The Italian American Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Italian American Podcast
The first and finest podcast for Italian Americans... delivering history, discussion, and connection with smarts, heart, and a lot of laughs. 🇮🇹🇺🇸
Join us for a joyful celebration of Italian American culture and comedy in our latest episode as we sit down with the dynamic duo, Carlo Russo and Lou Greco of the Uncle Louie Variety Show. Broadcasting from the lively streets of New York City's Little Italy, we reminisce about the iconic Feast of San Gennaro and venture into our own humorous undertakings, including the launch of our t-shirt company, Retaliantpowercom. With laughter and nostalgia, we explore the comedic significance of the classic members only jacket and its place in Italian American fashion, showing how the Uncle Louie Variety Show has become a cultural phenomenon.Get ready for a captivating journey as we explore how a single Halloween video catapulted Carlo and Lou into viral stardom, leading to sold out performances from Sydney to Melbourne. Their evolution from short sketches to a full variety show, influenced by legends like Carol Burnett and Donny & Marie, revives the magic of the variety hour, bringing joy to audiences worldwide even amidst the challenges of the pandemic. Hear the heartwarming tales of how they keep audiences engaged and laughing, leaving them with unforgettable memories wherever they go.In an episode full of humor and heart, we delve into the passion that drives our guests and ourselves, featuring insights from comedy greats like Katherine Narducci and Colin Quinn. From hilarious on stage mishaps, including a snapped accordion strap and a dropped guitar, to the creative process behind songwriting and live performances, we explore the authentic connections and shared cultural experiences that fuel our love for comedy. With anecdotes of family influences and playful camaraderie, this episode is a testament to the power of laughter and the enduring spirit of Italian American heritage.
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Danielle Oteri, a distinguished expert in Italian travel, brings her wealth of knowledge to our podcast as we celebrate the launch of her new project, the Tante Bellicose podcast. Join us as Danielle shares her passion for guiding travelers away from the crowded hubs of Florence, Venice, and Rome, leading them instead to Italy's hidden treasures, especially in the enchanting southern region of Cilento. Through her personalized travel consultations, Danielle reveals how to uncover Italy's lesser known gems and embrace authentic experiences that are often overshadowed by mass tourism.Reflecting on the transformation of Italy’s iconic cities, our discussion takes a nostalgic turn, particularly focusing on Naples. Once a charming, off he beaten path destination, Naples now faces the challenge of balancing its rich cultural identity with the pressures of mass tourism. As cities across Italy evolve, we examine the impact of these shifts, from the rise of English speaking locals to the embrace of more consumer friendly environments. Despite these changes, Naples, with its high quality cuisine and Neapolitan spirit, remains a testament to Italy's enduring cultural legacy, even as new tourist traps emerge.Venture with us into Italy’s diverse regions, where we uncover the authentic food and wine experiences that set apart the country’s culinary landscape. From the ancient grains of Irpinia to the vibrant streets of Turin, we celebrate the local traditions and sustainable practices that define Italy’s true essence. We also explore the hidden gems of northern and southern Italy, offering tips for those seeking affordable and meaningful travel experiences. Through stories that blend history, art, and personal anecdotes, we invite listeners to explore Italy beyond the postcard perfect views, discovering a captivating world rich in culture and heritage.
Danielle Oteri Contacts
Instagram: @danielle.oteri
Facebook: Danielle Oteri
LINKS TO HER WEBSITES
Arthur Avenue Food Tours: https://www.arthuravenuefoodtours.com/
Feast travel: https://www.feasttravel.com/
Personal Website: https://www.danielleoteri.com/
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Join us for a lively and engaging exploration of Italian American culture as we sit down with our esteemed guest, who brings along a delightful Chianti for a special tasting. Our producer Nicky even attempts to take over the iconic podcast introduction as we reflect on the enduring vibrancy of the Italian American community.In this episode, we tackle the complexities of obtaining Italian dual citizenship, especially for Italian Americans facing long waitlists at US Italian consulates. With insights into alternative routes such as litigation and residency in Italy, we offer guidance on navigating the documentation and legalities involved. We discuss the crucial role of Italian comunes and the importance of a personalized approach to determine eligibility. Through personal stories and expert advice, we highlight how building relationships and understanding cultural nuances can ease the path to citizenship.We also share our experiences with Italian bureaucracy, from securing residency for citizenship purposes to the unpredictability of dealing with local clerks. The episode is filled with tales of navigating chaotic travel logistics in Italy, illustrating the resilience and adaptability required in the vibrant Italian way of life. By sharing personal stories and practical advice, we aim to equip listeners with the knowledge and patience needed to successfully manage residency applications and enjoy the benefits of Italian citizenship. Tune in for an episode that celebrates the beauty of Italian culture and the enduring bonds of heritage.Eleanor Riccardi Links:Bespoke Italian Citizenship Websitehttps://www.bicitaly.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvK4BhDUARIsADHt9sQFz8PUex0oIpkqjAPSXcc2zgB7WAfNcYFDt6Cw2If1gUagOuVfTIkaAm91EALw_wcBBespoke Italian Citizenship Instagrambespokeitaliancitizenship
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What if your favorite Italian desserts could be given an American twist without losing their authentic charm? Join us on a culinary voyage as we explore the tantalizing fusion of Italian and American baking traditions, from nostalgic Sicilian pastries to the beloved rainbow cookies that have become a staple across diverse cultural settings. We'll also share the vibrant experience of celebrating Italian American Heritage Month, with highlights from the Columbus Day Parade in NYC and the contagious energy brought by Louie and the band.Ever wondered how Italian American heritage has influenced some of the most cherished confections and culinary inventions? Discover the surprising stories behind candy bars with Italian roots and the unique bakery creations that embody a beautiful blend of tradition and innovation. As we reminisce about iconic pastry shops and the influence of immigrant neighborhoods, we also reflect on our transition from design to a passion-filled journey into the coffee and bakery business, revealing humorous tales and the quest for the perfect cup of Neapolitan coffee.Inspired by masterpieces like Don Angie's lasagna, we dive into our personal cultural experiences growing up between Italy and the U.S., sharing how these shaped our appreciation for Italian cuisine. With exciting future plans, including a pasta venture that pays homage to Southern Italy's 1980s charm, we invite you to celebrate the rich and evolving Italian American culture with us.
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Join us as we sit down with Zia Mena, a cherished friend and neighbor, who paints a vivid picture of traditional Italian wedding customs and rural life in Vadola. Her reminiscences offer a window into a simpler time when love meant waiting for a husband to return from America and weddings were intimate affairs marked by cultural nuances. We delve into the fascinating aspects of matrimonial traditions, from the symbolism of bridal dolls to the communal joy of wedding processions all bearing witness to the profound transformation under the shadow of Italy's economic resurgence post World War II.These stories aren't just relics of the past—they're the threads that weave through our cultural tapestry. As we recount personal anecdotes and family lore, we shed light on the enduring power of tradition, family, and cultural identity. We invite you to listen, reflect, and perhaps find inspiration in the way these vibrant stories bridge generations, connect us with our roots, and remind us of the richness embedded within our heritage.
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Vanessa Racci, the beloved jazzy Italian, takes center stage as we paint vivid portraits of Italian American music icons Bobby Darin and Connie Francis. Our heart beats with excitement as Vanessa unveils her latest passion project, "Forbidden Love," a mini musical poised to captivate audiences with its debut at Yorktown Stage in Westchester, New York. She shares her journey and collaboration with the talented Charlie Romo, all while nestled in the historical backdrop of Little Italy, thanks to the encouragement of Dr. Joseph Schelsa. Together, they breathe new life into the compelling and overlooked love story of Darin and Francis, adding depth to their legacies.Our conversation celebrates the indomitable spirit of Connie Francis, exploring her touching embrace of her Italian roots through music, even as she navigated personal trials and the challenging dynamics of fame. Her father’s insistence on her mastering the accordion and the resulting success of "Who's Sorry Now?" serve as testament to her resilience and talent. We reflect on her extraordinary journey and ponder her mysterious exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Vanessa and I weave personal anecdotes that underscore the lasting impact of these musical greats, as we announce the ambitious plans to elevate their story from a mini musical to a grand Broadway spectacle.Music becomes the powerful thread connecting past and present, as we reminisce about the resonant beauty of Italian songs like "Non pensare a me" and "Al di là." These melodies carry the weight of family memories, driven by the emotive power of the Neapolitan cry and the unique vocal qualities that define Italian music. We further explore the nurturing of future Italian American talents, celebrating figures like Charlie Romo who is staring in this production with Vanessa, and discuss the discipline and talent required to excel as a singer. As we traverse through genres, with nods to jazz and R&B legends like Alicia Keys and Etta James, this episode becomes a rich tapestry of music's enduring influence on our lives and the vibrant legacy of Italian American contributions to the musical landscape.To find out about the performance see the links below!Get tickets at: https://www.yorktownstage.org/forbidden-love-the-love-story-of-bobby-darin-and-connie-francis/ Vaness's Website:https://vanessaracci.com/Vanessa's socialsYoutube: @vanessaracci Instagram: @vanessaracciX: @vanessaracci
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Join us in this lively episode of the Italian American Podcast as we welcome special guests from Boston, two brothers and their sister, who share their expertise on Italian feasts and the fascinating blend of their Irish and Italian heritage. Listen in as we prepare for the iconic Festa delle Tutte Feste, San Gennaro, and explore the strategic, and sometimes contentious, planning that goes into these significant cultural events. We'll reflect on the cultural dynamics between Italian and Irish communities and the contrasting attitudes toward unity and leadership within these vibrant cultures.Our journey continues with a nostalgic look at New York City's historic neighborhoods and the evolution of the San Gennaro Feast into a multi-ethnic celebration. We reminisce about the Italian heritage, the transformation of these communities, and the broader cultural shifts that have shaped New York over the years. The discussion is enriched with memories of local delicacies and historical holidays that have faded over time, painting a vivid picture of a bygone era and its lasting impact on the city's cultural landscape.We then explore the culinary and cultural traditions of Italian American neighborhoods in Boston and New York, highlighting unique dishes and festive street life. The conversation touches on memorable dining experiences, the importance of local connections, and the vibrant atmosphere during Italian feasts. Special mentions include notable Italian personalities and the traditions like the passeggiata, which add depth to our appreciation of these tight knit communities. Finally, we reflect on the enduring pride, familial ties, and playful rivalries that bind these cultures together, leaving you with a rich tapestry of Italian American life.
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Join us for an engaging episode as we welcome esteemed editors Stanislao Pugliese and William Connell to explore the evolving field of Italian American studies. Listen in as we trace the academic journey of this discipline, which has grown from an overlooked orphan to a respected and interdisciplinary field. With contributions from scholars worldwide, we discuss the significance of attracting interest from non Italian Americans and the importance of Italian translations to foster cultural understanding between Italian Americans and their counterparts in Italy.Discover the remarkable impact of Italian heritage and studies at Seton Hall University, supported by generous benefactors like Mr. Valente. Learn about the establishment of an Italian studies chair and a comprehensive Italian library boasting 50,000 books, including a rare 1541 manuscript proposing radical church reforms. This chapter highlights the significance of supporting academic institutions and preserving historical texts, with a special acknowledgment from the Pope underscoring the global importance of such discoveries.Finally, explore the intricate process of cataloging and preserving Italian American memorabilia, the efforts of the Italian American Museum, and the rich cultural heritage of Italian Americans. Hear personal narratives, the challenges of maintaining traditions, and the efforts by organizations to promote Italian American literature. We also touch on significant academic projects and the role of Italian feast bands in keeping cultural traditions alive. This episode beautifully encapsulates the theme of exile and migration, drawing parallels to historical events and celebrating a century of cultural preservation.
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Join us as we bring you a heartwarming conversation with Christina Conte, the culinary genius behind "Christina's Cucina." Christina's journey from a children's social worker in Scotland to a beloved food blogger in California is nothing short of inspirational. Discover how a simple nudge from friends led her to create a blog that now resonates with food enthusiasts worldwide. We'll explore the transformative power of the pandemic on home cooking and Christina's unique insights into the rich tapestry of Italian American traditions, even in the most unexpected places.In our deeper dive, Christina shares her thoughts on the crucial role of authenticity in the food industry. Ever been frustrated by a recipe that didn't turn out as promised? Christina speaks candidly about the pitfalls of fake recipes and the misuse of stock photos, advocating for genuine ingredients and user-generated content. She also offers a poignant look at the Italian communities' experiences across the globe, from the British Isles to Australia, and how their connections to Italy shape their culinary traditions and family dynamics. Tune in for a feast of stories, tips, and the importance of keeping it real in the kitchen.
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Join us for an engaging and heartfelt journey through Italian American heritage and filmmaking. We were lucky to have this fascinating discussion with filmmakers Mary Lou and Jerome Bongiorno. In this podcast, they each shared their rich Italian roots, tracing back to the Veneto region and connections to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." The conversation also explores the distinct Italian communities within Newark, New Jersey, and their cultural nuances.
Most importantly though this conversation navigates the world of Italian cinema and its profound cultural impact. Reflecting on the Newark Riots Rebellion of 1967, the discussion shifts to the brilliance of legendary Italian filmmakers like Federico Fellini, Antonioni, Rossellini, and Pasolini. Their works continue to inspire and shape contemporary cinema. The conversation also touches on the humanity of canonized saints, such as Elizabeth Ann Seton and Mother Cabrini, shedding light on their personal struggles and remarkable achievements.
In the final chapters, we explore family secrets and cultural expectations, examining how societal pressures shaped personal histories, particularly among the World War I and II generations. The conversation shifts to the impact of family dynamics in Italian-American filmmaking, focusing on Martin Scorsese's relationship with his mother, Catherine. We discuss the broader significance of authentic representation in Italian-American media, moving beyond stereotypical portrayals to highlight diverse stories and achievements. Finally, we share insights from our recent filming experience in Sicily, capturing the evolving landscape of Italian society through unique narratives. Join us for this rich tapestry of stories, culture, and history.
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Discover the untold stories and rich heritage of Italian American baseball as we welcome Joe Quagliano, Chris Vaccaro, and Carmine Gangone from the Italian American Baseball Foundation. You'll learn how the foundation is creating a vibrant community through events like Italian American heritage nights at major and minor league stadiums across the nation. Tune in to hear about recent celebrations at iconic venues like Yankee Stadium and upcoming events in cities like St. Louis and Boston that are making a significant impact by supporting scholarships and baseball development.
Learn the inspiring journey of the foundation's scholarship program, which began with scouting trips to Italy and has since evolved into a robust initiative helping young Italian players train in U.S. colleges. Our annual gala has grown from a modest gathering to a celebrated event, attracting hundreds of attendees, including notable ballplayers and sports executives, encapsulating the sense of community and shared love for baseball. Through these efforts, the foundation is not only fostering young talent but also creating lasting bonds among attendees.
Explore the historical and cultural connections between Italy and baseball, from the origin story in Nettuno, Lazio, to the dynamics of building Italy's national baseball team. Hear about the unique experiences at Italian baseball stadiums, the joy of hosting youth clinics, and the foundation's future plans, including scholarships, equipment donations, and college opportunities for Italian natives. This episode is packed with heartwarming stories, historical insights, and exciting future prospects that promise to deepen your appreciation for Italian baseball.
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What happens when family expectations clash with personal desires? In our latest episode, we explore the powerful influence of family values and identity within Italian American communities. From the intense pressure to uphold family honor to the warmth and security provided by close family ties, we uncover stories that highlight both the joy and the challenges of maintaining cultural traditions. We discuss poignant tales of relationships strained by family embarrassment and the enduring pride in family-run businesses that form the backbone of Italian American society.Join us as we share hilarious and heartfelt anecdotes about the unique quirks of Italian American life, such as the overprotectiveness of Italian grandmothers and the cultural oddities of failed summer camps. We welcome Theresa DeCubellis to the conversation, emphasizing the importance of community and resilience in achieving success. As we wrap up, we invite you to engage with our show by sharing your own stories, thoughts, and experiences. Stay tuned for more joyful celebrations of Italian heritage and a special update from Pat’s postcards from Omaha. Celebrate with us the enduring spirit of family and community that defines Italian American life!
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We are thrilled to feature Lauren Braun-Strumfels, the brilliant author of "Partners in Gatekeeping," who shares her fascinating journey into Italian culture and immigration. Together, we uncover the allure and complexity of Italian culture, drawing parallels to Lauren's personal experiences and discussing cultural obsessions that shape our lives. From Arthur Schwartz's Neapolitan cooking to Jhumpa Lahiri's insights, this conversation is rich with reflections on the continuous pull towards understanding and integrating with Italian heritage.Our episode takes a deep dive into the history of Italian American communities in the American South, particularly New Orleans. Discover the significant role of port cities in Italian migration and the challenges faced by immigrants as they navigated socio-political dynamics and racial tensions. We also touch on the Italian government's efforts in managing immigration and maintaining cultural connections for Italian children born abroad. Through historical narratives and personal reflections, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the Italian American experience and the enduring impact of Italian culture on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Join us for an entertaining and heartfelt episode of the Italian American Podcast as John Viola, Patrick O'Boyle, and special guest Mark Rotella bring you into the heart of Little Italy from their newly set up studio. Listen in as we banter everything from mismatched attire to the nostalgia of simpler times when we enjoyed French pastries during recordings. Despite the challenges, we preview upcoming guest segments and maintain our unique blend of humor and Italian American culture.
In this episode, we explore the evolution of Italian American food culture and the significant impact of globalization on traditional Italian and Italian American cuisine. We share personal anecdotes about the cultural importance of red sauce restaurants and highlight efforts to document and celebrate this culinary heritage through a new documentary series. The conversation transitions into the Italian American Foodways Project, which aims to trace the history of Italian cuisine in America and foster connections through communal dining experiences. We emphasize the importance of authenticity and reflect on the critical nature of Italian culture.
The journey continues as we delve into Italian American cultural artifacts and the influence of Italian and Italian American artists from the 1950s to the 1960s. The discussion covers the rich cultural insights from translating Lou Monte's songs and the crossover impact of entertainers like Perry Como and Dean Martin. Wrapping up, we explore the creative process behind our Italian American Christmas music projects and the fluid nature of identity, especially for the next generation of Italian Americans. Tune in for an episode filled with laughter, nostalgia, and a deep appreciation for Italian American heritage.
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What ancient Italian remedy could save you from your next cold, and which family superstition might just predict your next visitor? Join us on a nostalgic journey through the rich tapestry of Italian traditions and remedies as we continue part 2 of this discussion with Zia Rosa! In this episode we learn heartfelt stories and cultural practices passed down through generations between Pat, John and Zia Rosa. This episode begins with vivid recollections of childhood memories, like using egg whites and salt to reduce swelling, and crafting chamomile and Malvasia flower teas for respiratory ailments. We also explore charming rituals such as collecting chamomile on Ascension Thursday and using lavender like flowers to perfume clothes, celebrating the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our Italian ancestors.
Listen and watch as we recount personal anecdotes that shed light on both the dangers and the wisdom of traditional Italian remedies. We discuss the sometimes desperate measures people take when modern medicine is simply not present.
Prepare to be entertained and enlightened as we dive into the quirks and superstitions that define Italian American family traditions. From the historical intrigue behind wool bathing suits and Mussolini's drawstring underwear to the meticulous preparation of traditional dishes like scalcione, we capture the essence of Italian heritage. Our tales of travel traditions, the evolution of pasta making, and the resilience of our ancestors in the face of hardships offer a heartfelt appreciation of Italian culture and its enduring legacy in our lives today. Join us for this enriching episode that celebrates the wisdom, humor, and enduring spirit of our Italian ancestors as we close our discussion with Zia Rosa
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Brace yourself for a heartwarming and hilarious journey through Italian American culture as we introduce the newest member of our podcast family, the delightful (folk) Doctor Zia Rosa! This special episode is filled with light-hearted banter as we delve into the rich traditions of Italian nicknames and family bonds, setting the tone for an episode brimming with nostalgia and charm.
Our journey starts with a heartfelt exploration of family traditions and remedies, featuring Rosa, the eldest sibling, who recounts memories of her mother and grandmother. She shares unique family remedies, like using warm olive oil for earaches, and emphasizes the crucial role of family historians in preserving these traditions for future generations. The episode takes an intriguing turn as we compare this remedy to another involving breast milk, highlighting the diverse ways families have cared for each other over the years. A humorous disclaimer reminds us that these stories are historical anecdotes, not medical advice.
In the latter part of the episode, we explore a range of traditional Italian healing practices and their cultural significance. From using fresh oregano in olive oil as a natural antibiotic to the multifaceted uses of honey, we uncover the rich history behind these remedies. We also share personal stories, including a special Zia Rosa tale of a severe tooth infection treated in Bari, showcasing the deep love and care within Italian families. The episode wraps up with a nostalgic memory involving an egg yolk herbal healing treatment, illustrating the resourcefulness and dedication of our Italian elders and their remedies. This episode is a touching tribute to the enduring legacy of Italian family traditions and the creative ways our ancestors took care of one another.
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Ever wondered what it’s like to navigate Hollywood’s golden era with icons like Frank Sinatra and Robert Mitchum? What defines the essence of resilience and the enduring power of family bonds? Join us as we sit down with the remarkable Brenda Vaccaro, who takes us on a heartfelt journey through her Italian heritage and family history. Venture into Brenda's illustrious acting career as she reminisces about her early days in New York City, the emotional dynamics of theater, and the differences between acting in various mediums. Brenda's admiration for Norwegian and English actors provides deep insight into her craft. At the same time, a humorous story from the set of "Naked City" offers a light-hearted glimpse into her experiences. We also explore the profound impact of losing a loved one and how their wisdom influences her work and life.From Brooklyn to Dallas, Brenda shares the struggles and triumphs of her family during the Great Depression, highlighting her father's challenges as an Italian immigrant and corporate lawyer educated at NYU. Through poignant anecdotes, Brenda emphasizes the values instilled in her by her parents and the unbreakable ties that shaped her upbringing.While listening, you can experience the glamour and excitement of Hollywood through Brenda's eyes as she recounts her first film experience and the cultural clash of the 1960s and 1970s. From wild Hollywood parties to the genuine camaraderie among artists, Brenda's stories paint a vivid picture of a bygone era in entertainment. Reflecting on her Italian American family roots, Brenda emphasizes the enduring power of family traditions and the deep connections that define her heritage. This episode is a heartfelt tribute to the importance of family, heritage, and the colorful personalities that shaped Brenda's life and career.
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We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Ernie Rossi of E. Rossi Company to the newly minted Red Sauce Studio in the heart of Little Italy. With a legacy dating back to 1910, Ernie shares captivating stories about his family's significant contributions to Neapolitan music in America. From his grandfather's early days publishing sheet music to producing records, this episode offers a tribute to the enduring legacy of Italian culture in Little Italy.
Travel back with us to the nostalgic Italian American neighborhoods where cultural dynamics and traditions shaped everyday life. Ernie paints a vivid picture of how the family business evolved from a music-focused enterprise to a broader Italian American resource, emphasizing the cultural significance of traditional coffee pots like the Neapolitan flip coffee pot. Personal anecdotes, such as children being given coffee in their milk to keep them hyperactive, enrich our discussion of memories that continue to shape Italian American heritage today.
From our sit down with Ernie we explore kitchen mishaps, traditional Italian cookware, and share humorous stories about encounters with famous Italian Americans like Martin Scorsese and Connie Francis. As we wrap up, we dive into planning an Italian American Christmas album, including a playful debate about Dominic the Donkey and creating a new holiday hit. Join us for an episode brimming with rich history, personal connections, and a heartfelt celebration of Italian American culture.
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Join us in our latest episode as we celebrate the Italian American community and culture from our new Red Sauce Studio in Little Italy, Manhattan. We continue to look towards the future and are excited to see what new adventures we will have with our brand new studio. In this episode we give thanks to those who have helped us get to where we are today. Although the store is not finished, Red Sauce Studio is up and running! Our passion for Italian American culture shines through as we discuss our growing collection of memorabilia and the importance of immersing ourselves in these cultural experiences as well as tackling some Italian American debates.
In this episode we discuss the proper representation of the Italian American Barbie doll as well as why our studio was named “Red Sauce” and not “Red Gravy.” We reminisce about the countless joyful hours spent personalizing our studio and the playful critique of dolls that sparked a fun conversation about cultural representation. Listen to our light-hearted discussions as we share the humorous struggles, family dynamics, and the quirky tastes that come with preserving our cultural heritage. We also delve into the pride of our heritage, from the dynamics between Italian diplomats and the community, to our creative journey in designing Italian American-themed apparel. With a nod to designers like Dolce & Gabbana and a sneak peek into our upcoming projects, this episode is a celebration of community spirit, cultural pride, and the joy of sharing our heritage with the world.
The future of The Italian American Podcast is here at Mulberry and Grand St!
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Ciao Paesani and welcome to an exciting new era for the Italian American Podcast, because we are broadcasting from our brand new Red Sauce Studio in the heart of Little Italy, Manhattan. Join us as we celebrate this exciting new chapter with Pat, Rosella, John, and Dolores reuniting hours before the ribbon cutting ceremony that will officially open the new studio. We share our journey from makeshift setups to this beautiful new space, surrounded by the vibrant life of Little Italy. Our discussion kicks off with the joy of reuniting after time apart and the humorous evolution of our recording locations, from an office space, to a cardboard box, and even zoom land.
Get ready for a heated and passionate debate over the beloved and sometimes controversial red sauce restaurants. We explore the intricacies of Italian American cuisine, from the heavy use of sauce and mozzarella to the frying methods and oil choices that define our favorite dishes. Amidst the lively banter, we also reveal our favorite and least favorite red sauce dishes, and share personal anecdotes that highlight the impact of ingredient quality on traditional recipes.
As we transition from audio to video recordings, we reflect on the evolution and preservation of our Italian American culture. From cookbooks and culinary traditions to the significance of Little Italy and the impact of modern changes, we celebrate nearly a decade of the Italian American Podcast. Plus, enjoy our reflections on Little Italy's history, cultural significance, and the personal anecdotes that make this episode a heartfelt celebration of nearly a decade of the Italian American Podcast. Join us as we express our gratitude to our supportive community and look forward to many more conversations here at Red Sauce Studio!
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When our Paesani at ‘Growing Up Italian’ invited us to join them in celebrating their two millionth follower on Instagram, little did we know we’d end up in a conversation as enjoyable as the one we had with Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti! One we enjoyed so much that we decided to share it with you, our loyal listeners, as the last audio-only episode of the Italian American Podcast!
By the time this episode is released, we will have cut the green-white-and-red ribbon on our brand-new home Red Sauce Studio. The fully integrated audio and video podcasting studio at the corner of Mulberry and Grand Streets at the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy is going to allow us to bring you an all-new video version of our show beginning next week, but in the meantime, we hope you’ll enjoy this laugh-filled conversation with one of Italian America’s most talented, and likable, personalities!
Join us as we sit down with the one-and-only Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti and our friends at ‘Growing Up Italian’ in this unexpected and unplugged episode!
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In recent years, the phenomenon of “One Euro Homes” has spread across Italy, as rural villages across “il Bel Paese” struggle to curb the steady population decline that is endemic in a country with constant urban flight and one of the world’s lowest birth rates. But as these cheap property schemes have become a dime-a-dozen, there is one town in the heart of Italy’s most overlooked region that has done things a little differently… and with incredible results!
Join us as we journey to the charming town of Latronico. In the southern region of Basilicata, this community of 4,000 inhabitants is located within the pristine Pollino National Park and surrounded by historic thermal baths and unspoiled nature. We’ll check in with our old friends Vincenzo Castellano and Mariangela Tortorella, two of Latronico’s younger residents who are leading voices in the project called “La tua Casa a Latronico”… Your House in Latronico… a decade-old effort to redefine the concept of real estate in Latronico, and perhaps throughout the Italian regions.
Venturing into the realities of Italian real estate, we shed light on the nuances of purchasing homes in this picturesque town. From the excitement of discovering the affordable charm of turnkey properties to the familiar comforts sought by American buyers (air conditioning and jumbo fridges), our dialogue traverses the cultural differences that shape our living spaces and the cultural shifts accompanying this revival.
Our guests share the emotional impact of seeing new life in once-dark homes, how new residents help longtime inhabitants appreciate their town with new eyes, and how local businesses adapt to cater to new American tastes.
Embark on a journey through the heart of Italy and the soul of Italian American identity with our heartfelt exploration of Latronico, its transformation, and a project that’s about more than just selling houses; it's about the stories that unfold within them!
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Every autumn, as the air gets crisper and the final leaves begin to fall, millions of devotees wait on bated breath for the arrival of one of the most beloved traditions in the world… the Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas! And on this week’s episode, we’re sitting down with two Italian Americans who have dedicated their lives to bringing this marathon of merriment to this loyal audience year after year!
Meet Candice DiLavore and Samantha DiPippo, two incredible Italian American execs at Hallmark Media who are weaving their devotion to family and tradition into these heartwarming films that have become an integral part of holiday traditions for so many.
Unlock the secrets of Italian American traditions and the behind-the-scenes magic of Hallmark Christmas movies as we serve up a feast of laughter and storytelling in today's spirited conversation and reflect on the profound impact Hallmark movies have on viewers, serving as a source of comfort and connection in challenging times.
Prepare for a heartwarming journey as we explore ritual, romance, and the impact of classic films on our own cinematic creations. We also share a personal encounter that's ripe for transformation into a Hallmark Christmas movie plot, proving that our Italian American heritage is an endless well of inspiration! Plus, indulge in our dream of filming in the picturesque towns of “La Bella Italia”, where the storylines are as rich and inviting as the landscapes.
Finally, we leave you with an appeal to support the Notorious POB at his annual Feast of Our Lady of Sacro Monte coming up on May 16-18 in Clifton, NJ. We’re hoping you will make a donation, or perhaps even come out and join us… where you may get the chance to meet a Paesana or two behind your favorite Hallmark Christmas Movies!
Visit the link in our story and bio to download and listen now!
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We’re exploring one of the lesser-known chapters of Italy’s post-war history as we examine Sicily's bid for independence with our esteemed guest Dr. Gaetano Cipolla of Arba Sicula. Join us as he shares insights from his brand new translation of the late Giuseppe Scianò's revelatory book, "The Struggle for Sicilian Independence." Our enlightening conversation peels back layers of history, exposing British intervention in Garibaldi's campaign and the effects of Italian unification on Sicilian culture. We reflect on the enduring spirit of the Sicilian people, their unique language, and cultural heritage, drawing parallels to contemporary independence movements across Europe.
And, we’ll be diving into the linguistic labyrinth of the Sicilian language, as Dr. Cipolla dismantles misconceptions and conveys the richness of a tongue that's more than a mere dialect. We dissect the challenges of translating Sicilian for an American audience, striking a balance between cultural fidelity and comprehensibility. The episode also delves into the diversity among Sicilian dialects and the endeavor to create a standardized grammar that remains true to its multifaceted nature, celebrating Sicily's linguistic identity and diversity.
Concluding our cultural voyage, we ponder the future of Sicilian language and customs. Against the predictions of its fading, we find a vibrant cultural pride encouraging its preservation. We explore the shifting lexicon, the role of music, and social media's potential to ignite a cultural renaissance. Dr. Cipolla's dedication to safeguarding the Sicilian heritage is evident through his latest contributions, promising to be vital for those fascinated with Sicily's rich history and the unyielding spirit that has influenced the world.
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Well, the ground beneath us may have shaken from New Jersey's surprising earthquake, but it's the stirring tales of passing along the Italian culture to future generations that truly rock our world!
That’s because, in this week’s episode, we’re joined by the delightful Marisa Fusaro, Italian teacher and creator of Stellina Travel, who shares her insights on the crucial role of education in preserving Italian-American language culture.
As she regales us with tales from her vibrant classroom, we get a sense of the passion and dedication it takes to teach the Italian language to students from all ethnic backgrounds. But it's not just about language; it's about connecting with our history, our ancestors, and the sense of community that these traditions foster. Marissa's insights serve as a reminder of the invaluable role education plays in the tapestry of Italian-American heritage.
Wrapping up with a heart-to-heart on the value of educational travel, we put the spotlight on the unforgettable impact of experiencing Italy firsthand. There's something magical about watching students come into their own as cultural ambassadors amidst the unfolding wonders of Bel Italia, and we’re discussing the necessity for investing in these opportunities, especially for those who might not otherwise have the chance to experience Italy on their own. From supporting Italian teachers and engaging with cultural organizations to sponsoring a student's voyage, we explore how each of us can contribute to this beautiful endeavor, ensuring the flame of Italian culture burns bright for generations to come. Join us for an episode that's as much about the joy of learning as it is about the love of Italian cookies and culture.
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Turn up the volume for an exclusive sneak peek into the inaugural “PaisanCon”, where Hollywood meets heritage in a festival of film, food, and famous faces from across the Italian American entertainment scene!
We’ll meet Nicky Petito, the young Italian American comedian, writer, producer, impressionist, and crooner behind this first-of-its-kind weekend celebrating the influence of our community in pop culture. He’s rolling out the red carpet in support of Italian American narratives that uplift and inspire, and looking to Explore the Italian American experience beyond the tired tropes of mob tales and reality TV.
Envision an event where Italian American stars of stage, screen, and sports rub elbows with up-and-comers, where your “Paisan status” isn't defined by your bloodline but by your love for the culture. We spotlight the Paisan Film Festival, the Paisan Awards, and PaisanCon’s heartfelt motto, "You don't have to be Italian to be a Paisan,” an inclusive embrace of anyone who shares our passion for Italian Life.
As our conversation veers towards the portrayal of Italian-Americans in the spotlight, we scrutinize Hollywood's casting quirks and yearn for genuine representation. We dissect the complex dance of being typecast yet excluded, and underscore the importance of backing projects that honor our heritage authentically. Wrapping up, we touch on the power of unity in celebrating the cultural pride that makes us who we are. We leave you with an invitation to be a part of something special, to support Paisan Con in Fairfield, NJ on April 13-14, 2024 as Nicky and his team strive to create not just an event, but an experience that resonates with joy, pride, and the enduring spirit of our Italian American journey.
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As we enter into the Easter Season, join us for a poignant reflection on an extraordinary figure in the Italian American community… Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint. Listen in as we share how personal experiences intertwine with Mother Cabrini's remarkable legacy of compassion and service. With the recent spotlight on the long-awaited film "Cabrini," our special guests Monsignor Paul Bocchicchio and Gilda Bello, pivotal early supporters in bringing the story to the screen, offer a behind-the-scenes look at the nearly 15-year journey to honor Mother Cabrini's life on screen, and the challenges they overcame along the way.
