Dancer Fired: Scherzinger Clash, First Korean Malt Whisky, Ohtani's Ball: Taipei Display, Vietnam's Miss International, Trump vs. Chung: Revenge Tale, Zuckerberg's Anniversary Tune

Good Morning – November 15, 2024

Your daily update on stories impacting the Asian and Asian American community, along with key insights into business, culture, and trends.

TOP STORIES

Dancer says Nicole Scherzinger got him fired for criticizing her “pro-MAGA” engagements

A professional dancer has accused actor and singer Nicole Scherzinger of getting him fired after calling her out for engaging with “sex offenders” and MAGA politicians and celebrities on social media. Arthur Segisbaiv, a Kazakhstan-born professional dancer based in Belgium, shared details of his termination with NextShark.

• Catch up: Scherzinger, who is currently receiving rave reviews for her performance in “Sunset Boulevard” on Broadway, recently faced backlash for commenting on an Instagram post by controversial comedian Russell Brand that many perceived to be supportive of Donald Trump and his MAGA movement. The Pussycat Dolls singer subsequently apologized for her actions, saying it was rooted in faith and that she “made the mistake of not realizing that they could be easily interpreted as being politically related.” 

• How it started: Segisbaiv, who has worked with artists like Kesha and Shakira, was among those who called out Scherzinger on Instagram. In a series of Stories, he criticized Scherzinger for “following and engaging” with “sexual predators” such as Brand and Diddy — both of whom face allegations of rape and other crimes by multiple people — and “repeatedly posting Bible verses like a Bible thumper” while “performing and twerking barely naked at Gay Pride events.” He accused the singer of hypocrisy, rejected her apology and demanded that she “pick a side.” Following his criticism, Segisbaiv said Scherzinger sent her “bisexual friend,” Katie Morris, to “defend” her. He shared alleged voice messages from Morris, who explained that Scherzinger “doesn’t really have a choice” as much of her family are MAGA supporters. Segisbaiv, however, continued to criticize Scherzinger, saying she is “entitled to her own opinion/political views but she can’t have her cake and eat it too.”

• The aftermath: Following his calling out, Segisbaiv said Scherzinger’s team sent complaints to his dance and model agencies, which purportedly resulted in the termination of his representations on Nov. 12. Segisbaiv told NextShark that he called one of the bookers from one of those agencies, who “confirmed that the complaints came directly from Nicole Scherzinger’s team.” Segisbaiv said the booker did not give a name, but he believes it was Morris who lodged the complaints. As of this writing, Scherzinger has not publicly addressed Segisbaiv’s allegations. “The intention behind my IG Stories was to express my deep disappointment as a longtime fan of Nicole’s. I don’t believe in cancel culture but I do believe in holding people accountable, especially if they’re a LGBTQ+ allies who’re profiting off our community,” Segisbaiv told NextShark. “I’m very shocked and saddened that Nicole and her team are doing everything in their power to silence me and get me blackballed from the industry. I’ve lost my representation, my income but I still have my values and my dignity.”

Dave Min wins Orange County seat in tight House race

Democratic State Sen. Dave Min defeated Republican Scott Baugh to succeed Rep. Katie Porter in California’s 47th Congressional District, which includes Orange County’s Irvine, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Seal Beach.

• By the numbers: As of Thursday morning, Min secured 51.3% of the vote (173,069) to Baugh’s 48.7% (164,311). While an estimated 30,000 votes remain, multiple outlets have called the race in Min’s favor. The progressive Democrat expressed gratitude in a statement, crediting his parents’ immigrant experience from Korea as motivation for public service. “The fight has just begun,” he said, promising to prioritize democracy, economic opportunity, reproductive rights, climate action and gun violence reduction. Min’s win comes in a district where voter registration is nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, making it one of the most closely contested battlegrounds. He joins New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim — the first Korean American elected to the Senate — as the latest Korean American elected to Congress.

