Jimmy Kimmel draws the ire of Trump, show suspended

EDITOR'S NOTE: Excuse me if I wander off my usual coverage of Asian Americana, but sometimes, events  impact our lives even if, on the surface, there is no apparent direct tie to the AANHIPI communities.

Jimmy Kimmel, left, was suspended after FCC head Brandon Carr, right, threatened ABC.

I had to watch "All The President’s Men” again just to remind myself of the idealism -- naive as they might be -- that attracted me to journalism as a career: Exposing corruption and coverups, offering new approaches to old problems, bringing attention to and giving a voice for  the powerless and, of course, seeking the truth.

If I had to make that decision in today's climate, I might not make the same choice because of what happened to Jimmy Kimmel. The hard truth: journalism is not a calling, its a business where the bottomline overrides principles.

Following direct and indirect pressure from the FCC, Disney which is the parent company of ABC, suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely on September 18, sparking a major debate over free speech, censorship and corporate ownership. 

ABC's decision to punish Kimmel came after he made comments concerning the recent killing of ultra-conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Most of the coverage on Kimmel's silencing has focused on the right of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

During his opening monologue on Sept. 15, Kimmel suggested that conservative supporters of Donald Trump were politicizing the killing of activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel mocked Trump's response to the killing and said the "MAGA gang" was "doing everything they can to score political points."

Who really owns US media

One might disagree with Kimmel's comments about Kirk's suspected killer. One might even say the monologue wasn't funny, but that's not what I'm focusing on. Here is the story behind the story.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr publicly condemned Kimmel, and suggested the agency could pursue "remedies" against the network, an apparent reference to ABC's broadcast license. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said.

The threatening message was loud and clear. Conservative-leaning affiliate owners, including Nexstar and Sinclair, announced they would preempt Kimmel's show on their stations. Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or operates 38 ABC affiliates, while Nexstar Media Group opeorates 28 ABC affiliates.   

Within hours of the affiliates' announcement, ABC's parent company, Disney headed by CEO Bob Iger, indefinitely suspended Kimmel's show.

On Wednesday Sinclair Broadcast Group, which has a reputation for a conservative viewpoint in its broadcasts, called on Kimmel to apologize to Kirk’s family and make a “meaningful personal donation” to the activist’s political organization, Turning Point USA. Sinclair said its ABC stations will air a tribute to Kirk on Friday in Kimmel’s time slot.

Nextstar, besides its ABC affiliates, owns or partners with more than 200 stations in 116 US markets, and owns broadcast networks the CW and NewsNation, as well as the political website The Hill and nearly a third of the Food Network.

Kissing up to the Trump government

It is not coincidence that all three media corporations, Nexstar, Sinclair and Disney, need FCC approval for expanding their influence.

• Last month, Nexstar announced a $6.2 billion deal to buy TEGNA Inc., which owns 64 other TV stations.In order to do that, Nextstar is asking Carr to bend the FCC rules that prevents an entity to own more than 39% of the market.

• Sinclair is also asking an exemption from the 39% rule because it seeks  a mixture of station acquisitions and sales — all of which require the approval of the FCC.

• Disney is paying $10 million to settle FCC allegations that the company allowed personal data to be collected from children who viewed kid-directed videos on YouTube without notifying parents or obtaining their consent as required by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA Rule). It also seeks FCC approval for the entertainment giant to purchase ESPN.

The actions of the FCC and media companies. alongside the billionaire owners of the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, both of which withdrew editorials endorsing Kamala Harris, and the always present Fox conglomerate, which also owns the Wall Street Journal and New York Post, and other conservative outlets should do away with the MAGA criticisms of the so-called "liberal" mainstream media.

Disney's decision was loudly criticized by journalists and First Amendment advocates. 

“Jimmy Kimmel is the latest target of the Trump administration’s unconstitutional plan to silence its critics and control what the American people watch and read. Cowering to threats, ABC and the biggest owner of its affiliate stations gave the Trump FCC chairman exactly what he wanted by suspending Kimmel indefinitely and dropping the show," said Christopher Anders, director of the Democracy and Technology Division at the American Civil Liberties Union, said:

Hollywood figures and unions, including the Writers Guild of America (WGA), condemned the move, organizing protests outside Disney Studios to defend free speech. Protestors held signs saying "ABC Bends the Knee to Fascism," and WGA president Meredith Stiehm called it a "frontal assault on basic First Amendment principles".

