oka is a perfect English-speaking American (born in Japan), but he's forced to speak with an accent. The great thing is, he plays a cool and heroic guy. But he's still a foreigner. Daniel Dae Kim - perfect English-speaking guy on Lost - has to speak Korean. Masi should be out there, doing what he's doing. I think Sung's and my job is just to create more archetypes out there. We just have to understand what the lay of the land is. Hollywood is never going to create a role where Sung and I get to be leading guys. We have to do it on our own.

DZ: Through independent filmmaking.

RF: Yeah.

DZ: So we're seeing that you guys have to resort to independent filmmaking to spread your message, to create more archetypes. Do you think that this is different with mainstream television - that it might have more freedom with creating certain characters that aren't being seen in Hollywood right now? If so, what kind of leeway might this be?

SK: I think that there's actually less leeway on television. It's quicker, shorter medium. It's thirty minutes to an hour. Break that down - a sitcom would be eighteen minutes, an hour episodic would be forty to forty five minutes. The reason is that they have to fill these spots. The reason why the show exists is because of the ad space that they have to sell. If Tide or Honda pays millions of dollars for that space, they want a successful show that millions of people across America are watching. So at the end of the day it's still a lot like film. Film, though, has more pipelines available to take more risk. You're not trying to redefine an archetype on television - you don't have the time. That's why those characters are safe. You don't have eighteen minutes to explain to middle America who these character are. They want easy, relatable, and identifiable. "I like you and I'll watch you next week." There's no explaining three dimensional backstories of who you are.

DZ: Wow. Certainly adds something new to what I thought was the difference between film and television. So, this is the last really substantial question I have for you guys. Through AAA, we talk a lot about what it means to be an Asian American in our society. For you guys, I guess you have the added burden or role of saying something about what it means to be an Asian American in media and acting. Do you have any thoughts or messages you try to get across about this?

SK: As an Asian American actor? It's such a tough question to answer because at a lot of Q&A sessions, someone always asks, "Do you think that Asian Americans in the media are responsible for positive representation in our community?" I think it's a heavy burden to place on someone. I'd like to say that if someone is in front of the camera, I wish this person would take on some kind of responsibility, but I don't expect him to. It's on an individual basis. For myself, I have high standards for the kind of person I want to be: the kind of friend I want to be, the kind of future husband I want to be, the kind of father I want to be. It goes into the kind of actor I want to be. At the end of the day, I'm responsible for Sung and what he wants to be remembered as. I don't think I can put on the burden of Asian America.

RF: At the end of the day, there is not a general national Asian American pride. I think it has to do a lot with the fact that Asian Americans have adopted assimilation as their way of becoming part of the fabric of American society. This means adopting a set of rules to be successful that were already set in American society that were not set by their own people. They have to play by rules of the system. In a way, you're going to somewhat abandon your self-identity of what it means to be an Asian American. Asian American identity is still not formed yet. If we're not careful, we may be assimilating it away completely. Ten to fifteen years from now what is Asian American won't be Asian American, but is really mainstream preferences.

DZ: Like the product of another identity.

RF: Yeah. Ultimately, it requires more effort to be proud of who you are, create opportunities for your community, and come together on a national level so that we have a voice. Right now our voices are almost silent. That's not good for politics, entertainment, business, or life in America. It's really up to our generation to wake up, take ownership, and help define what it means to be an Asian American.

DZ: Alright. The last two questions are pretty loose. What is your spirit animal?

RF & SK: What is that?

DZ: In [stereotypical] Native American culture, there's an animal that symbolizes who you are. Mine is a puppy.

SK: Mine's an anaconda.

DZ: But anaconda don't have hair.

RF: It's alright, man. Mine, too, would be an anaconda.

DZ: Alright. And lastly, because I'm sure the girls want to know this, what hair products do you guys use?

SK: Hair products? I'm a big fan of, uhhh, cashew oil.

DZ: Don't worry - eventually some company will call you and ask you to be the spokesman for their cashew oil.

SK: I used to be a gel guy, but then I think that whole wet thing didn't work.

DZ: Yeah, I tried to be also.

RF: What do you use?

DZ: I just use shampoo.

RF: You don't put anything in your hair.

DZ: It's pretty wild sometimes. I realized before that gel doesn't really work. Just doesn't stay.

SK: It's too hard.

RF: Try the cashew oil. You'll see.

SK: You'll see the difference overnight.

RF: It'll look chaotic, but it's manageable. Manegeable chaos.

I think I'm about to try the cashew oil.

Thanks to everyone who showed up tonight at the Q&A session with actors Sung Kang, Roger Fan, McCaleb Burnett, producer Julie Asato, and writer Josh Diamond! If you didn't come, basically they commanded us to check out the trailer for their new movie Finishing The Game, premiering in NYC October 5th at the IFC Center. So check it out.

So besides being mad creepy around these guys, The Blaaag also is going to do interviews with them, separately or together, this weekend. We're asking for questions from you guys. What do you want to ask Roger and Sung???

To submit them, just write a comment to this post or send us an email at theblaaag@gmail.com.

And if you still want to wear a yellow jumpsuit for the FTG screening... email us. We'll try to hook you up.

Granted, Racialicious has covered most of this already; but it never hurts to spread the word.

The postcards speak for themselves.







