Canal Street Dreams

Episode: "Adopt a 14-year-old & Work With Your Friends w/ KidSuper"

Host: Eddie Huang & Natashia Perrotti

Guest: KidSuper (Colm Dillane)

Date: January 6, 2026

Overview

This lively, unfiltered episode of Canal Street Dreams blends candid reflections on parenting, creative hustle, and the realities of being multidisciplinary in today’s artistic landscape. Eddie and Natashia dive into their own family stories and welcome KidSuper (Colm Dillane) for a deep, freewheeling conversation about the chaos and magic of working with friends, the evolution of streetwear culture, and how finishing what you start is the ultimate creative superpower. The episode is packed with warmth, nostalgia, and laughs, offering a look inside the minds at the intersection of street style, art, parenting, and community.

Main Themes and Purposes

• The joys and pitfalls of creative careers built with friends
• Navigating family and parenting in creative life
• Discussing the multi-hyphenate (multidisciplinary) approach in the modern creative world
• Nostalgia for vintage New York and the golden age of streetwear
• Reflections on generational shifts, technology (AI), and the future of creativity

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. NY vs. LA Parenting and Holiday Vibes

• Comparing elaborate LA family experiences to more relaxed, community-driven NYC traditions.
• The commercialization of holidays and family activities, from high-production Santa photo shoots in LA to the more DIY charm in NYC.
• The chaos of extended family Christmas gatherings and the importance of tradition, food, and making space for everyone’s rituals—sports, smoking, or otherwise.

Notable Quote – Natashia:

“In LA, while it appears to be for the kids, it’s almost always for the parents. In New York…I find that most things just aren’t for the parents…But the kids always have fun.” (03:34)

Memorable Moment:
The hosts describe the ordeal at “The Grove” and the associated stress and endless credit card swipes compared to the simplicity and authenticity of their NYC Santa experience. (00:18–02:24)

2. Family Dynamics and the Evolution of Traditions

• Blending Greek-American and Asian-American family traditions for Christmas.
• Hazing rituals around holiday drinking and their impact (“Let's ruin alcohol for you so you know how to drink…”), showing how family shapes social habits.
• Cousin traditions—cousins’ walks and making new rituals.

Notable Quote – Natashia:

“We always take, like, a cousin's walk where everybody gets, like, incredibly high and just, like, comes back for dinner.” (07:26)

3. Bringing In KidSuper: Life As a Multi-Hyphenate

• How KidSuper’s creative journey has always blurred disciplines—from streetwear to short films—and his take on how those lines have shifted over the years.
• The challenge of being a “multi-hyphenate”: The importance of being genuinely skilled in more than one area before claiming the title.
• The shift from siloed artistic identities to multidisciplinary approaches, and the skepticism that sometimes comes from gatekeepers.

Notable Quote – KidSuper:

“You don’t really tell that many people your other hyphenates until you’re good at them. It’s weird to be like, ‘Yeah, I’m an aspiring multi-hyphenate…’” (15:01)

Memorable Exchange:
KidSuper and Eddie riff on how, when young, people had to pick one creative box: fashion, writer, or musician, but now everyone is expected to be multi-talented. (13:26–16:02)

4. Finishing What You Start and Gaining Respect

• The creative world values those who execute—just dreaming isn’t enough.
• Both Eddie and KidSuper recall stories of being doubted, then coming back months later after delivering on promises and earning genuine respect.
• Confidence to start is important, but completion is crucial for reputation and trust within the creative community.

Notable Quote – KidSuper:

"One of my greatest skills is just finishing things and being…the person that gets the…like the book across the table." (16:41)

5. Working With Friends: Strengths and Struggles

• The myth that “outsiders” or “professionals” will solve more than loyal friends.
• The evolving relationship between personal and professional connections—how real friendship can be an asset if accountability and growth are expected.
• The magic and mess of collaborative chaos vs. over-organization.

Notable Quotes:
KidSuper:

“I always thought the grass was always greener in terms of…intelligence…But actually my friends are just as smart.” (21:00)
“If you have a friend that starts working for you, it’s not up to you to mature, it’s up to them.” (22:25) [Eddie originally said this on a previous episode.]

Eddie:

“My love for you as a friend is separate from you stepping into this role. Like, you still got to jump over the jump, man.” (23:02)

6. The Joy and Chaos of Creative Projects with Friends

• Collaborating with friends transforms work into a memorable, communal experience.
• The chaos of involvement—everyone has their own role, and sometimes missing the “mess” that makes it feel real.
• Example: Painting a mural in Germany with five friends, each improvising and rising to the challenge. The true joy comes from overcoming together.

Notable Story:
KidSuper details how a supposedly simple mural project in Hamburg turned chaotic and epic, culminating in an improvised team effort and a raucous celebration. (25:37–28:52)

7. On Siblings, Only Children, and Unconventional Parenting

• The role and longing for siblings, and how cousins/community can fill those gaps.
• The idea (half-joking, half-serious) of adopting an older kid or “having siblings” as adults—awkwardness of being an uncle or godparent as an only child.
• Reflections on birth order and family roles; Eddie on his brothers’ varied talents and achievements.

