Asian Representation

Film finally finds a new face

Emily Nagamoto Chief Photographer

Emily Augustine/Prowler

Around 60 percent of the global population lives in an Asian country, which accounts for approximately 4.4 billion people according to the United Nations. In the United States alone, the Census Bureau reported that in May of 2018 the Asian population totaled 21.4 million people. At Newbury Park High School, US News and World Report found that 12 percent of the student body was Asian.

However, looking at the fi lm industry, it seems like there are few Asians in the world at all. A study from the University of Southern California found that only 5 percent of 30,000 fi lm characters from movies between 2007- 2014 were Asian.

So few Asian characters cripples Asian equality and social development in Western society and on the world stage. When Asians fi rst began integrating with the Western world, harmful stereotypes were assigned to them that persist to this day, including squinty eyes, silly names and abnormal food.

If Asians had been properly integrated in fi lm, perhaps these ignorant labels would fi nally be realized for what they are: rude and derogatory. Instead the only time Asian actors used to see success in their careers was when they were casted to “increase diversity” with meager one-line roles, or even worse, when they have to act like the humiliating stereotypes mocking their culture. Th e list of characters born from such labels is long, Mr. Yunioshi in “Breakfast at Tiff ani’s” and Long Duk Dong in “Sixteen Candles” being prolifi c examples.

What is worse is that Hollywood found new labels to pin on Asians that primes new generations for discrimination: unattractive and non-masculine males and oversexualized and weak females. One Asian actor told the Washington Post that he receives humiliating comments on popular dating sites like, “Asians, ew gross.”

Asian actors have been discriminated against by directors and casting agencies since they tried to enter the industry, resulting in the numerous cases of whitewashing, where white actors play characters of diff erent races. Even when it is originally an Asian movie, American producers chose white characters; a noticeable example is the widely controversial white cast for the 2010 movie adaption of the Asian based cartoon “Avatar: the Last Airbender.”

However, in the midst of America’s modern racial identity crisis, Asians are breaking through barriers never thought possible even by these actors themselves.

Th e major movement for Asians in Hollywood all started with the production of “Joy Luck Club,” the fi rst movie starring an all Asian cast, released 25 years ago. While this spurred the idea for more Asian characters to be casted, the dream never became a reality. In recent memory there has not been any movies featuring mostly Asian leads since the release, until now.

Over the summer of 2018, “Crazy Rich Asians,” an Asian romcom based off of a book written by Kevin Kwan, was released, and it broke box offi ce sales records. Featuring an all Asian cast, it brings humor, emotion and authentic Asian-American culture to the big screen, fi nally showcasing a side of Asians never seen before: the truth.

No longer are Asians are just weird, weak or unattractive characters. Th ey are shown as normal human beings, and their unique culture is highlighted, not made fun of. Perhaps this fi lm is not a cinematic masterpiece, but nonetheless it is groundbreaking, with a strong female Asian lead, attractive Asian characters and a story that makes Asian culture seem more relatable rather than foreign. Perhaps this will help change the way Westerners think of the Asians they so oft en mock.

Th is fi lm is already changing the course of the future. Before hitting the box offi ce, the producers had turned down a huge deal with Netfl ix just to make sure that appeared on the big screen to a wider audience. In addition, more fi lms and television shows are in the works starring Asian actors.

Th ere is another side to this story that should entice Hollywood to include more Asian actors, besides being culturally appropriate. Usually, Asians account for 6 percent of box offi ce sales, but according to Market Watch, for “Crazy Rich Asians,” 38 percent of moviegoers in the US were Asian. An astronomical increase like this demonstrates the support Asian actors have, and how successful they may in the future.

Of course, this extends beyond Asian representation as well, and the same USC study mentioned earlier reveals discouraging numbers for actors of color. Th ey found that only 17 out of the 700 fi lms they looked at had a non-white lead character, which is less than 3 percent.

Hopefully with the debut of racially diverse fi lms like “Crazy Rich Asians,” producers will realize the importance of casting a variety of characters, not just to appease audiences but also because of the genuine value and authenticity they add to fi lms. 2018 is on the cusp of a new cinematic era, and the signifi cance of race in fi lm is still yet to be untapped.

