Yellow Face (Part 2 of 2)

0:00 hey everyone I'm Chester C one of the founding partners of the yam yam F Network and you're about to see the second act the final part of Tony awardwinning David Henry Wong's acclaimed play yellowface this is the first ever adaptation from theatrical play to YouTube if you missed part one you can click on the link here to catch up and for everyone else yamam F proudly presents the conclusion of yellowface Los Angeles Times the most significant thing about this King and I is the authentic ethnic casting and the convincing South Asian Feel Jesus it's Marcus G you gave him his start don't remind me he's very deep listen to this never let anyone tell you what you look like is who you are those are the limitations we need to fight even people that look like me especially people that look like me beautiful I'm going to throw up you know da you should say stuff like this I

1:18 where do you think he got him those are I said those very words when he was in my show then you teach him well you must be so proud his name isn't even G he's not even Asian you know I had thought when I first saw you play I thought he's not Chinese but after I read his words who cares if in my heart I can be grie Cooper or Clark Gable then maybe in his he can be Marcus G Dad I did not go through protests and hunger strikes so that some white impostor can take our hard one opportunities you went on a hunger strike sure back with those other agent students back in college for two weeks you didn't eat for two weeks you could I'm not stupid of course I ate but you said we fasted in ships huh variety April 27 1996 Asian Kudos announced the newly formed Asian-American artists Association announced honores for their first annual Warrior Awards legit scribe David Henry Hong M butterfly will receive a visionary Warrior award from the org which was founded by

2:32 Asian-American film exec Fritz Friedman journalist please welcome David Henry hang I'm so pleased to be honored tonight by the Asian-American artist Association or aa aa oh here comes another of tonight's awardees our most promising newcomer Warrior Marcus G who's managed to join us tonight despite his grueling tour schedule in The King and I you two know each other well who doesn't know Marcus right no each other David gave me my first job how you doing bro we haven't talked since uh since you were in uh since um face value thanks for the break buddy all right bring it in

3:26 boys Marcus Marcus your performance in the King and I got rave reviews across the country but did you have any hesitation about taking on a role that some people in the community have labeled stereotypical yeah of course I did I feel like it's one of the biggest responsibilities for any actor of color to stay true to his community uh to make sure that we only put out positive [Applause] images hey bro do not give me that hey bro sorry didn't mean to offend you are walking around here you're pretending to be Asian you're lying to everyone I am trying really hard not to lie okay every once in a while I have to bring up the Siberian thing and that's unfortunate but as much as possible I am doing my best to speak only the truth your whole life is a lie hey didn't you say so yourself it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside I didn't mean that literally then how did you mean it Dave do you have a problem with anything that I'm

4:32 saying no it's not what you're saying it's just that I'm the one that's saying it doesn't that make your position kind of racist this is not hard in order to be Asian you have to at least have some Asian blood I'm just saying some things that need to be said doing some things that need to be done I mean someone's got to step up what is that supposed to mean John Wong has founded this great new organization the Asian Leadership Council you are lecturing me on how to be Asian they're honoring me next week in DC we we could really use your support I was an Asian role model back when you were still a Caucasian David come on what is this a popularity cont you're going around here with that the face you're claiming to be Asian and Everyone Falls at your feet and but you don't have to be Asian every day of your life you just come in you skim the cream you you you ethnic tourist you know what you're right I don't have to live Asian every day of my

5:25 life I am choosing to do so funny thing about race you don't get to choose okay if you were born a minority you would know that David are you familiar with the Chinese concept of face am basically it says the face that you choose to show the world reveals who you really are I knew that well I've chosen my face and now I am becoming the person I have always wanted to be marus you are what's keeping you hey I'm sorry I was just talking to Dave oh hi uh hey you better get on stage quick they're about to auction up the dinner with you thanks um DC next week remember this name John Wong it's got to be big you dating him yeah so does he know

