best story i never told: Recent Episodes
best story i never told
Actor James Tang shares an embarrassing high school story that scarred him for life, and it all started because his friend wanted to hit the gym.
Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
“Space Rock” pop star Polartropica beams down to Earth to share the complete untold story behind one of her biggest hit songs and it involves death, the desert, and dating.
Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Former clown school student (see Ep. 20) and current playwright Zury Ruiz returns to the pod to reveal the best movie she never talks about, and it stars Saoirse Ronan. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Former clown school student (see Ep. 20) and current playwright Zury Ruiz returns to the pod to reveal the best movie she never talks about, and it stars Saoirse Ronan. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Convergence – Book One: Incarnation author Katherine E. Lewis recalls visiting her hometown library at midnight, which became much more than photo opportunity. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Convergence – Book One: Incarnation author Katherine E. Lewis recalls visiting her hometown library at midnight, which became much more than photo opportunity. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
After discussing her epic season 2 performance on HBO Max’s South Side, actor and writer Alisha Cowan returns to ask everyone to decide if she was once almost kidnapped. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
In high school, Universal Animation Program Writer Shari Coleman took her first trip to Berlin where she got stuck with confusing toilets, bird poop, and much more. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Universal Animation Program Writer Kianna Johnson is a determined person. And when it comes to fried okra, Kianna will do whatever it takes. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
For Universal Animation Program Writer Senibo Myers, pie isn’t his dessert of choice. Find out what happens when Senibo competes in a pie eating contest for his kid — against a rival celebrity. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Before the Universal Animation Writing Program, Joe Patrick Winters was tired of being a theater understudy. But did entering a Virginia drag competition turn out to be a breakout performance? Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and more.
Before she moved to Montana to make her film We Burn Like This, director Alana Waksman was a new college grad searching for a mentor. Now, she reveals the surprising faces and unexpected places she discovered on this quest. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
Honesty is the best policy for writer Tracy Held, even when people think she’s lying. Tracy comes clean about the facts that some insist are total fiction. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
From releasing her feature I’ll Meet You There during a pandemic to a curious moment at Caltech as a student, writer/director Iram Parveen Bilal jumps into life headfirst. Or in some cases, feet first. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
Writer/Director Liz Singh (The Lower Plateau) never completed her film school thesis project. There’s a reason for that. And it runs deep. But now, she’s finally ready to reveal why. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
In 1995, writer Trey Callaway leisurely went to a Friday night dinner. He didn’t know Frank Sinatra, Larry King, Billy Wilder, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening and Jack would casually be there too. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
New York. Brownies. A legendary hospital. That’s Outrageous podcast co-host Anne Morris shares a college tale about baked goods that involves a famous face who she wished she met under different circumstances. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
If anyone has been in a long-term relationship, you have probably told your significant other every good story you have. Multiple times over. Is there a tantalizing tale that you’ve never told your bae? David tries to share a buried memory from his single days with special guest Jin Yoo-Kim. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple … Continue reading #54 Best Story I Never Told My Spouse by David Ngo
After explaining the nuances between directing commercials and narrative content, writer/director Bo Mirhosseni references Del Taco and a Ford Focus in a holiday tale about an unusual green visitor on the night before Christmas. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
Before she stood on the edge of Lake Michigan in the psychological drama Up On The Glass, or opposed The Flash as Black Bison, actress Chelsea Kurtz was once a student trying to make the right decision about college. But the forces that impacted her choice went beyond the Arrowverse. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, … Continue reading #52 One Decisive Day by Chelsea Kurtz
Set Decorator Charlene Wang de Chen grew up in a sheltered household. But during an internship in Hong Kong, she discovered something about Asian American femineity. And she couldn’t shy away from the results. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play and more.
