Kaila Yu used to tell people that she was born in Tai Pei, she was actually born in Lawence Kansas and moved to Southern California at a young age where she was reared by her tiger mom parents until she discovered ecstasy and cocaine in Socal’s rollicking rave scene of the early aughts. She dropped out of UCSD and became an import model making money as a pinup girl in the underground world of street racing. She eventually got sober and worked every twelve-step program under the sun before finding her footing as a writer. She’s just written a new memoire published by Penguin Randomhouse called- "Fetishized - A reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism and Beauty" which explores how media, pop culture, and colonialism as well as her own behavior have contributed to the oversexualization of Asian women.

This was one of my very fist insterviews, and I really didn't know what to expect. Every interview back then felt so fraught - like there was so much at stake. As you can see, this one was pretty intense!

It's starts out with some fun stuff about Terrence Trent Darby and Shawn Michael Howard's earlly career and then takes a turn...

here are the original notes (which I beleive my guest dictated):

Shawn Michael Howard - Actor, Voice Over Artist, Believer.

I made this podcast just as the pandemic was starting to let up. What a joy it was to be back in the same room with a guest... even though most of my intervies now happen online regardless...

Patrick O'Neil's new book "Anarchy at The Circle K" - chronicling his life as a tour manager for punk rock bands like The Dead Kennedys - is out now. He is also a teacher and a substance abuse counselor. But before all that -- he was a bank robber -- responsible for a series of hold ups in the bay area with a gang of guys known as the "Men In Black."

This episode is such a powerful exploration of the slippery slope that is addiction as well as the capricious nature of grace.

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