Culture Jumpers discusses a Chilean ad campaign that went viral on Twitter in March 2024 after originally airing over twenty years ago. Considered genius by many, the controversial ads caused a beef with George Lucas almost as big as the one between Kendrick Lamar and Drake.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:00:40) - Most Memorable Commercial - Mr. Owl

(00:02:00) - Most Memorable Commercial - Whassup?

(00:02:57) - The Cerveza Cristal Star Wars Campaign

(00:06:53) - Ad Campaign Aftermath

(00:09:03) - Why It’s Genius

(00:11:11) - A New Life on the Internet

(00:13:39) - Outtakes

Listen to our Webby-nominated episode, “BIPOC Gamers, Animal Crossing, and the Mellowverse” from season one!

References and Further Reading:

1. Budweiser Whassup commercial. (29 Dec 2006). Youtube. Retrieved on 14 April 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikkg4NobV_w

2. Cerveza Cristal Star Wars ad 1. (9 Jul 2009). YouTube. Retrieved on 14 April 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfRjN3txdM

3. Cerveza Cristal Star Wars ad 3. (9 Jul 2009). YouTube. Retrieved on 14 April 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y06AxkJviRQ

4. Cerveza Cristal Star Wars ad 5. (9 Jul 2009). YouTube. Retrieved on 14 April 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvI1bNfleFs

5. Classic Tootsie Pop commercial — How Many Licks? (15 Aug 2012). YouTube. Retrieved on 14 April 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6rHeD5x2tI&pp=ygUXdG9vdHNpZSBwb3AgY29tbWVyY2lhbCA%3D

6. Levy, Carly. (6 March 2024). “Turns Out George Lucas Wasn't A Fan Of Chile Putting Beer Ads In Star Wars Movies.” Cinema Blend. https://www.cinemablend.com/star-wars/george-lucas-wasnt-a-fan-chile-beer-ads-star-wars-movies

7. Newbery, Charles. (7 July 2004). “OMD CHILE'S PRODUCT PLACEMENT COUP: Snags Cannes Grand Prix for beer client.” Ad Age. https://adage.com/article/madisonvine-news/omd-chile-s-product-placement-coup/40570

8. Tide Super Bowl Commercials 2018 Compilation (4 Feb 2018) Youtube. Retrieved on 21 April 2024. https://youtu.be/7JfvCVJ_TNw?si=AnXf92UJiL6e_78R

Culture Jumpers looks at how Korean culture has come to dominate the West. Whether it’s K-dramas and Squid Game on Netflix; Academy Award-winning film Parasite; K-pop stars like BTS and Blackpink; or the latest beauty trends — Korean influence is everywhere. And that’s not an accident. This week’s guest, Dr. Rosalie Kim, explains the history of Korean pop culture and Hallyu — the Korean Wave.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:01:57) - Dr. Rosalie Kim & Seo Taiji and Boys

(00:06:23) - The Korean War and the 60s

(00:09:24) - Park Chung-hee Era

(00:13:27) - The 90s and the Asian Financial Crisis

(00:20:30) - Hallyu Highlights

(00:21:51) - Hallyu! The Korean Wave Exhibit

(00:30:05) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Jones, R. (2023, April 25). Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos Makes a $2.5 Billion Bet on K-Content. Observer. https://observer.com/2023/04/netflix-ceo-ted-sarandos-directs-2-5-billion-to-south-korean-content/ 

2. BTS. (n.d.). Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/artist/bts/chart-history/hsi/ 

3. Marilyn Monroe performing for the thousands of American troops in Korea, 1954. (2017, October 14). Rare Historical Photos. https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/marylin-monroe-korea-1954/ 

4. The Pearl Sisters. (1968). A Cup of Coffee [Vinyl A Cup of Coffee]. Shin Joong-hyun.

5. In A Kadda Da Vida (cover by 신중현/Shin Jung Hyun). (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from https://youtu.be/5U-lR7wEhRY?si=KSpai1Xa1YRAxi_m 

6. (1995, October 8). The Simpsons - “Bart Sells His Soul” (No. 132). FOX. Retrieved March 17, 2024 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulDC1w1ydLI

7. 일하는 해의 노래 (Song of the Year of Working) - Korean Patriotic Song. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from https://youtu.be/VDUBCPyyUBU?si=iCI675NjYUDiZgRM 

