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☆ Opinion: ‘Joy Ride’ is the Asian American-centered movie that all audiences need to see
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Opinion Regina Kim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —When I first heard about the film “Joy Ride,” an unabashedly raunchy comedy about four Asian American friends and their misadventures in China, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Regina Kim Courtesy Regina KimIt felt exactly like the kind of movie that the Asian American community had been waiting for. To be perfectly honest, after going to a screening of “Joy Ride,” it took me two days to fully process what I’d seen. Perhaps I was so startled because I wasn’t used to seeing Asian Americans — especially Asian American women — depicted like this. I’m hoping that more people will realize that Asian American women can be sassy, outspoken, hilarious, weird or all of the above — but, most importantly, that we, too, are human.

Persons: Regina Kim, Stone, ELLE, who’ve, – we’ve, Adele Lim, Rich, Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Teresa Hsiao, Ashley Park, Audrey, Stephanie Hsu, Kat, Sherry Cola, Sabrina Wu, I’d, —, Lolo, White, ”, it’s, direly Organizations: Twitter, CNN, American, Asian, Facebook Locations: China, American, America

☆ For Asian American Actors, Playing a Hot Mess Is Liberating
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Matt Stevens | More About Matt Stevens | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“All-American Girl” debuted on ABC in 1994, though it lasted only 19 episodes. There were so few Asian American stories emerging — save occasional indie breakouts like “Better Luck Tomorrow” — that the “initial stabs” had to be “be kind of like our best foot forward — putting on our best face, showing them what we can do,” Yu said. “There was this underlying feeling of ‘Don’t air out our dirty laundry, don’t let them see us fighting,’” he added. They called it the “rep sweats” — the anxiety they felt any time they watched an Asian American onscreen. It was a pressure emanating from the fact that those appearances were so few and far between.

Persons: ”, Jeff Yang, Phil Yu, Philip Wang, “, Yang’s, Hudson, Randall, Yu, ” Yu, ’, we’ve Organizations: Luck, ABC Locations: American, America

☆ Lonely adults are driving a boom in stuffed animal sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Grace Mayer | Gloria Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Adults are clamoring for stuffed animals, a craze that is part of a larger toy trend among adults. For some people, stuffed animals help alleviate anxiety and loneliness. She said she created Hugimals, a line of weighted stuffed animals designed to relieve stress and promote sleep, in part for herself. The stuffed animal craze is tied to a larger toy trend among adults, or, as the toy industry has labeled this group, "kidults." Weighing 4.5 pounds, these stuffed animals are designed to replicate a "calming, hugging you back" effect, she told Insider.

Persons: —, it's, Marina Khidekel, Khidekel, Marcella Johnson, she's Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal Locations: Canada, Legos, London

☆ Opinion: This TV mom changed everything
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Opinion Raakhee Mirchandani | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Raakhee Mirchandani Kim Lorraine PhotographyI never searched for either of us on TV. I’m grateful NHIE gave Indian moms — Brown moms, Desi moms, South Asian moms — the crown we deserve. (L to R) Poorna Jagannathan as Nalini Vishwakumar, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi in episode 410 of "Never Have I Ever." But now, among the cohort of timeless TV mothers, there’s Devi’s mom — and let me tell you: Nalini, as realized by the inimitable Jagannathan, certainly has got it going on. (And anyone with a Brown mom knows the eyes; one look is all it takes.)

Persons: Kalpana Chawla, ”, Brady, Roseanne, Angela Bower, Clair Huxtable, Aunt Viv, Raakhee Mirchandani Kim Lorraine, Desi, Vishwakumar, Poorna Jagannathan, I’m, NHIE, — Brown, Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Jessica Brooks, —, Brown, there’s, Devi, Nalini, wasn’t, Will, Jamie Ryan, Niecy Nash, let’s, She’s, she’s Organizations: CNN, Netflix, Princeton, Twitter, Facebook

☆ Retailers are gamifying shopping with virtual storefronts to boost engagement, loyalty
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house. Crew virtual beach house.

