Original release date: February 26, 2009

Don’t hate the playa…

Jimmy Tsai (Ping Pong Playa, 2007) waxes philosophical about supporting Asian-American media, counteracting Hollywood racism, and hallucinating on the road.

By Jason Lee and Bettina Chang

Jimmy's friend Felix is his biggest fan.

When we think about it, so many stereotypes created or recreated in media are presented in comedies through limited portrayals of and jokes about Asians. Like fighting fire with fire, social-commentary comedy uses the same medium to make apparent the silliness and ridiculousness of such stereotypes in the first place, as well as show us how stupid it is to believe them.
Actor Jimmy Tsai makes this distinction dazzling obvious in his hilarious film, Ping Pong Playa (2007), a comedy about a young man’s struggle to finally grow up through a series of peculiar circumstances involving the family business of ping pong. As a film major in Asian American film, I am especially interested in independent work like this one. I love the use of the comedy genre to make social commentary. Jimmy also released a series of video shorts (embedded in this feature) that, as he revealed to Turtlist Media, actually inspired a lot of the movie.
In the first of a series of interviews with Turtlist Media, Jimmy describes his journey into film and his philosophical views on the industry…

Turtlist Media: What drives your passion for this work?

Jimmy Tsai: My passion for filmmaking has always been driven by a desire to entertain people. If I can make someone laugh or cry (hopefully because the movie’s good, and not the opposite) and help them forget about their worries for an hour and a half, then that’s what really makes me happy and makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something special.

TM: Why did you choose to work in the Asian American film genre as opposed to other independent films?

JT: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s been a conscientious move to just do Asian-American films, but it’s something that happened more as a matter of course. I probably know more Asian-American filmmakers and that’s how I’ve gotten involved in projects that are either by Asian Americans and/or about Asian Americans. For the projects that I’ve made myself, some happened to be Asian-American because that’s the perspective that I know that I’m writing from—but again, only for particular projects. I have many more that are not necessarily Asian-American in content; they’re just stories that I want to tell that are hopefully entertaining to people. And hopefully, I’ll have that opportunity to tell those stories in the future.

TM: How does being Asian American affect your place within the industry, and how do you think you might affect the face of Asian America as you work in the industry?

Christopher "C-dub" Wang rides in style

JT: Whether people want to admit it or not, race does play a factor in the entertainment industry. I’ve put a lot of thought into it, because I don’t want to be one of those people who just complains for the sake of complaining or points out every little itty-bitty fault the system has. But when you break it down, there’s a bit of an institutionalized racism.
Let me explain. People in the entertainment industry, by large, are NOT racists as individuals. Many executives, casting directors, etc. are professional and very nice. But here’s where there’s a rift in the system: you know about the myth about it’s not what you know, but who you know that matters? Well, it’s pretty much true. Especially for positions of major importance from a creative angle (writers, directors, etc.), there’s a tendency to hire people that you know, people who you’re comfortable with, people in your circle of trust. Most people tend to hang with a majority of people within their own ethnicity (admittedly, this is a bit of generalizing).
I defy people out there who think that Asian Americans aren’t getting acting jobs because they aren’t talented; that’s bs. They just haven’t been given the same opportunities.
When you break it down to a personal level, it’s hard for individuals to try and buck the system if they’re inside it (let’s say, for example, mid or lower-level studio execs). Because what happens if they speak out against the majority and go out on a limb? They’re in fear for their jobs, their individual livelihoods.
Some people have realized the situation and have done something about it.  John Wells has the kind of power and authority where he doesn’t worry about his job, and he also has the courage and the wherewithal to do something about it. His shows have hired more minorities both in front of and behind the camera. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough people like Wells who are both in those positions as well as willing to do something about it.

TM: Best moment in your career? Funniest? Hardest?

JT: One of the best moments I can remember was pretty early on, and definitely one of those “defining moments” for me. It was during a high school play for a renaissance fair-type dinner for a singing ensemble, and I was pretty much left to write it over winter vacation. By myself.
Of course, I was like, “#$&$. Hung out to dry.” But I persevered and cranked it out. Cut to several weeks later, the night of the dinner. Sometime during the actual performance of the play, I was backstage with one of my friends. Onstage, as a joke was being told, the audience roared in laughter. And my friend turned to me and said, “That’s you, man. That’s all you.”
For me, that was the moment that I knew I wanted to write. For all I had to go through, it was so rewarding, so worth it for the audience to respond that way to something I’d created.

Hardest moments… there are definitely a ton of those to choose from. On one short production, there wasn’t a lot of money and it was an ambitious shoot, and it was hot as hell. At one point during the first or second day, probably right around noontime, I realized that I had gone through eight bottles of water but hadn’t taken a leak yet. It was because I had sweated all of it out.
On the final day of that shoot, I had to drive one of the grip trucks back into Los Angeles, and we didn’t finish until two in the morning. I probably had gotten on average 4-5 hours of sleep a night for 5 days straight. As I was driving back, I started seeing things in the road–like discarded refrigerator boxes or something–and swerved to get out of the way, only to realize they were pools of light. At that point, I was like, “I better pull over.”

TM: Who is one of your big heroes in film?
JT: Not only is John Woo a cinematic genius, but he’s also one of the nicest, most genuine people I’ve met in the industry. I interned for him one summer, and you know that saying about how you should never meet your heroes because you’re bound to be disappointed (since you put them up on a pedestal)? Totally not true. My respect for him grew even more after I had a chance to meet him.

TM: Do you have advice to other Asian Americans who are pursuing or thinking of getting into film?

JT: Don’t buy into the whole idea of “overnight sensations” or making films for nothing and making millions off of them. That’s all media stories and hype that are blown way out of proportion. Most “overnight sensations” or “discoveries” are actually people who have been at it for quite a while; it’s just that this is the first time they’re getting a lot of attention for doing it.

You’ve got to treat it as both a business and a craft. Just as you would never try and become a doctor without studying, working hard, going to med school, etc., don’t expect not to work hard, study hard, go through some tough experiences, in order to become a filmmaker. If you’re just going into it for the money or the fame, then you’re in it for the wrong reasons.
The best thing for aspiring filmmakers: just go out there and do it. With the easy access these days to computers and video cameras, there’s nothing to stop you. Start off small, without having to spend a lot of money, and then work your way up to bigger and better things, so that when the time and opportunity comes for you to make that splash, you know what the hell you’re doing.

Last comments from Jimmy…
For all those out there in your reading audience, I can’t express how important it is to go out there and support Asian-American artists. That’s the only way “the system” will take note: all they care about is the bottom line. There are a lot of talented Asian-American artists out there, but we need to let them (and everyone else) know that we dig their stuff by voting with our dollars. Go check out musical artists like FAR EAST MOVEMENT or CHOPS or SUSIE SUH or VIENNA TENG, great Asian-American movies like SAVING FACE or FINISHING THE GAME or WINGS OF DEFEAT.

Also, I know a lot of people, especially the younger Asian-Am generation, do a lot of pirating. We’ll never be able to stop it, but if you like something, go buy the DVD or CD for your friends as a gift. It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s a lot better than continuing to spread the pirated versions out there.
And stay positive, too! It’s so much easier to tear things down than build things up, especially in the internet era. So if you like something, don’t be afraid to get out there and shout it out to help counteract all the haters out there.
Peace!

– Jimmy Tsai
Check out Ping Pong Playa at PingPongPlaya.com
www.Venomsportswear.com/
Support Asian American Film by purchasing your own copy of Ping Pong Playa!