The Brown Burndown: An Indian American Pop Culture Pod

March is here, and we are coming in hot with our THIRD episode of 2026! Tune in for a discussions on the triumphs, tragedies, and (most importantly) questionable fashion choices at the Olympics (spoiler: we saw a bindi in the wild out there), Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (which we have admittedly not read since the mid aughts), and of course, #NickYanka2k26 (duh). As always, send us your thoughts at [email protected] :)

We are BACK not ONE WEEK LATER (!!). This episode has everything! Usha Vance, Zarna Garg, Tolstoy (particularly, War and Peace which we are totally actually going to Book Club) and of course, Priyanka and Nick. Not to mention a 10 minute detour on anthropomorphized beanie babies and a discussion of how much dumber we've gotten over our nearly ten years of podcasting together. You can be the judge of that!! Hit us up at [email protected].

The Brown Burndown interview series, "Celebs Have Thoughts" is officially back! We are kicking things off with a massive treat (pun intended). In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Pooja Bavishi, the founder and CEO of Malai Ice Cream. We dive into her journey of blending nostalgic South Asian spices with creamy textures to build a cult-favorite dessert brand. From her early days of churning ice cream at home to conquering the dessert world, Pooja shares the sweet (and savory) reality of entrepreneurship. Grab a spoon and tune in :)

We're back and have lots to discuss! This episode, we take a leap and go for some hot, on-the-ground, SHOCKING investigative journalism. Tune in for our encounter with Nickyanka IRL, our thoughts on the new F1 film (pour one out for Simone), and some exciting new updates for our pod! And to our loyal listeners following on Substack, stay tuned for a major update there ;)

*BIG NEWS* We're starting a Substack! And we're going to post regularly! Hold us accountable! https://substack.com/@thebrownburndown In this mini-episode, we cover...the history of land ownership in the United States (it's relevant, we promise), White Lotus gossip, Political gossip, Nickyanka gossip (also still relevant!). We'll then yearn for the days of mall concerts in pools...jk, that's now. Stay tuned for our next episode where we give you a live play by play of our IRL (!!!) Nickyanka encounter. As always, thoughts questions concerns to [email protected]. xoxo!

We've experienced the mother of all technical difficulties, but as gesture of our commitment to this episode we're running it back one. more. time. Reporting from our first IN PERSON recording session since 2022 (!!!), we’re back to cover our thoughts on the 2024 election, what’s at stake and random musings, political gossip, & what our Roman Empire is. Tune in for all of that and more, and in the meantime, VOTE VOTE VOTE! Hope this gives you some content while you wait in line to vote, as always email us at [email protected]!

We're back with a sort of relevant again episode from...APRIL. We discuss Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis, alllll the conspiracies, and what the royal family owes us before the convo takes a dark medical turn. Afterwards, we get into the incredibly relevant subjects of: Sex Education Season 4, love lives of billionaires, iPhone upgrades, Lessons in Chemistry, Mean Girls the Musical, and of course, #nickyankawatch2k24. They're still together and so are we! As always, send any questions/thoughts/concerns to [email protected]

Happy 2024! To commemorate the new year, we're bringing you an episode...we recorded 5 months ago. And catch the first "lie we told" at the 30 second mark where we announce that it's going to be a "mini" one (spoiler, it's 50 minutes long). Chaos all around! Join us on this time traveling journey where we cover Barbenheimer, Nixon, Sophie Turner, Hasan Minhaj, and (most importantly) LARRY (iykyk). Thanks to everyone for listening to us for 5 (!!!) years, and here's to more episodes over the next five :)

Happy #AAPI month! This one is delayed (duh) but hopefully worth it because....WE REUNITED!!! Three point five years later we bring you the third IRL recording in Brown Burndown history. We also get into: A) Elusive Taylor Swift concert tickets (this was recorded pre breakup so sry no takes there) B) #Nickyanka continuing to Nickyanka (see: https://twitter.com/mitchoo_oo/status/1632398105537544194) C) Randomly, Velma and skinny Mindy Kaling As always, send thoughts, questions, concerns, prayers for better work life balance to [email protected] or follow us on insta at thebrownburndown

