Grievance politics, why we love “Mo,” and the YYYs’ return

Hello from a U.S. neocolony! 

It’s just Tammy and Jay this week, trying not to obsess over surfing and wallpaper. 

We talk about the new Netflix show, “Mo,” which, despite its marketing, avoids many pitfalls of the mainstream immigrant tale. The show succeeds on account of its main character: the very flawed yet charismatic Mo, a Palestinian-American man with a pending asylum case, played by comedian and show creator Mo Amer. We also dig into what makes the city of Houston such a compelling and complex co-star. (Jay wrote about “Mo” for The New Yorker.) 

Next, Tammy reveals her steadfast love of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and mini-reviews the band’s new album (tl;dr: <3). We use Karen O’s return as an occasion to talk Asian American rockers, from the Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, and DJ Honda to Mitski, Japanese Breakfast, Thao Nguyen, and the Linda Lindas. 

For our main segment, we discuss today’s grievance-driven identity politics, as analyzed in two recent pieces: Arielle Angel’s “Beyond Grievance” in Jewish Currents, and Brian Morton’s “Against the Privilege Walk” in Dissent. Are we stuck in an Oppression Olympics that undermines coalitional politics? How do these anxieties manifest online and in mainstream political reporting (versus IRL)? Can we combat such narcissism while taking grief seriously? 

We also touch on the racist remarks from L.A. City Council members and a union leader that leaked this week. 

Tune in this Thursday, 10/13, to hear Tammy talk about the U.S. military presence in Asia, along with journalist and unionist Jonathan de Santos in the Philippines, and author Akemi Johnson (on Okinawa) in California. Register here! 

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