I strongly sympathize with all the altruistic journalists out there trying to do their job but are hindered by their higher ups more concerned about the bottom line and political motivations and abandon any journalistic principles and good intentions.

The results were all part of the plans of conservatives' Project 2026 battle plan. In fact, Carr was the author of that portion concerning the FCC and taking control of the media by silencing the critics and delivering only the Trump-approved messages, even if they are false or incorrect.

“This is beyond McCarthyism. Trump officials are repeatedly abusing their power to stop ideas they don’t like, deciding who can speak, write, and even joke," states the ACLU's Anders. "The Trump administration's actions, paired with ABC's capitulation, represent a grave threat to our First Amendment freedoms.”

Republicans are the majority of Congress, they dominate the Supreme Court and now they are seeking control of the Fourth Estate. Trump has shown he can order the military to do his bidding against Americans and ICE is acting like the Gestapo overriding peoples' Constitutional rights.   

America's freedom and rights are getting weaker not by a revolution, but slowly, a constant drip eroding the nation's democracy. Trump and billionaire enablers have the country closer to becoming a dictatorship and a possible Trump third term.

Even more troubling, in an interview with CNBC, FCC head Carr said, "We're not done yet."

Trump posted on Truth Social in response to the news about Kimmel, calling it "great news for America," as he threatened two other late night hosts.

"Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done," the post wrote. "Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy (Fallon) and Seth (Meyers), two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!"

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

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No folks. Zendaya has not been cast as the new Moana

Disney studios released a picture of an older Moana that will featured in a new animated musical.

Hold your horses. Calm down. Zendaya has not been cast as Pacific Islander princess Moana in the live-action remake. 

A trailer purported to be an "official" trailer for the live-action remake of the original Disney animated movie announcing that Zendaya has been cast in the title role is a fake. Cries of cultural appropriation exploded on the internet when the fake trailer first appeared. Zendaya is not of Pacific Islander descent.

“Moana remains an incredibly popular franchise,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “And we can’t wait to give you more of Moana and Maui when Moana 2 comes to theaters in November."

What is true is that Disney is planning to retell the tale of Moana's search for a new island home with real actors. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who viced the demi-god Maui in the animated feature will reprise that role in the life-action version. However, the search for an actress to play Moana is underway.

Unfortunately, Aul'i Cravalho, who provided the original voice of Moana will not return for the live-action remake. 

FYI: Meet the actress playing Moana

Cravalho, who will be 23 years old when filming starts and in the Disney story, Moana is only 16. The actress, who is currently starring in the Broadway version of "Mean Girls," said in an Instagram post that she will keep her ties with the Moana franchise as an executive producer.

“I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that help inspire her story, and I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come. Mahalo," Cravalho shared on Instagram.

Thomas Kail, the Tony Award-winning director of “Hamilton” on Broadway, will direct the movie. "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the music for the original Moana, will do the same for the live-action musical.

Cinema Pro Studio published a concept trailer (See below) of Moana on its YouTube page, showing Zendaya and The Rock in the film.

"Here's our concept trailer for 'Moana Live Action,' an exhilarating cinematic journey that brings Zendaya's Moana and Dwayne Johnson's Maui to life in a captivating new adaptation,” says the description under the concept trailer.

A concept trailer featuring Zendaya alarmed Moana fans.

Cravalho, however, will provide the voice of the animated project, tentatively titled Moana 2, that will feature further adventures of the island princess.

Originally scheduled to start filming this year, the release of the live-action film was pushed back to mid 2025. Nevertheless, the fake trailer went viral an stirred up social media critics.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 is not a remake but a continuation of Moana's adventures. It takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers.

Moana 2 takes place three years after the end of the original Moana. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

The voice actors from the original Moana will be back, including:

• Auli’i Cravalho as Moana
• Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as Maui
• Nicole Scherzinger as Sina
• Temuera Morrison as Chief Tai

Johnson will provided the voice of the demi-god Maui in the original animated movie will repeat the role in the animated sequel and the live-action movie. He feels close to the role because of his own Samoan heritage. “As many of you know ... we found so much inspiration for Maui in the mana and the presence of my late grandfather, the legendary High Chief, Peter Maivia," Johnson shared.

Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Filipino British family returns in final chapter of Disney's heartwarming Christmas trilogy

Disney has released the third and final Christmas commercial featuring a  Filipino British family titled "The Gift."

