What's Eating Chuck? A Podcast with His #1 Phan: Recent Episodes
Chuck & His #1 Phan
Every now and then, Chuck needs to talk things through with his "#1 Phan." Equal parts therapy and indulgent absurdity, "What's Eating Chuck?" is a podcast about race, culture, politics, art, family - often all in one episode.
We, um, really seem to be into Wednesday Addams, especially Christina Ricci's iconic performance in the early 90s. Yet does the new Netflix series featuring a new actress hold up enough for us to support the latest adaptation into everyone's favorite goth family?
Apparently it was enough for us to finish the first season. Chuck and His #1 Phan talk about their love of Wednesday and whether they'll be back for Season 2.
(snap snap)
Photo credit: @hanavbara
To put it bluntly, Chuck and His #1 Phan are not into crypto. To them, the tech might be cool, but the culture and recurring downfalls all resemble the chaotic, destructive cycles of multi-level marketing (MLMs), targeting susceptible people who are all looking to get rich quickly. Somehow, this episode goes pretty deep into Chuck's confusing experiences with Asian women on dating apps and their apparent obsession with crypto. We hope you invest wisely out there.
If you are a "crypto bro," enjoy and come fight us later. You can find us on the blockchain or whatever. Crypto is suck.
There's no simple way to put it: Chuck is a football ("soccer") fan, so much so that he got his #1 Phan to become one, too. This year's World Cup in Qatar, however, has left them both with a uncomfortable feeling, even pushing them to the point of refusing to engage beyond the bare minimum of highlights and score updates. How did these ball-kicking fanatics go from live matches and even practice sessions to ... an overdeveloped sense of wokeness to the corruption of FIFA and its partnering nations?
This episode is for football fans ... but also for those who ascribe towards a better standard for humanity. Enjoy!
After two months, Phan finally finishes playing the FINAL FANTSY VII: REMAKE on PS5, and ... he has a lot of questions. Turns out, Chuck is a FF7 since it first came out in 1997, and he wants to know what his #1 Phan thinks about the latest endeavor to grab cash in exchange for a presumably upgraded experience. This episode is for Final Fantasy fans of all generations and whether the future looks bright for the franchise.
They pretty much talk about Tifa Lockhart the whole time. Enjoy!
Content references:
- What's Eating Chuck #16
- FF7: Advent Children
- The Cloud Song
Is it time for Chuck and His #1 Phan to grow up? As one of us are "42 going on 24," we contemplate our tendency to act young and foolish over resign ourselves to boring, bitter adulthood. This episode is entirely done in cosplay in honor of Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. We're really planting our feet into this issue.
"The wind may howl all it wants, but the mountain cannot bow to it."
- A wise Asian dude
Chuck & His #2 Phan started this podcast during a difficult time in the world, but now that things are returning to "normal" - what does life look like for each of them? Will it ever be the same again, or are they going to have to figure out ways to move on. Nor more bowling alleys and arcades? The end of buffets? The rise of pickleball (and diva attitudes that come with it?)
Many callbacks to past episode here. The train is never on the rails, so we'll just have to suplex it into shape. Some people get it.
Food is very important to Chuck and His #1 Phan (technically, it's important to everyone, but bear with us). Despite raised by families who pride themselves in excellent, carefully prepared healthy meals, they were raised on fast food as well. In this episode, the two reminisce on their respective experiences with fast food over the years, what impact it had on their young adulthood, and how they've grown out of it.
Until, of course, the sleeper cell late-night craving kicks in....
Note: this episode is not sponsored by any fast food corporation (or anyone for that matter). Our thoughts are our own, asinine as they may be.
... or have we become too much like those spoiled brats in the West? In a rather deep and sentimental episode about guilt and entitlement, Chuck and His #1 Phan recall the moments where their parents asked them for what could easily be considered forms of "child labor," from carrying heavy objects to dangerous roof cleanings, from legal and financial counsel to ... even medical procedures? Also, after all these years, where is our lì xì (red envelope) money and our alleged "returns on investment"?
