The Halo Halo Podcast

Episode 112.5 - Le questionnaire de Pivot Warmup

Sigi channels James Lipton and recreates The Actors Studio with Bernard Pivot's take on the Proust Questionnaire.  Hear your co-hosts confess and confide in their favourite words, sounds that turn them off and what they would hope to hear at the Pearly Gates.  Play along with them on this vanity fair stop in their pilgrim's progress to the next main episode!
In this extra helping:
Inside The Actors Studio,
IMDb's "Battlestar Galactica",
IMDb's "The Good Place",
Difference between British, Italian and American Suits,
Bradley Cooper Remembers Back To Inside the Actors Studio

Episode 112 - Theatre, Musicals, Lea Salonga and So Much Fun!

Sigi and Jezzie have much fun this episode by paying tribute to the wonderful world of musicals, and theatre.  They reminisce down memory lane and gush over some of their favourite live theatrical performances. And Halo Halo wouldn't be complete without spotlighting a fabulous Filipino, like the incomparable Lea Salonga.  Finally, Sigi and Jezzie begin to analyze how there is depth to being part of a fun-loving people and culture.   
In the Mix this Week:
"All or Nothing's: New Zealand's All Blacks" Official Trailer,
Famous PEOPLE Players,
Fox's "Rent: Live",
"Cats the Musical" Official Website,
Stratford Festival,
Shaw Festival,
Wicked the Musical,
Spring Awakening | Musical,
"33 Variations" Wikipedia Entry,
"Avenue Q",
"Miss Saigon" Official Website,
Lea Salonga Official Website,
"Here Lies Love" Wikipedia Entry,
Lighthouse Festival Theatre production of "Prairie Nurse",
Carlos Bulosan Theatre,

Episode 111.5 - The Whole Package and More

Somewhere in the multiverse, your Halo Halo podcasters would most likely be known as the Pandesal Boys.  Find out, in this warmup, what the signature drink of Jezzie and Sigi would be, and how they would curate a spa package just for you.  Discover what goes in a Sigi blizzard as well how to construct a Jezzie sandwich.   Finally, hear them contemplate what menu items they would serve in their foodtruck and who their audience might be.
In this extra helping:
Moscato D'Asti,
Brandy's and Monica's "The Boys is Mine" ,
Dairy Queen's Blizzard,
Le Nordique Spa Mont Ste-Anne,
IMdB's "Vampire Diaries" entry,

Episode 111 - The Comedians and Mixed Culture Couples

Sigi and Jezzie celebrate their love of standup comedians by surveying some of their favourite Asian comedians.  In the mix this week, they examine the pioneering genius of Margaret Cho, along with her heir apparent, Ali Wong.  They also discuss the promise of up-and-coming comics Ronny Chieng and JR De Guzman.  No review of comics on the Halo Halo Podcast would be complete without Jo Koy being mentioned.  
 
As they speak of their love of comedy, they also speak of their love of their partners and being in a mixed culture relationship.  They reflect on the ironies that emerge from being in such relationships, and the patience and associated responsibility that is subsequently required when trying to explain Filipino customs and values to their partners.
 
In the Mix this Week:
Bar and Bat Mitvah,
IMDB's "The Office",
"Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" Trailer,
Rice Queen,
Mano (gesture) or pagmamano

Episode 110.5 - Firsts

First cars; First jobs; First trips; First plane rides; First email addresses; First concerts; and First pets.  Guess which co-host, in this warmup, owned a dodge neon and which co-host fondly remembers Collingwood before it reached chalet town status in Ontario.  Which co-host had an email address with speakerdancer as it's handle and which co-host snuck out to see his first concert.  And finally, who named their first pet Salinger and which co-host worked, as his first job, in the garment district?  
In this extra helping:
Mister Leonards,
1981 Oldsmobile Cutlas Supreme,
1994 Oldsmobile Achieva,
1986 Philippine Presidential "Snap" Election,
Town of Collingwood,
The Virgin Tour,
Milli Vanilli: The Biggest Hoax in Music History,
J.D. Salinger entry in Wikipedia
 

