Deep in the heart of Jersey

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Seabrook's bon odori danceWow, it feels weird, but I’ve finally written a new Nikkeiview column, the first in a year and a half. I’ve just been too busy (I know, it’s a lame excuse), but by writing these Nikkei Blog posts, I’ve been inspired to finally sit down and write a longer column.

It helps that I went last weekend to southern New Jersey with a JA group to Seabrook’s annual Bon Odori dance. Read the column here, and let me know what you think. Continue reading →

Radio jock gives a non-apology apology

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Here’s a story published June 20 from the Toledo Blade in Ohio about a Tower 98.3 DJ “apologizing” for an on-air stunt that sparked protests from Asian Americans. Lucas, a night-time DJ, made a series of mocking calls to Asian-owned businesses while on the air, including a Japanese restaurant where he reportedly told the person at the restaurant, who had an accent, “me love you long time,” “ching, chong chung,” and “Me speakee no English.”

He also called a Chinese Restaurant in May, and when the person on the other end spoke perfect English, made comments on the air that a white person must be working in the restaurant. Continue reading →

Return of the girls

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The Pipettes. It had to happen – the cyclical nature of pop music demanded that eventually, the girl group sound of the early ’60s would become hip again.

That’s exactly what might happen with the release next week of the Pipettes’ first full album in the UK. The British group, fronted by a trio of women wearing polka-dots and singing shrill harmonies to bouncy punk-pop that’s rooted in the simple romance but shot through with new millennium irony and cheek, has released a handful of singles to date (well, three, at least). Continue reading →