Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift
Long before he became a bestselling writer, Ocean Vuong sold rotisserie chickens at Boston Market. In his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness, he explores the meaning that can be found in the daily grind of a fast food restaurant. The book follows a young addict named Hai as he unexpectedly becomes caretaker to an elderly woman and makes unlikely connections at the fast-food restaurant where he works. Ocean tells Mattea Roach about challenging the American Dream, how being raised by women shaped him and why this novel is his most self indulgent yet. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes:Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's triumphant return to fiction [https://link.mgln.ai/x3AvNn ]Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments [https://link.mgln.ai/zTrajS ]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
43 minutes ago
- CBC
Malcolm X at 100: How his legacy has been celebrated — and co-opted — in pop culture
Social Sharing American civil rights activist and revolutionary Malcolm X would have turned 100 years old this year. Before he was assassinated in 1965 at the age of 39, Malcolm X had become a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam, known for his eloquent and passionate public speeches about Black nationalism and the critiques of American society. To commemorate his life, Commotion host Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks to professor Mark Anthony Neal, and culture critics Sandy Hudson and Matt Amha for a brief look at the commercialization of Malcolm X's legacy over the decades, and how it has or hasn't aligned with his actual mission and message. We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud on your favourite podcast player. WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube: Elamin: Mark, Malcolm X came to prominence at a time when we obviously didn't have social media, internet. What do you think it was about his understanding of mass media that made him become this iconic voice that we now know? Mark: He came of age in the early parts of the electronic media era, right? He would have watched film as a kid. He would've been a young adult when television became a thing. So he was always sensitive to the representation of Black bodies and Black culture in the context of these films. Just think about a little Malcolm watching a Tarzan movie and trying to put in context what he was seeing, in terms of the way that Africans were treated. But I think more importantly, he was a photographer in his own right. So he was always concerned with capturing and documenting what was happening. And then, of course, the critical moment for him was when CBS News does their special, The Hate That Hate Produced, which really is a thing that allows more Americans in 1959 to find out what the Nation of Islam was and who Malcolm X was. He had to learn on the fly how to navigate media culture in that context. Elamin: Sandy, I'm curious for you because you are someone with real-world experience being an activist. As you look at the ways Malcolm X engaged with the media, what do you make of the way that he leveraged it? Sandy: I think it was wonderful. I think he really understood media. He was the one who said, "If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." And so he really understood the power of media, and he didn't trust it. But that didn't stop him from using the media as a tool for education and to try to influence people to understand his goals, and to reach his goals. I certainly take that lesson from him, and I have tried to use that lesson in my own activism — using the media as a tool for mass education. Elamin: Matt, obviously there's something quite intentional about the ways that Malcolm X leveraged media. What do you make of the way that he approached it? Matt: I mean, Malcom was a showman in a lot of ways, you know? He understood the theatre of emerging media which, as Mark points out, at the time would have been colour television. I think he was a master of spectacle — and that isn't to say that it is in any way shallow. But it's to say that you understand the way that media and public attention functioned, and he understood how to ultimately bend it to his will. He was a kind of forebearer in that sense, in a lot of ways. Elamin: I want to spend a moment on that idea of it being theatre, because I don't think you are saying that it's fictitious in any kind of way. But you're saying it's a way to sort of get attention, and direct it towards the thing that you want that attention to be on. Matt: Well, what I mean to say by theatre is, there's a famous instance in 1957 where a Black man named Johnson Hinton is beaten in Harlem. He takes thousands of Black men from Harlem and marches down to the precinct in his community and stands them outside and makes demands of the NYPD, who eventually yield. That imagery of having hundreds of Black men standing outside of the precinct, making this demand of the New York Police Department, is a moving image. I mean, radicalism is about your belief system, but there's also a kind of aesthetic demonstration of radicalism as well. And the press at the time, and still to this day, often respond to that, right? And he, to me, was a kind of master of using that and turning it on its head, as Sandy says, for the purposes of political education.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Video game actors, companies reach tentative deal to end nearly year-long strike over AI
