sifu mimi chan / Sifu Mimi Chan

19. Ryan Watson, on training Gal Gadot for Wonder Woman

20. Wonder Woman and Girl Power Comics with Pete Kreitchet

Pete and I are back chatting comics and super heroes. We discuss the new hit film Wonder Woman starting Gal Gadot. SPOILER ALERT for those who haven’t seen the film! However, we chat all things Wonder Woman including the comics dating back to the 1940s to today. Get Pete’s recommendations on best story arcs and issues to read. The theme for this week is girl power ladies, so listen in and geek out with us as we discuss strong women in the comic book and super hero world!

18. Helena Lucia on leaving Laestadianism to save her life

What if you were taught: Reason and questioning can take our faith away, contraception is a sin, homosexuality is a sin, wearing any makeup is a sin, having a TV is a sin, however many children God gives you is what you were meant to have…. These are just a few of the teachings of Laestadianism. My conversation with Helena was a chilling, but inspiring discussion. Prior to our conversation I had never heard of Laestadianism. I now analogize the Laestadian church to the town that Kevin Bacon moved to in Footloose, except this is real, and there is no dancing at the end.

17.Pedro Cepero Yee on tradition & culture

Pedro is the owner of Yee’s Hung Ga Kung Fu in Clifton, NJ. I’ve known Pedro through the martial arts community for several years. He has studied with Master Frank Yee for the past 30 years and is an adopted son of Master Yee. He shares his story of childhood adversity that sparked his decision to become a kung fu teacher.

16. Robin Leong, a kung fu kid

Meet my friend Robin Leong and discover how he went from a kung fu kid in Seattle to a Singapore movie star. We discuss whitewashing in Hollywood, kung fu, and keeping traditions alive. Robin shares some of his philosophy on respect and the wisdom of Confucius.

15. Martha Kirby on the misconceptions of Planned Parenthood

Martha has been an active volunteer with Planned Parenthood for 10 years. She is a woman of faith, has a family, and believes in a woman’s right to choose. I sit down to talk to her about the misconceptions people have about Planned Parenthood as well as abortion. Yes, this is a controversial issue, so keep an open mind, and I hope listeners find this chat as interesting as I did, regardless of your position. As a reminder, the views expressed in this podcast are my own and do not influence my position at work or represent the Wah Lum System.

14. Indie filmmaker Aaron Yamasato on Hawaii, ninjas, and camp films

Aaron is a Japanese American Indie filmmaker from Hawaii. We met 10 years ago working on a TV show together in Hong Kong. He is one of the most fun and lighthearted guys I know. Laugh along and learn about ‘camp’ films, and the inspiration behind his critically acclaimed hit Blood of the Samurai. We had some connection issues, so I apologize for the sound. Thank you for the feedback I have been receiving and please share the podcast with one person to help get the word out. Always feel free to send me show ideas or comments to mimi@culturechatpodcast.com or on socialmedia @sifumimichan – now on with the show.

13. Hardy Kam, Michelin star

Hardy is the owner of Kam’s Roast Goose in Hong Kong. Since 1942, his family has been achieving outstanding success in the culinary world. We sit down to discuss why he has kept this tradition going, what food means to him, and how this simple no frills restaurant quickly earned the award of a Michelin Star. Warning: Do not listen to this episode if you are hungry!

12. Christopher Leps, Hollywood stuntman extraordinaire

Christopher Leps, stuntman extraordinaire. Christopher has worked in the film industry for over 20 years and has been the stunt double for Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, and worked on several major Hollywood films. He is an old friend from the Wah Lum Kung Fu family, and I have known him almost 30 years! We discuss stunt work, filmmaking, and some of our favorite films.

11. Pete Kreitchet, Comic books past, present, and future beyond Spiderman and super heroes

Pete Kretichet knows comics. I’ve known Pete for over 20 years through Wah Lum kung fu. He is my go to expert on comic book recommendations. Geek out with Pete and I on the evolution of comic book culture, good reads, and his new store Paper Asylum.

10. Bruce Richards, look down under koalas

I sit down with my new Aussie friend on board a cruise ship and we discuss the country of Australia. We chat about the outback, dying coral reefs, kicking kangaroos, and gun control. As we are on board a cruise ship, please excuse any audio issues we experienced.