Notable Quotes:
KidSuper:

“I don’t have any siblings. I’m basically just trying to have siblings.” (31:39)
Natashia:
“Kids are supposed to be chaos, and we just beat it out of them throughout their whole lives…Now I try to embrace it for him…” (29:40)

8. Rapid Fire Segments: Childhood Films & Streetwear Brands

• KidSuper’s childhood favorite Disney film: Lady and the Tramp (“If you asked me as a kid, that would be my, like, number one movie, bro.” [40:18])
• Affection for animation’s golden era (All Dogs Go to Heaven, Oliver & Company, Land Before Time) and why CGI films didn’t quite hit the same.
• Deep dive into NY streetwear legacy brands—10 Deep, Mishka, A Life, Reason, and more—and nostalgia for the DIY phase of streetwear.
• How those brands shaped not just clothing, but whole subcultures and communities.

Notable Quote – KidSuper:

“I would sit there and be like, [A New York Thing] is the greatest name of all time. The greatest logo…we have to come up with a name better than anything.” (44:57)

9. The Decline of Subcultures & Rise of the Commercial Franchise

• Observations on how the streetwear scene shifted from hyper-local subcultures to global, commercial franchises.
• Importance of niche, community-based brands and how the mainstream has diluted discovery.

Notable Quotes:
KidSuper:

“These brands really stood for, like, a very specific niche interest…now it’s dying for sure.” (48:31)
"Now you could go to one, two places [for sneakers]...Everything’s franchise." (49:15)
Eddie:
“Niche culture, subculture used to exist. I don’t think it exists that much.” (50:52)

10. Generational Change & The Impact of AI on Creativity

• Millennials aging into “mature era” as Gen Z comes up; embracing a shift to more thoughtful, grown-up themes in their own work.
• Excitement—and a tinge of anxiety—about what the youth will do with advanced tools like AI.
• No matter the technological hurdle, the belief that “cream rises to the top.”

Notable Quotes:
Eddie:

“I actually think this…Gen Z is about to, like, do ill, and I just want to be, like, a fan and observer because…it’s kind of like, we’re done, you know, Millennials. Good job, everybody. Chill out.” (54:46)
KidSuper:
“The only thing that I’m worried about with the young people is just the AI access…We kind of good at AI, imagine if that’s, like, all you know.” (55:55–56:18)

11. Parenting Philosophy: Discipline & Shared Priorities

• Striking a balance between discipline and allowing for fun/mischief.
• The importance of parents and children being aligned on what really matters (e.g., grades, passions) as opposed to arbitrary rules.
• Anecdotes of letting things slide that are harmless, while insisting on accountability where it counts.

Notable Quote – KidSuper:

“My parents…the thing that I thought that they did incredibly well was that I always felt like we were on the same priorities…You can be harsh on your kid if the kid realizes that you’re on the same team and the priorities are correct.” (60:58–61:57)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "In LA, while it appears to be for the kids, it's almost always for the parents. In New York…I find that most things just aren't for the parents…But the kids always have fun." — Natashia (03:34)
• "One of my greatest skills is just finishing things and being…the person that gets the…like the book across the table." — KidSuper (16:41)
• "If you have a friend that starts working for you, it's not up to you to mature, it's up to them." — (Eddie originally; quoted by KidSuper) (22:25)
• "I just love the idea of finding out about things through brands. And now it's more like you're finding out a brand through things." — KidSuper (49:55)
• "I actually think this…Gen Z is about to, like, do ill, and I just want to be, like, a fan and observer." — Eddie (54:46)
• “My parents…the thing that I thought that they did incredibly well was that I always felt like we were on the same priorities…You can be harsh on your kid if the kid realizes that you’re on the same team and the priorities are correct.” — KidSuper (60:58–61:57)

Important Timestamps

• 00:18–02:24 – Discussion of LA vs. NYC Santa experiences
• 07:26 – Cousin walks and family rituals
• 13:26–16:02 – Multidisciplinary creatives in today’s era
• 16:41 – Importance of finishing projects for creative trust
• 21:00–23:02 – Working with friends, loyalty, and accountability in business
• 25:37–28:52 – Hamburg mural story and power of chaos with friends
• 29:40 – Kids as chaos agents & embracing unpredictability
• 40:18–42:27 – Rapid-fire on childhood films (Lady and the Tramp, etc.)
• 44:57 – Streetwear nostalgia and brand obsession
• 48:31–50:52 – Death (and impact) of subculture/local scenes
• 54:46–56:18 – Thoughts on legacy, aging, and the creative potential of Gen Z with AI
• 60:58–61:57 – Final parenting reflection: aligning on priorities

Conclusion

This episode is a fast-paced, insightful mix of parental wisdom, creative hustle, streetwear nostalgia, and irreverent banter. KidSuper, Eddie, and Natashia muse on what it takes to “make it” creatively, why finishing matters, and the enduring magic of making things with friends—even when messy. Through comic tales and heartfelt advice, they highlight the importance of loyalty, chaos, curiosity, and adaptability—for artists, parents, and anyone chasing their Canal Street dreams.