We reward your many month wait with: 1) Poor audio until the halfway point 2) In-depth discussion of the Queen's cause of death 3) Liz Truss (lol) 4) An episode we recorded in September and has extremely out of date takes on a) Mindy Kaling and b) Harry and Meghan 5) Also lots of good other stuff HOWEVER we are back and promise to provide a more timely episode soon xoxo

Oh hi....its us. and we are BACK with a SUPER BUMMER episode but one that is close to our hearts! First we talk about how we're not going to talk about frivolous things (before we spend 15 minutes talking about frivolous things like...Mindy's haircut (yay), and Bridgerton (....). Then we talk about the huge bummer that is the state of women's rights in the US currently! And end with a hot take that hasn't aged particularly well. We're sorry for the hiatus but promise we will be back super soon! Some resources below. xoxo 1. https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion/ (find local fund through here) 2. https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/ (because duh) 3. https://www.midwestaccesscoalition.org/donate (helps people travel to states where their procedures are legal) 4. https://www.iwrising.org/ (helps support indigenous abortion seekers) 5. https://www.yellowhammerfund.org/ (serves Alabama, Mississippi, and deep south) And for general ballot knowledge: https://www.ballotready.org/

This "mini" (maxi) episode opens like its sponsored content for Parachute oil but LOL no we wish nobody pays us to do this. This week we discuss: 1) Tropical breezes 2) New words we've learned 3) Our investment thesis re: crocs 4) The first 5 episodes of Mindy Kaling's new show "The Sex Lives of College Girls" Are the takes kinda outdated now that the full show is out? Yes! Are we going to release this anyway? Also yes! Will Mindy continue to only cast white could be frat boys as love interests? A thousand times yes! Also, are Pchops and Nick on the rocks? Tune in to find out!

Fear not because we are BACK! We're happy to report that we are alive and well in our first ever mini-episode, where we'll catch you up on what we've been up to since the summer. Tune in for #nickyankawatch2k21 updates, a deep dive into BJ Novak's dating life, and the funniest thing PChops has ever said! #potatoes (iykyk) Come join us for this brief but wild ride -- we've missed you all so much!

Welcome to the past! This episode has EVERYTHING. 1) Depressingly optimistic pandemic predictions from over a month ago Rabs and Tars 2) Thong pants 3) A whole bunch of hot takes about random things including (but not limited to): - Rihanna - The Queen - "Spotify podcasts that nobody listens to" - Federer - Crocs - In the Heights - Black Widow - "Religious" teas So if YOU are in the mood for controversies that have been since overshadowed by the Delta variant/Olympics BOY DO WE HAVE THE EPISODE FOR YOU! <3 PS Never Have I Ever ep coming soon! DM / email your thoughts if you want to be featured [email protected]

This episode, is either A) supremely out of date (recorded 1.5 months ago 😬) or B) a nice distraction from everything awful going on (if you want to skip depressing stuff, start at 9:40). We discuss P Chops's restaurant (yeesh), Minari pre Oscar win for Youn Yuh‑jung (❤) and then a whooooole lot of meghan and harry (👀). Please donate to India COVID relief efforts: https://covid.giveindia.org/southasianstudents/

This week is NOT our Meghan Markle episode, but don't you worry, that's coming soon. Instead, we talk about Minari (<3), Bridgerton (:S) and the farmer protests in India (:/). We dive into Nick Jonas vaccine conspiracy theories, live listen to his new song (a big ????), and dream big about having a Patreon. Stay tuned for a before and after takes on the Meg + Harry interview, coming SOON! xoxo

Happy 2021, dudes! New year...same problems. We're kicking off the year with a little bit of everything: Hilaria Baldwin, mask-less Nickyanka, and the jaggery of GBBO. We'll then dive into the new Wonder Woman film, which is just...yikes. Tl;dr racism is still out! Our apologies for the time lag in releasing this ep, but tune in for our LIVE reactions to the January 6th attack on the US Capitol (smh), which now feels like a solid 5 years ago. Is it still only January?

