Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 03/11/2026
I had the pleasure of chatting with Narumi Inatsugu, a four-time Primetime Emmy-nominated producer and director. He has had an amazing career producing a variety of programming, including “American Idol,” the Image Awards, the BET Awards, and the 21st Annual Unforgettable Gala, which I attended. This event was particularly notable as it was the first televised Unforgettable Gala. Most recently, he directed the 4th Annual Critics Choice AAPI Celebration. I truly value what he is doing for the AAPI community; as a minority, I feel that representation is everything in this industry.
As the Chief Creative Officer of JoySauce, a newly launched AAPI-focused streaming platform, Inatsugu plays both an executive leadership role and an on-camera host. He created and hosts “Chopsticks & Chill,” a celebrity interview series with a sharp, comedic tone inspired by “Between Two Ferns.” The series will premiere in March, launching with a headline-making first episode featuring Andrew Yang. Additionally, Inatsugu is actively collaborating with Jodie Sweetin on upcoming projects currently in development.
During our conversation, he told me about an upcoming show that I’m super excited about called “Hoppa Hotties.” I asked him what “Hoppa” means, and he explained that it refers to the Asian equivalent of the term “mulatto,” indicating someone who is half Asian. I had never heard of this term before, but “Hoppa Hotties” is a dating show that aims to address how Asians are often misrepresented or excluded from dating shows. Personally, I would love to see an Asian version of “The Bachelor,” and I am very excited for this new show. While we have come a long way from Mickey Rooney’s portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was a terrible misrepresentation, we still have a long road ahead of us. I admire Inatsugu for helping to shape original programming at a time when cultural specificity and global scalability finally intersect.