8. Baron Cohen, E. (2006, October 24). O Kazakhstan [Digital Download O Kazakhstan]. Atlantic Records.

9. Chick, S. (2011, September 15). Shin Joong Hyun: South Korea’s psychedelic mimic turned master]. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/sep/15/shin-joong-hyun-korean-psychedelic 

10. Santos, Brandon L. (2018). South Korean Nationalism and the Legacy of Park Chung Hee: How Nationalism Shaped Park’s Agendas and the Future Korean Sociopolitical Landscape. Chadron State Graduate Theses. 1. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/chadron/1 

11. [신곡 무대] 누구나 기억하는 충격과 공포의 데뷔 무대! 서태지와 아이들 - 난 알아요 : 1992년 특종TV연예. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 7, 2024, from https://youtu.be/Zr-9NlWLr5g?si=6zE7HATENC3iV0_J 

12. Min-sik, Y. (2017, August 14). Hallyu’s future; limitations and sustainability. The Korea Herald. https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170814000686 ‌

13. Falcon, E. (2020, March 16). Why Is South Korea a Global Broadband Leader? Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/02/why-south-korea-global-broadband-leader 

14. MacDonald, J. (2022, November 13). V&A Showcases Korean Pop Culture In “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” Exhibit. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanmacdonald/2022/11/13/va-showcases-korean-pop-culture-in-hallyu-the-korean-wave-exhibit/?sh=5960e7e63ef0 

Culture Jumpers is back with another edition of Does This Word Have an English Equivalent? This time, hosts Lionel & Ilana get some help from their friend, Darien Perez Ryan, to learn about the Spanish word and tradition “sobremesa” and discuss whether the word has an English equivalent.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Intro

(00:01:55) - What is Sobremesa?

(00:10:40) - Do We All Do Sobremesa?

(00:16:58) - Does Sobremesa Have an English Equivalent?

(00:19:54) - Credits

(00:20:57) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Cocina con Fujita. “Bacalao de Vizcaína.” (Aug. 31, 2019). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixxu3zUgV_U

2. Corley, Susie. (May 10, 2021). “Sobremesa: The Cultural Trend We Need In Our Lives Right Now.” Delish. https://www.delish.com/uk/food-news/a36186360/sobremesa/.

3. Gonzalez, Clara. (Dec. 20, 2021). “Sancocho (Meat and Root Vegetables Stew).” Dominican Cooking. https://www.dominicancooking.com/sancocho

4. Randolph, Mike. (February 24, 202). “A uniquely Spanish part of the meal.” BBC. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20180424-a-uniquely-spanish-part-of-the-meal.

Filipino food is (finally) having a moment in the US. In this episode, host Lionel chats with two Filipino-American chefs about their popular restaurants in Philadelphia. Chance Anies of Tabachoy and Kathy Mirano of Tambayan share their approaches to serving Filipino food and introducing their culture to a wider American audience.

Episode Transcript

Mentioned in the episode:

1. Tabachoy: @tabachoyphilly

2. Tambayan: @tambayanphilly

3. Reading Terminal Market: @rdgterminalmkt

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:04:09) - Gaining Credibility As a Chef - Chance

(00:10:57) - Gaining Credibility As a Chef - Kathy

(00:21:38) - Convincing People to Try - Chance

(00:26:29) - Convincing People to Try - Kathy

(00:33:03) - What is Authenticity, Really?

(00:37:35) - Feeling at Home

(00:42:30) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Daughenbaugh, Wendy. (Aug. 2, 2021). “Reading Terminal welcomes 1st Filipino restaurant, Tambayan.” 6 ABC Action News. https://6abc.com/tambayan-filipino-restaurants-reading-terminal-market-where-to-eat-in-philadelphia/10914467/

2. Stephens, Regan, Nikita Richardson, Brett Anderson, Priya Krishna and Sara Bonisteel.(Oct. 23, 2023). The 25 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia Right Now. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article/best-restaurants-philadelphia.html

3. https://www.tabachoyphilly.com/

4. “Tambayan.” Reading Terminal Market. https://readingterminalmarket.org/merchant/tambayan/

5. https://www.tambayanphilly.com/

6. ZipAtlas.com. (n.d.). Daly City, CA. Daly City, CA | 2023 | Zip Atlas. https://zipatlas.com/us/ca/daly-city.htm

7. ZipAtlas.com. (n.d.). Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia, PA | 2023 | Zip Atlas. https://zipatlas.com/us/pa/philadelphia.htm

Office jargon is a fact of corporate life. But what happens when jargon becomes culturally charged? In this episode, host Lionel explores the history of Chinese food in America in order to understand the origin of some strange office shorthand.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:02:19) - The Chinese Menu Collection

(00:10:19) - Class and Chinese Cuisine

(00:19:40) - Is This Offensive?