You guys, it's finally here. Our much anticipated, high quality Thanksgiving special that only took us one full year to edit is out today! Tune in to be transported to the days of glorious, mask-free living (not a 2020 White House event but...just 2019 lol). And while 2019 may seem like a different era, we still appreciate the constants in our lives: #nickyanka, contemplating bangs, and laughing from pure JOY. Thanks for listening these past 2 years -- we're so grateful for all of you!

We've been waiting two long years of podcasting to say this...THIS IS OUR VICTORY EPISODE! And it's...surprisingly depressing? This slightly ramble-y episode has everything: Jake Tapper, Secret Societies, and 14,000 "like"s...oh wait, those are the parts we cut. Instead we give you: investigative journalism concerning Priyanka's bangs, Kennedy school gossip, and the small wins we took out of this election (plus one very big win). We did it guys! Here's hoping the next four years are easier. PS Apologies for the audio issues. Tars is fixing her mic for next time. PPS this episode is dedicated to Krisha

We're back for a very special election episode! First, we check in with all our usual favs: Patriot Act was cancelled, Djok still sucks, Mindy had a baby, #nickyanka are still #nickyankaing. Also, we rank American Girl Dolls and take another swipe at colonialism (and non mask wearers SMH). tl;dr: GO VOTE! Your voice matters! Some ways to get involved: https://joebiden.com/take-action/ https://swingleft.org/take-action?s=u https://www.powerthepolls.org/

We paused the editing of 2(!) other episodes to bring you: THE EMERGENCY KAMALA EPISODE! Where we discuss: the new DOJ case against Yale (ick), Priyanka's new crocs ad (lol), somehow Chris Pratt (it kinda made sense in context) and most importantly KAMALA HARRIS, Joe Biden's recently announced running mate. Also, we spend half the episode talking about Indian Matchmaking, so there you go. Note: to make this emergency episode we recorded early Tars time, for extra fun note how much more awake she sounds starting at the midpoint mark. As always, email us at [email protected]. Articles referenced: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/opinion/sunday/indian-matchmaking-netflix.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/indian-americans-want-to-claim-kamala-harris-as-ours-its-a-trap/2020/08/14/74865cb0-dd88-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html

Taking a break from fluffy celebrity stuff to talk about what really matters. This week, we discuss the model minority myth and how much it harms Black communities, how Bollywood celebrities are #hypocrites for promoting #BlackLivesMatter while also endorsing whitening creams, and how South Asians owe so much to MLK who "cced" them on the Civil Rights movement in 1965. Real talk, it's been a rough few weeks and we're here for anyone who wants to reach out. Sending <3, and sharing some resources that have been helpful to us below: Templates for reaching out to representatives: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EIvaG_B7FZOcyz6smv7A-QU4aDnVGoTMrfgW383ZfsI/edit?fbclid=IwAR03AwALaCEW3qJTPacx38HTL999exVSZ5eZIcfT0SQgcelJk0gOmXmZIpE Letters for Black Lives: https://lettersforblacklives.com/letters-for-black-lives-south-asian-american-version-f5d8ec9a46ac EJI: https://eji.org/ Communities Against Police Brutality: https://www.cuapb.org/ How the Model Minority myth is hurting Black communities: https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/04/19/524571669/model-minority-myth-again-used-as-a-racial-wedge-between-asians-and-blacks https://t.co/5IPT3bCArF

You asked, and we delivered. We're back, discussing Mindy Kaling's new Netflix show Never Have I Ever (!!!). First, we do a quick check in with #nickyankawatch2020 and refuse to encourage their "subtle" seltzer promotion, update you on our quarantine life (spoiler: there are no bangs), and then get right down to the most important Indian-american TV show thus far! We are nothing if not haters, but around 28:40 we get into what we really loved, how much we sobbed, and why we're so glad this show exists. Follow us on insta @thebrownburndown, twitter @brownburndown and email your thoughts at [email protected] And if you've made it this far, DM Rabs "Happy Birthday"!!

