DISGRASIAN™

Sam Yoon for Mayor of Boston!

Boston City Councilman Sam Yoon is currently running for mayor. A Democrat who was born in Seoul, moved to the U.S. at 10 months old, and became a citizen at 10 years old, Sam is the first Asian-American to hold elected office in Boston. Bear in mind that Boston is one of America’s oldest cities, almost 379 years old. To be the first Asian-American elected official in the city’s storied 379 year-history is nothing short of amazian.

We sat down recently for a Q & A with Sam about his campaign. We not only learned of his stellar qualifications–Princeton undergrad, Harvard grad, community organizing–we also discovered something completely unexpected about the 39 year-old politician. As they’d say in Boston, Sam is wicked funny.

Over email, we discussed some of DISGRASIAN’s favorite topics: Hardass Asian Parents, math, advanced degrees, hot dogs, and, of course, the Boston Red Sox.

Why did you decide to get into politics?

Because it was the one career choice that would completely befuddle my parents.

When you decided to pursue a career in politics, did your Asian parents try to convince you to go to law school instead? Were they worried you wouldn’t make enough money as a public servant?

After my parents paid for a very expensive college education at Princeton, I became a teacher. After my brother graduated from Yale, he pursued ministry. We were going into the two lowest-paid professions. My parents got used to it.

You taught math in New Jersey public schools after graduating Princeton. Are you good at math? Are you good at math because you’re Asian?

All of the above. I’m a proud Asian math geek.

How many musical instruments were you forced to play as a child?

Two: piano, then the flute. My immigrant parents didn’t know how much cooler it would have been had they chosen the saxophone. Or trumpet.

We understand your wife Tina has a doctorate in biology from MIT. Do you ever call her Dr. Yoon?

Because she got her graduate degree from MIT and mine’s only from Harvard, of course she makes me call her Dr. Yoon. Truthfully, sometimes we get wedding invitations addressed to “Mr. and Dr. Yoon.” Which isn’t humiliating at all. Really.

When people say, “An Asian-American mayor of Boston? Really? I never really pictured that,” what do you say?

I don’t blame you. Look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Boston

But then try scrolling down this list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us_presidents

What issues will you focus on as mayor of Boston?

Check out my website samyoon.com and while you’re there please donate $500.

The Bruins went to the Conference Semis this year. The Celts won the NBA Finals in 2008. The Sox won the World Series in 2007 and 2004. And the Pats have won three Super Bowls this decade. What’s in the water in Boston these days that’s making its sports franchises so great?

Steroids, obviously. I’m looking into whether or not this is legal.

If you could play any position on the Red Sox team, what would it be?

Pitcher, because I’m sure any Korean could be at least as good as the three Japanese pitchers we have already. Not that there’s any rivalry between Koreans and Japanese or anything.

If you were a Red Sox player, what would be your at-bat song?

“Mr. Roboto” by Styx.

How fast is your fastball?

Faster than Dice-K’s these days. [Ouch! But true. Sigh.--Ed.]

What’s your favorite food at Fenway?

Truth be told, I’m a huge hot dog fan; the Monster Dogs are good.

Hypothetical scenario: You have the choice of saving either a Yankee player or your political opponent from a burning house. What do you do?

Save my political opponent, because I want to beat him.

[Sam Yoon for Mayor]

Source

Filed under: Beantown, Boston Politics, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, firsts, Hardass Asian Parents, Korean-Americans, Politasians, Sam Yoon, Sam Yoon for Mayor of Boston, Tina Yoon

ROCK OF ASIAN: Nate Tao

What we know about Nate Tao–besides the fact that he’s crooned at Fenway Park and does a mean rendition of a young Michael Jackson–is that he’s currently competing in the online Star-Spangled Banner Singing Contest sponsored by USA Weekend and the Smithsonian. What’s the grand prize for the win, you ask? Just the opportunity to perform at June 14’s Flag Day festivities at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and at Oriole Park in Baltimore’s Camden Yards. How noble! How fabulous.

Check him out above–warm facial emotion, rich tone, impressive range. He deserves to win! And not just because he’s Asian. And also not just because the grand prize totally rules, while the semi-finalist prize (a signed copy of the Smithsonian-printed book, The Star-Spangled Banner, which will be doled out to 15 sad sacks) totally…sucks.

Community popularity (measured by YouTube views, ratings, and favorite statistics) is a key factor in the first round of judging, which closes in one month, so let’s rally for our brotha! Watch, rate, favorite, and pass it on! Don’t make this boy go back home with a book, for crying out loud.

Source Source Source Source
Thanks, William!

Filed under: A Cappella, Contests, Fenway Park, High Aspirasians, Nate Tao, National Anthem, Patriotism is Cool, Popularity Contests, The Smithsonian, The Star-Spangled Banner, USA Weekend, YouTube

SPORTS ILLUSTRASIAN: Sarah Palin, Mrs. October

As if I needed one more reason to loathe Sarah Palin, here’s another: she likened the Republican presidential ticket to the Tampa Bay Rays today in Jacksonville, FL, saying in her distinctive Alaskanasal, “The people in this area know a little something about turning an underdog into a victor, and we’re counting on you to help us do that November 4.”

(The Rays–who dropped the “Devil” from their name this year–had their first winning season in their eleven-year history in ‘08 and are moving on to the American League Championship Series to face my Sox, last year’s World Series champs.)

But, you know, sports allegiances aside, Palin may have a point. Tampa Bay has the second-lowest payroll in Major League Baseball, and the other teams remaining in the playoffs have spent two to three times the money that they have. And they’ve only ever finished out of last place twice in team history. So they are underdogs. And, like Palin, the Rays are young, as a franchise and in terms of the average age of their starting line-up.

Although I wonder if Palin would be so quick to compare her ticket and its supporters to the Tampa Bay Rays and their fans if someone had actually briefed her on the fact that THE RAYS HAVE THE SHITTIEST FANS IN BASEBALL. Last month, when Tampa Bay held the best record in the bigs, their fans turned out in record-low numbers. Typically, there are as many fans rooting for the opposing team at Tropicana Field as there are fans root-root-rooting for the home team. And that’s when there are fans attending at all; the Rays rank a dismal 26th among 30 teams in fan attendance, averaging crowds of 21,459 in a 36,048-seat stadium. As a point of comparison, the Red Sox have sold out every home game since 2003 and Fenway is already sold out for next season.

So, if this is the kind of support Palin is “counting on” to make her and McCain “victors” in November, all I can say is, Bless her stupid heart.

Filed under: Alaskanasal, ALCS, Bad Parallels, Baseball, Bless Her Heart, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, John McCain, Losers, Mrs. October, Sarah Palin, Sarah Palin VP, Shitty Fans, Tampa Bay Rays, Vice President