(00:29:49) - Conclusion

(00:32:10) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Mumford, Tracy. (April 28, 2016). “Inside the world's largest collection of Chinese menus.” MPR News.  

2. University of Toronto Scarborough Library - Digital Scholarship Unit. (n.d.) Menus Collection. Retrieved May 15, 2023 from https://digital.utsc.utoronto.ca/collections/menus-collection

3. Lee, Jennifer 8. (2008). The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food (First Trade Edition). Twelve. 

4. Ray, Krishnendu. (2016). The Ethnic Restaurateur. Bloomsbury Academic.

In this special Halloween premiere, Culture Jumpers Season 2 kicks off with a true-crime whodunit about monsters of Philippine folklore. In the years following World War II, residents of a remote village are rattled by things that go bump in the night. But all is not as it seems…

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:02:50) - What Is The Aswang?

(00:11:46) - What Killed The Huk Rebels?

(00:17:44) - The Aswang Did Exist

(00:21:18) - Outtakes

Mentioned in the Episode:

Season 1, Episode 3 - “Not a Bad Grass” - Lionel interviews his Grandma (or Lola) Virgie about her life in the Philippines, and how she escaped death at the hands of the Hukbalahap.

References and Further Reading:

1. Ramos, Maximo. (Oct. 1969). “The Aswang Syncrasy in Philippine Folklore.” Western Folklore. Retrieved May 30, 2023 from https://www.jstor.org/stable/1499218.

2. Roos, Dave. (Mar 8, 2023). “How the CIA Used 'Vampires' to Fight Communism in the Philippines.” How Stuff Works.

3. Conliffe, Ciaran. (Apr 20, 2015). “Edward Lansdale, Intelligence Agent.” HeadStuff.

4. Ladwig III, Walter C. (2014). “When the Police are the Problem: The Philippine Constabulary and the Hukbalahap Rebellion.” Policing Insurgencies: Cops as Counterinsurgents. Retrieved July 2, 2023 from https://www.walterladwig.com/Articles/Huk_Chapter.pdf.

5. Barnes, Bart. (Feb 24, 1987). “Edward Lansdale, Prototype For 'Ugly American,' Dies.” The Washington Post.

6. Zarka, Emily. (Dec 11, 2019). “Manananggal: The Flying, Disembodied, Blood Sucking Nightmare | Monstrum.” PBS.

7. Open Vault from WGBH. (Jan 31, 1979). Interview with Edward Geary Lansdale, 1979 [Part 1 of 5]. https://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_76FF42FB387043579AAE7F39B43D2D1C. The Vietnam Collection.

8. Burns, J. (Writer), Henson, J. (Writer), & Harris, P. (Director). (1977, January 16). Juliet Prowse (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In J. Henson (Executive Producer), The Muppet Show. Henson Associates.

Tune in for this special feed drop featuring the hosts of Culture Jumpers discussing their multicultural relationship on the amazing Immigrantly Podcast, hosted by Saadia Khan. Originally released March 28, 2023.

About the episode:

Welcome to Immigrantly, the podcast that shares immigrant stories and experiences through a nuanced lens. In this episode, I am joined by Lionel Nicolau and Ilana Weitz, co-producers of the hilarious and insightful podcast Culture Jumpers. Together, we'll explore their personal experiences with cross-cultural relationships and how they navigate the challenges and joys of blending their diverse backgrounds. So, grab a cup of coffee and get ready to laugh, learn, and be inspired by the dynamic duo behind Culture Jumpers.

Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod

What does Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song” have to do with Culture Jumpers and Filipino Americans? In the Season 1 finale, hosts Ilana and Lionel discuss Fil-Am representation in media, quiz themselves on famous Fil-Ams, and Lionel unleashes his inner rockstar.

Episode Transcript

Watch the full lyric video for “The Filipino American Song” on Youtube.

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:04:42) - Act I: Naming Filipino Americans

(00:13:27) - Act II: The Filipino American Song

(00:16:31) - Credits

(00:17:35) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Nuyen, Suzanne. (May 11, 2023). “'Sesame Street' introduces TJ, the show's first Filipino American muppet.” NPR.