When writer/director/actor/singer Nathan Ramos-Park first moved to New York, he made a special list. And to check off the boxes, Nathan would dive into a world of silver foxes, Asian American male identity, sexual taboos, burritos, and making the rent. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Before his funny words graced the screen on such TV series as Will & Grace, Angie Tribeca, Selfie, and Go On, writer/producer Mathew Harawitz was an assistant on a late night talk show. And he had a crappy day that changed his entire life. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
With grace and vulnerability, Lynn Chen, actress and director of I Will Make You Mine, candidly shares the two defining moments in her attempt to have a child. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
What do Angelina Jolie, Antonio Banderas, and Sylvester Stallone have in common? Perhaps nothing, but they will be discussed by documentary filmmaker Jin Yoo-Kim and David as they both reveal the best movies they never talk about. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
In a follow-up to fan favorite episode #24, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables writer Annie Nishida returns to update David on life after publicly revealing that she had a huge high school crush on a boy that refused to speak. From friend reactions to landing a job, Annie reveals how a voiceless boy (by choice) … Continue reading #46 Life After a Teen Rom-Com by Annie Nishida
Is there a song you love but never talk about? Maybe it’s a guilty pleasure, or a track with a profound meaning to you? Cinematographer Ruben Contreras joins David to reveal the one song he never talks about and explains why. And David does the same. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and … Continue reading #45 The Song I Don’t Talk About by Ruben Contreras
From client challenges to his own concerns, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Gabrey Milner joins David for a timely discussion on therapy during the Covid-19 pandemic, and how individuals are handling this uniquely collective crisis. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
In a follow-up to crowd-favorite episode #3, writer/producer Bernie Duran, Jr. details what happened AFTER he revealed an elaborate 20-year secret for the first time to his friends, family, and the public. Later, Bernie shares an amusing story involving Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Oklahoma. The driveway to nowhere. The rumor heard ‘round the school. In three parts, Showrunner, Writer, and Educator Trey Callaway tells his never-before-heard, true story behind the birth of The Ghostfacers from the long-running hit series Supernatural. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
From a tarot reading to an important visitor from his own past, the best untold story from the world of this very podcast gets revealed by host David Ngo. TV writer Lindsay Villareal joins David for this personally meaningful episode. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Hip hop. The Bronx. A journal. Before he wrote on shows such as Empire and The Leftovers, and edited at The Source, writer/producer Carlito Rodriguez enrolled in college to resume his education after some time away. But two people would teach him much more about himself in just one day. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple … Continue reading #40 That One Day in New York by Carlito Rodriguez
She was used to living a certain way. But she knew it had to change. Producer and Instructor Harmonie T. Tangonan candidly shares the turning point of her life – and it happened at Target. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Movies are works of fiction, but its truth often lies with the voice of its creator. Writer/Director Ringo Le discusses the evolution of his voice as a filmmaker, the Vietnamese American community, and the real inspiration behind his next movie. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Many people have had an unusual interview. For author Marina Mularz (“Welcome to Freedom Point”), she had a quirky job interview that she’s never shared until now, and it deals with morbid feelings and signs of the universe. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Hawaii is a breezy getaway. But for comedy writer Robert Woo (“The Kelly Clarkson Show”), he surfed the waves of the immigrant experience, childhood angst, and a Korean dad that would say the darndest things. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