Stick around to the end of the episode: there's a surprise for one of us. =)
Chuck and His #1 Phan made it to 50 episodes ... technically. They look back to the beginning, see how much they've grown, and look forward into the future of the podcast.
Theoretically. What plays out is radically different, full of derails, interruptions, and straight up accusations on whether the co-hosts are actually up to the task of doing a podcast in this day of age.
Special thanks to Chuck's parents for "guest starring." Apologies for our lack of filial piety in that moment.
Work. Career. Success. How did ... Chuck and His #1 Phan seem to miss the mark so egregiously here? On this special episode of "What's Eating Chuck?" the old boys discuss their parents' expectations, their own aspirations, and, well, the synthesis of the two in an ongoing quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If you've ever wondered what it's like to disappoint your family but somehow make it out all right - this episode will appeal to you.
With apologies to the following groups: doctors, lawyers, side hustlers, our fanbase, our family members, and well ... even ourselves. All people who know the struggle.
Sports. We played them. We are fans of them. We have complicated relationships with them as well. Prompted by watching THE LAST DANCE on Netflix two years after it came out, Chuck and His #1 Phan reminisce about the sports they played, being the rare Asians out on the court or the field, and whether they have that "competitor's mindset" that makes other people so successful (and at what cost). In the end, how would they change the culture of sports for others to thrive and grow?
TW: some discussions of self-harm, suicide, and mental health.
This episode is hopefully brought to you someday by a short shorts-providing sponsor.
On this special episode of "What's Eating Chuck?" Chuck and His #1 Phan talk about their similar journeys growing up in the same state, wanting to get out and explore the world, and eventually returning ... likely for good. Their stories of assimilation, individualism, obligation, Californication, and opportunity as much like their ancestors' own journeys as well as the past residents of their lands ... except with a lot less dysentery.
Also, they say a lot of things in this episode that aren't exactly ... accurate. Please take their silliness in stride, especially near the end.
Chuck & His #1 Phan grew up loving the X-Men, in particular through the animated series, the arcade games, and the comics. However, looking back there was something rather ... silly and perhaps even campy about this superhero universe. Does it all hold up now, and what of the future of the X-Men in the cultural zeitgeist. We hope you listen to this episode (it appears only one of does so on a consistent basis).
K-pop is now an unstoppable force in the global cultural stage, but Chuck and His #1 Phan have been aware of it for over three decades. Now they are fans, though the #1 Phan may have gone a little far down the rabbit hole. However, what does K-Pop mean for the general Asian American experience? Does it do much to advance representation and empowerment? What about the more problematic aspects of the industry?
For those concerned about the length, well, we are sorry, sorry, sorry sorry.
Chuck and His #1 Phan wrap up AAPI Heritage Month, but it's kind of a whole deal. #1 Phan admits feeling awkward when people want to talk about it. Who started this tradition? What are we supposed to do during the month? Are we doing it properly? As educators, artists, and activities, it's a time for a lot of things, but should it only be during the month of May?
Note: one person who certainly did it right, regardless of time and place: Kiyoshi Kuromiya. More on this legend here.
Chuck and His #1 Phan take a pause every year to think about all things Vietnamese on 4/30. (On this day i 1975, the American embassy in Vietnam was overrun by North Vietnamese troops, effectively ending the years-long civil conflict while starting a long, difficult process for all parties, to say the least. A day with a complicated history (less so for Chuck), they question the burden that's on their shoulders to remember and respond effectively.
TW: war, trauma, refugee, memory, Trojan horses.
The #1 Phan recently attended Sakura-Con in Seattle, where it's been It's been over 4 years since he attended with Chuck and started a new phase of "never growing old" together. Chuck and His #1 Phan reminisce on their experience against together in cosplay, their first panel, and the "jealously" expressed when one would get more attention or go more "extra." It's a friendly competition, we hope, as the plan for their next big thing.