In the final chapter of the #FromOurFamilyToYours trilogy, Nicole and her family are preparing to welcome a special new addition... but not everyone is ready for things to change.

Disney UK notes, “Nicole and her family are preparing to welcome a special new addition… but not everyone is ready for things to change. This heart-warming story celebrates the magic and joy of family, festive traditions and creating new memories. We hope you enjoy this special Christmas video, From Our Family to Yours.”

“The Gift” is a powerful story of sibling relationships, experienced through the eyes of youngest child Ella, as she adjusts to the changing family dynamic. At the heart of the story is a beloved glow in the dark Mickey Mouse soft toy, which connects both past, present and future. Whilst the elder brother, Max is first shown giving Ella the Mickey Mouse to comfort her at night, Ella then gifts the soft toy to her new-born sibling at their first meet, welcoming them to the family.

“For the last three years millions have watched our characters in our ‘From Our Family To Yours’ animated series, as they spend time together building connections and making memories," said Sarah Fox, VP Marketing & Comms, Disney Consumer Products. "We set out to create a family unit that would resonate with audiences world-wide.

"We are truly grateful for the support we have received for this festive campaign and hope that families and fans enjoy this fitting, heart-warming final instal.ment of the trilogy," she continued. "And we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue our support for our long-term charity partner Make-A-Wish, where we are giving fans the opportunity to gift a donation for the first time.”

Disney’s first ever Christmas commercial short, "Lola," was released in 2020. In this first installment, fans were introduced to Nicole and her grandmother, Lola, and watched how their bond deepened as the festive tradition of making parols, the traditional Philippine paper lantern, were passed down through the generations.

Last year’s sequel, "The Stepdad" followed a grown-up Nicole and her own children, Max and Ella, who welcomed stepdad Mike into their home. At the heart of the story was a very special storybook that celebrated the magic that small moments like reading together creates for families.

Both the 2020 and 2021 advertisements reached over 184 million views worldwide combined.

Since the launch of the "From Our Family To Yours" trilogy in 2020, Disney will have committed support worth more than $4-million to its long-standing charity partner, Make-A-Wish® International and its network of Affiliates around the world, as part of Disney’s ongoing commitment to inspire a better world through the power of storytelling.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Filipino father and daughter to be featured in Beauty and the Beast television special

H.E.R. and Jon Jon Briones will be father and daughter in Beauty and the Beast.

When it was announced that H.E.R. would play Belle in the 30th anniversary of Beauty and the Beast, speculation began whether the singer's racial background would be part of the revamping of the children's classic. Would she be Black? Would she be Filipino? Would her race be buried in ambiguity?

We need wonder no more. The question was answered with the casting of Filipino American Broadway veteran Jon Jon Briones as Belle's father, Maurice.

“I love that this announcement came out during Filipino American History Month," said Briones. 

"A Filipina and a Filipino representing. And what an amazing and diverse cast! Plus my kids think I’m really cool to be playing @hermusicofficial‘s father!”

H.E.R., also known as Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, takes on the lead role as Belle for the celebration. This will be the singer's first major acting role. However, she has been a known name in the music business for a while. She's already an accomplished performer with five Grammy awards, and also earned her first Oscar at the 2021 Academy Awards. It was Best Original Song for “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah.

In the Broadway musical version of Beauty and the Beast, Maurice became a major character and given a solo number as well as a duet with Belle.

Briones, whose main introduction to American audiences was in dramatic roles, is no stranger to musicals. He is one the original London cast member of Miss Saigon that first opened in 1989 at London's West End. The 57-year old actor started as part of the ensemble until he was able to play the lead role of the Engineer. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2014.

Briones is better known for his roles on various TV series such as The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Ratched, Star Trek: Picard, Transformers: EarthSpark, and The Last Voyage of Demeter. He was also the voice of Hank/Xa-mul in Netflix’s Trese.

The 30th Anniversary of Beauty and the Beast  special was originally announced in July. Alongside a screening of the 1992 film, it will include never-before-seen live musical performances and features brand-new sets and costumes inspired by the classic story. Each live performance is created to pay homage while also adding to the iconic story.

Songs from the original animated classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios, though the special itself will not be shot live. The special will air on ABC on Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET and will be available to stream the following day on Disney+.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

The 25-year-old five-time Grammy winner H.E.R. (Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson in real life) couldn't believe she will be the first Afro-American-Filipino Belle. “I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle! I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu. It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful.” 