6:13 that we that you and I well I might have mentioned that we it's not the first thing on my mind morning and night Leah Leah you can't excuse me no no no you can't become his girlfriend well that's funny cuz I already am you think he's Asian don't you he's not 100 % but his mom I think God I can't believe he's dating you of all people whoa wait do you think that he's dating me to get back at you no not to get back at me it's it's it's weirder than that more diabolical it's like it's like he wants to become me whoa Earth to narcissist no Leah he's not Asian David no one's Asian enough for you like how you used to criticize me for listening to The Cure you thought that my taste in music was too white I never said anything yes you did did yes you did you said personally I believe in supporting black artists I only meant that as people of color the African-American singers are more likely to sympathize with our struggles and understand our pain Mariah Carey Leah

7:12 Marcus is not Asian literally he's lying to you he's lying to everyone the truth is Marcus G is 100% white David are you still in touch with Dr werman you don't believe me I believe that you were in a really unhealthy place right now and I think I'm going to go you should get back to writing place she get that you got to be kidding me the machine Pi up it might be important I can wait I can't hello is this Marcus G speaking calling from the office of Senator Fred Thompson on behalf of the committee on governmental Affairs you do realize it is 11:30 at night right I'm sorry would you mind answering some questions can you call back in the morning committee would be most grateful for your cooperation at this time our records show you made a donation of

8:23 $250 to the asian-pacific American Leadership Council uh yes yes uh they fundraising dinner in Washington last year were you aware that their founder John hang is under investigation that a good number of the donations he gathered violated Federal campaign laws what do you want from me are you're an American citizen what where are you from you mean where am I really from what do you mean by that nothing it's a joke why was that a joke because Asians are always being asked where are you really from who else asked you this I don't have to answer that I suggest you do CU there's something strange about your file seems as though you made your donation under a false name I used my stage name I didn't know it was illegal why did you change your name to more accurately reflect the roles I was playing what sort of roles are those Asian roles so is it safe to assume that your ethnicity is actually Asian I you don't have to answer that question we keep getting stuck on that

9:32 one don't we I'm going to hang up that would be a bad idea no this whole conversation is a bad idea you guys are so off Bas with this in fact you know what you're idiots who was that David I really appreciate you meeting me like this well Leah you asked me in such a civil Tone It kind of threw me for a loop I I don't want to talk about this over the phone but uh what's wrong trouble in Paradise I catch your boyfriend putting butter on his rice this is serious Marcus is under investigation it started late one night they called our home we thought that was the end of it but now we're getting more calls from the FBI the Democratic National Committee let me get this straight the government is investigating people who made donations to political campaign Asians just Asians they think foreigners influenced the election so now they're calling anyone named blee or Wong and somehow Marcus got on their list can you believe it he made a donation using his stage name so there's going to be a press conference tomorrow to expose this crap and David why are you laughing what wait so I mean he really wanted to

10:44 be Asian right every day of my life be careful what you wish for Kim wasab I was hoping that you would come to the press conference and help Mah Marcus doesn't need my help he's Captain Asian America he's a role model for us all David listen Asians being evil foreigners this is the kind of that they always throw at us and now they're throwing it at him it kind of makes my day I cannot believe this you used to stand for something and now it's it's like you're some kind of fake Asian me I'm the fake Asian someone should look in her own bed you I was harassed by midnight telephone calls my integrity was slammed and my citizenship was questioned leaders of Asian-American groups say that this telephone call and 1,200 others to Asian-American contributors are part of a harassment of people of Asian descent USA Today July 9th 1997 Congress yesterday began long- awaited hearings on the campaign Finance improprieties of 1996 with an assertion by committee chair Fred Thompson Republican of Tennessee high level Chinese government

11:57 officials have crafted a plan to increase China's influence over the US political process our investigation suggests the plan continu today Senator Richard Shelby Republican of Alabama we've got to remember the Chinese are everywhere they're real they're here and probably very crafty people representative Jack Kingston Republican of Georgia illegal campaign contributions are just the tip of the egg roll New York Times March 6 1999 China stole nuclear secrets from Los Alamos written by name withheld on advice of councel government officials have administered lie detector tests to a Los Alamos computer scientist who is Chinese American this is going to be just as bad as the rosenbergs an official recalled [Music] saying Dave Dave look look a facts for you so from Marcus G oh get that away from me he probably wants money or something dear David I don't want to hear it shh I'm reading for myself dear David did you see the story in the New