• How the candidates campaigned: Both Min and Baugh’s campaigns were well-funded, collectively raising over $10 million, with additional super PAC spending. The race was marked by an exchange of aggressive barbs, with Min labeling Baugh a "MAGA extremist" and Baugh criticizing Min's “extreme liberal views.” Baugh, who previously served in the California Assembly, addressed the impact of the fentanyl crisis, a deeply personal issue following his brother’s 2020 death. He conceded on Tuesday, saying he remains “hopeful and optimistic” for the future. The District 47 race is emblematic of Orange County’s shifting political landscape, a historically Republican stronghold that has diversified and leaned Democratic over time.

Trump appoints Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the new director of national intelligence. Gabbard, who was the first Hindu and first Samoan to serve in the U.S. Congress, also ran as a Democratic presidential candidate in 2020 before leaving the party in 2022 due to ideological differences. She later joined the Republican Party and endorsed Trump’s campaign. Trump praised her “fearless spirit” and bipartisan appeal, asserting she will protect constitutional rights while promoting “peace through strength.” However, her appointment has drawn criticism due to her controversial foreign policy stances, particularly on Russia and Syria. Gabbard, 43, brings over two decades of military service and previous work on the House Homeland Security Committee, but her lack of direct experience in intelligence has raised concerns. “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for the opportunity to serve as a member of your cabinet to defend the safety, security and freedom of the American people,” Gabbard wrote on X. “I look forward to getting to work.”

POLITICS & POLICY

How the heir to Levi Strauss won over Asian Americans to become SF mayor

Daniel Lurie secured a decisive victory in the San Francisco mayoral race, denying incumbent London Breed a second full term. 

• Results: As of Wednesday night, Lurie amassed 99,235 votes (26.7%) compared to Breed’s 90,503 (24.3%). Despite being relatively unknown when he announced his campaign, the Levi Strauss heir and nonprofit founder resonated with residents seeking change, particularly among Asian American voters. His meticulous outreach, orchestrated by campaign manager Han Zou and Chinese community lead Kit Lam, aggressively targeted Asian voters through an extensive field program that knocked on over 140,000 doors and leveraged $8.9 million of Lurie’s personal funds. 

• “The change candidate”: Public safety, which Breed has received sharp criticism on, was a focal message. “I expected him to get maybe a quarter or a third of the support. This is, like, overwhelming,” political consultant David Ho told Mission Local. While prominent Asian community leaders endorsed other candidates, Lurie’s grassroots engagement outshined traditional methods, and his deep-pocketed media campaign ensured high visibility. Meanwhile, Breed’s efforts to paint Lurie as inexperienced fell flat amid widespread frustration over crime, homelessness and economic decline. “He was the change candidate in a change election,” Tyler Law, Lurie’s campaign consultant, told the San Francisco Chronicle. In his victory speech in Chinatown, Lurie underscored the significance of his Asian support: “As the AAPI and the Chinese community goes, so goes San Francisco.”

Even Asian Americans in San Francisco swung to Trump

Asian Americans, as well as less-educated voters, drove San Francisco’s shift toward Donald Trump in the 2024 election. While the city remained overwhelmingly Democratic, precinct-level analysis reveals that support for Trump grew notably in southern and western neighborhoods, as well as in Chinatown — areas identified as predominantly Asian and less progressive. Visitacion Valley emerged as the most pro-Trump neighborhood, with about one in three voters (34.3%) supporting the former president, outpacing traditionally affluent conservative areas like the Marina and Pacific Heights, where only 18% backed him. Citywide, Trump earned 16.76% of the vote compared to Kamala Harris’ 79.66%. The rightward shift mirrored national trends, as Trump saw gains among Asian and Latino voters even in areas where his rhetoric had previously alienated many. While the movement in San Francisco is less dramatic than in some other blue cities, it raises critical questions for Democrats as they seek to address the shifting allegiances of non-white and working-class voters.

GLOBAL NEWS

“If I can do it, why can’t you?”: Duterte admits to personally killing suspects in drug war

In a Philippine House committee hearing on Nov. 13, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte admitted to using controversial tactics, including planting evidence and personally killing suspects during his tenure as Davao City mayor. The revelations came after repeated questioning by lawmakers about his statements from a 2016 press conference where he hinted at such methods. 

