The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

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 Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down in person with artist and recurring guest Brian Huang, visiting from Canada for the Viet Film Festival. After a night of raising thousands of dollars for the festival through donated origina...

What does it mean to experience love across 20 years of incarceration, social change, and personal evolution? In this returning episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with Dr. Thao Ha to discuss the release of her debut memoir, Love Letters to the Dirty South. Thao shares the real-life story behind her first love, Vu, a charismatic young man from Houston's 1990s stree...

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 studio veteran Derek Powell, former executive at Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. Derek provides a rare insider look at how major Hollywood studios analyzed, entered, and structured distribution deals in emerging Asian markets like Ch...

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, Ken sits down with Walter Muneton, long-serving trustee for the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education. Raised in Garden Grove’s Buena Clinton neighborhood by Mexican immigrant parents, Walter shares his journey from an introv...

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 industry? In this episode, Ken sits down with Julia Vu, founder and CEO of the event community. Julia shares her 11-year journey in experiential marketing—from organizing campus events at UC Riverside to producing high-budget corporate experienc...

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? In this episode, Ken sits down with saxophonist, producer, and film composer Antran (@antransax). Daughter of legendary Vietnamese saxophonist Trần Mạnh Tuấn, Antran shares her unique musical trajectory, from absorbing jazz standards by osmos...

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 sit-down at the Viet Film Festival inside the Bowers Museum, host Kenneth Nguyen reunites with actor, director, and industry icon Dustin Nguyen (21 Jump Street, Warrior, Dope Thief, Superfakes). Recorded as Dustin received the festival's...

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 sit-down at the Viet Film Festival inside the Bowers Museum, host Kenneth Nguyen reunites with actor, director, and industry icon Dustin Nguyen (21 Jump Street, Warrior, Dope Thief, Superfakes). Recorded as Dustin received the festival's...

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 Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with Loan Nguyen, candidate for Westminster City Council (District 4). Loan shares the pivotal moment that triggered her campaign: witnessing the city council's controversial decision to add a &#34...

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 sits down with Hieu Nguyen—a social worker with over 20 years of mental health experience, co-founder of Viet Rainbow of Orange County (VROC), and candidate for Garden Grove City Council (District 4). Hieu discusses his journey from immigrat...

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 Tina Pham—a former MMA fighter, personal trainer, and actor turned stand-up comedian based in Vancouver, Canada. Tina opens up about the deep childhood dynamics, family trauma, and personal turning points that shaped her drive for raw honesty a...

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 episode, Ken sits down in San Francisco with Viet (Mr. Gao), owner of Mr. Gao and Venticello/Ventre. Known across social media for his bold personality, luxury dishes, and $41 bowl of Phở, Viet opens up about the deeply personal backstory he rarely...

How do we honor our parents' refugee history while fighting for local policy, rent control, and political representation? In this episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with Tracy La, founder and Executive Director of VietRise and candidate for the Garden Grove School Board. Years after first meeting at an Oregon symposium on the 50th anniversary of the war, Kenneth a...

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, Ken sits down with Philadelphia-based writer, camera assistant, and filmmaker Nick Huynh. Nick shares his journey growing up in Northern Virginia, getting his start in theater at George Mason University, grinding through camera department rol...

How did family remittances, refugee history, and Little Saigon business shape the long road toward reconciliation? In this episode, Ken sits down with long-time friend Phu Nguyen—Coast Community College District Trustee, community advocate, and member of the historic Hoa Phat family. Phu shares his family’s harrowing journey leaving Vietnam by boat in 1981, being rescued by the Chinese military at...

How does inherited trauma drive our deep obsession with history, identity, and cultural preservation? In Part 2 of this conversation, Ken sits down with Columbia University archaeologist Prof. Nam C. Kim to explore the deep psychological and cultural connection between trauma, passion, and heritage. Kenneth and Nam discuss how family displacement during the Cold War and the 1975 refugee exodus sha...

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 with Columbia University archaeologist Prof. Nam C. Kim to explore the history, science, and cultural evolution of tooth blackening (nhuộm răng đen) in ancient and modern Vietnam. Joined by special guest artist and tattoo historian Andy Hori Tr...

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 Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen sits down with acclaimed music producer FrancisGotHeat (Francis Nguyen-Tran). Francis shares his journey of growing up in Toronto as the youngest of six children in a musical refugee family, turnin...

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 sits down with British basketball coach and creator Rob Newson. Arriving in Vietnam in 2011 to coach international school programs, Rob quickly set out to learn the language—a decision that unlocked unique cultural connections and led him to b...

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 sit down with President and CEO Dr. Sean O'Harrow. Born in France, raised in Hawaii, and educated at Harvard, Sean is the son of a prominent American professor of Vietnamese language and a French-Vietnamese mother. Sean shares his personal...

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 Derek Powell, an Air Force Academy graduate, former corporate executive, and board member of the Amerasian Coalition. Born in Cần Thơ, Vietnam in 1971 to a Vietnamese mother and a Black American Air Force serviceman, Derek shares his journey o...

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 episode of The Vietnamese Podcast, host Kenneth Nguyen reunites with Columbia University professor John D. Phan to launch a new sub-series exploring the origins, myths, and evolution of iconic Vietnamese heroes (anh hùng). Focusing on Hai Bà Tr...

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 Phạm). Trained at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music and currently studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Trí shares his journey from listening to Japanese fusion and rock to discovering the deep lineage of Bebop, Hard...

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 Kenneth Nguyen reunites with Sophie Baojiang, co-founder of Mommy & Me Vietnamese and daughter of the creators behind the iconic 1990s Vietnamese children's media company Thế Hệ Trẻ. Sophie opens up about growing up inside the family's...

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. Following his recent retirement from the University of Southern California (USC) after 28 years, Viet opens up about the realities of higher education, the corporate mechanics of major universities, and the psychological freedom of stepping...