The Patty Show

In EP. 81 of The Patty Show, Patty sits down with internationally acclaimed storyteller Michael Esser for a conversation about creativity, boundaries, and the evolving relationship between storytelling and artificial intelligence.

Michael is best known as the creator and head writer of the 685-episode television phenomenon Verliebt in Berlin, a groundbreaking series that earned him the German Television Award and cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s most prolific television writers.

Today, Michael works at the intersection of global entertainment and advanced technology. As an AI Technical Writer supporting Meta’s AI Studios, he helps lead AI red-teaming initiatives designed to ensure that large language models understand the complexities of human storytelling, culture, and ethics.

Through his consultancy To Tell A Story, Michael also mentors emerging storytellers and consults on international film and television projects while sharing insights about “narrative engineering.”

In this episode, Patty and Michael explore:

• Why boundaries are a powerful form of self-love

Michael’s journey from German television writer to AI narrative architect offers a fascinating perspective on how storytelling continues to shape our world — even as technology evolves.

Share one boundary that improved your life with #PattyParadiseBoundaries

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Connect with Michael

Professional Hub: https://mikewesser.com

Your dream life doesn’t have to be perfect.

This week on The Patty Show, Patty sits down with relationship wellness leader Ashida Onrae for a conversation about building a fulfilling life and healthy relationships before making one of the biggest commitments of all—marriage.

Ashida is the Founder and CEO of The Marriage Movement, a platform dedicated to helping couples develop the emotional tools, communication skills, and self-awareness needed for lasting partnerships. Through her speaking, seminars, and her book The Top 8 Questions Every Woman Should Ask Herself Before Saying I Do, she encourages people to look inward first—because strong relationships start with personal accountability.

But Patty and Ashida’s connection actually began somewhere unexpected: the gym. What started as training sessions quickly turned into deeper conversations about dating, travel, personal growth, and building a life filled with intention and joy.

In this episode, they explore:

• Why your “paradise” can be a work in progress

Ashida brings humor, honesty, and wisdom to the conversation, reminding us that meaningful relationships aren’t built overnight—they’re built through self-awareness, growth, and intentional choices.

Because before you say “I do”…

Declare your own paradise-in-progress with #ParadiseWithPatty

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Passion. Pleasure. Positivity.

Rest isn’t weakness.

This week on The Patty Show, Patty sits down with Indonesian filmmaker and cinematographer Joyfiana Venessa Suryakusuma for a thoughtful, culture-rich conversation about reclaiming rest in a world obsessed with hustle.

Joy directed and wrote the short film Patty starred in — portraying a 60+ retired workaholic lawyer delivering heartbreaking news to his equally driven daughter, symbolized through klepon, the beloved Indonesian sweet. The experience was layered, emotional, and deeply personal — blending storytelling, heritage, and healing.

Beyond that project, Joy represents a new generation of filmmakers: intentional, grounded, and unafraid to move at a sustainable pace. Her approach to cinema challenges the myth that burnout equals ambition.

In this episode, we explore:

• How purposeful rest fuels creative growth

From film sets to cultural identity to redefining productivity, this conversation is both insightful and refreshingly human.

Because sometimes the most powerful move you can make…

If you’ve been pushing nonstop, this episode is your reminder that sustainability creates longevity — in art, in business, and in life.

Share your power-rest ritual with #RestWithPatty

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Passion. Pleasure. Positivity.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with.

This week on The Patty Show, Patty sits down with Meta OG and creative visionary Phillip DiGioia for a conversation about consistency, artistry, and the discipline behind real self-trust.

Phillip moved from Georgia to Los Angeles to pursue animation and storytelling at the highest level. Today, he works in AI evaluation at Meta, specializing in image-based systems and testing the edge of visual intelligence — all while building his own creative world through animation, design, and narrative work at digioia.art

Recorded at his Highland Park home (yes, we met the iconic chickens — and yes, some of the eggs are blue), this episode blends creativity, tech, and grounded daily practice into one powerful theme:

Consistency builds confidence.

We dive into:

• The one daily practice that changed everything

From testing AI models to crafting animated stories, Phillip embodies creative discipline in action. And with a stylized, artist-edited version of this episode in the works, this conversation lives at the intersection of technology and imagination.

If you’re building something — your art, your body, your mindset, your career — this episode is your reminder:

Keep showing up. The reps compound.

Share your consistency wins with #ConfidentWithPatty

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Passion. Pleasure. Positivity.

Progress isn’t loud.

This week on The Patty Show, Patty sits down with two international innovators — Nwachukwu Ibekwe and Vatsal Chaudhari — to explore the joy of steady growth and the discipline behind world-class achievement.

Nwachukwu, an award-winning engineer and St. Ignatius Loyola Medal recipient from Fairfield University, shares his evolution from pioneering biomedical research in 3D tissue scaffolds to advanced mechanical engineering and nanotechnology research at University of Pennsylvania. His work sits at the intersection of materials science, human health, and high-performance systems — bridging Nigeria and the American Ivy League through innovation.

Vatsal brings the AI-at-scale perspective. Educated at The Ohio State University, with experience at Amazon and Maxar Technologies, he now engineers recommendation systems and ranking models at Meta, impacting billions of users globally. From leading deep learning research at the University of Michigan to training in alpinism, his mindset is about elevation — intellectually and physically.

Together, we unpack:

• Measuring growth beyond metrics

Plus: Fairfield memories (Patty was Nwachukwu’s RA), soccer in the Bay (yes, he scored), and a reminder that brotherhood, laughter, and humility fuel sustainable success.