Persons: Crew's, Derek Yarbrough, J, Yarbrough, Obsess, Neha Singh, Singh, Elizabeth Arden, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Corona, Johnson, metaverse, it's, Crew's Yarbrough Organizations: CNBC, American, Mattel, Maybelline, Amazon Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Laneige

☆ Palestinian-American authors bring their culture to the heart of children's books
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Alaa Elassar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Today, Moushabeck, 36, is part of a burgeoning movement of Palestinian-American authors publishing children’s books in English with Palestinians as the main characters. Letting Palestinian children be childrenDespite recent strides in the arts, Palestinian-Americans, along with other Arab-Americans, are still woefully underrepresented in books. Between 2018 to 2022, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Education found that less than 1% of children’s and young adult books released by US publishers were about Arabs. The books also feature activities related to Palestinian culture, including a recipe for hummus and a tutorial for tatreez, traditional Palestinian embroidery. Bishara, whose own family was expelled from the Galilee in 1948, says it’s important to teach Palestinian children raised in diaspora about every aspect of Palestinian culture and history, including those that cause great pain.

☆ 'Scott Pilgrim' cast members will reunite in Netflix anime series
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Cast member Michael Cera poses at the premiere of the movie "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California, July 27, 2010. REUTERS/Danny MoloshokLOS ANGELES, March 30 (Reuters) - Brie Larson, Michael Cera and other cast members from the 2010 film "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" will return for an upcoming Netflix (NFLX.O) anime series based on the popular graphic novels about a slacker pursuing love. loadingCera will return to voice the lead role of Pilgrim, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead will speak as romantic interest Ramona Flowers. "Scott Pilgrim" is based on graphic novels by Canadian comic book artist Bryan Lee O'Malley.

☆ Nicole Bilderback played the 'friend' role in '90s teen movies and says she got roles meant for white actresses by not limiting how she saw herself
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nicole Bilderback was the 'friend' role staple of '90s teen dramedy. Bilderback appeared in classic '90s films and TV shows like "Clueless" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Being Asian didn't hold her back; it helped her stand out, she says. So in other words, I didn't pigeonhole myself as, 'Oh, well, I'm probably only going to read for Asian roles,'" she said. "The majority of the roles that I've portrayed have been roles that were either intended for Caucasian actresses or the ethnicity wasn't specified.

☆ American Girl enters the 1990s with a new set of 'historical' dolls from the not-so-distant past
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

American Girl announced its first set of twin dolls since the company's founding in 1986. The sisters are historical characters from the year 1999, and their accessories are a blast from the past. American Girl has produced historical characters from each decade of the 20th century. The latest additions to the historical characters have people speculating what a doll from the 2000s will eventually look like. American Girl has had a historical character for each decade of the 20th century, and a few dolls from the 19th century.

☆ American Girl makes history with its first South Asian Girl of the Year doll
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

American Girl unveiled its 2023 Girl of the Year on Thursday, and in a brand first, the title goes to a South Asian doll. Kavi Sharma, an Indian American from New Jersey, loves to sing, dance and hang out with her friends. Kavi, who takes weekly classical Indian dance classes, and her tight-knit family also celebrate their culture through holidays, food and clothing. American Girl, a subsidiary of toy company Mattel, debuted its first Girl of the Year in 2001. Although Kavi is the company’s first South Asian Girl of the Year, she is not the first South Asian doll.

In TV, the top 10 list ranges from the indefinable second season of “The White Lotus” to laugh-out-loud comedies and smoldering fantasy shows. “Catch the Fair One” is available on Hulu and various video-on-demand platforms. “Paris, 13th District” is available on Amazon Prime Video and various video-on-demand platforms. “Peter Von Kant” is available on various video-on-demand platforms. “Tár” is available on various video-on-demand platforms.

☆ 'Kidults' age 12 and up are buying more toys than ever, with teens and adults driving significant growth for the industry thanks to the pandemic and TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

'Kidults' age 12 and above are comprising a growing sector of the toy industry, according to NPD Group. NPD Group's Juli Lennett told Insider the growth is largely due to the pandemic and social media. "Now many of them are hooked," Lennett said of kidults who purchased toys early in the pandemic. Today, Lego now sells 100 adult Lego sets, according to the Associated Press, including a replica of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night and a functional roller coaster. "We make LEGO sets specifically for adults with more detail, challenging building techniques, and cool ways to display."

