Shows / The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen
Being a part of the Vietnamese culture of over 100 million people comes with plenty of history, privilege, honor, and not to mention painful challenges. Join Kenneth Nguyen as he spotlights Vietnamese experience from around the world! Each podcast episode explores the creative process of individuals shaping the diversity of what it means to be Vietnamese--as a local, born and raised, or as a third culture kid. Gain insight on the divisions that separate us politically and culturally. This…
Episodes
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen558 - Can You Make A Living As An Artist Without Selling Out To Social Media Algorithms? - Can Nguyen
How do you bridge the gap between pure artistic passion and the harsh reality of making a living as a creative? In this episode, Ken sits down with Can Nguyen…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen557 - Is Vietnamese Food Quietly Killing You? - Wilson Du
What happens when a high-flying 34-year-old living the fast life suddenly crashes into end-stage kidney failure? In this episode, Ken sits down with Wilson Du…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen556 - What Happened When Her Vietnamese Parents Found Out She Beats Men For Money? - Thea X
What leads a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant to reject cultural expectations and become a professional Dominatrix in Prague? In this episode, Ken sits…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen555 - Is Bridging Our Divided Community Actually Worth It? - Brian Nguyen
Can we break through the noise of identity politics, red-baiting, and online division to find real common ground in Little Saigon? In this episode, Ken sits…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen554 - Why Is A Progressive Millennial Lawyer Fighting So Hard To Save The South Vietnamese Flag? - Tracy Nguyen
How do we navigate the deeply divided politics of Little Saigon without erasing our history or attacking each other? In this episode, Ken sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen553 - Will AI Slop Actually Make Real Human Art More Valuable? - Brian Hoang
Does the rise of AI-generated content destroy commercial art—or does it actually skyrocket the value of real human creativity? In this returning episode of The…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen552 - Why Would A PhD Professor Risk Her Career For A Man Serving 60 Years In Prison? - Thao Ha
What does it mean to experience love across 20 years of incarceration, social change, and personal evolution? In this returning episode of The Vietnamese…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen551 - How Did Hollywood Studios Cracked the Vietnamese Film Market? - Derek Powell
How did Vietnam's theatrical film market grow from an era of 100% pirated DVDs to over $200 million in box office revenue? In this episode, Ken sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen550 - What Can A Social Worker See That Traditional Politicians Completely Miss? - Walter Muneton
What does it take to govern a diverse school district like Garden Grove Unified when you come from the very neighborhood you now represent? In this episode…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen549 - Why This Multi-Million Dollar Event Producer Left Google To Throw Parties? - Julia Vu
How does an event producer behind multi-million dollar experiences for Google and Jack Morton transition into building an AI-driven platform for the event…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen548 - Is There A "Secret Sauce" Missing From Vietnamese Jazz? - An Tran
What is it like growing up literally above a jazz club in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, and taking those roots to Idlewild Arts and Berklee College of Music?…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen547 - Why Is Dustin Nguyen Still Optimistic After 40 Years In Hollywood? - Dustin Nguyen
What keeps a veteran actor and director driven after 40 years navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood and the Vietnamese film industry? In this third-round…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen546 - Why Did The "Charlie Kirk" Street Sign Push A 35-year Resident Into Politics? - Loan Nguyen
What pushes an ordinary resident and 35-year community member to step into the tumultuous arena of Westminster city politics? In this episode of The Vietnamese…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen545 - Can A Social Worker Rebuild Garden Grove Without Political Drama? - Hieu Nguyen
How can local politics in Little Saigon move past old red-baiting tactics to focus on infrastructure, human rights, and community safety? In this episode, Ken…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen544 - How Did This MMA Fighter Turn Into A Stand-up Comedian? - Tina Pham
What drives a martial artist trained at Montreal’s legendary TriStar Gym to step onto a comedy stage and bare her soul? In this episode, Ken sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen543 - What If Charging $41 For Pho Is The Key To Respecting Vietnamese Heritage? - Mr. Gao Viet
How does a former boat refugee who lived in a jungle refugee camp for three years end up redefining premium Vietnamese dining in San Francisco? In this…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen542 - Why Is Talking About Vietnamese History Gets You Labeled A "Communist" In Orange County? - Tracy La
How do we honor our parents' refugee history while fighting for local policy, rent control, and political representation? In this episode of The Vietnamese…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen541 - Was Grinding As A PA For 20 Years Worth It For This Vietnamese-American Screenwriter? - Nick Huynh
How does a camera assistant with 20 years in the film business transition into co-writing a feature film released by Sony Pictures Classics? In this episode…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen540 - $12 Billion A Year! Did Overseas Remittances Secretly Rebuilt Modern Vietnam? - Phu Nguyen