See you at the next con!
The #1 Phan just saw a documentary on a Canadian multi-sexual, deranged comedy troupe from the 1980s that's pure "punk rock" and shaped the humors of Chuck and special guest Kelvin in the late 1990s. What begins as a trip down memory lane turns into a deeper understanding of the Dr. Seuss Bible, the pointlessness of alien anal probing, and whether they'd do well on a Dutch game show involving identifying objects using only oven mitts.
The Kids in the Hallare legendary.
Chuck's #1 Phan wanted to share about his recent journey away from social media after decades of living a social life online. The two share their current status of our social media practices, what social media was like back in "the day" (rotary phones were mentioned at one point), and where they'd like social media to be in the future: a space where morals and ethics are considered over metrics and engagement.
John Carpenter's BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA - a tour-de-force in the very narrow category of Asian American fantasy action horror comedy - has provoked a lot of serious thought about its place in the cinematic zeitgeist among Asian Americans. Chuck and His #1 Phan grew up seeing this film repeatedly throughout their lives, yet there's always been an unsettling feeling of whether this is an artifact of cultural misappropriation ... or a misunderstood pro-Asian American masterpiece that has a lot of similarities to a story set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."
Special shout-outs
The Pig and the Lady
Anderson Le
Isaac Halasima
"Kelvin"
For ... 30 years now, Chuck and His #1 have been figure skating fans, favoring those of Asian descent for obvious reasons. From Kristi Yamaguchi to Midori Ito, Michelle Kwan to Nathan Chen, we have a lot to say about these random young upstarts who usurp their spots on the podium. This also becomes a deeper exploration of race, ethnicity, and nationality in a sport involving skates, ice, bedazzled outfits, and physics-defying spins and leaps into the air - not to mention an earnest discussion around the current doping scandal of 2022.
Listen on!
Coincidentally, Chuck and His #1 Phan are playing Hollow Knight. We try to explore the "Metroidvania" genre of gaming, exploring rich worlds with very little exposition and no guarantees for safety. Over time, however, the episode turns into a tangential soapbox about the banning of naked mice in Tennessee. We're just as confused as you are.
Come for Hollow Knight. Stay for the ... unexpected twists and turns we make.
Chuck and His #1 Phan are big practitioners of Tết (a.k.a. Lunar New Year, commonly known as Chinese New Year if you're Sinocentric). However, they often wonder if they're doing it right. Should they clean their grandparents' neighbors' gravesites as well? Is it okay to gamble your entire lì xì fortune on a deer? Will our great-grandfather know what to do with the Lamborghini that we set on fire in the material world as a sacrifice? Should banh tết be squared or rounded? (There's a right answer here.)
Like all things "xe lữa ," this podcast goes off the rails. Chúc mừng năm mới, friends! Làm ăn phát tài!
Growing up, Chuck would play Resident Evil on his Playstation. His #1 Phan often came over and ... would just watch Chuck play despite his general aversion to anything affiliated with horror. What was our fascination with this series and our respective ways of engaging with it? We reflect on these strange times, long before the "Let's Play" and Twitch streaming eras and wonder ... what were we trying to feel in these moments?
We bring back our special guest Kelvin to go down memory lane once again. this time recalling films that we loved watching in our youth but ... do they still hold up today? Set your ultra-high frequency listening devices to the proper voltage before they short circuit, because boy, Tommy, you'll want to keep up with this one.
To start 2022 off properly, Chuck and His #1 Phan welcome back our brother Kelvin to talk about the one NES game they'd like to be buried with after they die. Naturally, these 8-bit enthusiasts can't contain their excitement and end up going way over time, jumping deep into the rabbit hole of games that brought them so much joy in their youth.
CW: A bit of profanity. Again, hard to contain excitement.
