If you follow women’s gymnastics, you know that Shawn Johnson finally got her gold medal Tuesday morning, edging out teammate Nastia Liukin with a fantastic balance beam routine. And the man supporting her is her coach, Liang Chow, himself a member of the Chinese national gymnastics team in the 1980’s. He’s the unsung hero behind her success—and her great attitude.

In the extensive news coverage I’ve seen on Johnson, she refers to her Chinese coach and his wife as “my second parents.” Teri and Doug Johnson, Shawn’s parents, appreciate the important relationship. In an article for the August 2008 issue of Guideposts, Teri recounts Coach Chow’s mastery in managing Johnson’s personality. Other gymnastics teachers were frustrated by Shawn’s hyperactive behavior. Chow, who owns a gym in West Des Moines, Iowa, knew how to harness it. “I love her energy. That’s what you need in this sport.” Teri stated, “He kept her interest by keeping her challenged.”

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Tags: 2008, beijing, chinese, gymnastics, liang chow, nastia liukin, olympics, shawn johnson

Yes, it’s the Giant White Girl of Ningin, cheesin’ with yet another Asian celebrity. How did I get to meet Kal Penn? At a Democratic voter-registration rally. He, like several other notable Asian-American actors and directors, is putting his clout behind Barack Obama’s campaign. My son, hiding from the camera, was less enthusiastic. Sorry, Kal. He’ll love your movies someday….but he better not repeat the dirty jokes.

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Tags: asian, barack obama, celebrity, democratic, kal pen, ningin

I just finished watching the Opening Ceremonies, and it’s hard to find a word besides, “Wow.” Artistically, it was everything I’d hoped for and more. Zhang Yimou really outdid himself. I have strong feelings about the Chinese government’s political and religious oppression. But like many others, I put those aside for the sake of the athletes and the high Olympic principles that drive them. I geek out over the Olympics. I lose all my cynicism and become a kid again.

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Tags: 2008, beijing, children, cultural, dancers, drummers, footprints, historical, lcd screen, lin hao, opening ceremony, sichuan earthquake, tang dynasty dancers, zhang yimou

As we gear up for next month’s release of Ping Pong Playa, here’s more of my conversation with Roger Fan. An interview is always about the artist’s thoughts. But we had such a great rapport, I couldn’t help but share a few of my own. Roger has a natural love for the human race that makes him an excellent listener. Here’s more on Asian film, American film, stereotypes, and Justin Lin.

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Tags: actor, asian american, film, funny, interview, justin lin, movies, ping pong playa, roger fan, sung kang, the out takes

Yeah, I’m the lucky girl standing next to Roger Fan. When I finally met him at “Finishing the Game”’s New York City premiere last October, I felt like we’d known each other forever. Roger, one of the film’s stars, was the unofficial blogger of FTG’s 2007 Grassroots Tour. Besides spending most of the year at film festivals and campuses, connecting with the fans, Roger also spent countless hours documenting the tour in pictures and funny descriptions, much to the delight of rabid fans like me. If you got a MySpace comment from Finishing the Game, it was most often Roger’s doing. We emailed back and forth, and I teased him about how great he looked, bare-chested and suntan-oiled, as the cocky Breeze Loo circa 1973.

Then I interviewed him by phone while writing up Finishing the Game for a local newspaper. Truth be told, I was lucky the article got run at all. Asian-American film is pretty much off the radar where I live; I had only 850 words for a review of Finishing the Game AND a “wide angle” on Asians in Hollywood! But Roger, smart Brown alum that he is, gave me so much great material that would not fit in that tiny box. And I had the tall order of editing it and giving my fellow Midwesterners a taste of what’s happening in the Asian-American community.

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Tags: actor, asian american, breeze loo, finishing the game, interview, justin lin, myspace, new york city, ping pong playa, premiere, roger fan, stereotype, sung kang