Also, Frank (of Postsecret fame) says that his "favorite interviews have always been with university students." Could The Blaaag staff or someone else from Columbia/Barnard please get an interview and ask this willing man what he thinks about the inherent racism of these cards?

Interviews for OCMs (Organizational Committee Members) are today. What does this mean? Over twelve hours of meeting people and hearing interesting observations/insight about our club. The following is a live feed of the what is occurring inside the interview room - starting at 10:00 am.

Note: Guys and gals, please know the following before you come in:

• Purpose of AAA
• Difference between AAA and other cultural groups.

Name: Yang Liu
Nickname: Hobbes
Intended Major (if applicable): Asian American Studies
School/Year: GS ‘11

What are your interests/hobbies outside of school and work?
I like to play a lot of video games, chess, and read science fiction. I also want to go a Star Trek convention while in New York City.

What clubs/activities were you involved in during high school (list organizations & positions if applicable):
Founder, Asian Students Club (ASC)
Chair, Political Union of Color (PUC)
Director, Model United Nations (MUN)

Which other clubs do you plan to be involved with at Columbia:
Asian American Society of Engineers
Chinese Students Club
Club Bangla
Club Zamana
Dimensions
Hong Kong Students and Scholars Society
Japan Society
Korean Students Association
Liga Filipina
Organization of Pakistani Students
Singapore Students Club
Sounds of China
TAAL
Tablet
Taiwanese American Students Association
Thai Students Association
Vietnamese Students Association

Black Students Organization
Chicano Caucus
United Students of Color Council

How would you identify yourself?
I am afraid that as a freshman, I don’t have much a concept for identity. From my experiences in high school, it has always been a tough issue to discuss and we often don’t reach a conclusion that is satisfactory no matter how many times we come back to this topic. One source of constant confusion is the underlying meaning between identity and its interplay with other ambiguous ideas so I think for me to answer this question I really have to take a few
approaches and see which one works.

One way I can identify myself is based on citizenship. Since I am not currently a citizen of the United States, I cannot legally call myself an American, but Chinese, as my passport would indicate. I would imagine that once I am naturalized, my legal distinction would then revert to American, as I would have to forfeit my Chinese passport. Yet, when this transition takes place, I am still the same person with the same identity. So why am I suddenly American instead of Chinese? It seems that identity runs deeper than citizenship.

Another way I can identify myself is by the color of my skin. I am neither black nor white, but been told that I am yellow. Yet when I look at look at my arm, it does not remind me of a canary or the sun. I tend to think it resembles a mixture of black and white. At some point this color was associated with a continent and given the Asian. When I converse with new Columbia students who share the same color of skin, I noticed we all call ourselves Asian, even though
some have never been to the eastern hemisphere. It seems like identity runs deeper than skin color.

Another approach is to take experiences into account. My parents were born in China but I came to the United States when I was quite young and received most of my education in the US. But I also lived in Canada before. So does that make me a Chinese Canadian American? If I buy an American flag in Chinatown while on vacation in Toronto, how do I think about that experience? American? Chinese? Canadian? What if I was born to Jewish parents, been raised in Hong Kong and now work in Spain while eating nothing but Indian food? It seems like identity runs deeper than experiences.

The more approaches I try to define identity, the farther it gets away from me. It is a term that has different meanings at different times of different reasons for different people. So while I’d love to answer your question, I really need to know what you mean by identity.

List three adjectives that best describe you:
1) Short
2) Light
3) Ugly

If you had no work, exams, or schoolwork, what would you do on a Saturday night in NYC (be honest; we won’t tell the popos)?
Since I am a freshman and still getting accustomed to what there is to do on a Saturday night in NYC, you’ll have to excuse me for ignorant and ask again in a couple of weeks after I get a better
idea of what I like in college.

You just won the lottery; what are you going to do now?
That would depend on how much the jackpot was. Assuming this is a pretty badass jackpot that I just hit, I’d probably pay the taxes first, invest some in creating an enterprise while stashing the rest away in index funds until I get a chance to speak to a respectable portfolio manager. Oh yeah and buy a yacht, that sounds pretty pimp.

If you could date anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Since I am just a freshman and meeting a lot of new people with different experiences and values from what I was used to, I don’t think I can make a claim at who I would like to date because it will probably change in the next couple of weeks. Ask me again later.

What do you think of free food (this may or may not be a trick question)?
Free food can be either beneficial or deleterious depending on how it is used. If there is an event with the right purpose, free food is a great way to attractive people who would normally be on the borderline. Free food gives them an extra incentive to come but ideally, they would come for the worthwhile content of the event rather than the free food.

What part of the Asian American Alliance interests you (social, political, community service)? Why?
I think social, political, and community service are very complex ideas that need some clarification. As students, everything we do with other people is inherently social, political, and communal at the same time. Politics for example, enwraps everything we do, whether it’d be club politics, campus politics, or community politics. Yet it’s hard to imagine these scenarios without social connotations, or an impact on the community at large. I would need to know how Asian American Alliance defines these words before I can comment further.

Any computer/web design/graphic design/advertising/artistic skills:
I’m ok with computers.

When will you be free from 10AM to 10PM on Friday, September 14th for a 10 minute interview with us?
Probably not but I don’t think you guys want to interview me anyway.