Asians,” producers will realize the importance of casting a variety of characters, not just to appease audiences but also because of the genuine value and authenticity they add to fi lms. 2018 is on the cusp of a new cinematic era, and the signifi cance of race in fi lm is still yet to be untapped.

Beat Saber slices through the leaderboards

Christina Borisoff Staff Writer

Marli Davis/Prowler

Hyperbolic Magnetism’s, a game studio, highly anticipated game Beat Saber sold fi ft y thousand copies within its fi rst week of release. Now, it is currently on the top selling virtual reality games on Steam and has an overwhelmingly positive rating on virtual reality platforms, and it is easy to see why.

Beat Saber’s concept is simple; as the player, you are given two diff erent light sabers. During the game, a sequence of color-coded boxes are fl ying at you with a song (generally electro) playing in the background. Th e objective of the game is to hit the colored boxes with the corresponding saber. Its simplicity is what makes the game so popular among gamers, but its ultimate strength is its “game feel,” or in other words, how the game feels to play. Slicing through the boxes triggers a sound eff ect as well as haptic feedback through the controllers, which makes the player feel like he is orchestrating the soundtrack. In addition, the lack of resistance players get from cutting the boxes in half gives the illusion of power and makes the player feel unstoppable. Th e light trail left behind when players move a saber adds to the “powerhouse feeling” that is a byproduct of playing the game. Th is gives Beat Saber that Star Wars vibe that players oft en praise it for. Players are given the option of playing three diff erent modes: Standard, No Arrows and One Saber. Out of all the modes, One Saber is by far the most physically challenging because unlike the other modes, where your swings have time in between them and give you momentum for the next swing. One Saber gives you neither of those luxuries, meaning the main obstacle for One Saber mode is speed. Because of how strenuous some modes and diffi culties can be, people oft en view Beat Saber as an exercise game, even though that’s not how it’s marketed. Some fi tness channels have even experimented with supplementing it for elements of their normal exercise routines. Some mods, or modifi cations, players add to the game actually allow them to see the average heart rate and calories that they can burn from a song.

Mods in Beat Saber can add custom colors, custom sabers, custom avatars and multiplayer to the gameplay. But by far the most popular mod is the custom songs. As the name suggests, this mod allows you to add virtually any song to your Beat Saber playlist. Th ese songs are made by the beat saber community and are also choreographed to match the music. Want to play “Take on Me” by A-ha? You can do that, and in fact, it’s the most played custom song on Beat Saber. Do you want to play the entire audio of the Shrek movie? Probably not, but you can also do that if you’re feeling determined. Overall, Beat Saber is one of those games that would make you go out and buy a headset for. And if not play, then binge watch streamers play. A 10/10 game.

PTV revamps broadcast program

Aditya Vunnum Sports Editor

Newbury Park’s very own Panther Television (PTV) that students have come to know and love is expanding this year. Alongside the normal program, the PTV staff is implementing a sports show.

PTV is dedicating an entirely diff erent staff to focus solely on PTV sports, which will air once a week separate from normal PTV. Th e new sports segment has opened up new possibilities to several students who can now join the program.

One of the three anchors of PTV Sports, Catie Parker, senior, has been interested in broadcast since freshman year, but was not eligible to join the PTV staff because the class was only available aft er school. However, this year the sports segment of the show has its own class as a rotating fourth period.

“Th ey have wanted to do PTV Sports for three years now. Th is year they made it work as there are enough students to support the program,” Parker said. “On top of that, everyone is much more involved this year. Until now people were assigned a job the whole year but this year they will be rotating into diff erent roles. Mr. Grimes played a big part in that.”

Derek Grimes, Advanced Digital Production teacher, has been the PTV advisor since the beginning of the program fi ve years ago.

“Mr. Grimes is the best and has helped us at every step. He is responsible for teaching us how to use the camera, how to talk, how to look into camera and teaching us a lot,” Parker said.

Grimes has been involved in revamping the PTV studio along with teaching his students about the general guidelines of broadcast.

“We are in the process of getting wiring grid installed so that we got room to move cameras on the fl oor. So mainly less equipment and more sets, lights and a much more professional environment... Eventually we would like to have live guests, live concerts… Really utilize the space and do what we have been wanting to do. A place for students to showcase their talents,” Grimes said.