The Matrix. Incubus. Andre 3000. These are the fashion inspirations of writer/director Justin Warren (Then There Was Joe) in high school. But when a new and exciting student moves into town, his sense of style is put to the test. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
For writer/director Ben Cresciman (Sun Choke), his untold tale was supposed to be about a teen Hollywood party filled with trippy drugs, red-eyed Russians, and fashion-forward sandals. But upon further review, the party is only the midpoint of a deeper story about dealing with life’s realities. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and … Continue reading #34 The Party That Mushroomed Into More by Ben Cresciman
Faced with choosing between bystander or participant, screenwriter Jeanie Bergen reveals some untold moments where making that decision led to unexpected memories, connections, and outcomes. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
“I just got a new car.” “Don’t crash it.” Filmmaker Milton Liu’s mama is a no filter force of nature that parents him the only way she knows how – bluntly. Matter of fact, Milton’s birth story is unexpectedly straight forward, which he only learned about a few years ago. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, Apple … Continue reading #32 Mama’s Got Jokes But She’s Serious by Milton Liu
Episode #29 featured a never-before released song, “My Love, My Love,” performed live by musician Jared Hernandez. And now it is available for your listening pleasure as a special single! It’s got melody, acoustic guitar, great lyrics, and a Beatles vibe to it. Make this song part of the soundtrack to your life. Episode … Continue reading Bonus clip: “My Love, My Love” by Jared Hernandez
If you’re a 24-year old woman in Toronto who yearns to become a TV composer in Hollywood one day, how do you get there? For composer, and lead singer of Dyan, Alexis Marsh, that path to success started on a Canadian reality singing competition show called How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, where … Continue reading #31 Trying Not to Fangirl on Andrew Lloyd Webber by Alexis Marsh
Comic book artist Dawn Wing usually lets her art do the talking, but in this episode, she reveals the meaning behind her works for the first time by diving into her tumultuous childhood. Dawn and David also get into a discussion on mental health in the Asian American community, indie comics, her latest work featuring … Continue reading #30 Drawing Away from My Family by Dawn Wing
What does a musician do with an unfinished song that was buried in the creative trenches for years? He finally finishes it and performs it on a podcast for the very first time. Musician Jared Hernandez sings “My Love, My Love,” and then discusses its meaning, writing process, and baseball analogies with David. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, … Continue reading #29 The Best Song I Never Sung by Jared Hernandez
After learning she had Jewish heritage, writer and filmmaker Nikki Brown (Up on the Glass) recalls the time she took a birthright trip to Jerusalem, where she found herself exploring the city on her last night. Alone. And on that night, Nikki reveals an untold encounter she had with a local, and why she wants to share … Continue reading #28 My Last Night Alone in Jerusalem by Nikki Brown
Navigating one’s way around different social groups can be tough, especially in middle school. Layout animator and cinematographer Gloses Gorbaldi tackles this notion when he shares a vivid untold moment from his childhood in Washington D.C., where his middle-school friendship with a student with intellectual disabilities tests the line between affection and aggression. Episode available on … Continue reading #27 The Line Between Affection and Aggression by Gloses Gorbaldi
TV Writer and podcast host Stephanie Coggins (Trinkets, The Magicians, Cinema Craptaculus) discusses her successful transition from comedy to drama (very hard to do in TV) before launching into her untold story of the time her comedic stay at an Italian hostel turned into a mysterious drama. Also, David reveals his true feelings about sitting next … Continue reading #26 From Comedy to Drama to Hostels by Stephanie Coggins
A turning point in many romantic relationships is the moment when someone first says, “I love you.” Actress Ashley Dulaney (The House Sitter, Days of Our Lives, Justified) unveils the time she first said the big “L-Word” to her significant other, which she did in an unexpected way. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, … Continue reading #25 The Unexpected Way To Say I Love You by Ashley Dulaney
