Culturally Relevant with David Chen - podcast cover

Culturally Relevant with David Chen

A culture podcast featuring TV/film reviews and in-depth conversations with writers, artists, and filmmakers.
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Episodes

The State of the Podcast Industry (with Nicholas Quah)

David chats with Nicholas Quah about the state of podcasting in 2020. Links: Read Nicholas's end-of-year wrap-up Subscribe to Hot Pod Follow Nicholas on Twitter Weekly Recommendation: Richard's Famous Food Podcast Episode photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen and ...

Jan 16, 20201 hr 6 minSeason 1Ep. 23

The Top 10 TV Episodes of the Decade (with Tara Ariano)

David counts down the top 10 TV episodes of the decade with Tara Ariano from Extra Hot Great and Again With This. Links: Follow Tara on Twitter Listen to Tara's other podcasts: Extra Hot Great Again With This The Sweet Smell of Succession Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen and powered by Simplecas...

Dec 30, 20191 hr 34 minSeason 1Ep. 22

The Top 10 Films of the Decade (with Tasha Robinson)

David counts down the top 10 films of the decade with Tasha Robinson from Polygon. Links: Read more of Tasha's work at Polygon Listen to Tasha's podcast, The Next Picture Show Follow Tasha on Twitter Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen and powered by Simplecast. Special thanks to Patrick and Patryk...

Dec 23, 20191 hr 48 minSeason 1Ep. 21

When Your Grandmother Gets Scammed (with Frankie Huang)

David chats with Frankie Huang about her new piece in The New York Times about how her grandmother found herself entangled in a sophisticated scam. Links: Read Frankie's article, My Grandmother's Favorite Scammer Follow Frankie on Twitter Weekly Recommendations: The 100 Memes that defined a decade Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode wa...

Dec 19, 201930 minSeason 1Ep. 20

Inside the Life of the "Peloton Husband" (with Sean Hunter)

Last week, actor Sean Hunter was catapulted into the international spotlight when he appeared in an ad for the Peloton exercise bike. In this episode, David talks with Sean about how he came to appear in this ad, and what his reaction has been to the ad's backlash online. Links: Follow Sean on Instagram Watch the original Peloton ad Watch the Aviation Gin commercial Read Sean's response in Psychology Today Read the backlash to Sean's response in The Guardian and Slate Weekly Recommendations: My ...

Dec 10, 201936 minSeason 1Ep. 19

Creating the Music of 'Knives Out' (with Nathan Johnson)

David chats with Nathan Johnson about the score for Rian Johnson's newest film, Knives Out . I had so much fun chatting with Nathan about his inspirations for this score and how his approach to his work has changed over time. And I should also mention, Knives Out is a delightful film! Links: Listen to the Knives Out soundtrack on Spotify or Apple Music Follow Nathan on Twitter Watch Nathan's music videos: You Don't Know Me Change is Everything Gone Insane Weekly Recommendations: Listen to Citati...

Nov 25, 201950 minSeason 1Ep. 18

Exploring the History of Spider-Man (with Matt Singer)

David chats with writer Matt Singer about his new book, Marvel's Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular: The Definitive Comic Art Collection. Later, David counts down three of the most wild Spider-Man plotlines of all time, and Matt shares his thoughts on Spider-Man's enduring legacy. Links: Buy Marvel's Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular: The Definitive Comic Art Collection Follow Matt Singer on Twitter Weekly Recommendations: Why Does Tipping Still Exist? Our Student Loan Secrets Part 1 ...

Nov 20, 20191 hr 4 minSeason 1Ep. 17

Writing About the Unthinkable in 'Once More We Saw Stars' (with Jayson Greene)

In May of 2015, a piece of brick fell from the eighth floor of a New York City apartment building, striking and killing Jayson Greene's 2-year old daughter Greta. It was a tragic story that made headlines in major news outlets. Jayson’s new book, Once More We Saw Stars, tells the story of Greta’s death and how it affected him and his family. It has been named by multiple publications as one of the best books of 2019. In this episode, David speaks with Jayson about his writing process and his rea...

Nov 13, 201937 minSeason 1Ep. 16

An analysis of Martin Scorsese's New York Times Op-Ed on Marvel Films and Cinema

In this bonus episode, David discusses the state of the podcast and does a paragraph-by-paragraph analysis of Martin Scorsese's recent New York Times op-ed about Marvel Films and the state of cinema. Links: Read Martin Scorsese's Op-Ed See the charts in Matthew Ball's analysis of the state of theatrical moviegoing Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com ...