How did family remittances, refugee history, and Little Saigon business shape the long road toward reconciliation? In this episode, Ken sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen539 - Why Are Overseas Vietnamese Still Trapped In The Past While Vietnam Moves Forward? - Nam C Kim PT.2
How does inherited trauma drive our deep obsession with history, identity, and cultural preservation? In Part 2 of this conversation, Ken sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen538 - Why Did Ancient Vietnamese Warriors Paint Their Teeth BLACK? - Nam C Kim
Why did ancient Vietnamese communities dye their teeth black—and what did it mean about their identity, beauty, and survival? In this episode, Ken reunites…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen536 - How Did A 20-year-old Vietnamese-Canadian Producer Get A Track On A Drake Album? - FrancisGotHeat
How does a young producer from Toronto go from making beats in high school to producing for Drake, Big Sean, Eminem, Zayn, and Nicki Minaj? In this episode of…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen535 - Why Is A British Basketball Coach Fluent In Vietnamese? - Rob Newson
How does a basketball coach from the UK move to Saigon and end up speaking fluent Vietnamese? In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen534 - Is It Time For Vietnamese-Americans To Finally Drop The War Narrative? - Sean O'Harrow
How can a regional museum bridge global heritage with local diaspora communities? In this episode, Ken visits the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, to…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen533 - Why Are Children Of The Vietnam War Still Searching For Their Roots? - Derek Powell
What does it mean to bridge two distinct cultures forged during a time of war? In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen532 - What If Everything You Learned About Vietnamese National Heroes Is Wrong? - Viet Origins w. John Phan
How did two 1st-century leaders become the ultimate symbol of Vietnamese anti-colonial resistance—and how has their story changed over 2,000 years? In this…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen531 - Why Are Most "Jazz Clubs" In Vietnam Completely Missing The Point? - Tri Pham
What does it mean to be a modern Vietnamese musician in the world of jazz? In this episode, Ken sits down with jazz guitarist and composer Pham Quang Tri (Trí…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen530 - How Did She Turn A Bankrupt Family Legacy Into A 400K-Subscriber Empire? - Sophie Bao Tran
How do you honor a legendary family business after it goes bankrupt—and rebuild it for a new generation? In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen529 - Is America Already In An Irreversible Free Fall? - Viet Thanh Nguyen
What happens when an academic insider steps away from the institution? In this episode, Ken visits Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen at his home…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen528 - How Did A 23-Year-Old Vietnamese Go From Film School To Running Viral YouTube Sets? - Milky Tran
How do you build a massive online brand without losing your authentic creative voice? In this episode, Ken sits down with writer, director, actor, and content…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen527 - How Did A Ginger Become The VIP Guest At A Vietnamese Catholic Pilgrimage? - Phúc Mập Vlog
In this episode, host Ken catches up with creator and fan-favorite guest Phúc Mập to break down his recent road trip to Marian Days (Đại Hội Thánh Mẫu) in…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen526 - Why Did This Young Family Sell Their $3,000/mo Dream Home To Travel The U.S Full-time? - Cuộc Sống Di Động
What if the "American Dream" isn't a 3,000-square-foot house and a corporate job? In this episode, Ken sits down with Vu and Jenny from the popular…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen525 - Why Is Vietnam Secretly Erasing Its Iconic Street Vendor Culture? - Chris Tran Travels
Does the food we eat define our national identity—or does history make it far more complicated? In this episode, Ken catches up with creator and researcher…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen524 - How Did A 16-Year-Old Vietnamese End Up Working With Lana Del Rey's Producer? - Ella Quynh
Is the next generation of Asian-American pop-rock already here? In this episode, Ken sits down with 16-year-old high school junior, singer-songwriter, and…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen523 - Why Did Dustin Nguyen Of 21 Jump Street Vanish From Hollywood For An Entire Decade? - Dustin Nguyen
In this episode, Ken sits down for a second interview with legendary actor, director, and producer Dustin Nguyen. Dustin reflects on the turbulent chapters of…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen522 - Did Traditional Asian Parenting Accidentally Ruin Our Ability To Date As Adults? - Olapolala
In this episode, Ken sits down with returning guest Ola for a discussion on modern romance, dating app fatigue, and whether economic and cultural shifts have…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen521 - How Did A Former Army Officer Become The Bridge Between U.S. And Vietnamese Defense? - Tuan Le
In this episode, Ken sits down with Tom Le—a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army officer, and current civilian research analyst for the Defense POW/MIA…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen520 - What Does It Take To Win An Emmy? - Doan Hoang Curtis
In this episode, Ken sits down with News & Documentary Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and researcher Doan Huang Curtis. Doan reflects on her recent Emmy win for…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen519 - How Did A Math Teacher Build Vietnam’s Most Iconic Indie Music Venue? - Duc-Anh Vo (Chú Đa)
In this episode, Ken sits down with Duc Anh Vo (Chú Đa / DA), co-founder of the legendary Hanoi Rock City (HRC). DA reflects on his unique journey from…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen518 - What Happens When A 1975 Refugee Returns To Saigon 50 Years Later? - Phuc Tran