PTV hopes to take on new heights this year with a more fl exible staff and a larger studio under Jaycen Sussman, senior, who has been a driving force in the startup of PTV sports.

“It(PTV sports) actually started with an idea a couple of years ago when a sports person came about 3 years ago. Slowly the idea kept building up and Jason came aboard and really established himself as sports guy in Sussman Sports. Th ere was enough interest, there was enough popularity and it really took its shape,” Grimes said.

Th e sports staff , most of whom are new, felt the same way about Sussman’s role in its development: “I am new to the world of PTV. Jaycen has been on the staff for the last few years and has been very helpful in bring us together. He made sure we

Emily Augustine/Prowler

understood everything and really brought us together,” Parker said.

Tyler Zielinski, senior, is an anchor on PTV and a reporter on PTV Sports. Th e fi rst year member has also been helped through the process by Sussman.

“Jaycen has been amazing all around. He tries super hard to make it good to improve the quality of productions and still fi nds time to help all of us as well. He is like the leader and keeps us on track,” Zielinski said.

Although the program is made up of primarily new members, Zielinski feels that he is in a closely-knit environment.

“Th e majority of the staff are seniors, so we are all excited because this is our last year and want to leave a good note, so it’s always really uplift ing. It is actually very comfortable to go there and to know people are not just hanging in there, but want to get some work done,”

Zielinski said. “I’m really excited to see where this year takes PTV.”

AMERICA Who Is puts a new spin on political satire

Daria Azizad Entertainment Editor

Nidhi Satyagal Opinion Editor

Have you recently been approached by AntiTerror Expert Erran Morad? Or perhaps former convict Rick Sherman? What about any other suspicious people that seemed too outrageous to be real? No? Th en you are probably in the clear from Sacha Baron Cohen’s slew of pranks on his hit TV show “Who is America?”

Cohen’s show, which aired July 15, 2018,

Marli Davis/Prowler

on Showtime, takes aim at various aspects of the social and political makeup of modern-day America. When you really look at it, Cohen’s comedy is not that comedic at all-- it is scary. His interviews with politicians like Roy Moore, Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin and Bernie Sanders, and other controversial Americans like OJ Simpson and reality star Corinne Olympios, unveil some truth about prominent Americans.

Political comedy takes on many forms from “Saturday Night Live” to other programs, like Stephen Colbert’s “Th e Late Show” and Trevor Noah’s “Th e Daily Show” to something more revelatory like “Who is America?” Th ese other shows oft en use comedy to lighten the political situation, but Sacha Baron Cohen’s goal is diff erent. His brand of comedy uses shock value to cause discomfort and humiliate his guests. Cohen is clear with his intention: he wants viewers to know that these people are America because we give them a platform, whether it is through representing their constituents or entertaining the masses through “Th e Bachelor.” However comedic the results may be, the show has had very real consequences.

Georgia state representative Jason Spencer was resigned in shame aft er using racial slurs in a mock terrorist protection video. Former Alabama senate candidate Roy Moore was tested for pedophilia using what Cohen’s character, Morad, presented as a new piece of “Israeli technology.” When the detector repeatedly went off when waved near Moore, Morad off ered that it may be a malfunction. Moore is now suing Cohen and the show for $95 million for allegations of intentional infl iction of emotional distress and fraud.

Conservative commentator Joe Walsh, former senate majority leader Trent Lott and California congressman Dana Rohrabacher all voiced their support for arming kindergarteners, in a segment called “Kinderguardians.” Former vice president Dick Cheney signed a waterboard kit. Cohen disguised as an Italian photographer attempted to get OJ Simpson to admit to murder.

Th e comedy juxtaposed with the outrageous reality reveal just how twisted our country’s social and political landscape really is. And whether you like the answer or not, it forces us to ask the question: “Who is America?”

Boys’ Cross Country looks to improve

Brian Fang Staff Writer

Two years in the making, the Panthers have fi nally emerged from the shrouds, ready to take on the upcoming Boys Cross Country season with a new vigor and high prospects.

Th e Panthers, now seeded fi ft h in the state and twentieth in the nation, have put a lot of focus into their preparations for this season. Sean Brosnan, head coach of the Cross Country team, attributes their new found success to both growth and hardwork.

