I admit it, Ada Wong’s Asian American journey has got me DVR-ing “The Biggest Loser”

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Here’s Ada Wong‘s audition for “The Biggest Loser.” She made it to the Final Four contestants out of 21 this season the episode that aired tonight. Her personal story of family dysfunction — hard-ass Asian parents who criticized her all her life and didn’t support her three-month stay on the Biggest Loser ranch — has made her a favorite with other contestants and trainers. And, her story has resonated with Asian Americans who identify with her struggle against cultural values and family pressure.

Her talk with her family about her feelings (which she’d aired on episodes and in media interviews) was frank and satisfying, with her parents finally realizing how they’ve battered her soul.

It was as moving for me to see her dad tell her he loves her (even though he doesn’t show it) as it was for her. And it made me laugh to see her dad hug her in that oh-so-Asian dad way, with the tentative Asian pats on the back.

Favorite moment: She had to use a port-a-potty halfway through the marathon and poop on national TV. How embarrassing — but how real.

In the end she didn’t lose as much weight as we’d hoped, so it’s up to viewers to vote for her to be one of the finalists next week. I hope she gets in. This is the first time she’s been below the “Yellow Line” because of the low percentage of weight loss at the weigh-in, and I can only imagine how she feels. It’s like getting a B and you know your parents are gonna say, “Why didn’t you get an A?”

But win or lose, she’s a terrific role model, for everyone, but especially, for Asian Americans. You go, girl.

(Cross-posted from gilasakawa.posterous.com)

Spotlight on Colorado Rapids’ Kosuke Kimura at Consul General of Japan’s annual reception for Emperor’s birthday

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Consul General Kazuaki Kubo and Mazuko Kubo w/ Kosuke Kimura, defender of the MLS champion Colorado Rapids soccer team.

Early every December, the Consulate General of Japan in Denver hosts a reception to honor the Dec. 23 birthday of Emperor Akihito, which over the years has become one of the few times that Colorado’s Japanese and Japanese American communities gather together. It’s a festive catered affair, with Consul General Kazuaki Kubo and his wife Kazuko in traditional Japanese garb of kimono and hakama greeting guests as they arrive.

This year’s birthday reception was held at the Westin Tabor Center on Dec. 2. Kubo, who’s been the longest-serving Consul General since the consulate was established almost 10 years ago, gave his usual excellent speech.

It was full of historical perspective and a grasp of current, shifting geo-politics and business climate that may be a hallmark of a career diplomat but seems more passionate and learned, as if he’s truly a fan of world history and politics. He also delivers his annual speeches in his excellent, vernacular English, not all stiff and formal. He’s a very authentic and likable personality; the Denver Japanese community will miss him when he’s rotated out of Colorado to parts unknown, which surely will happen any month now.

During his speech, the Consul General introduced a special guest of some historic note: Kosuke Kimura (shown above with the Kubos), a defender for the Colorado Rapids Major League Soccer (football in the rest of the world) team. The Rapids won the MLS Cup league championship on Nov. 21 in an overtime Finals game in Toronto against FC Dallas, 2-1, the franchise’s first championship season.

His team’s big win — and his award as the Rapids’ 2010 Humanitarian of the Year for his community service — aren’t the only reasons Kimura stole the spotlight after the Consul General stepped down from the podium, and spent the next hour of the reception shaking hands and signing autographs on scarps of paper, hotel napkins, invitations, whatever people pulled out of their pockets.

He was in much demand, even with people who wouldn’t know soccer from, well, football, because he’s the only Japanese-born player in the MLS.
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Min Yasui’s Denver legacy is honoring community volunteerism

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The 11 recipients of the 2010 Min Yasui Community Volunteer Awards.

Most people living in Denver today probably don’t know the name Minoru Yasui. But the Japanese American community leader has left a legacy that still impacts the city.

I attended the annual Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Awards luncheon on Dec. 1 and was pleasantly surprised to learn that the event had sold out all its 440 tickets. It’s a celebration held every December to honor the monthly recipients of the MYCVA awards, which are given to 11 people who work tirelessly to help the community as volunteers in non-profits or community organizations. Each recipient gets to choose their favorite charity to donate their $2000 award to, so there’s a powerful, positive ripple effect of the Min Yasui recognition. Young Minoru Yasui

Over the years, my wife Erin and I have known a handful of the recipients from Denver’s Asian community, and this year, two Japanese Americans were recipients: Mike Shibata, who’s volunteered with the Japanese American Community Graduation Program, which hands out a whole bunch of scholarships to deserving JA high schoolers (I was the recipient of one scholarship in the mid’70s when I graduated from Alameda High School); and Kimiko Side, who helped establish the Denver Sister Cities relationship with Takayama in Japan (it’s the oldest sister city partnership in Japan).

The other MYCVA recipients for 2010 are:
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Go where the hipsters go: Privy 5 city guides are all about Asian & Asian American celebs & playas’ Top 5 lists

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privy 5 la

Here’s a cool Asian/Asian American spin on the ubiquitous city guides concept, if you live in LA or some select other cities around the globe. Privy 5 is a startup that’s launching a series of city-focused websites that invites celebrities and local playas to submit their Top 5 lists in categories such as restaurants, hotels, bars, karaoke/noraebang, shops and spas, and also allows normal folk like us to comment and vote a la Yelp.

For the recently launched Los Angeles Privy 5 city guide, you’ll find lists of faves from a pretty interesting array of movers and shakers, including Lisa Ling, Justin Chon, Daniel Wu, Kelly Hu, John Cho, Russell Wong, Archie Kao, Jeannie Mai, Jaeson Ma, Beau Sia and more.

Here’s Kelly Hu‘s list of favorite restaurants, for instance.

Some of the directory portion of the ste looks like it’s still a work in progress, with few listings and lotsa businesses yet to be added. But you get the idea. The Privy 5 team also has a guide up and running for Shanghai with other major cities to come: Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Tokyo, New York, London, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Seoul, Taipei, etc.

Uh, don’t see Denver on the list but that’s understandable, I guess. We’re not exactly a magnet for AAPI A-List types.

Next time I get to La-La Land, though, I’ll check in with Privy 5 LA and dine somewhere that’s on Lynne Chen’s list. She’s one celeb I’d love to meet!

China Daily Show website brings a taste of Onion to Chinese news

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chinadailyshow.com

If you didn’t know, China Daily is China’s national English language newspaper and website. It has absolutely nothing to do with a new site that recently launched called China Daily Show, which spoofs the news out of China with the same irreverence of The Onion here in the States, adding a dash of Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” (no video, though).

The current headlines on China Daily Show include:

Beggar not actually an erhu player: Erhu player
China cracks down on lame humor after lousy Mao joke gets Tweeter jailed
Japan halts porn exports to China over Diaoyu controversy: report
“Beijing is actually very safe”: Rapist
Reports: More and more foreigners getting their feelings hurt
“I’m too old for this shit”: Dalai Lama

You get the point.
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