Chuck and His #1 Phan recall their experiences as kids who were forced into being part of the sparse immigrant Vietnamese communities of suburban Oregon, attending language school, participating in culture shows, and staying late into the night at other people's houses as their parents ate, drank, and sang karaoke. These experiences were not recalled with unequivocal nostalgia, but ... there's a silver lining to all of this, we think.
CW: physical abuse, bullying, social anxiety, alienation, strong language. (Sorry, but it had to be said.)
When Chuck and His #1 Phan aren't podcasting, they're most likely playing Rocket League, the most elegant merger of the sport of soccer and the technology of ... super-tricked out cars. What should have been a fun discussion about gaming turns into a candid half-time locker room discussion about the holes in their game and ways they can improve.
PS: After this session, they went on to win 6 games on the hardest difficulty setting. #Believe
Just a few days prior to this episode, Cowboy Bebop was cancelled on Netflix. Chuck & His #1 Phan spoke at length over our thoughts on the live-action adaptation, and now we have more. What happened? What should have happened? What is Daniella Pineda's situation? All will be discussed in as courteous of a manner we can muster.
See ya, space cowboy. Guess you not gonna carry that weight for a while...
Fun fact: Chuck and His #1 Phan are both divorced, as well as middle-aged Chinese-Vietnamese Oregonian nerds. Their journeys have been challenging on their own, but add the cultural stigmatization, learning how to date in the digital age, and the meddling of their parents, and they've clearly a lot to discuss in this very special episode of the podcast.
This episode will not be followed by the Diet Mug Root Beer Dana Carvey Show.
CW: divorce, mental health, intergenerational struggle, social acceptance, anxiety
Chuck and His #1 Phan talk about celebrating Halloween as sons of immigrants who had no idea why it was important or even worthwhile. Through their reminiscence, they recall how awkward it was to costume on a budget and gather candy that their parents saw as toxic - and yet now as adults they've kept that spirit alive. This episode is an ode to their mothers in particular for their creativity and sacrifice - "for ANY occasion."
After our episode on our thoughts on California, Chuck and His #1 Phan received a message from one of their cousins. What began as a "reaction clip" turned into a clear interest in inviting her into this episode of our podcast. We spoke for so long that it ended up being two parts. Have a listen!
For the episode of relevance: https://whatseatingchuck.buzzsprout.com/1388275/8848365-21-california-made-us-feel-weird-about-ourselves
After our episode on our thoughts on California, Chuck and His #1 Phan received a message from one of their cousins. What began as a "reaction clip" turned into a clear interest in inviting her into this episode of our podcast. We spoke for so long that it ended up being two parts. Have a listen!
For the episode of relevance: https://whatseatingchuck.buzzsprout.com/1388275/8848365-21-california-made-us-feel-weird-about-ourselves
We both saw Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings in theaters, and we loved the experience. Yet there are still some chips on our shoulders we'd like to address. Why were the expectations set so low for this film, even from its parent company? Were some of the "platonic" character developments intentional? We explore these questions and more in this episode and ultimately express nothing but pride and gratitude for everyone involved.
Also, listen to our last episode about Shang Chi here (Episode #17): https://whatseatingchuck.buzzsprout.com/1388275/8444558-17-what-s-a-shang-chi-please-take-our-money-anyway
Reacting to the latest updates from the Netflix live-action adaptation, Chuck and His #1 Phan dig deep into their years of fandom over (inarguably) the greatest anime of all time. Genre-breaking, highly influential, and still relevant well into the present, we invite you to join our crew of melancholy space bounty hunters and endure the lingering sadness of life ... together.
A few days ago, Netflix announced the new main cast of the upcoming live-action adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Super-fans of the animated series Chuck and His #1 Phan share their reactions and differ (slightly) about their expectations for how this will all play out.