“Two of our top three are only juniors, so I just think that sophomore year to junior year makes a big diff erence on maturity,” Brosnan said, “our guys are probably running close to low 60 miles a week… they aren’t just dragging their feet everyday, they are out there owning their miles and I just think that it is an increase in miles and intensity.”

Ethan Ronk, senior and team captain, commented on the potential the team has for this season. “Our top three are really, really solid this year, and that includes juniors Jace Aschbrenner and Nico Young, who are both incredible runners,” Ronk said.

Incredible is just one way of putting it. According to Brosnan, “Th ose guys, on a fast three mile course can run a low 14 minutes which not many teams in the country can do.”

Since taking on the role of team captain, Ronk has contributed to these improvements by maintaining a solid work ethic and keeping spirits high. “My biggest role for this year is to make sure that I’m pushing everyone to be the best that they can be and that I make this year something that the team can truly remember,” Ronk said.

Collectively, the team has been focused on the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic, the largest high school cross country meet in the nation. Jace Aschbrenner, junior and fastest three-miler in school history, hopes that this race will open opportunities for the national competition. “Th ere are three races this season that can help us get to the Nike Cross Nationals. It’s Woodbridge, the Clovis Invitational, and the (California) State meet. Woodbridge is a huge fi rst impression meet,” Aschbrenner said.

Th e Panthers will be tested in their fi rst major meet on Sept. 15 at the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic in Norco. Aschbrenner is hopeful that the team will perform well. “Th is could probably be the best year for cross country in school history.”

1 st, 2nd, 3rdst, 2nd, 3rd- Leading the pack, Nico Young junior, Ethan Ronk senior and Jace Aschbrenner junior run at the annual Peppertree meet. The Boys’ varsity team dominated the meet taking fi rst, second and third place. “This could probably be the best year for cross country in school history,” Aschbrenner said. Young ran a course record 14:44 at the meet. Aditya Vunnum/Prowler

Bodybuilding proves beneficial for students

Manas Khatore Staff Writer

Th e word “bodybuilder” oft en brings up images of athletes with gigantic muscles, spending every living minute at the gym. However, unknown to many, there are students at NPHS who, in their free time, do the same.

Kian Alamir, junior, sought out weightlift ing in order to improve himself as an athlete. “I started weightlift ing the summer aft er eighth grade to get better at water polo,” Alamir said.

Two years later, Alamir continues to weight lift and has developed a strong routine, devoting his 45 minute sessions to individual muscles during the off -season and to his full body when playing water polo.

Not all students tackle bodybuilding in the same fashion as Alamir. Adam Kamal, sophomore, is not involved in sports, but he decided to pick up weight lift ing purely for selfmotivation and confi dence.

Although he does not have to worry about athletic performance, Kamal remains dedicated to his regimen. “I workout everyday except Sundays,” Kamal said. “I usually just go aft er school and I stay there for two hours.” He spends every day training a diff erent muscle group, whether it be arm, core or leg muscles.

Despite their diff erent approaches to the activity, student bodybuilders attribute weight lift ing and consistent exercise to numerous benefi ts in their lives. Danisse Meritoni Gallinero, senior, started weight lift ing four years ago a n d believes t h a t she has

become m u c h more optimistic as a result. “(Bodybuilding) just makes me a positive person, and that’s just what I do everyday,” Gallinero said.

Like Kamal, Gallinero does not play any sports and started bodybuilding purely for selfmotivation and confi dence. Gallinero makes sure to reserve three to fi ve hours out of each day for bodybuilding. Along with this, Gallinero juggles school work and a job, fi nding a balance between all three. “I always make time for (bodybuilding). I go to school in the morning... and I go to work for 5 hours...and then aft er that I still have to go to the gym,” Gallinero said.

For athletics, Alamir attributes an increased performance in water polo to bodybuilding.

“(Bodybuilding ) has made me a lot better at defence specifi cally and making sure that I can just keep people away from the goal,” Alamir said.

As with any physical activity, bodybuilding exists not without its fair share of obstacles. “Some obstacles I have faced throughout the years include muscle imbalances and dieting,” Kamal said.

