Dr. Yi-Wen Huang is from Taiwan and Associate Professor of English and Linguistics at University of New Mexico-Gallup. She lived and attended universities in Long Island, NY and Pittsburgh, PA. Her research focuses on language and affect. Her hobbies include Zumba, spinning, thrift shopping, EDM, and traveling as a foodie and tea aficionado.

 

December 29, 2013 at XS

by Yi-Wen Huang

3 Asian women in black cocktail dresses take pictures of
a Caucasian man and another Asian woman in a black cocktail dress
in front of a poster which reads

XS
The Nightclub at Encore
Cedric Gervais
Hennessey

The Caucasian man reciprocates, saying, “You’re Asian. . . Make rabbit ears,” before snapping the second picture.

Hi. I’ve been looking for Cedric Gervais?
Do you know where I can find Cedric Gervais?

Samples of Lana Del Rey

I’m feeling E-lectric tonight
I’m feeling E-lectric tonight
I’m feeling E-lectric tonight
I’m feeling E-lectric tonight
I’m feeling E-lectric tonight
I’m feeling alive

10   9   8   7   6  5 4 3 2 1

Rise and drop
put your hands up
his name in lights, pink and turquoise
the Summertime Sadness sausage soiree, singing along
two skinny Asian men, tall and short, slippin’ me some skin and
going all Joy Luck Club on my ass

I’m eating
I’m sleeping
I’m raving
I’m repeating

2 drunk Middle Eastern men
hopping around arm-in-arm
demanding Tom take their picture
their big hangover moment

An Indian American man grinding against anyone’s ass
and he is behind me,
grinding

I slip away
He soon walks away
to look for another sweet face in the crowd
Y’all feel me
All ages and races,
Real sweet faces, every different nation,
Spanish, Haitian, Indian, Jamaican,
Black, White, Cuban, and Asian

all around the world
ohh this international love
I cross the globe when I’m with you, baby

Taiwan to New York to Pennsylvania to New Mexico
to LA
to Vegas

Huang’s eating
Huang’s sleeping
Huang’s raving
Huang’s repeating

Rave in December
I’m in Las Vegas, Bitch!

 

This poem is based on experiences and textual materials—i.e., photos, cellphone video–from Cedric Gervais’ December 29, 2013 set at XS in the Wynn.

Except for the last 2 stanzas, the italicized material is taken verbatim from photographs and the cellphone video of the event.

Songs featured in the poem include Please Help Me Find Molly; Summertime Sadness; Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat; Miami; and International Love.

“December 29, 2013 at XS” is in memoriam of Yi-Wen’s friend, Chris Hornak.

 

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