Junichi P. Semitsu
Encyclopedia
Junichi P. Semitsu is a professor of law at the University of San Diego
and the exclusive blogger for the Dixie Chicks
. He co-created the pop culture and politics blog, Poplicks.com http://Poplicks.com, with Oliver Wang. He also previously served as the Director of June Jordan
's Poetry for the People at U.C. Berkeley. He also appeared as a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on January 11 and 14, 2008.
, California
. He grew up in Hanford, California
and attended Hanford High School. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D. from Stanford Law School
.
Semitsu studied creative writing under Professor June Jordan
while a student at the University of California at Berkeley. In 2001, when Professor Jordan went on leave, she nominated Semitsu to direct the Poetry for the People program that she created and to serve as her successor. Semitsu directed the program from 2002 to 2005.
In March 2006, he married poet Dima Hilal in Laguna Beach, California
.
and the Dixie Chicks
in 2006 to join them on their Accidents & Accusations Tour
, their promotional activities for Taking The Long Way
, awards show appearances, and for other appearances to write about the experience.http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060709/news_lz1c09dixie.html Semitsu is effectively the first embedded blogger to follow a band for an extended period of time.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800986.html
One of Semitsu's more notable entries include how he helped Emily Robison write an apology to Barbara Walters
, which was subsequently read on The View. Of the experience, he wrote, "I am supposed to help world-famous rock star Emily Robison write a letter to world-famous television personality Barbara Walters. Suddenly, I have become the ghostwriting mustard softening the beef in between a superstar white bread sandwich. This previous sentence is proof that I should not use any metaphors in the letter.""http://www.sandiego.edu/publications/usdmagazine/fall2006/park2.php
While teaching in the African American Studies Department at U.C. Berkeley, he was selected as one of the Heroes among the U.C. Berkeley faculty.
Semitsu was crowned the "Funniest Lawyer in San Diego" in March 2008 when he took first prize in the LAF-OFF (Lawyers Are Funny) stand-up comedy competition at the House of Blues in San Diego, California.
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
and the exclusive blogger for the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
. He co-created the pop culture and politics blog, Poplicks.com http://Poplicks.com, with Oliver Wang. He also previously served as the Director of June Jordan
June Jordan
June Millicent Jordan was a Caribbean American poet, novelist, journalist, biographer, dramatist, teacher and committed activist...
's Poetry for the People at U.C. Berkeley. He also appeared as a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire on January 11 and 14, 2008.
Biography
Junichi P. Semitsu was born in FresnoFresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He grew up in Hanford, California
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
and attended Hanford High School. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and a J.D. from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
.
Semitsu studied creative writing under Professor June Jordan
June Jordan
June Millicent Jordan was a Caribbean American poet, novelist, journalist, biographer, dramatist, teacher and committed activist...
while a student at the University of California at Berkeley. In 2001, when Professor Jordan went on leave, she nominated Semitsu to direct the Poetry for the People program that she created and to serve as her successor. Semitsu directed the program from 2002 to 2005.
In March 2006, he married poet Dima Hilal in Laguna Beach, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Blogger for the Dixie Chicks
Semitsu was hired by MSNMSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
and the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
in 2006 to join them on their Accidents & Accusations Tour
Accidents & Accusations Tour
The Accidents & Accusations Tour was a 2006 concert tour by the Dixie Chicks. It was their first tour where tickets were sold after the scandal which ensued in 2003 when lead singer Natalie Maines publicly criticized President George W. Bush at Shepherds Bush Empire in London during the Top of the...
, their promotional activities for Taking The Long Way
Taking the Long Way
-Public reception:On May 31, 2006, the album took three number one spots on the charts of Billboard magazine. It was number one on the Hot Country Albums, Top Digital Albums, and on the Billboard 200 chart, going Gold in its first week with 526,000 units sold....
, awards show appearances, and for other appearances to write about the experience.http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060709/news_lz1c09dixie.html Semitsu is effectively the first embedded blogger to follow a band for an extended period of time.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800986.html
One of Semitsu's more notable entries include how he helped Emily Robison write an apology to Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
, which was subsequently read on The View. Of the experience, he wrote, "I am supposed to help world-famous rock star Emily Robison write a letter to world-famous television personality Barbara Walters. Suddenly, I have become the ghostwriting mustard softening the beef in between a superstar white bread sandwich. This previous sentence is proof that I should not use any metaphors in the letter.""http://www.sandiego.edu/publications/usdmagazine/fall2006/park2.php
Honors
Semitsu received the Stanford Law School Marion Rice Kirkwood Moot Court Prize for best brief and best individual oral argument.While teaching in the African American Studies Department at U.C. Berkeley, he was selected as one of the Heroes among the U.C. Berkeley faculty.
Semitsu was crowned the "Funniest Lawyer in San Diego" in March 2008 when he took first prize in the LAF-OFF (Lawyers Are Funny) stand-up comedy competition at the House of Blues in San Diego, California.