In what may have been the hottest summer on record, Chris, Julie and I sweated it out in a hotel room, talking about brothers. Chris goes in depth into his life before and after his brother’s sudden passing, the impact of The Laundromat on his current relationships, and just how many video game he played … Continue rea... more
When you survive the worst of high school, oftentimes you gain needed allies in the fight ahead. That ally for The Bull & The Badger was none other than Danielle Colayco, and the worst of high school was apparently AP Bio. Just like in this podcast, we got through it with laughter, tears, and lots … Continue reading 40... more
The Bull & The Badger swim in the emotionally treacherous but equally exciting waters of Online Dating for a special episode recorded on the road. If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?” You are not alone. April gives insight from her own experiences while Vanessa ponders some commonplace questions that you d... more
A year ago the Badger sat down with Dom and Minh to rain down her questions–where do Asian Americans fit into the more black&white binary race discussions in America? Do labels around race and class and other categories create more harm than good? How do I support other minorities if I don’t feel like I … Continue read... more
April and John dredge up embarrassing moments in their personal histories in this exploration of vulnerability. Why is it so hard and yet so important to let ourselves be vulnerable? Grunt and squeak along with the Bull and the Butterfly! SOUND EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS John Nobori, Independent Sound Designer/Mixer/Compose... more
In a Confucian-influenced Asian Am culture, there’s not much discussion of sisters, so we asked Anna Akana to bring all the facts and all the feels. In this podcast she candidly details how her younger sister’s suicide became the before and after moment for her identity as a sister and her transition into adulthood. An... more
A new year means an all-new season of The Bull & The Badger! Now with 33.3% more host, 18% more singing, and 15% more fiber for your diet. We have so much in store for you that we’ve decided to post an intro episode to make sure you can emotionally handle all the amazing things … Continue reading 401 – Ch-ch-changes (w... more
Did someone say longanisa? You bet. Join Vanessa, April, and return guest Barrett Korerat as we bid adieu to season 3 the only way we know how: with massive amounts of food–food from our cultural heritage, that is. Please excuse our mouth sounds, burps, and slurps! We can’t help ourselves as we chow down and … Continue... more
Do you feel like you’re always running a little behind the pack? If so, fear not! Sarvi — filmmaker, baker, and mom — teaches us how to embrace the life of the late bloomer. We talk about pressure coming from the community, that time Sarvi broke her therapist, and giving ourselves time to grow up, … Continue reading 31... more
If you know who Jerell Rosales is, chances are, you’ve already fallen in love with him (who wouldn’t)? Television and film writer and director — not to mention the Bull and the Badger’s first Filipino-American guest — speaks about his youth passing as straight, his complicated views toward coming out, and his hilarious... more
Does the thought of a hefty box of vocabulary words give you the sweats? Did you figure your killer GPA would mask your total lack of people skills? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, you know all about the second life of Asian American students. Writer, comedian, and fellow soccer enthusiast, Josephin... more
When it comes to facing and overcoming our demons, we sometimes must seek guidance and support outisde our community. Paul Matsushima, a nonprofit worker and participant in the Laundromat documentary, speaks about his recovery journey and how he works to bring help to his own community. Come learn about Japanese Americ... more
“Who are you, China?” Nini Wu, Vanessa and April’s longtime friend and native daughter of Beijing, talks about China’s progress as a nation, the influx of wealthy immigrants to the U.S., and how to properly say the name of our favorite Asian Disney heroine. Tune in for podcast-breaking laughs and more. SOUND EQUIPMENT ... more
Sometimes it takes a big push to process trauma, and sometimes that big push comes from your very own Vanessa Yee. Ann Matsushima Chu, a zinester based in Portland, reflects on how participating in The Laundromat changed her life. Ann used art to express the pain of her terminated pregnancy, and her newfound voice help... more
April and Vanessa squabble over what it means to have inner strength, while special guest and film maker Judy tells us about her parents’ journey to the United States, what makes her wake up excited every day, and how she channeled her inner Veronica Mars to solve the case of the burgled apartment. SOUND EQUIPMENT … Co... more
It’s an Asian-American podcast crossover! Vanessa and April talk with Ken Fong, senior pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles, executive director of the Asian American Initiative at Fuller Theological Seminary, and host of “Asian America: The Ken Fong Podcast.” We broach the subject of dads, Ken’s dad, Ken a... more
How much is too much to spend on pho? Is Orange County really a culinary wasteland? Let’s put aside the issue of Asian-American mental health for a second and feast on foodie talk. April meets her OC culinary guru, Edwin Geoi, the OC Weekly food critic whose razor-sharp wit and versatile palate have been helping … Cont... more
Ah, college. Scenic walks to class, all-you-can-eat dining halls, and of course, soul-crushing anxiety and stress. Thankfully, there are people like Saeng Duongdara, who guide us through this huge life transition. Saeng, a college counselor talks to The Bull and the Badger about his career and how he helps others and h... more
She’s a comedian, a documentarian, a dancer, a teacher…what can’t Atsuko Okatsuka do? The answer is NOTHING. (Duh.) We talk to one of Disoriented Comedy’s founders about her mom and her mom’s mom, the two stars of her film “In Waiting” about — you guessed it — moms. SOUND EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS John Nobori, Independent ... more
Vanessa and April kick off the third season of The Bull and the Badger podcast with author Joy Huang Stoffers. Joy gives us the skinny on growing up biracial on the mean streets of suburban New Jersey and the exquisite and exquisitely painful process of writing and publishing her premiere novel, Whasian. SOUND EQUIPMEN... more
Did you miss us? We missed you! We missed each other! We missed the days of yore when California wasn’t completely melting. To whet your appetite for the new season coming in 2016, The Bull and The Badger look back on Season 2 and discuss what’s in store for your listening pleasure. Bon appétit! SOUND … Continue readin... more
In the last episode of this season, The Bull and The Badger call on Eric Huang to help lay out the rules of good Asian Am etiquette. With its complex combo of hierachical relationships and centuries-old traditions, Asian Am etiquette could easily give Emily Post a polite headache. But the questions quickly go from what... more
It ain’t easy being a woman, and it gets even more complicated when you throw Asian American standards of beauty and femininity into the mix. Thankfully, Stephanie Van walks The Bull & The Badger through her journey from Asian import car model wannabe to empowered feminist warrior. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t easy, and i... more
Vanessa issues a challenge to April and their newest old guest, John Nobori: Explain how you prevent humble-bragging and false modesty in your life. They’re cultural norms that many APIs live, and Vanessa, at least, has not figured out how to navigate them. To discuss these two sides of the same coin, The Bull and … Co... more
With great power comes great responsibility… and for most Asians, it’s easier to recognize the responsibility and forget that we have real power and influence. Jade discusses how she is using the title Attorney Esquire to create change in her community. But every hero has a backstory, so first we put her on the stand …... more