Discover the incredible narrative of Mother Cabrini's life and her impact that spans from New York City to New Orleans, marking her as a beacon of hope and dedication. We reminisce about the prayers at the Cabrini Shrine that sparked the creation of the film and recount fascinating encounters with cinematic icons.
Our conversation sheds light on the film's funding journey, revealing the blend of humor, faith, and determination that characterizes Mother Cabrini's mission and the powerful support from individuals like Eustace Wolfington and H.E. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. Their personal connections to Mother Cabrini's work paint a picture of a legacy that continues to resonate in communities and parishes today.
As we reflect on Easter, our discussion embraces the unique blend of Italian-American culture and faith, highlighting the enduring relevance of Mother Cabrini's story. We address the historical prejudices faced by Italian Americans, underscoring the muted recognition of Mother Cabrini's canonization and the significance of preserving our cultural and religious heritage. And as we send out our warmest Easter wishes, we celebrate the traditions that bind us, from the delectable Easter pies to the shared laughter with loved ones, and invite you to find inspiration in the power of saints like Mother Cabrini. So, come celebrate with us, and let's honor the spirit of community and faith that she embodied so profoundly.
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Explore the deep roots of the Italian community in New Haven, CT with our esteemed guests, Frank Stellato and “Uncle Frank” Carano as we explore the cultural and culinary importance of the St. Andrew of Amalfi Society and the indelible mark of Italian migration on New Haven’s history. Savor the stories of reconnecting with family history and traditional recipes, including a prize-winning family meatball that you can try for yourself next time you are in New Haven’s Italian Enclave! Listen in as “Uncle Frank” Carano shares his experiences capturing the history of the Wooster Square Neighborhood as a columnist at the New Haven Register, creating a culinary archive in his 35,000+ member “Wooster Square Cooks” Facebook cooking group, and his efforts to preserve the history of Italian immigrants through the Worcester Square Italian Immigrant History Association.
The episode culminates with a focus on the significance of preserving Italian American traditions and oral histories. We unveil some plans for our upcoming store in Manhattan’s Little Italy including an innovative oral history booth, aiming to capture and safeguard our community's narratives. As we share anecdotes about local food legends and family recipes, we celebrate Uncle Frank's literary and culinary contributions, inviting listeners to partake in a communal feast that honors our Italian American roots. Tune in and be inspired to keep the flame of cultural heritage burning for generations to come.
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One of the most beloved Italian American holidays is here again, and we are back in New Orleans, LA, coming to you live and uncut from the center of the nation’s greatest St. Joseph’s Day celebrations.
Join co-host John M. Viola, as he broadcasts directly from the vibrant heart of New Orleans, where the Italian American St. Joseph's Society's parade and feast ignite the city with cultural pride. Listen in as he sits down with dear friends and prominent figures in the Italian American community—Brendan Young, Tony Mangia, and Chef David Greco of Mike's Deli on Arthur Avenue— to share a lively discussion about the rich traditions of St. Joseph's Day, including the massive undertaking of preparing nearly a thousand pounds of Pasta con Sarde and the deep-seated importance of food in our heritage celebrations.
We dive into the kitchen camaraderie that makes monumental cooking endeavors like this possible and illuminate the secrets behind the mouthwatering feasts that have come to symbolize our collective identity. We reminisced about the family-run businesses that form the backbone of our community, the resilience that has seen us through the toughest of times, and the cultural champions who've ensured that our legacy endures.
Plus, we’ll explore the broader implications of our heritage celebrations, and how the significance of these gatherings extends beyond the feasting tables, shaping our perspectives on historical narratives and the ways we honor our forebears. Through the power of story and social media, we're not just preserving customs; we're inviting the world to join our pilgrimage, one that celebrates the grandeur of Italian-American culture and the spirited communities that keep it alive. So, tune in, enjoy the stories, and perhaps find a spark of inspiration to kindle your own cultural flames by joining the dozens of listeners already making the pilgrimage at next year’s St. Joseph’s Day Weekend!
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Join us as we unwrap the colorful tapestry of Italian culture with guests, Trisha Volpe and Saverio Nestico from Filitalia International. This forward-thinking organization, born in the heart of Philadelphia’s Italian American enclave stretches across the globe, with membership from Havana, Cuba to the Heartland of America!
Discover the origins and mission of Filitalia, its expansion to 27 chapters worldwide, and how it fosters values of humility, justice, and honesty in promoting the Italian language and culture. From historical migrations to the touching story of one Italian American woman finding love in a Pastry Shop, our conversation traverses the rich tapestry of Italian heritage and its enduring influence.
Listen in as we reflect on the dynamic changes within Italian American communities, and discuss the complexities younger generations face when integrating into organizations steeped in tradition, and explore why Filitalia has become the go-to organization for younger Italians around the world seeking their role in uniting Italian-Americans and fostering cultural pride while combining heritage with professional pursuits. It's a celebration of culture, connection, and the global reach of organizations like Filitalia that bind us all.
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When Maria Teresa Quaranta left her tax accountant ledgers for lesson plans, she wasn't just changing careers; she was answering a calling. Her heart led her to the vibrant halls of the Robert F. Kennedy School in Manhattan, where she now brings the richness of Italian American culture to life using innovative teaching strategies tailored to students with unique learning needs.
Join us as we visit with Maria Teresa and her incredible students to explore her journey and her innovative approach to education that transcends traditional methods, embracing the ethos of heritage and humanity. Fueled by her fervent desire to enrich the lives of children with severe disabilities, Maria Theresa shares the innovative new program that she created to bring the Italian American culture into a diverse classroom, creating a synergistic ecosystem of special education, where families, educators, and technology converge to craft a space that's less of a classroom and more of a familial haven. It’s a classroom where every day is a discovery – not just for the students but for the educator as well!
We’ll also explore the future of Italian American identity, and the crucial role of younger Italian Americans like Maria Theresa in sustaining and redefining this legacy. Discover Maria Teresa's unique approach to teaching tolerance and acceptance through cultural comparisons, and appreciate the groundbreaking educational methods that foster inclusivity and understanding in today's evolving learning environments.
Maria Teresa's classroom is a testament to the power of patience, tolerance, and acceptance, celebrating the differences that make each student unique, yet her story isn't just about teaching; it's about how passion can spark a revolution in learning, and this episode is an intimate look at that transformation in action. Join us as we spotlight the profound influence that one dedicated educator can have on the lives of those with special needs, all against the backdrop of a proud Italian American narrative.
And, if you or someone you love is an educator, visit piccolofuturo.com to bring Maria Theresa’s Italian Heritage curriculum into your classroom!
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Join us for a heartfelt journey through the intricate landscape of cultural identity and generational heritage as we sit down with the esteemed Italian American Poet, Artist, and Professor Maria Mazzotti-Gillan. Listen in as Professor Gillan shares her evocative poetry and personal stories at the Poetry Center at Passaic County Community College, painting a vivid picture of the Italian immigrant's struggle to assimilate into American society. Together, we unpack the complex emotions tied to our ancestors' sacrifices, the shame and pride of our immigrant roots, and the delicate balance of preserving tradition while embracing a new national identity.
Reflect on the meaning of the American Dream from an Italian American perspective as we embark on an exploration of the powerful influence that family, culture, and art have on our sense of self. We uncover the strength found in balancing one's heritage with the pressures to assimilate, and how these dynamics shape our self-identification.
This episode is an invitation to become part of an ongoing conversation, ensuring that the rich cultural contributions of Italians are remembered, respected, and cherished for generations to come.
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For just over 100 years, Unico National has been dedicated to the ideal of “Service Above Self”. And, the nation’s largest Italian American service organization also happens to be the place where our very own Pat O’Boyle got his start in the Italian American community! That’s right… before he was the “Italian American Wikipedia” he was the Unico National Youth Chairman, and even after three decades the Notorious P.O.B. is still immensely proud of his Unican Roots!
So in this week’s episode, we’re joined by Cav. Ralph A. Contini, Unico’s National President, to discuss the organization’s proud history and bright future. From its founding in Waterbury, CT in 1922 (when its founders were denied membership in the local Rotary Club because they were Italian) to its recent growth in many parts of the country, we’re exploring what makes the organization so “unique”, and why recent trends indicate a bright future for this and other Italian American groups!
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In January of 2023, more than 100 young, active Italian Americans between the ages of 21 and 35, gathered together in Sunrise, Florida for our inaugural Italian American Future Leaders Conference. This year, we set out to live up to the incredible success that was the first IAFL, and the reviews are in and it looks like we exceeded all expectations!
In this week’s episode, you’ll meet some of the over 200 passionate Italian American activists who made up our IAFL2 Class. From every corner of the country and every walk of life, we met some amazing Italian American future leaders, and we want them to share their stories and their experiences with you!
If you’ve ever been concerned about the future of our Italian American community, you won’t be after listening to this week’s episode. And, if you’re interested in learning more about this life-changing weekend, visit the IAFL Website to learn how you or someone you love could be part of next year’s event!
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How many Italian Americans out there are working hard to try to pass the Italian language, or one of Italy’s countless Regional Languages, onto the next generation in their family? What about those of us who are attempting to do it while learning one of these languages ourselves?
Raising your kids with Sicilian, Italian, Neapolitan, or Venetian might seem like an insurmountable task (especially while learning yourself) but this week’s guest is here to tell us that it can be done! And, he’s done a TON of work to show us how!
Nick Panzanella of the ‘Cademia Siciliana Foundation is a proud Sicilian American from Houston, TX who has made it his mission to not only learn Italian and Sicilian but to pass both languages along to his children!
Through his work with Sicilian institutions and his highly popular "Sicilian with Nick YouTube channel", this trailblazing Italo-Texan presented his incredible work to a standing ovation at our Second Annual Italian American Future Leaders Conference in South Florida, so we knew we had to give him the chance to speak to our audience around the world!
Learn the best tricks and tactics to impart your linguistic heritage to the future generations of your Italian American family, and give them the greatest gift of all!
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What do YOU use to answer the question on race and ethnicity on the U.S. Census?
The Federal Government has recently undertaken a reexamination of the “Federal Standards on Racial and Ethnic Data Collection”, and as a part of that process, they have invited communities across the nation to weigh in on how they are counted.
To some in our community, the time has come to answer the question of whether or not Italian Americans are “White”.
And of course, there is no straightforward answer. While some believe that the label White is an appropriate one for Italian Americans, others feel it’s an erasure and “whitewashing” of the Italian American historical experience. Many fall somewhere in between.
We’re joined by Chiara Parisi and Cristina Carabetta, two Italian American attorneys who have engaged the Federal Government in the process. They are also two of the shining alumni of our inaugural Italian American Future Leaders Conference and returned to IAFL2 this month to present their work at our 2024 conference.
They’ll share when, and at which governmental levels Italians have been categorized as “White”, why the collection of accurate statistical data is so important for our community, and what some of the proposals for a new categorization for Italian Americans actually entail.
Plus, we’ll discuss some of the misunderstandings around the current effort that have left a split in Italian American opinion.
It’s an important conversation straight from the stage of IAFL2, and one that will impact Italian Americans for generations to come!
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In a world with an app for everything, and the ever-increasing presence of artificial intelligence, what happens when technology can’t answer our questions or solve our problems?
Sometimes it pays to remember how to do things the old-fashioned way!
From raising kids without parenting books and bedtime routines to eating carbs and fats for a healthier lifestyle, we’re examining some of the forgotten strategies that were common just a generation ago. And, because studies show raising children who know their genealogy makes for happier and healthier kids, we’re sitting down with genealogist Maria Carparelli of the Italian Genealogy Society of New Jersey to explore some long-lost methods of genealogical research to help the home genealogist breakthrough when technology can only take you so far!
From accessing government records in person to understanding Italian naming traditions in the hunt for your ancestors, Maria is bringing us back to the pre-internet days to share strategies and secrets you won’t want to miss!
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What is it about the Italian experience around the world that makes our story so relatable? Sure, it's one thing for us Italian Americans to connect with our Paesani across the seas in Australia, but why is it that the trio of Italian Australian comedians known as Sooshi Mango have built a devoted audience as far afield as Russia and Lithuania? And if this humor is speaking to fans of all backgrounds, why is it that these Paesani who are selling out arenas around the world are being labeled as “ethnic humor” in their own country?
We’re visiting the Growing Up Italian Studios to hang out with brothers Joe and Carlo Salanitri, and their best friend, Andrew Manfre - the Italian Australian sketch comedy troupe taking the world by storm. We’re exploring the inspiration behind Sooshi Mango, and looking at how their work is influenced by everything from vaudeville to the Neapolitan Sceneggiata.
It’s a laugh-a-minute hour and a half in which we discuss everything from the feelings of divided loyalties to where not to eat tripe! And, thanks to the generosity of our new Australian amici, we’re trying some typical Australian delicacies live on the air.
If you’re a long-time Sooshi Mango fanatic, or hearing them for the first time, we’re thrilled to sit down with these three wonderful new friends on the cusp of their upcoming World Tour. And we guarantee that after listening to this episode, you’ll be lining up to see these guys live when they come back to the US next month!
Plus, thanks to our pals at Growing Up Italian, you can also take a look at a pilot video version of this episode on our YouTube channel!
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Everyone knows the song about Christmas in Hawaii, but while we can appreciate a holiday with sun and sand, where’s the song that celebrates a Buon Natale filled with pesce and paisans??
Well, we at the Italian American Podcast set out to create a song for those who celebrate Christmas the Italian American way, and our first call was to our friends at the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra, one of the best-kept secrets in Italian America.
We’re all gathering together hot off the heels of recording our new song “We All Say Buon Natale”, and having a hilarious day putting together a music video for it. So, we’re sharing how this project came to pass, some insight into the wonderful work of the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra, some of our favorite Italian American Christmas traditions and tales, and a sneak peek of our brand-new song. So join us for our ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVE SPECTACULAR, wishing you Buon Natale from the Italian American Podcast and the Bloomfield Mandolin Orchestra!
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Over his long career as a writer, filmmaker, academic, and award-winning documentarian, Eduardo Montes-Bradley has always been inspired by his love of learning. But these days, it's his Italian heritage that drives his tireless quest to uncover the six Italian American brothers whose skill as master carvers fundamentally reshaped the face of the modern American city.
Join us as we visit the Columbus Citizens Foundation to sit down with this fascinating Argentine-American storyteller to learn more about his passion project documentary examining this incredible Italian American family and the incomparable body of work that flowed out of their studio in the Bronx.
From the Lincoln Memorial to the New York Stock Exchange, from Brooklyn to San Diego, their impact on public art in America can never be matched… yet their contribution is almost completely overlooked today, and Eduardo has set out to discover why!
We’ll discuss artificial intelligence and its role in history and discovery, examine the ever-evolving role of documentaries and podcasts in the sphere of education, and ask why it is that we Italians seem destined to create art no matter where we go!
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Gianluca Rottura, the proprietor of “In Vino Veritas,” New York City’s landmark wine store, returns to the Italian American Podcast to bring us his take on the famed Italian Amari… But, we go completely off the rails and end up getting some of his best recommendations for the drinks and delicacies you’re going to want to try this Holiday Season!
From Gianluca’s top two fresh mozzarellas in the NYC area to some amazing new wines (and yes, amari) recommendations, you’re going to get tons of tips on how to heighten your holiday this year.
We’ll introduce you to the elevation that is colatura -the hottest new “secret ingredient” in the culinary world- which just so happens to be one of ancient Rome’s most common condiments. And, we’ll explore why you might love anchovies if you’ve tried the right ones!
Plus we are discussing Gianluca’s new book: Ma, What Are You Cooking?: The In Vino Veritas Cookbook and Food Guide… an Italian American book so thoroughly encyclopedia that P.O.B. sleeps with it on his nightstand!
And, with the Christmas Season upon us, we're going to taste a listener-made panettone so good, that it will redefine how you look at this Christmas-time regifting staple!
By the end of this episode, you’ll have a shopping list worth of goodies to track down, so if you love great wines, great food, great friends, and a good old-fashioned Italian American rant don’t miss this very lively (and instructive) episode!
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Join us as we jump back into the incredible life story of Severino D’Angelo, a “Paesan of Interest” with a story in which determination and dedication meet some very good luck.
Leaving what he describes as a “Medieval Italy” Severino D’Angelo went on to discover his natural gifts in the American education system, have his life saved when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and build a career as an engineer that led to dozens of patents and an incredible impact on the U.S. auto industry… all of which, he believes he owes to the American Dream.
In this concluding half of a two-part episode, Severino shares how being drafted into the US Army during the Vietnam War actually saved his life, and allowed him to pursue higher education, through language barriers and learning disabilities, to become an engineer with so many patents… many of which we are still industry standard technology today.
We’ll discuss the amazing story of his chance meeting with a young American doctor who would become the love of his life, get to see what retirement looks like as a nearly 80-year-old marathon runner, and ultimately understand why after his amazing journey of immigration and transformation, he was drawn back to the Paese of his youth!
It’s a heartwarming story of humility, happenstance, hard work, and the best of the Italian American Dream, and a story you won’t want to miss!
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Severino D’Angelo is a name you might not recognize. But, if you’ve stepped into a car in the United States at any point since Ronald Reagan was in the White House, you’ve encountered a technology patented by this unassuming “Paesan of Interest”.
Leaving what he describes as a “Medieval Italy” Severino D’Angelo went on to discover his natural gifts in the American education system, have his life saved when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and build a career as an engineer that led to dozens of patents and an incredible impact on the U.S. auto industry… all of which, he believes he owes to the American Dream.
In this first half of a two-part episode, you will meet Severino, a humble and humorous Italian American who immigrated from rural Campania to Downton Jersey City, NJ in 1963. He will describe the Italy of his youth in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, and share the amazing story of how fortuitous timing and a bit of good old-fashioned “Furbizia” helped his father to escape that global conflagration with his life.
We’ll discuss the world he found in mid-1960s Italian America, a snapshot of the unique point in our American story, and how the differences in the American education system gave him a life he could never have dreamed of in the Italy of his youth.
It’s the beginning of a beautiful tale of hope, hard work, and the best of the Italian American Dream, and a story you won’t want to miss!
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Alessandro Crocco is an energetic and personable thirty-something from Calabria, on a mission to change the way Italy and Italian America interact. And, as the newly elected President of the Committees of Italian Abroad (Com.it.es) for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (and Bermuda!) Alessandro is in the perfect position to do so. But, Alessandro has a secret… after all these years, he may have become an Italian American himself!
We’re sitting down with this engaging young community leader to discuss the connections and contrasts between “Italians living in America” and Italian Americans, the opportunities and challenges ahead for both, and what it means to think of oneself as an “Expat” vs. an “Immigrant”.
We’ll delve into the inner workings of the Committees of Italian Abroad (Com.it.es), and look at how these representative bodies of the Italian community (directly elected by Italian nationals living abroad around the world) can be a force for dynamic exchange in the 21st century.
It's a frank and funny conversation that will ask some fundamental questions about the future of Italian American identity!
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8 years in the making, our 300th Episode is an uncut dive into the past, present, and future of our show, and the real-life friends behind it.
We're catching up and sharing stories from our times together beyond the podcast, giving you a glimpse "behind the green-white-and-red", and letting the tangents do the talking as we discuss everything from Rossella's upcoming celebration- the Inaugural "PaesanPalooza"- to some of the more pronounced differences between our hosts! There'll be laughing, shouting, gossiping, and guidance...but most of all a whole lotta love.
If after 299 episodes, you feel like you're one of the pals at the table too, then 300 is one you won't want to miss!
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Because this is the final episode of Italian American Heritage Month, we thought we’d gather the Famiglia and share the stories of the “Italian Heritage Heroes” who inspire each of us, except… we never quite got to that!
When Dolores, Rossella, John, and Pat reunite in person and around the table for the first time in a long time, and 3/4 of the group decides to bring foodstuffs, it’s no surprise that our co-hosts get lost in the joy of homemade delicacies. So when Dolores begins to explain the process behind her mother’s hand-foraged mushrooms under oil, the conversation quickly evolves into Dolores and P.O.B. chewing the fat about their favorite ways to “Homestead Italian American Style”.
While the butter-churning, home wheat-milling love fest leaves little for Ro and John to add, Dolores and Pat share how they have worked to blend traditions and technology in everything from bread making to homemade wine production, and their annual tomato jarring rituals.
And of course, this wouldn’t be the Italian American Podcast without a tangent or two, so get ready to hear all about Pat’s secret collection of vintage cigarette carousels, how his months-long project to reverse engineer the original taste of Italian America’s favorite espresso brand led to him almost burning down his garage, why a certain sect of Pugliese Americans were curing olives in Drano, and how Dolores doles out chicken coop duties when she and her family are out of town!
Get ready to learn some techniques and tips on a laugh-filled trip to Red, White, and Green Acres, as we take you to the farm as only the Italian American Podcast can!
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We’re keeping the Italian American Heritage Month party going with a visit to one of our favorite Italian American hangouts, a place that lives up to its cozy name, Staten Island, NY’s stunning Italian Cultural Center at Casa Belvedere.
The “House with the Beautiful View” was the brainchild of our friend Gina Biancardi, an Italian American with an incomparable passion for our culture and an indefatigable drive to bring the best of Italian American life to as many people as possible. We’re visiting with Gina and Jimmy Paone (the calming ballast in Gina’s journey through the uncharted waters of bringing this monumental project to life) as they celebrate Casa’s annual Fall Festa & “Motori D'Italia” Luxury Car show.
As we join the thousands of visitors descending on Casa Belvedere on this beautiful October weekend, we’re exploring the incredible family stories of this tireless couple, the story of Gina’s vision for this unique institution, and the varied events and programs that Casa Belvedere brings to Italian Americans on Staten Island and beyond.
It’s an episode that brings you everything from luxury Italian vehicles, to the finer points of tomato jarring, and from the coolest member’s only experience on Staten Island to a personal blessing by Padre Pio himself!
Join in the incredible passion and Italian American pride, being shared amongst the four paesani catching up with a beautiful view in front of them and a lot of shared love behind their gathering.
It’s the spirit of Italian American Heritage Month, “Live and Uncut”, with laughs and love from the starting gate till the finish line!
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Happy Italian American Heritage Month Paesani!!!
We’re kicking off our favorite month of the year with a good old-fashioned “Power Hour” roundtable, with Rossella, Pat, and John catching up on how they’ve spent the first few weeks in a month filled with Italian American Pride!
We’re discussing the galas, gatherings, and get-togethers that we’ve all been a part of… from the NYC Columbus Day Parade to Pat’s Malocchio-filled turn as the “Italian Man of the Year” at the Jersey City, NJ celebration!
You’ll get insights into our favorite happenings, hilarious stories where everything that can go wrong does, and a deeper discussion about what these events, and this celebratory month, mean to differing generations of Italian Americans.
If you are loving Italian American Heritage Month, and you can’t get enough of our “Live and Uncut” Power Hours, this is an episode that you will love from bell to bell!
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Brandon Ficara thinks we Italian Americans have a special relationship with humor.
Born in Philadelphia, and raised in Ocean City, NJ, this proud Italian American used humor to combat the tribulations of life at an early age. Born with Sprangles Deformity, a condition that required major back surgery when he was three years old, Brandon turned to humor to combat pain and ostracism. With his humorous approach and strong Italian Famiglia, Brandon would turn his "unique look" into the cornerstone of his career in stand-up comedy, television, writing, and public speaking.
We’re jumping back into Part 2 of this 2-Part exploration of Italian American humor and the varied portrayals that have shared our sense of humor with the world
We share how “Dominick the Donkey” brought Brandon into the Italian American Podcast Famiglia, and why looking at the “serious vs silly” approach to telling our story could change the way we look at how we are portrayed by ourselves and others.
And speaking of portrayals, we are discussing some of the most famous Italian American characters to grace the small screen in the past 40 years, on shows like “All in the Family”, Who’s the Boss” and “The Golden Girls”. And, we are soliciting YOUR help in seeking out a hidden gem of Italian American TV history, a long-lost 1972 sitcom called “The Super”.
Are we genuinely funny people? And does our Southern Italian history make us more comfortable with comedy and tragedy than other communities?
We’ll discuss all this and more in this final half of a 2-Part “Live and Uncut” episode, that we hope leaves you with lots of laughs!
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When you spend as much time as we do examining and analyzing the Italian American experience, sometimes you just have to laugh. There are those little quirks that make us unique which are often at the source of so much of the “Italian American comedy” that speaks to each of us every time we encounter it.
But what makes “Italian American comedy” genuinely Italian American? Is it the ethnicity of the performer or writer, the subject matter dealing with our culture and experience, or the audience that identifies as decidedly Italian American?
Perhaps, it's all of the above and more, so we’re sitting down with our friend Brandon Ficara- a comedian, actor, author, speaker, and consultant- to dig into what makes us laugh at ourselves, and whether or not it's okay for others to laugh right along with us.
We’ll discuss the evolution of Italian American comedy, from stand-up to sitcoms, and how portrayals of our community have evolved over time. And we dig into some well-worn sensitivities we often have around perceptions of Italian Americans, and whether or not we need to explore those themes that make us uncomfortable to fully grasp who we are and where we’ve come from.
It’s the first half of a 2-Part episode, Live and Uncut, that will leave you with a lot to think about, and hopefully a lot of laughs!
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Every September for the past ninety-seven years, thousands upon thousands descend on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's venerable Little Italy for “a festa 'e tutte 'e feste”—“The Feast of All Feasts”... the eleven-day celebration that is the Feast of San Gennaro!
This year, the Italian American Podcast is celebrating the Patron Saint of Napoli- and one of Italian America’s most important Italian Feasts- by sponsoring the Feast’s live entertainment, and adding a little flare of our own by hosting a special live episode of the podcast and the inaugural Feast of San Gennaro Italian American Karaoke Night in partnership with our Paesani at ‘Growing Up Italian’.
On this week’s episode, we’re sitting down in our soon-to-be-permanent studio space at the heart of Little Italy to catch up with our friend John Fratta, the great-grandson of the Feast's inaugural President, and a long-time leader of the ‘Figli di San Gennaro’ committee which organizes this incredible festival.
We’re discussing the history of the devotion to Saint Januarius from Napoli to NYC and everywhere in between, getting some unique insight into how the Feast is being tweaked to reflect its more devotional roots, and why this year’s decision to eliminate eating competitions caused so much controversy.
We’re discussing the special place Most Precious Blood Church and the National Shrine of San Gennaro hold in the life of Italian New York, and getting a P.O.B. masterclass in the story of this beloved patron Saint!
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Summer is almost over, and many Paesani are outside soaking up the last weeks of our “Italian American National Sport”… the beloved game of BOCCE!
For many, this simple lawn game is a staple of Italian American summer life, but for an increasing number of young people seeking out ways to engage and promote their Italian American heritage, bocce has become a “gateway tradition” of sorts… an inviting entry point back into the rhythms and rituals of Italian American life.
In this episode, we’re joined by a collection of young Italian American activists from northern New Jersey whose collective efforts rescued a long-neglected community Bocce Court from the wrecking ball, and now that they’ve turned an eyesore into an attraction, they’re setting out to spread the joy of the game far and wide.
These young leaders, from organizations like Unico and the Coccia Institute at Montclair State University, are united in their efforts to promote Italian American culture, and they’re sharing the traditions they feel their contemporaries relate to, like another “gateway tradition”: jarring tomatoes.
And, one amongst them, a very special voice from NIAF (and an often referenced character here on the Italian American Podcast) will explore why everyone… from Congress to college campuses… seems to unite for the love of bocce!
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In our final LIVE and UNCUT recording from the National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, Pat, John, and Rossella sit down with some very special Paesani from Buffalo, NY.
Danette Porto and Danielle Salasavage are a Nonna and Granddaughter team representing FIVE GENERATIONS of their Italian American Famiglia who’ve spent decades in service of the Buffalo-Niagra Falls Italian American Community. From leading the ISDA’s Western New York District to their work with the ‘Centro Culturale Italiano di Buffalo’, or their leadership at the Galbani® Italian Heritage Festival (started by Danette’s late husband) - this is a family who understands what it means to give back!
We’ll discuss what the ISDA means to this family and their sense of Italian American identity, and examine the other incredible works they’ve undertaken for decades in their community.
We’ll discover some of Buffalo’s most treasured Italian traditions (did you know the Bison City was a St Joseph’s Table hotbed?) and how their commitment to the community has grown their Famiglia.
We’ll discover how the family ended up so involved, and explore the very Italian concept of friends as family.
Danielle will join us to discuss the challenges facing young Italian American community leaders, and share some of the lessons she’s learned since she was dropped into the role of ISDA District Vice President at the ripe old age of twenty-six!
It’s an episode filled with the love, friendship, and sense of FAMIGLIA that you can only get when you dive head-first into Italian American life!
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In our final LIVE and UNCUT recording from the National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, Pat, John, and Rossella sit down with some very special Paesani from Buffalo, NY.
Danette Porto and Danielle Salasavage are a Nonna and Granddaughter team representing FIVE GENERATIONS of their Italian American Famiglia who’ve spent decades in service of the Buffalo-Niagra Falls Italian American Community. From leading the ISDA’s Western New York District to their work with the ‘Centro Culturale Italiano di Buffalo’, or their leadership at the Galbani® Italian Heritage Festival (started by Danette’s late husband) - this is a family who understands what it means to give back!
We’ll discuss what the ISDA means to this family and their sense of Italian American identity, and examine the other incredible works they’ve undertaken for decades in their community.
We’ll discover some of Buffalo’s most treasured Italian traditions (did you know the Bison City was a St Joseph’s Table hotbed?) and how their commitment to the community has grown their Famiglia.
We’ll discover how the family ended up so involved, and explore the very Italian concept of friends as family.
Danielle will join us to discuss the challenges facing young Italian American community leaders, and share some of the lessons she’s learned since she was dropped into the role of ISDA District Vice President at the ripe old age of twenty-six!
It’s an episode filled with the love, friendship, and sense of FAMIGLIA that you can only get when you dive head-first into Italian American life!
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Come back to the table for Part 2, as we throwback to the old “Italian American Power Hour” days, with the second half of a conversation already earning rave reviews!
Pat, John, and Rossella are joined by longtime friend Marianna Gatto (Executive Director and Co-FoundRESS of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles) for a freewheeling conversation about all things #ItalianAmerican!
Recorded LIVE & UNCUT at the 46th Biennial National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, it's a conversation that only gets better in this second half!
Jump back into the conversation as Marianna asks why the “New York/New Jersey image” dominates popular perceptions of Italian Americana, and whether this mass-media projection gives other Italian American communities an identity complex.
We’re also discussing the benefits and distinct cultures born of intermarriage between Italians and other American ethnic groups, and what benefits this might present for the future of the Italian American culture
We ponder why our sense of identity is so distinct from the rest of the Italian communities living throughout the global diaspora, including the unique circumstances separating the Italian experience in Anglophonic America and those encountered by communities that formed in Latin America.
As talk turns to beloved Italian traditions, we examine why the “cookie table” remains a staple of so many Italian American communities while it has nearly completely disappeared in others. And, are the cookie table and the football wedding set to make serious comebacks?
It’s an episode filled with the history, heritage, and hilarity you’ve come to love from the Italian American Podcast!
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Get ready for a throwback to the old “Italian American Power Hour” days, as you join four friends at the kitchen table for a breakneck conversation about something we all love… being Italian American!
When Rossella, Pat, and John are brought together with some of their favorite out-of-town Paesani for the 46th Biennial National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, in Pittsburgh PA, we knew the opportunity to hop on the mic and catch up was going to be a conversation you’d want to be a part of!
We’re sharing some of our newest Italian American discoveries from here in the “Steel City, looking at the feasts and festivals around the country still serving up rare Italian American delicacies, and examining our love of offal meats, and why it means something about the values we hold dear.
We somehow find our way into a debate on the differences between Sicilian and Neapolitan music, and remember the life of the late Italian pop icon Toto Cutugno, his definitive Italian American Anthem “L’Italiano” and examine what this song and Cutugno’s rise and fall from stardom can tell us about the Italy of our youths, the Italy of today, and where our vast Italian American diaspora fits between the two.
It’s an episode recorded live, left raw, and filled with the fun and friendship you expect from the Italian American Podcast!
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We here at the Italian American Podcast have spent eight years and 288 episodes exploring the ins and outs of what it means to be an American descendent of the Italian diaspora… but have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the offspring of Italian immigrants from a little further afield? For two of our loyal listeners who tune in each week from the land down under, listening to us inspired their own attempt to answer the question: What does it mean to be an Italian Australian?
In this week’s episode, brother and sister duo Lukas and Josie D’Aqui join us to share their vision for an exciting new project: The Italian Australian Podcast!
Inspired by our very own show, the Italian Australian Podcast seeks to teach listeners about the nuances of Italian Australian history, life, and culture.
We welcome the D’Aqui siblings onto the show to discuss how Italian Australian life compares to our own, explore the cuisine of Italians in Australia, and look at how Italian immigration to Australia was influenced, in part, by restrictive immigration quotas enacted by the United States government during the 1920s. We talk about how Italian Australian culture is still evolving, and where a project like the Italian Australian Podcast might impact its future.
Join us as we get to know new friends who are setting out to bring this conversation to the million-plus Australians of Italian descent!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/italianamerican/support
For years we’ve been searching for an idyllic Italian American village where we might find the perfect spot to recreate the Italian American neighborhood life we all long for, and this week, we’ve literally hit the Big Time!
In this week’s episode, we discuss our recent trip to Pennsylvania’s Slate Belt borough of Roseto, a historically Italian American town where the annual “Big Time” Festival has drawn generations of Rosetans back home for the past 130 years.
When we set out to film the Feast for an upcoming episode of our popular YouTube show “Greetings From Italian America," we knew this little hamlet was the famed site of the “Roseto Effect” in which medical studies concluded that the town’s incredible ties of kinship and famiglia made it one of the longest-lived communities in 20th Century America… but we couldn’t have foreseen the amazing welcome we’d receive in what might just be the Italian American Promised Land here in eastern Pennsylvania!
We’re exploring how the town’s early immigrants from Roseto Valfortore, Puglia, brought their traditional celebrations for Our Lady of Mount Carmel with them, and how the festival has become the town’s “can’t miss” annual event, bringing Rosetans near and far back home for this heartwarming celebration.