Ernesto Cloma Briones Jr., known as Jon Jon Briones, is one the original London cast member of Miss Saigon that first opened in 1989 at London's West End. The 57-year old actor started as part of the ensemble until he was able to play the lead role of the Engineer. He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2014.

Briones is now known for his roles on various TV series such as The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Ratched, Star Trek: Picard, Transformers: EarthSpark, and The Last Voyage of Demeter. He was also the voice of Hank/Xa-mul in Netflix’s Trese.

Jon Jon Briones, for his part, said: “I love that this announcement came out during Filipino American History Month. A Filipina and a Filipino representing. And what an amazing and diverse cast! Plus my kids think I’m really cool to be playing @hermusicofficial ‘s father!”

#FAHM2022 Mickey Mouse presents his recipe for Filipino adobo

Culinary experts may disagree, but many people say adobo is the national dish* of the Philippines. The simple umami-packed dish got a stamp of approval from perhaps the world's most famous chef -- Mickey Mouse.

October is Filipino-American Heritage Month in the United States, and to mark the occasion, Disney released on its social media accounts an adorable illustrated recipe of one of the most recognizable Filipino dishes, chicken adobo.

“Mickey and friends are here to share a special chicken adobo recipe. Chicken adobo is a popular Filipino dish and each family has their own way of making it,” Disney wrote on its Facebook page, featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy, with Mickey holding a bowl of adobo while Goofy carried some white rice.

The artwork featured a simple five-step recipe, with ingredients such as chicken, bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic cloves, as well as some water, sugar, and black peppercorns.

Illustrator Bianca Austria at her graduation ceremony.

The recipe was illustrated by the up-and-coming Filipino American artist, Bianca Austria, who graduated summa cum laude in Fine Arts from California State University at Long Beach.

FYI: View more of of the artwork of Bianca Austria

“This has been in the works for a few weeks now and I’m so excited to finally share with you all! For Filipino American History Month, I had the honor of working with @disney to bring to life an illustrated chicken adobo recipe!," Austria revealed on her social media site. 

"It is now live on their feed but obviously had to post on my page for you all!!! Thank you to the team at Choreus and Disney for having me on board, although this project was short and sweet, it’s definitely one for the books,” the artist wrote.

RELATED: Adobo recipe of this editor

*Apologies to fans of lechon and sinigang.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Disney introduces new animated program starring Filipino American characters

Bo Bayani and his father, Bill Bayani will star in 'Firebuds.'

A new TV program for kids will center around Filipino American characters. teaching valuable life lessons about community, tolerance and valuing everyone's heritage.

The new show, Firebuds, will premiere an initial batch of episodes today, Sept. 21, on-demand platforms and Disney+. From Emmy® Award-winning creator and executive producer Craig Gerber (Disney’s Elena of Avalor and Sofia the First), the music-filled series follows a group of friends, all children of first responders, who embark on adventures to help their community and learn what it truly means to be a hero.

The lead voice cast includes Declan Whaley as Bo, Terrence Little Gardenhigh as Flash, Vivian Vencer as Violet, Lily Sanfelippo as Axl, JeCobi Swain as Jayden, and Caleb Paddock as Piston. Lou Diamond Phillips and Yvette Nicole Brown also star as co-fire chiefs, Chief Bill Bayani and Chief Faye Fireson, respectively.

In creating his characters, Gerber wanted to emphasize the diversity of the United States. He especially wanted the Filipino aspect of the show because he felt Filipino Americans are underrepresented in American media. In his creation, Bo is part Filipino and part  Jewish, while Jayden is Black. Violet, who is adopted, has a Japanese and Filipino background.

Declan Whaley will voice Bo Bayani.

It also gave him an opportunity to create a role especially for Lou Diamond Phillips, who was born in the Philippines who worked with Gerber in “Elena of Avalor.” His role as Bo’s father, Chief Bill Bayani, allows him to portray part of his own heritage.

As Bo's father, Phillips had a rare chance to play a Filipino American character and enjoyed seeing part of his heritage portrayed. 

“I’m often surprised by some of the material when I show up to record it,” Phillips told the New York Times. “One of the Christmas specials coming up is especially touching,” he noted, because it features Filipino traditions.

Such cultural references are woven throughout the series. Banzon told the New York Times that she developed an episode in which Bo connects with his seemingly distant immigrant grandfather — based on her own lolo — by making lumpias, or spring rolls.