We're back! This week, we're delivering a (hopefully) 31 min distraction from the dumpster fire that is life right now. Tune in to hear what we're watching, what we're wearing (spoiler: it's PJs), and what we might do to our hair (!!!). Objections are welcome. As always, in both the rough times and the good ones, we're here for you guys <3 We'll get through this together. Email us all of your quarantine thoughts at [email protected] or DM our fancy new Instagram @thebrownburndown.

And we're back! This week in Part 2, we're finishing our lingering thoughts from a month ago (oops, our b) about the Oscars, Aladdin part deux, and whether Crocs will ever be in (spoiler: no). And finally, we're so excited to feature a very special guest, Trisha Sakhuja-Walia, CEO and Co-Founder of Brown Girl Magazine (!!!). For more on all the amazing things she's doing, check out www.browngirlmagazine.com.

Well, we did it. Our rambling has finally gotten the better of us and we had to turn this episode into two parts. In Part 1, we introduce our exciting celeb guest (but never get around to her interview...#ourbad), walk you through the DRAMA that has been Jameela Jamil's twitter this week, go through a long illuminating journey with James Blake, and manage to sneak in a Priyanka comment in even though #nickyanakwatch2020 is in Part 2. Stay tuned for the sequel!

Meghan and Harry decided to peace out, and we're here to break it ALL down. This week, we dive into #Megxit and try to understand what exactly the Commonwealth is/does (spoiler: it's shady, and we don't understand it). We'll also cover a Golden Globes recap, #nickyankawatch2020, and a SHOCKING discovery that we made live while recording. It's a doozy! As always, email us with thoughts, comments, and critiques at [email protected], and follow us on Twitter (!!!) @brownburndown.

Happy New Year! The year is 2020, and things are, well, not so great. This week, we're filling you in on the dangerous laws and scary events that have been happening in India over the past couple months. Our thoughts are with all of the people affected by these laws and the brave protesters who are risking their lives for what is right. If you have thoughts to add, reading to improve our knowledge, or ways to help, please email us at [email protected]. On a lighter note, it's also our anniversary episode! So, in true TBBD fashion, we'll give ya the update on #nickyankawatch2020 (!!!), Kumail's thirst trap, and the dirt on which celeb is a huge diva from a first-hand source. Thank you to all of our loyal listeners for tuning in for over a year!

We're back and here to spread holiday cheer by taking down the monarchy, part deux. Of course, we'll first fill you in on #nickyanka2k19 shenanigans, NYT Cooking fails, and how we mastered the art of inception (lit not kidding). And while our hot take may be a little tardy, our point still stands! Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating, and many many thanks to all our loyal listeners. We are so grateful for you!

WE BAAAAAACK!!!!! Sincere apologies for the extended hiatus but...we did warn you. This week we bask in the joy of being BACK and skip over the "how was your summer?" niceties (if you wanna know, email us) to get to the MEAT. This week we tackle all that #nickyanka have been up to (spoiler: a lot and also nothing), gush about Fed for another few hours (we edited it, don't worry), and spend a serious portion of the episode discussing mission trips, the white savior complex, and why it's still so prevalent in western media. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe, and EMAIL US @ [email protected]

It's our season finale, featuring only the coolest, greatest, most intelligent people on the planet...our loyal listeners! We're dedicating this episode to YOU by sharing allll of the thoughts you've shared with us. And obvs, it wouldn't be a true Burndown episode without updates on #nickyankawatch2k19 , so tune in for the goss, the laughs, and (of course) the shade. Much love and thanks to all our listeners this year -- we'll be back with season 2 very soon! And as always, to have your thoughts included in a future ep, email us at [email protected]

Anddddd, we're back! This week, we're talking about Mindy Kaling's new film "Late Night" (a.k.a. Another Tale of Mindy + Her Exclusively White BFs lol). We also share some VERY hot takes from our most dedicated listeners and fill you in on some shocking celebrity wedding news. As a special bonus, Rabs reveals her secret childhood crush, and it's #embarrassing. Tune in now!