We’ll share stories of some of the people we met during our weekend in Roseto and how everyone embraces Italian pride during the Big Time, even if their roots aren’t in the boot!
Be sure to join us as we discover this hidden Italian American village that just might just be the next hotspot in Italian America!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
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In an Italian American family, every dish tells a story.
For two young Italian American bloggers, the stories of so many of their family dishes have become wildly popular with readers worldwide.
In this week’s episode, we’re discussing how our Italian American foodways have helped our guests Kate Famiglietti of The Two Bananas and Maria Del Russo of Sunday Sauce to connect to past generations and inspire future ones!
Both women share stories of how their grandparents’ recipes encouraged them to begin their journeys into Italian food culture. From backgrounds photographing the human eye and writing a sex and relationship advice column, these two passionate Italians share the fascinating backgrounds and careers that brought them to these projects and explain how recreating a cherished family recipe is a trial-and-error process that takes time and patience… but the dividends pay off in more ways than one.
We also discuss how our food culture helps connect us to our ancestral towns, why recipes vary from region to region, and what recipe modifications mean to how our foods tell a greater story.
Join us for an episode that’ll leave you hungry for more!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
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Next time you grab a mouthwatering chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, before you take that first wonderful bite you might want to make sure you’re eating exactly the type of cheese you think it is!
This week’s guest, Robert Campana, the founder of “Stop Italian Sounding,” has made it his mission to educate people about the deceptively labeled “Italian Sounding” products that flood our grocery stores and markets, and he is here to explore exactly what types of products are out there passing themselves off as authentically Italian, and why he created his unique social media initiative to educate consumers.
Robert shares tips and tricks on how to recognize authentic Italian products compared to Italian-sounding ones, and why some of our favorite food names might not accurately represent what we are buying.
We discuss the similarities and differences between Italian-made products and their American counterparts, as well as some of the American-sounding foods one might find produced in Italy. We also examine what the market confusion between these types of products can mean for consumers as well as for overall branding and whether or not some of our uniquely Italian American products and brands might not deserve their own special designation!
Find out how you can stop Italian-sounding items from sneaking their way into your pantry on an episode you won’t want to miss!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/italianamerican/support
Our language is a reflection of ourselves, and this week’s guest has made it her mission to present both Italians and Italian Americans with a unique mirror in which to see that reflection… the fascinating and distinct Italian American language!
What is the “Italian American language,” you ask? To answer that question, we’re joined this week by Federica La Torre, the founder of “Just a Siciliana,” a Sicilian linguist with deep ties to the United States since her childhood, when she would regularly visit family and friends who had made the immigrants’ journey to become Italian Americans. During these visits, she came into contact with the Italian American community, which inspired her life’s work of studying the Italian American language.
In this week’s episode, Federica tells us about how the distinct Italian American language developed along with the growing immigration of Italians to the United States and how efforts to preserve it are a major piece of understanding our community as a whole. She also shares her experiences as a translator for the Ellis Island Museum and how her discoveries there revealed a new linguistic world to her… one that she would fight to defend amongst a very doubtful public in Italy and the United States.
She also shares the inspiration for her “Just a Siciliana” Instagram feed and how her work is encouraging others to preserve the words they inherited from family and friends.
We’ll share some of our favorite Italian American words and phrases, dissect their meanings and etymologies, and examine the back-and-forth exchange as it impacted the Italian language in America and Italy.
Join us for a lively discussion on how our language reveals so much about our history and what makes our community unique!
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Sometimes we have conversations that veer off into so many wonderful topics that they seem to make a concise introduction nearly impossible.
When this week’s guest, author and “recovering lawyer,” Leigh Esposito, joined us to discuss her debut novel, the conversation quickly turned into one you won’t want to miss!
Her new book, “The Godmother," was recently released to excellent reviews and has been especially lauded for its portrayal of the experience of Sicilian womanhood.
We’ll discuss the author’s interesting take on the evolving role of women in Sicily and throughout Italy, how our community might be changing how it tells its own stories, and how the craft of the writer is ever-evolving as new voices enter the field.
We’ll also explore the light and dark of Italy’s South, where sadness and joy create a unique interplay in the Southern Italian experience, engender certain learned behaviors, and perpetuate oppressive institutions like the Mafia.
And we’ll examine Sicily’s place as the melting pot of the Mediterranean, where so many distinct cultures meet and merge to form a distinct and wondrous civilization.
Join us as we discover one of our community’s brightest new literary voices!
This week's episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/italianamerican/support
When Viviana Altieri journeyed from Rome, Italy to Pittsburgh, PA, on a dare nearly 30 years ago, she could never have imagined staying in the United States and pursuing the life of a “Professional Italian American." But this week’s guest is a natural-born adventurer, and her many incredible journeys seeking out the essence of what it means to “be Italian” have given her unparalleled experiences, which she now brings to her dual roles as the head of the Istituto Mondo Italiano and host of The Italian Radio Hour, her podcast and video series that seeks to reveal the best of Italy and Italian America!
Viviana joins us to explore the mission of the Istituto Mondo Italiano, a bastion of Italian culture right in the heart of the Steel City, and how she looks to preserve some very unique aspects of Italian, and Italian American, culture through her work.
We discuss how Italy can be many things to many people, as well as why it is dangerous to overgeneralize Italy, Italian cuisine, and Italian American culture. We also discuss why learning Italian is a key to unlocking a door filled with countless new ways to discover our ancestral homeland.
And, as an added bonus, John and Pat will be guests on Viviana’s show in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to find out the air date!
Join us for an episode of kindred spirits, kindred missions, and immeasurable love for all things Italian!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
It’s one of Italy’s hidden treasures.
Known as “strong and kind,” the stunningly beautiful region of Abruzzo might be considered off the beaten path for many travelers to the Bel Paese; however, this week’s guest, Michelle DiBenedetto, is here to explain why this undiscovered region should be at the top of your “must-see” list.
Michelle is the owner and founder of Majella Tours of Abruzzo, through which she curates and leads experience-based, small-group tours of this unspoiled Italian region.
Michelle joins us to explore Abruzzo’s sprawling national parks, pristine coastlines, and mysterious medieval villages. We’ll examine the unique cuisine and culture of Abruzzo, from mare to mountains… trabocchi to transumanza, and everything in between!
We’re all about Michelle’s mission to help people discover her family’s ancestral land, and we want YOU to be amongst the earliest adventurers in the most beautiful place in Italy you’ve never seen!
Join us as we prepare you to explore spectacular Abruzzo in this week’s episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Even though we at the Italian American Podcast spend A LOT of time together, every once in a while, our adventures around Italian American life take us to distinct destinations. Like any group of best buds, we look forward to reuniting and catching up, so this time, we thought we would share that conversation with you!
In this week’s episode, John, Pat, and Rossella reunite to share their latest adventures and what their experiences taught them all about their Italian American lives and identities.
Rossella talks about what it’s like being Italian in a place that’s not necessarily known for its Italian culture as she shares a recent visit to Vancouver Island in the Canadian Rockies to meet her family’s newest member, while Pat shares stories from his visit to Jessup, Pennsylvania, for La Corsa dei Ceri and what it means to get a whole town involved with celebrating Italian heritage.
John discusses his most recent trip to Italy, where he visited Campania, Abruzzo, and Rome, and how the country’s tourist landscape has changed dramatically since it reopened after the pandemic, and what overtourism can mean for destinations as they seek to solidify their bottom line.
It’s an episode that unpacks a lot about heritage, travel, food, and all of the things that make us who we are!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
When you say the word “football” to friends and famiglia in Italy, they probably conjure up images of World Cup soccer and the many greats who have worn the famed “Azzurro” of the Italian national team, or their favorite local club competing in Serie A. But, to many an Italian American, football means helmets, hard knocks, and the great American gridiron game invented in the Buckeye State of Ohio! On July 1 in the great city of Toledo, Ohio, these two worlds will collide when the Italian League of American-style Football brings their “Italian Bowl" Championship to the USA for the first time in its 42-year history!
In this week’s episode, we welcome Lou Tosi and Nick Eyde, who are responsible for bringing this game to the state that gave us the sport of football. We discuss how American football came to Italy and why this particular event is so special and unique for players and fans alike.
We also discuss the Italian football league and the amazing stories of its dedicated players… most of whom are playing unpaid for a chance to play their beloved game.
We’ll examine why sports can help to strengthen the ties that unite Italy and the United States, and how YOU can join us in person to take part in this historic and uniquely Italian American event!
Join us for an episode that’s sure to be a touchdown!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
In Italy, calcio (or the game we Americans call soccer) is life!
And after thirty-three years in the making, the city of Napoli can finally lay claim to the title of Champions of Italy!
In winning the “scudetto," with the best record in Italy’s famed Serie A, S.S.C. Napoli has sent fans throughout their city, Italy, and around the world into weeks-long revelries that have even made their way into our Italian American community!
In this week’s episode, Louis Nicastro and Gaetano Solazzo of the Tri-State Napoli Club join us to discuss this historic event and why it is so important for fans of the sport, as well as for citizens of Naples, Southern Italy, and the vast Italian diaspora.
Louis and Gaetano will give our listeners a primer on soccer in Italy, how it works, how it differs from American spectator sports, the way in which teams are placed in the various leagues, and how they earn championships. They’ll also examine the up-and-down history of S.S.C. Napoli and explain just how far ‘i Ciucciarelli’ (the Little Donkeys) had to come to win this year’s crown.
We also discuss the legend of the late Diego Maradona and his saint-like status in Naples and how he brought Napoli to its last great victory in 1990, and what this team represents to residents of the city, Italy, and the world.
If you are a hardcore fan of the Neapolitan side or someone who has never seen a moment of Italian soccer, we guarantee you’ll enjoy this fascinating and celebratory episode– and be sure to visit the Tri-State Napoli Club on Instagram and Twitter at @tri_napoliclub!
May is the month that begins to tease summer, and for those who can’t get enough of them, it also signals the start of the Italian American Feast season!
In this week’s episode, our very own P.O.B. talks about the feast that he lovingly resurrected 11 years ago: The Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte in Clifton, N.J. To tell the story of this feast, he has invited on several friends: Valerie Cappello, Nick Fedeli, Fran Parisi, and Anthony “Tony Mangia” Scillia, all of whom have in some way lent themselves to his mission to bring this ancient Cilentano celebration back to life.
Our guests share how reviving a feast isn’t a one-person job but the job of an entire group dedicated to preserving Italian American heritage in one of its most unique manifestations and what drew each of them into this devotion.
We talk about how Italian American feasts are being revived around the country and what our listeners can do if they, too, want to restore one of their own. We also discuss the fine line organizers must walk between recreation and modernization and what roles others in our community can play in making the feast a reborn reality.
Join us as we kick off feast season and share the immense passion of this devoted group in this week’s inspiring episode!
If you would like to donate to the Feast of Madonna del Sacro Monte, donations are greatly appreciated and accepted at this website.
If you’re a loyal listener to the Italian American Podcast, you’ll know that technology isn't exactly an area we focus on week in and week out. Artificial intelligence and chat-bots and whatnots might not exactly be our expertise, but for this week’s guest, the rapidly unfolding revolution in artificial intelligence has become a valuable tool in his quest to bring Italian American genealogy to as many paesani as possible… and to bring Italian American stories to life!
Erick Lucera, a long-time Italian American Podcast devotee and part of our “New Neighborhood” membership group, took inspiration from his countless hours listening to the show when he created a whole new way to tell the story of immigrants who arrived from Biccari, Puglia, to Philadelphia, PA, and has chronicled it in his book, “The Birth of the New Biccari in Philadelphia."
In this book, Erick combines qualitative and quantitative data surrounding Biccarese immigration, utilizing the latest advancements in artificial intelligence to connect statistical data to the oral histories passed on by generations of Biccari’s diaspora around the world… revealing incredible truths behind the popular tales of his ancestral village.
We discuss what led him to use statistics in researching Italian American history and how big data genealogy can help us learn more about our heritage than ever before.
Erick discusses how anecdotal evidence can be backed up by numbers and how microstories that are unique to each Italian town can help illuminate the reasonings behind our ancestors’ decisions to leave their ancient homelands.
We’ll also discuss how urban renewal in the United States impacted places like Eric's beloved “New Biccari” in Philadelphia and what drives the continuing and oftentimes diverse, evolutions of Italian enclaves in the United States.
Join us as we discover new ways to look at an old science in this week’s fascinating episode!
An Italian American with Confederates in the famiglia?
The branches of our family trees often contain mysteries and secrets that are lost until future generations decide to investigate them.
This is precisely the case with this week’s episode as we talk with Joe Elia, one of the delegates to the inaugural Italian American Future Leaders Conference. Joe explains that during his genealogical sleuthing, he discovered that one of his ancestors was a post-Unification Bourbon prisoner of war who was sent to serve with the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.
Our Bourbon history expert, Lou Mendola, joins us to help Joe decipher his family’s lore, as well as explain how Bourbon soldiers came to serve in our nation’s bloodiest war. We discuss how there’s more to Italian Unification than what we’ve learned in school and why it is necessary to look at any episode in history from every angle.
We also discuss why preserving family history is important and how we can solve the mysteries hidden in our own family trees that are waiting to be discovered.
Join us as we uncover a mystery that will hopefully inspire you to do some sleuthing in your own family history!
Spring seems to have arrived in many parts of the country, and for countless Italian Americans, these early days of new life mean it's time to get gardening! In many cases, those Italian American gardens will soon be bursting with fruits and vegetables that have been passed down through generations of seed saving.
But for one Italian American in particular, the lessons learned watching Nonno and Nonna save the seeds of their favorite tomatoes have led to an expertise that has made him into one of the world’s foremost authorities on heirloom gardening.
A nationally recognized garden historian, ethnobotanist, heirloom specialist, and author John Forti blows the dust off time-honored yet underused garden remedies, artisanal foods, and horticultural practices by enthusiastically helping to preserve and promote tried and true methods that are often lost in modern lifestyles. From touring and teaching to running his wildly popular Facebook group “The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti," he’s passing down generations of Italian wisdom and taking part in a “Delicious Revolution!”
John joins us this week to share strategies and stories at just the right time, as our co-hosts are setting out to plant their own home gardens in the coming weeks, and we’re getting a lesson that will make your home garden better than ever.
We’ll discuss what heirloom plants mean to our body, mind, soul and health, and how reviving these traditional varietals and methods impacts not only our lives but our lived environment as well.
It's the perfect conversation to inspire you to get out of the house after a long winter and get your hands, and some family heirloom seeds, into the dirt so that you and your famiglia can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of a labor of love!
Francesca Costa’s name should never have been remembered. In fact, had it not been for her great-niece’s steadfast and unwavering love, any remembrance of Francesca’s life would have been lost to time -- and that’s exactly how the rest of her family wanted it.
Italian American author Karen Tintori joins us this week to discuss her 2007 work, “Unto the Daughters.” This chilling and sobering account of an honor killing in a turn-of-the-century Sicilian family– Karen’s very own family— is also a beautifully heartbreaking testimony of love that spans generations and how the voice of truth cannot be silenced.
Karen tells us how she first learned of Francesca’s tragic story, and how she fought to reconstruct her great-aunt’s life against overwhelming odds and determined resistance from her family by piecing together the scant information left behind after a brutal murder.
She also explains how Francesca’s story fit into the Detroit of the early 20th century, and what life could have been like for Italian immigrants to the Motor City in those days.
We also examine the life of Italian immigrant women to the United States, and why Francesca’s story reveals eerie parallels to some of the overlooked aspects of modern Italian American womanhood.
Join us as we uncover a story, and a conversation that is sure to remain with you long after you listen!
As we are about to embark on the solemn celebration of the Easter Triduum, for many Italian Americans, Holy Thursday means a day spent in the kitchen lovingly recreating recipes handed down from generation to generation.
This week’s guest, Stefano Arturi, knows a thing or two about recreating recipes. The author of the Italian Home Cooking Blog, Stefano divides his time between Italy and London. Stefano came to our attention when he featured our very own POB’s pastiera recipe on his site, so we had to have him join us on the podcast!
Stefano tells us about the various methods for making pastiera, as well as other Easter-time delicacies. We’ll explore the continuing evolution of contemporary Italian cuisine and the recent push to define Italian cuisine by rejecting what is not “traditional." We’ll discuss Stefano’s belief that Italian cuisine owes a debt to its large diasporic community and the many traditional recipes that have gone extinct in Italy which only survive in Italian immigrant communities.
Stressing that Italy is not the country of chefs but of grandmothers, Stefano likes to remind us that food itself is a living thing, and perhaps no single item better represents this content evolution than the humble Pastiera Easter Pie!
So gather the famiglia and turn the volume up as you make your own Easter food traditions come to life once again this week!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Louisiana native Charles Marsala has done a lot to promote the history of Italian life in the Bayou State. From creating hours of documentary videos to a mobile app that provides a free walking tour of over sixty Italian American points of interest in and around the Crescent City, the President of the American Italian Federation of the Southeast never rests in his efforts to promote the immense Italian heritage of his home state.
His latest project is one that clearly has a special place in his big Sicilian heart because Charles is one of the many Louisianans who can claim an ancestor amongst the 60,000 Sicilian immigrants who were recruited between 1870-1920 to work as sugarcane harvesters on the plantations and farms of South Louisiana. And now, this proud descendent of those tireless laborers is returning to one of the area’s historic sugar plantations with plans to build a monument in their honor.
In this week’s episode, Charles returns to the Italian American Podcast to tell us the story of the proposed monument to the Sicilian Sugarcane Harvester. Designed by Franco Alessandrini (creator of New Orleans’ beloved Monument to the Immigrant), this stunning piece of public art will forever memorialize the Sicilian experience on the grounds of a former sugarcane plantation.
Charles explains how this monument will be located in the heart of the “river parishes” in Louisiana and why sugarcane, the cash crop of the post-Civil War south, attracted so many Sicilian immigrants to a life of back-breaking toil.
We’re discussing remembrances of our ancestors and why each generation stands on the work-weary shoulders of those who came before.
If you are interested in contributing to fundraising efforts for this monument, visit www.sugarcaneharvester.org.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
As winter begins to thaw, and the start of spring arrives, a certain segment of the American population usually begins to experience a familiar type of “madness” as the second most popular sporting event of the year hits the airwaves. But did you know that college basketball might not annually grip the nation with “March Madness” had it not been for an Italian American? And chances are his is a name you’ve probably never heard of!
This week’s guest, Mike DeLucia, tells us the story of Angelo-Giuseppi “Hank” Luisetti, the 1930s Stanford University superstar who pioneered many of the moves we see on the courts today, from stylized dribbling to the one-handed shot!
In his book, “Madness: The Man Who Changed Basketball," Mike tells readers why Luisetti could —and perhaps should—be considered the greatest basketball player who ever lived.
Mike tells us about Luisetti’s career, as a phenom during the years of the Great Depression, explains why Luisetti’s name isn’t as well-known today as it should be, and shares his own author's journey to reconstruct this lost icon’s story.
We’ll also look at the role of sports in the Italian American experience and find out why so many stories of pioneering Italian American athletes are lost to time and what we can do about bringing them to light.
If you’re ready for some March Madness, Italian American style, you won’t want to miss this episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Buona festa di San Giuseppe, everyone!
This week’s episode takes us to New Orleans, where our guest, Sandra Scalise Juneau, introduces us to Louisiana’s very special commemoration of one of Italian America’s most beloved holidays… St. Joseph’s Day!
Sandra is the author of “Celebrating with St. Joseph Altars: The History, Recipes, and Symbols of a New Orleans Tradition,” which tells the story of how these altars came into being, why the New Orleans Italian community is so dedicated to honoring St. Joseph, and how this Italian American devotion continues to grow and evolve in Louisiana and throughout the United States.
We’ll examine Louisiana’s unique Sicilian American community and look at the origins of their devotion to St. Joseph as protector of the family… from medieval famines to Hurricane Katrina.
We’ll also look at the many culinary traditions that make up a Saint Joseph’s Table… from cuccidati, the fig-filled Sicilian cookies, to Pasta con le Sarde, to the elaborate sculptural breads that adorn altars (and some other unique places) in so many St. Joseph’s Day celebrations.
We’re learning the hows, whos, and whys behind this time-honored devotion, so join us as we celebrate St. Joseph’s Day in the Big Easy with this week’s episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Have you ever wondered if your family tree might include a famous name amongst its many branches? A celebrated figure…a Duke, a King… perhaps even a Pope?
This week’s guest stumbled upon a “who’s who” of Italian nobility when he began researching his family history nearly 20 years ago, and now he’s dedicated his life to helping his fellow Italian Americans in their quest to discover their ancestors… from the famed to the famous!
Bob Sorrentino is the founder of the Italian Genealogy Blog and Podcast, as well as the author of "Farmers and Nobles," a genealogical history of two diverse branches of his Italian American Family Tree.
After retiring from his career as a banker, his growing obsession with genealogical research inspired him to create a blog, podcast, and Facebook group to promote the research of Italian ancestry and to connect other family historians seeking answers to their own genealogical mysteries.
Bob tells us about why creating connections among other genealogical researchers is important and how family ties can be discovered in the most unusual of places. He also tells us about how he learned of his noble descent and why this lofty heritage might not be as rare as one would expect.
Bob also shares the inspiration behind “Farmers and Nobles” and some of the amazing “could be a movie” stories he’s experienced on his quest to reveal family histories to as many Italian Americans as possible.
Fancy yourself a genealogical sleuth? Always felt you had a natural nobility? If so, be sure to join us for this week’s fascinating episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
When it comes to Italian American heritage, each one of the fifty nifty United States that make up our union has its own unique Italian American community and culture.
Despite this, only two states—Delaware and New Jersey—have official, state-wide Italian American representation, guaranteeing our history and culture will be taught to current and future generations.
This week’s guests, Robert DiBiase, the chairman of the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission, and Rick DiLiberto, the chairman of the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture, are here to tell us how their states were able to create these specially-legislated commissions and what that means for Italian Americans living in each of them.
We’ll discover the critical ways each of these commissions works to represent and promote our heritage, and how each state’s uniquely rich Italian American cultures have become part of a larger state identity. We’ll also discuss how the future of Italian America across state lines, and why these bodies are inspiring, and assisting, imitators in states around the country… and how leaders in the 48 states without an Italian American heritage commission can work toward getting one of their own!
Join us for this look at how two small but mighty states might just provide the key to preserving our heritage for years to come!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Happy Valentine’s Day, paesani! We’re celebrating the "Day of Amore" with a somewhat unusual episode we hope you enjoy… and that perhaps some of you can even relate to!
You see, we here at the Italian American Podcast really are one big famiglia. The conversations we have on air are only the icing on the cake for a group of cumpari who spend an inordinate amount of time chatting, complaining, and dissecting life’s many vicissitudes with one another every week.
So this week, Dolores and John have simply decided to “turn on the mic” for a recurring conversation they often find themselves in, and one that far too often goes unspoken in a world of lives curated for social media… a conversation about the ins-and-outs of “Marriage Italian Style."
As they often do, they’re exploring the many pleasures and pitfalls of married life and the extra complications that come with being party to an Italian American marriage. They’ll examine what parts of their married lives are defined by the fact that they and their spouses are all Italian Americans, what marriage looks like when big, old-fashioned Italian American families are involved, and how they navigate between “old-fashioned” and “forward-thinking." They’ll share their takes on devotion, determination, and the highs and lows of AMORE!
It’s a most intimate and unvarnished conversation that might be one you’ve been waiting for!
We’re kicking off a new project at the Italian American Podcast as we set out to collect the unique oral histories of the many fascinating Italian Americans from around the nation who we encounter daily.
This new initiative, called “Paesani of Interest: Italian American Stories,” kicks off this week with Warren Ciabattoni. Born in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, in a community that was decidedly not Italian, Warren shares how his formative experiences growing up as an outsider in pre-World War II America shaped his concept of his Italian American ethnicity through questions surrounding his given name when he joined the Pennsylvania State Police to his deep undercover work combating organized crime in the western part of the Keystone State.
He also tells about the stereotypes he and his family encountered and why he decided to focus on preserving and promoting his beloved heritage through his work with the Italian Sons and Daughters of America in his retirement.
It’s a first-hand encounter with a fascinating Italian American, and we hope it will inspire YOU to send us your suggestions for the next “Paesani of Interest” for us to add to our Italian American Stories oral history database! If you have a suggestion, be sure to email us at info@italianpower.com with "Paesani of Interest" in the subject line.
From Rocky Balboa to Botticelli, the City of Brotherly Love is one of America’s proudest Italian American locales, and this week’s guest is just the person to tell us how it came to be.
Andrea Canepari is an Italian diplomat currently serving at the Directorate General for Country Promotion of the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Rome. He was Ambassador of Italy in the Dominican Republic from 2017 to 2021 and Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia from 2013 to 2017. Andrea is the co-editor of The Italian Legacy in Philadelphia: History, Culture, People, and Ideas, as well as the author of The Italian Legacy in the Dominican Republic: History, Architecture, Economy, and Society and The Italian Legacy in Washington D.C.: Architecture, Design, Art, and Culture.
Andrea’s experiences as Consul General of Italy in Philadelphia have helped him discover a side to Pennsylvania’s largest city that stretches beyond Ben Franklin and the Liberty Bell. In this week’s episode, Andrea tells us about how certain Philadelphia staples, such as cheesesteak, have an Italian influence and how the city’s Italian influences are often found in the most unexpected of places!
We also talk about the philosophical influence of Italy on pre-Revolutionary War America, including the works of Filippo Mazzei, and how the Italian contribution to the Cradle of Liberty might be more than you’d expect.
It’s a visit to colonial America with an Italian flair that you won’t want to miss!
When it comes to celebrating our Italian American culture, sometimes you need to capture every moment as it happens.
Such is the case for this week’s guest, Frank Di Piero. Frank is the host of "Keepin’ It Real with Frankie D." at ItalianAmericanLife.com. With more than 100 “Italian American Moments” to his credit, Frank believes in making our culture accessible to all. In this week’s episode, we sit down with one of the pioneers of Italian American podcasting as he shares his take on why learning our collective culture makes us better Italian Americans and why preserving it through any means possible is key to moving it toward the future.
We'll explore how we can look to other ethnic communities for ideas on how to preserve our Italian culture and integrate it into our lives as Americans.
Frank also talks about how his involvement in Chicago’s Italian American community shaped his existence, including the creation of two children’s books, “My BIG Family” and “Teddy Bianco Goes to Italy.”
Join us as we meet a fellow podcaster who shares our determination to honor our past, promote our present, and create our collective future!
For many of us who are active in the Italian American community, there exists a common, existential fear, a constant refrain that can be heard at Lodge meetings and Sunday dinners alike… “The young people aren’t interested in being Italian!"
But we decided to challenge this terrifying assumption by providing an opportunity for Italian America’s most dedicated young leaders to meet, mingle, and consider our proud community's present -- and future -- state.
“Inspiring,” "incredible," "life-changing"... these are just some of the words used to describe the inaugural Italian American Future Leaders Conference held this past weekend at the FLA Live Arena in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
We at the Italian American Podcast are proud to have played a role in this first-of-its-kind event that brought together more than 100 young, active Italian Americans between the ages of 21-35, the future leaders of our community from across the United States and Italy.
In this week's episode, some of those rising stars are sharing their experiences with our listeners. From the tribal camaraderie to developing a shared mission to singing along with Italian American favorites at a closing karaoke party, this year's delegates were able to create bonds that won't soon be broken.
If you've ever been concerned about the future of our Italian American community, you won't be after listening to this week's episode. And, if you're interested in learning more about this developing signature event, visit www.italamericon.com.
Panic has beset the Italian American Community!! Pastina -- the ultimate Italian American comfort food -- has gone the way of the Dodo!!! Only… it hasn’t!
When an Italian American thinks of pastina, especially during these cold winter months, it brings one back to the comforts of childhood, a cozy day in bed, and Nonna’s healing touch. But this week, when Ronzoni pasta announced it was discontinuing the production of this beloved shape we affectionately call “Italian penicillin,” millions of Italian American voices joined in a terrified uproar.
But… spoiler alert… pastina isn’t going anywhere, as we sit down with Michael Fava of DeCecco Pasta USA, who helps us dissect what our community calls a “crisis” of epic proportions.
We talk about people’s emotional attachment to food, what happens when the foods we identify with are suddenly unavailable, and what that means to a person’s identity.
We also talk about brand affinity, why Ronzoni might be hurting their brand with this sudden decision, and how other brands can jump on the “pastina bandwagon” so they can attract business from Italian Americans seeking to replicate one of their favorite soul foods.
We’ll discuss how the “Pastina Crisis of 2023” might just be a reaction of social media and what makes pasta shapes and production methods so important to how we use them.
And, if you’re looking for the best quality pastina we know, check out our very own Rossella Rago’s Bottega della Nonna, where you can get her brand for 10% off with the code NEW10!
Join us as we stir the soup around the biggest Italian American news story of this young year!
Close your eyes and try to rate it. That crunchy, sticky, subtly sweet cloud of confection… The pillowy perfection known as torrone candy… Whether at the holiday table, a wedding or feast, or on the ball top at a summer feast, it’s a taste that every Italian American knows.
This week’s guests are responsible for bringing that taste to paesani near and far, thanks to their unique way of marketing that old-world taste to new-world homes. Anne Marie and Tony Andriola are the founders and owners of torronecandy.com, which was born out of the family’s feast-time concession business and developed into an online marketplace filled with treats that can’t be found anywhere else.
To kick off 2023, Anne Marie and Tony tell us the story of their family business, from its founding in the 1980s to today. They also tell us about how they got involved with selling torrone, and why the treat has lived for so long in the collective memory of Italian American families.
We’ll learn how to differentiate the types of torrone, including hard and soft, and explain what exactly goes into this unique nougat candy. We also talk about how digital media can help redefine the Italian American experience, from making the touchstones of our culture available to far-flung corners of the map to teaching the uninitiated the perfect way to crack a rock-hard torrone!
Join us as we celebrate this distinctively Italian treat… it’s an episode so sweet that you’ll be begging for more!
Are YOU part of the Struffoli Squad? These beloved Neapolitan confections, deep fried and coated in a sticky sweet sheen of freshly warmed honey, are often considered an essential part of an Italian American Christmas, but for this week’s guest, they’re special enough to earn the title of “show stopper."
Annie Petito is one of the incredibly talented culinarians behind Cook’s Illustrated, perhaps the most highly-respected publication amongst America’s chefs. When this proud Italian American got the chance to select the magazine’s annual “show stopper” Christmas dessert, she went back to her roots to share her family’s recipe for Christmas Struffoli. Of course, when you’re publishing in a journal as highly regarded as hers, you can’t simply pass along Nonna’s old notecards, so Annie set out to construct the most scientifically accurate recipe that’s ever been written for these humble little treats! In the process, she discovered their fascinating history goes back to ancient Greece!
Since it’s almost time to say “Buon Natale," as Christmas is right around the corner and this is the final episode before the Feast of the Seven Fishes and Christmas arrive in earnest, we’re sitting down to discuss the history of Struffoli and some of our other beloved Italian American Christmas staples.
And, thanks to a little sleuthing, we may just have discovered the exact moment when Italy’s meat-free Christmas Eve traditions coalesced into Italian America’s Feast of the Seven Fishes, and we’ll share the new findings that might finally allow Pat to accept this number-obsessed take on Italy’s La Vigilia!
Join us as we explore these most cherished of traditions and set the mood for you and yours to enjoy a VERY BUON NATALE!
Music always plays an outsized role in getting us in the “Holiday Spirit," and this year, Christmas in Italian America will have a distinctly Sicilian sound thanks to one very devoted Sicilian American songstress.
In this conclusion of our two-part episode with special guest Michela Musolino, we learn more about her new Christmas album, “La Notti Triunfanti”… The Triumphant Night! Michela tells us how she packed up her most beloved Sicilian and Southern Italian Christmas songs and moved to Memphis, Tennessee to record this heartwarming collection with a team of talented Italian Americans in support.
From traditional Sicilian Christmas sonnets infused with Beal Street swing to Neapolitan yuletide lullabies with rockabilly edge, Michela’s latest album seeks to join traditions from Sicily and Southern Italy to the rich musical culture of Memphis.
Michela tells us about the inspirations for this album and how retelling timeless Christmas tales helps bridge cultural differences.
We also dive deeper into the intersections between Sicilian folk music and Italian American folk music, and how this music is truly the expression of the Italian soul.
Join us for this cheerful conclusion as we ring in Christmas… Sicilian style!
For many of us, the music of the motherland and the songs that Italian Americans have contributed to the American soundtrack serve as a way to reconnect to our heritage. But for this week’s guest, preserving and sharing that music isn’t just a passion; it’s a mission she has given her life to.
Michela Musolino grew up in a household where Sicilian was spoken so that the children wouldn’t be able to understand adult conversations. By hearing her ancestral language, Michela became determined to join the conversations, eventually becoming enamored of traditional Italian folk music.
In part one of this two-part episode, Michela tells us how her love for Sicilian folk music inspired her career as a singer, performer, educator, and advocate and how she seeks to present the music of her ancestral roots in new and dynamic ways to her contemporary audiences.
We also learn how Sicilian folk music has inspired some of Italian America’s greatest music, including a deep dive into the history of a song many consider to be the “Italian American National Anthem,” “C’è la luna mezzo mare.”
We’ll explore how the traditional folk music differs in various Italian regions and what these melodic heirlooms tell us that commercial music of the time cannot… the story of our ancestors… the regular people of a bygone Italy.
Join us as we discover the sounds of Sicily, Italy, and Italian America with this very special artist!
Deep into a successful career in the exhilarating world of auditing, Italian American serial-achiever Michele Di Pietro decided she needed more out of life. And so, at nearly double the age of most entrants, this life-long lover of the art of “feeding others” decided to head off to culinary school.
Today, Michele is an entrepreneur, classically-trained chef, culinary consultant, food writer, cookbook author, blogger, and creator of Mangia With Michele, expressing her lifelong passion for Italian ingredients, foods, recipes, culture, and traditions.
Throughout her busy professional culinary life, Michele has also always been an avid home cook with strong ties to her Italian roots, and this week she joins us to share her first cookbook, called SOUPified: Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes, a whimsical and fun collection of soup recipes that were inspired by her favorite Italian American soul food dishes like Eggplant Parmigiana, Chicken Marsala, Lasagne, Shrimp Scampi, Philly Cheesesteak, Clams Casino, and more.
