Shows / ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST
Ken Fong gets to the heart of Asian American culture, history, and spirituality. Through interviews with culture-makers and -shapers in the Asian American community -- some you know, others you've never heard of before -- prepare to laugh, cry, and be amazed.
Episodes
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 563: Vicki Tan On How to Make Smarter Decisions
Vicki Tan has written a "one-of-a-kind guide to smarter decision-making based in the science of cognitive bias and the wisdom of storytelling Her new book Ask…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 562: Cindy Lim On Creating Gen Z Asian Social/Dating App Yuzu
Cindy Lim is the founder and Head of Brand for a new app called Yuzu. Launched in early 2024 by Match Group (the same company behind Tinder, Hinge, etc), Yuzu…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 561: Harvard's Dr. Eram Alam On How Immigrant (Especially South Asian) Physicians Changed U.S. Healthcare
Harvard Associate Professor of the History of Science Dr. Eram Alam has just published "The Care of Foreigners: How Immigrant Physicians Changed U.S…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 560: The Two Kens On What Charlie Kirk Actually Believed
In this latest edition of the recurring The Two Kens collaborative series, Fong and Kemp explain both the irony of how he died and the Right's insistence on…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 559: Playwright Prince Gomolvilas On the World Premiere of "Paranormal Inside"
Thai American playwright Prince Gomolvilas first appeared on this show in 2019 to promote The Brothers Paranormal which would soon become his penultimate play…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 558: Drs. Allie & Joyce Taur On Remaking Their Marriage & Family After Husband Comes Out as Trans
As the last of my short Honeymoon Reprise series I'm sharing what originally aired in June 2018 with medical doctors Allie and Joyce Taur. It's truly one of…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 557: Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Bandy X. Lee On the Dangerous Case of Donald Trump
Today, in 2025, there are numerous mental health professionals on television and streaming podcasts who talk openly about the state of President Trump's mental…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 556: Dr. Joseph Lee On Raising Healthy, Happy Kids
First aired in 2018, this episode still ranks in the Top 5 of most popular ones. I'm sharing it here as part of my short Honeymoon Reprise series. Dr. Joseph…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 555: Kaila Yu On Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty in Her Book "Fetishized"
Fetishized is a memoir-in-essays by Kaila Yu--a former pin-up model and lead singer of the all-Asian American female rock band Nylon Pink. The book delves into…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 554: Dr. Jeff Chang On Bruce Lee & the Making of Asian America
Water Mirror Echo is Dr. Jeff Chang's ambitous and deeply empathetic cultural biography of Bruce Lee that goes beyond myth, revealing the man behind the legend…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 552: Jackie Dallas On Netflix Hit "The Hunting Wives" & Her Decision to Leave Medicine to Pursue Acting
Jackie Dallas was only a year from finishing her residency in pathology when she decided to leave medicine, move to California, and pursue acting. Through…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 553: The Two Kens On Concerns About the Focus of the Late Dr. James Dobson
For nearly 50 years conservative Christian psychologist Dr. James Dobson influenced countless couples, families, and churches through his globally ubiquitous…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 551: Sabrina Wang On Attaining Eagle Scout Rank as an Asian American Female
Teenaged Sabrina Wang has the distinction of being one of the first girls--Asian American or otherwise--to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout in what is now…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 550: Sean Dulake On New Amazon Prime "Butterfly" Spy Series & Third Culture Content
Actor Sean Dulake is part of the stellar cast of Amazon Prime's new Butterfly series, an espionage thriller set in Seoul, ROK, starring and executive produced…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 549: The Two Kens On America's State of Disaggregation
In this latest installment of the collaboration between podcasters Fong and Kemp, they describe America's state of "disaggregation" and implications for this…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 548: Jesse Q. Sutanto On Re-imagining Mulan as a Contemporary Rom-Com Novel
Best-selling novelist Jesse Q. Sutanto's latest offering is a present-day re-imagining of the ancient Chinese folktale about a daughter who masquerades as a…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 547: Kenny & Chizuko Endo On Celebrating His 50 Years As a Taiko Drumming Artist & Innovator
Kenny and Chizuko Endo met in 1976 a year after he'd embarked on what would become his lifelong passion for Japanese taiko drumming, ultimately using it to…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 546: Podcaster Mari Fong On the Dire Need to Help Pro Musicians with Their Mental Health
Mari Fong is a music journalist who not long ago launched the "Check Your Head" podcast because of being deeply troubled by the number of professional…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 545: Michael Luo On "Strangers in the Land: Exclusion, Belonging & the Epic Story of Chinese in America"
Michael Luo is an executive editor at The New Yorker and writes regularly on politics, religion, and Asian American issues. His first book, "Strangers in the…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 543: Shin Yu Pai On Rebooting Her "Ten Thousand Things" Podcast
