Mosaic of China 英语脱口秀

My guest this week is Eric Olander, who has been a journalist in China off and on since 1989. And through that lens, Eric can talk eloquently and knowledgeably about many aspects of journalism today.

My guest this week is Eric Olander, who has been a journalist in China off and on since 1989. His most recent incarnation has been with the China Africa Project, in which he reports on China’s huge and growing influence across that continent. And through that lens, Eric can talk eloquently and knowledgeably about many aspects of journalism today.

This week’s recording is with Maple Zuo, an up-and-coming comedian based in Shanghai. Maple has amazing energy, which I hope you can hear in this conversation. We start off by talking about her comedy set, and how her approach is different in English versus Chinese. But we then veer into some unexpectedly dark territory, so there’s part of this chat which might not be suitable for all audiences. We discuss some interesting details about her family background growing up in Inner Mongolia. Thankfully the things she mentions have no bearing on the situation there today. 

Maple Zuo’s Object: Her fancy Tom Ford lipstick

Maple Zuo’s favourite WeChat sticker: Chibi Maruko-chan.

(Add@oscar10877 on Wechat to join the Group and see the original sticker)

Maple Zuo’s favourite restaurant: 百川 (Bǎichuān).

Maple Zuo’s favourite destination in China: The Blue Tears of God (Yamdrok Lake) in Tibet.

Maple Zuo’s selfie with Oscar.

Maple Zuo’s Reference: TF Boys.

To join the WeChat Group for Mosaic of China, either scan this QR Code, or search for User ID: oscar10877. After connecting, you will be manually added to the group. 

At the time of recording, Philippe Gas was the President & General Manager of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Philippe is one of the most charming business leaders I’ve met, and in this interview we talk about his experiences in the five or so years that he has been with Disneyland in Shanghai, from the tail-end of the construction phase to today, where the Resort has been open for around 3 years. Among other things, we talk about how Philippe managed local and international stakeholders, about the Chinese consumer and their tastes on everything from Snow White to Star Wars, and most importantly how the Disney organisation has itself managed to adapt to the needs of the China market. 

Philippe and I recorded this in my apartment in Shanghai, so the sound quality isn’t as good as the interviews that I’ve done in the studio. But I hope it doesn’t distract you from what was otherwise a great conversation.

Philippe Gas’ Object: A photo of Mickey Mouse on the Great Wall of China.

Philippe Gas’ best purchase in China: his Niu electric scooter.

Philippe Gas’ favourite restaurant: Canton Disco at The Edition.

Factoid from Philippe Gas: The five timezones of China before they were combined into just one.

Philippe Gas’ favourite WeChat sticker (1).

(Add @oscar10877 on WeChat to join the Group and see the original sticker)

Philippe Gas’ favourite WeChat sticker (2).

(Add @oscar10877 on WeChat to join the Group and see the original sticker)

To join the WeChat Group for Mosaic of China, either scan this QR Code, or search for User ID: oscar10877. After connecting, you will be manually added to the group. 

At the time of recording, Philippe Gas was the President & General Manager of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Philippe is one of the most charming business leaders I’ve met, and in this interview we talk about his experiences in the five or so years that he has been with Disneyland in Shanghai, from the tail-end of the construction phase to today, where the Resort has been open for around 3 years. Among other things, we talk about how Philippe managed local and international stakeholders, about the Chinese consumer and their tastes on everything from Snow White to Star Wars, and most importantly how the Disney organisation has itself managed to adapt to the needs of the China market. 

Philippe and I recorded this in my apartment in Shanghai, so the sound quality isn’t as good as the interviews that I’ve done in the studio. But I hope it doesn’t distract you from what was otherwise a great conversation.

Philippe Gas’ Object: A photo of Mickey Mouse on the Great Wall of China.

Philippe Gas’ best purchase in China: his Niu electric scooter.

Philippe Gas’ favourite restaurant: Canton Disco at The Edition.

Factoid from Philippe Gas: The five timezones of China before they were combined into just one.

Philippe Gas’ favourite WeChat sticker (1).

(Add @oscar10877 on WeChat to join the Group and see the original sticker)

Philippe Gas’ favourite WeChat sticker (2).

(Add @oscar10877 on WeChat to join the Group and see the original sticker)

To join the WeChat Group for Mosaic of China, either scan this QR Code, or search for User ID: oscar10877. After connecting, you will be manually added to the group. 

Hello, I'm Oscar. In this trailer, I introduce the podcast: why I'm doing it, it's limitations, the guests lined up for Season 1, the interview format, the visual element and it's integration with social media. Mercifully, this introduction episode is the most you'll ever hear my voice, in all the other podcast episodes I'll just be asking the questions and leaving the guest to do most of the talking.

To join the WeChat Group for Mosaic of China, either scan this QR Code, or search for User ID: oscar10877. After connecting, you will be manually added to the group.