We’ll discuss her brave leap into a new professional life, what brought her to that courageous decision and how her old-fashioned Italian American family took the news. We explore the beauty of a good soup, why home cooking is experiencing a boom across the nation, and exactly what kinds of kitchen supplies will give you the best (and most old-school) results.
It's an episode that will warm your should like a piping hot bowl of your favorite soup, so tuck in and join us for a conversation that will surely leave you looking for seconds!
Sometimes in life, we have occasions to pause and take stock of the good we can do in the world around us. For this week’s guest, it was two particular occasions (when she received TWO double lung transplants at University of South Florida-Tampa General Hospital) that inspired her to say “Grazie” to both the hospital that saved her life and the ancestral island that gave it its culture!
Dr. Rosemary Intili Ferdinand’s ancestors came from Cerami, Sicily, and her family’s traditions have been a part of her life from a young age. A nurse by profession, Rosemary wanted to do something to unite the heritage she loved with the career that became her passion. Through her efforts, the University of South Florida’s Health College of Nursing is now expanding its educational reach through new collaborations with two universities in Sicily: Kore University of Enna and the University of Catania. A program you too can support today!
Rosemary shares how finding the Italian American Podcast helped to inspire this amazing undertaking, and explains how this program will help create deeper ties between the institutions, such as establishing visits and exchanges of faculty, scholars, and administrators as well as fostering the development of research collaborations, lectures, and symposia, among other initiatives designed to strengthen this newly created bond.
We also discuss why an initiative such as this is vital for Southern Italy, especially when it's younger generations are moving to more affluent areas in search of work. And, we’ll examine what learning in today’s global environment could look like, and why it is important for the Italian diaspora to do what it can to help the Madre Patria.
Join us for a very special episode that will leave you inspired by “Ancestral Gratitude” and the good works one “passionate Paesana” can achieve!
This week’s legendary guest is no stranger to our show, and this week she’s here to celebrate the release of her latest book, “Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook!” and celebrate her 30th season as TV’s longest-running cooking show host!
Chef, author, and Italian American icon Mary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito™ and is the author of 14 cookbooks. She has worked beside world-renowned chefs like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Martin Yan, Jasper White, and countless others. When she’s not cooking, Mary Ann hosts culinary trips to Italy, where she works hands-on with her students to teach them regional dishes from up and down the peninsula.
We talk to Mary Ann about the inspiration behind her latest collection, which fuses her husband’s passion for gardening with her devotion to teaching the next generation the skills of a simpler time. Mary Ann shares her secrets of seasonal produce, seed saving, and her tips on growing kitchen staples such as eggplant, tomatoes, and more!
We also talk about Italian regional produce, such as San Marzano Tomatoes and Tropea Onions, and what it means when these items are grown in areas outside of Italy.
Not someone who would qualify as a green thumb? You’ll certainly be closer than ever after this week’s joyous episode!
Food is Love! The concept might just be one of the few things every Italian on earth can agree on.
But, for this week’s guest, it's also a mission statement!
Alessandra Aiello was born in Vico Equense near Napoli, and was minding her own business raising her three daughters, and focusing on her family when COVID quarantine inspired her to start filming herself as she cooked each day, as a way to pass on her family’s traditional recipes to her daughters so they, too, can carry on the generational delicacies that she learned from her mother and grandmother.
And as her passion for recording grew with each delectable dish she prepares, she decided to start a cooking channel, “Alessandra’s Food Is Love” so she could share her catalog, and creativity, with the world!
Alessandra tells us about how her channel came to be, and what it has meant to her to be able to share recipes with the global worldwide Italian community.
We talk about what authentic Italian cuisine truly means, and how preserving recipes via digital means, such as Alessandra’s site, helps Italian cuisine evolve as time progresses.
We also talk about how food itself is deeply personal, and how recipes can vary from family to family, but that the love put into each ingredient always remains.
And we talk about how we encounter American culture through Italian cuisine by personalizing it to our experience, and how new holidays—like Thanksgiving—are a blank slate for culinary creators.
Join us as we share the love in this week’s episode!
Ciao Paesani… and Greetings from the corner of Mulberry and Grand Streets, at the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy, and the future home of the Italian American Podcast!
That’s right, we’re on location in the soon-to-be world-class headquarters for all things Italian American, and before we even break ground on building our dream home, we wanted to kick the tires on life at the heart of New York’s famed Italian Enclave!
And, to kick things off right, we are taking the opportunity to sit down with one of our new partners, Sabino Curcio, one-third of the passionate trio behind Growing Up Italian , the insanely popular platform and podcast that needs no introduction.
Sabino is joining Rossella and John in the construction site that will soon be transformed into a destination for all things Italian American to discuss our shared vision for this incredible place, what brought our two unique platforms together, and some of the things that unite us across Italian America.
We’re presenting this week’s episode unedited and commercial-free, as both an introduction to our future home, and a chance to let down our hair, wave our tricolor flags, and celebrate the end of Italian American Heritage Month by looking to the future of our works… we hope you’ll be along for the ride, and come to see us in person in our new home!
Italians have been a force in jazz almost since the music was born, and this week’s guest is no exception!
Vanessa Racci has dedicated her career to being an ambassador not only for her Italian heritage but also for the heritage of jazz music. Vanessa grew up in Westchester County, New York amid an Italian American family that steeped her in Italian song, theater music, and jazz, which allowed her to develop a vocal style drawn from all three, combining a tart, brassy, catch-in-the-throat sound with Italianate ardor, dramatic flair, and swing.
This week, Vanessa joins us to celebrate the release of her latest album, “Jazzy Italian,” which launches on October 21. Vanessa tells us about how Italian Americans have always been connected to jazz music, from the Sicilian community of New Orleans who lived and worked alongside African Americans, to its influences throughout the pantheon of great Italian American singers.
Vanessa also tells us about her plans to do three more albums, following the example of Harry Warren, John Pizzarelli, and Henry Mancini, all of whom were Italian Americans who made their mark on the music industry.
And Vanessa talks about her upcoming album launch party on Sunday, October 23, at Birdland Jazz Club, and how it’s not just a celebration of her music, but of all Italian American music in general.
Join us as we discover the world of Italian American jazz music!
On September 25, 2022, snap elections in Italy yielded two unprecedented results, as Giorgia Meloni is set to become Italy’s first female Prime Minister, and her "Fratelli d’Italia" (Brothers of Italy) Party, which took the highest percentage of votes, will sit at the heart of Italy’s most right-wing government since the end of World War II.
This week, after considerable audience requests, we sat down with our friend and political commentator, Umberto Mucci of We the Italians. The “official Italian correspondent” of the Italian American Podcast is back to unpack the results of these historic and polarizing election results.
With a victory for the most conservative party to reach the clear majority in Italy’s history, Umberto explains how Italy’s government has decreased in size as a result of these elections, and how this will affect legislation.
We talk about how Giorgia Meloni came to power and how her government will seek to reach a consensus, both within her center-right coalition and without. We discuss how Meloni’s approach to governing might be more even-handed than expected, and what this means for Italy and her party’s future. We also discuss what it means for Italy to have a female prime minister and how that affects women’s evolving role in Italian politics. We also discuss the challenges that Meloni’s government is facing, including Europe’s energy crisis, the economy, and the Ukraine/Russia War.
We also explore how the Presidency of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies (two extremely powerful positions in the Italian government) will be determined this week, as well as more Cabinet-level roles, and how the President of the Republic is able to influence the process. And we discuss how heads of European governments are reacting to Meloni and what this could mean for Italy’s relationship with its allies, including the United States.
Join us for an episode with ramifications for both Italy and Italian America!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
This week, the Italian American Podcast marks its 250th episode, and we certainly have a lot to celebrate as we kick off another Italian American Heritage Month!
We discuss John and Dolores’s recent trip to Sicily, where they experienced the island in ways few Americans ever get the chance to experience. They share their stories, and how they came to realize just why their — and countless other — ancestors left Italy for the New World.
And, of course, the conversation makes its way to what they ate, and we take a detour into some of the regional Italian specialties we all enjoy so much, and why there are essentially two Italies to visit—the one we learn about, and the one waiting to be discovered.
We also celebrate the release of Rossella’s upcoming third book, Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinners with La Famiglia, to be released in November. She tells us about her upcoming launch party in Brooklyn at The Bookmark Shoppe, and how this cookbook is her best yet because of the incredibly personal direction she took while writing during lockdown.
And we’re announcing a VERY special development for the show and the gang, as we prepare for the next 250 episodes and beyond… one that will change the way we and our listeners get to take part in the Italian American Podcast each and every day!
It's an episode that gets to the heart of why these five Italian American friends have been able to keep this show going for so long… because it really is just a fun-filled catch-up amongst famiglia!
Join us for a celebration you won’t want to miss, and an announcement that will change the way we all participate in the Italian American experience!
Many of us have that “one” cookbook that we reach for whenever we want to make something special for our friends and famiglia… and for one of our hosts (and perhaps for many of you out there) that special book was written by this week’s incredible guest.
Award-winning author Arthur Schwartz (LINK) is a legend in the world of Italian cuisine, thanks to his definitive work “Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania,” as well as “The Southern Italian Table: Authentic Tastes from Traditional Kitchens,” among his countless other highly praised works. (LINKS)
For 26 years, he was the food editor of Newsday and then the New York Daily News, where he was also a columnist and first-string restaurant critic, and for 13 years he was the host of the country’s only daily food radio program. The Brooklyn-born Italophile also put his passion for Southern Italy to work running a cooking school in Paestum for nearly 12 years.
Known for putting food in its cultural context, Arthur tells us about the origins of Southern Italian cuisine and how that cuisine translated to Italians living abroad. He also shares his own stories about how he discovered Italian cuisine and why he considers it his “second soul food.”
We’ll also dissect the stories of popular Italian dishes, and explore the plethora of products imported out of that region to tables around the world. Its a conversation so great, whittling it down to an hour was a herculean task
Join us as we learn from the master, and sit down with a true culinary legend in this week’s fun-filled episode!
When it comes to fashion, the phrase “MADE IN ITALY” evokes excellence in every step of the process. From the world’s most luxurious textiles to cutting-edge technologies in manufacturing, to the unparalleled sense of design that Italy has shared with the world for millennia, every aspect of the clothes we wear is defined by Italian ingenuity and taste.
In this week’s episode, we sit down with master tailor and textile expert Salvatore Giardina, as he brings his more than 30 years of experience to a look at the future of Italian style, materials, and innovation in an increasingly complex industry.
Salvatore shares the ins and outs of the Italian fashion industry, including the particularities of textiles and the often subtle differences between disposable clothing and the best thing you’ll ever hang in your closet.
We’ll also explore how and why Italian textiles like wool, cotton, silk, and denim, are considered the best in the world, and how the technologies and training coming out of Italy might help us to avoid the immense damage that the recent trend of “fast fashion” has begun to cause in our global fight against pollution.
If you have a passion for Italian fashion, or just want to learn more about the clothes you wear each day, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode!
When it comes to fashion, the phrase “MADE IN ITALY” evokes excellence in every step of the process. From the world’s most luxurious textiles to cutting-edge technologies in manufacturing, to the unparalleled sense of design that Italy has shared with the world for millennia, every aspect of the clothes we wear is defined by Italian ingenuity and taste.
In this week’s episode, we sit down with master tailor and textile expert Salvatore Giardina, as he brings his more than 30 years of experience to a look at the future of Italian style, materials, and innovation in an increasingly complex industry.
Salvatore shares the ins and outs of the Italian fashion industry, including the particularities of textiles and the often subtle differences between disposable clothing and the best thing you’ll ever hang in your closet.
We’ll also explore how and why Italian textiles like wool, cotton, silk, and denim, are considered the best in the world, and how the technologies and training coming out of Italy might help us to avoid the immense damage that the recent trend of “fast fashion” has begun to cause in our global fight against pollution.
If you have a passion for Italian fashion, or just want to learn more about the clothes you wear each day, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode!
When it comes to fashion, the phrase “MADE IN ITALY” evokes excellence in every step of the process. From the world’s most luxurious textiles to cutting-edge technologies in manufacturing, to the unparalleled sense of design that Italy has shared with the world for millennia, every aspect of the clothes we wear is defined by Italian ingenuity and taste.
In this week’s episode, we sit down with master tailor and textile expert Salvatore Giardina, as he brings his more than 30 years of experience to a look at the future of Italian style, materials, and innovation in an increasingly complex industry.
Salvatore shares the ins and outs of the Italian fashion industry, including the particularities of textiles and the often subtle differences between disposable clothing and the best thing you’ll ever hang in your closet.
We’ll also explore how and why Italian textiles like wool, cotton, silk, and denim, are considered the best in the world, and how the technologies and training coming out of Italy might help us to avoid the immense damage that the recent trend of “fast fashion” has begun to cause in our global fight against pollution.
If you have a passion for Italian fashion, or just want to learn more about the clothes you wear each day, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode!
When it comes to fashion, the phrase “MADE IN ITALY” evokes excellence in every step of the process. From the world’s most luxurious textiles to cutting-edge technologies in manufacturing, to the unparalleled sense of design that Italy has shared with the world for millennia, every aspect of the clothes we wear is defined by Italian ingenuity and taste.
In this week’s episode, we sit down with master tailor and textile expert Salvatore Giardina, as he brings his more than 30 years of experience to a look at the future of Italian style, materials, and innovation in an increasingly complex industry.
Salvatore shares the ins and outs of the Italian fashion industry, including the particularities of textiles and the often subtle differences between disposable clothing and the best thing you’ll ever hang in your closet.
We’ll also explore how and why Italian textiles like wool, cotton, silk, and denim, are considered the best in the world, and how the technologies and training coming out of Italy might help us to avoid the immense damage that the recent trend of “fast fashion” has begun to cause in our global fight against pollution.
If you have a passion for Italian fashion, or just want to learn more about the clothes you wear each day, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode!
For many Italian Americans, the American Civil War, a seminal chapter in the history of the United States, can often feel like a chapter detached from their own American experience. Since the massive wave of Italian Immigration to the United States between 1870 and 1920, the brilliant thread of the Italian American experience has been indelibly woven into the tapestry of American history, but even the most passionate student of Italian American history might be unaware of the Italian presence in the war that redefined the United States.
While many pages have been dedicated to the “Garibaldi Guard” and the contingent of Northern Italian soldiers who came to defend the Union, the legacy of Southern Italians on both sides of the conflict between the states has, until now, been almost completely forgotten by time.
In a return visit to our show, historian Peter L. Belmonte shares his continuing research on these Southern Italian soldiers and sailors who served in Army, Navy, and Marine Corps -- in both the Union and the Confederacy -- from front-line soldiers to musicians, cooks, and even a barber or two who were said to have given President Abraham Lincoln a shave.
Peter describes how he painstakingly researched military records, having compiled a listing of hundreds of Southern Italians who served during the Civil War, examining the occupations followed by these men and their roles in the conflict. He’ll share incredible stories of individual men that he has discovered, and how his efforts have helped him to reunite these stories with many of the soldiers' modern-day descendants.
Join us for a fascinating look at a truly undiscovered chapter of Italian American, and American, history in this week’s episode!
He was the “King of Cool,” an Italian American star whose casual magnetism and incomparable voice defined the Rat Pack style that influenced generations of American popular culture. Now, Dean Martin’s hometown is seeking to honor him for all time with a larger-than-life statue at the heart of this once-bustling community.
In this week’s episode, we are exploring the life and legacy of Steubenville, Ohio’s favorite son through the eyes of Gerald Ravasio, the chairman of the committee that is seeking to construct this well-deserved monument to a unique Italian American legend.
Gerald helps us uncover Dino Paul Crocetti’s humble beginnings, from his Italian-speaking childhood to the bullying that drove him away from school and into the underground nightclubs and casinos that earned Steubenville the sobriquet “Little Chicago."
We’ll also gain insight into Dean Martin, the dedicated Italian American who never forgot his hometown, and kept himself involved in philanthropic activities to help sustain the Steubenville community even while one of the biggest stars on the planet.
And we’ll discover some of Steubenville’s iconic Italian American fare, like pizza on the square and the meat sauce heel, while reminiscing over life in this distinctly Italian Enclave.
And, if YOU want to help the Dean Martin Committee bring this dream to fruition, consider making a donation by sending checks to:
Historic Fort Steuben
120 S.3rd Street
Steubenville, Ohio 43952.
Checks should be made payable to “Old Fort Steuben Inc.” and be sure to write “Dean Martin Statue Fund” in the memo line.
You can also visit www.oldfortsteuben.com and select “donate,” then scroll down to select “Dean Martin Statue Fund.”
What does it mean to live “La Dolce Vita?” This week’s guest is here to tell us how the answer to that question is just as varied as Italy herself!
Carla Gambescia is a cultural “edu-tainer,” award-winning author, travel journalist, lecturer and avid photographer. The author of “La Dolce Vita University: An Unconventional Guide to Italian Culture from A to Z," Carla seeks to teach people about Italy’s culture and lifestyle in everything she does.
And, seeing as we’re sitting down with the author of an “A to Z” guide to Italy’s culture and history, it's no surprise that this is an episode that hits on topics ranging from the Roman roots of popular sayings, to the often-overlooked multiculturalism of the Venetian Republic.
We’ll discuss the surprising reasons behind some of the earliest Italian immigrations to the United States, Carla’s time as a restauranteur on a mission to educate through food, and how Italy and Italian Studies are often ignored by the American educational system, even though learning about Italy and Italian culture has benefits for students from all backgrounds.
Ultimately, Carla makes a compelling case for Italy to be recognized as the world’s only global “Lifestyle Superpower”… and she gets Pat’s wholehearted support for her cause!
Get ready to get your diploma from “La Dolce Vita University” in an episode you won’t want to miss!
“Viva San Rocco!”
It's the last weeks of summer in Italian America, and in neighborhoods across the country, paesani are celebrating the Feast of Saint Rocco, one of the most venerated saint days in the Italian American year.
For our part, we’re sitting down with Stephen La Rocca, president of the St. Rocco Society of Potenza, to discover more about this saint and the feast that has been held in his honor every August in New York City since 1889.
As one of the oldest continuous Italian American celebrations in the United States, there’s plenty of fascinating history behind this unique tradition, and we’ll follow the feast day from its origins, to its near extinction, through two relocations within the city, and into its continuing growth into what is today one of New York’s most well-attended feasts!
Stephen also shares his own family’s devotion to St. Rocco, dating back to a very special miracle performed for his grandmother that inspired him to not only dedicate himself to promoting the beloved protector, but to do it in ways that have not been seen at most Italian American feasts in decades… from barefoot processions to Calabrese wax body parts, we’re exploring the many ways Steve and his fellow devotees at the St. Rocco Society have returned the feast to its ancient roots and brought it back to life in doing so.
Before you make your way to this year’s feast, join us for a conversation that gets to the heart of what a feast really means to Italian Americans.
And, if you’d like to attend this year’s St. Rocco of Potenza Feast this coming Sunday, August 21, in New York’s Historic Little Italy, visit www.stroccosociety.com for more information.
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
We spent last week filming in one of the most overlooked (and criminally underappreciated) corners of Italian America… deep in the Ozarks in a little Italian village called Tontitown, Arkansas!
In this week’s episode of The Italian American Podcast, we’re sitting down with two of the new paesani we met during our travels, Heather Ranalli Peachee and Kara Jo Engle. Both of these proud Tontitown Italians can trace their roots to the founding families of this unique Italian agricultural colony, and today they are both part of the Tontitown Winery, which is the last commercial winery in a town that once cultivated more than 14,000 acres of commercial grapes!
We’ll share the people and places we found while visiting this incredible “Little Italy in the Ozarks” for its annual Grape Festival, which began in 1898 in celebration of the colony’s first good harvest, and even predates some of Italian America’s largest Italian feasts in places like New York and Boston.
We’ll also reveal how these 45 northern Italian families ended up in Arkansas in the first place, from a scam that brought them to the southeastern corner of the state to a once-famous Italian priest who led them on a life-changing trek to Northwest Arkansas for a chance at a life better suited to their Italian habits.
We’re sharing stories and recipes that have been lovingly passed down through generations of Tontitown’s citizens as we celebrate this proud Italian community that had such an impact on us during our few days there.
If you want to know the little slice of America where Redneck meets Red Sauce, join us as we discover the Italian American wonder that is Tontitown, Arkansas!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
“What does Italy mean to you?”
For those of us who think about Italy and our Italianness on a daily basis, it's a question that can force the mind into an exhausting array of mental gymnastics.
To this week’s guest, Nikki Taylor of La Dolce Vita Lifestyle Magazine, it's the question sheis asking the entire world to answer!
The Australian Italophile behind the uplifting #MyItaly2022 social media campaign joins us to talk about her efforts to spread love for Italy, and all things Italian, in a time when the country needs it most. Nikki and her team want to urge people to remember what Italy means to them, to remind us all that Italy is back in business, and that Italy needs our support to give the country and its people a much-needed boost.
We discuss the #MyItaly2022 campaign and why it is important for people to remember what they love about Italy in a post-pandemic world. We also examine how the country is slowly bouncing back, from new tourist “hot spots” to tried-and-true destinations that people continue to flock to year after year.
Nikki will share her professional insights into Italy’s current property market, and why “digital nomads” are rushing to make “il Bel Paese” their new home office destination, and why learning Italian is still the best way for people to truly discover all that Italy has to offer.
Join us as we celebrate Italy’s latest renaissance, and set out to lend our voices to this worthwhile effort, and hopefully, figure out what exactly Italy means to us!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
On Thursday July 21, 2022, Mario Draghi, Italy’s technocratic Prime Minister, resigned from his role as Head of Government. With Italy facing a summer of unprecedented heatwaves, fires, draught, inflation, war on the continent, gas shortages, and the lingering effects of COVID shutdowns, the departure of this highly-regarded European technocrat has sent shockwaves across Italy and the world. And now, polling across Italy suggests that one of the more likely candidates to succeed him is Giorgia Meloni, a relatively untested politician representing “Fratelli d’Italia”… Italy’s Post-Fascist party.
With such unprecedented circumstances, and much at stake, we’re calling on our good friend Umberto Mucci of “We the Italians” to explore what might lay ahead for Italy now that Draghi has begun to wind down his mandate, and what the impending elections in late September might really bring.
We will discuss Italy’s complex mechanisms for electing the office of Prime Minister, and how it has changed in recent years. We’ll also explore the issues that led to the collapse of Italy’s much-heralded “unity government” and what comes next for the parties and politicians involved in its downfall.
We’ll examine Mario Draghi’s role on the world stage, what his ouster means for Italy and the European Union, and learn more about the rising star of Giorgia Meloni and her Far Right party.
Be sure to join us as we seek to answer your questions about this pivotal moment in modern Italian history!
In modern America, countless thousands of Italian American women and men practice every imaginable discipline of the law. However, not so long ago, a vowel on the end of one’s surname was likely a barrier to entry to most of the nation’s elite law schools and most important law firms. What exactly changed to allow so many of our fellow Italian Americans to proudly bear the title of Esquire?
Perhaps, the National Italian American Bar Association (NIABA) had something to do with it?
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re joined by two of that organization's dynamic leaders, NIABA President Fran Donnarumma and Chair of the Board Cristina Carabetta, to discuss the history of Italian Americans in the legal profession, and find out how we went from “Italians Need Not Apply” to some of the most respected jurists and litigators in the nation.
We get to know these two Italian American legal leaders on a more personal level… to understand why Fran was initially reluctant to take part in an Italian American Bar Association, and how Crisitina’s invention "The Betta Bag" (https://shopbettabag.com) brought her “Fine Italian Hand” to solving an issue that plagues many professional women… the search for the perfect business bag.
We’ll explore the history of NIABA, and examine why Italian American lawyers can still find real value in an ethnic Bar Association. Plus, we’ll hear some of the more comical stories that have come out of the nearly 40-year existence of this proud organization.
If you, or someone you love, is an Italian American lawyer, make sure to join in and share this unique episode!
It’s easy to make the argument that the annual feast is the soul of the Italian American neighborhood, and for the true feast aficionado, it's the music that is the soul of the feast!
And no two people know this better than this week’s guests, the talented musicians at the helm of two of Italian America’s most renowned feast bands, Marty Caliendo and Joe Annecchino.
Based in Chicago, Marty is the founder of “Caliendo’s Banda Napoletana," while Joe is the conductor and manager of the New Jersey-based “Tony Neglia Band." Both men have dedicated their lives and careers to preserving Italian American feast music and bands, from the songs, to the instruments, to the attire, and more.
In this week’s episode, Marty and Joe tell us about how the music we hear at Italian American feasts tells the story of our people, and how the songs have survived and evolved for generations. We also learn about the unique anthems composed for each community’s particular saints, and which songs might just have checkered pasts unknown to most revelers clogging the procession routes at the feast.
Marty and Joe also discuss why the feast bands are not a marching band, and why the saint processions are not a parade and why it is vital to our community to maintain the feast music tradition, so the feasts themselves continue to survive and thrive.
We’re in the heart of the summer "Feast Season," so sit down and join us for an episode that will surely have you tasting zeppole and hearing the tunes that bring you back each year!
When we scored an interview with famed Italo-Australian comedian Joe Avati, we figured we would be lucky to get 45 minutes with the man many credit with creating a worldwide Italian comedy revolution. In fact, we ended up spending two hours in deep discussion with the man known around the world as the “Italian Seinfeld!"
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re bringing you Part 2 of this fascinating discussion, commercial-free, and picking up right where last week’s episode left off with an exploration of “Cancel Culture” in the comedy world, and why Italian stereotyping might be one of the last acceptable subjects of ethnic humor.
Plus, we’ll look at whether or not there is some truth to the cliches that are oftentimes associated with our community, why many of us feel so connected to our Italian roots even when we are generations removed from our immigrant ancestors, American “assimilation” versus Australian “integration," and why Italian identity appeals so deeply to the many varied peoples who have a stake in it.
We’ll share some laughs exploring the relationship between Italians and Greeks, and why so many of us root for Italy against our own countries when the World Cup rolls around!
If you enjoyed Part 1 of this impassioned interview, you won’t want to miss the thoughtful conclusion of our afternoon with the one-and-only Joe Avati!
For more information on Joe's North American tour, click here!
Until recently, Joe Avati never thought of himself as a “real comic." This bout of self-deprecation probably comes as something of a surprise to the Italo-Australian's legion of devoted fans, who many years ago dubbed him the “Italian Seinfeld!"
Avati’s signature “clean style” of comedy and his laser-sharp insight into the minds of Italians around the world have made him a comedy superstar in his native Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and anywhere more than a handful of paesani have made their home!
Taking a few hour break from his current World Tour, Joe sits down with us to discuss the global Italian comedy revolution he unintentionally kicked off more than 20 years ago, and why audiences in all parts of Italy’s vast diaspora can relate to his observations, and to one another.
In this week’s episode, part 1 of 2, we’ll examine the similarities and differences between Italians around the globe, where our unique identity finds its origins, and how his set reflects on the Italian American comedians for years gone by.
He’ll share why he never wavered from his commitment to “clean comedy” and whether or not we at the Italian American Podcast set out to create a “clean show” of our own for the same reasons. We’ll discuss why he's enjoying being a “real comic” a quarter of a century into his incredible career.
And, we’ll address the simmering issue of “Cancel Culture” in the comedy world, and why Italians don’t seem to want to cancel anyone!
Plus, we look at the humor in the often unexplainable Italian traditions we hold dear, and in the Italian fear of the things we don't see… from the Malocchio to the air conditioning, to a summer breeze… all the things that give us sicknesses that no other ethnic groups seem to contract!
It’s a 45-minute appointment that turned into a two-hour “Paesani Mind Meld," and you WON’T want to miss the first half!
Are you interested in seeing Joe Avati during his North American tour? Visit www.joeavati.com for more information!
It’s said that Heaven touches Brooklyn, New York, every July… and if you know Brooklyn like we do, then you know that celestial poke occurs at the famed Festa del Giglio at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, and you also know the passionate pastor there!
This week we sit down with the one-and-only Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello who, beyond his job as the spiritual father of one of the nation's most important Italian parishes, also serves as the vicar of development for the Diocese of Brooklyn, as well as chaplain for the New York City Fire Department. Msgr. Jamie is a familiar face to those of us in the New York City area, since in his “spare time” he hosts his long-running cooking show, “Breaking Bread," and is the author of a forthcoming cookbook of the same name!
Msgr. Jamie will share details of his 10 years of experience working in hospitality before receiving the call to the priesthood, his thoughts on why traditional Italian Sunday dinners are a cornerstone of civilization, what the current state of Catholic education means to our nation, and why the kitchen table and the altar table have so much to do with one another.
Of course, we can’t have Msgr. Jamie on air without asking him about Brooklyn’s world-renowned Giglio Feast, which takes place this year from July 6-17. He shares the history of the feast’s origins from Nola, Campania to its various iterations in New York City and beyond, and explains why this particular event is a “must see” bucket list location for all Italian Americans!
Get ready to start planning your road trip to Brooklyn as we give you an insider's look at the history and happenings behind an event that’s near and dear to our Italian American hearts!
For more information about the Brooklyn Giglio feast, visit www.olmcfeast.com.
Family is the cornerstone of our life as Italian Americans, but what happens when one member of the family is diagnosed with a serious illness?
That’s just one of the topics we cover with this week’s guest, Dr. Benedict Albensi, Ph. D., BCMAS, CRQM. Dr. Albensi is a professor and chair of the department of pharmaceutical sciences at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Renowned for his work with factors involved in aging, cognition, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), Dr. Albensi has been ranked in the top one percent worldwide by Expertscape.com for his number of publications from 2010-2020 in seven areas, including expertise in Alzheimer’s Disease, neurocognitive disorders, tauopathies, and dementia. On this week’s episode, he’ll share the personal reasons that lead him to study the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and what his research has revealed over his several decades of experience. We discuss the hallmarks of aging and what people can do to increase their longevity, and how Italian American staples like a traditional Mediterranean diet, and the primacy of “La Famiglia” might just hold the keys to longer, healthier lives.
We’ll explore how genetics plays a role in the development of dementia, and how certain ethnicities are prone to certain illnesses, such as Cooley’s Anemia in our own community.
We also look at how family protection comes into play, and how when families rally around a member who has been diagnosed with a cognitive illness, it can be some of the best medicine possible for all concerned!
If you’re interested in developing a healthier lifestyle or if Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia has affected your family, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode!
Are you guilty of crimes against Italian food?
A recent YouGov survey that polled 20,000 people across 17 different countries decided that Italian cuisine was the most beloved on earth… but also established a list of alleged "Italian Food Crimes" that might trip up even the most passionate Italian American, let alone the first-time visitor to "il Bel Paese."
Some of the worst offenders list will read like a familiar set of “Culinary Commandments” for those who know Italy well… putting pasta in cold water before bringing it to boil, serving pasta as a side, cutting long pasta with a knife, adding cheese to a fish dish, or (gasp) drinking cappuccino after a meal!
Yet others might surprise even the most accepting pallette… Do we really need to reiterate that ketchup on pasta is a crime against humanity, and serving pineapple on pizza an inexcusable abuse of the world's most beloved food?
We’re going to unpack these results and provide our own take on how and why these offenses even exist. We’re also going to discuss what we think are the worst Italian food crimes, and which alleged crimes really aren’t so bad after all.
Get ready as we serve up a new take on the cuisine we all know and love in this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast!
We’re back for the second half of our incredible conversation with Ian MacAllen, the author of Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American, as we continue our quest to understand the evolution of “Red Sauce Italian,” - that unique cuisine born of the melding of Southern Italian tastes and American abundance.
This week, in Part 2, we’ll take the conversation even deeper to explore everything from the ingredients that we treasure to the Red Sauce standards that have gone the way of the Dodo. We’ll discover which beloved Italian American family dish originally contained cow utters, how to differentiate between pasta and macaroni, how those famed pastas REALLY got their shapes, and learn about the strange era when the Italian government tried to ban pasta!
We’re also digging into some of the heirloom products Italian Americans created, and made our own, here in America, looking at lost recipes from Red Sauce days gone by, and uncovering two long lost classics that were once amongst the most famous spaghetti dishes in America… created for America’s most famous Italian opera stars!
And, as we always do here on the Italian American Podcast, we’re asking the important questions… like how DID grated cheese and crushed red pepper become the ubiquitous Italian American table-side seasonings, and where do our cheeses come from, and why does it matter?
It’s the conclusion of one of our most popular episodes we’ve ever released, so tuck into a plate of your favorite Red Sauce specialty, and join us as we explore the unique creation that is Italian American cuisine!
Once in a long while, a book comes along and immediately qualifies as a “must have” in the Italian American home library. In Red Sauce: How Italian Food Became American, author Ian MacAllen has created one of those books!
In this rollicking two-part episode, we’re joined by this proud Italian American writer as he leads us in an exploration of the evolution of traditional Italian American cuisine, lovingly referred to as “Red Sauce Italian,” from its origins in Italy to its transformation in America into a new, distinct, and wildly popular cuisine.
This week, in Part 1, we’ll take a look at the fascinating social and culinary history exploring the integration of Red Sauce food into mainstream America alongside the blending of Italian immigrant otherness into a national American identity.
We’re looking for the “roots of red sauce” in Southern Italian cuisine, and how early Italian immigrants to America developed new recipes and modified old ones based on the new foods they found in America, and how they were able to introduce and eventually domesticate the staple ingredients they couldn’t leave behind.
We’ll search out the origins of uniquely Italian American dishes like Penne alla Vodka, and examine the new fascinating history of how the earliest Italian immigrants brought the tomato into mainstream America… and why the differences in manufacturing between tomato paste versus canned tomatoes might explain how YOUR family recipes came to be distinct from those of other Italian American clans. And, we’ll seek to answer the age old question: “Why do I add sugar to my sauce?"
It’s the first half of one of our most enjoyable episodes, on a topic we know every Italian American can agree on -- the unique brilliance of Italian American cuisine!
For countless Italian Americans, many of the best-loved hallmarks of our distinct culture are intrinsically tied to Catholic tradition. Even for those who have let their personal practice lapse, or for others who come from different religious backgrounds, recollections of a special feast day in the old neighborhood, or holiday traditions rooted in Catholic practice remain treasured touchstones of their Italian American experience. For some families, that sense of identity continues to be informed by participation in Italian language Masses, or membership in one of the remaining Italian National Parishes spread throughout the country.