From anonymous Xanga posts, to passing notes in class, to the real reason she applied for USC film school, writer and illustrator Annie Nishida reveals the personally cringe-worthy details of her mad high school crush, a Japanese American boy that never spoke. This is the real-life Japanese American version of To All The Boys I … Continue reading #24 The High School Crush That Wouldn’t Talk by Annie Nishida
TV producer and Flint native Damian Baxter has gone through stints in his life where he wouldn’t know where his brother was due to his sibling’s struggles with addiction. Damian reveals for the first time one of these stints, which lasted seven years, where he decides to look for his brother on Thanksgiving after learning … Continue reading #23 Searching for My Brother on Thanksgiving by Damian Baxter
Film and TV director Meera Menon (Walking Dead, GLOW, Farah Goes Bang) makes a confession to her New Jersey parents about what really happened that time in high school when she went to Shakespeare camp in Cambridge. Also, David and Meera discuss the slow burn of last name mispronunciations and then brainstorm a hot new … Continue reading #22 An Epic Confession to My Jersey Parents by Meera Menon
Actress and filmmaker Michelle Krusiec has never publicly talked about her adoption in-depth until now. Michelle reveals some hidden details that take her from a fortune teller in Taiwan to the silver screen in Hollywood with all the key family members and signs in the universe involved in between. Also, David and Michelle discuss her … Continue reading #21 The Hidden Details of My Adoption by Michelle Krusiec
Sometimes, a person just needs to take clown lessons and never tell anyone about it until they go on their friend’s podcast. This is what playwright Zury Ruiz (Senorita Monthly Juice) has done, as she shares her glorious untold tale that begins with pole dancing, transforms into clowning, and then evolves into a poignant conversation … Continue reading #20 I Took Clown Lessons by Zury Ruiz
A crucial part of collegiate head coaching involves recruiting. And recruiting means flying. A lot of flying. So what happens when flying becomes a problem? Texas A&M Corpus Christi Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Steve Greene unveils a precarious and unexpected issue he has with flying that his entire job depends on. And since they’re both … Continue reading #19 Flying Wasn’t A Problem Until… by Steve Greene
Filmmaker Paloma Martinez confesses her untold high school story about studying abroad in Spain and meeting a stranger in a world with no parental supervision, the perils of nightlife, and precarious chance encounters. This episode is all about assessing, anticipating, and acting on intuition. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Actor Mark McClain Wilson shares his untold story about his life as an anguished teen in Pittsburgh, when he realized that he undervalued himself, and how he stopped doing this decades later. Mark and David discuss knowing your worth, knowing when to compromise, and knowing when to stand up for yourself. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, … Continue reading #17 The Moment I Undervalued Myself and How I Stopped Doing That by Mark McClain Wilson
This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Maria Ochoa and will be available for listening as a tribute to her spirit. David tries to process the tarot card reading he receives from Community Organizer Maria Ochoa before she shares her untold story about the Los Angeles apartment nightmare from hell. From Maria: Know your … Continue reading #16 The Apartment Nightmare from Hell by Maria Ochoa
Stand-Up Comedian and TV Writer Julian Kiani (Marlon, I Feel Bad) chats with David about their mutual love of John Stamos, delicious food, interning at Saturday Night Live, and his reveal of an untold chain of events that led Julian to discover a celebrity burrito that would change the course of his entire life. Episode … Continue reading #15 The Celebrity Burrito That Changed My Life by Julian Kiani
David’s son, a preschool kid, interviews his dad and winds up experiencing an existential crisis on-air as he tries to make sense of the fact that his dad had a life of his own before the little prince was born. Episode available on beststoryinevertold.com, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.