Whether rescuing a young car that’s stuck in a tree, tracking down lost Dalmatian puppies or helping their neighbors stock up on emergency supplies during a blackout, the Firebuds highlight the importance of teamwork and helping your fellow citizens. Each episode is comprised of two 11-minute stories and features at least one new original song.

The show has many Filipino cultural references and representations, staff writer Krystal Banzon revealed to the Inquirer.

In addition to lead character Bo Bayani and his father Bill Bayani, the show will feature Bo's grandparents, Lola Bellen and Lolo Ben, a retired fire chief, offering bits of the wisdom garnered from respected elders.  

Viewers will also be introduced to a talking jeepney, the Philippines public transit vehicle unique to that country. The jeepney will have a disco ball and a kraoke machine giving the characters a chance to break into song.

The importance of children seeing themselves reflected in media cannot be emphasized enough. Jordan Levinson with "Psychology In Action" says the opposite is true as well. When children see themselves represented as the main characters in books and television shows, the experience boosts self-esteem and self-worth. These representations help children feel seen and understood, which is especially important for children in minority groups or children with disabilities.

“I feel that in children’s programming, there is a huge, beautiful responsibility to show kids the wonderful diversity of the world. I feel fortunate and honored to be a part of bringing the Bayani family and the entire Firebuds world to life," Banzon told The Inquirer.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

'Turning Red' tackles a familiar balancing act for AANHPI adolescents

Pixar's and Disney's 'Turning Red," features a diverse cast.

 

OPINON

For most people middle school was a traumatic time with our bodies experiencing hormonic changes, that transitional period between adulthood and childhood, and the time when we want to break away from our parents care as we seek to become our own person.

For lack of a role model, I identified with "Beaver" Cleaver, (OK, so I'm dating myself) whose fictional TV sitcom (Leave It to Beaver) family, friends, neighborhood and school looked nothing like my own reality, which explains a lot about my own personal hangups. (But, that's another story)

Oh, how I wish Turning Red, which premiered today (March 11) on Disney+, was around when I was in sixth and seventh grade.

Pixar's newest animated feature centers on Asian Canadian Mei Lee, a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother's obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth. As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda, a product of a family curse.

(Metaphorically speaking, recall those awkward times in your life when you believe the whole world is staring at you because of your appearance or something you did.)

Like many children of immigrants, Mei navigates the tumultuous teen years while balancing herself between two cultures. She is unabashedly Asian and unapologetic American. Mei is a dork but she is also super confident, loves her racial heritage and an ardent fan of a boy band.

Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Grey's Anatomy) and newcomer Rosalie Chiang, who give voice to the mother and Mei, respectively, believe Turning Red has the potential to be transformative.

“Hopefully this film ... gives the experience to [people] just like Mei that you are the hero, a 13-year-old Chinese girl is a hero,” Oh, 50, told the Daily News.

“For someone like myself, and my generation, we did not see ourselves in the center of the story, or the hero, and the fact that we have a lot more stories that are diverse, it just includes more people and it also makes storytelling just much more interesting,” says Oh, who grew up in Canada.

Speaking to one critic's review of the film that he couldn't relate to film because it is targeted at a small, specific audience -- Asian Americans, Oh speaks to the universality of the tween experience and the difficulty of "fitting in."

"You go through changes in your life — puberty, needing to individuate from your parents," Oh continues. "That's ultimately what the film is about and it's just another extra layer that we were able to add it from a specific cultural perspective."

Rosalie Chiang, left, and Sandra Oh, stars of 'Turning Red.'

"This is a coming of age film, everyone goes through this change," says Chiang, a teenager herself growing up with immigrant parents in Fremont, Calif. "I think different people of different cultures are going to go through it differently, but at the end of the day, the core messiness and change is something everyone can relate to,” she tells CBC.

"Since I was between 12 and 16 when I was recording for Mei, I could bring a lot of my own experiences into the character," says Chiang.

"I'm sort of growing with the movie, so I think I could bring another layer of authenticity to a 13-year-old girl,"she adds.

“It was important for me from the beginning that this wasn't your typical story of a militant parent who's very strict and forbidding, and a kid who feels oppressed and wants to break free,” explains director and co-writer Domee Shi, who also helmed the Oscar-winning Pixar short Bao. 

“For Mei, and I think for myself and a lot of Asian immigrant kids, we really want to honor our parents, like we love them and the sacrifices that they've made for us. But she also is being pulled in this other direction [towards] her friends and boybands and whatever that represents for anyone else who watches it.”