And while these parishes and liturgies are available to our community at a lesser frequency than they were to older generations, there are some younger Italian Americans setting out to change that.
In this week’s episode, we’re sitting down with Eric Lavin of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Newark, NJ and Alexis Carra-Tracey, founder of the Italian Mass Project of New York City, to learn about the ways they and their fellow millennials are seeking to preserve and expand the presence of Italian Catholic life in America.
We’ll explore their efforts to bring old traditions to a new generation, and get a lesson in the history of Italian Catholicism in America straight from the Wiki-Pat-ia himself. And, speaking of the Notorious P.O.B., he’s inviting everyone out there in Italian American Podcastland to come out and support HIS efforts to evolve forward an Italian American Catholic tradition, the Feast of Our Lady of Sacro Monte in Clifton, New Jersey, a long-dormant tradition he revived more than a decade ago!
If you want to come out and meet the IAP Famiglia, or you’re just looking for a great way to reconnect with long forgotten traditions, this is an episode you’ll surely enjoy!
Of the more than 20 million Americans with Italian roots, approximately 87 percent are of Southern Italian origin. This massive dispora from Italy’s south has made southern Italian cuisine, culture and traditions into familiar aspects of Italian American life; yet the wealth of classical music originating in the Italian south has remained a mystery, even to the millions whose ancestors left her shores.
This week’s guest, Alexis Zingale, hopes to change that with The Southern Italian Piano Project. The Southern Italian Piano Project seeks to change the narrative and ensure that the lesser-known composers from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, from both before and after the Risorgimento, attract the attention and respect given other composers in the canon of classical music.
Alexis shares how The Southern Italian Piano project got its start (spoiler alert: the Italian American Podcast might have been an early inspiration), how she worked to uncover and reintroduce composers from all over the south of Italy, which composers are part of her repertoire, including Francesco Durante and Alessandro Longo, and how her overall vision is to expand the canon of western art music to include as many underrepresented composers from the south of Italy as possible.
Alexis also shares a few samples of works she’s unearthed as she prepares to bring them to life in a series of live performances in the greater New York City area in the coming weeks, including:
· Friday, May 6, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. at the Branford Free Evangelical Church, 231 Leetes Island Road, Branford, CT. Tickets are $20 for general admission or $10 for seniors at the door, or $20 via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=312023991157
· Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., at the Littlefield Recital Hall at Paier College, 84 Iranistan Ave, Bridgeport, CT. Tickets are $20 for general admission or $10 for seniors at the door, or $20 via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=312040701137
· Friday, May 20, 2022, 8:00 at p.m., at Mary Flagler Cary Hall at The Dimenna Center for Classical Music, 450 W 37th St., New York, NY. Tickets are $25 via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=226211192767
If you’re a devotee of classical music, a proud daughter or son of the Two Sicilies, or just someone who loves to explore new and unique topics, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
With 20 titles to her credit, Adriana Trigiani is one of Italian America’s most profound and authentic voices. This week, she joins us to celebrate the launch of her latest book, “The Good Left Undone,” a generational story that will easily secure a place of honor in anyone’s Italian American book collection upon its release on April 26.
Adriana tells us about her process for writing her latest epic -- a work that she believes may just be her best yet -- and how her characters are representatives of the stories that live in each and every one of us. She also shares how the world of publishing is for Italian American authors, and issues a rallying cry to support Italian American creators that seek to tell our stories through writing, art, theater, and film.
Adriana also shares the power of networking, and how creating an “in tribe” network among Italian Americans will help us band together as a group to help share our heritage the world over.
If you're a fan of one of Italian America’s most prolific voices, or you just want to learn more about how our community can support the expansion of our creative voices, it's an episode you won’t want to miss!
This week we’re jumping back into the second part of our two-part episode exploring the 50-year relationship between the Italian American community and Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather”, with a commercial-free conclusion to this well-received conversation.
Since its premiere in March of 1972, The Godfather has been considered one of the most influential and important films of all time, but even before the cameras started rolling, the would-be epic had drawn the ire of Italian Americans frustrated by the continued portrayal of their community as a haven for organized criminality.
As we look back on this 50-year history, we examine the impact the “The Godfather” has had on the Italian American experience… not just how it has come to represent (or not represent) our community, but how it has ultimately left its own mark on our sense of self definition.
We’ll seek to understand what the film means to cinema, to audiences around the world and, most importantly, to us, and how its release five decades ago may represent a crucial turning point in Italian American history. And, we’ll look at the film’s legacy and impact on subsequent portrayals of Italian American life, from 1972 through today.
Join us this week as we look back at 50 years of “The Godfather” and the making of Italian America!
It is considered one of the most influential films of all time, a critical and commercial success, the winner of the 1972 Academy Award for Best Picture, selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, and ranked as the second-greatest film in American cinematic history by the American Film Institute… and for 50 years it has aroused equal parts love and loathing in the Italian American community.
On March 24, 1972, Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” made its debut in theaters across the nation and, since that first showing, the epic story of the Corleone family has dominated discussions on its portrayal of Italian Americans, with its proponents celebrating it as hauntingly authentic and its detractors decrying it as stereotypical exploitation.
In this week’s episode (Part 1 of 2), we look back on five decades of the relationship between “The Godfather” and the Italian American experience, its place in the tome of American cinema, and why it is a film that all Italian Americans should see at least once.
We’ll also examine the movie’s cast and characters, how their roles have become iconic, and what their stories say about the Italian American experience. And we look at the film’s impact on American pop culture, on organized crime itself, and what it means to Italian Americans today.
Join us this week as we look back at 50 years of “The Godfather” and the making of Italian America!
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shocked and horrified onlookers around the world, and has brought us closer to the brink of a global conflagration than most observers ever imagined possible in an interconnected and globalized society.
This week’s guest is His Eminence Archbishop Lorenzo Casati, the archbishop of Palermo and All Italy and Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Abroad, who joins us to offer his uniquely multifaceted perspective, as an Italian American, living in Italy, and serving a community of Ukrainian faithful, as we seek to understand the complicated relationship between Ukraine and Russia, as well as the relationships between these two nations and Italy.
He shares with us the history of the Orthodox faith in Ukraine and in Russia and how it has shaped the identities of these two peoples, as well as how it is being brought to bear in the current crisis. He also discusses the differences between Ukrainian and Russian culture, and how Italy is taking part as the situation between the two nations unfolds.
We’ll discuss how Italy’s unique reliance on Ukraine for some of her most beloved foodstuffs, and why Italy has taken the stance it has taken in this conflict, welcoming refugees and doing what it can to support the Ukrainian people. Finally, Archbishop Casati tells listeners how they can help support Ukraine and offers a prayer for the end of this devastating conflict.
It's an episode that departs from our usual subject matter, but one which we pray offers clarity and hope in this time of unprecedented global uncertainty.
Imagine Elizabeth Bettina Nicolosi's surprise when she discovered that her grandmother’s Italian village had a secret: over a half century ago, in the southern Italian town of Campagna, countless residents defied the occupying Nazis and risked their lives to shelter and save hundreds of Jews from the Holocaust. What followed her discovery became an adventure as she uncovered fascinating untold stories of Jews in Italy during World War II and the many Italians who risked everything to save them.
In this week’s very special commercial-free episode of the Italian American Podcast, we sit down with author Elizabeth Bettina Nicolosi to explore how that personal voyage of discovery evolved into her immensely popular and impactful book, "It Happened In Italy: Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust," and how her book inspired the making of a documentary, "My Italian Secret: The Forgotten Heroes."
We’ll discuss how this proud Italian American came to unravel the hushed secrets of her ancestral home, why she took it upon herself to bring this noble chapter of history to light, and share the incredible stories of her efforts to interview as many of the survivors as she could find, so this story of goodness in a time of evil could finally be told.
She’ll take us through her personal experiences meeting and traveling with the men and women whose lives were inextricably linked in this worst chapter in human history, and hear the heartwarming tales of their reunions and reminiscences decades later through the series that earned her work the highest of praise from Nino Asocoli: “Finally, somebody made known the courage and the empathy of the majority of the Italian people toward us Jews at a time of great danger.”
Around here, we’ve become pretty adept at recognizing the symptoms of an Italian American obsession... and this week’s guest can easily be diagnosed within a few moments of first meeting him!
Ray Guarini is the founder and driving force behind Italian Enclaves, an immensely popular Italian American social media platform on which Ray has set out to identify and catalogue the countless Italian American enclaves that add so much incredible Italian culture to the American mosaic. Since his last visit to the show in its earliest days, Ray and a team of equally-obsessed volunteers have grown the Italian Enclaves brand to include its first published book, New York City's Italian Neighborhoods, in person meet-ups, and a 501(c)3 non-profit organization known as the Italian Enclaves Historical Society, a charitable network dedicated to expanding Ray’s mission and bringing his work to the next generation.
We sit down with this Italian American All-Star to discuss just how his platform has expanded in recent years, how two years of limits and lockdowns have affected the nation’s Italian neighborhoods, how to discover the hidden Italian communities dotted across the country, and how the famed ethnic enclaves of America’s cities stack up against the often unknown centers of Italian life in America’s suburbs and rural areas.
Ultimately, we’re asking what constitutes an Italian enclave, and how all of us can play our part in their continuing evolution, making sure they continue to thrive for the next generation of Italian American obsessives!
We’re kicking off the month of March, known as Women’s History Month, by catching up with two very talented Italian American women behind a much anticipated event happening this weekend in honor of International Women’s Day.
This week’s guests, Vanessa Racci and Lena Prima, are the producer and headliner of the fourth-annual “Festa della Donna," a variety show celebrating Italian American females in the arts. Taking place virtually this coming Sunday, March 6, at 6 p.m., EST, Festa della Donna features Lena and Vanessa, as well as comediennes Tara Cannistraci and Regina DeCicco, and medium Tessa DelZoppo.
Lena and Vanessa share their experiences as women in the performing arts field, from trying to gain a foothold in their chosen professions, to their experiences with ageism and imposter syndrome, and how their experiences have helped shape them on both the personal and professional level.
They also share their thoughts about the timelessness of music and how it truly provides the soundtrack to our lives, as well as a celebration of our incredible culture.
Podcast listeners can enter the code FestaDella at checkout on www.metropolitanzoom.com for $5 off the admission to this special event!
Join us as we celebrate the Festa della Donna with two extraordinary Italian American women!
Queen Maria Carolina of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies was one of the most fascinating, impactful and, unfortunately, forgotten women in the long story of Southern Italy. Thanks to the work of this week’s guest, Her Royal Highness is about to reclaim her rightful place in history!
Diana Giovinazzo is the author of “Antoinette’s Sister,” which tells the story of Queen Maria Carolina, the Queen Consort of Naples and Sicily as the wife of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. This strong-willed Austrian princess took little time in making herself into the de facto ruler of her husband's kingdoms, and over her nearly 50 years as Queen left a legacy so important, that it might actually be part of what led our ancestors to the United States!
The sister of the ill-fated Marie Antoinette, Maria Carolina’s story has never quite drawn the attention of her tragic sister yet, as we will discuss, her impact can still be seen today in the glorious Reggio di Caserta and the vast array of art and culture that she helped bring to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies before she was sent into exile by the French.
Diana reveals Maria Carolina’s story and shares why her legacy should be known by anyone interested in Italian history. We also discuss how Diana approaches historical fiction, what inspires her about the often overlooked Italian women at the center of her stories, and how writing for historical figures can be approached without imposing 21st century values.
It's a revealing look at a fascinating woman who is finally getting her due!
To learn more about Diana Giovinazzo, visit https://dianagiovinazzo.com/.
Sicily… for millennia, this island at the crossroads of the world has been drawing peoples from across the globe to its shores, and in the second part of this very special two-part episode, Melissa Muller, author of “Sicily: Recipes Rooted in Tradition,” published by Rizzoli, shares with us some of the history behind Sicily’s most famous dishes.
Melissa describes how Sicily’s position as the crossroads of several key civilizations has influenced some of its most famous dishes, like caponata, arancini, cannoli, and more. We also discuss the concept of cuisine as an heirloom, and how recipes can tell the story of people, whether a large community or a family, and how those recipes can change generation to generation as ingredient availability differs.
We’ll dive into the fascinating histories behind some of Italian America’s most beloved Sicilian dishes. We’ll discover how Sicilian chocolate offers a trip back in time with every bite, how the Cassata cake encapsulates most of the cultures that have called Sicily home, how one of the most popular fish dishes in the island’s cuisine was actually created for game birds, and how the famed eggplant caponata isn’t actually supposed to contain any eggplant at all.
Join us as we conclude this very special two-part edition of the Italian American Podcast!
Sicily… for millennia, this island at the crossroads of the world has been drawing peoples from across the globe to its shores, and in this very special two-part episode, we’re sitting down with Melissa Muller, author of “Sicily: Recipes Rooted in Tradition,” published by Rizzoli, as she shares how she too surrendered to the siren call of this unique island.
We’ll discover how this Italian American anthropologist, chef and journalist became “Sicilian by choice,” as she became ever-more drawn to the island each summer in her grandmother’s Sicilian village. She’ll share how her early experiences there led her to a career as an anthropologist and journalist studying the gastronomy of the Mediterranean regions, focusing on how Sicily is a unique crossroads of civilizations and how its history is visible and tangible in the island’s cuisine, allowing her to create a culinary time machine to discover the island’s storied past.
Eventually, the time came when her distance from the island no longer satisfied her soul, and Melissa made a life-changing move to her beloved Sicily, where today she lives with her family at Feudo Montoni, her husband Fabio Sireci’s organic farm and winery. There, she plays an integral role in the winemaking and cellar activities and is specifically dedicated to the cultivation of heritage Sicilian plants and the creation of food products.
We’ll discuss how Melissa has experienced the changes that come with swapping life in New York City for the sleepy center of the Sicilian island, how modern demands are affecting Sicily’s famously fertile fields, and how to understand the often under-appreciated diversity of the Sicilian landscape.
Join us as Melissa introduces her lifelong mission to understand the mysteries of Sicilian cuisine, and how it led to one of the finest works of culinary literature available today.
“Vision” can mean different things to different people, but for this week’s guest, his life’s work has been inspired by a vision of sharing his Italian family’s inspiring love with the visually impaired.
This week, we’re sitting down with Tony Cancelosi, the chief executive officer of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind in Washington, D.C. Since 1900, Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind has been dedicated to helping the blind or visually impaired overcome the challenges of vision loss, a mission that enables people of all ages to remain independent, active, productive, and secure.
Tony will share how vision has played a role in his life, both literally and figuratively, whether it was his late father’s eventual loss of vision that inspired him to see blindness in a more empathic way, or his steadfast faith and overwhelming desire to help as many people as he can, treating each meeting as a spiritual encounter.
We also talk about Tony’s Italian American background, including his Philadelphia-based upbringing, and his family’s big “secret” that helped set him on his life’s path. Taking us from his successes in the business world to his vocation with Lighthouse for the Blind, we’ll discuss how the love of famiglia is at the heart of everything he does.
Finally, we also discuss how Tony’s work has been affected by his Italian American heritage and how that has become part of his life’s overall vision and vocation.
Join us for a genuinely heartwarming episode that you won’t want to miss!
It was called the “Economic Miracle," and Italy’s economic expansion after World War II was so rapid -- and her climb from war and poverty to wealth and prosperity so drastic -- that one might be tempted to believe that God had in fact deigned to bless Italia with La Dolce Vita… the Sweet Life!
But this “miracle” also triggered unprecedented social, cultural, and religious changes, so this week we’re unpacking those changes with Dr. Roy Domenico, the author of “The Devil and the Dolce Vita: Catholic Attempts to Save Italy's Soul, 1948-1973.”
This book tells the story of how the Catholic Church of Popes Pius XII, John XXIII and Paul VI, the lay Catholic Action association, and Italy’s near-monolithic Christian Democratic Party, worked in a series of culture wars to preserve a traditional way of life and to engage and tame the challenges of a rapidly modernizing society.
We discuss the April 1948 Christian Democratic electoral triumph and how their nearly thirty-year political hegemony ended when pro-divorce forces dealt the Catholics a defeat in the referendum of May 1974.
We’ll examine the Lateran Accords of 1929 and how the Vatican city-state’s relationship with Italy has evolved over the years, as well as the battles over what was considered proper decorum affected Catholic and Italian society during the 1960s and 1970s.
And, ultimately, we’ll explore how Catholicism is a driving force in Italian culture -- even today -- and how it has affected Italian and Italian American life.
If you’re a student of Italian history, practice the Catholic faith, or just love a great tale, you won’t want to miss this fascinating episode!
It’s sometimes the hidden stories that can tell us more about our history than we ever dreamed of.
In this week’s episode, Danielle Oteri of Feast on History talks to us about her latest project, a series of classes focusing exclusively on Southern Italy by Context Learning. These 90-minute courses are designed to take learners on a journey through the territory once occupied by the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies as they discover Southern Italy’s art, cuisine, culture, and history. It’s a Masterclass for the Masses!
We’re discussing not just Southern Italian history, but the idea that new history is being discovered every day in some of the most surprising places and ways. From the quest for historic records thought to be lost, to the long held “facts” of history being upended by modern science and a random circumstance, you’ll leave the conversation looking at history in a whole new light.
And of course, we will find ourselves in a fascinating discussion of Italy’s forgotten foodways, including historic dishes and traditions that are no longer part of the Italian American diet, but that are still invaluable clues into our family histories, and how the monastic life brought us some of our favorite pastries, like sfogliatelle and babà.
Join us as we “feast” on Southern Italian history with Danielle, and then visit Context Learning to sign up for one of her fascinating classes!
For many Italian American families, the story of an immigrant's sacrifice usually begins in the years between 1880 and 1920, known as the Great Wave of Italian Immigration to the United States.
But for 2,800 unfortunate souls, immigration to the “Land of Opportunity” came earlier, and at a much greater cost.
Between late 1872 and early 1873, thousands of unsuspecting Italian laborers were victims of an international scheme in which con men descended upon “every village and hamlet in Italy promising that a great deal of money was to be made in the United States.” But the promises of jobs, housing, and the opportunity for a better life were unfounded, and the newly-arrived immigrants found themselves stranded at journey’s end with only the clothes they wore and their life’s savings stolen. Most would end up wards of the United States government.
On this week’s episode, historians Joe Tucciarone and Ben Lariccia join us to explore this shameful chapter in early Italian American history, and to discuss their newly-released book, Italians Swindled to New York: False Promises at the Dawn of Immigration, the first-ever work to reveal this fascinating tale that would become an international scandal in its time.
We’ll examine how this under-studied saga reflects upon the first significant trickle of Italian Immigrants to America, what drove these men and women into the clutches of swindlers and predatory lenders, how American industrialists would use these victimized Italians as a tool in their battles with American labor, and how this toxic tale at the genesis of the Italian American experience might have defined the Italian immigrant experience for generations to come.
It’s a thought-provoking exploration into a little-known, and greatly important chapter in the Italian American story.
Another holiday season has come and gone here in Italian America.
The fishes have been served, the champagne has been popped, and the lentils have been eaten, so we’re kicking off the new year with the best thing we can think of to combat the post holiday blues… a collective therapy session!
We’re getting together to share our reflections on this year’s Christmas and New Year's celebrations, with a thoughtful eye on how Italian American family traditions are evolving in an ever-changing world. We’ll explore what practices and customs have changed, and how technology might just be redefining the entire concept of the holidays.
We’re discussing our attempts (or lack thereof) at some New Year's resolutions, and considering the ways in which we might find new opportunities to make 2022 a definitional year here at the Italian American Podcast.
It's a conversation with depth, heart, and some incredible questions that often bubble up when we sit down at the table, as well as, of course, the non stop laughter that comes with the gathering of great friends. If you are an Italian American who just survived another year of Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's, you won’t want to miss out on this thought-provoking episode!
It’s almost time to say “Buon Natale,” as Christmas is right around the corner! Since this is the final episode before the Feast of the Seven Fishes and Christmas arrive in earnest, we’re sending you into the holiday in style with our annual Italian American Podcast Christmas Special!
In what has become a nice little tradition here at the Italian American Podcast, some of our Podcast famiglia are gathering together right before the holiday madness begins to reflect on our favorite traditions, share recipes, unwind Christmas mysteries, and figure out exactly which designer panettone is really worth the price!
As we explore our most beloved Christmas memories and reflect on what traditions are important to each of us, you’ll be taken back into the recesses of your own joyous Natale recollections, and learn a thing or two about what makes an Italian American Christmas so special!
Remember, you and yours can listen along with us to six-plus hours of uninterrupted, never repeated, and carefully curated Italian and Italian American Christmas classics by visiting our one-of-a-kind Yule Pot Playlist at www.yulepot.com.
We hope these songs are ringing through your home come Christmas Eve and that you and yours enjoy a healthy, safe, and BUON NATALE!
Picture an Italian American family... Where are they gathered? Are they around the table with a pot of coffee? Or are they in the kitchen preparing a Sunday meal? Perhaps they are in the basement pressing grapes or jarring tomatoes? For most of us, scenes of the famiglia are also scenes of the home. You've got to wonder... what is it exactly that makes a house an Italian American home, and what do these shared domestic traditions tell us about our community, our culture, and ourselves?
For Italian American Podcast co-host Dolores Alfieri-Taranto, those types of questions are at the heart of the second season of her new hit podcast “Bella Figura- The Tradition of Living Beautifully."
So in this week's episode, we're all joining in the conversation, and eschewing the fashionable concept of “Green Building Certification” in favor of a designation a little closer to home, and asking what it takes for a home to qualify as Red-White-and-Green Certified?
Just what are the must-haves of an Italian American home, and what do those commonalities of the Italian American domicile tell us about our community’s history? What does the formal, and for many decades plastic-covered, living space that never gets lived in reveal about our socio-economic history? Why is a well-stocked pantry more about our shared values than our modern shopping habits, and why are there images of saints in many homes where the family might have very little commitment to organized religion?
These questions, and many more, are at the heart of an episode that explores the essence of what makes our homes, and our families, certifiably Italian American!
To listen to Dolores's podcast, visit www.bellafigurapodcast.com.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
"Yesterday, December 7, 1941— a date which will live in infamy— the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
That iconic quote by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced the United States’ entry into World War II after the surprise military strike on the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. At the time, the United States was a neutral country, but Japan intended the attack as a preventive action to prevent the United States Pacific Fleet from interfering with its planned military actions in Southeast Asia.
Peter L. Belmonte is a retired U.S. Air Force officer, author, and historian. A veteran of Operation Desert Storm, he has published articles, book chapters, reviews, and papers about immigration and military history, including extensive studies on Italian Americans in World War II.
In this week’s episode, we sit down with Peter to learn about the Italian American experience of World War II, a countless number of whom enlisted immediately after the Pearl Harbor attacks. We talk about these brave men and women and what their experiences were like from an ethnic perspective.
We also discuss what it was like for Italian Americans to be fighting against Italy, and how World War II came to shape the Italian American ethnicity, helping these soldiers and civilians feel both Italian and American at the same time.
While our country pauses to commemorate the 80th anniversary of these attacks, we remember our paesani who took up the call to serve and protect this great nation.
To purchase Peter's book on Italian Americans in World War II, click here.
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
For true Italian Americans, love really can blossom over the exchanging of caponata recipes. For Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito, a shared passion for the tastes of Italian American life didn’t just lead to amore, but to marriage, a family, a Michelin-starred restaurant and their debut cookbook, Italian American, published by Clarkson Potter in October.
Scott and Angie are the husband and wife chef team behind “Don Angie” in the West Village of New York City. Named one of Esquire Magazine's Best New Restaurants in America, this Michelin-starred modern Italian American restaurant is the couple’s homage to the beloved red sauce joints of their youths. Of course, Don Angie is one of the toughest reservations to get in America, so the duo have brought their unique, forward-thinking take on Italian American classics to the people, with the recently-published cookbook that has created as much buzz as their New York hotspot!
We’ll hop on the mic with this talented team to discuss their particularly Italian American love story, how their reverence for the flavors of their childhoods earned them a surprising (to them at least) recognition from the world’s top restaurant critics, and why they are so passionate about evolving the “red sauce” style that has come to mean so much more than just the food you eat at their restaurant.
We’ll share stories and secret ingredients, and even run down some of their -- and our -- favorite off-the-beaten-path Italian American red sauce spots!
It’s an episode filled with the sparks of kindred spirits, and one that will surely leave you hankering for a heaping plate of your favorite Italian American dishes!
Click here to purchase your own copy of Italian American!
On November 14, the new Governor of New York Kathy Hochul, decided to eliminate the state’s Director of Italian American Affairs position. It just so happens that the director was one Dolores Alfieri Taranto, co-founder of the Italian American Podcast. What began with the Governor’s intention to eliminate the position as a whole has caused an unprecedented -- and unexpected -- backlash amongst the Italian American community throughout New York State, where it is the state’s largest ethnic group, as well as around the country.
Despite our best efforts to stay out of these kinds of issues, this was one that hit about as close to home as you can get. None of us at the Italian American Podcast expected the level of backlash and, even less, the complex level of response our reaction to it would garner. When the story even made its way into main-stream comedic coverage, the tangled web got even more disheartening.
We decided to take the opportunity for co-hosts Dolores Alfieri Taranto (@dolores_alfieri_taranto) and John M. Viola (@john_m_viola) to sit down and discuss not only the details of this unique story, but also to examine why they felt addressing it was important, and why this platform means so much to us… and whether or not it means the same to other Italian Americans.
Simply put, in what is one of the most intimate conversations in the show’s 210-episode history, we wanted to use one of the most complicated events we’ve encountered to discuss the simplest of concepts… why we are here to begin with.
It’s an unscripted, unedited, behind-the-microphone look at what drives us, and how our community’s response affects what we do every day!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
It starts with a simple philosophy -- "Better teaching makes better students, and makes a better future." Today, a better future for Italy is the mission inspiring Nick Autiello and Andrea Pastorelli, two passionate Italians behind the early success of "Teach For Italy" (TFI).
Built on the model of the highly-effective non-governmental organization "Teach For America," the project is the brainchild of Pastorelli, a young thought leader from Tuscany who brings years of experience working on global issues back to his motherland to focus on the most important issue of all, the future of our young people!
Nick Autiello, an Italian American with roots in Campania, is a member of the board of directors of "Friends of Teach For Italy," an American nonprofit organization created to support this valuable young initiative.
On this week’s episode, they’re joining us to discuss the inner workings of this program that identifies young Italian university graduates to serve a two-year fellowship teaching in Italy’s most underserved primary schools. They couldn’t be rendering a more important service to their nation, as decades of underinvestment and stagnation have brought Italy’s education system into what can only be called a crisis.
We’ll examine this educational crisis in Italy today, look at how its structure differs from the system here in the United States, and what TFI is doing to form not just teachers, but future leaders. And, we’ll explore how Italian Americans are making a contribution to this effort through the works of Friends of TFI.
Join us for this fascinating look into this most consequential of issues, and then check out the work Teach For Italy and Friends of Teach For Italy are doing to address this problem, and perhaps to become a part of the solution yourself!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
As our nation gathers to celebrate Veterans Day this week, and all of us pause to say “grazie” to the millions of brave men and women in uniform who have served our country in war and peace, we’d like to turn our attention to remembering the Italian American legacy of our Armed Forces. There’s no better guest to guide us than Colonel Renato “Ron” Bacci (Ret.) of the Italian American Veterans Museum in Chicago.
In this week’s episode, Col. Bacci tells us the story of how this museum was founded in 2006 to encourage and promote the awareness of Italian American involvement in the defense of our nation from the Revolutionary War to the present, and how it now serves as a resource center for scholars, students, and the general public, and most importantly, as a source of comfort and assistance to all those who served, no matter what their ethnicity is!
Col. Bacci also shares stories of the unique items in the museum’s collection… from a massive World War II training bomb to an authentic Medal of Honor given to the museum to honor the 28 proud Italian Americans who have received our nation’s highest military recognition.
He also tells us about growing up in Chicago’s Italian American community and shares memories from his own military experience, from the differences between meals in the Italian and US Armed Forces, to seeking out other Italian Americans in the ranks.
We’re exploring the incredible legacy of Italian American military service, and how serving our nation in uniform can be considered a true “melting pot” for all ethnicities as they unite under one common goal… defending the United States of America.
Join us for this very special celebration of our nation’s veterans, and then make sure to visit the Italian American Veterans Museum by clicking here for a virtual tour!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
The United States Congress is one of our nation’s most enduring and important institutions, but with partisan politics growing more hostile every day, and Congressional approval ratings trending ever-lower, it often feels as if the Legislative Branch is terminally ill. Perhaps the Italian American Congressional Delegation has the right prescription!
For the 38 Italian American lawmakers who count themselves part of this bicameral and bipartisan fellowship, the opportunity to unite around their shared Italian heritage might just provide the perfect excuse to reach across the aisle and encourage a new, non-partisan spirit in the halls of power in Washington.
We’re joined by the Italian American Congressional Delegation’s co-chairs, Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ) and Republican Congressman Mark Amodei (NV), for conversations around not only the important legislative topics facing the Italian American community today, but also the ways in which the friendships that blossom within their membership end up impacting their work on the Hill.
And, of course, since this is the Italian American Podcast, we end up discussing everything from the importance of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Italy, to how one Congressman almost ended up an honorary member of the Italian Communist Party, and what might just be the the most important Italian American political speech ever given!
This Election Day, join us as we examine this most important of topics, and get to know the human side of two fiercely proud Italian American legislators!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Napoli… the great urban amphitheater spreading out across its picturesque bay. Anchored by the steaming hulk of Vesuvius and pushed up to the heavens from the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, it's a city so vibrant, so full of history that the quest to tell its story inspired six volumes, eight scholars, 2,322 pages, 758 illustrations, 651 readings, and countless appendices, maps, and indexes.
And for Ron Musto, telling its story has been a 30-year labor of love. On this week’s episode, Musto, the editor of A Documentary History of Naples, published by Italica Press, joins us to discuss Naples, its history, and the passionate effort behind this unprecedented compendium of Neapolitan history.
First conceived while Musto and co-editor Eileen Gardiner were in residence at the American Academy in Rome in 1994, this series brings together leading scholars to present the first comprehensive collection of primary-source materials, in English translation, on the structures, history, arts, and culture of this Mediterranean capitol, which Musto nicknamed “The Brooklyn of Europe.”
We discover how this series tries to introduce students, researchers, and Italian Americans to one of the most important Italian, European, and world capitals; how it helps dispel long-standing prejudices against the Italian South shared widely not only in the English-speaking world but in Italy itself; and how it brings modern-day attention to a city that is rapidly being rediscovered as one of the world’s most interesting centers of culture, food, music, art, architecture, and new urbanism.
We also reflect on how uncovering the story of Naples shows us the deep roots of so many cultural patterns in language, family tradition, food, and community and how they could bolster a sense of pride and continuing tradition among Italian Americans. And we discuss how this history could teach valuable lessons to the children of Southern Italy by reminding us that they shared so much in common with people of various backgrounds and national origins and with their struggles and achievements.
Join us as we take a trip through the history of Naples in this very special episode! And, if you’re interested in purchasing one or all of the volumes of A Documentary History of Naples, be sure to visit Italica Press’s website and mention the Italian American Podcast for a special offer!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Imagine a place where you could go and spend the day surrounded by the art and artifacts of the Italian American experience, where you can immerse yourself in our story, and learn new and surprising facts about the history of Italians in America… all free of charge!
Well, if you’re lucky enough to live near or visit Los Angeles, California, this Italian American dream has been a reality since 2015, when the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA) opened its doors in the historic Italian Hall of Downtown LA.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of countless Italian Americans, and the leadership of our guest, IAMLA co-founder and executive director Marianna Gatto, the City of Angels is not just home to the nation's fifth-largest Italian American population, but also to one of its finest and foremost museums dedicated to studying and sharing the Italian American experience.
We sit down with Marianna for this special Italian American Heritage Month episode to hear the story of how the IAMLA came to be, what aspects of the Italian American story it seeks to share, and why in just a few short years it has become a destination for hundreds of thousands of Italians and Italian Americans not just from Los Angeles, but from around the world.
We’ll examine what it means to preserve the material culture of Italian America, explore the other Italian American museums working to preserve our history around the nation, and ponder whether future generations might see the birth of a truly national Italian American Museum.
It’s a long overdue return to recording in-person, with a guest who is a true friend. If you know the Italian American Podcast, you know this is going to be an episode filled with interesting conversation, curious tangents, and a whole lot of infectious laughter, so we’re confident it’s one you won’t want to miss!
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Filmmaker Michael Cavalieri doesn’t want to make just another movie. The passionate and proud Italian American, whose career as an actor spans three decades, decided he had had enough of the stereotypical “Italian tough guy” roles that his sharp looks and New York City upbringing seemed to encourage Hollywood producers to type cast him for. With a grant from the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, he decided to make his own film… one that might honor his Sicilian ancestors.
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’ll sit down with Michael to discuss that labor of love, his new short film “Ritornato," which is based on a true story and shot entirely on location in Limina, Sicily, the town where Cavalieri’s grandfather, Agatino, was born.
It's the story of a man who goes back to his roots to fulfill a promise made to his dying mother and, in turn, finds out a family secret that will change his life forever. In an ode to the Italian neorealist films of the post-war era, and conscious of a budget coming mostly from his own pocket, this first-time producer/director opted to cast only the local people in the village, not actors, to help him realize his vision!
We’ll discuss not only this incredible project, but the conditions that inspired Cavalieri to forgo the normal “Hollywood Route," why many Italian American actors struggle with the stereotypical roles they are often offered, and how, perhaps, our community bears some of the blame!
Michael Cavalieri created a film to “inspire other Italian-American filmmakers to go back and search for their roots and share their own stories”… perhaps this episode will inspire you to see your own stories in a whole new light!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
It’s no surprise to longtime listeners of the Italian American Podcast just how much we love our Southern Italian roots and this week’s guest, Valarie D’Elia, is seeking to bring our ancestral home to people in a tangible, living way.
Valarie is an award-winning multimedia travel journalist and content provider who specializes in both Italy and ancestral travel. In her latest project, “Saving Southern Italy,” which is part of the National Italian American Foundation’s Russo Brothers Film Forum, Valarie turns her directorial eye to the abandoned properties scattered throughout the region.
When the late stages of the pandemic brought her back to Italy in search of a home to buy and renovate, Valarie discovered other expats who were also going through a similar process of rewarding and honoring their roots. Realizing that building a home in Southern Italy is a way of building gratitude, Valarie sought out other Italian Americans seeking concrete ways of honoring their heritage, such as establishing businesses in Italy or even populating an artist-in-residence borgo.
