All-Female California Rock Band Celebrated in 'FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK' Highlighted in AAPI Heritage Month Programming in May on PBS SoCal and KCET
26 Programs Throughout May Highlight Influential Asian Stories; Plus, Regional Community Engagement Opportunities Available Through Local Events at Grammy Museum and Natural History Museum
LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern California's flagship PBS stations, announced today specially curated programs to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. PBS SoCal and KCET continue its commitment to telling diverse stories with a robust lineup of 26 enlightening programs, documentaries and specials dedicated to amplifying Asian voices. Several all-new Asian American Pacific Islander Month documentaries will debut throughout the month of May including the world broadcast premiere of the award-winning documentary FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK. The program tells the story of two Filipina American sisters in the 1970s who challenged early barriers of race, gender and sexuality with their all-female, all-female rock band "Fanny," revealing the empowering story of the women who set the stage for equality in the music industry today. Rare archival footage and interviews are featured with music icons Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, Bonnie Raitt, The Go-Go's Kathy Valentine, The Runaways' Cherie Currie, Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian, The B-52s' Kate Pierson and more. The world broadcast premiere of FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK premieres on Mon., May 22 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal and Wed., May 24 at 10 p.m. on KCET.
Ahead of the broadcast premiere on PBS SoCal, an exclusive screening of FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK will be held on May 16 at downtown LA's Grammy Museum with a Q&A discussion with award-winning filmmaker Bobbi Jo Hart and Fanny bandmates. And almost 50 years later, the group will reunite for an anniversary performance at the famed Whisky A-Go-Go nightclub on Sunset Strip on May 17 featuring special guests.
Another upcoming event on Fri., May 5 from 6:30 p.m. ? 8:50 p.m. hosted by Natural History Museum (900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007) as part of the 2023 First Friday Season: Fandoms & Fantasy screening series will showcase an episode from KCET's Original Emmy®-winning series Artbound: "Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond." The screening and panel event is an intersectional celebration of prominent Southern California Asian American artists and creators of Giant Robot Magazine and will feature a discussion of pop-culture fandom and collections at the Museum. Moderated by filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña a discussion panel will feature founders of Giant Robot Magazine Eric Nakamura and Martin Wong, artist James Jean and director Dylan Robertson. To learn more information about attending the event, please go to https://nhm.org/calendar/event-first-fridays-2023-may.
Throughout May, Southern California's flagship PBS stations, PBS SoCal and KCET, will also feature other notable films that shine a light on AAPI experiences and filmmakers including the new AMERICAN MASTERS special "Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV" which highlights Korean artist "Nam June Paik" who went on to become a pillar of the American avant-garde in the New York art scene. Academy Award® nominee Steven Yeun reads from Paik's writings describing his creative evolution and what led him to now be considered the "father of video art." AMERICAN MASTERS: "Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV" premieres on Tues., May 16 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal.
PBS encore presentations highlights include "Waterman Duke: Ambassador of Aloha" which tells the story of five-time Olympic medalist and Hawaiian surfing icon Duke Kahanamoku, RISING AGAINST ASIAN HATE: ONE DAY IN MARCH which follows a community that came together following a critical moment of racial reckoning in 2021 and the INDEPENDENT LENS documentary "The Donut King" about the man who built a multi-million-dollar donut empire up and down the West Coast.
KCET and PBS SoCal also create a variety of locally-produced programs dedicated to a richer and more inclusive Southern California experience, helping residents understand and connect with diverse communities in documentary series that include ARTBOUND, BROKEN BREAD, THE MIGRANT KITCHEN and LOST LA.
All KCET original programs can be found on the free PBS Video App and are available to stream on the KCET and PBS SoCal websites where digital resources dedicated to informing and educating the community on topics of equity and anti-racist education can also be found.
Select content slated to air on PBS SoCal and KCET during the next month is listed as follows (*schedule subject to change):
THE REGISTRY ? Tues., May 2 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal
This film breaks open the hidden history of the US Army's Military Intelligence Service (MIS) during World War II -- a story made possible because of a few aging Japanese American veterans with a little Internet savvy and a lot of determination.
REEL SOUTH: "South By South Korea" ? Sat., May 6 at 6 p.m. at KCET
Two films bridge the American South and the Korean Peninsula, showcasing the historical and contemporary currents connecting these regions. From stories about one restaurant's overnight fame and the perils of celebrity culture, and another chronicling the overlooked crises of motherhood and adoption, comes a clearer complexion of Korean-American life at home and abroad.
LOST LA: "From Little Tokyo to Crenshaw" ? Sat., May 6 at 9:30 p.m. on KCET
Japanese-Americans returning from World War II incarceration camps rebuilt their community in LA's Crenshaw area. In this episode, walk through Little Tokyo, explore the archives at the Japanese-American National Museum, share a meal at historic Tak's Cafe, shoot hoops at Dorsey High and consider how the neighborhood's diverse history intersects with community-building efforts today.