Shin Yu Pai was already a published poet and museologist when she entered a contest by the Pacific Northwest's National Public Radio to pitch an idea for a new…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 544: The Two Kens On Why Trump & MAGA Revel In Being Cruel
In this latest installment of the recurring collaboraton between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they attempt to ascertain why Trump and MAGA folks enjoy being cruel to…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 542: Bryan Yamami On TAIKOPROJECT & July 19 Show Celebrating Their 25th Anniversary
Guest Bryan Yamami is the co-founder and executive director of the acclaimed and award-winning drumming group TAIKOPROJECT (www.taikoproject.org). You'll learn…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 541: Kanaka Mālia Luna Jennings & Diane Ujiiye On Redeeming Lives Through API-RISE
Long-time friend and Christian colleague Diane Ujiiye, the co-director of nonprofit www.api-rise.org, introduced me to her Program Director Kanaka Mālia Luna…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 540: Philip Kan Gotanda On "Yankee Dawg You Die" & How He Became One of Asian America's Preeminent Storytellers
Third generation Japanese American Philip Kan Gotanda has gained renown as one of the most prolific Asian American playwrights, filmmakers, and musicians, but…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 538: Author & Illustrator Regina Linke On Her First Children's Book "Big Enough"
Regina Linke was born and raised in Texas, and she always enjoyed the creative arts, but she didn't learn traditional Chinese painting until after moving with…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 539: The Two Kens On Feuds Inside DNC, Between Newsom & Trump, and Between Trump & Musk
After a much-too long break, podcasters Fong and Kemp are finally back, this time tackling the uprising within the DNC by young leaders like vice chair David…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 537: Leslie Ishii On Her Recently Winning Two Prestigious Theater Awards
Alaska's Perseverance Theatre's Artistic Director Leslie Ishii has the distinction of recently being awarded to prestigious awards: The 2024 Stage Directors &…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 536: Maxwell Lee, Part 1 On Recapturing His Dream To Be A Professional Musician
Maxwell Lee's Malaysian immigrant parents first put a violin in his hands when he was just three years old, but he soon demonstrated that he had precocious and…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 535: Taha Mandviwala On His Career-Defining Role in Stage Production Of "Life of Pi"
Pakistani American actor Taha Mandviwala is now starring as "Pi" in the highly acclaimed theatrical adaptation of the bestselling novel and award-winning film…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 534: Dr. Anne Soon Choi On Writing The First True Crime Biography Of Dr. Thomas Noguchi
Scholar Dr. Anne Soon Choi has just written L.A. Coroner:Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, the first-ever biography of Dr. Tsunetomi "Thomas" Noguchi, the…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 533: NJ Senator Andy Kim On Still Being A Life-long Public Servant
Even though New Jersey freshman Senator Andy Kim has already served three terms in the House of Representatives, he still primarily sees himself as a life-long…
- ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCAST
EP 532: Drs. Vitune & Roy Vongtama On The Crucial Role That USAID Played In Their Family All Becoming Doctors
With federal agency USAID now struggling to survive after being unfairly demeaned and discounted by Elon Musk and his DOGE crew, it's crucial that you hear the…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 531: Tracey Gee On The Magic Of Knowing What You Want
Certified leadership coach and consultant Tracey Gee has recently published her first book. Entitled The Magic of Knowing What You Want: A Practical Guide to…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 530: Documentary Filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi On Why Contagious Courage Is Still Needed Today
In this episode Bay Area filmmaker Claudia Katayanagi goes into great detail about the myriad little-known incarceration camps that the federal government…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 529: Sarah Ahn On Her Cookbook "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom & 100 Family Recipes"
Sarah Ahn is America's Test Kitchen's social media manager and the creator of the Ahnest Kitchen website (www.ahnestkitchen.com). She records her experiences…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 528: Gloria Lai Huang On Writing Her Novel "Kaya Of The Ocean"
Kaya of the Ocean is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Gloria Lai Huang that explores themes of mental health, the immigrant experience, and self-acceptance. The…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 527: Activist Artist & Author Nancy Wang On The History Of Chinese In The Monterey Bay Fishing Villages
Bay Area artist and activist Nancy Wang has recently written a captivating fictional historical account of the Chinese who built and worked out of the fishing…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 526: Rev. Lydia Sohn On The Spirituality Of Staying In A Culture Of Leaving
Whether or not you identify as spiritual or some kind of Christian, I'm pretty sure most of us are quite familiar with the tendency--if not the temptation--to…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 525: The Two Kens On The One Word That Best Describes Trump & How To Thwart Him
In this latest installment of the Two Kens collaborative series between Ken Fong and Ken Kemp, they introduce a term that respected German sociologist Max…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 524: Dr. Grishma Shah On Her Debut South Asian American Novel "Anagram Destiny"
