Category Archives: International

20: Island Hopping: U.S. Virgin Islands



We’re back with a new “island hopping” episode that was recorded prior to community spread of COVID-19 in the United States, so please forgive any mentions of “Corona” in this episode – we’re referring to the beer! Dean and Tom are on location in the U.S. Virgin Islands to explore features and culture in St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, and to sip great rum. Plus, find out what makes driving in the USVIs different than anywhere else in the United States. In these trying times, we invite you to grab a beer, to relax on a virtual beach with us, and to enjoy.
Listen today to “island hop” with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.
Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

19: Which Body Part’s Itchy?



In this episode, Dean and Tom scratch away at cultural associations related to itchy noses, itchy palms, and itchy feet around the globe – so keep that hydrocortisone handy! Plus, all-time fan-favorite segment Grammar Time makes its return, and soon-to-be all-time fan-favorite segment Recap Time makes its first appearance. And of course, our friends at Licensing pop in once again to give Dean and Tom a rough time!

Subscribe today! Itching to ask Dean and Tom about the meaning of your itchy body part in the country you’re traveling to? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


Happy New Year! Special Reissue



Happy New Year! As we close out 2019, we didn’t want to leave you old in the cold when it came to exploring New Year’s traditions around the world. Therefore we’re reissuing our New Year’s episode, Shoes & Argentinian Pink Underwear, from March 22nd 2018.

Dean and Tom begin reveling in New Year’s traditions (with a bowl of, yes, pink underwear) at 21:43, though feel free to begin from the start as they wade into shoe protocol in the home as well. Enjoy, and we’ll be back soon with new episodes in 2020!

Subscribe before midnight! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


18: Island Hopping: New Zealand



We’re back with a special “island hopping” episode: between the North and South Islands of New Zealand! Dean and Tom dive into Dean’s recent travels along the stunning TranzAlpine railway, and to the hub of extreme adventure activities in Queenstown on the South Island (where Dean may or may not have bungee jumped in the nude). Then, they visit the All Blacks rugby team and the haka, as well as cultural dynamics between ancestral Europeans and the Maori, the indigenous people of Aotearoa (Maori for New Zealand). Like the flightless kiwi bird – an icon of New Zealand – you’ll want to stay grounded in this episode!
Listen today to “island hop” with Dean and Tom! Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.
Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

17: Do You Believe In Magic?



In this episode, Dean and Tom explore magical thinking across cultures, conjuring up the origins of good luck charms while clutching their rabbit’s foot, knocking on wood, and spitting to ward off the evil eye. They also dive into how and why myth-making, from Harry Potter to Groundhog Day to Loch Ness, appeals to so many of us across cultures – but not before our friends at Licensing return to cut off Dean’s rendition of “Do You Believe In Magic?”. Listen and enjoy now before this episode goes *poof*!

Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


16: Who Died?



Don’t fear the reaper, dear listeners! In this journey along the River Styx, Dean and Tom explore how death is celebrated across cultures: from the joyous customs of Mexico’s Day of the Dead and Irish wakes, to the burning of papier-mâché effigies during East Asia’s Ghost Festival and of wooden pyres in India’s Varanasi, and so much more. We know you’re dying to hear this episode, so listen and enjoy now before moving on to the next realm!

Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


15: Sorry?



We’re very (not) sorry to say that Dean and Tom are talking apologies across cultures, particularly in the U.K. and East Asia, in this episode. Also, Producer Torin brings in a recent New York Times article about apologetic tweets from British railway companies (sorry if you missed the article), while Dean and Tom chat about how the train system in New York doesn’t seem to want to apologize for anything. (Sorry, New York!)

Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


14: What’s In A Name? (Part 2 of 2)



Dean and Tom are back from a hiatus to continue exploring the creation and use of names across the globe: this time, in Latin America, Germany, the Middle East, India, and New Zealand. They also honor honorifics, epitomize eponymous names, and generate their genealogy – all while butchering or mastering “The Name Game,” depending on your interpretation! Lincoln lincoln bo-bincoln, bo-nana fanna fo-fincoln…

Subscribe today! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

…Fee-fi mo-mincoln, Lincoln!

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


13: What’s In A Name? (Part 1 of 2)



In this first episode of 2019, Dean and Tom apply a cultural lens to Shakespeare’s classic question: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose; by any other name would smell as sweet!” After leaving their mohel in the back seat of a car (per this commercial), they begin to explore the creation and use of first names, family names, and nicknames across the globe: in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Iceland. Stay tuned for their continued exploration of names around the world in Part 2!

Subscribe today to ensure that Part 2 arrives promptly in your feed. In the meantime, have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


12: Gift-Giving: Tips & Taboos



’Tis the season for giving gifts around the world, and for our final episode of 2018! This episode, Dean and Tom present you with tips for giving culturally-appropriate gifts in the U.S., Europe, and East Asia, along with plenty of taboos to avoid as well. For instance, you’ll learn how to give money to a friend on their birthday in New Orleans, whether to give someone an even or odd number of flowers in Europe, and why giving a colleague four clocks in a white box is not exactly the best idea in China (12:00, 33:30, 38:40). While we’re wrapping things up (nicely, we hope) for 2018, we’ll be back soon with even more episodes in 2019. Bonne année à tous nos amis!

Subscribe today to ensure that the gift of new episodes arrives promptly in your feed in 2019. In the meantime, have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach out on Twitter and Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com