• Planting evidence: Initially denying these accusations, Duterte eventually confirmed them when confronted with video footage of his past remarks. The 79-year-old former president acknowledged that planting evidence was part of his strategy to apprehend criminals, describing it as a necessary tactic to control crime in Davao. He explained that while illegal, these actions were justified by the need to combat criminal elements. He also reiterated his admission of having personally killed six or seven individuals, allegedly to set an example for police officers. "If I can do it, why can’t you?" he reportedly told law enforcement during his time in office.

• Rewarding killers: The hearing, part of an ongoing investigation into Duterte’s war on drugs, also touched on allegations of a reward system for killing suspected drug offenders. Duterte confirmed the existence of monetary rewards but insisted that these were for solving "big crimes" rather than incentivizing extrajudicial killings. His admissions have reignited debates over his administration's methods, with human rights groups estimating that as many as 30,000 individuals were killed in the anti-drug campaign.

CULTURE & SOCIETY

Meet Vietnam’s first Miss International winner

Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy was crowned winner of Miss International 2024 at the Tokyo Dome City Hall on Tuesday, besting 75 other contestants. “Now, I’m the first Miss International from Vietnam. Finally, I can prove that I deserve all the love and support from my audience from Vietnam and around the world,” she said after her coronation. Thuy’s win marked the first time her home country took home the crown since joining the competition in 1995. She is currently enrolled at both the University of Foreign Languages under the University of Da Nang and Greenwich University Vietnam, studying English and Korean. Prior to Tuesday’s win, Thuy was crowned Miss Vietnam 2022 and had also modeled in Seoul Fashion Week. Additionally, she is the second Vietnamese to win a crown in one of the “Big 4” pageants — the other three being Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Earth — after Miss Earth 2018 winner Phuong Khanh Nguyen. Outside pageantry, she is a K-pop fan, attending Blackpink’s world tour concert in Bangkok in May 2023.

Trump once claimed he tried to get revenge on Connie Chung

Donald Trump once said he tried to exact a petty revenge on legendary journalist Connie Chung after feeling mocked during a 1990 interview. Trump appeared on Chung’s CBS show “Face to Face With Connie Chung” in April 1990, where the host spent most of her time poking fun at his buildings, his lack of interest in publicity and his repeated mentions of renovating Central Park’s skating rink. Chung also revealed in the show’s introduction that the interview took place just hours before Trump’s divorce from his ex-wife, Czech American businesswoman and model Ivana Trump. The following year on “The Joan Rivers Show,” Trump recounted his “revenge” against Chung, saying he sent her only the stems of roses she had sent him, to which Rivers responded, “You’re my kinda guy.” Chung later told the Toronto Star that Trump’s story was false, quipping that she was still “waiting for the stems.”

ENTERTAINMENT

John M. Chu gives update on “Crazy Rich Asians” sequel

John M. Chu recently shared an update on the potential for a sequel of his 2018 hit film “Crazy Rich Asians, noting that the team has yet to finalize a script. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chu expressed his commitment to only move forward with the highly anticipated sequel if it matches the impact and quality of the first movie.

• More complex adaptation: Chu explained that while fans might assume adapting the follow-up novel, “China Rich Girlfriend,” would be straightforward, it has proven more complex than expected. “There’s a lot of shifting, architecturally, and it’s not a straight translation,” he noted, adding that the creative team has struggled to craft a script that captures the urgency and emotional resonance of the original film. Despite several drafts, he stated, “We’ve done some versions, and it’s never quite hit.”

• The bar was raised: The success of “Crazy Rich Asians” was groundbreaking, featuring a predominantly Asian cast and garnering critical and box office acclaim. The film not only addressed themes of cultural identity but also represented a major milestone for Asian American representation in Hollywood. While Chu remains open to a sequel, he is unwilling to compromise on quality, saying, “The bar is high for all of us to come back to do that, so I’m not going to put the audience through that until we’re ready.” Meanwhile, Chu is channeling his creative energy into the Broadway adaptation of “Crazy Rich Asians” announced earlier this year.