☆ I help parents provide holiday gifts for their children. Here are the 6 biggest toy donation mistakes I see.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Jenn Morson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

McGovern also collects toys during the holidays, and Insider asked what common mistakes people make. During the holidays, we collect toys for the children of our guests. After nearly 10 years of helping parents provide gifts for their children, here are some of the most common mistakes we see in donations. People are so much more acutely aware of their own poverty around the holidays, especially children. This is one of the biggest mistakes we make, because it delineates "them" from "us."

☆ What a Newsmax host's fake outrage over an American Girl doll tells us
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Susanne Ramírez De Arellano | Susanne Ramírez De Arellano Is A Freelance Writer | Journalist Based In New York City. She Is The Former News Director Of Channel In Puerto Rico | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

“My daughter is just a cute little 6-year-old white girl — we couldn’t find anybody that looked like my daughter. It begs the question: What does an American Girl look like today? Because, going by the numbers, American Girl dolls represent what America looks like at present — not a “wokeified” version, but a real one. American Girl’s ethos is to build girls of strong character and help them reach their full potential. It is a future that can’t be stopped by a ridiculous anchor decrying that he can’t find a white doll for his cute white child.

☆ I ranked all 24 spreads in the viral $40 Bonne Maman Advent calendar. Here's why I think it's a gift worth the 600% price markup.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Rosa Pyo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The jam-and-spread brand Bonne Maman released its 2022 Advent calendar, whose 2021 version sold out. The calendar has 24 spreads to try and retails at $40 — a 600% price markup per 100 grams of jam. Google searches for "advent calendar" have more than doubled in the US since 2018, according to Google's trending data. The Bonne Maman Advent calendar 2022 edition comes with 23 limited-edition fruit spreads and one honey. The Advent-calendar jams cost $6.20 per 100 grams, versus the average Bonne Maman jam that costs about $1 per 100 grams — about a 600% markup.

☆ I visited the American Girl Doll Cafe in NYC and ate lunch with a few of the iconic toys. The experience was unforgettable — if a bit overpriced.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Ann Matica | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Only a few tables were occupied, which seemed expected for a Monday afternoon. Most of the diners were parents with their children, and I felt a little out of place being there as a 22-year-old, even though the American Girl Cafes have reportedly started to become a popular spot for influencers to visit. Ann Matica/InsiderSource: The New York Times

☆ Miss America reflects on her reign, talks about how brother with special needs inspires her activism
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Emma Broyles, the 2022 Miss America, has actually spent a lot of her life on the sidelines — cheering on her older brother at sporting events. Brendan Broyles, 22, who has Down syndrome, is an athlete in the Special Olympics and a major source of inspiration for his sister's activism as Miss America. Emma Broyles is the first Korean American and first Miss Alaska to win the title. “It’s a tremendous privilege to be the first Korean American Miss America. There she worked with a partner group to help provide glasses for students in the community for Alaskan Native Heritage Month.

That taught me a lesson: There's no sense in replacing things I own that still work. How much we've saved by keeping old itemsEven in pre-inflation days, replacing something I already owned with a newer model added up. The same goes for my old mixing bowls, cookie sheets, and dining room set. But as I grew older, I realized what an important lesson my parents taught me. But every time I'm tempted to replace something I already own for a slightly "better" model, I remind myself of my parents' old blue trash can and put away my debit card.

Others, like Target (TGT.N) and Barnes & Noble, sealed merchandise behind plexiglass or tethered it with steel cables to store shelves. One survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) cited a 26.5% jump last year in "organized retail crime" carried out by groups of people. But it is unclear whether overall U.S. retail crime is on the rise, with little data available on the problem. Retailers rarely openly acknowledge the threat of theft or crime because they generally don't want to spook shoppers. "Along with other retailers, we've seen a significant increase in theft and organized retail crime across our business," Target CEO Brian Cornell told investors on a November 16 conference call.

