In the funny and clever TV show American-born Chinese, Jin is an insecure Chinese

Chinese-American kid just trying to get through high school and be normal when he be friends or gets

befriended by technically the new kid in town Wei Chen. It turns out the confident

Wei Chen is actually a god on a divine quest and he drags a not entirely willing gin along with him.

The two come to realize they're more alike than they ever imagined.

I'm Glenn Weldon and today we're talking about the Disney Plus series American Born Chinese

on pop culture happy hour from NPR.

Joining me today is NPR producer Mallory, you hey there Mallory.

Hey Glen.

And also joining us is writer and critic Walter Chow. Mr. You, hey there, Mallory. Hey Glenn.

And also joining us is writer and critic Walter Chow.

Welcome back, Walter.

Hi everybody.

I'm so glad to be here.

Great to have you. American Bore Chinese is based on the award-winning best-selling and very very good graphic novel by Jean

Luan Yang though the series updates and expands on that book's premise a lot.

Ben Wong plays a high school kid named Jin Wong his efforts to fit in and brave an endless parade of micro-aggressions

from his schoolmates get upended when he becomes an unwilling Tik-Dok meme that invokes an old

racist sitcom starring Freddie Wong, played by Kihui Kwan.

If that wasn't bad enough, Jin's parents, played by Yo Yennyan and Chin Han, are having marital problems.

And it turns out that his new friend Wei Chen, played by Jim Liu Yu, is actually the son of Sun Wu Kang, the monkey king from Chinese mythology.

Wei Chen is on a self-appointed quest to save the celestial realm with a little help from his Chinese ante played by the great and good

...