Nevertheless, the results that come with continued weightlift ing give motivation to continue. “It’s defi nitely made me more confi dent, and it’s also just made me more encouraged to better myself in every way,” Alamir said.

Bodybuilding is an activity that, while seemingly daunting, can be easily integrated into one’s daily routine. But lift ing weights is not the only way to live an active lifestyle. Since becoming active, Alamir, Kamal and Gallinero believe that as a society, people need to be more physically fi t. “I don’t think we necessarily need to be ‘buff er’, but I think we do need to be more active, in whatever way that people choose to do it,” Alamir said.

New leadership fuels Panther Pit

Jaycen Sussman Sports Editor

Th ere are two rules when walking into the sea of spirit at NPHS: stand and be loud. Th e student section of sporting events, the Panther Pit, unites the most spirited students for an atmosphere unlike any other. In order to coordinate all that occurs with the Pit, two students are selected each year to head the masses of students.

Th is year, the torch was passed to seniors Randy Wright and Sam Herbert. Both Wright and Herbert have been involved with the Pit since freshman year, attending as many sporting events as possible.

“When I found out what the Pit was my freshman year, I just fell in love with it and there hasn’t been a game where I haven’t had one of the most fun Fridays ever.” Wright said, “I’ve never had a bad experience in the Pit and I told myself as a freshman I want to lead this thing one day and get it as big as I can. It is even better that I have one of my best friends doing it with me.”

At the beginning of each week, Wright and Herbert fi rst look to see whether games are home or away. When the football team plays locally, the fi rst thing on their minds is to make the upcoming Friday as fun as the last. Th us the two minds collaborate on a theme for that week; themes can range from white-out, wearing all white, to beach wear. Once the designated theme is decided, Wright and Herbert storm to social media to inform those who wish to join the Pit for the given game. Get Pittedet Pitted- - NPHS students in the Panther Pit pose for a picture at the start of the game. This year, the new Pit leaders are revamping the Panther Pit. “If I had one legacy, or something to be remembered by, I would like to be remembered by getting the biggest panther pit ever in school history to one football game,” said Randy Wright. The Pit had a huge turnout at the fi rst home football game. Rahul D’Souza/Prowler

While Wright and Herbert were named the designated leaders of the Pit, that has not stopped other students from helping lead the masses. Amy Petersen, senior, has also been involved with the Pit since her freshman year, making sure to go ‘all-out’ every game she attends.

“Th ere is something about just screaming your butt off and releasing everything and just that community sense really brings everyone together and I think that is really cool,” Petersen said.

Th e Pit, an independent organization on campus, works each week with ASG and the school administration. Prior to each home event, with help from ASG, a tailgate is held in front of the Performing Arts Center to get the student body ready to cheer for their team. Wright and Herbert lead the cheers and all that happens in the student section, but in order to provide a fun and safe time, they make sure to inform Carly Adams, Assistant Principal of Activities, each week to keep her informed of all future expectations.

“So they function on their own with assistance from ASG, so I’m just helping oversee it. (Wright and Herbert) come to check in with me making sure their plan is ok, I just remind them of all the rules there are,” Adams said.

Each week, Herbert and Wright are attempting to provide their fellow students a fun and memorable night cheering for their team, allowing any student the chance to do so if they wish to participate.

“We are really open to anyone being involved and if you have a lot of spirit then we aren’t going to be like ‘oh we are the leaders back down.’ We want everyone to be involved because that is what really makes the pit lit,” Herbert said.

Students embrace Californian surf culture

Brian Fang Staff Writer

Seeking refuge from their heavy academic workloads, several Panthers look to California’s offi cial state sport: surfi ng. Th e sport has helped these students both express themselves and relieve their stress.

Katie Rose, senior, started surfi ng when she was 7 years old, when her father began teaching her; however, she delved into the sport at the age of 13. As a teenager, the sport grew to have a place in her heart. “When surfi ng, I feel euphoric,” Rose said. “You feel like you have escaped from the outside world and there is nothing but you and the ocean and it is a really great connection with nature.”

Daniel Fisher, senior, has found a similar outlet in the sport. An avid surfer since the age of 13, Fisher fi nds that when “you are there in the water, life is just so much more simple. (You are) able to process and think straight. Surfi ng and actually riding the wave is such a rush and so much fun.”

