The movie, the Debut, opened in Sacramento on June 1 and the shows were quickly sold out. The 8 pm showing was also a benefit for Asian American political candidate Christopher Cabaldon who along with other local dignitaries. Chris did a lot to help promote the show prior to its premiere. Producer-director Gene Cajayon was also on hand and he gave an inspiring speech on the need for greater representation of minorities in Hollywood.

The speech was very timely judging from the recent 'report card' on TV networks released by a coalition of ethnic minority groups.

The overall grades were dismal: D-minus for ABC, D-plus for CBS, C-minus for Fox and C for NBC. Last November, the networks received mostly Ds.

According to a study earlier this month by the group Children Now the percentage of Asian characters in network series increased only from 2 percent to 3 percent during the 2000-1 season as compared to the previous year. Asians make up 9 percent of the U.S. population according to the 2000 census.

Turning now to recent spy reports, MGM announced that it was seeking to take over the Jackie Chan project Nosebleed from New Line Cinema. The story centers around a window washer who becomes involved with a waitress working in restaurant on the top of the World Trade Center. The two get tangled in a plot to bomb the twin towers landmark.

Chan is also slated to star in a film version of Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War. The Golden Harvest project is expected to be the most expensive film ever made in Hong Kong.

Singer Jennifer Paz was seen performing recently at the Yolk Magazine Hollywood launch party held in the Hennessy X.O VIP room. A crowd of 1,000 started dancing at midnight to Jennifer's tunes.

The popular Irish boy band Westlife has said they would like to make a song in an "Asian language" with Taiwanese pop star Coco Lee. That will be very interesting indeed!

 
Fans of Namie Amuro have been clamoring for a VCD of her latest concert. The pop star recently appeared on an epidode of the Kinki Kids show in Japan.

 
Wayne Wang's latest film The Center of the World didn't impress the reviewer at www.asianamericanfilm.com. The website, at least, is pretty damn good...check it out at: http://www.center-of-the-world.com/.

Rick Yune fans will want to check out The Fast and the Furious which opens in June. The movie is centered around Los Angeles street racers and the sound track is
said to be hot.

Anime fans can now catch Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in an animated series. Taipei-based SMEC Media and Entertainment has bought the rights to the classic and may also produce an animated movie and video on CTHD in the future.
 

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