HOLY ISH THE POD IS BACK! Rafael Casal is the definition of a multi-hyphenate. Educator, Musician, Actor, Writer, Producer, Rapper, Editor, Bowler. His 2018 film BLINDSPOTTING put The Bay on its back and took the industry by storm. He also happens to live with Utkarsh. The two sit down for a long overdue chat to discuss Rafa's creative process, history, how the two met and untold stories of Blindspotting. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!! 

Let's Talk About Me, Baby

RAFAEL CASAL-GETTING TO THE OCEAN FLOOR

Utkarsh is sans guest in this candid, off the cuff reflection on wrapping his first season on Showtime's White Famous and a whirlwind summer. UTK dives into each of his co-stars personalities and strengths and lets us know what he learned from each one. Also, it might be time to shed the self-imposed weight of carrying the South-Asian community on his shoulders. It's been a long time since we got to get real. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!! this episode brought to you by the good folks at Blue Apron. White Famous premieres on Showtime October 15th. 

EP 54: Work Ethic

Hamilton premieres in LA today and what better way to celebrate than to re-visit UTK's EPIC conversation with Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda last November 2016...one week after our presidential election. Lin chats with Utkarsh about how they met, how he maintains integrity in his everyday life and the two let us into an interesting window in time-post-election-before anyone knew what our 45th president had in store for us. Now more than ever we hope this conversation resonates with artists and activists alike. WE GET THE JOB DONE. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!! 

EP 53: HAMILTON IN LA! with Lin-Manuel Miranda

This week actor/writer/director Justin Chon (Twilight Saga, 21 and Over, Gook) invites Utkarsh into his home to talk about his new film 'Gook' which won the Audience Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The two take a deep dive into the past to discuss the beginning of their friendship not the set of Pitch Perfect-which in fact started with a lot of Grade A BEEF. They explain how they mended their relationship and then move on to discuss how difficult it is to create and finish your own work. Justin opens up about the trials and tribulations he experienced while making 'Gook', how he faced his fears and kept going, and what drives him to create original work. The podcast ends with a touching story about Justin and his father-who plays an integral role in the film-and what working with his father taught Justin about the American Dream and what it means to him. Ya'll gon cry. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 52: Justin Chon AKA "Finding Your Story"

What an episode! Comedian/Writer/Actor Patricia Guggenheim (Mary&Jane, Hashtaggers, Barely Famous) has spent years honing the craft of comedy at The Groundlings Theater, a school which has fostered the talents of no-names like Will Ferrel, Melissa McCarthy, Phil Hartman, Kathy Griffin and so many more super-dope folks. As a main company member, Patty has performed hundreds if not millions of times and brings that unique perspective and experience to this week's episode. Utkarsh and Patty break down the process of joining an improv school, what creative exercises she uses to help nurture her students' creativity and what it's like to be a woman in the male-dominated field of comedy. And finally she answers an age-old question--Can You Teach Funny? DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!! this episode sponsored by the good folks at Blue Apron (thank you for helping Utkarsh get off the Top Ramen diet)

Episode 51: Patricia Guggenheim AKA "Teaching Funny"

WOAH! We've done 50 of these!! A what a phenomenal guest to help Utkarsh celebrate his 50th episode. TV and Film star Randall Park (Fresh Off The Boat, The Interview, Veep, Office Christmas Party) stops by Utkarsh's pad to chat about the challenge, as a Korean-American, of playing Taiwanese-Chinese Immigrant Luis Huang on Fresh Off The Boat, what possessed him to take on the role of President Kim in "The Interview" and how he has approached roles as an Asian-American male in Hollywood. Let's put it this way--It's not easy to turn down playing a gas station clerk when you're broke. An insightful, open and honest conversation with one of (if not) the most successful Asian-American male actors in Hollywood. Also Utkarsh totally forgets not to curse. Like completely. So watch the kids. Other than that--What a freaking treat. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!!

EPISODE 50: Randall Park AKA "Does This Dude Need An Accent?"

The pod is back, baby! This week Malcolm Barrett, star of NBC's Timeless sits down with Utkarsh to chat about his new role as a hero on television, the responsibility he feels towards telling stories about diversity, growing up in Brooklyn, existing and thriving outside of the box, how he came to discover poetry and hip hop and how he balances art and commerce in his life. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

Episode 49: Malcolm Barrett AKA "Scott Blackula"

What a treat. Dr. Indu Ambudkar of the National Institute of Dental Research (National Institutes of Health) also known as "MomKarsh" stops by Headgum HQ on her 63rd Birthday to chat with Utkarsh about her upbringing in India, her feelings of being an outsider as a youth, growing up in a convent school and how a chance encounter with a school dean started her on a path towards a PHD in biochemistry. They then discuss how she met and married Dr. Suresh Ambudkar aka "DadKarsh" and their wild journey to America where they had a knuckle-headed child. Dr. Ambudkar discusses the challenges of raising a child in a different country than her own, as well the exhausting life that is being a working mother. Finally, she imparts some wisdom to young people (especially women) listening on the right mindset to keep when chasing dreams and attacking life. She's a mom, she's a world-renowned scientist, she's a badass. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 48: Dr. Indu Ambudkar AKA "MomKarsh"