Dr. Grishma Shah's debut novel Anagram Destiny is a soul warming love story nestled in an inspiring tale of the American dream, manifesting an Indian immigrant…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 523: Dr. Karen Fang On Outstanding Artist Tyrus Wong
If you're one of the fortunate people who know who Tyrus Wong was and what a pivotal role he played in getting the classic Disney film "Bambi" made, I think…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 522: Dr. Soong-Chan Rah On Why The Dismantling Of USAID Should Be A Wake Up Call for American Evangelicals
In this episode seminary professor Dr. Soong-Chan Rah reiterates that the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID should serve as a serious wake up call to…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 521: Dr. Roger Newman On His Black Uncle's Experiences in the Jim Crow South & U.S. Army
As a nod to this being Black History Month and also as a form of pushback against the current dismantling of meritocracy in the U.S. Military by the Trump…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 520: The Two Kens On Trump's Blitzkrieg Of America
In this latest episode in the Two Kens collaborative series on American politics and Christian nationalism, Fong and Kemp point out the jarring historical…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 519: Director Chay Yew On The Los Angeles Premiere Of "Cambodian Rock Band"
Celebrated playwright, director and producer Chay Yew is once again directing Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, this time in its Los Angeles debut at East West…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 518: Chris McKinney On New Book "Honolulu Noir"
Hawaii-based writer Chris McKinney has edited Honolulu Noir, the latest in the Akashic Noir series of location-based dark short stories. Comprised of stories…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 517: Doreen & Ken About Their Wedding Day and Being Newlyweds
Doreen and Ken were high school sweethearts more than half a century ago. (You can hear more about their love story in EP 496.) But they parted ways in 1973…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 516: The Two Kens On The Catastrophic SoCal Fires & The Legacy Of Pres. Jimmy Carter
My longtime friend and fellow podcaster Ken Kemp (The Beached White Male) lives on the far end of Orange County, so his house is far from the fires in SoCal…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 515: Dr. Noël S. Harmon On How APIA Scholars Aims to Breakdown Financial Hardships For AANHPI Students
Dr. Noël S. Harmon is the President and Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars), which is America's largest nonprofit…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 514: Author Ellie Yang Camp On Helping Asian Americans Confront & Jettison White Supremacy
Author Ellie Yang Camp and I first crossed paths 24 years ago at a triennial Christian conference for college students. I was the main speaker that week and…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 513: June Kuramoto On Being Recognized With The 2024 NEA National Fellowship Heritage Award
Globally acclaimed jazz koto player June Kuramoto received one of the ten National Fellowship Heritage Awards by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2024 in…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 512: David Bradley Lim On Finally Finding His Path As A Successful Actor
David Bradley Lim grew up in a comfortable Nor Cal suburb. He excelled at most sports, but he knew that he'd never be able to be competitive beyond high…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 511: The Two Kens On Unpacking The Unexpected Ending of "Conclave" Film
Already being mentioned for the Academy's "Best Picture" and "Best Actor" awards, this screen adaptation of Robert Harris' international bestselling novel…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 510: Dr. Samuel Jamier On The New York Asian Film Festival & Being a Korean Adoptee
Dr. Samuel Jamier was adopted as a 4-year-old from Korea by a strick Catholic family in the Brittany region of France. Growing up, he was an altar boy and into…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 509: Joanne Howard On Writing "Sleeping In The Sun" Debut Novel
California-based Asian American writer Joanne Howard discovered her grandfather's journals which he'd written while the family was serving as Baptist…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 508: Author & Cartoonist Teresa Wong On Latest Graphic Memoir "All Our Ordinary Stories"
Acclaimed Chinese Canadian author and cartoonist Teresa Wong recently published All Our Ordinary Stories: A Multigenerational Family Odyssey, which is her…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 507: Author & Painter Hyeseung Song On "Docile: Memoirs Of A Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl
Acclaimed painter and now-author Hyeseung Song has written a searing coming-of-age memoir for fans of Crying in H Mart, Minor Feelings, and the film Minari…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTThe Two Kens On How We're Feeling & What We're Thinking Following Trump's Victory Over Harris
After Trump was declared the winner over Harris, long-time friends and podcasters Ken Fong and Ken Kemp felt a need to see how the other was doing. If, like…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 506: Tim Dang On Directing "Pacific Overtures" @EastWestPlayers
East West Players' venerable producing artistic director emeritus Tim Dang came back for a third appearance here to let us all know what's in store for…
ASIAN AMERICA: THE KEN FONG PODCASTEP 505: Brian Ho On How He Went From Being A Piano Prodigy To A Hammond Organ Jazz Artist
Brian Ho started taking piano lessons at a very early age, and even though he clearly was a prodigy, he struggled to connect to classical music. But he…