13:10 York Times about when Ho Lee the Chinese American nuclear scientist their accusing of treason Marcus say they're holding a rally to stand up for wi ho Le they want you to join them do you see what I'm doing here I am writing a pitch for a movie yeah but Marcus oh Jesus du I'm sorry you couldn't make the press conference about the phone calls but it's all snowballing first campaign Finance reform Scandal and now when holy this country is gearing up to make China its next big enemy and as usual who are they going after first asian-americans that guy's so paranoid hey maybe this one is guilty did you ever think about that even if he's not what's Marcus so worried about we have rights in this country Justice for ho I American arrest me too a racial profile this Asian-American does not equal spies who's next who's next Who's Next who's next Who's Next who's next Who's Next who next Who's Next so yellow girl 8 where are you really from [Music]

14:19 Omaha growing up Vietnamese I always felt so alone there you're not alone I read your plays in high school which ones all of them what are you wearing Dave it's your mother I just want you to know that there's going to be an article tomorrow in the New York Times it's about your father it's a big one front page and it's uh it's not very

15:13 good late in the spring of 1996 Federal Bank examiners discovered that the Central Bank of China was moving tens of millions of dollars into the United States depositing it in a maze of accounts at a small California Bank Far East National Far East National CEO Henry y hang 69 is a well-known figure among Chinese Americans in Los Angeles Wong's office is decorated with photographs of himself with various American Presidents including Bill Clinton and with a poster from M butterfly the Broadway hit written by his son David Henry hang who was formerly a director of the bank oh no respect dad Alice says do you have an appointment he says no I have to see Mr Wong then he just walks in if I was in the bathroom I bed he just walk in there too no class uh the first thing we have to think about is did you see that part in the paper when he called me short I'm 5' 10 that's not short I know he called me short and you know what

16:27 that means that guy is a racist dad what we have to think about here what we have to worry about is the Senate investigation now do you have to testify before Shelby's Banking Committee of course they've already subpoenaed you I told my lawyers you spend whatever you have to pull all the strings you got get me that subpoena you want to testify before the committee of course see dear why you have to talk to him on national TV lights camera senators and me giving it to those guys you you discriminate against Asians this sort of thing must never happen in America dear it's not going to go like sh all around the country everyone stops what they're doing and listen to me then suddenly the image of Asians is brof forever beautiful Dave Dad it's really hard to make yourself look good before a congressional investigation what about ali nor okay it's not impossible but um what does Ali nor have that eye though dad you really just want to lie low and

17:36 hope this whole thing goes away oh hold on did you see my picture cell phone I was wearing a amone yeah hello may I speak to David Henry hang speaking my name is I wrote the article in the times this morning about Far East National oh I understand you were on Far e board when all this occurred well I'd like a chance to prove that you had nothing to do with this um you sat on the board of Faris National for quite a few years why oh basically as a favor to my father do you want to go on the record

18:27 with this you can go off at any moment just by punching this button I can shut it off absolutely all right um when my father first asked me I was coming off one of the busiest years of my career and at first I I turned him down how did he convince you far national uh serves immigrants and refugees and I thought if I can help make this Bank successful will all it will help us all and as Chinese Americans we need to empower ourselves uh by any means necessary these large deposits from China when they started rolling into the bank were you aware of the size of these

19:14 amounts as a board member I wasn't really aware of the bank's finances no no I saw myself more as a spiritual moral compass could you explain that statement we have to fight the power what power is that well to put it bluntly White America uh we have to come together Marshal our Collective resources um to really gain influence in this country and so from your position as board member you sought to use Far East resources to gain influence for China no didn't say that oh I'm sorry I thought you did no no I I said to gain influence for Chinese Americans right not China there's a difference oh but still what well obvious viously if China grows more powerful that strengthens the hands of the Chinese living here wouldn't you agree my loyalty is to America but you just said you sought to fight the power of White America isn't that true before you punch that button I think it's only fair to tell you that I already have everything I need for my

20:15 story as a bank director you are legally and financially responsible for the activities under your watch listen I'll tell you the truth I actually didn't know what was going on with the banks dealings really yeah I realize you were daddy's little rubber stamp but that fact puts you into a position to enlighten me about something far more interesting than any balance sheet like like what I want to know about your father how often does he go to China who does he see there has he ever expressed anger bitterness resentment towards America why are you going after my father Mr hang your father is a Chinese Banker Chinese American exactly there's a difference that difference is it interest me if I were investigating Israeli Espionage I'd look to the Jewish Community it's just logical does your father see himself as more American or more Chinese that question makes no sense on the contrary I think it's quite relevant how about you do you see yourself as more American or more white