Episode 110 - Oscar Nominations and Elevations

The 2019 Oscar nominations were announced on January 22, 2019. Sigi and Jezzie take a deep dive and examine the nominations.  They discuss each category, claim their favourites and express their hopes.  As they discuss this year's nominees, they not only discuss their surprises, but also the snubs and dissect what these snubs might actually mean.
 In the Mix this Week:
Sorry, Ontario. Why Alberta is to Blame for Wintery Weather,
"Big Little Man: In Search of my Asian Self" by Alex Tizon,
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Season 4 trailer,
"The Hook Up Plan" trailer,
Oscar 2019 Nominations,
Symbolic Annihilation

Episode 109.5 - Roommate Icebreakers (2nd Installment)

In this week's half episode, Sigi and Jezzie return to one of their favourite warmups: Roommate Icebreakers.  On this second instalment they talk about guilty pleasures, childhood celebrity crushes and winning awards. 
Find out which co-host wanted to be Fragrance Chemist growing up, and why one of your co-hosts had put much thought into possible becoming a paediatrician. Also who do you think won an award for the best smile, and who do you think was the recipient of a Knights of Columbus award? Listen in and find out all the answers on this half episode!    
In this extra helping:
"Sound of music" website,
"Shake your love" by Debbie Gibson,

Episode 109 - Darren Criss, Bruno Mars and the Politics of Hyphenated Identities

Sigi and Jezzie focus a spotlight on the art and music of Darren Criss and Bruno Mars.  They unpack Darren Criss' portrayal of Andrew Cununan in Ryan Murphy's TV Show "American Crime Story, Season Two: The Assassination of Gianni Versace."  Sigi and Jezzie distil Bruno Mars' soul and pop-infused musicality and showmanship.  They recount their favourite Bruno Mars' songs and examine how his message of joy and incurable romantic love will be his legacy to popular culture.  Sigi and Jezzie also opine on how Filipino values and heritage shine through the work of Darren Criss and Bruno Mars.  Finally, they challenge how racial ambiguity negatively contributes to hyphenated identities and that "subtracting the dash" creates identities that one can be proud of having. 
In the Mix this Week:
"Mary Poppins Returns" Trailer,

Episode 108.5 - Imagine if...

To get our imagination running, Sigi warms us up this week with a board game called iMAgiNiff.  We muse over what we would be, out of a pre-selected list.  Play with us and see if you agree with our choices on what condiment we would be, the part of a car that we would take on, and what invention best represents us.  Find out who's a grandfather clock, and who's brown, syrupy and sweet!    
In this extra helping:
Salt Fat Acid Heat
M-Audio Uber Mic
Cogsworth
Britney, Bitch!
Summer Roberts from the O.C.
Aretha Franklin
 

Episode 108 - Convening on the Star Wars Universe and Filipino Naming Conventions

Sigi and Jezzie start off the New Year by making a deep cut into the universe and mythology of Star Wars.  From realizing that stories can be told in trilogies to its playbook on merchandising, they discuss the cultural impact that this franchise has made on the cinematic and societal landscapes.  Jezzie bravely calls out the fanboys of the Star Wars Universe to be more charitable and Sigi calls out society on the irony on why it's easier to say the names of the far-out places in Star Wars as opposed to their own Filipino names.  Filipino names are explored, especially the portmanteau (composite) naming conventions commonly used in the Filipino community.  Finally, as the fixing of the week, Jezzie has two: 1. Understanding that a history and meaning is behind every Filipino name, and 2. To be more charitable as a vehicle to filling this world with more hope.  Happy New Year everyone!
 
In the Mix this Week:
Wikipedia's overview of the Star Wars Universe,
How Star Wars Changed Hollywood,
Industrial Light & Magic,
How Star Wars Created a Merchandising Empire,
Why we love Star Wars: an explainer for 'normal' people,
Wikipedia's entry on Portmanteau