Mark Zuckerberg recruits T-Pain for song celebrating dating anniversary with Priscilla Chan

The song Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg listen to every year on their dating anniversary: Mark Zuckerberg collaborated with rapper T-Pain to create an acoustic cover of Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz’ “Get Low” as a gift for his wife, Priscilla Chan. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Zuckerberg explained that “Get Low” was playing when he and Chan first met at a college party. Since then, the couple has played it on their dating anniversary as a tradition. “Get Low,” which also featured the Ying Yang Twins, topped Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart and reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts after its release in 2002. Referring to themselves as “Z-Pain,” the Meta co-founder and T-Pain released the song on Spotify on Wednesday. This is not the first time Zuckerberg went the extra mile to charm his wife; last month, he surprised her with a custom Porsche minivan and a disco-themed birthday party.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Jensen Huang reminds SoftBank CEO he missed a $160 billion opportunity

At Nvidia’s AI Summit in Tokyo on Wednesday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son had the audience laughing over a candid reflection on SoftBank's missed investment gains. Huang reminded the crowd, “Many of you probably don’t know this, but at one point, Masa was the largest shareholder of Nvidia.” In response, Son dramatically embraced Huang and pretended to cry, as Huang comforted him with, “It’s OK, we can cry together.” SoftBank acquired a 4.9% stake in Nvidia back in 2017, valued at about $4 billion, but sold it off by 2019 — missing out on its current valuation of around $160 billion. Both companies are now focused on the future of AI, with SoftBank building Japan's most powerful AI supercomputer using Nvidia's Blackwell platform.

Meet the Korean American behind the world’s 1st Korean single malt whisky

Bryan Do, the founder of Korea's first single malt whisky distillery, Three Societies, has taken a winding path to success. After a career spanning journalism, PR and even a stint at Microsoft, Do's passion for craft beer led him to found The Hand and Malt Brewing Company in 2014.  He later sold this to AB InBev in 2018 to focus on creating a distinctly Korean single malt whisky. Partnering with Scottish master distiller Andrew Shand, Do leverages Korea's unique climate for rapid aging to produce a whisky with a surprising depth of flavor. Three Societies' Ki One single malt, Korea's first single malt whiskey, has garnered significant attention, with whisky enthusiasts even camping outside the distillery in freezing temperatures to secure a bottle. Do credits his success to taking calculated risks, emphasizing the importance of having a safety net when pursuing passions. He now plans to release drinks featuring Korean oak casks and locally sourced ingredients.

SPORTS

Ohtani's $4.4 million 50/50 ball now a Taipei tourist attraction

Shohei Ohtani's historic 50/50 home run ball is now a public attraction in Taipei. The ball, which marked Ohtani's achievement as the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season, recently sold for a record-breaking $4.4 million at auction to Taiwanese investment firm UC Capital. This prized piece of baseball history went on public display Wednesday at Taipei 101, where it will remain until March 2, 2025. The exhibit features the ball encased in glass under tight security, commemorating Ohtani's remarkable season that culminated in a World Series win with the Los Angeles Dodgers and a likely MVP award. 

Houston Texans’ John Metchie scores first career touchdown

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie scored his first career touchdown during a game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Quarterback C.J. Stroud found the Taiwanese Canadian wide receiver in the end zone with 16 seconds left in the first-half, ending the play for a 15-yard touchdown. Even though the Texans lost to the Lions 26-23, the team’s head coach, DeMeco Ryans, still praised Metchie for the achievement, telling reporters, “I'm just really proud of just his improvement and him taking the coaching, taking the practice to the field on Sunday.” Born to a Taiwanese mother and Nigerian father in Taiwan, Metchie and his family moved to Ghana shortly after his birth. He emigrated with his family to Canada at 6 and later moved to Maryland to attend high school. Metchie was drafted into the NFL out of Alabama in 2022. After being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in July 2022, he was sidelined from the field until last year, when he played in 16 regular-season games. Metchie acknowledged his cancer diagnosis on Sunday but noted that his focus right now is “on what I could do to be the best version of myself and to help the team win.”

Stay informed, stay inspired. We’ll be back tomorrow with more stories that matter to the Asian and Asian American community.