- I started to get hives like huge welts on my body
and like really itchy.
Alcohol is probably killing me.
I should probably stop drinking.
(light music)
- I'm Zoe.
- I'm Kevin.
- I'm Julie.
- [Group] And I get Asian Glow.
- Some Asian people have a hard time processing alcohol
but not all Asian people but definitely me.
^- They lack an enzyme which helps you get rid
^of the alcohol after you drink it.
- You feel hot and flushed and very uncomfortable.
- It kind of feels like these needles are prickling my skin.
- My eyes get really red.
My nose gets really stuffed up.
- Makes life horrible.
I wish I didn't have it, but that's my life.
I met this guy, and we were like hitting it off.
We decided to go to a bar.
^So two hours before the date, I took Pepcid AC,
^which is an antacid.
And it's supposed to help you get rid of Asian Glow.
It's worked in the past.
But just in case,
I knew that I should also have something else.
From like this random website, I'd ordered a special elixir
that was supposed to get rid of Asian Glow.
The nutrients were just like a bunch of random vitamins
and stuff so I figured it would work.
After the first drink, I start feeling a little weird.
So I went to the bathroom and I'm like holy (bleeps).
My skin is gonna fall off.
This guy's gonna think I'm crazy
'cause I'm scratching everywhere.
I feel kind of bad for the guy.
So I like splash water on my face and try to cool down.
As long as I stay nice and cool, I'll be all right.
I should've called it at that point,
but I was just like you know what?
I'm having fun.
I'm just gonna keep at it.
But my face is super, super red and feels like it's burning.
I see my glass of ice water in front of me,
and I'm just like oh my gosh.
That would feel so nice if I just pour it all over my head.
Before I can even stop myself,
I just like, I pour it all over my head.
And it feels so good.
All the ice is like getting down my shirt.
The redness and itchiness in my mind is going away.
My date's there just staring at me like I'm crazy.
And you're like uh, you should leave.
And so I left.
I texted the guy just to see what was up.
And he responded, and he was just
like yeah uh, had a fun time,
but I think I want to explore other options.
And that was the last I heard of him.
If you're out there, sorry.
^- So I was traveling through Birmingham, Alabama.
^And it was late at night.
^And I had gone up to this bar with my friend
'cause he wanted to hook up with some guy.
I was guided to being his wingman.
And then we're at the bar.
I've had like half a glass.
I've realized that my friend had abandoned me.
I need to get back to my hotel.
So I'm like it's fine.
I can just call a cab.
The cab never comes.
So I start walking the mile.
And I realize downtown Birmingham is not that safe.
There's all these people like coming at me,
and I'm like it's fine.
I'm a grown-up.
I can run.
So I start running.
And then all of a sudden, this guy jumps out at me.
He's like stop.
There's like three cop cars around me,
and they're all like coming out of their cars.
I'm just standing there like I don't know what I did.
I don't know what I did.
And I realized that they just saw
this random red-faced Asian guy running down the street,
and they full-on thought that I was like super high,
that I was a drug dealer.
But after I started talking 'cause I have this voice,
they were like he's just a gay Asian guy.
He's fine.
I got so mad at my friend.
Did you have a fun night?
Did you hook up?
You got laid?
'Cause I was surrounded by police.
This is the problem with having Asian Glow.
- Once I was at a bar.
I was with my other Asian friends.
We pass around a thing of Zantac.
Like okay, it's gonna be a real fun night.
And then, a bartender comes over and is like guys, uh,
I got to kick you out.
I can't have you doing Xanax in my bar.
Oh.
Oh no.
We're not taking Xanax.
It's Zantac.
No, we're just doing antacids.
And he was like antacids, okay?
Our food is fine,
but if you want to take an antacid then okay.
And then we all laughed.
All the confusion was cleared.
We ordered our drinks there.
We ended up staying.
We had a great time after all.
And Asian Glow was avoided.
- It's okay to have Asian Glow.
Like there's a lot of people that have it.
- Be proud of it.
Just be red.
Don't try to get rid of it like I did.
- Don't ask us questions.
Just buy us a beer.
- So, now I don't drink.
(light music)