Charles Yu

Well, I mean, we kind of launched into it, but, you know, the problem is, like, I feel like I did the press tour with you for this show, and everyone wants, like, the elevator pitch for this show, which is so annoying, because it's just like, tell me in five seconds, or I won't watch it. But now that we have time, and this is my show now, so freaking, you know, f*** the elevator pitch.

Well, I mean, we kind of launched into it, but, you know, the problem is, like, I feel like I did the press tour with you for this show, and everyone wants, like, the elevator pitch for this show, which is so annoying, because it's just like, tell me in five seconds, or I won't watch it. But now that we have time, and this is my show now, so freaking, you know, f*** the elevator pitch.

Like, tell us what the show's about.

Like, tell us what the show's about.

I don't know if I can get my leg up here. Thanks for trying to sell that. I didn't need you to... We sell these socks enough on this show. Everyone's really angry about it. Paramount's trying to take a cut of this. What's the non-elevator pitch for this show?

I don't know if I can get my leg up here. Thanks for trying to sell that. I didn't need you to... We sell these socks enough on this show. Everyone's really angry about it. Paramount's trying to take a cut of this. What's the non-elevator pitch for this show?

Right. And how much money did Jimmy make on this show per episode? He's still going at it. Yeah. Okay. So, because this will help my contract negotiations. If I... Did he get a companion ticket for this? Could you bring, because sometimes I try to bring my wife on the, you know. Yeah. Let's talk about the, we'll do the contract stuff after.

Right. And how much money did Jimmy make on this show per episode? He's still going at it. Yeah. Okay. So, because this will help my contract negotiations. If I... Did he get a companion ticket for this? Could you bring, because sometimes I try to bring my wife on the, you know. Yeah. Let's talk about the, we'll do the contract stuff after.

One thing I really love about this book is that it's not written, in my opinion, it's not written in a traditional narrative. And as someone who, narrative structure, I mean, you know, because it starts off as a screenplay and then it kind of, you know, it becomes like a, I don't want to spoil it, but it becomes almost like a legal drama.

One thing I really love about this book is that it's not written, in my opinion, it's not written in a traditional narrative. And as someone who, narrative structure, I mean, you know, because it starts off as a screenplay and then it kind of, you know, it becomes like a, I don't want to spoil it, but it becomes almost like a legal drama.

In my opinion, it doesn't, as someone who's, or anyone out there who's watching, who's trying to write something original, it's kind of out of a template, you know, because oftentimes when we're making stuff now, I feel like we're just kind of reduced to filling in a template. for how a story should go, act one, act two, act three, you know, whatever the Dan Harmon hero's journey.

In my opinion, it doesn't, as someone who's, or anyone out there who's watching, who's trying to write something original, it's kind of out of a template, you know, because oftentimes when we're making stuff now, I feel like we're just kind of reduced to filling in a template. for how a story should go, act one, act two, act three, you know, whatever the Dan Harmon hero's journey.

So how did you manage to break out of that rule, you know, when you're writing this book?

So how did you manage to break out of that rule, you know, when you're writing this book?

Right. And it's also rare that someone who, you know, wrote the book on it and it got adapted into a TV series. It's kind of rare for like the author of the book to be so intimately involved in the making of the TV show, you know, not just show running, but actually writing it. with a team of writers, but you were head writing it. So, I mean, would you have trusted anyone else to adapt this?

Right. And it's also rare that someone who, you know, wrote the book on it and it got adapted into a TV series. It's kind of rare for like the author of the book to be so intimately involved in the making of the TV show, you know, not just show running, but actually writing it. with a team of writers, but you were head writing it. So, I mean, would you have trusted anyone else to adapt this?

I guess is the question.

I guess is the question.

I got a few more questions for you here. I think this is the only time we'll ever be able to talk about this on American TV, but why is it so difficult talking about being an Asian man in America?

I got a few more questions for you here. I think this is the only time we'll ever be able to talk about this on American TV, but why is it so difficult talking about being an Asian man in America?