Television drama writer and filmmaker Lindsey Villarreal (Sacred Lies) digs up a story from her high school days in Texas that involve the supernatural and the collapse of a friendship. “Lindsey pulls no punches and brings it every time. She tells a story that involves Texas, cholas, the supernatural, screenwriting, and a friendship she truly cherishes … Continue reading #13: The Supernatural End of a Friendship by Lindsey Villarreal
The release of her book, G.I. Hollywood, is a celebratory moment for author/screenwriter Lila McLaughlin, but it’s also a time to make sense of her unique relationship with the subject of her book, a war veteran, and a period in her life where she couldn’t write for several years. (Lila’s novel: G.I. Hollywood) “As a writer, … Continue reading #12: The Soldier That Read My Screenplays While at War by Lila McLaughlin
Television drama writer Leah Benavides (The Arrangement) unveils her past life as a singer and the most important yet unexplainable vocal performance of her life, a song for her grandma. “To me, and I don’t think she’ll be embarrassed by me saying this publicly, but Leah is a boss. She’s that gritty coach that goes … Continue reading #11: A Mystical Song for Grandma by Leah Benavides
Pitching a feature movie to an executive is tough enough, but what if you had to do it to a Catholic Priest in rural Michigan? I Animal author and filmmaker Kevin Del Principe explains. “Kevin is a long-time creative collaborator and friend of mine. We both know the throes of being in and out … Continue reading #10: Pitching to a Priest by Kevin Del Principe
Producer/Director Jin Yoo-Kim has never told anyone this story, even her husband, and it involves a Key Lime Pie, America, and personal connections. “Full disclosure, Jin is married to me. I know I’m biased, but who cares, Jin can light up a room and hold court at a dinner party or any social gathering, really. … Continue reading #9: Key Lime Pie by Jin Yoo-Kim
Countertransference occurs when a therapist is emotionally triggered by a client. So, what would trigger H the Therapist? A childhood bully. “To protect the identity of H the Therapist, I can’t say too much about this person. However, this episode has wonderful insight on mental health from the perspective of the professional. Usually, I hear … Continue reading #8: Bully Me Twice? by H the Therapist
Actor/Director/Social Influencer/Pure Entertainer Derek Dow unearths a buried memory about dating from his college days in Chicago that involves a gold chain, and it unexpectedly impacts him during the taping of his episode. “Derek is a born entertainer who is effortlessly engaging. He is very much an open-book person, so to learn that Derek … Continue reading #7: The Buried Memory of a Gold Chain by Derek Dow
Our host David Ngo steps into the valley of the wolves with special guest Kevin Del Principe and discusses the first and last time he will stay in a Bolivian hotel 13,000 feet above sea level. “I had done a few interviews prior to being interviewed myself by special guest Kevin Del Principe, so I … Continue reading #6: The Bolivian Ghost Motel by David Ngo
Screenwriter, television development executive, and pizza enthusiast Dan McCarthy mirrors his triple threat identity by talking about his mysterious last name, the origin of Santa Claus, and TRL era Carson Daly. “My buddy Dan McCarthy is gonna do what Dan McCarthy is gonna do. That’s how he rolls. That said, Dan is quite a generous … Continue reading #5: My Name, Santa Claus, and Carson Daly by Dan McCarthy
Public servant, International Host, and Foster Youth advocate Carlos Collard pinpoints the trajectory of his professional career to one incident in fifth grade involving his mother and a textbook. “I’ve known Carlos for a long time, and I sort of forget that he is a foster youth. We only talk about pro wrestling. Foster … Continue reading #4: Fifth Grade Activism by Carlos Collard
At a mysterious location during the post-production of small indie movie Creed 2, film producer Bernie Duran, Jr. reveals his true identity as the Walter White of East LA and a secret that has lasted over two decades. “I can’t believe Bernie, a person I know to be a legit guy, has been living a secret life … Continue reading #3: A Blunt 20-Year Secret by Bernie Duran, Jr.
Actor and professor Allan Axibal-Cordero doesn’t talk about his father publicly, until now, and chronicles his complicated history with him in Southern California, the Phillipines, and beyond. “You think you know someone, and then they talk about their family in a way that opens your eyes up to them. This was my conversation with Allan. … Continue reading #2: That One Luther Vandross Song About Fathers by Allan Axibal-Cordero
In this episode, television comedy writer Alisha Cowan (South Side) delves into her childhood in Chicago to explain her mother’s unique love of attending funerals and how it has unexpectedly defined her own adult life. “Alisha and I joke around a lot when we hang out, so I was going into this conversation thinking … Continue reading #1: Funeral Runway Fashion by Alisha Cowan
Volume One features some of the best storytellers I have the privilege of knowing, so for them to share a story that they’ve kept locked in their vaults is a treasure. What are they holding back? And why? It is a true honor that this podcast is the chosen platform for these storytellers to share … Continue reading Volume 1 Preview. Please Enjoy.