Not only that, Fisher describes the sport as a way of selfexpression. Incorporating photography and fi lm, surfi ng is more than just a sport to him. “Th ere is an artistic side to (surfi ng). You can make a video or edit and put music to it. It is really cool to express your surfi ng that way,” Fisher said.

Raagy Sompura, junior, has a passion for surfi ng himself and hopes that more students will get involved with the sport. “(Surfi ng) is something that everyone should be able to experience,” Sompura said. “Find a friend that knows how to surf and has multiple boards and ask them to take you out.”

Additionally, with high school prone to raising student stress levels, these students believe that surfi ng is a great way to tackle this problem. According to Rose, the sport is a great release valve. “Whenever I’m stressed out about something I can always go out to this other world where everything makes sense in a way.”

Sompura feels that surfi ng is a great way to release stress and tension as well. “When I’m fl ustered that’s when I want to go most,” said Sompura. “I surf for fun because it is a way of freeing my mind.”

Overall, these students have embraced the surf culture and have found comfort in the waves. “Whenever I’m stressed out about something I can always go out to this other world where everything makes sense,” Fisher said.

Surfs Upurfs Up- Daniel Fisher, senior, makes a swift left turn to follow the crashing blue water wave into the shore. Fisher fi nds comfort from academic endeavors when surfi ng. “If I don’t surf in a week, I feel off. It is such a release of my stress,” Fisher said. Following a rigorous IB course load, Fisher enjoys spending his free time actively. Daniel Fisher/ With Permission

Ready to pounce-eady to pounce- Before the referee blows the whistle, the Panther offense prepares to hike the ball, with Ventura High School staring them down. The next point, the Panthers scored a touchdown, which finalized their 17-7 win last Friday, something that Soren Brown, junior and cornerback, was happy about. “We're happy that we came home with the win, which is always good. A lot of players stepped up into roles with injuries... and a lot of young guys got to show what they can do,” Brown said. Brown says that the team this year features “young talent… so it’s an exciting season to watch.”

Emily Nagamoto Chief Photographer

Football kicks off their season with two wins in their first non-conference games since the start

of school. On Friday, Aug. 24, the Panthers faced Thousand Oaks High School, winning 37-0.

After scoring 20 points, they lost to Pacifica High School on Aug. 31, but last week, the “Black

Cat Attack,” as they are sometimes called, came back with a victory over Ventura, 17-7. Fourth place in the Marmonte League, Panther Football will play two more non-conference matches, including the game tonight against Venice, before starting their league games on Sept. 28. For the game schedule, visit the NPHS Athletics website.

Perfect Spiral-erfect Spiral- Winding back his arm, Ben Gulbranson, junior and quarterback, throws the football to a teammate. While the Panthers won their first game of the school year 37-0 on Aug. 24 against Thousand Oaks High School, the next week at Pacifica High School, Gulbranson and several others were injured, making safety a priority for head Coach Jason Klein. “We just got to get healthy. We got a lot of guys banged up taking them out of play,” Klein said. Around six players are out of play with injuries.

Stare Down-tare Down- Before the referee blows the whistle, the Panther offense prepares to hike the ball, with Ventura High School opposite of them. The next point, the Panthers scored a touchdown, which finalized their 17-7 win last Friday, something that Soren Brown, junior and cornerback, was happy about. “We're happy that we came home with the win, which is always good. A lot of players stepped up into roles with injuries... and a lot of young guys got to show what they can do,” Brown said. Brown says that the team this year features “young talent… so it’s an exciting season to watch.”

Touchdownouchdown- Dodging the opposition, Jacob Ziegler, senior, runs into the end zone to score a touchdown for the Panthers. This match against Thousand Oaks on Aug. 24 was the first non-conference game for Newbury Park, and Karim Jamaleddine, junior and lineman, expressed his excitement for the coming season. “I'm looking forward to playing our rivals because… (they) are really strong… talented teams. We want to be able to show ourselves and prove ourselves to everybody in the area,” Jamaleddine said. The home game tonight is against Venice, and Jamaleddine says he wants every to come watch and support.