2. A Rugrats’ Chanukah. (December 6, 1996). IMDB.com.

3. Palmer, Jordan. (December 14, 2022). “Here are all 4 versions of Adam Sandler’s ‘Chanukah Song.’” St. Louis Jewish Light.

4. American Idol. “I am Your Brother” Renaldo Lapuz audition.

5. Jose Antonio Vargas. Wikipedia.

6. De Pacina, Michelle. (April 7, 2023). “Filipino American lawmaker expelled by Tennessee’s Republican-led House over gun control protest.” Next Shark.

7. Holmes, Linda. (June 19, 2012). “Silverdocs: How Journey Found A New Lead Singer And Made Friends In Manila.” NPR.

8. Albert, Maddy. (December 22, 2020). “11 Iconic Christmas Songs That Were Written By Jews.” Kveller.

9. Surf Ninjas (1993). New Line Cinema. IMDB.com.

In a new segment, Does This Word Have an English Equivalent?, Culture Jumpers hosts Lionel & Ilana debate whether the words ‘加油 (jiā yóu)’ in Chinese and ‘plotz’ in Yiddish have analogous words in English while Ilana tries to keep Lionel from using ChatGPT to cheat.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue

(00:01:25) - Act I - Jia You

(00:09:44) - Act II - Plotz

(00:16:16) - Credits

(00:17:09) - Outtakes

References and Further Reading:

1. Bland, Daniel. (June 24, 2015). “Add oil! The evolution of Hong Kong English, and where our unique words come from.” South China Morning Post.

2. Shen, Jiayi. (September 4, 2021). “Jiayou: A Message of Encouragement for Everybody.” Duke University - Intersections: A Journal of Language, Culture, and Ideas.

3. Jewish English Lexicon. “Plotz.” Accessed 7 May 2023.

4. Jewish Unpacked. (December 26, 2022). “18 essential Yiddish words and sayings.”

5. Vespe, Jim. (October 2019). “It Was John Glenn Who Popularized the Word ‘Glitch.’” Smithsonian Magazine.

Culture Jumpers host Ilana explores her family’s personal connection to the Holocaust. She interviews her late grandfather, who lived in Vienna, Austria before World War II, about finding himself feeling like a foreigner in his own homeland. He discusses his awareness of the Nazis as a young boy, his family’s experiences with antisemitism, and his father’s race to get his family to safety.

Episode Transcript

Timestamps:

(00:00:00) - Prologue
(00:02:41) - From Poland to Austria 
(00:04:46) - Shadow of the Goose Step 
(00:10:25) - Anschluss 
(00:16:01) - Kristallnacht
(00:19:47) - A Loss 
(00:23:25) - Never Again 
(00:26:06) - Credits

Audio Clips:

Chancellor Schuschnigg 24 Feb 1938 speech clip: Österreichische Mediathek (Austrian Media Library). Last accessed 9 April 2023.

German Troops March Into Austria (1938). Film ID:957.44. YouTube. Audio supplied by British Pathé, licensed for use 16 January 2023.

References and Further Reading:

Brice, Angela. “Toporov” - Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities in Poland, Volume II (Toporov, Ukraine). Translated from Pinkas Hakehillot: Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Poland, Volume II, pages 253-254, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. Accessed 10 February 2023.

Documentation Archive of the Austrian Resistance.  

Lichtblau, Albert. The Holocaust in Austria. Oxford Bibliographies. DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199840731-0080. July 27, 2020.

Personal family historical records including birth and marriage records gathered from JRI Poland. Accessed 11 February 2023.

US Department of State. Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues. Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act Report: Austria. Accessed 11 February 2023.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Beer Hall Putsch (Munich Putsch).” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on 11 February 2023.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Kristallnacht.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on 11 February 2023.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.“The Stab-in-the-Back Myth, Ludendorff, and Hitler.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on 11 February 2023.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Vienna.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on 11 February 2023.

Voyles Pulver, Dinah and Doug Caruso.“More than 950 people have been charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot, but investigation 'far from over.'” USA Today. 6 January 2023.

Yad Vashem The World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Transport 21 from Wien, Vienna, Austria to Izbica, Krasnystaw, Lublin, Poland on 15/05/1942. Accessed 11 February 2023.