In true Italian American Podcast style, we even veer off into a discussion of the foods of Southern Italy, including a spirited debate about caciocavallo and a foray into the ins-and-outs of the Italian bureaucracy and why overcoming the frustrations is well worth the efforts!
If you’ve ever imagined yourself moving to Italy or starting a business there, you won’t want to miss this episode! Valarie can be contacted via her website, www.travelwithval.com or by using this contact form.
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
This week’s episode of The Italian American Podcast takes listeners on a journey through the Neapolitan Sceneggiata with special guest Dr. Reba Wissner, who is assistant professor of the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia.
Dr. Wissner’s specialty is the Neapolitan Sceneggiata, which is a form of musical drama typical of Naples. Beginning as a form of musical theater after World War I, it was also adapted for cinema; sceneggiata films became especially popular in the 1970s and contributed to the genre becoming more widely known outside Naples.
We talk about this “musical soap opera” and how the Sceneggiataplots revolve around melodramatic themes drawing from the Neapolitan culture and tradition, such as passion, jealousy, betrayal, personal deceit and treachery, honor, vengeance, and life in the world of petty crime. We also discuss the great talents of this genre, including Alfredo Bascetta, Mario Merola, and Gino Merignola.
We also discover how the Sceneggiata became synonymous with artistic expressions of Italian immigrant culture in the United States and how the New York City area was the “hot spot” for this type of theater. We also compare it to other forms of immigrant theater, including Irish, German, and Yiddish, and discuss ways that this form of art can be preserved for years to come.
And we also discuss how this artform made its way into one of the best-known movies of all-time, The Godfather Part II, and how Little Italy’s longest-running store, E. Rossi & Co., played a role in preserving Sceneggiata for future generations.
If you’re looking for a very special way to broaden your Italian American cultural horizons, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode!
Discover More:
“Italian Birds of Passage” by Simona Frasca
“La Tradizione la Sceneggiata” by Mario Merola
“Mario Merola canta Napoli” by Mario Merola
“Le ragazze di New York” by Alfredo Bascetta
“Se n'è fuiuto 'o banchiere” by Alfredo Bascetta
“I ricordi de lu primmo amore” by Gino Meringola
The Godfather Part 2 on Amazon Video
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
If you’ve visited Italy at some point in the last 75 years, and if you arrived in ‘il Bel Paese’ by air, chances are you’ve traveled with Alitalia, which has been the official Italian national airline since 1947.
And, if you’re like co-hosts Rossella, John, and Pat, you’ve got countless memories of returning to the Motherland “Italian Style” aboard this legendary airline.
But, as of October 15, the famed carrier will be no more. After decades of financial difficulties, and numerous near misses on the executioner's block, Alitalia’s world recognized green-white-and-red livery will descend from the skies one last time, and then pass quietly into memory. Sure, it’ll be replaced by a new Italian flag carrier called ITA, but for thousands of Italian American families, Alitalia will always be remembered as the airline that brought them and their ancestors to a new life in the New wWorld, or carried them and their offspring back to the old country in its quintessentially Italian way.
Join us as we raise a toast, and share history, memories, and some surprising facts about this treasured Italian brand, while we look to diagnose exactly why the loss of Alitalia is hitting so close to home. We’re sending Italy’s famed “Flying Arrows” off in style, and you won’t want to miss it!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
If you were set out to tell the stories of every great Italian and Italian American to leave their mark on human history, you could probably speak for a thousand years without even scratching the surface of such an illustrious list.
And for businessman and philanthropist Robert Barbera, that’s exactly the task he has set out for himself.
At 89 years young, this proud Italian American dedicates each day, as he has since his boyhood in Depression-era Brooklyn, New York, to the promotion and promulgation of his Italian heritage.
His immigrant parents taught him the value of hard work and the importance of family. As a young man, Robert made his first stock investment when he was only four years out of high school in 1954, and he bought his first building in 1961. Through hard work, dedication, focus, and the support of his family, he now has 500 units and multiple subsidiary companies, making real estate the cornerstone of his success.
He launched The Barbera Foundation in 1994 and has donated his time, expertise, and financial resources to many worthy organizations, including Pepperdine University, Thomas Aquinas College, and the California State University system. The founder of numerous organizations to promote Italian culture and language, this tireless community leader even purchased and revived L’Italo-Americano, the last surviving Italian newspaper in his adopted home of Los Angeles, California.
But of all of his works, the Mentoris Project best represents Robert’s legacy. A series of novels and biographies about extraordinary Italian and Italian American men and women, Barbera sees the books that form this series as an inspiration to all those who are seekers, trying to find enduring principles to guide them on their own life’s journey, while sharing many untold stories of the countless contributions Italians have made in every field of human history.
As inspired as you will be by the dozens of stories the Mentoris Project has shared with the world, perhaps none will affect you as much as that of this indefatigable champion of the Italian culture.
For more information, visit www.mentorisproject.org.
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Ciao paesani… and Greetings From Italian CALIFORNIA!
This past July, we made our way out West to explore the Italian side of the Golden State, as we set out to film four brand-new episodes of our popular YouTube web series, “Greetings From Italian America." Joined by our amici from the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), we took a whirlwind trip throughout the West Coast, visiting four Italian American enclaves in just five days! From the “hip and historic” Little Italy in San Diego, to the America's newest Little Italy of San Pedro, across the vast geographies that make up Los Angeles, and into the heart of one of the oldest and strongest Italian communities in America at San Francisco’s North Beach, we went non-stop to see and experience as much of Italian California as we could!
Although these episodes won’t make their way to video for a little while, we were so excited by the places and paesani we met out West, we decided to get together and recap some of our favorite experiences so we could share a little behind the scenes insight with you!
We’ve got recommendations for our favorite meals and Italian American delicacies, advice on the people you need to know when visiting these vibrant communities, and reflections on our deep dive into a part of Italian America far different than any of us could have expected!
Join us as we digest this incredible Italian American adventure, and keep your eyes peeled for these awesome new videos over the coming months!
To watch past episodes of "Greetings from Italian America," click here for a full playlist!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
For author Christopher Castellani, the proud son of Italian immigrants, the desire to tell the Italian American story through his writing has been a constant motivation. Yet, despite his abundant talent, irrepressible passion, and keen sense of his ethnic experience in America, upon entering the literary world, Christopher encountered one deep-seated -- and often discouraging -- preconception about Italian Americans: that we are people who don’t read!
So, Christopher set out to dispel that myth with a body of work in which the Italian American experience is a driving force behind his story. The first of his five critically-acclaimed novels, "A Kiss from Maddalena," winner of the Massachusetts Book Award in 2004, was inspired by the story of his Italian immigrant mother. His newest novel, "Leading Men" (for which he received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacDowell Colony, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council) tells the true-life tale of Frank Merlo, partner and soothsayer of playwright Tennessee Williams and an unknown Italian American whose steady presence might just be what helped Williams achieve his greatest fame and literary success. Set to become a major motion picture, this award-winning novel is the result of decades of work by this passionate Italian American.
Join us as we sit down with Christopher Castellani and discuss whether or not Italian Americans really are literary people, and how it is we can provide more opportunities for our story to be told. Of course, since this is the Italian American Podcast, we’ll cover everything from exploring the impact of Elena Ferrante's “Neapolitan Novels” on Italian American culture to debating the merits of the movie “Fatso." Get ready for another wonderful conversation with a brilliant Italian American novelist!
When sitting down with a singer of the caliber of Michéal Castaldo, one would expect the conversation to center around the long list of accomplishments he’s racked up during his celebrated career. But, in the tradition of Italy’s countless “Renaissance Men," this proud Calabrian proves himself to be much more than just a stellar voice!
In fact, his music isn’t even discussed until the halfway marker of this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, as the famed musician first shares many other facets of his incredible story with us.
From his take on Italian wedding traditions, to his experience rebuilding and commercializing his ancient family homestead in Calabria, to his career importing rare olive oils and balsamic vinegars, we are sharing the often-unseen sides of a man known the world over for his incomparable musical gifts! We’ll discuss the different traditions that took hold in the Italo-Canadian community, discover the secrets of the world’s finest olive oils, and learn how many types of wood go into making the perfect balsamic vinegar barrel!
But, of course, our conversation did bring us back to Michéal's love for music. From discovering it as a child singing in his church choir, to training with renowned musical experts in Italy and North America, to his vast musical body that spans everything from bel canto to classical, jazz, and pop, Michéal shares the passion for storytelling that drives his creative endeavors… and why, in his opinion, the pop hits you love sound even better when sung in the Calabrese language!
In this episode, this much-loved tenor shows that he’s so much more than just his beautiful voice, so if you know Michéal Castaldo the singer, or if you’re meeting him for the very first time, get ready to meet Michéal Castaldo the entrepreneur, the historian, and the man in this fascinating look into the life of one very passionate Italian American!
To learn more about Michéal Castaldo and his works, click here.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
How is the Italian American experience defined for a person with disabilities? In this week’s episode, we close out the month of July by paying tribute to National Disability Awareness Month with our special guest, Dominique Sessa.
Dominique is a disability advocate and proud Italian American who created “The Girl in the Pink Wheelchair,” which is an advocacy project geared toward helping women and young girls unite, uplift, and support each other as they navigate life with disabilities.
Dominique has been a full-time wheelchair user since she was 17 due to having an unspecified neuromuscular disease-neurological disease of genetic origin. Showing her unstoppable sprit, Dominique says that because her disability is unspecified, it just means she doesn’t know what her personal superpower is yet, as there are people the world over, including babies, with undiagnosed diseases due to genes still being researched.
Determined to help as many people as possible in her own situation, Dominique has brought her platform all the way to Annapolis, Maryland, where she was named Commissioner for the Maryland Commission on Disabilities. She is also the Director of Accessibility and Inclusion for the Water’s Edge Museum in Oxford, Maryland.
When not working on her disability advocacy efforts, Dominique serves the Italian American community at large as the founder of the Facebook group “Old Imagery of Italian Americans, which has more than 2,200 members and grows daily!
Join us as we get to know Dominique in this week’s episode! For more information about her and her work, visit www.thegirlinthepinkwheelchair.com.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Nearly 65 years ago, on the night of July 25, 1956, the SS Andrea Doria, the pride of the Italian Line and a symbol of Italy’s burgeoning post-war recovery, approached the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts at the end of a foggy eighth day of a nine-day voyage to America.
Suddenly, a passage that had been called the “Sunny Southern Route” turned into a nightmare for 1,706 passengers and crew aboard the “Museum on the Waves” as the Andrea Doria collided with the MS Stockholm, claiming 46 souls in one of the worst maritime disasters to occur in the United States waters.
Amongst the survivors of that tragic night, Pierette Domenica Simpson, has made it her mission to tell the true story of the Andrea Doria. In this week’s episode, she shares riveting first-person testimony about that fateful night when she, along with many other Italian immigrants, unknowingly became part of history. Pierette will tell us about her family’s life in Italy, as well as what led her family to decide to leave their homeland for a new life in America.
She’ll also share her recollections about how, when it was struck in the side, the Andrea Doria began to shift so heavily to starboard that it rendered half of its lifeboats unusable and how the ship stayed afloat for more than 11 hours after its collision. She will also recall the lives lost and several miracles that took place that night.
We will also learn about Pierette’s passion for storytelling and how she has used that to help correct historic records of the sinking, including in her book, “Alive on the Andrea Doria,” and in a docufilm, “Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?” Podcast listeners in the New York Metro area can watch the docufilm, on Sunday, July 25, at 3 p.m. EST or on Monday, July 26, at either 6 a.m., noon, or 10 p.m. EST on CUNY Television. The trailer for the docufilm can be seen by clicking here.
For more information about Pierette and her works, visit www.pierettesimpson.com.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
It’s Part 2 of our two-part episode exploring one of the most unique chapters in Italian American history as we sit down with author Don Capria to explore the life and times of Mafia boss and Italian American community leader Joseph Colombo, founder of the Italian American Civil Rights League.
Picking up right where we left off, Capria will take us into the personal life and private psychology of Joe Colombo, and share his thoughts on what singular event might have lead this clearly dynamic and talented man into a life of criminality.
We’ll explore the complex and sensitive relationship between organized crime and Italian American identity, and how its place in American popular consciousness still impacts our sense of self, generations after its peak of activity.
And, in light of the 50 years that have passed since Colombo’s assassination at the second-annual Italian American Unity Day in 1971, Capria will walk us through the events of that fateful afternoon, and share his own theory as to why what many observers simply accept as a Mafia murder, might actually have been something much more sinister, with implications that reach to a national level!
Join us as we conclude this incredible conversation on crime, conspiracy, community leadership… and the fascinating man at the center of it all.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Exactly 50 years ago this week, on Monday, June 28, 1971, one of the more bizarre chapters in Italian American history unfolded in New York City's Columbus Circle, as tens of thousands of people gathered for the second annual Italian American Unity Day!
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re joined by Don Capria, author of “Colombo: The Unsolved Murder,” to discuss the life and legacy of the man behind this unprecedented chapter in Italian American history.
The Italian American Civil Rights League was the creation of one of history’s most infamous Italian Americans, reputed Mob Boss Joe Colombo of Brooklyn. Formed to fight discriminatory representations of Italians in American media and news, the league exploded onto the scene in the late 1960s with star-studded and sold-out benefit concerts in Madison Square Garden. On June 29, 1970, they rallied nearly 100,000 Italian Americans in Manhattan’s Columbus Circle for the inaugural “Unity Day." But, just a year later, the second Unity Day ended in violence and bloodshed as Colombo was felled by an assassin’s bullet as thousands upon thousands of his fellow Italians looked on in horror.
For Italian Americans living throughout the East Coast in the years between 1970-1971, the prominent “#1” logo of the League became the ubiquitous sign of a growing sense of Italian American awareness and action.
In this first part of a two-part episode, Capria will take us through the process of writing his unprecedented book, which he co-authored with Colombo’s son, Anthony. He’ll share how the League was formed, and how it’s early successes included a game-changing impact on Paramount’s production of "The Godfather."
Join us as we explore the history of the Italian American Civil Rights League, the life and times of Joe Colombo, and his and the League’s surprising and controversial legacy within today’s Italian American community!
To order "Colombo: The Unsolved Murder," click here.
This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
For many Italian American families, the quest to unearth family histories often appears to be a daunting task. But, in this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re joined by an Italian genealogist who wants you to set aside your anxieties at the one place on earth created solely to reconnect members of the Italian diaspora with their roots… the “Museo Del Cognome” (Museum of Surnames) in the ancient city of Padula, Italy!
The creation of Michele Cartusciello, one of Italy’s most renowned and passionate genealogists, the Museo Del Cognome -- located in one of Padula’s more beautiful buildings from the 1700s -- is one-of-a-kind-place that will guide you on your family history search.
We’re joined by Giusi Dede, one of the Museum’s dedicated team members, to discuss the varied services that this incomparable institution offers the members of the Italian diaspora hoping to better understand their family story… from preliminary research utilizing civic and church records, to building a family tree, searching military records, notarial deeds, immigration documents, censuses, passport applications, and much more.
Plus, the museum shares the records and family histories of many of the famous sons and daughters of the Italian Diaspora, like Pope Francis, Luigi Pirandello, Robert De Niro, and Sylvester Stallone, just to name a few.
And, beyond the research services available, their team will help you plan “Ancestry Tours” to see the sights and meet the family members in your ancestral towns, provide handwriting analysis (graphology) for heirloom family letters and documents to tell you more about the personality of your unknown ancestors, help you on your quest for Italian Citizenship, and provide captivating content to engage young Italian Americans in the joys of family history.
So, if you’re interested in learning more about your family’s story, join us for a dive into this amazing place, and a chance for our hosts to share some of their favorite family history stories (and genealogy tips) in this unique episode!
For more information:
http://museodelcognome.it/en/
https://www.amazon.com/Can-guess-your-great-grandfathers-name-ebook/dp/B08QH2Y1N3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Michele+Cartusciello&qid=1624373272&sr=8-1
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
When we think about the Italian American experience, our mind floods with images of parents and grandparents, traditions passed on through time with the family, and a multi-generational story that plays out over a lifetime of shared memories. But, how do we best pass on the story of a loved one who we have lost?
In this week’s episode, we meet Michele Cerullo McAvoy, whose quest to answer that exact question led her into a new career as an award-winning children’s book author.
As Father’s Day approaches, we sit down with this New Jersey native (who may or may not have known our very own P.O.B. in his high school days) to discuss Michele’s 2016 Moonbeam Award-winning book, “My Superhero Grandpa,” the story of a boy and his beloved grandpa, who watches over him with superpowers, even though grandpa is in Heaven.
Michele shares stories of her own Italian American father, whose life inspired this book, and some of her others, as she sought ways to introduce her father’s story to her children, even though he passed on before they were born.
We talk about ways to honor our ancestors, whether it’s through genealogical research or more creative and artistic pursuits, and how preserving family stories is vital for future generations to have a relationship with their forebears.
Michele also tells us about how during the COVID-19 pandemic she started The Little Press & Blue Bronco Books, a traditional children's book publisher that specializes in books promoting the social and emotional welfare of our youth, and she stresses just how important it is to produce quality work for children to move our culture forward.
With Father’s Day around the corner, join us as we hear this heart warming story of how a father’s love inspired a new career, and a chance to make a difference in the lives of so many children!
For more about Michele and her books, visit http://www.michelemcavoy.com/.
In the United States of America, it was once a crime to be Italian.
That’s what filmmaker Zach Baliva, director of the forthcoming documentary, “Potentially Dangerous,” reveals to our listeners in this all-new episode of The Italian American Podcast!
As America crept closer to its second World War, the government grew suspicious of some citizens based not on what they had done, but on where they were from, registering more than 600,000 Italians and Italian Americans as “Enemy Aliens." Many were under curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and more than 10,000 individuals were forced from their homes and businesses. Hundreds were placed in military camps without trial.
Zach recounts how he discovered the stories he shares in this documentary, which is one of the participants in the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, an annual event created by Hollywood directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Endgame) in partnership with the National Italian American Foundation and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America to support projects that highlight the Italian American experience.
But this is, after all, the Italian American Podcast, so we will get into a heated debate about this often under-studied period in Italian American history, and question whether the story of Italian internment was purely misguided overreaction, or if there might be a more complicated origin to this sordid tale.
Be sure to listen to this episode filled with passionate discourse and intimate stories of a chapter of Italian American history that is not often discussed!
To support the “Potentially Dangerous” Kickstarter campaign to assist with funding for this project, visit:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/potentiallydangerous/potentially-dangerous-a-short-documentary-film?ref=cv7l9z&token=f1c0f454
For many Americans, the gradual reopening of the country means more time out of doors, the slow return to gyms, and the chance to take a good look at how we’ve been treating our bodies during the many months we’ve spent, for the most part, indoors.
But why weren’t we examining our indoor environments this way before the pandemic? This week’s guest, Paul Scialla, is the Italian American Founder and CEO of Delos Wellness Solutions, and he has made it his mission to help merge physical health with building science.
According to Paul, Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their lives indoors, which can wreak havoc on our bodies, so he has developed a variety of wellness-based products for the buildings that encase so much of our daily lives.
We’ll discuss Paul’s Italian American upbringing in suburban New Jersey, and how his family background and professional experiences on Wall Street helped lead him down the path to wellness advocacy.
In true Italian American Podcast style, we also talk about the Italian aversion to air conditioning and how the famed “Mediterranean Diet” might just owe as much to the rural lifestyles of its subjects as it does to the food they eat.
We’ll explore Paul’s early career on Wall Street, how he evolved from a financier to a wellness revolutionary, his landmark agreement with the Vatican, and how the company’s commitment to wellness for all has drawn support from some of the most famous names in science, business, government, and entertainment… all done in the name of providing wellness solutions to as many people as possible.
If you’re a believer in the power of place to affect our lives, you won’t want to miss this very timely episode!
For more information about Paul Scialla and his work with Delos, visit www.delos.com. To learn more about the International Well Building Institute, visit www.wellhealthsafety.com, and to discover the WELL Health Safety Rating program, visit www.wellcertified.com.
For many Italian Americans, the sport of boxing is synonymous with Italian American pride, thanks to the timeless accomplishments of legendary names like Rocky Marciano, “Boom Boom Mancini," Jake La Motta, Carmen Basilio, and the late, great Angelo Dundee.
But one very dedicated Italian American has made it his life’s mission to help preserve the sport’s legacy, while training a whole new generation of talent both in and out of the ring.
On this week’s episode, we’re joined by celebrity trainer Dino Spencer, owner of Miami Beach’s World Famous 5th Street Gym, to discuss his four decades in the squared circle… from his tutelage under Hall of Fame trainer, and fellow Italian American Angelo Dundee, to the more than 10,000 men and women he has trained over his illustrious career -- including world champions in boxing, MMA, UFC, and other martial arts.
Dino also shares how he ended up as the “Trainer to the Stars," having gotten into the ring with such high-profile clients such as Adriana Lima, Dave Chapelle, Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, David Schwimmer, Christopher Walken, Mark Walberg, Mario Lopez, Jeremy Piven, and Michael Phelps.
We'll also dive into the fabled history of the World Famous 5th Street Gym, from its start in 1950 when Chris Dundee began promoting big-time boxing in Miami Beach to how it quickly became the celebrated University of Boxing, overseen by Chris, the “Wizard of Oz," and his brother Angelo, the “Prince of Oz," and how it was a magnet for a wide range of international celebrities including Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jackie Gleason, Malcolm X, The Beatles, Sean Connery, Frank Sinatra, Sylvester Stallone, and a myriad of others who were absorbed into the gym’s legendary mystique.
With Italian American pride as such an important theme to this episode, we also talk about Dino’s own heritage and how he has worked to learn more about his roots and share them not only with his family, but also to reconnect to a whole new generation of boxing talent in Italy, and how he has set out to build these new Italian emigres into better fighters -- and better people -- through their shared Italian American heritage.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of “the Sweet Science” of Boxing, or just a lover of great Italian American stories, this episode is certainly one you will not want to miss!
For more information on the 5th Street Gym, visit www.5thstgym.com.
When Italian Americans are gathered, it's usually a safe bet that the conversation will turn to the topic we seem to love most… the culinary delights that are Italian food!
In fact, many of us like to recall enjoying delectable homemade meals with the famiglia… while discussing what we plan to eat at the next sitting!
Who can blame us for this obvious obsession? Italian cuisine has captivated the world’s palates for generations… but have you ever stopped to consider the history behind what’s on your plate, or asked yourself how much we really know about the generations-old recipes we treasure?
Culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi has dedicated her career to this very question and, this week, she is sharing some of her discoveries with our team!
Karima is the author of the critically-acclaimed Chewing the Fat - An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita, and The Eternal Table: A Cultural History of Food in Rome. In her books, she reconstructs history through the lens of food, sharing how Italy’s various historic interactions with other civilizations profoundly influenced its foodways, and how today’s Italian cuisine is a product of a long and often overlooked evolution.
We’ll ask the question, “Is there such a thing as authentic Italian food?” and discuss how the food our ancestors ate is quite different from the plates we know today. We also discuss the surprising history of some of our favorite foods, where and how Italian and Italian American cuisine intersect and how different they can be, and whether or not the passion that has evolved around Italian food might just be its undoing!
So why not prepare a plate of your favorite maccheroni, and join us as we dive into the history of Italian food… from memories to myths!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
If the places we hold dear were to be set to music, then the soundtrack for New York’s Little Italy would be sung by this week’s guest, Jenna Esposito. Known as the “Voice of Little Italy,” this passionate Italian American has performed across the country and in some of the most hallowed music venues in the nation but, without fail, she always lends her talents to the annual San Gennaro Festival on Mulberry Street.
This week, Jenna joins co-host John M. Viola as she discusses her latest album, “More Amore: Songs from the Great Italian American Songbook,” which is set to be released later this month.
They’ll explore how Italian American music has evolved from its Italian origins, how it has defined our ethnic experience, and how it continues to serve as a reminder of the many ups and downs of the Italian American experience.
Jenna also shares how the wide variety of styles and influences that make up the Great Italian American songbook -- from the Canzone Napoletana, to standards by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Connie Francis, and even Lou Christie and Dion’s 1960s pop hits -- have managed to influence her career and connect her to the countless Italian American performers who have come before her.
Jenna will be celebrating the release of “More Amore” with a show on the Metropolitan Zoom platform on Friday, June 11, at 7 p.m., when she and her band will be performing live in studio, and audience members will be able to join and interact with her via Zoom.
This episode, and the upcoming interactive musical experience, are both must-listens for any fan of the Great Italian American songbook!
For more information, visit https://metropolitanzoom.ticketleap.com/jenna- esposito-061121/.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
If you’re a proud Italian American, it’s probably something you’ve thought about at least once or twice... the prospect of Italian dual citizenship!
Italian law states that citizenship is transferred “Jus sanguinis,” or by the right of blood, so the more than 20 million Americans of Italian descent MAY be eligible to become citizens of our ancestral homeland. With both Italy and the United States now consenting to the concept of dual citizenship, many of us have probably spent more than a few hours trying to decipher the exact laws around eligibility and how it is or is not passed down from our immigrant ancestors.
In this week’s episode, our moderator John M. Viola has decided it’s time for him to finally take the leap and find out for sure if he's eligible for dual citizenship with Italy! He’s consulted with Mike De Sapio, who is a longtime listener, a member of the IAP New Neighborhood, and the founder of De Sapio Dual Citizenship Services, in order to see, once and for all, if any of his ancestry qualifies him to apply.
John was inspired by the successful application of co-host and pal Dolores Alfieri Taranto, who recently became an Italian citizen, and who is jumping on the mic to share her experience, and be there with her friend when he finds out, live on air, if he is actually eligible.
Mike will answer both of their questions on the rules of eligibility, the application process, the benefits of having an Italian passport, and the many ways in which one might pursue this ancestral claim.
The path to Italian American Dual Citizenship is often one filled with myths and mysteries, so our intrepid moderator has decided to share each step of his experience with our listeners, so that if YOU are thinking about pursuing this often misunderstood right, perhaps some of your questions will be answered in his “Journey to Italian American Dual Citizenship!"
If you’re interested in speaking to Mike to set up your own free consultation (by phone and not by podcast) you can contact De Sapio Dual Citizenship Services by calling (908) 996-6766 or by visiting: https://desapiodualcitizenship.com/
Presepi, pomodori, produce and pane on Pasqua— what ties these alliterative phrases together you ask? Well, they are some of the ways in which three very special Italian American Podcast listeners have worked to revive and celebrate beloved hallmarks of our Italian American heritage.
During this unique, meandering episode, co-host Patrick O’Boyle is recognizing three listeners with the “Ordine della Stella d’Oro d’Italianità,” (The Order of the Gold Star of Italianess), his very own award of merit to listeners who have taken strides to connect with and preserve their heritage on a deep, personal level.
Our first guest is Christopher Francese, a listener from New Jersey who decided to construct a Neapolitan Presepe (nativity scene) this past Christmas season as a way to bring that storied tradition into his family’s annual holiday observances. Chris tells us about how he worked to incorporate the life of his family’s ancestral hometown in his scene and why it was so important to him to reclaim this tradition for his family. He also shares his plans for his art for years to come.
Our next awardee is Mike Giordano, a listener from New Jersey who took his family’s fruit store from a small mom and pop to a booming business when he inherited the business shortly after high school, and this year decided to bring back the tradition of jarring tomatoes with his family. Mike tells us about how the Italian American Podcast inspired him to reclaim this tradition and how he plans to make it an annual celebration of his family’s heritage. He also shares lessons about what he learned along the way and how connecting with the earth connects a person to his or her family’s past.
Finally, our third honoree is Teresa Pascucci Cordelli, a listener from Pennsylvania who has lovingly reconstructed her family’s recipes to hand them down to younger generations. Teresa shares how she has perfected family recipes for items such as edible Easter baskets, traditional breads, and more. She also shares her family’s Umbrian Italian heritage and what it means to her to keep these traditions alive.
Do you have a story you’d like to share with us, or someone you know and love who deserves a nomination for this prestigious-ish new award? Email us at info@italianpower.com and maybe they’ll be featured on our next “Order of the Gold Star of Italianess” Award Show episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, Philadelphia Councilmember Mark F. Squilla, The 1492 Society, and the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations all joined forces to file a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Philadelphia Mayor James Kenney’s Executive Order No. 2-21, with which he unilaterally cancelled Columbus Day as a holiday in the City of Brotherly Love and replaced it with “Indigenous Peoples Day.”
This week, host John M. Viola sits down with Atty. George Bochetto, who is representing the plaintiffs in this landmark case.
The plaintiffs contend that no notice was given to the other branches of the Philadelphia municipal government, which had a right to designate holidays, no input from the public was requested or allowed for, and no deference was given to Pennsylvania State Statue (44 P.S Section 32) declaring “Columbus Day” as an official statewide holiday, all in violation of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter.
Moreover, Atty. Bochetto and his clients believe that Mayor Kenney’s executive order is the latest in a long pattern of discrimination against the Italian American Community in Philadelphia, and that his actions violate the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of “Equal Protection” against governmental discrimination as cited in the 14th Amendment.
In a continuation of our “Conversations on Columbus” series, we’ll delve into what inspired this unprecedented suit, explore the legal process that is about to unfold, learn how this case could potentially arrive at the United States Supreme Court, and what its result could mean for the Italian American community -- and for communities of all backgrounds -- in future efforts to define ethnicity and identity in an increasingly diverse America.
Join us for this very special addition to our “Conversations on Columbus” series as we unpack what promises to be a historic lawsuit for the Italian American community.
On February 21, 2021, a new television series entitled “Le Indagini di Lolita Lobosco” ("The Investigations of Lolita Lobosco") premiered on Rai, the national public broadcasting company of Italy.
Inspired by a series of novels by Gabriella Genisi, the show follows assistant superintendent Lolita Lobosco of the Bari police force. Set in the old town of Bari Vecchia, the Rai Fiction production was partially financed with contributions from the Apulia Film Commission. Since a production of this scale is seen as an economic boon for any city, actors and actresses throughout Puglia were thrilled by the news of the show’s local production. Yet, the excitement was short-lived, and when one local actress saw the premiere, she decided to take action.
Federica Antonacci, an actress born and raised in Bari Vecchia, noticed that none of the show's stars were actually Pugliese, and that their attempts to affect the Barese dialect, as well as the portrayal of the ancient city and its people in general, left something to be desired. So, joined by a wave of Pugliesi across social media, Antonacci took her disappointment to the court of public opinion.
On this week’s episode, she is joining us to discuss reactions from people throughout Italy to the show’s stereotypical portrayals and to dig deeper into questions of stereotypes in Italian media… from the ways different Italian regions are represented, to cliched Italian tropes about Italian Americans.
We’ll discuss perceptions about Italy’s regional languages, why Italian actors have a hard time being cast in productions in both Italy and the United States, and what it means to create cinema or television in which non-Italians are cast in Italian roles.
Is “Le Indagini di Lolita Lobosco” cultural appropriation or appreciation, and where do we draw the line between the two?
For many Italian American families, St. Joseph’s Day is one of the most beloved holidays of the year. However, since our earliest immigrations to these shores, it’s also been a holiday that has seemed a bit under the radar!
The celebrations and traditions surrounding this event vary based on where our Italian ancestors came from, and the scale and scope of St. Joseph’s Day observances by Italian American communities around the country has been something of a mixed bag. And, of course, coming two days after our Irish American friends’ annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, St. Joseph’s Day may be a decidedly less national affair.
Perhaps the winds of change were blowing a little stronger this March 19th? Is it just us, or has anyone else noticed a LOT more posts about #SaintJosephsDay, #Zeppole, and #Sfingi making their way into the Italian American social media space this year?
We’re asking the question on this week’s episode, because we’ve noticed more photos and fanfare about the holiday than ever before!
We’re joined by Mary Grace Castiello, second-generation owner and baker at Giorgio’s Pastry Shop in Hoboken, New Jersey, and our pal, Anthony Scillia, better known as “Tony Mangia” of the “At The Table With Tony Podcast,” to dig into the history and traditions around what we think is fast becoming the preeminent holiday in Italian America; and we're asking why celebrating St. Joseph’s Day (and indulging in a Zeppola or five) just might be the hottest new trend in Italian America!
One hundred and ten years ago, on March 25, 1911, a conflagration engulfed the top three stories of a nondescript building in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers, most of whom were recent Italian and Jewish immigrant women and girls. The aftermath of this event changed American labor relations and influenced the burgeoning feminist movement, yet this tragedy often goes unmentioned in the telling of American history.
In this week’s episode, we meet with Edvige Giunta and Mary Anne Trasciatti, two professors who have dedicated their careers to ensuring that Triangle is remembered, and that its impact on our community, our country and the world today will be understood by younger generations.
We’ll share the story of this incomparable tragedy, and discuss how it happened and how the events of that fateful day unfurled. We’ll also explore why the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire is vitally important to the study of Italian American and women’s history.
We will also examine how the fire is remembered today, through personal and community-wide observances, and how the efforts of activists like our guests are culminating in a permanent, interactive memorial to the victims.
Please join us as we remember this tragedy and do our part to ensure it is not forgotten.
Also, please join this year’s virtual memorial observances on March 25 at 6 p.m. by visiting http://rememberthetrianglefire.org/.
We’re celebrating International Women’s Day by exploring one of Italian history’s most-neglected protagonists, Margaret of Navarre, the Norman Queen of Sicily.
We’re joined by Jacqueline Alio, an Italian American now living in Palermo, Sicily, who has written a dozen books on Sicilian history, focusing on the island’s long-overlooked queens. She’ll introduce us to the incredible figure of Queen Margaret, whose five-year reign over the Kingdom of Sicily represents a forgotten chapter from the Norman Sicilian Golden Age.
We’ll explore how this singular woman navigated the many intrigues surrounding the Sicilian Monarchy, focused her efforts on creating equality before the law and peace amongst her Kingdom’s many cultures, and rebuilt the Monarchy after serious infighting almost tore the institution to the ground.
We’ll examine how unique the idea of a female sovereign was in Margaret’s time, and how her erasure from history might not be accidental.
Join us for this fascinating look into the life of a truly regal woman, and an exploration of this long-neglected chapter in Italian history.
Click here to learn more about Jacqueline Alio.
