Escape From Plan A

Jess, Chris and Teen start off a conversation about an Asian American surgeon who divorced his wife after finding out she was a high-priced escort, and talk about why such dark (and darkly comedic) real-life stories remain untold in the project of Asian American 'media representation.' And why we need these stories. TWITTER: Jess (@cogitatotomato) Chris (@JesuInToast) Teen (@mont_jiang) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Untitled" by C L

On this episode Teen and Adam ask the question, 'What normal?' Things seem far, far from normal during this supposed summer return to normal. There doesn't seem to be much rational reason for optimism, so how are we supposed to be rational and also avoid a funk of cynicism? Also, new theme music debuts on this public feed, by Ciel (@aerialist) Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ Twitter: Teen (@mont_jiang) Adam (@snbatman) REFERENCED RESOURCES: U.S. forces in Afghanistan attack anti-China militants https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-usa-china/u-s-forces-in-afghanistan-attack-anti-china-militants-idUSKBN1FS23S US removes separatist group condemned by China from terror list https://www.dw.com/en/us-removes-separatist-group-condemned-by-china-from-terror-list/a-55527586 SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Escape" by Ciel

What was it about the late 90s that produced a whole bunch of great American movies about disillusionment with office culture? Liza, Teen, Chris, and Filip get together to discuss American Beauty, Office Space, Fight Club, and The Matrix, with a little venting about some atrocious writing on the eve of Euro 2020 that Chris swears cost England the championship. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ TWITTER: Chris (@JesuInToast) Eliza (@aesthdistance1) Teen (@mont_jiang) Filip (@filipgwriting) REFERENCED RESOURCES: What Euro 2020 Has Revealed About Englishness: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/07/euro-2020-england-patriotism/619382/ Why Millennials Are Leaving Six-Figure Jobs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N88OE2ZCHBM&feature=youtu.be SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com UA Theme: "Chairman Mao" by Bambu

With law-and-order candidate Eric Adams's apparent victory in the NYC mayor race, Chris and Teen look at the political divide between renters and homeowners, and how that sometimes overlooked fight explains a lot of not only politics but also culture. Plus, they speculate on how the musical Rent's mentality still persists today in social liberalism. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ Twitter: Chris (@JesuInToast) Teen (@mont_jiang) REFERENCED RESOURCES: Alex Yablon article on NYC's renters vs, owners: https://alex-yablon.ghost.io/renters-owners-and-the-new-york-city-lefts-mayoral-ennui/ SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Fresh off his documentary ACCEPTED's debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, Dan Chen—friend and prior guest of EFPA—joins Chris and Millie to talk about his new film that examines the story of T.M. Landry College Prep, a school in Louisiana that was renowned for sending its lower-income minority students to elite colleges until investigations proved there was something shady going on. The trio also discuss what they do and don't want to see more of in Asian American filmmaking and their thoughts on various media rep controversies. TWITTER: Chris (@JesuInToast) Millie (@OneMillicentCho) REFERENCED RESOURCES: ACCEPTED | DanChen.co: http://danchen.co/ NYT article on T.M. Landry: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/us/tm-landry-college-prep-black-students.html Tribeca's ACCEPTED page: https://tribecafilm.com/films/accepted-2021 SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

One of EFPA's favorite guests—writer and activist Yasmin Nair—joins Chris and Eliza to discuss the annual kink controversy at Pride parades, as well as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's fiery essay on social media opportunists, self-centered literary reviews, and other things wrong with the culture industries. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ Twitter: Yasmin(@NairYasmin) Chris (@JesuInToast) Eliza (@aesthdistance1) REFERENCED RESOURCES: On Kink at Pride by Yasmin Nair: https://yasminnair.com/on-kink-at-pride/ Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's essay (since taken down, sadly!): https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jun/16/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-social-media-sanctimony SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

One of the most unescapable topics of the past two years is Bitcoin and the hypergrowth of cryptocurrency valuations. Teen -- a crypto-skeptic who believes this is nothing more than digital tulipmania -- talks with Mike and Steve, two crypto-degenerates who spend an irresponsible amount of time in the Plan A Discord talking about crypto. We try to get to the bottom of why crypto seems to be taking over our goddamn lives. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ Twitter: Teen (@mont_jiang) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Unverified Accounts, which was started last year by Chris, Liza, and Filip, is now on the Escape From Plan A podcast feed! UA episodes will be deep dives into specific movies, books, and/or TV shows. For their "first" episode, their good friend Arnav re-joins them to talk about The White Tiger (a movie about a poor upstart scheming his way into wealth) and Gangs of Wasseypur (a violent multi-generational gangster epic), and what these books and films have to say about contemporary Indian cinema and politics. *SOME SPOILERS Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag TWITTER: Chris (@JesuInToast) Liza (@aesthdistance1) Filip (@filipgwriting) FOR OLD 'UNVERIFIED ACCOUNTS' EPISODES, GO TO: https://unverifiedaccounts.podbean.com/ SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com

In the interest of getting the word out on this important fight, we are instantly unlocking this bonus episode. Violence against Asian women wages on beyond the streets of New York, and into the workplace. Filip invites guests Sarah from the Flushing Workers Center, and Zishun from the Chinese Staff and Workers Association to talk about the 24-hour workday fight against the Chinese American Planning Committee, a non-profit that puts its home attendant workers through gruelling hours and conditions while withholding pay. Sarah and Zishun give listeners a first-hand example of upper-class Asians pitted against working-class Asian interests: how identity politics are weaponized, how funding is co-opted using Asian faces to harm Asians, and how NYC mayoral candidates seem to serve their constituents worse the more they buy in as political insiders. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!):
www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ RESOURCES: Details on the June 2nd protest: https://twitter.com/FlushingWorkers/status/1397212966630666241 Sign the Pledge to Boycott CPC: tinyurl.com/boycottcpc Flushing Workers’ Centre: twitter.com/flushingworkers | facebook.com/flushingworkerscenter Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association: cswa.org Ain’t I A Woman!?: twitter.com/aiwcampaign | instagram.com/aiwcampaign Youth Against Sweatshops: twitter.com/youthasnyc | instagram.com/youthasnyc TWITTER:
 Filip (@filipgwriting) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS:
 editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: 
"Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)

Chris, Adam, Jong, and long-time friend Millie get together on a Memorial Day weekend to talk about the John Cena apology to China regarding Taiwan, Andrew Yang's subway cartoon incident, the new Vincent Chin podcast, and Naomi Osaka's standoff with the French Open. Join us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/planamag CHECK OUT OUR LIVESTREAMS ON YOUTUBE (and subscribe!): www.youtube.com/channel/UCv1W1syiwY053urp-IH-OjQ TWITTER: Millie (@onemillicentcho) Chris (@JesuInToast) Adam (@snbatman) Jong (@calicoarse) SUBMISSIONS & COMMENTS: editor.planamag@gmail.com EFPA Opening Theme: "Fuck Out My Face" by Ayekay (open.spotify.com/artist/16zQKaDN5XgHAhfOJHTigJ)