Chuck wants to talk with His #1 Phan about a complicated matter within our community: at the end of a meal or a shared transaction, who pays? Does it get more complicated among class, gender, age, host vs guest, and other factors? Why do our dads seem to want to pay every time but also secretly don't mind (after much negotiation) when their sons cover the bill? We draw from history, anthropology, and personal experience... and figured out a system that works for the both of us.
In this episode, Chuck and His #1 Phan reflect on their experiences in California. They're oddly similar: all-day car trips crammed in a tiny hatchback, visiting family in Orange County and Los Angeles with very different mindsets, and this lingering feeling that they're possibly "missing out." Does that feeling still hold up now that they're middle-aged and settled in their home state of Oregon ... still? Sure, you can check in anytime you like ... but can you ever leave? Listen and share your thoughts!
In this episode, Chuck and His #1 Phan reminisce about a bizarre Saturday Night Live sketch from the mid-1990s where an American tourist (Chris Farley) accidentally participates on a wacky game show hosted by Mike Myers and competing against Alec Baldwin. The sketch would not likely hold up into today's cultural climate (arguably, it didn't hold up them), and yet even the most ornery vanguards of cultural appropriation and representation argue that this sketch is ... awesome. How do we reconcile things that are both problematic and impressive?
We explore this and more. Have a listen!
According to few sources, the Netflix live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender is potentially making some major changes from its source material. Chuck and His #1 Phan are not sure how to feel about it, especially given how much they love and appreciate the original animated series (and yes, they are also fans of the sequel, The Legend of Korra). This episode dissects some of these details and expresses strong concerns over the future of the franchise.
Chuck and His #1 Phan resume after a brief hiatus to talk about a recent hit animated series on Amazon Prime called INVINCIBLE. Starring Steven Yeun, JK Simmons, and Sandra Oh, they can't help but read into the series' distinct Asian American themes about patriarchy, immigration, alien cultures, and even .... child abuse.
TW: We talk about some very heavy, personal stuff. Yet after 500 minutes of recording, we still have each other. We hope you can relate and find a way to work through as well.
Shang-Chi is coming out later this year. We have little to no knowledge as to what it's about or ... who Shang-Chi is. But we're going to give Disney our money because of reasons discussed in this episode. Maybe ... pandering is okay as long as there's some sincerity beneath it all.
For the first time, Chuck and His #1 Phan invite a special guest: their little brother Kelvin. Even though there's a lot of anger and sadness in our community, we wanted to lighten the mood with an honest and embarrassing exploration of our virtual crushes from the video game, anime, and literature worlds. As once repressed nerds, we hid a lot of our interests from others, but now we're going to open up. A lot of brotherly ball-busting and twists and turns will ensure in what is our most joyous episode to date.
As reports of people of Asian descent getting randomly assaulted have emerged as of late. Chuck and His #1 Phan work through their emotions. Most importantly, we don't know how to talk about these issues with people who aren't directly impacted by them, i.e. non-Asian people. On this challenged episode, we talk about our respective experiences, provide a historical context, and offer some possible ways to be a proper ally during these tumultuous times.
StopAsianHate
WhoKilledVincentChin
Chuck and His #1 Phan have a similar trajectory. Alienated early on by their Vietnamese culture, they found themselves immersing in Japanese culture and language, even traveling to Japan at different stages in their life. Yet their attitudes and approaches differ greatly as well. Where do they stand now with respect to the complex beauty of the Land of the Rising Sun?
After months of patience, Chuck saw MINARI, starring Steven Yeun and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. They follow up from their expectations from the trailer months ago. Is it as dramatic as we originally thought? Were the antagonists "racist" enough? Does it deserve all the award recognition it's getting (and does that really matter? Special thanks to SAAFF (saaff.org) and the Hawaii International Film Festival (hiff.org) for providing us with early access to the film.
January 6, 2021 was a tragic day for Americans, including newer ones like the families of Chuck and His #1 Phan. Some wondered why there was a yellow flag with red stripes waved alongside others such as the Confederate, QAnon, pro-Trump, and other radical right symbols. We explain why carrying that flag among domestic terrorists is completely disgraceful to us and the broader Vietnamese community.