21:13 that's not the same not in the least why not because there's no conflict between being white and being American did you really just say that there's a conflict between being Chinese and being American no how fortunate we have that on tape look I should have said it's not I should have said it's not the same because white is a race and China is a nation you should have but you didn't you are going to make a fascinating character what want to write a play about all this I'm sorry you can't why not you're writing about me I'm a reporter and I'm a playright nice to meet you God I I I really thought we were past all this the yellow Peril where are you really from you're taking my slip completely out of context actually I'm putting it in context you know when you look at guys like my father and W ho you their eyes might as well be taped up and they might as well be wearing piss colored makeup because what you see is every bad guy in every movie who's ever put on yellow face

22:16 okay I gave you your chance I think it's only fair to warn you I already have what I need to write my play as if that's so difficult anything missing from your story hell you just go make it up why are you so afraid to be in my place I'm no one there's nothing about me in the media I've kept it that way you see Mr Wang I'm Anonymous all the more reason for me to start writing just understand this if you use my real name you'll find yourself in court oh Oh Henry Henry are you okay Henry doctor I'm going to call the doctor yeah oh no David we still have treatment options available for your father but so far the cancer markers are not going down and the Pet Scan suggests the condition may have metastasized to the liver honestly we got that first terve so early the chemo should have knocked it right out but it seems your father's case is particularly

23:40 aggressive listen dad um mom found this new gene therapy it's experimental but we can get you into the clinical trials wait you know son I used to believe in America I don't anymore and I was a kid my favorite movie star was Jimmy Stewart he was so kind oh always doing things for other people and when the chips were down he would give it to the bad guys tell them often everyone would listen to him when I started the bank I said now I can be Jimmy Steward

25:03 too when I try to stop those guys who are after me I can't beat them this time so I'm not jimy St after all so son I I don't want any fancy treatment my real life isn't here anymore I'm ready to go and I'll do

25:54 it my way Dave I heard about your dad's illness if there's anything I can do to help why are you torturing me why why won't you leave me alone why do you keep popping up everywhere I look all all good and no and completely disgusting well thanks for the compliment why do you do all this because it feels good to be part of something bigger than

26:40 myself how's your dad hang around the ICU careering tatters trying to survive an American Purge other than that he's great how can we help him you can help me by going away sorry I was just trying yeah well it's easy for you to help you're holding all the cards you know I'm under investigation too remember yeah all you have to do to save yourself is just take off your masks tell them who you really are sure I could save myself but what good does that do the community the investigators would just hush up my case and keep going after guys like your dad unless what unless I couldn't couldn't what unless I couldn't hush it up I don't fall listen you want to help the community yes but then take off your mask not not behind closed doors not on some little cell phone call in public where you the bastards can't make you go away can you imagine how idiotic their investigations will look when when in their determination to find evil Chinese spies everywhere the public knows that

27:42 the government has spend millions of taxpayer dollars only to to to end up going after a regular American you want me to talk to the Press if I go public with who I really am I'll have to leave the community I mean people will be so mad they'll never accept me again David I love this community how much more than yourself this is my whole life we're talking about and you know I'm not the only one who'd get in trouble it'd be you too how could I come out as white without explaining how I got mistaken as Asian good point so we agree all right I'll go to the interview with you explain how this whole misunderstanding happened explain that you'd never been able to pass yourself off as agent without me that it was all my fault you would do that you know it would make you look bad Marcus do you remember the Chinese concept of face yeah I'm willing to go out there and lose my face how about you New York Times staffers probing Chinese investigations cast too wide a net by me officials probing accusations of

29:12 illegal campaign contributions from Chinese donors are investigating a US citizen with no Asian ancestry at all I'm reading this in the paper so it can't possibly be true right Leah nothing has really changed about me just my past right yes I see you right which means everything's changed about you Marcus did you tell me the truth about anything Le I love you that was never a lie you got to believe me I do I'm believing it makes me feel sick myself stomach don't touch