RISING AGAINST ASIAN HATE: ONE DAY IN MARCH ? Sat., May 6 at 10 p.m. on KCET
Explore the fight against Asian American hate following the March 2021 mass shootings at three spas in Atlanta. Examine how this critical moment of racial reckoning sheds light on the struggles, triumphs and achievements of AAPI communities.
STORY OF CHINA WITH MICHAEL WOOD: "Ancestors/Silk Roads and China Ships" ? Sun., May 7 at 4 p.m. on KCET
Explore China's early history with host Michael Wood as he joins a million people at a festival devoted to ancient gods, hear the tale of China's bloodthirsty First Emperor and travel the Silk Road to discover the brilliant Tang dynasty.
STORY OF CHINA WITH MICHAEL WOOD: "Golden Age/The Ming" ? Sun., May 14 at 4 p.m. on KCET
See the stunning achievements of two of China's most brilliant dynasties: the Song, creators of a Chinese Renaissance, and the Ming, builders of the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.
AMERICAN MASTERS: "Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV" ? Tues., May 16 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal and Wed., May 17 at 9 p.m. on KCET ? All New!
See the world through the eyes of Nam June Paik, the father of video art and coiner of the term "electronic superhighway." Experience the acclaimed artist's creative evolution, as Academy Award® nominee Steven Yeun reads from Paik's own writings about his work transforming modern image-making with his sculptures, films and performances.
INDEPENDENT LENS: "Try Harder!" ? Tues., May 16 at 11 p.m. on PBS SoCal
At Lowell High School, San Francisco's academic pressure cooker, the kids are stressed out. With a majority Asian-American student body, high-achieving seniors share their dreams and anxieties about getting into a top university.
AMERICAN MASTERS: "Waterman ? Duke: Ambassador of Aloha" ? Thurs., May 18 at 7:30 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Jason Momoa narrates the inspiring story and considerable impact of five-time Olympic medalist and surfing icon Duke Kahanamoku. He shattered swimming records and globalized surfing while overcoming racism in a lifetime of personal challenges.
STORY OF CHINA WITH MICHAEL WOOD: "The Last Empire/The Age of Revolution" ? Sun., May 21 at 4 p.m. on KCET
Journey back in time to see the splendor of the last Chinese dynasty, the Qing. Witness the fateful First Opium War, which sparked the fall of the empire, and, after the 20th-century revolutions, the birth of today's China.
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK ? Mon., May 22 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal and Wed., May 24 at 10 p.m. on KCET ? All New!
The story of a Filipina American garage band that morphed into the ferocious rock group "Fanny." Hailed as the "female Beatles," FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK tells the little-known story of the first all-female band signed to a major record label with a multi-album deal. Their five critically acclaimed albums made Fanny a groundbreaking act in spite of its little-known history in music.
ARTBOUND: "Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond" ? Wed., May 24 at 9 p.m. on KCET
Giant Robot created an appetite for Asian and Asian American pop culture, exploring Sawtelle Boulevard as a Japanese American enclave, and ultimately resulted in a lasting legacy of Asian American artists that achieved worldwide recognition. The film features interviews with Margaret Cho, Takashi Murakami and Daniel Wu among others.
POV: "Our Time Machine/Negative Space" ? Sat., May 27 at 11 p.m. on KCET
When artist Maleonn realizes that his father is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, he creates "Papa's Time Machine," a magical, autobiographical stage performance featuring life-size mechanical puppets.
INDEPENDENT LENS: "The Donut King" ? Mon., May 29 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal
The film tells the story of Ted Ngoy, who fled Cambodia for the United States and launched a multi-million-dollar, fried pastry empire.
For a full schedule of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month programming, please visit kcet.org/AAPI | pbsocal.org/AAPI.
Join the conversation on social media using #AAPI
About PBS SOCAL and KCET
PBS SoCal and KCET are both part of the donor-supported community institution, the Public Media Group of Southern California. PBS SoCal is the flagship PBS station for diverse people across California and delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and educate. PBS SoCal offers the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, and a broad library of documentary films with works from Ken Burns; as well as educational content including PBS KIDS programs like DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD and CURIOUS GEORGE. KCET showcases the best of PBS and is a leading source for arts, culture, and news in Southern California. Through innovative storytelling, KCET explores and expresses our dynamic local communities helping residents understand and connect with the region's diverse communities and ideas. For additional information about both KCET and PBS SoCal productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org and pbssocal.org KCET Originals and PBS programming are available to stream on the FREE PBS App on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO SmartCast TV. KCET is also available to watch live on YouTube TV.
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