Mardi Gras Preview! Special Reissue

Mardi Gras Preview! Special Reissue

Author: Oops, Your Culture's Showing! ©2018: Dean Foster, Tom Peterson, and Torin Peterson January 22, 2026 Duration: 36:02

With Mardi Gras 2026 right around the corner, sink your teeth into a special slice – erm, reissue – of our Mardi Gras-themed episode, “Culture’s Consequences: King Cake At Mardi Gras”, from February 2024. Enjoy this purple, green, and gold delight!

Introducing…Dean’s new “Culture’s Consequences” Substack column, in which he reveals the hidden cultural reasons behind the daily headlines! In this episode, Dean and Tom bite into Dean’s February 2024 “Culture’s Consequences” article about Dong Phuong Bakery’s luscious King Cake, available only during New Orleans’ Mardi Gras season, and how it represents a melding of New Orleans, Creole, French, and Vietnamese cultures. Plus, they float into talk of krewes and parades during Mardi Gras, involving some of the cutest dogs you’ve ever seen. We hope you find this episode to be the same as Dean’s description in the article of the Dong Phuong King Cake: “layer upon layer upon layer upon layer of just-right.” Don’t be afraid to drool if so, dear listeners, and laissez les bons temps rouler (i.e., let the good times roll)!

***Dean’s book, “Business Beyond Borders: Stories, Tales, and Lessons Learned from Working in 100 Cultures Around the World”, IS OUT NOW – order it today! And: Subscribe to Dean’s Substack to find all of Dean’s “Culture’s Consequences” articles, CultureQuizzes, and much more!***

Have a cultural question or episode idea? Reach out on X/Twitter & Facebook (@OopsCultureShow) or by email at oopscultureshow@gmail.com.

Hosts: Dean Foster & Tom Peterson

Audio Production: Tom Peterson & Torin Peterson

Music: “Little Idea” – Bensound.com


Ever find yourself in a situation where a simple gesture or comment lands completely wrong, all because of an unspoken cultural rule you never knew existed? That’s the territory explored in Oops, Your Culture's Showing! Hosted by Dean Foster alongside Tom and Torin Peterson, this podcast digs into the hilarious and often awkward moments where cultural differences come to light. Each episode feels like a conversation with well-traveled friends who’ve been there, analyzing real-life stories of social faux pas, misunderstood traditions, and the subtle norms that govern behavior around the globe. The tone is light and comedic, rooted in personal experience rather than dry academic lecture, making the exploration of societies and places genuinely engaging. You’ll hear the hosts dissect why certain actions are perfectly polite in one context and a major blunder in another, all while laughing at their own misadventures. It’s a blend of comedy and genuine education, perfect for anyone curious about the world or preparing to navigate it. Tune in to this podcast for a reminder that we’re all constantly revealing our cultural backgrounds, often at the most unexpected moments.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 87

Oops, Your Culture's Showing!
Podcast Episodes
5: Elevators & Personal Space [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:25
If you’re currently approaching floor 45 in an elevator in Singapore, be ready for illegal chewing gum and used earbuds! Dean and Tom explore our cultural behaviors on a wild elevator ride (4:59), then rudely – or not –…
4: Taxis & Malaysian Smiles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:10
In this episode, Dean and Tom share taxi adventures and delve into what to do, and not do, when in the backseat, or maybe the front seat, in India, Australia, and Japan – all while they swat away malarial mosquitos and s…
3: Shoes & Argentinian Pink Underwear [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:06
Please scrape that gunk off your shoe before entering this episode! Dean and Tom explore shoe protocol in the home as well as New Year’s traditions across various cultures, leading them – of course – to find their hands…
2: Tea & Magnetic Pole Flips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:16
This episode, Dean and Tom navigate the cultural dos and don’ts of drinking tea in Morocco, Japan, the U.K., and Argentina – not to mention coffee in Ethiopia, beer in China, and whiskey in Korea! And without even gettin…
1: Shaving & Japanese Toilets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:47
World cultures expert Dean Foster and longtime friend Tom Peterson dive into bathroom habits around the world in this episode, with the act of shaving and, yes, using the toilet. Join them as they dissect the features an…
0: Teaser [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23
Wake up! Dean and Tom are here to tell you what to expect from their new podcast, “Oops, Your Culture’s Showing!” Subscribe now! Have a cultural question or episode idea for Dean and Tom? Reach them on Twitter and Facebo…