In this episode, Ken sits down with Phuc Tran—author of the acclaimed memoir Sigh, Gone—for a deeply reflective conversation about returning to Vietnam for the…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen517 - Can A Latino Leader Win The Race For Mayor In Little Saigon? - Carlos Manzo
In this episode, Ken sits down with Carlos Manzo - Westminster City Council Member (District 2) and candidate for Mayor of Westminster. Recorded live at Little…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen516 - Why a Tech VP Used A Spreadsheet To Find Love? - Olapolala
In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with Ola (Ola Polala)—a former AR/VR tech director, multi-hyphenate content creator…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen515 - Why Are There So Few Vietnamese Performers on Broadway? - Evelyn Mê-Linh
In this episode, Ken sits down with classical soprano and musical theater performer Evelyn Mê-Linh. Evelyn shares her journey from a painfully shy child in…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen514 - Why Being "Mơ Hồ" (Ambiguous) Is an Artist's Greatest Superpower? - Minh H Phan
In this episode, Ken sits down with multidisciplinary conceptual artist Minh H Phan for an expansive, deeply soulful exploration of world-building, performance…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen513 - Why Can’t AI Replace Human Writers? - Ky Phong Paul Tran
In this episode, Ken catches up with 30-year longtime friend Kiphong Paul Tran, a decorated writer, educator, 2024 Teacher of the Year winner, and deeply…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen512 - Why Are Overseas Vietnamese Chefs Suddenly Moving Back To Saigon?- Helen Nha Van
In this episode, Ken sits down with Helen Nha Van, a brilliant PhD researcher examining the political economy, class dynamics, and cultural friction underlying…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen511 - Why Was This Vietnamese Recipe Almost Lost To History? - Daniel Nguyen from Sông Cái Distillery
In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with a beloved recurring guest: Daniel, the visionary behind Son Cai Distillery. Known globally for putting…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen510 - What Happens When You Get Deported? - Danny Quach
In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with Danny Quach, a 1.5-generation Việt Kiều transplant whose sudden deportation to Vietnam became a massive…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen509 - How Did A Solo Trip To Vietnam Cure His Grief? - Randy Kim from Banh Mi Chronicles
In this episode, Ken welcomes back a regular favorite and structural pioneer of the Asian-American audio space: Randy Kim, host of the acclaimed Banh Mi…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen508 - Why Did He Leave His Perfect American Life For Vietnam? - Dao from Third Culture
In this episode, Ken sits down for a conversation with Dao, the visionary founder of Third Culture Vietnam. Dao opens up about a massive psychological…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen507 - Why Vietnamese Folklore Is Secretly A Gory Horror Story? - Kim Tran
In this episode, Ken sits down with Kim Tran, the brilliant bilingual founder of Coral Books (Vietnam) and Major Books (UK). Operating from London, Kim is…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen506 - How Did Autism Become His Superpower? - Julian Doan
In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Ken sits down for a conversation with Julian Doan, a high-impact life strategist, influencer, and top-tier…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen505 - Is Gatekeeping Destroying The Vietnamese Community Right Now? - Jason Phuc Huu Nguyen
In this episode, Ken sits down with Jason, the creative storyteller and visionary architect behind the rising brand Nguyen Dynasty. Jason pulls back the…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen504 - Why Did Vietnam’s Billionaires Study In Europe, Not America? - Thuy Duong
In this episode, Ken bridges a massive geopolitical divide to interview Thuy Duong, a 1.5-generation media creator running the highly successful Vietcast out…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen503 - Will AI Actually Erase Real Action Stars By The End Of This Decade? - Brian Le
In this episode, Ken sits down for an interview with Brian Le, the elite martial artist, actor, and fight choreographer whose work you've seen in Marvel’s…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen502 - Does Staying "Politically Correct" Ruin Your Relationship With Your Elders? - Van Tran Nguyen
In this episode, Ken sits down with artist, filmmaker, and Georgetown University Professor Van Tran Nguyen to talk about her highly anticipated film, The…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen501 - Why Did An Underground Vietnamese Rapper Leave Saigon To Start Over In California? - Cam
In this episode, Ken attempts his first-ever full episode in Vietnamese with Cam, one of the most respected and introspective voices in the Vietnamese…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen500 - P2 AMA - Is Modern Vietnamese Writing the Colonizer’s Alphabet? Viet Origins w Prof. John Phan
In this episode, Ken brings back Columbia University Professor John Phan for a deep-dive AMA responding to your comments on the history of Quốc Ngữ. John blows…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen499 - Who Is The First Vietnamese Woman Mayor of the United States? - Helena Tran
In this episode, Ken travels to the Arrowhead Country Club to sit down with Helen Tran, the historic Mayor of San Bernardino. In 2022, Helen smashed barriers…
The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen498 - What Happens To Your Mental Health When You Stop Chasing The Destination? - Thalia Tran
In this episode, Ken sits down with the multi-talented Thalia Tran. Since her last appearance, Thalia has transitioned from a teen musician to a…