On this episode of The Edit, we spoke with Pacific Standard contributing editor Peter C. Baker and documentary filmmaker Yu Gu. Gu and Baker both worked on projects about former Jeopardy! contestant and influential blogger Arthur Chu. Baker attended college with Chu, and in 2015 wrote a profile of Chu that covered his controversial run on the game show, and how his writing on the misogynistic elements of nerd culture came at a crucial time for the country, especially in the wake of the tragic Isla Vista killings carried out by a young man named Elliot Rodger.

While Baker was trailing Chu for his profile, Gu and her creative partner Scott Drucker were in the process of filming a documentary of Chu's life called Who Is Arthur Chu?, which investigates Chu's family life and struggles with Internet trolls that were a result of his public writing about Gamergate. In this episode, we talk to Baker about his profile, his relationship with Chu, and the fallout from the Isla Vista tragedy. We then speak with Gu about the process behind filming a documentary, Chu's family life, and smashing the model minority myth.

You can read Baker's profile of Chu here and you can find Gu and Drucker's documentary available on digital release here.

A Conversation About Addressing Misogyny in Nerd Culture

On this episode of 'The Edit' host Ben Rowen speaks with Pacific Standard Editorial Fellow Jack Herrera about California State Senator Kevin De León who's taking on long-time incumbent Dianne Feinstein in California's mid-term election race for U.S. Senator. Herrera spent weeks speaking with De León and traveling to his campaign stops to get a sense of his prospective agenda, ambitions as a political figure, and what drove him to run for office.

Jack Herrera on U.S. Senatorial Candidate Kevin De León

On this episode of The Edit, Pacific Standard assistant editor Rebecca Worby talks with Jimmy Tobias about a recent investigation he conducted into the Ryan Zinke-led Department of the Interior. Tobias used a number Freedom of Information Act requests to uncover a trove of private calendars from top DOI officials. The documents revealed a pattern of corruption within the department that puts industry interests ahead of protecting the interests of the public.

Jimmy Tobias on Ryan Zinke's Department of the Interior

On this episode of The Edit, Pacific Standard Engagement Fellow Alexa Lee speaks with staff writer Kate Wheeling about the United Nations' upcoming climate conference in Katowice, Poland. During the conversation Wheeling outlines the history of the climate conference, the future of the Paris Agreement, and the pitfalls of negotiating an international climate agreement. Wheeling be attending the conference in Poland and covering the events that take place before, during, and after the gathering.

Kate Wheeling on Climate Change and COP24

On this episode of The Edit, Pacific Standard National Editor Max Ufberg speaks with contributor Massoud Hayoun about Vilma Carrillo, a migrant from Guatemala seeking asylum in the United States. Carrillo's daughter was born in the U.S. and is an American citizen, this fact resulted in her being taken from her mother, as immigration officials refused to detain them together. Hayoun discusses this unique situation, the country's immense immigration backlog, and how the Trump administration has attempted to address this ongoing crisis.

Massoud Hayoun on Family Separations

Pacific Standard associate editor Ben Rowen narrates Benjamin Rachlin's feature "Sailing Blind," a story about visually impaired sailors who find adventure and competition out on the water.

Sailing Blind (Audio Narration)

On this special episode of The Edit, Pacific Standard associate editor Ben Rowen narrates Benjamin Rachlin's feature "Sailing Blind," a story about visually impaired sailors who find adventure and competition out on the water.

Pacific Standard Magazine

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