This week we have a very special episode where we chat with model/actress/director/YouTuber (say that 5 times fast) Kiran Rai, covering everything from tokenism, South Asian mental health stigmas, and how cute we may or may not be. But first, we reflect on Aladdin's life-changing impact on the South Asian Halloween costume industry, remind you that #kevinruinseverything, and stress that you should EMAIL us at [email protected]. Kiran's interview starts at 16:04!

A musical fantasy entirely about brown peeps set in a vaguely Middle Eastern city that's now a blockbuster hit? You bet we have thoughts! This week, we explore the whole new world of Aladdin -- come join us for the ride (lol). We also update you on our soon-to-be trending #nickyankawatch2k19 and finally reveal the winner of our super amazing, really awesome prize ;)

We did it!! It's EPISODE TEN!!! Here's to many many more and a far more expensive SoundCloud subscription 🙄. This week we gift you with a DOUBLE FEATURE and discuss both cultural appropriation in festival wear (#coachella) and tokenism in superhero movies (#avengers). We also give love to our fav publication of all time and try to cover up the fact that Tars's audio bowed out for half the episode. Plus: we seem just despo enough and beg you to EMAIL us at [email protected] with your #hottakes.

Hold onto your hats, dudes! Winter is coming...and it's really, really white. This week, we delve deep into the world of fantasy and discuss brown representation (or lack thereof...surprise, surprise) in the genre. And we only spend 2 minutes talking about the Jonas Brothers! A miracle! #notajobropodcast Also, we reveal a really cool, very fun prize that we're offering to our favorite listener (spoiler: it's super awesome).

This week, we do the #1 thing fun people do and talk about how fun we are! We discuss our IRL definitely happened #nikyanka sighting, actually watch Bohemian Rhapsody to provide thoughts, and grapple with every podcaster's most important QTNA: should we get a twitter? Also we talk about the recent college admissions scandal and the supreme court affirmative action case (spoiler: we're team AA).

Aaand this is our actual Oscars episode. Our bad. This week we swear NOT to become a Jonas Brothers podcast and discuss the Academy awards + upcoming movies featuring brown people that give us pause (Did you know that Rami Malek is not Indian? Did you know that Danny Boyle is also not Indian? Did you also know that Armie Hammer is also also not Indian??) and revisit the most divisive question of our time.

This week we never get to the promised theme, and instead(by popular demand) spend 37 minutes talking about the Jonas Brothers. We discuss stumbling out of bars and jumping on cars, whether or not the JoBros saw the Favourite, and why oh why Priyanka would agree to be in this. Plus, Rabs reveals some shocking news, and we discuss our actual best celeb encounter (#notthebachelor).

So we did it. This week, we take on the "grey area" that is Aziz Ansari. Turns out...it's pretty black and white? We also explain our absence (#sorry), think through the anatomy of car doors, and reveal our most shameful celeb encounter (spoiler: it may or may not involve The Bachelor).

And we'll never be roooooyals (royals) but we sure can burn them down. This week, we take down the monarchy, demand our diamonds back, and spend a hot hot take debating Meghan Markle. Yay or nay? (Spoiler...kind of yay?)

This week, we get political. We discuss browns in politics, trees, #kamala2020, and talk about 2019 like it hasn't even happened yet (our bad). Plus, we dig into our (least) favs who, surprisingly, are still kinda relevant.

We spend half of our Mindy episode on Priyanka and Nick...#sorrynotsorry. Then we get to the point and discuss her spectacular rise, the Mindy Project and who her baby daddy might be (spoiler: he may or may not have 2020 ambitions)

Two very unqualified Desi college friends and self described haters discuss Indians in Pop Culture. We start with the subject that unites us more than anything else: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Yay or nay? (spoiler: NAY.) Music: Professor Kliq - Bollywood Blades Email: [email protected]