Nigeria. India. Ivy League. Silicon Valley.

Small progress creates massive impact.

If you’re building something — your body, your career, your research, your business — this episode is your blueprint for long-term growth.

Share your progress moment with #PattyProgress

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We’re not just chasing success.

Life moves in seasons—and every season builds a different kind of strength.

In this episode of The Patty Show, Patty sits down with his close friend and fellow Prestigious Models & Image Powerhouse talent, Dr. Jonathan “JC” Chia-Ho Lee—actor, inspirational single dad, and Canadian-trained, double board-certified Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist.

What starts as laughs between friends turns into a powerful conversation about growth, change, and learning how to adapt when life doesn’t look the way you expected. From evolving fitness routines and shifting passions, to mental health, self-care, and staying hopeful through tough transitions—this episode is real, grounded, and deeply human.

JC brings insight from the psychiatry field (informed by DBT and modern dynamic therapy), while keeping things relatable, funny, and honest. Raised in a Taiwanese-Canadian household and passionate about language justice and inclusion, he shares how helping people rewrite their personal narratives is at the core of both his work and his life.

How to adapt your passions and training through life’s seasons

Celebrating small wins and redefining pleasure and self-care

Staying positive when change feels heavy

Mantras and mindsets that carry you through hard seasons

Brotherhood, laughter, and perspective from two friends navigating growth

“The best part of my job is helping people see themselves in a new light—to begin writing new stories about where they’ve come from, who they are, and who they hope to be.”

If you’re in a season of rebuilding, reflection, or reinvention—this conversation will hit home.

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Balance isn’t about doing everything.

In this episode of The Patty Show, Patty sits down with his Indonesian brother, Meta coworker, and quiet sensei Robin Malau — a true real-life multihyphenate who’s lived several lifetimes in one.

Robin is a self-described “Rockstar now Geek.”

This conversation goes deep.

We talk about:

Life in Bali and Indonesia in the early 2000s

The transition from music stages to tech boardrooms

Choosing what to say yes and no to as ambition grows

Fatherhood, identity, and redefining success

Why rest is not weakness — it’s strategy

Navigating health, burnout, and reinvention (including Robin’s “New Me” journey managing Type II diabetes)

How to protect joy, creativity, and purpose in a nonstop world

Robin brings wisdom shaped by experience — not hustle culture fluff. This episode is for anyone chasing big dreams while trying to stay human, healthy, and present.

If you’ve ever felt:

Torn between passion and responsibility

Burned out but still ambitious

Like you’ve lived multiple lives already

This one’s for you.

🌀 Share your balance tips with #PattyBalance

Jakarta to Los Angeles: 16 Years Chasing Life, Identity & Reset

In this episode of The Patty Show, Patty is joined by Yafi Fayruz, widely known as Anak LA—a soccer coach, creator, and community connector documenting Indonesian life in the United States.

Brought to America at 16 years old and unable to return home for over a decade, Yafi shares what it’s really like to build a life under uncertainty—balancing responsibility, ambition, relationships, and creativity while staying grounded in purpose.

This conversation explores:

Life in Jakarta vs. Los Angeles

Immigration, identity, and redefining success

Soccer as structure, discipline, and joy

Relationships, community, and personal growth

Why meaningful progress often comes from small resets, not total restarts

Honest, reflective, and deeply human, this episode is a reminder that growth doesn’t always look loud—and that sometimes the most powerful move is choosing to refresh instead of quitting.

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What happens when play, culture, and creativity collide on a global stage?

In this episode of The Patty Show, I sit down with the legendary Emiko Saraswati Susilo — actor, singer, dancer, voice artist, cultural consultant, and all-around creative force whose work spans Disney, PlayStation, the United Nations, Calm, Swarovski, and beyond.

We talk about how Emiko turned Balinese dance, Southeast Asian identity, and joy-driven creativity into a global career — and why play isn’t something we outgrow, but something we forget to protect. From voice acting and cultural consulting to movement, storytelling, and self-expression, this conversation is full of insight, laughter, and perspective.

We also rewind to how we met while co-starring in an Indonesian short film, where she played my wife and I was aged up into a 65-year-old retired lawyer (yes, really). Despite the heavy themes on screen, the chemistry, play, and off-camera laughs made it one unforgettable creative weekend.

If you’re a creative, an artist navigating identity, or someone looking to bring more play, movement, and freedom back into your life — this episode is for you.

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What you feed yourself—body, mind, and spirit—fuels everything you become.

In this episode of The Patty Show, Patty sits down with Mary Park — aka Makgeolli Mary — a Meta lawyer, proud Korean, and SoCal girl at heart who brings both wisdom and contagious energy.

From a chance meeting at a Meta AAPI happy hour in K-Town to deep conversations about nourishment, self-talk, and life pivots, this episode is about fueling your true fire — especially when life doesn’t go according to plan. Mary opens up about working in Incident Response Legal at Meta, her sorority days at UCLA (Chi Alpha Delta), holiday party antics, and the personal growth that came after an engagement that didn’t turn into marriage.

Together, we explore how food can be self-love, how energy is a long-game investment, and why honoring your body and intuition matters more than perfection. This conversation is honest, joyful, reflective, and full of laughs — a reminder that resets aren’t failures, they’re invitations.

If you’re rebuilding, re-energizing, or redefining what success looks like, this episode will meet you right where you are.

🔥 Share what fuels you using #FuelWithPatty