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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*!

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Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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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!

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Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com

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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

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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

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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

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’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

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“Let’s talk about sex, ba-by”…around the world! Dean and Tom dive into cultural perceptions and behaviors around touching, nudity, and sex (sort of) in this episode, answering questions like: How many air kisses can a visitor to Brazil expect during a traditional greeting there? (4:03) In East Asia or the Middle East, to what degree is touching in public permitted between those of the same gender versus those of different genders? (22:22) Why is it that nudity is more liberally expressed in France or Italy or Sweden than in the U.S.? (27:40) So sink back into your chair on a nude beach, or wherever you are right now, and enjoy!

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

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Don’t despair, dear listeners! While the days may be getting shorter, Dean and Tom are back to boost your spirits in this episode as they “island hop” from incredible Iceland to majestic Malta (5:20). Along the way, they explore the world’s first parliament, eat rancid shark, and get their passports stamped in an apartment house that’s also a sovereign state (15:40, 23:30, 39:05)!

Listen today to “island hop” with Dean and Tom, and subscribe to hear all 10 episodes thus far! 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

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In this episode, Dean and Tom hop across the pond to explore cultural differences between the U.K. and the U.S.! The two begin with some surprisingly different customs between the two countries, like how Britons order two pints in a pub (a.k.a. two beers in a bar) versus how U.S. Americans use forks and knives inefficiently while eating (7:50). Next, they dive into an extended round of “Grammar Talk” to parse out some scary differences in English on both sides of the pond: for instance, should Tom ask for a “bathroom” or a “loo,” compliment a “fanny pack,” or eat “spotted dick” (19:35, 28:30, 37:00)?? Finally, the two chat about the royals in light of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent wedding, and why perhaps U.S. Americans care about the royal family at all (35:25). Don’t get your “knickers in a twist” waiting in the “queue” for this episode to drop; listen and enjoy today!

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:43 — 34.6MB) | Embed

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