Nov 07, 201923 min

Director's Commentary: ‘In the Tall Grass‘ (with Vincenzo Natali)

David is joined by writer/director Vincenzo Natali to do a feature-length commentary of In The Tall Grass , available right now on Netflix. Shownotes: (4:42) Commentary begins Links: Stream In the Tall Grass on Netflix Follow Vincenzo Natali on Twitter Check out Vincenzo's other work at his website Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode w...

Oct 30, 20191 hr 46 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Toxic Masculinity and 'The Art of Self-Defense' (with Riley Stearns)

David talks with writer/director Riley Stearns about his new movie, "The Art of Self Defense," which is available right now on VOD, DVD, and Blu-Ray. Shownotes: (2:45) Riley Stearns Interview (1:03:15) Weekly recommendations - What Is the Time Signature of the Ominous Electronic Score of The Terminator ? Links: Buy The Art of Self-Defense on VOD ( iTunes and Amazon ) and on Blu-Ray Follow Riley Stearns on Twitter Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gma...

Oct 23, 20191 hr 6 minSeason 1Ep. 14

The Journey of Transracial Adoption (with Nicole Chung)

David speaks with writer Nicole Chung about her memoir, " All You Can Ever Know ," which is out now in paperback. Shownotes: (2:20) Nicole Chung interview (49:30) Weekly recommendations - When GoFundMe gets ugly Links: Buy Nicole Chung's book, All You Can Ever Know, at Amazon , IndieBound , and Apple Learn more about Nicole's work Follow Nicole Chung on Twitter Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every ep...

Oct 17, 201952 minSeason 1Ep. 13

The Art of Getting Rejected (with Jia Jiang)

David speaks with Jia Jiang, one of the world's foremost expert on rejection, on how he made getting rejected into his full time job. Later, Jia shares the top 5 things he learned from rejection. Shownotes: (3:30) Jia Jiang Interview (37:00) The Top 5 things Jia Jiang learned from getting rejected (54:30) Weekly recommendations - The Big Picture Joker episode Links: Buy Jia's book, Rejection Proof Watch Jia’s TED Talk Watch Jia’s Krispy Kreme viral video Learn more about Jia's work More links ab...

Oct 08, 201957 minSeason 1Ep. 12

"I Love You, Now Die" and The Key Elements of a Great True Crime Documentary (with Erin Lee Carr)

David chats with writer/filmmaker Erin Lee Carr about her new HBO Documentary "I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth vs. Michelle Carter." Erin discusses her working process, what inspires her to choose a specific topic to cover, and the essential elements of a great true crime documentary. Links: Learn more about I Love You, Now Die Learn more about At the Heart of Gold Learn more about Mommy, Dead and Dearest Buy Erin's book, All That You Leave Behind Follow Erin on Twitter Let me know your fe...

Oct 01, 201946 minSeason 1Ep. 11

Being a Nice Guy in a Mean World (with Josh Gondelman)

David chats with Josh Gondelman about his new book "Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results," his approach to comedy, and his work on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." Links: Buy Nice Try : Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results on Amazon , Apple Books , Indiebound Check out Josh's comedy albums Follow Josh on Twitter Check out Modern Seinfeld Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find e...

Sep 25, 20191 hr 8 minSeason 1Ep. 10

The Battle Rap of 'Bodied' and the Polarization of Speech (with Joseph Kahn)

David talks with legendary director Joseph Kahn about his new film 'Bodied,' how being a father has changed his perspective on his career, the state of Asian-American representation in the media, and his thoughts on the perils of 'cancel culture.' Links: Buy Bodied on iTunes and Amazon Follow Joseph on Twitter Check out Joseph's other work Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at C...

Sep 17, 20191 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Losing Faith and Finding a Life in Writing (with R.O. Kwon)

David chats with R.O. Kwon about what it was like to lose her Christian faith and how that shaped her as a writer. R.O. Kwon's debut novel The Incendiaries is out right now in paperback. Shownotes: (2:30) R.O. Kwon Interview (56:30) Weekly Recommendation * Prayer Hands Emoji Links: Learn more about R.O. Kwon at her website Buy The Incendiaries on Amazon , B&N , or IndieBound . Follow R.O. Kwon on Twitter Stop calling Asian women adorable Why R.O. Kwon came out as bisexual on Twitter Let me k...

Sep 10, 201959 minSeason 1Ep. 8

The Promise and the Perils of 'The Matrix 4' (with Patrick H. Willems)

David and Patrick H. Willems discuss their hopes and fears for the forthcoming Matrix sequel. Then, they count down their top 5 moments/elements of The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Shownotes: (27:10) David and Patrick count down their top 5 moments/elements of The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (1:09:00) Weekly Recommendation Waze hijacked LA in the name of convenience Links: Follow Patrick on YouTube Follow Patrick on Twitter Watch Patrick's video about rewriting the ...