The union for Hollywood's video game performers has reached a tentative contract with several video game companies, which may bring an end to an almost year-long strike tied to the use of artificial intelligence. Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike in July 2024 after negotiations with game industry giants came to a halt over AI protections. SAG-AFTRA said that the unregulated use of AI posed "an equal or even greater threat" to performers in the video game industry than it does in film and television, because the capacity to cheaply and easily create convincing digital replicas of performers' voices is widely available. The performers were worried that unchecked use of AI could provide game makers with a means to displace them — by training an AI to replicate an actor's voice, or to create a digital replica of their likeness without consent. "Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers' livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains," SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement. The union had been negotiating with an industry bargaining group consisting of signatory video game companies, including divisions of Activision and Electronic Arts. Those companies include Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc. and WB Games Inc. The union said that it anticipates that the terms of a strike suspension agreement will be finalized with the companies soon. Union members will remain on strike until such an agreement is reached. The tentative contract deal still needs approval by the National Board and ratification by union membership. Video game performers had previously gone on strike in October 2016, with a tentative deal reached 11 months later, in September 2017. That strike helped secure a bonus compensation structure for voice actors and performance capture artists.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Labubu lands in Canada: ‘The largest toy trend we've ever seen'
This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. Labubu, the mischievous, pointy-toothed monster from Chinese toy company Pop Mart, is no longer just a viral sensation – it's a full-blown cultural phenomenon. And in Canada, demand is surging, thanks in part to Showcase, the national retailer bringing Pop Mart products to local malls. 'Labubu is one of many characters in the Monsters series of Pop Mart, but she's the most famous character by far,' said Samir Kulkarni, CEO of Showcase, in a video interview with 'We've been in business for 30 years. This is by far the largest toy trend that we have ever seen.' Pop Mart describes Labubu as 'a small monster with high, pointed ears and serrated teeth' who, despite its mischievous look, 'is kind-hearted and always wants to help.' Originally created in 2015 by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubu first appeared in a trio of picture books inspired by Nordic mythology. '[The artist] remembered hearing Dutch bedtime stories about different monsters … and created figurines to go with those stories,' Kulkarni said. 'There's a story behind the story, and that's what creates that demand.' Although the character began as a background figure, Labubu has grown into the face of Pop Mart's global success, especially since plush versions hit the market in 2023. Labubu This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. According to the company's annual report, Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan (US$1.81 billion), driven in part by Labubu's success. Plush toy sales alone soared more than 1,200 per cent, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of overall revenue. Labubu has been embraced by fans of all ages, though most buyers fall between the ages of eight and 25, according to Kulkarni. 'It definitely skews towards the younger side,' he said, adding there are older customers, especially when it comes to rarer and more expensive figures. Labubu has also become a fashion accessory, spotted dangling from designer handbags carried by celebrities including Olivia Attwood, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham, fuelling the toy's desirability. 'It's a mystery' What sets Pop Mart apart, and Labubu in particular, is the blind-box format. Shoppers never know exactly which figure they'll receive until opening the box. 'It's very different than most toys that are sold in retail,' Kulkarni said. 'In this case, it's a mystery. Sometimes there are rare characters that only appear once every 72 boxes. So, people are looking for the super rare ones, as well.' Those rare figures, once discovered, can skyrocket in value. The result is a frenzied aftermarket, with online resellers charging eye-watering prices for coveted pieces. 'They definitely do get more expensive over time because they are limited edition items,' Kulkarni said. 'There just isn't enough … and demand is much higher than the supply.' Showcase has leaned into the collector culture by offering in-store trading for duplicates and pre-order options for upcoming releases. New Labubu series drop almost monthly, according to Kulkarni, including the wildly popular 'Big Into Energy' collection featuring neon-coloured versions of the character. Labubu This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. 'That line is the most popular Labubus ever created,' he said. 'We allow for those trades in-store, as well, so that people can … complete their collections.' Labubu vs. Lafufu Tracking down a Labubu isn't always easy. While Pop Mart operates an online store that ships to Canada, there are no physical Pop Mart locations in the country. Labubu figures are also available through a range of retailers — including Showcase, its national partner — as well as independent shops and online resellers. But fans should beware: a growing number of fakes, known online as 'Lafufus,' are circulating in the market. Lafufu, a counterfeit of Pop Mart's hit toy, has gained unexpected traction on social media. The name riffs on the word 'fake,' and their exaggerated flaws like misaligned eyes, uneven fur and lumpy bodies have turned them into a meme of their own. Despite being knockoffs, Lafufus have attracted a following. They're cheaper and more accessible than the genuine article, offering a low-cost entry point into the fandom for buyers who aren't fussy about official branding. There are a few general ways to tell the difference between a Lafufu and an authentic Labubu: genuine figures typically come in Pop Mart packaging with verifiable details, such as a QR code. Lafufus, by contrast, are often sold in unbranded bags and may have visible flaws.