Jas Waters (VH1's The Breaks, The James Davis Show) sits down with Utkarsh to tell her amazing story. Utkarsh had a bunch of talking points that immediately went out the window as soon this conversation began. WHAT A TALE! A childhood love of film and story, a supportive and encouraging father and a chance encounter with Eric Lasalle on the set of E.R. began a life-long journey through the world of television and film. The result? A dream continuing to come true and a work ethic born out of basically telling fear to go F itself. Then in closing the two discuss their own opinions and feelings on what their respective responsibilities are as people of color-both from very different backgrounds-in the industry.

EP 47: Jas Waters

Margot Bingham (Boardwalk Empire, She's Gotta Have It, The Family, Barbershop:The Next Cut) sits down with Utkarsh to discuss how she deals with feelings of exclusion in Hollywood, how being an interracial woman is perceived in Hollywood vs. Real Life, her time touring with Jason Mraz, her short but potent stint as a fitness/bikini model and finally the two discuss the fear of overstepping bounds when speaking out in the current political climate. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 46: Margot Bingham AKA "Curly Hair on the Red Carpet"

WHAT AN EPISODE!! Joe Mangienello (Pee Wee's Big Holiday, True Blood, Sabotage, Smurfs 3, The Batman) inexplicably allows Utkarsh into his home. The two discuss the line Joe toes between being a giant nerd and a sex symbol, what experiences from his youth drove him to build up his body, the challenges they both face in "Hollywood" as far as stereotypes are concerned, before Joe takes a DEEP dive into how he quiets, controls and conquers the fearful mind in order to achieve physical and spiritual success. Then , in one of most open and honest moments in LTM history, Joe candidly relates to Utkarsh's story of missing out on being in Hamilton with a story of his own and ultimately how he found and drew strength from past failures. An awesome, open and thoughtful conversation between two new friends. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

Episode 45: Joe Mangienello AKA "Taming The Mind"

Bill Sherman (Musical Director for "Sesame Street", Musical Director/Producer "In The Heights", Producer "Hamilton: Cast Album", Freestyle Love Supreme" invites Utkarsh into his home/hotel room to discuss the early days of Freestyle Love Supreme, how his mom can't pronounce Utkarsh's name, how he produces different artists, what he loves about making music, his first time being starstruck and the boys get deep on raising kids in the business post divorce. The kind of good old-fashioned sit down between old friends that the LTM family has grown to love. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!! this episode brought to you by Blue Apron. Thanks, Blue Apron!

EP 44: Bill "King" Sherman AKA "One Oscar Away From an EGOT"

Emmy Award Winning writer Travon Free (The Daily Show, The Ringer, The James Davis Show) allows Utkarsh into his home to talk the struggles of being a person of color on dating apps, his struggles with confidence in his career, his difficult upbringing growing up in Compton, and they discuss both the film Moonlight and his podcast "The Room Where It's Happening: A Hamilton Fan Podcast". An EPIC deep dive into one of the brightest minds in television right now. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 43: Travon Free AKA "All Of This is Icing"

Pej Vahdat (Bones, Shameless, Sneaky Pete) stops by Utkarsh's apartment for the FIRST LTM of 2017! And what a start to the year it is! Did you know you can pretend to be your own agent and actually get work? Pej apparently did at a very young age. He dives into his fake persona as his own agent, his pro tennis career, his feelings about his first paid gig as a terrorist on United Flight 93. What is his answer to fear? Listen and find out-cause it's freaking EPIC. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 42: Pej Vahdat AKA "How to Pretend to be your Own Agent"

Parvesh Cheena (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Outsourced) works ALL the time. He does not stop. And he's a sweetheart who seamlessly moves through all social circles with grace and joy. Parvesh stops by Headgum HQ to sit down with Utkarsh to talk about over-complimenting in Hollywood, the different ways in which they process great performances and Utkarsh's come up in NYC theater. Then Utkarsh asks Parvesh how he feels about being on the NBC sitcom 'OutSourced' and whether or not it set Indian people back in Hollywood. Then finally Utkarsh asks Parvesh about how and when he came out to his family and how being gay has affected both his career and personal life in hollywood. A joyfully honest discussion about theater life, sexuality and society. DO NOT MISS HISTORY BEING MADE!!!

EP 41: Parvesh Cheena AKA "What Would Bill Murray Do?"

Actor/Musician/Rapper Utkarsh Ambudkar (Pitch Perfect, The Mindy Project, Barbershop:The Next Cut) sits down with some of his more famous friends and relatives to discuss himself, his growth as a human being and what it takes to succeed in life and on stage. This is a tale about Identity. The rights are for sale.

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Let's Talk About Me, Baby

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