He Trashed Hundreds Of Films In His Career. But 13 Years Ago, He Angrily Stood Up For One.
Back in 2002, a tiny indie film called "Better Luck Tomorrow" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Financed on maxed-out credit cards, cast with (then) unknown Asian-American actors, and directed by a n00b just a few years removed from film school, "BLT" seemed destined for a life of obscurity.
"Better Luck Tomorrow" was a film about bored, high-achieving Asian-American high school students who get caught up in the thrill of petty crime and end up in a little too deep for their own good.
By all accounts, the initial feedback was positive, but in an industry fueled by hype and buzz, a "moderately positive" audience response is the kiss of death.
It was kind of like "Do The Right Thing," which director Justin Lin cites as an influence, in that what "BLT" does best is present reality without spoon-feeding the audience a moral conclusion. These kids are just bored suburban kids, making questionable decisions guided by very loose moral compasses.
If these were a bunch of white kids, it would have just been a typical, angsty teen movie. But with Asian-Americans in the main roles, this film was definitely bucking stereotypes.
So what happened at Sundance?
After a few unremarkable screenings, the cast and crew went into their third screening knowing they needed a strong showing. And here's the part that Sundance dreams are made of:
At the end of the screening, an audience member complimented them for a well-made film but proceeded to berate them for wasting their talents portraying Asian-Americans in such a poor light.
There's some back and forth between the cast members and the audience, and just as the staff are about to usher people out, an unlikely spokesman stood up from the crowd and went off on a mic-dropping rant. That spokesman? Roger Ebert.
Film critic Roger Ebert stood up and defended the film:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/embed/YT2LsWsw0bU?start=1750&end=1888 expand=1]"And what I find very offensive and condescending about your statement is nobody would say to a bunch of white filmmakers, 'How could you do this to your people?' ... Asian-American characters have the right to be whoever the hell they want to be. They do not have to 'represent' their people." — Roger Ebert
*mic drop*
Ebert called out a huge double standard in the entertainment industry.
When Justin Bieber acts the way Justin Bieber does, he's not considered a disgrace to white people; he's just a plain old run-of-the-mill teen popstar burnout. Ebert nails it on the head when he says that we never hold white filmmakers to the same standard, and Asian-American filmmakers ought to be able to make whatever the hell kind of film they want to make. Nobody slams Al Pacino or Robert De Niro or Steven Spielberg or James Cameron for making ALL white people look bad.
It's also worth noting Ebert pulls off one of the most epic executions of air quotes ever caught on camera. I mean look at that! Any kind of verbal smackdown should work in those air quotes at the end.
Instant argument-winner right here, folks.
All of this matters because Ebert's rant made "BLT" one of the most talked about films at the festival.
On top of that, "BLT" eventually became the first acquisition by MTV Films. And? That fledgling director Justin Lin went on to direct a bunch of other films you may have heard of — like "The Fast and the Furious" 3 through 6 — and was credited with reviving that franchise.
- Justin Lin has entered the rarefied area of directors who have crossed the billion-dollar box office mark, and he's NOW DIRECTING THE NEXT STAR TREK. (Sorry, geeked out.)
- John Cho went on to star in "Harold and Kumar," another stereotype-shattering role, and the unfortunately recently canceled TV series "Selfie."
- Sung Kang starred in The "Fast and Furious" franchises as Han. (Which, incidentally, was the name of his character in "BLT"; many have speculated perhaps "BLT" Han grew up to become "Fast and Furious" Han.)
- Justin Lin's assistant Evan Jackson Leong went on to direct the "Linsanity" documentary.
The branches spread far and wide. It's not a stretch to say this was a watershed moment in Asian-American film history.
Would Justin Lin's talent have risen to the top anyway? I'd hope so. But because of Roger Ebert's boldness, Lin opened the door for a new generation of Asian-American talent.
We have a long way to go, but it was a good moment.
And we're not out of the woods just yet.
More recently, the soon-to-premiere show "Fresh Off the Boat" is already getting blowback from white people on Twitter about how poorly it's going to represent the Asian community or how racist it's going to be. For what it's worth, watching the previews, it actually seems creepily close to my own experiencesmoving to the United States from Taiwan.
At the end of the day, it's about allowing our people to be represented in three dimensions rather than as shorthand for stereotypes.
Sure, I knew a lot of high-achieving, smart, well-mannered Asian-Americans. But I also knew plenty of thugs, jocks, beauty queens, math nerds, saints, and sinners. We should have the right to be who we are, and we should have the right to tell our stories, no matter how flawed. It's precisely in those flaws where life's most interesting stories are waiting to be told. Everyone else gets to tell theirs; we just want to tell ours.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.