Episodes

  • Why is my tita wishing me Merry Christmas in August?

    Why is my tita wishing me Merry Christmas in August?
    Dec 20 2022
    Jim finds out why Christmas is such a big deal in Filipino culture, and why the festive season kicks off before summer ends. Jim will try to crack this yuletide mystery with the help of his guide to all things pinoy - his mom Yolanda.
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    49 mins
  • Am I still a bad Filipino, Lola?

    Am I still a bad Filipino, Lola?
    Aug 10 2021
    Jim’s family history is the quintessential immigration story of hard work, sacrifice, and some heartache. Jim’s mission to recover his Filipino identity comes full circle in a call with his lola in the Philippines. Did he finally make his grandma proud?
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    27 mins
  • How is Filipino life like a boxing match?

    How is Filipino life like a boxing match?
    Aug 3 2021
    Manny Pacquiao is the pride of the Philippines. He rose from poverty to become, arguably, the greatest boxer of all time. How did an ‘underdog’ mentality fuel the nation’s boxing supremacy? Jim gets into the ring to reveal how boxing changed his life.
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    28 mins
  • Isn’t karaoke supposed to be fun?

    Isn’t karaoke supposed to be fun?
    Jul 27 2021
    Karaoke is often considered the Philippines' national pastime, but, as Jim learns, it’s not always a recipe for good times. What one karaoke song has brought singers to fisticuffs, and worse? Meet a singer whose karaoke performances led her to Broadway.
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    26 mins
  • Ouch… Why couldn't I have a debut?

    Ouch… Why couldn't I have a debut?
    Jul 20 2021
    Jim gets real about Filipino rites of passage. It’s tuli (male circumcision) vs debut (a mega-party for girls). Jim's dad shares his "old school" tuli experience; Jim discovers a toxic masculinity connection; and relives his cousin Jerilyn's epic debut.
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    28 mins
  • Why does mom keep giving me packets of rice and salt?

    Why does mom keep giving me packets of rice and salt?
    Jul 13 2021
    Filipinos take their superstitions seriously. But why? Jim taps his fellow pinoys for their superstition stories. He discovers how Catholicism and folklore intersect. And Jim’s mom lives up to her title as the family’s reigning superstition queen.
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    28 mins
  • Why do they always give me leftovers?

    Why do they always give me leftovers?
    Jul 6 2021
    Filipino feasts are legendary. No special occasion necessary. The spreads are epic and no one goes home empty-handed. But as Jim finds out there’s more to it than just hospitality. He also recounts his own saga with near starvation.
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    28 mins
  • Do we really need to finish the bottle?

    Do we really need to finish the bottle?
    Jun 29 2021
    Jim dips into his own family lore to understand the Tagay ritual - taking shots until the bottle is empty. Meet a mixologist infusing Filipino flair into cocktail culture. And Jim has an overdue conversation with his mom about his struggles with alcohol.
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    28 mins