‘”Harold and Kumar’ is a movie that shows that Asian Americans get to be hot-messes, too,” one sociology professor said.
April 20, 2024, 8:45 AM EDT
By Kimmy Yam
This year marks the 20th anniversary of stoner comedy “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” lighting up theaters across the country, but with two Asian Americans at the center of the munchie-fueled adventure, its impression on many people of Asian descent never faded.
The blockbuster hit, released in July 2004, is one of the only mainstream movies of its decade to star two Asian American leads, John Cho and Kal Penn. For some, the movie validated the experiences of stoners, outcasts, and anyone who didn’t fit the narrow, nerdy trope that dominated perceptions of Asian Americans at the time. Others say the comedy widened ideas of what Asian Americans could be.