A Selection of Jacqueline Alio’s Books:
Margaret, Queen of Sicily
Queens of Sicily: 1061 – 1266
Women of Sicily: Saints, Queens & Rebels
Time Traveler’s Guide to Sicily (Jaqueline Alio and Louis Mendola)
Sicilian Food and Wine: The Cognoscente’s Guide
The Peoples of Sicily: A Multicultural Legacy
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re going back to the Big Easy to chat with our friends Lena Prima and Charles Marsala to get an inside look at their new web-TV series, "Buona Sera Louisiana," a weekly show about the Italian culture of the Pelican State and beyond!
These two Italian American champions are no strangers to our audience, as Lena has joined our show on two occasions, and Charles was our extraordinary tour guide through New Orleans in our YouTube series, "Greetings From Italian America."
Charles also serves as the president of American Italian Federation of the Southeast, AWE News YouTube channel, and the New Orleans Insider Tours App; while Lena is a famed singer, the president of CIAO! Celebrating Italian Americans Organization and the CIAO! Women Awards, as well as the daughter of Italian American legend Louis Prima!
Now they’ve joined forces to create Buona Sera Louisiana to help celebrate the Italian American influences in culture, music, art and lifestyle throughout their great state and beyond.
Join us as we discuss New Orleans’ uniquely Sicilian American history, the future of Italian American organizations, the Italians of Mississippi, and the Italian impact on the Marine Corps Band, Jackson Square, jazz music, and more!
Most importantly, check out their new show every Friday on Facebook @buonaseralouisiana, YouTube (Lena Prima Channel), LenaPrima.com and MardiGrasTV.com!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
For many visitors, the stereotypical image of Venice is, perhaps, the famed Venetian mask; but most casual observers are probably unaware of the fact that this postcard-perfect symbol has its roots in the centuries-old festivities that are the Carnevale of Venice.
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by famed photographer and lecturer Anita Sanseverino, an expert in all things Italian, with a special place in her heart for Venice and her annual pre-Lenten revelries.
Anita will take us through the history and mystery of Venice’s Carnevale, from its roots in the rigid society of ancient Venice, to its modern iteration as a global tourist event. She’ll reveal the history of the masks and costumes, explain the roots of these unique celebrations, and share her very own experiences from more than 20 years of celebrating Venice’s annual Carnevale.
And, for those who have always dreamed of joining in on this incomparable event, she’ll share her insider tips on the easiest way to plan your very own dream trip to next year’s Carnevale in Venice.
As we begin the somber season of Lent, this is an episode that will bring you all the joys of Martedì Grasso, with none of the guilt!
Click here to learn more about Anita Sanseverino.
Visit Venezia Unica to learn more about the City of Venice.
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
In the last United States Census, 18.25 million people self identified as Italian or Italian American. Demographers believe there are more than 21 million Americans of Italian descent spread throughout the nation. By some calculations, we are the fifth-largest ancestry group in the United States… but when it comes to making our voice heard in the halls of power, Italian Americans often seem far less influential than the numbers might suggest.
For one Italian American community leader, it's time to address that imbalance. Basil Russo, President of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and the Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations has worked with Italian American leaders from across the country to create Italian America Online… a new digital initiative seeking to identify and connect every Italian American organization in the United States, and eventually -- if this longtime community leader has his way -- all 21 million individuals as well!
In this week’s episode, he’ll join us to introduce the first-ever Italian American Community Virtual Summit, an online meeting taking place on February 20, 2021, in which more than 1,200 Italian American organizations are scheduled to participate. And, he’d like those of you out there who know of others to help spread the word and help to expand this invaluable undertaking.
We’ll discuss the “why’s and how’s” of this unprecedented event, explore what the virtual revolution means for Italian America, and of course, share some laughs along the way.
It’s a call to action for Italian Americans everywhere… and one we hope you will make sure not to ignore!
To sign up for the Italian American Community Virtual Summit, visit Italian America Online today!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Wine is one of the oldest and most familiar pleasures on earth, but this potent potion still has the power to intimidate even her most ardent admirers! Fear not, there is an Italian American coming to the rescue to return the joys of understanding wine to the masses!
Gianluca Rottura, the proprietor of “In Vino Veritas," New York City’s landmark wine store, is here to discuss his book, Wine Made Easy: Learn Wine in No Time, Match Wine and Food Like a Pro, Impress Your Wine Snob Friends … the perfect guide to help you understand the mysteries of the wine world!
But, Gianluca is more than just an educated oenophile… he’s also the popular blogger behind the sites “Piazza Life” and “Pizza and Coffee," so he’s here to opine on all matter of topics important to Italian American identity! While he may help make wine easy to understand, he and the Italian American Podcast team may just complicate all other topics beyond comprehension!
If you love great wines, great food, and a good old-fashioned Italian American rant don’t miss this very lively episode!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
If you were to ask those of us behind the Italian American Podcast what it is that drives us or what keeps us coming back to create a new show week in and week out, it's a safe bet that you’d get a unanimous answer… Passione!
That borderline-obsessive passion that we share for what we do is a familiar feeling to Italians of all stripes, and best-selling author Dianne Hales thinks La Passione might just be the thing that unites Italians around the world!
In her latest book, La Passione: How Italy Seduced the World, the woman who brought us the New York Times bestseller La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language, and Mona Lisa: A Life Discovered, now leads us on “a jubilant exploration of how Italy transformed the Western world’s most vibrant passions—from literature to art, music to movies.”
In this week’s episode, all five of our co-hosts reunite with this brilliant guide to explore the source of that passion, what it means for Italians today, and whether or not Italian Americans have the same access to Italy’s beauty as other visitors to il Bel Paese.
If you’ve got La Passione Italiana bubbling up inside of you, this is an episode you won’t want to skip!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Italian enclaves around the country pride themselves on carrying the title of “Little Italy," but one young Italian American from St. Louis, Missouri, believes his community is the last true Little Italy -- and he’s made an incredible film to prove it!
In this week’s episode, we’ll visit “The Hill," the famed St. Louis enclave that has been a thriving pocket of Italian culture in the Gateway City for more than five generations. Leading us on our journey is Joseph Puleo, the director of “America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill," the new documentary everyone in Italian America is talking about!
Joseph will back up his claim by sharing some of The Hill’s unique history and characters, from the families that have handed down their homes for a century, to the community priest whose background as a city planner helped to keep The Hill the thriving community it remains today.
We’ll dive into some of the must-visit sites in this iconic neighborhood, seek to understand how The Hill defied the odds when so many other cities lost their authentic Little Italies, and ponder the history of St. Louis’s most famous Italian American dish, the baked ravioli.
In a time when travel is limited and even a stroll through your local Little Italy might not be possible, join us as we delve into this unique Italian American community through the loving eyes of one of her most proud sons!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Have you ever thought about dropping everything and moving to Italy? If you’re like us, chances are you’ve thought about it at least once this week, and probably more than most people!
Maybe you’re not ready for a full relocation... Can you picture yourself in a charming vacation home in your favorite spot in the Bel Paese?
In this week’s episode, we meet two women who might just be the friends you need to make your Italian dream a reality.
Michelle Cunniffe and Kristina Meucci of My Cheap Italian Home have set out to help people who are looking to purchase a home in Italy that meets their dreams, but doesn’t break their banks.
With decades of expertise in real estate, design, and the ins-and-outs of Italy between them, they’ve seen an explosion of interest since they founded My Cheap Italian Home just six months ago! As the “boots on the ground” for those who wish to find a path back to their ancestral home, Michelle and Kristina help house hunters find values throughout Italy.
We discuss the ins and outs of One-Euro properties, as well as how prices are on Italy’s housing market. And we discuss the purchase process from finding a realtor straight through receiving the keys to your dream home!
One way to find out about these incredible properties is by subscribing to Michelle and Kristina’s newsletter, be sure to listen to the entire episode to find out how to take advantage of their special offer for Podcast listeners!
Are you in need of a change of scenery? Do you want to reconnect to your ancestral town in a deeper way? Be sure to listen to this week’s episode to start dreaming of your Italian adventure!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
On December 11, 2020, Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the outgoing Archbishop of Naples, Italy, announced that he was opening a case on the beatification of King Francesco II of the Two Sicilies. If approved, the Vatican will begin an investigation into the “heroic virtues” of the King, which is the first step towards canonization; His Majesty will then be proclaimed a Servant of God and join his mother, Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy (1812-1836), on the path to sainthood.
The last monarch of an ancient kingdom, which was for 730 years the independent nation of Southern Italy and the Island of Sicily, Francesco II is not well-known to most people, outside of a small circle.
Coming to his throne at just 23 years of age, and almost immediately faced with the invasion of his nation by Giuseppe Garibaldi and his famed “Thousand," the man who Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa described as “a seminarian dressed up as a general” is now being discovered for the first time by many historians and many Southern Italians. Now, through this episode, the 87 percent of the Italian American community with roots in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies will get the chance to learn his story.
In order to get a more complete picture of this fascinating monarch, we’re sitting down with historian and friend Lou Mendola, author of the recent book “The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies 1734-1861," who shares his encyclopedic knowledge about a man who sacrificed a throne for the safety of his people, who left behind his personal wealth for the benefit of his subjects, and whose often-overlooked life reads like the story of a true saint.
We’ll dig into the processes of beatification and canonization, the differences between the two, and why the man known as "Re Franceschiello" is worthy of the title, one he probably would have held in much higher regard than even that of king.
It’s a story you’ll have to hear to believe, and one that might make you look at Italian and Italian American history with a whole new appreciation for the last King of the Two Sicilies.
For more on the Cause of Beatification of Good King Francesco II, visit the Fondazione Francesco II Delle Due Sicilie at www.fondazionefrancescosecondodelleduesicilie.it
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Since this is the final episode before the Feast of the Seven Fishes and Christmas arrive in earnest, we’re sending you into the holiday in style with our Italian American Christmas Musical Revue!
As many of us will be celebrating a more sedate version of our favorite holiday this year because many families are kept apart in these unprecedented circumstances, we thought we would help fill the volume void by taking you through some favorites from our Italian American Christmas Playlist.
We’ll share the songs that define our Christmases, from traditional English-language classics interpreted by the Italian American icons of yesteryear, to the Italian hits that have made their way into our American holiday, to the unique songs written to celebrate a distinctly Italian American Christmas.
Plus, you’ll learn the history of some of these unique musical traditions on a journey from the American Heartland to the Hills of Italy.
And, in a special bonus segment, John and Pat sit down with songwriter Nancy Triggiani, whose 2018 hit “Dominooch” shares the story of the son of Dominick the Donkey, and takes its place as the newest Italian American Christmas classic.
Remember, you and yours can listen along with us to six-plus hours of uninterrupted, never repeated, and carefully curated Italian and Italian American Christmas classics by visiting our one-of-a-kind Yule Pot Playlist at www.yulepot.com
We hope these songs are ringing through your home come Christmas Eve and that you and yours enjoy a healthy, safe, and BUON NATALE!
It’s Christmas time in Italian America, and with many of us hunkered down in the house this year, there’s a good chance you’re burning through your favorite holiday movies at a faster pace than normal. What if there was a Christmas movie out there made by and for Italian Americans? Well, look no further, because in this episode we’re sitting down with Jeffery and Robert Tinnell, the Italian American brothers behind the hit film, “The Feast of the Seven Fishes,” an Italian American Christmas story available to you and yours on Amazon Prime this Christmas Season.
We’ll talk about the inspiration behind this passion project, and how our much-loved traditions can overwhelm even the most well-intentioned outsiders. We’ll also discuss how “The Feast of the Seven Fishes” became a household phrase, and how this Italian American Christmas tradition has evolved through time and place to become a quintessentially Italian American celebration.
The brothers will also introduce us to their significant Italian American community of West Virginia, and share how their Italian American experience differs from other, more well-known Italian enclaves... though no matter how we celebrate our heritage, our Italian American values are truly what unite us all.
When you need a break from holiday baking or cooking, or while you’re waiting for the baccalà to soak, be sure to listen to this heartwarming episode, and then head off to watch the film that’s sure to become an Italian American Christmas classic!
This episode is sponsored by Mediaset Italia.
Italian American identity means different things to different people, and the “Italian American Experience” is oftentimes a very personal definition for each individual. At one point or another, it's safe to say most of us have felt a certain “otherness” setting us apart from the mainstream. If you have felt this more frequently than others, we’ve got the Paesana for you!
On this week’s episode, we’ll chat with Victoria Passarella, the founder of Metropolitan Island, Brooklyn Ivy League, and the Italian American Leadership Network.
After graduate school at Columbia University, and working for the university in career education, Victoria noticed that her Italian American upbringing led to some major cultural differences from the institutions around her. She was almost always the only Italian American in these settings, and as the daughter of an Italian immigrant father and an Italian American mother from Brooklyn, Victoria's Southern Italian culture influenced how she viewed her work and society at large.
Inspired to take what she learned as a career education professional and offer it in a relatable way to empower her community, Victoria founded the Italian American Leadership Network as a community for people to support one another as they navigate their professional lives while incorporating how being Italian American impacts their values and challenges they experience, sharing resources and knowledge to help each other achieve goals that our ancestors could only dream of!
Victoria will share the surprising events that made her realize Italian Americans might need a different type of professional network… from a dressing down about dressing up, to the grad school professor whose meatball dinner helped reveal troubling stereotypes. This episode is filled with important questions about Italian American self-identification, how we define our community, what makes us distinct, and when its okay to embrace and defend those distinctions that make us who we are!
For many of us, looking ahead to the year 2021 represents a possible return to “normal”… but in the heart of one of Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhoods, a more than 40 year-old Italian American institution is gearing up to reclaim its rightful spot on the Italian American map!
This week, host John Viola is sitting down with longtime friend, and newly-appointed president of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Ron Onesti, to share an intimate conversation about this proud Italian American landmark. They’ll share Hall history, and personal recollections of the Hall of Fame’s inimitable founder, the late George Randazzo, and examine some of the more unique items that make up this museum’s one-of-a-kind collection of Italian Americana!
And, in some exciting news, they’ll discuss the Hall of Fame’s upcoming move into a brand-new museum headquarters in Chicago’s Harlem Avenue Little Italy section, an exciting and much celebrated next chapter for an organization that faced an unclear future just a few short years ago.
They’ll dig deep into the Hall’s story and ask important questions about sports, community, character, and why the history of Italian Americans in sports might be our community’s best tool to fight racial injustice.
This personal conversation is filled with information and affection -- if you’re looking for an early dose of 2021’s “Good News,” consider this an episode you won’t want to miss!
Shop small and #SupportItalianAmerican Small Business!
With Thanksgiving arriving this week, the unofficial start of the 2020 Holiday Shopping Season has arrived, and it's sure to be one unlike anything we’ve seen before.
With another lockdown seemingly looming on the horizon, and online shopping set to claim an even greater share of holiday spending, we at the Italian American Podcast wanted to be sure to encourage our listeners to “Buy Paesan” and support Italian American Small Business!
So in this week’s episode, in celebration of Small Business Saturday, we’re featuring best-selling author Matt Rizzetta, author of “Embrace the Pace: The 100 Most Exhilarating Lesson Learned in a Decade of Entrepreneurship” and the owner of North 6 Agency… one of America’s “50 most powerful PR Firms” and an Italian American-owned small business he started in his garage! Matt is also one of the owners of the SS Campobasso soccer team!
Matt and the Podcast crew will share tips and tricks on how to best position your Italian American-owned small business for success during these times of economic uncertainty and beyond, and why now might just be the right time to scratch that entrepreneurial itch you’ve been repressing for so long by starting your own small business!
We’ll discuss why small businesses are important to the fabric of our nation and why Italian American businesses are truly a precious slice of our culture that we all need to support when we can. We also talk about what business owners can do to help their 2020 holiday sales and we share our plans to help our listeners promote their businesses this holiday season and into the future!
Break out your holiday shopping list and check it more than twice as your favorite Italian American businesses come to mind while listening to this episode!
The Mal’Occhio… the Evil Eye… It's a concept that lives deep in the collective psychology of Italian America, but is it science or superstition?
The answer depends on what you believe, as you’ll hear in this week’s episode when we sit down with Italo-Canadian filmmaker and author Agata De Santis, whose documentary film and follow-up book “Mal’occhio: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Evil Eye” might just change they way you see this ancient Italian belief.
Reminding us all that “everyone has a mal’occhio story,” Agata recounts some of the more compelling stories she’s encountered throughout her years of research, and why most people agreed that “It’s true, but I don’t believe in it!”
Agata will also teach us about the amulets, incantations, and other means of protection people use to defend themselves against the mal’occhio… including the cornicello which, she stresses, is not a pepper!
And we will talk about how to understand belief in the Evil Eye within traditional Catholic teachings, and what the mal’occhio means in the context of the Italian American diasporic experience.
Get out your cornicello, scissors, mano cornuta, or whatever else you wear to protect yourself from the mal’occhio, and join us for an episode we guarantee will have you examining your opinions with fresh occhi!
To purchase Agata's book or to learn more, visit https://www.redheadproductions.com/shop.
This week we're bringing you Part Two of our first ever “Live” question-and-answer episode direct from our “New Neighborhood” online membership group!
The New Neighborhood is a place for all Italian Americans… a vibrant, close-knit community centered around our private Facebook group, where our most passionate listeners and supporters gather together each day to maintain and deepen their sense of Italian American identity, culture, and traditions through interactions with hundreds of other passionate Italian Americans from across the nation, and five of the hardest-working podcast hosts in Italian America.
And in this episode, we’re picking up where we left off by bringing these incredible men and women right into the show, inviting them to ask the questions they’ve been waiting to get answered. Because this is the Italian American Podcast, we blew right past the hour-long session we had scheduled and ended up spending two hours answering thought-provoking questions, getting to know our most avid listeners, and -- of course -- finding ourselves all over the map of Italian American history and culture.
So if you enjoyed the first half of this wonderful evening of personal memories and provocative discussions about our Italian American identity, history, and values, you'll love sharing in the second hour, where we start to ramble and wander into that familiar territory we all love as we dissect the ins-and-outs of our Italian American life!
And, if you'd like to join this lively community, visit our website or www.italianneighborhood.com to become a Neighbor today!
With Election Day tomorrow, it’s a star-spangled celebration on this week’s episode as we're joined by special guest Thom Woodley of the "Fail to the Chief" podcast to discuss the Italian American "Almost-Weres" of United States Presidential history. Sure, we have yet to see a Paesano or a Paesana take up residence in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but there have been more than a few who have tossed their name into the proverbial hat, and there are a few who have actually gotten pretty close to assuming the highest (or second highest) office in the land.
Join us as we explore the lives and careers of some of the men and women who've represented Italian America in the quest for the White House, from the often-unrecognized Italian American Al Smith, to the various Italian American hopefuls of more recent election cycles.
We talk about what Italian American candidates have faced in their quests for the Presidency, and whether or not our community still needs or wishes for an Italian American President.
Join us this Election Day Eve as we wander into the lesser-known corners of Presidential history, in what might be the only pleasant conversation about politics you'll get to hear in the coming days!
As Italian American Heritage Month draws to a close, we’re presenting our first ever “Live” question-and-answer episode direct from our “New Neighborhood” online membership group!
The New Neighborhood is a Place for all Italian Americans… a vibrant, close-knit community centered around our private Facebook group where our most passionate listeners and supporters gather together each day to maintain and deepen their sense of Italian American identity, culture and traditions through interactions with hundreds of other passionate Italian Americans from across the nation, and five of the hardest-working podcast hosts in Italian America.
And this week, we’re kicking off a new tradition by bringing these incredible men and women right into the show, inviting them to ask the questions they’ve been waiting to get answered. And, because this is the Italian American Podcast, we blew right past the hour-long session we had scheduled and ended up spending two hours answering thought-provoking questions, getting to know our most avid listeners, and -- of course -- finding ourselves all over the map of Italian American history and culture.
Get ready for the first half of this wonderful evening of personal memories and provocative discussions about our Italian American identity, history and values, all while getting to know a great group of paesani who have made the Italian American Podcast’s New Neighborhood THE place to be in Italian America!
And, if you'd like to join this lively community, visit our website or www.italianneighborhood.com to become a Neighbor today!
For young Taylor Taglianetti, founder of the National Organization of Italian Americans in Film and Television (NOIAFT), her many encounters with the generosity of the Italian American community have made her life's work about paying it forward. This week, we sit down with Taylor to discover how this philosophy drove her to found a new, booming organization for professional Italian Americans in the film and television industry.
Taylor tells us about how NOIAFT works to provide its members with the opportunity to network both in-person and virtually, and how her participation in the National Italian American Foundation’s Voyage of Discovery, and the scholarships and grants she has received from the Columbus Citizens Foundation and the NIAF-ISDA Russo Brothers Film Forum have led her to create this organization as a way to give back to the Italian American community at large. She also talks about how social media has helped her to develop a virtual web of Italian Americans who all share the same passion to preserve their heritage and why preserving these stories is vital to the survival of our cultural traditions.
We talk about how the next generation of Italian American leaders are emerging in places and ways prior generations could never have dreamed of, how storytelling helps forge cross-generational bonds and how the transmission of these stories to different generations has evolved through the technological revolution from oral histories to the cinematic and digital works that so many of us look to as reference points of the Italian American experience, and why now, more than ever, is the time for us to take ownership of how and where our story is told!
Finally, we'll talk about how the Internet can help us connect with long-lost family members in ways that defy imagination and how our Italian American famiglia is often just a few short clicks away.
Join in on this insightful conversation, and then join NOIAFT as part of your National Italian American Heritage Month activities!
Happy Columbus Day, everybody! That is, if you’re one of the folks who still celebrates Columbus Day because, appropriate to today’s often contentious designation, we’re presenting the sixth and final segment of our “Conversations on Columbus” series exploring the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus!
This week is our attempt to tie a nice big red-white-and-green ribbon around this complex discussion by bringing you the conclusions that host John Viola has drawn over the course of these six episodes and dozens of hours of interviews, research and contemplation around Columbus and his future in the American popular consciousness.
We’ll examine what the debate around Columbus is really about… the man, the myth or the moment in time -- the Columbian Exchange, and how each of those facets to this complicated issue warrants a unique and patient exploration.
If you’ve joined us for all five previous episodes, or if you’re finding us for the first time, we can certainly promise you an episode -- and a series -- that will leave you looking at Columbus and Columbus Day far more closely than before!
Happy Italian American Heritage Month, Paesani! We’re kicking off our favorite month of the year by bringing you Part Five of our “Conversations on Columbus” series exploring the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus. This week we’re presenting the voices who’ve set out to defend the legacy of this complex Italian figure.
We’ll begin by running down the charges established in Part Three of our series, and then turn to a myriad of diverse voices who are calling for a reassessment of the anti-Columbus sentiment that has developed in recent decades.
And we’ll speak to some who believe the charges against Columbus are patently false, others who maintain Columbus deserves to be examined in the context of his own times, and some who see an ideologically driven witch hunt at the root of recent allegations against this once universally heralded navigator.
In our quest to discover as much historical truth as possible, we’ve already given time to the detractors, so now sit down and join us for the view from the other side, as our panel of guests makes the case for Columbus the Hero!
As October approaches, we’re returning for part four of our “Conversations on Columbus” series exploring the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus, and this week we’re examining the long and complex relationship between the Italian American community and the Genovese navigator who has become a symbol of Italian American pride.
We’ll begin with an exploration of the history of Columbus Day in the United States. We’re joined by Professor Bill Connell, co-editor of The Routledge History of Italian Americans, to explore what Columbus and the holiday bearing his name have meant to many different American communities, not the least of which is our own. We’ll attempt to untangle the complications of what Columbus Day’s designation as a federal holiday means for Italian Americans fighting to preserve it, and for those seeking to change it as well.
We’ll also speak to one of those Italian Americans seeking to move the community away from Columbus Day when we’re joined by Professor Stephen Cerulli of Hostos College, who has been leading an effort to replace the statue of Columbus in his hometown of Stamford, Connecticut.
If you want to understand the complicated situation surrounding Columbus, we’ll have to separate the “general American” from the “Italian American” perspectives, and you won’t want to miss this episode seeking to do just that!
As the air begins to chill, and the days grow shorter and shorter, it’s the perfect time of year to snuggle up with a good book— and if you love to read about your Italian American heritage and culture, Nicola Orichuia of Boston’s I AM Books is the man to help you pick the perfect page-turner!
I AM Books is Boston’s first—and only—bookstore created specifically for the nation’s 25 million Italian Americans.
Nicola is here to share the story of this unique creation, from its almost accidental birth to its status as Italian American landmark. We’ll discuss his recent decision to wind down the brick-and-mortar location in the North End, and how this “strategic retreat” was only possible thanks to the growing online trade that IAM Books has begun to develop all over Italian America.
Nicola tells us about his journey from his home in Rome to Chicago as a journalist working for Italian American publications, such as Fra Noi and his creation of the Bostoniano magazine before diving into Italian American cultural entrepreneurship. He also shares his dreams to help others explore the undiscovered writers of Italian Americana and how he wishes that his store continues to bridge between Italy and the United States.
We discuss how migration changes the Italian story and how digging deeper into one’s roots helps strengthen authentic pride in where one comes from. And we share how the writing of Italian Americans helps offer a voice into a world that many Italians in Italy are unaware of.
So put down your favorite book for just a second, and join us as share the story of a “shop around the corner” for Italian Americans everywhere!
Well Podcast fans, its time once again to turn our eyes to our beloved Motherland for the continuing drama that is Italian politics, as our cousins across the Atlantic are gearing up for the latest constitutional referendum facing voters in the Italian Republic --including those living abroad like the many Italian American dual citizens here in the United States. On September 20-21, Italians will go to the polls (or vote by mail) to decide whether or not to approve a constitutional law that amends the Italian Constitution in various aspects, most notably reducing the number of Members of Parliament between the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate from a whopping 945 to just 600, cutting over 1/3 of the seats in both houses!
As the vote has drawn closer and closer, many of our listeners who hold citizenship abroad have written us seeking some insight in to just what's at stake in this latest election, so in order to help listeners navigate the confusing waters of Italian politics, we asked Umberto Mucci, founder of We the Italians, to help explain what this referendum could mean to Italians everywhere and just how overseas representation could be affected.
Umberto helps us understand the complications of Italian government, including the plethora of political parties and the different voting structures. We also talk about the pros and cons of this proposed referendum and how it could be the harbinger of significant political reform for il Bel Paese.
We’ll also compare and contrast the Italian and American political systems and how each country’s governmental structure is affected by its own national culture.
With American elections looming right around the corner in November, this week’s episode is one you most certainly won’t want to miss as you start to think about what makes a government work… and what doesn't!
As August begins to creep into September, families everywhere are preparing for winter by gathering together to partake in a much-loved Italian American tradition… gather the whole famiglia as we take your through the history and how-tos of the art of tomato jarring!
This New World fruit has become the staple of Italian and Italian American cuisine and now with the tomato harvest happening, our team decided to celebrate “la pummarola” by sharing our stories, strategies and science about this beloved tradition.
We explore the history of the tomato, from its origins in the Andes mountains to its arrival in Europe, why Europeans and Colonial Americans originally believed it to be a poisonous plant, and how it beat this unfortunate reputation to become the cornerstone of Italian cuisine!
We’ll then examine the various jarring traditions and methods, whether adding sugar to tomatoes is an honored tradition or a culinary sin, and how we might all be making tomato paste if Napoleon had never invaded Russia.
We’ll also share our own family jarring stories and secrets, and perhaps stumble onto the perfect event to bring everyone back together once social distancing is a thing of the past!
Call it pummarola or pomodoro… "to-may-to" or "tom-ah-to"… or whichever name you prefer, this humble fruit has defined much of our Italian American culture, and this week’s episode will take you deeper than you’ve ever imagined in getting to know the blessing that is the tomato!
In this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we're presenting part three of our “Conversations on Columbus” series exploring the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus, and this week we’re examining the major accusations which Columbus’ critics charge him with.
We’ll begin with an examination of when and how Columbus’ reputation began to suffer, and just what caused a figure that was once considered essential to the American sense of identity to fall so far, so fast.
From there, co-host John M. Viola will present segments from the dozens of interviews he’s conducted on Columbus as he seeks to understand the major arguments being made by those who are seeking to remove Columbus from the national pantheon of heroes.
These various academics will address issues around the term “Discovery of America," Columbus’ performance as both a sailor and a public servant, and the most concerning allegations concerning the legacies of slavery and displacement in American history.
If this series is, in essence, a virtual hearing, this week’s episode represents the plaintiff’s case… after all, the side bringing the case is the side that bears the burden of proof, and thus always goes first!
If you’ve decided to join us on this journey of exploration, you won't want to miss this essential episode!
In this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re picking up with Part Two of our “Conversations on Columbus” series exploring the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus and we’re starting right from the beginning!
As we set out to find truth in the current debates around the famed Genovese navigator, we’re seeking to understand just what primary historical documentation exists to provide insights into Columbus’s life, his deeds and, ultimately, his character. Like any good history quest, we're beginning with source materials.
Co-host John M. Viola will share portions of the dozens of interviews he’s already conducted on Columbus as he seeks to understand the various documents at the root of the conversation. He’s joined by various academics and one impassioned student of history as they explore exactly what exists, where the documents are, and how even the most authentic of historical sources is open for interpretation.
If you’ve decided to join us on this journey of exploration, you can’t afford to miss this important episode that dives right to the heart of how we know Christopher Columbus!
In this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re setting out to tackle an issue that has been at the forefront of conversations surrounding the Italian American identity in the 21st Century. This issue is one that hits at the heart of our national mythology for Americans of all ethnicities -- the life and legacy of Christopher Columbus.
Many of our listeners have called for us to weigh in on this highly-charged issue, and so we’ve set out to replace debate with dialogue and undertake a journey into the historical record of Columbus’ life, legacy, and relationship with the Italian American community.
Over the course of many upcoming episodes, we will address a number of topics around the evolving issue with experts from various fields and perspectives, both from within the Italian American community and from without.
In today’s introduction to that effort, moderator John Viola will take you through the way in which we developed our questions, some of the voices we are seeking to include in the conversation, and what we’d like to understand and share with our listeners at the end of this exercise.
With such an important discussion to be had, for our community and for the United States overall, this is an introduction you’ll need to hear at the very beginning.
Please listen to this Special Announcement from The Italian American Podcast concerning our upcoming episodes entitled "Conversations on Columbus."
I scream, you scream, we all scream for… gelato? Or is it ice cream? And what’s the difference anyway? How about we find out?
In this week’s episode, we’re celebrating “National Ice Cream Day” with a look at how Italians all over the world have influenced that frozen treat we all know and love.
From Ancient Rome to Marco Polo, from Sicily, to England, to Hoboken, New Jersey, our team gives you the “inside scoop” on how ice cream, sherbet, granitas, and more evolved over thousands of years, and we will introduce you to some of the many Italians who have their fingerprints on that evolution... like Sicily’s own Francesco Procopio Cutò, the world-recognized “Father of Gelato," to the Hoboken immigrant who claims to have invented the ice cream cone!
In the second half of our show, we’re joined by special guest, Nick Di Bona of Bona Bona Ice Cream in Port Chester, New York, to discuss how his Italian American roots inspired his own take on this special summertime treat, why his ice cream and gelato hybrid is the perfect metaphor for the Italian American experience, and what life is like for a professional “Gelataio” in the modern world!
And if you love a good Italian American family squabble, you won’t want to miss the “Mad Scientist of Gelato” try to explain to Pat why he built a room that rains sprinkles in his flagship store!
So whether it’s pistachio, spumoni, fior di latte or the like, grab a bowl of your favorite flavor and settle in for this week’s yummy episode!
For millions of Americans, hope springs eternal every April when baseball returns! In this craziest of years, fans of the national pastime are gearing up for the first-ever July opening in baseball history. We're so excited to have baseball back that in this week's episode our entire team is taking YOU "out to the ballgame" with our special guest, Lawrence Baldassaro, author of “Beyond DiMaggio: Italian Americans in Baseball,” and “Baseball Italian Style: Great Stories Told by Italian American Major Leaguers Crosetti to Piazza.”
Larry shares his knowledge of the sport’s Italian icons, from the playing field to the owner's box. We also share in an exploration of how baseball serves as the great metaphor for the American experience, and why the first Italian American success stories meant so much to our fast growing community, and taught many newly-arrived immigrants what “Americanism” is all about.
Sharing stories of the sport’s greats, such as Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Mike Piazza, as well as lesser-known but no less important figures like Ed Abbaticchio, who was the first Major League Baseball player and first professional football player of Italian ancestry, Larry showcases the wide spectrum of Italian Americans who helped shape the game into what it is today.
We also talk about baseball in Italy, where it is growing in popularity, and how some Italian American ballplayers might just have a shot at a professional baseball career... in their ancestral Motherland.
Larry also talks about his forthcoming book on Tony Lazzeri, the first Italian-American superstar during the 1920s and 1930s, who was part of the Yankee's famed "Murderers' Row" lineup of the late 1920s, along with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Bob Meusel.
With all five of our co-hosts on hand, the bases are truly loaded for this week’s episode! Join us as we explore the Italian American big leagues with Lawrence Baldassaro!
We have all learned about America’s Founding Fathers… but what about our “Founding Padres?”
In celebration of Independence Day, we’re taking a look at Philip Mazzei, the Italian physician, winemaker, and philosopher whose close friendship with Thomas Jefferson inspired the phrase “all men are created equal” and other doctrines he added into the Declaration of Independence.
For a contribution of such momentous meaning, Mazzei is a relatively unknown figure today, so our team decided to explore the story of this foundational Italian American figure, and the other Italians present at the founding of our nation, to introduce them to modern audiences.
But, because this is the Italian American Podcast, our conversation blossoms into a sometimes tense discussion about the deeper questions around the American Revolution, the relationship between Italian political thought and American ideals, and what it really means to be a part of something so very complex. It's a stimulating look at the grey spaces of history and identity... and the back-and-forth is so rapid fire and wandering, that it might just explain why they didn't allow too many Italians at the nation's founding!
Keep the July 4 celebration going one day more, and see how the conversation makes you feel about the very heart of our American Experiment on this week’s episode!
In this final installment of “Updates from Italy,” host Patrick O’Boyle tries to find out what’s next for the Bel Paese as it continues to recover from COVID-19 for the rest of 2020 and beyond. This week, Pat is joined by Antonio Amendola of Agropoli, Campania, who has lived in four countries, including the United States. Pat and Antonio talk about the differences between European Union nations as they reopen and how the “New Normal” is yet to be defined as the countries each reopen.