Aug 27, 20191 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 7

How 'Blinded By the Light' captures the South Asian Experience (with Siddhant Adlakha)

David chats with Siddhant Adlakha about Gurinder Chadha's new film Blinded by the Light and what it can teach us about the South Asian Experience. Shownotes: (3:30) Siddhant Adlakha and David review Blinded by the Light (23:00) Spoilers (39:30) Weekly Recommendation https://www.20k.org/ Links: Siddhant's review of Blinded by the Light Back Siddhant's Patreon Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow th...

Aug 21, 201941 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Why 1999 Was The Best Movie Year Ever (with Brian Raftery)

David talks to Brian Raftery about his new book Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen . Brian discusses why this particular year became seminal in movie history and how it continues to influence filmmakers today. David and Brian then proceed to rank their top 5 movies from 1999 (#1 will shock you). Shownotes: (2:00) Brian Raftery interview (38:33) David and Brian's Top 5 Movies from 1999 (1:08:00) Weekly Recommendation Men. Abuse. Trauma Vox's write-up about the video Links: ...

Aug 13, 20191 hr 10 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Uncovering The Last Days of John Allen Chau (with Alex Perry)

David talks with Alex Perry about the last days of American missionary John Allen Chau. You can read Perry's piece, "The Last Days of John Allen Chau," in Outside. Links: Buy Alex's book, The Good Mothers: The True Story of the Women Who Took On the World's Most Powerful Mafia Follow Alex on Twitter Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode ...

Aug 09, 201943 min

Being Queer in Red America (with Samantha Allen)

David chats with writer Samantha Allen about her new book, Real Queer America . Allen drove to red states and conservative regions from Provo, Utah to the Bible Belt in order to explore queer culture. She discusses how LGTBQ people have survived and thrived in places around the country where you might least expect it. Shownotes (2:56) Samantha Allen interview (26:46) Weekly Recommendations The Last Days of John Allen Chau Links: Buy Samantha's book on Amazon. Follow Samantha on Twitter Being Tra...

Aug 06, 201930 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Zen and the Art of Videogame Character Maintenance (with Dan Trachtenberg)

David chats with Dan Trachtenberg ( 10 Cloverfield Lane, Black Mirror ) about directing Warframe's new cinematic trailer. Dan talks about what it's like trying to make it in Hollywood today, the differences between directing a videogame trailer and a movie, why he loves Warframe, and what he finds rewarding about videogames, Legos, and building Gundam models. Shownotes (2:35) Dan Trachtenberg interview (1:02:20) Weekly Recommendations Check out my new Succession podcast Help me Kickstart my new ...

Jul 30, 20191 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Big Little Lies Season 2 Review (with Tara Ariano)

David and Tara Ariano review the second season of HBO's hit show Big Little Lies. Links: Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Read Jen Chaney's review of Big Little Lies Season 2. Follow the show on Twitter. Follow Tara on Twitter . Check out Tara's other podcast, Extra Hot Great . Follow David on Twitter Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen, and powered by Simpl...

Jul 26, 201946 min

'The Farewell' and the Loneliness of the Immigrant Experience (with Lulu Wang)

Shownotes (3:45) Lulu Wang interview (22:30) The Farewell Review (45:15) Weekly Recommendations Links: Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Follow the show on Twitter. Follow David on Twitter Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen, and powered by Simplecast. Jeff Maysh has a great yarn over at The Daily Beast on how LA's "Dine and Dash Dater" was apprehended. Jacey...

Jul 23, 201951 minSeason 1Ep. 2

The Case For And Against Watching Movie Trailers (with Jeff Cannata and Peter Sciretta)

In the first episode of Culturally Relevant, David chats with Jeff Cannata and Peter Sciretta about movie trailers. Are they worth watching? Or do they spoil the filmgoing experience? Let me know your feedback for the podcast by emailing culturallyrelevantshow(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Find every episode of the show at CulturallyRelevantShow.com . This episode was produced and edited by David Chen, and powered by Simplecast. Follow David on Twitter Follow Jeff on Twitter Check out Jeff's show The Dungeo...

Jul 16, 201954 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Culturally Relevant: The Trailer

Culturally Relevant will be a podcast featuring cultural observations and in-depth conversations with people who are shaping how we think about the world. Every week or so, I’ll be putting out a new conversation and/or a new reflection on things that are happening right now. I hope you it! You can subscribe to this show at culturallyrelevantshow.com and you can email me at [email protected]. Thanks for checking it out and for being with me on this next adventure.

May 17, 20191 min
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