Eric tries to summarize his incredible year in Japan. Topics include the Holocaust, Jesus the Hymie, Japanese wedding culture, sex with soup and religious listening habits. To anyone who's ever listened to any of the episodes and everyone who's helped make my experience in Japan so wonderful, どうもありがとうございました!!! (Domo arigatou gozaimashita!!!)
Episode 33: 1960s Culture/Grateful Dead Lecture
Eric guest lectures about the Grateful Dead and 1960s American history at Osaka University for a group of Japanese linguistics students. Stay tuned to the end for an acoustic performance of 3 Grateful Dead songs in Japanese from Takakazu Sasaki and Chee Sukegawa of the Warlocks of Tokyo. Special Guest: Ashlyn Moehle
Episode 32: GUEST Corey Mintz
In this extra-special, blockbuster, live-from-Osaka episode, Eric talks to his friend Corey Mintz, co-founder of the New York Pizza Project, along with return guest Adam Rubin (without his own microphone, hence the low audio levels) about the perfect slice of pizza, Andy Richter, Japanese eggs, the amount of weird white people in Japan, Eric's Japanese language skills, "getting spiked," and what it's like to go out with Eric in Osaka. Buy Corey's pizza book when it comes out in April, and buy Adam's books now.
Episode 31: ROR Comedy
Eric plays selections from a recent stand-up comedy performance by Osaka's gaijin comedy geniuses ROR Comedy. That's R. O. R. Comedy. Not LOL, but ROR. Clips from Rodney Smith, Tom Law, Edd Daggers and previous guest Tony Romani.
Episode 30: GUEST Phil Crouse
Eric talks to his friend Phil Crouse, the Diddy of artisanal beverages, about the making of the podcast, Zima and Eric's (mostly silent) protest against Japanese food website tabelog, and Eric recounts his epic hippie-fied Japanese business card presentation.
Episode 29: GUEST Brian Turner
Eric talks to his friend and confidant Brian Turner, a freelance producer whose work can be viewed at btonset.com, about Thanksgiving in Japan, Pittsburgh pizzerias, making commercials in Japan, snake shochu, and the Japanese jam band Big Frog.
Episode 28: Special Guest, Rakugo, Haiku
Eric finally brings on an oft-requested special guest, addresses some new issues that have come to light, discusses his experience watching the Japanese art of rakugo storytelling, and shares some haikus from Kobayashi Issa.
Episode 27: GUEST Danyk Jason Amyot
Eric talks to his friend Danyk Jason Amyot of Osakan rock band Union Trouble about Gypsies, IJing, the 5 linguistic reactions and what it's like being married to a Japanese woman. http://www.uniontrouble.com https://soundcloud.com/uniontrouble Special Guest: previous guest Ashlyn Moehle. https://soundcloud.com/theoracleashlyn
Episode 26: GUEST Rafi Kohan
Eric talks to his friend Rafi Kohan of the New York Observer about sports talk radio, #SeanandRach, Love Hotels, raw chicken, cod ejaculate, and smeared feces.
Episode 25: GUEST Colin Pigott
Eric talks to his friend Colin Pigott about cats, vacuuming, Nashville, EDM, the Fuji Rock Festival, and the iPhone 6.
Episode 24: GUEST Tim Love
Eric talks to his English friend Tim Love about online dating, the English countryside, jazz, American football and Denki Bran liquor from Kamiya Bar.
Episode 23: GUEST Brad Griffith
Eric talks to his friend, author Brad Griffith (@griffithpublish on Twitter), about recently enacted Colorado legislation, Linda Tripp, partying in Osaka, living in Toyama, and the pressure to conform in Japan. Buy Brad's books on Amazon.
Episode 22: More Updates
Eric talks about the last few months at work, addresses the potential Asian bread conspiracy, and closes with more haiku.
Episode 21: GUEST Tony Romani
Eric talks to his friend Tony Romani about Cornell University, calico cats, teaching English in Japan, and the Japanese fascination with bowel movements.
Episode 20: GUEST Ashlyn Moehle
Eric talks to his friend Ashlyn Moehle, a resident of Japan for 6 years and counting, about Japanese culture, July 4th, and Judaism in small town Texas, and learns how to curse in Japanese.
Episode 19: GUEST Jeremy
Eric talks to his friend and colleague Jeremy about homogeneity, the 1990s, pedestrian's rights, movie promos, future business opportunities, and chameleons.
Episode 18: GUEST Joel Walsh
Eric talks to his journalist friend Joel Walsh (@nwajoel) of the Northwest Arkansas Times about the city of Fayetteville, Jews, Razorbacks, and Japanese media. Joel's work for the NWA Times can be found here.
Episode 17: Japanese Comedy/Variety Show
Eric talks about a Japanese comedy and variety show called Hakurai 2014 that he recently saw at a Yoshimoto theater.
Episode 16: GUEST Jonathan Zale
Eric talks to his friend Jonathan Zale about Japanese supremacy and dominance, Josef Mengele, Harvey Fierstein, sunglasses, and leukemia.
Episode 15: GUEST Dan
Eric talks to his friend Dan about white privilege, the state of the American public education system, "cherryboys," and Japanese right wingers.