Despite using Leave It to Beaver as a standard, I survived, somehow. Thank goodness  AANHPI kids growing up today, have shows like Turning Red, Never Have I Ever and Fresh Off the Boat that, at times, reflect their realities to help navigate through those difficult years.

Turning Red can be streamed on Disney+.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, reviews and tips from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.

Filipina character returns in new Disney X'mas short, but there's a twist

Filipina American Nicole is now a mother with a new partner.

OPINION

Disney has done it again for Christmas, but ...there's a twist.

Remember last year's touching animated short where Nicole recreates a Filipino tradition by making parols (star-shaped X'mas lanterns) for her homesick lola? Apparently, several years have passed and Nicole is back.

This year's story follows Nicole, the granddaughter from last year's ad, who is now all grown up with a family to make Christmas traditions with. We follow her and her two adorable Filipino British children, Max and Ella, as their new stepdad Mike moves into their family home. At the heart of the story is a very special storybook – a precious item belonging to Max from his birth father. The book celebrates the power of storytelling and how it can deepen family bonds; as the family are shown delighting in the magic of Disney storytelling, beautiful animation springs off the pages, igniting the true spirit of Christmas. Follow their emotional journey as we see them combine existing festive traditions with wonderful new ones.

RELATED: Hold on, there's a Part 3 to this story.

During one of The Stepdad‘s montages we see that Nicole teaching Max on how to create a Christmas parol, a nice nod to last year's short. The Christmas parol’s symbolic meaning is to show the victory of light over darkness. It also symbolizes hope and goodwill during the Christmas season.

In celebration of the ‘From Our Family To Yours’ campaign, Disney will give support worth more than $2M to its long-standing charity partner, Make-A-Wish® International and their network of Affiliates around the world. To learn more, visit thewaltdisneycompany.eu/makeawish in Europe and wish.org/Disney in North America and any other region.

Love runs Deeper is available to download. For every download before 31st December 2021, 100% of the proceeds from the retail price will be donated to Make-A-Wish International.

While Disney's intentions are good and I'm willing to give the entertainment conglomerate a pass, but I wonder if this year's holiday short might generate some controversy.

First of all, Disney skipped over Nicole's first marriage. What happened? We get a brief glimpse of Nicole's first husband in a photo in the background. He appears to be Filipino. They looked happy. Did her husband die (from COVID-19)? Or, maybe he died in a war? Or, he was a victim of a hate crime.

Less likely because I doubt Disney would get this dark, did Nicole divorce him for some other reason?

I wasn't the only one raising this question.

I like that Disney chose to show a racially mixed family, one of the fastest growing demographics in the U.S., with Asians apparently willing to mix it up, according to the 2020 Census. Respecting each others' traditions is a background theme of the video as we see Filipino and Jamaican traditions honored and practiced.

But without the background story of the original Dad, it looks like the Filipino husband got the short end of the stick ... again.

Disney hopes you enjoy this special Christmas ad, (and there's no doubt it is an ad for all things Disney, from Moana to Marvel to Star Wars) but don't let that spoil enjoying this brief interlude of warm feelings and celebrating the joy that the stepdads of the world bring us.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Coronavirus and a political boycott trip up 'Mulan' at the box office

Chinese moviegoers are not flocking to the live-action 'Mulan.'

There are those who say the first sign that Disney's live-action remake of Mulan was in trouble was when they decided to eliminate the beloved animated dragon Mushu voiced by comedian Eddie Murphy.

Even before the twin releases to theaters and on Disney Plus, the online streamer, there were concerns that Mulan was not going to live up to the hype despite an all-star, all-Asian and Asian American cast bolstered by the Disney studio's full-throttled support.

The new retelling of Mulan, an old Chinese myth, slogged through a few miscues along the way to its long-delayed, but highly anticipated, release last month.

A Disney executive on recently briefly addressed the controversy plaguing his studio's big budget, live-action reboot of Mulan, which has generated backlash for being filmed partly in China’s Xinjiang region. That’s where Uighur Muslims have been imprisoned en masse in so-called “re-education centers.”

“I’m not a box office predicator [or] prognosticator, but [the backlash] has generated a lot of publicity; let’s leave it at that,” said Christine McCarthy, The Walt Disney Co.’s chief financial officer, at a Bank of America Virtual 2020 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference.