Chuck and His #1 Phan get even realer. Topics covered: the tendency for American cinema to express racist humor through other BIPOC voices, is "Mulan II" worth a watch or just direct-to-DVD soulless cash grab, the lack of respect towards traditional cultural symbols, a hypothetical pitch to "Disney China" about a non-Hamilton story based on the American revolution, and whether we should be cautiously optimistic or prudently cynical? This one is available on "all the networks!" #fourseasonstotallandscaping
When Chuck and His #1 Phan saw the animated Mulan film back in 1995, they were big fans (for the most part). This latest entry from the Disney live-action remake engine had them scratching their heads at the best of times and flipping over tables in anger at the "blurst" of times. Chuck might have a super-nerdy solution to enjoying this live-action, but his Phan is not convinced. This conversation will be released in two parts. Tranquil as the forest, but a fire within, folks.
This holiday season will be a difficult one for many people. For Chuck and His #1 Fan, it's often difficult every year. They discuss Christmas spirit, Vietnam stories, Marxist commodity fetishism, and the importance of generosity and family. This one is a long one, but there's a happy ending ... we think.
In their darkest hour as Star Wars fans, Chuck and his #1 Phan find hope in watching the recent LEGO special that came out on Life Day. Would they have enjoyed it if they didn't watch either the prequel or the sequel trilogy? Even though the dark side can be seductive in its ways of luring wide-eyed people into a false sense of righteousness, there's so much out there to love that there's really no place for hate. Listen to these nerds go at it.
In a loaded effort to explain the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, Chuck and his #1 Phan continue their explore their respective fandoms. The Sequel Trilogy offered some hope after their shared disdain for the Prequel Trilogy, but new fissures emerge . They confront an argument they had in 2015 about The Force Awakens and re-visit their divergent thoughts on The Last Jedi. After some re-calibration, Chuck and his #1 Phan find they have much more in common than they thought. One they can easily agree on: Kelly Marie Tran is our queen.
Chuck and his #1 Phan had a strong reaction to the recently released Star Wars LEGO Holiday Special. What began as a light-hearted attempt at a podcast turned into an epic of its own. In this first chapter, they set the context for their reaction by talking about the origins of their shared yet notably distinct approaches to Star Wars fandom, going from wide-eyed Jedi wannabes to disillusioned young adults. It only gets more intense from here.
Unlike other Asian-American groups, Vietnamese-Americans lean politically conservative. Chuck and His #1 Phan do not, and it's screwing up their holiday plans and their future relationships with their loved ones. This could all be a moot point because they're supposed to stay in and avoid the pandemic, but there's enough activity on social media to trigger a squadron of water buffalo. This episode is long - and it could have been longer.
The trailer to Disney's "Raya and the Last Dragon" dropped recently, and Chuck and His #1 Phan have a lot of feels: excitement, anxiety, concern, skepticism, and ultimately ... optimism? Here us revisit our past thoughts on cultural appropriation, plagiarism done right(?), and whether or not we welcome our Mickey Mouse monopolistic overlords.
Chuck saw this image on Reddit and wanted to talk about it. Just under 30 minutes later, we examine our own biases and re-visit ongoing conversations about cultural appropriation and where we're at as of late with the so-called "rules of engagement" on such sensitive matters.
Chuck texted his #1 Phan in the morning to express how he was emotionally impacted by the release of the trailer to MINARI, starring Steven Yeun. Hours later, they got together to talk about the trailer and upcoming film and how it relates to their own struggles. Things get emotional for the first episode ever of this podcast.
They discuss the peculiar case of ethnic group representation in film and their sense of belonging, place, and responsibility - which might just be the whole point of MINAMI. The challenge of building empathy is not just a geographic burden, but a longitudinal one. Let's start with the generation above us first.