30:07 me the origins of this almost comical mishap involve a strange cast of characters including Tony awardwinning playwright David Henry hang I cast Marcus as an Asian in one of my plays not knowing he was a white man after I realized my mistake I tried to cover up my blunder by passing him off as a Siberian Jew after the New York Times released their article on masking Marcus Jay Leno joked in his monologue that Federal investigators were now going to go after Pamela and Tommy Lee Neil Sedaka the lead singer from Wang Chun this marked the turning point in the Chinese Espionage scandals of the late 1990s Shelby's Banking Committee and their investigation without subpoenaing My Father Fred Thompson's probe withered away when ho spent 9 months in solitary confinement before the charges against

31:07 him were dropped by Judge James Parker Roco pomier former Aid Senator Fred Thompson posting on realclearpolitics.com so the Chinese won the first round but we were on the right track 9/11 threw this country into an extended distraction phase while we've been expending our time and resources in the Middle East our real enemies have been taking advantage of this window to make themselves even more formidable Chinese investigations are not over not by a long shot they're merely on Hiatus until the next War begins because America's real enemy in the 21st century will be China New York Times October 13th 2005 Henry W hang who founded the first Asian-American owned federally Chartered Bank in the continental United States died Saturday in his home in San Marino California he was 77 years old Dad's obituary was picked up by the uh wire services and it ran in over 250 media Outlets from Mississippi to Taiwan think you would have liked that Marcus came to see me at dad's memorial

32:39 service I always believed my dad could talk his way out of anything he's the only person I ever known who who went into the IRS for an audit and walked out with a bigger refund can't believe he's gone I'm sorry but what really gets me is that in the end he even lost his dream I mean sometimes I think that's really what what what killed him as much as I was sick of hearing a sh dick dad was it was his whole life that faith that America was a place where you can imagine whoever you want to be and through sheer will and determination you can become that person if only that were true but it is look at me me huh I imagin myself as something completely different from what I was and

33:33 through sheer will and determination just like you're dead I cannot believe you're going you are nobody's idea the American dream then why did you create me tell the truth I'm a character in this play that you've written about your dad and yourself and uh what happened with that reporter who we're not supposed to say his name I really wasn't planning on getting into this I think you should no no no see I was planning on maintaining that whole truth versus fiction ambiguity throughout the end of the play well I think that's intellectually dishonest you're my character you do what I say Come On Dave any characters worth their assult eventually go their own way now tell them the truth you can do it this is kind of humiliating a little late in the show to worry about humiliating

34:34 yourself Marcus is a fictional character created by me why because I'm a writer and in the end everything is always all about me and okay years ago I discovered a face that I could wear live more fully and better than anything I've ever tried but as the years went on face became a mask and I became just another actor running around in yellow face

35:32 that's where you came in to take words like like Asian and American and race and nation and and mess them up so badly that no one even knows what they mean anymore because that was dad's dream a world where he could be Jimmy Stewart and and a white guy can even be an Asian because that's what you do when your father dies you make his dreams your own and now you don't need me anymore do me a favor write me a happy ending okay that is not my specialty but I'll try I I'll send you to a Chinese village named

36:25 zenong final email from Marcus G Dalman to David Henry hang receive sometime tomorrow dear David it finally happened nine months after my arrival in Dawn country tonight as they were gathering together for the big song I noticed a couple of villagers gesturing for me to come closer so I stood up I ascended the steps under the eaves to the pagot and no one stopped me they saw who I am and gave me

37:14 [Music] face as I opened my mouth the music spoke to me in words only I could hear get over yourself the song is only doing what it's always done taking in voices from all the lands and all the people who have ever crossed its path though the road has been messy it made this song for nothing of value nothing which lasts nothing human is ever pure I joined the big song and I found what I had lost a reason to Hope and now I can go

38:12 home hey it could happen for Marcus the play ends as for me I go back to work searching for my own face [Music] hi hey [Music]

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40:30 [Music] myad [Music] she [Music] hey we just want to thank you for watching yellowface and hope you enjoyed it yes and don't forget subscribe to the yam YF Network and leave us some more comments in the section below we'd love to know what you thought [Music] y

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