Language allowed me to make some meaning of the situation and take control of my own mental health narratives. “I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t wanna go to the mental health hospital,” she says in the documentary. She wants to be transparent about her mental health condition in order to inspire others and help them feel less alone. Moments like this highlight how risky it still is for a celebrity to be candid about mental health. For a celebrity who once had the most followed Instagram account, the performance of an identity versus the reality of it is crucial to understanding Gomez’s mental health advocacy.

☆ Casey DeSantis, Florida's 'co-governor': Rivals, friends, and former colleagues say she's the secret behind husband Ron DeSantis' meteoric rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Lyz Lenz | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +29 min

Florida's first lady, Casey DeSantis, is a close confidant to her powerful husband, several people told Insider. He added, "We would not see Ron DeSantis outside of press conferences if he did not have a wife and kids." Ron DeSantis began clawing his way into the national spotlight in 2017 as a member of the US House of Representatives. She smiled wryly and said: "Everyone knows my husband, Ron DeSantis, is endorsed by President Trump, but he's also an amazing dad. "Ron DeSantis would be a very good candidate for the St. Johns county commission if he did not have Casey DeSantis in his life," Schorsch said.

☆ LoveShackFancy built a pretty, skinny, rich-girl dreamworld. The fantasy was impossible to live up to.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +34 min

Suddenly, in the midst of discussing what Cohen should wear to the next LoveShackFancy store opening, there was the sound of glass clanging. (Another person confirmed hearing this exchange, though the person close to the company said multiple Zoom attendees did not recall it.) The person close to the company said, "It is not uncommon for trips to have dual purposes — they always generate content." Another time, during a visit to the Palm Beach store, Cohen freaked out after seeing staffers in sweatshirts and sneakers. "As with most contemporary fashion brands, we currently do not operate in the plus-size business," the person close to LoveShackFancy said.

☆ US woman files lawsuit against L’Oréal, claiming chemical hair straightening products are linked to her cancer
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Cosmetics company L’Oréal, along with multiple other parties, is being sued over claims that its chemical hair straightening products put women at an increased risk of uterine cancer. Debrosse Zimmermann told CNN on Monday that the lawsuit marks a “watershed moment” for women of color who have used chemical hair-straightening products, such as relaxers. In the lawsuit, she claims to have no family history of cancer or uterine cancer. Black women tend to use these chemical hair-straightening products more frequently than White women, the researchers noted. “Black hair has been and always will be beautiful, but Black women have been told they have to use these products to meet society’s standards.

☆ ‘The Joy Luck Club’ may be getting a sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Almost 30 years after the groundbreaking Asian American film “The Joy Luck Club” released, plans are being made for a new movie that will catch up with the characters from the original. According to Deadline, a sequel is in development with Oscar-winning screenwriter Ron Bass and author Amy Tan that will continue the story based on her bestselling novel of the same name. The 1993 film starred Rosalind Chao, Lisa Lu, Tamlyn Tomita, and Ming-Na Wen. It told the multi-generational tale of a group of Chinese mothers and their Chinese American daughters. A director has yet to be announced for the new film.

☆ ‘The Joy Luck Club’ is getting a sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Novelist Amy Tan and Oscar-winning “Rain Man” screenwriter Ron Bass are on board to deliver a sequel to “The Joy Luck Club,” the 1993 movie that broke new ground for Asian American representation. The new film, “Joy Luck Club 2,” is set up at Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment Group, with Ashok and Priya Amritraj producing alongside Tan, Bass and Jeff Kleeman. The original “Joy Luck Club,” directed by Wayne Wang, was an epic, multigenerational saga of Chinese and Chinese-American mothers and daughters, whose histories, stories and lives interweave as they navigate life. In “Joy Luck Club 2,” the mothers become grandmothers and the daughters become mothers in their own right, introducing a new generation exploring their own relationships with culture, heritage, love, womanhood and identity. The original film debuted in limited commercial release in September 1993 and also played at the Toronto International Film Festival.

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