Best Eric M Leventhal Podcasts (2026)

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Episode 34: Podcast Finale

Play Pause

11y ago

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Eric tries to summarize his incredible year in Japan. Topics include the Holocaust, Jesus the Hymie, Japanese wedding culture, sex with soup and religious listening habits.To anyone who's ever listened to any of the episodes and everyone who's helped make my experience in Japan so wonderful, ??????????????!!! (Domo arigatou gozaimashita!!!)…

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Episode 33: 1960s Culture/Grateful Dead Lecture

11y ago

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Eric guest lectures about the Grateful Dead and 1960s American history at Osaka University for a group of Japanese linguistics students. Stay tuned to the end for an acoustic performance of 3 Grateful Dead songs in Japanese from Takakazu Sasaki and Chee Sukegawa of the Warlocks of Tokyo.Special Guest: Ashlyn Moehle…

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Episode 32: GUEST Corey Mintz

11y ago

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In this extra-special, blockbuster, live-from-Osaka episode, Eric talks to his friend Corey Mintz, co-founder of the New York Pizza Project, along with return guest Adam Rubin (without his own microphone, hence the low audio levels) about the perfect slice of pizza, Andy Richter, Japanese eggs, the amount of weird white people in Japan, Eric's Japa…

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Episode 31: ROR Comedy

11y ago

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Eric plays selections from a recent stand-up comedy performance by Osaka's gaijin comedy geniuses ROR Comedy. That's R. O. R. Comedy. Not LOL, but ROR. Clips from Rodney Smith, Tom Law, Edd Daggers and previous guest Tony Romani.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 30: GUEST Phil Crouse

11y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Phil Crouse, the Diddy of artisanal beverages, about the making of the podcast, Zima and Eric's (mostly silent) protest against Japanese food website tabelog, and Eric recounts his epic hippie-fied Japanese business card presentation.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 29: GUEST Brian Turner

11y ago

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Eric talks to his friend and confidant Brian Turner, a freelance producer whose work can be viewed at btonset.com, about Thanksgiving in Japan, Pittsburgh pizzerias, making commercials in Japan, snake shochu, and the Japanese jam band Big Frog.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 28: Special Guest, Rakugo, Haiku

11y ago

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Eric finally brings on an oft-requested special guest, addresses some new issues that have come to light, discusses his experience watching the Japanese art of rakugo storytelling, and shares some haikus from Kobayashi Issa.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 27: GUEST Danyk Jason Amyot

11y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Danyk Jason Amyot of Osakan rock band Union Trouble about Gypsies, IJing, the 5 linguistic reactions and what it's like being married to a Japanese woman. http://www.uniontrouble.com https://soundcloud.com/uniontroubleSpecial Guest: previous guest Ashlyn Moehle. https://soundcloud.com/theoracleashlyn…

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Episode 26: GUEST Rafi Kohan

11y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Rafi Kohan of the New York Observer about sports talk radio, #SeanandRach, Love Hotels, raw chicken, cod ejaculate, and smeared feces.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 25: GUEST Colin Pigott

11y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Colin Pigott about cats, vacuuming, Nashville, EDM, the Fuji Rock Festival, and the iPhone 6.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 24: GUEST Tim Love

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his English friend Tim Love about online dating, the English countryside, jazz, American football and Denki Bran liquor from Kamiya Bar.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 23: GUEST Brad Griffith

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend, author Brad Griffith (@griffithpublish on Twitter), about recently enacted Colorado legislation, Linda Tripp, partying in Osaka, living in Toyama, and the pressure to conform in Japan.Buy Brad's books on Amazon.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 22: More Updates

11+ y ago

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Eric talks about the last few months at work, addresses the potential Asian bread conspiracy, and closes with more haiku.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 21: GUEST Tony Romani

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Tony Romani about Cornell University, calico cats, teaching English in Japan, and the Japanese fascination with bowel movements.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 20: GUEST Ashlyn Moehle

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Ashlyn Moehle, a resident of Japan for 6 years and counting, about Japanese culture, July 4th, and Judaism in small town Texas, and learns how to curse in Japanese.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 19: GUEST Jeremy

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend and colleague Jeremy about homogeneity, the 1990s, pedestrian's rights, movie promos, future business opportunities, and chameleons.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 18: GUEST Joel Walsh

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his journalist friend Joel Walsh (@nwajoel) of the Northwest Arkansas Times about the city of Fayetteville, Jews, Razorbacks, and Japanese media.Joel's work for the NWA Times can be found here.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 17: Japanese Comedy/Variety Show

11+ y ago

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Eric talks about a Japanese comedy and variety show called Hakurai 2014 that he recently saw at a Yoshimoto theater.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 16: GUEST Jonathan Zale

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Jonathan Zale about Japanese supremacy and dominance, Josef Mengele, Harvey Fierstein, sunglasses, and leukemia.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 15: GUEST Dan

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Dan about white privilege, the state of the American public education system, "cherryboys," and Japanese right wingers.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 14: Birthday Trip to Taiwan

11+ y ago

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Eric talks about his 30th birthday trip to Taiwan, including to the incredible Taroko Gorge, during the Japanese national holiday Golden Week.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 13: GUEST Adam Rubin

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his friend and NYTimes Bestselling author Adam Rubin about Japanese toilets and women, Jumanji, and karaoke, and Adam makes a plea to Eric's mom to appear on the podcast.Order Adam's new book Big Bad Bubble on Amazon! And his older books too!! And for the record, the band's name is actually AKB48 and it has 48, not 38, members.…

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Episode 12: GUEST Yoshie

11+ y ago

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Eric talks to his Japanese friend Yoshie about her many businesses and Japanese styles and grooming habits.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 11: Potpourri

11+ y ago

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Eric rambles about a smattering of subjects, including the Japanese respect for lawyers and the Japanese sense of humor.Read more on "kawaii," which means cute, and its pervasiveness in Japanese culture here.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 10: GUEST Jon Frapart

12y ago

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Eric talks to his friend Jon "La Tortuga Bonita" Frapart about being a nurse, Bruce Springsteen, and the company physical, and answers some of Jon's questions.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 9: GUEST Ryan Malleus

12y ago

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Eric talks with his friend Ryan Malleus, G4G's resident baseball expert, about his Japan celeb-filled night out and the "Curse of the Colonel."Diamond RocksRock RockLoudnessAkira TakasakiCurse of the ColonelBy Eric Leventhal

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Episode 8: Morning Ritual at Work

12y ago

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Eric takes his listener through the morning ritual at his Japanese workplace.BBC News Article from 2004 on Japanese company songs.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 7: Hadaka Matsuri

12y ago

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Eric attends the Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man Festival) in Okayama, Japan and tries to make sense of the madness.More information plus photographs here and here.By Eric Leventhal

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Episode 6: GUEST Michael Fodera

12y ago

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Eric talks with his close friend Michael Fodera, a filmmaker from Queens, NY.www.michaelfodera.comwww.lunarcypictures.comBy Eric Leventhal

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Episode 5: Bluegrass Appreciation Night

12y ago

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Eric finds out about Osaka Bluegrass Appreciation Night from his waitress at a Thai restaurant, shows up, sits in, and is truly blown away by the Japanese love for folk/country/bluegrass/Americana.Note: This one's extra special and longer than usual because the last ~8 minutes consists of recordings of several of the Japanese performers.…