As an indicator, the blockbuster did not top the Chinese box office, pulling in a disappointing $23 million in its first weekend in China. Mulan earned only $1.47 million on its second Friday to bring its eight-day total to $31.17 million. 

Months before the movie opened (Sept. 4 on Disney+ and in theaters in the Chinese market) there were calls for a boycott from Hong Kong protestors (prime movie-going age group) beause of Mulan star Liu Yifei's  statement of support for Hong Kong police, and by extension, the Beijing communist government. 

When Mulan was released on Disney+, Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong tweeted, "This film is released today. But because Disney kowtows to Beijing, and because Liu Yifei openly and proudly endorses police brutality in Hong Kong, I urge everyone who believes in human rights to #BoycottMulan." That hashtag went viral.

That movement and boycott has gained momentum as the movie's general release date kept being postponed because of the coronavirus.

Speaking of COVID-19, Disney decided to go ahead and release their film despite not all of China's theaters not being able to open because of the pandemic.

READ: My short, short review of Mulan.

The backlash against Mulan gained even more traction after it was released in theaters and online at Disney-Plus when eagle-eye moviegoers watched the credits at the end of the movie. Disney thanked the government and officials of Xinjiang, China, the region where Uighur Muslims are being detained in mass internment camps, according to The New York Times.

Xinjiang, in western China, is home to about 11 million Uyghur people, "a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority that speak a language closely related to Turkish and have their own distinct culture," according to CNN. About one million Uyghurs are estimated to be detained in camps in the area, where they reportedly endure torture, abuse, political indoctrination, and forced labor. The Chinese government denies claims of abuse and says the camps are "vocational training centers" and necessary for preventing terrorism. 

Activists have used social media to spread the message that supporting Mulan is tantamount to being complicit in these human rights violations. 

Disney's head of finance, Christine McCarthy, responded to the controversy, saying that the criticism is overblown and that only small portions of the film were shot in Xinjiang.

"The real facts are that Mulan was primarily shot -- almost in entirety -- in New Zealand, said Disney's head of finance, Christine McCarthy, reports Deadline. "In an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscape and geography of the country of China for this period drama, we filmed scenery in 20 different locations in China. It's common knowledge that, in order to film in China, you have to be granted permission. That permission comes from the central government."

"So, in our credits, it recognized both China and locations in New Zealand. I would just leave it at that, but it has generated a lot of issues for us."

Additionally, China's complex relations with neighboring countries has generated calls for boycotts in India, Singapore and South Korea.

As the backlash over Disney’s collaboration with Xinjiang began to pick up steam, days before the film's Sept. 11 opening in China, Chinese state media initiated a media blackout of coverage of the film robbing the Disney folks of any momentum in publicizing their $200-million movie, according to Reuters.

Chinese stars were cast in 'Mulan.'

The highly anticipated film was  tailored for the Chinese market, the second largest int he world after the U.S., by dropping the fantasy and music of the original 1996 cartoon version in order to become more culturally appropriate, spending months to study the costumes and architecture of the era and casting big-name Chinese stars such as Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Gong Li and Liu Yifei.

In the U.S., its draw among Asian Americans was that it was the first big-budget movie produced by a Hollywood studio with an all-Asian cast with an Asian theme. The first was Crazy Rich Asians which dispelled studio-held beliefs that movies with Asian lead actors couldn't draw multi-racial audiences.

Two other studio-driven movies, Flower Drum Song and the Joy Luck Club, preceded  Crazy Rich Asians but both were isolated blips in Asian American movie history. Neither of the films didn't  break box-office expectations to gain any follow-up momentum for other Asian American related films, a groundbreaking feat accomplished by Crazy Rich Asians. That breakthrough opened the doors for several other Hollywood productions with Asian themes with AAPI lead characters. 

To be sure, Mulan is a beautiful film and the action scenes are spectacular and is worth the a pleasant 2-hour escape from today's troubles. However, I'm not sure if that is enough to overcome the fortune-cookie dialogue the actors are saddled with. It's as if the writers had just watched "Little Grasshopper" get lectured to in the TV show Kung Fu and think all Chinese normally speak English in this stilted way.

Mulan's so-so performance thus far raises fears among AAPI Hollywood artists that feed the old, racist belief among the movie-making industry's decision-makers that Asian-led films aren't profitable.

We'll have to wait and see how Mulan does globally when more American theaters open their doors to see if the Disney can recoup its $200-million investment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this article is news laced with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions. 

UPDATED Sept. 21, 9:45 s.m. for clarity.