They also discuss what will happen in the upcoming weeks as Italy’s restrictions continue to be lifted and how the virus restrictions changed the face of Italy’s workforce. Antonio shares his take on "the “two Italies,” northern and southern, and what reopening could look like for each section of Italy.
Finally, they celebrate the Italian spirit of survival as they discuss how Italy has and will continue to come out of this crisis stronger than ever!
Buona Festa del Papà, Paesani!
A Happy Father's Day to every Dad, Papà, Nonno, Father-in-Law, and any special guy out there!
There’s no blessing like having an Italian American father -- this week our moderator, John M. Viola, is turning his microphone on his very own Italian American dad, Vincent, when he sits down with him for a special Father's Day interview.
Vinnie Viola, as he’s known to those who know him best, has a pretty interesting life story to share. In this week’s episode, our faithful moderator will take the opportunity to share his father with our show's faithful listeners.
They’ll discuss his early life in an Italian enclave in Brooklyn, New York, what he experienced growing up in a house full of extended Italian famiglia, and how the sport of pigeon mumbling taught him valuable lessons that would play a role in his later success.
Father and son will discuss his life as an Italian American at the United States Military Academy at West Point, his early days on Wall Street, the Italian Americans who mentored him along the way, and why he puts family above all else.
They’ll also share some family stories, and insights into Vinnie’s favorite Italian foods and friends in this very intimate look at the most Italian American topic of all…. The love of family!
Join us for an incredibly personal episode of the Italian American Podcast, and get to know this father and son a little better than before!
What is it like to be a resident of a popular Italian tourist destination as Italy reopens? That’s the question Pat O’Boyle asks Silvia Giagheddu, who resides in Northern Sardegna, in this week’s episode of Reopening Italy.
Pat and Silvia discuss what it’s like to witness people coming back to the island after time in quarantine and how this is affecting post-COVID-19 life. While Sardegna wasn’t as badly hit as other regions of Italy, the residents are concerned that vacationers coming in from highly-affected regions might cause a new wave of the pandemic as they are allowed to travel unchecked. Pat and Silvia discuss what this could mean for residents of Sardegna and other popular Italian tourist areas.
They also discuss Italy’s relationship with the European Union and how Italy needs the EU’s help to recover, as well as a comparison of lockdown life in Sardegna versus that of Lombardia and how the use of public transportation played a role in the virus’s spread across Italy. Finally, they’ll also discuss varied reactions to the return to pre-COVID-19 life, including how seriously people are taking new restrictions and how people’s perspectives have changed as a result.
Almost 900 years ago, there existed a land where peoples of all cultures, creeds and colors lent their talents to the building of a nation at the forefront of science, art and civic life. It was a kingdom in the sun… an island at the center of the world. That nation was the Norman Kingdom of Sicily, and in this week’s episode, renowned historian and medievalist Lou Mendola joins us from Sicily’s ancient capital of Palermo to explore what we today can learn from the island’s unique multi-cultural legacy.
A native of Rochester, New York, and resident of Palermo for many decades, Lou is one of the world’s foremost Sicilian medievalists and one of only a handful of scholars whose works on the history of Southern Italy and Sicily have been published in English. His books have broken new ground not only as resources for scholars but also as benchmarks in outlining a Sicilian identity rooted in the Middle Ages. Over the last three decades, Lou has been consulted by the Almanach de Gotha, the History Channel, The New York Times, the BBC, the Vatican's Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the heads of several European royal dynasties.
Lou joins Pat and John to explore how Norman Sicily was truly the “New York City” of its time as a melting pot of several distinct cultures and religions who all remarkably learned to live together and influence each other to create a distinct Sicilian culture. They’ll also discuss how Sicilian and Southern Italian history in general were influenced by the various peoples, polities and empires who passed through their territorial borders, and how Sicily served as an peacemaker and prototype in an era of ethnic and religious conflict.
We’ll discuss the Kingdom’s rise and fall in stature from the 1300s through the Risorgimento, when the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was united into the Kingdom of Italy, and the thousand-year-old nation ceased to exist.
And most relevantly, we’ll examine about how studying Sicily’s multi-cultural heritage might just offer insights on how a variety of cultures can co-exist in a shared and productive society, and how the Arab influence on Sicily served in the development of what we know as Sicilian language, cuisine and culture.
Finally, we’ll get a sneak peek at Lou’s forthcoming book, The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which is set to be the first English-language study of the kingdom since the 1960s, and promises to give readers a plethora of little-known facts that even touch on Italian American culture!
Now, more than ever, the best of our history deserves examination, so join us as we venture back in time to explore Sicily and her multi-cultural legacy!
For more about Lou Mendola or to order his books, visit www.mendola.com or www.bestofsicily.com.
In our latest episode of “Updates from Italy,” Prof. Patrick O’Boyle sits down with Giovanni Trotta, an Italian young professional who witnessed first-hand the changing dynamics of the European workforce as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Giovanni works for Amazon’s offices in Luxembourg, but returned home to his village of Laurino, Campania, for quarantine.
Giovanni tells us how other young Italians are also returning home in the wake of Coronavirus and how this homecoming may change the dynamics of entire villages. They'll also discuss how remote work is slowly gaining popularity in Italy, and how Italians themselves are learning how to rely on modern technology as a part of the “new normal.”
Pat and Giovanni also explore how Italians feel about the European Union’s response to the COVID-19 crisis in Italy and how a post “Italexit” EU could look. Finally, they also discuss how COVID-19 has changed the overall social fabric of Italy and talk about what its aftereffects mean for the country’s future.
Mary, Mary... How does your garden grow?
If you're an Italian American, Mary Menniti is the person to answer this question—and many more—in this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast.
We're sitting down with Italian America's Number 1 Green Thumb to discuss her groundbreaking Italian Garden Project. Mary will share her appreciation for the centuries-old Italian American connection to the Earth and how our ancestors instinctively knew how to work the lands and harvest their bounty.
We discuss how this connection to the land we live on helps humanity survive and how younger generations are slowly rediscovering the recipes and habits from ages past. Mary tells us how she visits Italian American gardens as a part of this project in order to help preserve the heirloom fruits and vegetables grown there and how the Smithsonian Institute is interested in this project as a true representation of Italian ethnicity in the United States.
Mary also discusses what constitutes an Italian American garden, sharing her tips on how to best grow the staples of Italian American cuisine, from the heirloom tomatoes of a North End backyard to the mysterious "bacci beans" growing in Northern California. She'll also shed some light on the rising popularity of foraging and why today’s “hipsters" are suddenly seeking out the same "weeds" Nonna used to pick for the perfect salad.
Finally, we discuss how the noble fig tree has become the ultimate staple of an Italian garden and how it perfectly represents the Italian American experience with its uncanny ability to adapt and thrive in a land that is not its own... much like our ancestors.
If you're an Italian American who fancies yourself a green thumb, or one who is seeking to acquire the age-old skills of the Italian home gardener, then discover how to make your garden grow, and what you'll want in it with Mary Menniti of the Italian Garden Project!
RESOURCES:
www.italiangardenproject.com
www.growitalian.com
For many months, Italy and her healthcare system have been at the epicenter of the most significant global health crisis in modern history. But, now that the crisis is beginning to ebb, how has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of medicine in Italy?
That’s the question Prof. Patrick O’Boyle poses in this week’s episode of “Updates From Italy,” where he interviews Rome-based physician Dr. Giulia D’Arcangelo about her first-hand experiences during the crisis and how she feels it has affected Italy’s health system as a whole.
They’ll discuss the pandemic’s regional variances, including how regional differences in medical care helped the South escape the brunt of the outbreak. Dr. D’Arcangelo, a pediatrician, will also discuss how the crisis has affected how she cares for patients and how she’s had to address long term patient care as a result.
They’ll also examine how COVID-19 has affected medical practice in Italy, including the future for socialized medicine and the differences between Italian medical care and care in the rest of the European Union.
For many Italian Americans, the start of summer means the start of "Feast Season," but the summer of social distancing looks like it's also destined to be the “summer of no feasts”… or is it?
In this week’s episode, our team discusses how the current COVID-19 crisis has affected the most tangible representation of the Italian American community at large—our feasts. Yet, while most feasts have already been either cancelled or postponed this year, we are proudly unveiling a new project designed to celebrate these special events while they are on hiatus, and sharing them with our paesani around the world this year and for many years to come.
Our “Italian American Virtual Feasts” project is a partnership with the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, in which our ultimate goal is to create a virtual museum where these feasts’ unique histories are cataloged and celebrated for all to experience across crowdsourcing of photos, videos, and other archival materials. Via an interactive map, we’re also hoping to show just how strongly Italian American culture has permeated our great nation.
As you’ll hear in this week’s episode, Italian American feasts are a combination of social event, religious observance, and cultural celebration. While this year’s feasts may look a little different, it is our hope that this new and exciting adventure helps fill the void created by COVID-19 and brings these events to a wider audience this year and for generations to come.
Do you know of a feast that we should include, or have some contributions that would make our project great? Email us at info@italianpower.com so we could include your contributions in this unique digital experience!
In this week’s episode of Updates from Italy with Patrick O’Boyle, we talk to Giuseppe Aloi of SIT Italy, the travel company he founded in 1999 that focuses in particular on the beauties and treasures that Southern Italy has to offer, focusing on art, culture, and special events.
Giuseppe tells listeners about what he thinks the future will hold for the post-COVID-19 Italian tourism industry, including what changes hotels need to make if they wish to stay competitive and stay open. He also discusses the Italian government’s plans for helping the tourism industry after this massive blow—including help for families whose livelihoods were displaced, as well as assistance for touristic agencies trying to rebuild.
Pat and Giuseppe also discuss how Southern Italy was spared the brunt of COVID-19 due to the virus’s prevalence in northern regions, and what that could mean as the entire country reopens, including this summer as Southern Italy prepares for its traditional sagre and feasts.
What have you been doing doing your time in “lockdown”?
We here at the Italian American Podcast have been doing what we do best-- working on being as unabashedly Italian American as possible! Seeing as a big part of the Italian American identity is drawing from the interactions we have with friends, family and fellow paesani, more than two months in isolation have forced us to find some pretty innovative ways to be extra-Italian without leaving the house! Some of our discoveries have been so much fun that we figured we should share our proprietary strategies with our amici out there in Italian America, so in this week’s episode, we present:
“10 Easy Steps To Becoming An EVEN BETTER Italian American While You’re Stuck At Home!"
We’re exploring the various experiences we’ve had while living in quarantine and sharing how some activities that help pass the time can help strengthen the ties that bind us to our heritage— we’ll talk about how we are attempting to support Italian American small businesses without leaving the couch, how watching Mass online is changing how we live our faith, and why the right flour for the perfect loaf of Italian bread is a commodity one of us has cornered the market on!
We also share what we’re cooking up in the “Cucina Quarantena,” where we’re recreating old family recipes, taking part in kitchen experiments, and getting the chance to truly sit down and pause while having a family meal with our loved ones.
And, we’ll give you countless tips, tricks, and ideas on how to use this time to organize family photos, partake in a genealogical journey, learn a bit of Italian or a regional language, and much, much more!
Sure, some states are reopening, although others are continuing to experience lockdown for the foreseeable future, but no matter when you and yours get the “all clear," the best part about this list is that it extends beyond lockdown, so you can try all of our suggestions even after the COVID craziness ends, and maybe get your friends and famiglia in on the fun too!
As Italy reopens its doors, we at The Italian American Podcast wanted to showcase just how much our Madre Patria has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, in this new bonus segment of the Podcast, our co-host—and walking encyclopedia of Italian Americana—Professor Patrick O’Boyle is taking a deeper look into how life has changed in Italy and what that means for all of us as a result.
In this inaugural segment of “Updates From Italy,” Pat talks with Paul Pontecorvo, an Italian American (and avid Italian American Podcast listener) living in Milan. Paul was one of the first people to message Pat when COVID-19 broke out and has been keeping in touch with our team as the weeks progressed. Paul shares his thoughts and experiences with our audience, as well as his impressions of what might happen in a post-pandemic Italy.
In this week’s episode, we’re wrapping up our two-part look at the Northern Italian impact on Italian American life by Italy by criss-crossing these great United States to discover Northern Italian enclaves from California to Idaho and everywhere in between!
Our special guest, and Northern Italy expert, Robert Allegrini, takes us on a tour across the country, stopping in various Northern Italian communities to explore their traditions, histories, and influence on Italian American life today. We’ll also discover some manifestations of Northern and Central Italian American pride, including La Corsa dei Ceri (“St. Ubaldo Day”) in Jessup, Pennsylvania, which is our country’s largest and most traditional Central Italian celebration.
And speaking of Saints and Feasts… we’ll take a deep dive into an exploration of the differences between Northern and Southern Italian Catholicism and why Northern feasts and festivals may not have survived the immigrant journey as well as the Southern ones did.
We also wander into a conversation on how Northern Italian cuisine has found its way into the American diet, where you can still find heirloom restaurants across America serving authentic Northern dishes, how Northern chefs invented some of our more-famous indigenous “Italian American” dishes, and how America’s pizza culture evolved to produce the culinary mystery that is Chicago’s Deep Dish Pizza!
So if you’ve enjoyed learning more about these fascinating communities and characters, get ready for more “Northern Exposure” with the next half of this incredible story!
We tend to focus a lot on our Southern Italian roots here at the Italian American Podcast, but today we’re asking..."What’s up North?"
This week’s episode is the first in a two-part series featuring special guest and Northern Italy expert Robert Allegrini, the honorary consul of San Marino in Chicago, where we will dig into a history of the contributions, communities and characters of the Italian Americans descended from northern and central Italy.
We dive into the history of Northern Italy, including exactly how it can be defined and how its history differs from that of Southern Italy. We’ll also talk about the how the first Italians in the New World were from the North and how they helped contribute to our nation’s founding and early formation. We also pay homage to the Italian pioneers of America’s western expansion and how the further West you go, the more Northern Italian communities you see.
We also talk about Italians who fought in the American Civil War and how prominent Northern Italians helped shape America’s cultural landscape. Finally, we dive into Northern Italian enclaves in the United States and how their foodways have become a staple of Italian American cuisine. And we'll introduce some surprisingly Italian communities spread throughout the far reaches of America... settled by and still held dear by generations of northern Italian Americans!
So get ready to head up North with us in an episode for the 13%!!
What are the ties that bind us together? In this week’s episode, we celebrate the launch of IAP co-host Dolores Alfieri Taranto’s new Podcast, “Bella Figura—The Tradition of Living Beautifully.”
“Bella Figura” is the tradition of presenting oneself well to the world and, as Dolores explains, this concept doesn’t just speak to Italian Americans, but to everyone of any ethnic and cultural background. Get an early look into the concept behind her all-new solo show, which celebrates how all cultures provide lessons, insights, and traditions that offer just as much in today's modern world as they have for generations of peoples, and how universal themes and foundational stories tie us all together.
Our team talks about these foundational stories and how they help a person form his or her own “emotional” history. We also discuss the advent of DNA testing and the popularity of ancestral reclamation and veneration, and how reclaiming our stories helps empower us as a society.
Finally, we talk about the human need for connection and the various ways we try to do so, both in-person and online and how going back to one’s roots is a different experience for all.
Do you want to incorporate more beauty into your life? Find out how in this week’s episode!
What listeners can expect as we move to a new podcast platform! You should not notice a difference in your experience, except there might be more ads.
In times like these, our rituals are what keep us connected to “normal” life. In this week’s episode, Elisabeth Cardiello of Caffè Unimatic and Brave Conversations Over Coffee shows us how this ubiquitous beverage can have rippling effects in our homes and in our communities.
Elisabeth shares her trade secrets on what kinds of coffee to try and the different types of brewing that will make a world of difference for your "Morning Joe," as well as discussing the difference between American and Italian brews and how Italians use coffee as a way to connect with others. And the Italian American Podcast gang will take us on a journey into the serendipitous history of some of your favorite coffee preparations—from espressos to cappuccinos, to lattes and macchiatos.
We'll discuss this young CEO's appearance in the Netflix documentary “Coffee for All,” and how the Neapolitan trend of “caffè sospeso” or “suspended coffee” has sparked a worldwide movement connecting strangers and leaving them as friends.
We'll dissect her own entrepreneurial journey, from watching her father as a child and her intellectual curiosity surrounding his invention, the Unimatic coffee maker, to how a chance discovery of 5,000 vintage percolators inspired her life's work. Finally, she'll explain what a “Brave Conversation Over Coffee” looks like and how we can implement these ideas in our own lives.
So, what are you waiting for? Brew up your preferred blend, grab your favorite mug, and join us for this week’s episode of The Italian American Podcast!
Tired of scraping the bottom of the streaming barrel for something to take your mind off of weeks stuck in the house?
Well… SNAP OUT OF IT, because the Italian American Podcast is bringing you our inaugural “Italian American Podcast Movie Watch-Along!”
We’ll be sitting down to watch the classics of Italian American film, and we’re inviting you to watch along with us! Just pop in your DVD or fire up your favorite streaming service and hit "play" on both the screen and this download, so that you and yours can re-watch your favorite Italian American movies with the incredible addition of your favorite podcast hosts giving our own running commentary throughout.
And today we’re watching one of the most beloved Italian American classics… 1987’s Oscar-winning film “Moonstruck.”
Join your friends at the Italian American Podcast as we drop in on the Castorini family of Brooklyn, NY, for a whole new look at this universally-loved masterpiece that isn’t exactly loved by every member of our team!
It’s a whole new way to engage the movies that tell our story, so grab some snacks, get cozy, and prepare to enjoy an Italian American classic like never before!
Have the weeks of quarantine got you a little stir crazy? Well, it’s time to… SNAP OUT OF IT, because the Italian American Podcast is bringing you a little something extra this week!
Welcome to our inaugural Italian American Podcast Movie Watch-Along!
In this new offering, we’ll take the classics of Italian American film and present them to you with our own running commentary. To celebrate the launch of these special episodes, we’re sharing our take on a quintessentially Italian American classic, 1987’s Academy Award-winning film, “Moonstruck.”
In this episode, we’ll preview the full Watch Along by discussing what truly comprises “Italian American Cinema” and whether or not this film fits the bill. We’ll debate the merits of a universally-loved portrayal of an Italian American family, which happens to have been created by mostly non-Italians.
We also discuss whether or not Italian Americans can truly watch an “Italian American film” without the lens of ethnicity and if non-Italian Americans can really “get it right” when it comes to talking about us as an ethnic group.
We also provide a run-down of the locations of Moonstruck and how the film’s backdrop becomes a character of its own. Speaking of characters, we dive into the “Italianness” of each one and we discuss how cinematic portrayals of Italian Americans help us truly define our American experience.
In a case of life imitating art, we also share our own stories and memories surrounding the movie, and tackle what makes some of love and others loathe this iconic film.
Sit back, pop some popcorn or pull some prosciutto out of your fridge and get ready to watch “Moonstruck” with us!
Buona Pasquetta Everybody!!! Today is Easter Monday or “Little Easter"... a day that, in Italy, represents a chance to celebrate the arrival of the Easter Season with friends and family, picnics and parties, and a second go at the leftover delicacies that every Italian family makes with pride in preparation for Easter Sunday.
And speaking of those countless confections, in this week’s episode, our team celebrates our own little Pasquetta gathering by dissecting the Easter traditions that have come to define an Italian American Pascal Feast.
Join us as we dive into the fascinating histories of pizza chiena, pastiera, and other time-honored Easter treats that our families continue to include as part of their holiday tables. We’ll share our own personal traditions, and examine everything from the varieties of Easter breads to why many families have to include a marzipan lamb on the Easter Table.
And we’ll explore what constitutes “pan Italian American” traditions -- the items immediately recognized by anyone of Italian origin, regardless of where their families came from.
We will also talk about how we observe the Holy Triduum and how these observances tie into what we choose to eat when we break our Lenten fasts, and we’ll ask ourselves, “Should we or shouldn’t we try to make these recipes healthy?”
In true Italian American Podcast style, we’ll get a masterclass on the history of Lenten abstinence, the modern Easter traditions of the “Italy of Nutella,”and how the business of importing goods from Italy has affected the Italian American holiday.
Finally, we’ll reveal how we’re each adapting this year’s celebration in light of current events and how what’s going on today is helping us collectively strengthen our ties to yesterday.
So sit back, grab a leftover piece of pizza rustica, pour yourself a glass of wine, and join us for this very special Easter episode! Buona Pasqua and Buona Pasquetta!!
How are all our Paesani out there holding up in quarantine? Is everyone keeping busy? Got enough to eat? What’s in your stockpile?
If you’re Italian, you’ve probably been preparing for a quarantine your whole life without even knowing it!
In light of the current COVID-19 crisis, this week’s episode will introduce the new normal here at the Italian American Podcast... a remote recording that will take a look at what we all have in our personal “quarantine stockpiles,” what we are planning for the coming weeks on the Italian American Podcast, and how this unprecedented time has affected our daily lives. We’ll dive into the idea of “quarantine cuisine,” and which comfort foods we’re all turning to during the lockdown.
We’re discussing what we’re doing to stay healthy, physically and mentally, and what the “new normal” really does look like. We’re also sharing what’s on our Netflix streams and some of the latest Italian and Italian American programming available to help you pass the time.
We'll explore our ancestors’ devotions in times of struggle, and show how we can learn from them as we examine faith, saints, home remedies, and more. In a collective cry of “we can do this,” we will also talk about our happy moments from quarantine, including how this time can help strengthen the bonds of family and friendship and how, once this is over, we might no longer take for granted certain aspects of our daily lives.
And finally, we will introduce you to some of the new types of content we're creating to help you find a little bit of levity, and remotely access your Italian American culture, in the coming weeks ahead.
Hunker down with us—we promise to bring heart, smarts, and a lot of laughter to your bunker too!
Discovering your past lays out a road map for your future! In this week’s episode, we'll prove that while reconstructing your family history might take effort, the rewards are priceless!
Podcast co-host Anthony Fasano asked the gang to get together to share their first-hand experiences discovering family history, and how seeking out and finding his own Italian relatives changed his life, as well as that of his children and future generations. The team shares their tips and tricks into how they dove deep into their family histories and how their hard work paid off in terms of unforgettable experiences in Italy that they might never have otherwise experienced. They'll also share the moving experiences sent in by members of the Italian American Podcast's "New Neighborhood" Membership group, revealing just how many listeners are undertaking this important research!
They'll also shares invaluable information on where and how to find important documents, and how anyone can figure out their family history... as long as they have the passion to do so.
In true Italian American Podcast style, we veer off into a conversation on Italian and Italian American culinary traditions and how going back to the Motherland also shows us how family recipes stayed intact, despite getting passed from generation to generation. We also tackle the question “Why go back?” and offer suggestions on connecting with town historians and the value of a home-base AirBnB host.
Finally, we suggest additional resources you can tap into right from home during these long days of quarantine!
What's the wait? Start your own Family History search today! We promise, you'll thank us!
Forty Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia by Anthony Fasano
Grazie mille,
The Italian American Podcast Team
If any language proves that there’s room at the linguistic table for everyone... it’s Italian!
This week, we continue our examination of the languages of Italy as we take a closer look at her many Regional Languages and Dialects, including the unique blend of Italian and English spoken by Italian Americans through the generations.
We’ll discus the state of Italy’s diverse Regional Languages, both before and after Italian Unification, as well as their contemporary renaissance thanks to social media. Plus we’ll explore the rich patrimonies of Sicilian poetry and Neapolitan music and how both these forms, and many others, are vehicles for linguistic survival.
We’ll focus on Italy’s constitutional commitments to protect her linguistic minorities, and even see some of the enduring aspects of “Italianness” in Italy’s former colony Eritrea.
Heading back to the United States, we talk about how the Italian American dialect changes depending on geographic location and how certain Italian American-born words have cemented themselves as part of the American vernacular.
And, for our weekly off topic ramble, we’ll discuss Italian clothing culture and how it is seen as a source of identity and pride in the Italian American community, how this translates back across the ocean in the Motherland.
It’s often said that language is the living history of a people, and the Italian language has had a very exciting life! In this week’s episode, we dive into the history of the Italian language, from its Latin roots to its standardization straight through to its evolution into the languages of Italy's 100 million person diaspora.
Our team also discusses the complex relationship between standard “Florentine” Italian and its regional languages and dialects, showing how they all formed through the various tribes, trials and conquests that have taken place on the Italian peninsula since the days of Ancient Rome. We also explore the first written forms of Italian and Dante’s role as the “father” of the standard Italian language.
In true Italian American Podcast style, we also take a road trip on the linguistic map of Europe and the Mediterranean world, making stops in Spain, France, and Israel. And we even visit the Accademia della Cruscia, the world’s oldest linguistic governing body, as we examine its relevance to modern Italian. And we will examine how television and social media have affected the development of "La Bella Lingua" and the resurgence of its regional languages.
Returning Stateside, we even take on American regional accents and how they are influenced by our country’s geography and history.
Parli italiano? Find out more about how that question has many answers in this week’s episode!
Grazie mille,
The Italian American Podcast Team
Welcome to Italy—we’re open for business. That’s the message Allison Scola wants to share in this episode of The Italian American Podcast.
With Coronavirus spreading throughout Italy and the world, we sit down with Scola, the founder, owner, and curator of Experience Sicily and the New York Cannoli Crawl (and 2019 New York Times Travel Show Expert) to get her thoughts on traveling to Italy in these uncertain times.
We’ll discuss the Italian government’s handling the outbreak, share tips for travelers who are experiencing trepidation as a result of the virus, and explore how the outbreak is set to affect both Italian and Italian-American tourism and business.
With a Sicily expert at the table, we look at “sustainable tourism," the art of experiencing a taste of daily life in the host country, a concept that is at the center of the renaissance of southern Italian tourism.
In true Italian American Podcast style, the conversation can’t stay focused the entire time... so we’ll question what it truly means to be “Proud To Be Italian” in a global world, and spend an inordinate amount of time arguing about the many varieties and variances of cannoli... and just who makes the best one out there.
Join us as we experience Sicily with Allison Scola!
What IS America without pasta? Without prosciutto? Or parmigiano?? In this episode, we’ll ask those very questions when we’re joined by former Congressman Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania, the new Chairman of the American Italian Food Coalition (AIFC), a consortium of over 450 Italian companies seeking to protect Italian pasta, coffee, biscuits and wafers from US’s new tariff policies.
The “Protector of Parmigiano” tells us about the coalition’s recent success in preventing the expansion of import taxes to a broad range of Italian foods. Since last year, those taxes have added 25% to the price of genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Scotch whiskey, Spanish olives and French wine as a result of retaliatory tariffs on European products in response to subsidies Airbus received from some Europe nations.
He’ll share how the tariffs would have affected Italian American mom-and-pop businesses and how these taxes would have directly contributed to an eventual demise of Italian American culture. And, we’ll explore the continuing strength of Italy as a trade partner with the United States.
It’s all over but the counting! It’s our final episode examining the results of our ITALIAN IDENTITY 2020 SURVEY, our amateur analysis of the present and future of the 25-million-person Italian American community.
Drawing on findings from more than 1,600 respondents from throughout the nation, this final episode takes us into the traditions and trends of Italian America to understand how our culture manifests itself in our everyday lives. We will discover which Italian American customs still define our shared experience, how often we engage in the habits, happenings, and holidays that make us who we are... from basement wine making, to Easter Pie consumption, to the sacred ritual of the Sunday meal.
We explore attitudes surrounding the acquisition of Italian dual citizenship, how respondents feel about the Columbus Day controversy, and the state of Italian American assimilation in the 21st Century.
Then, we’ll move from cultural touchstones to the organs of engagement, to find out how many of us are participating in the institutions of community life... from reading Italian American magazines to membership in Italian American organizations great and small, and we’ll explore the health of our community’s most important establishments.
We conclude with an examination of future topics our listeners want more of on the Italian American Podcast, and our take on the results surrounding whether or not we consciously favor our own in the outside world.
And, remember, for those who are anxiously awaiting the final results summary, they will be released this week... so if you haven’t already, head over to our Facebook page and follow us now to be sure you don’t miss the release!
We’ve made it this far, so don’t miss this final episode!
It’s Part 3 of our four-part series examining the results of our ITALIAN IDENTITY 2020 SURVEY, our exploration into the hearts and minds of Italian Americans in the 21st Century.
With results drawn from more than 1,600 respondents from around the USA, this episode takes us into the souls of Italian America, to understand what respondents felt were the most important touchstones of the modern Italian American experience, how we see the difference between Italian and Italian American food, how they felt about Italian regional differences in modern Italian American life, who still believes in the "malocchio," and whether or not we can use the term “Medeegan” without offending our Anglo-Saxon countrymen.
Then we will explore the results relating to Italian American religious affiliations and attitudes, digging deep into the historical and cultural roots of Italian Catholicism and how it has become such a distinct part of secular Italian American identity, and what impact the dual identity of Church and State in Italian history has had on who we are today.
We’ll then assess the frequency of Italian American travel to Italy which, of course, inspires reflections about our own first visits to the Madre Patria -- one of many personal recollections and wanderings inspired by these fascinating results.
For those who are interested in following up on these episodes by exploring the results on paper, we’ve decided to hold off on releasing them piece by piece in favor of dropping an entire report when the final episode airs... so if you haven’t already, head over to our Facebook page and follow us now to be sure you don’t miss the release!
If YOU are a proud Italian American who wants to understand a more personal side of your community, you won’t want to miss this episode!
We’re back with Part 2 of our multi-episode series examining the results of our ITALIAN IDENTITY 2020 SURVEY, our effort to ask the questions only we could ask of ourselves, and to understand what the Italian American community really looks like today, and what we will become in the future.
With more than 1,600 respondents from around the nation chiming in, we’re moving into more nuanced territory as we look into questions regarding how important our Italian heritage is to those surveyed, whether or not they prioritized marriage to a fellow Italian American, what percentage had “married out" and what that means for the future of Italian America.
We’ll examine the strength of Italian and regional languages revealed in the results, and what language means to our identity.
We share results about political affiliation, how closely respondents identified with their political party, which issues facing the nation are most important to us, and which are most impacted by our Italian identities.
And of course, every answer will inspire our usual wanderings into the trivia of Italian American life, like why post-war Italian propaganda may explain the modern relationship between Italians and Italian Americans, the history of swearing in the Neapolitan language, how Italians respond to Italian American political candidates, and whether or not we have “Tribal Rights” to use “the G-Word."
Plus, if that’s not enough to keep you busy, one day after the episode premieres, you’ll be able to see detailed results on our Facebook page... so if you haven’t already, head over and follow us now!
If YOU are a proud Italian American who wants to understand all you can about our people, this will be a series you can’t afford to miss!
At the start of Italian American Heritage Month last October, we created the ITALIAN IDENTITY 2020 SURVEY, which is our effort to ask the questions only we could ask of ourselves, and to understand what the Italian American community really looks like today, and what we will become in the future.
More than 1,600 passionate Italian Americans from around the country have made their voices heard, and we are poring over the responses with a fine-tooth comb, seeking to understand all we can learn about our Italian American culture from the results.
In this episode, the first in a multi-part series dissecting the findings, we’ll discuss the demographic data our survey revealed-- which gender, age, and geographic locations responded to our call, where in Italy their families came from, what type of education they had achieved, what professions they practice each day, and what generation of the Italian American immigrant story they come from. It’s a fascinating introduction to the voices that make up our findings, and one that inspired our usual tangential explorations of the minutia of Italian American life.
And, once the episode premieres, you’ll be able to see detailed results on our Facebook page... so if you haven’t already, click here to head over and follow us now!
If YOU are a proud Italian American who wants to understand all you can about our people, this will be a series you can’t afford to miss!
From its humble origins in Newark, New Jersey, for nearly 90 years, the venerable ‘Italian Tribune’ has grown to become perhaps the most important English-language voice in Italian American media.
We’ll meet the inspiring couple who has made this multi-generational Italian family business into not just “the Paper of Record for the Italian American Community," but who has also bucked the trends of print media with a weekly newspaper that continues to attract a growing and ever-younger audience.
They’ll share the history of this unique periodical, and why its place as a substantial English-language source for Italian American news has always kept it at the epicenter of the Italian experience in America.
We’ll also explore the work of “Uncle” Floyd Vivino... the “Italian American Mark Twain," and how a tight-knit team of five passionate Italian Americans has continued to evolve this venerable institution for an ever-changing population.
And, in true Italian American Podcast style, we’ll discover the mysterious origins of the North American Tripe Association, and how it’s yearly event has become a standing-room-only symbol of the Italian American community of the 21st Century!
Share in an incredible exploration of this community treasure in an episode you won’t want to miss!
Click here to visit the Italian Tribune's website Grazie mille,
The Italian American Podcast Team
For 30 years Mary Ann Esposito has been a part of our lives on “Ciao Italia”, American television’s longest running cooking show on PBS. Undeniably, this is the First Lady of the Italian American kitchen. Yet while we all know and love this consummate educator, the Italian American Podcast is bringing you a chance to see the lady behind the lens... and to get to know the man who has been her loving partner for 53 years during this intimate and impassioned interview.
They’ll share how a boring cooking class on their first trip to Italy kicked off three decades of television success, Mary Ann’s calling as an educator, why she never thought she’d be a chef, and their shared mission to preserve not just foods and flavors, but the bond of family a meal can create.
We’ll explore how to grow 100 varietals of lettuce, why French cuisine is science but Italian food is jazz, Mary Ann’s relationship with Julia Child, what makes the perfect Sunday Sauce, and why on earth the Italian city of Bari is evicting its pasta making Nonnas!
Share in a joyous afternoon spent with one of the most beloved icons of the Italian American experience in an episode you’ll listen to over and over again!
Ciao Italia
Grazie mille!
The Italian American Podcast Team
For years, America has gotten to know Eric Eremita as the no-nonsense builder who made hundreds of families’ dream homes a reality on HGTV’s “Love It Or List It” and “Brother vs. Brother”. But now, we’re sitting down with this proud Staten Islander to get to know a little bit more of his Italian American side.
We’ll discuss how this family man ended up as an internationally recognized face, learn about his Italian upbringing, what it was like working outside of Italian America for so many years, what he thinks are the newest trends in the industry, and what he feels makes a house into a home.
He’ll share a little insight into what’s next for TV’s favorite contractor, and how a secret symbol meant for his family has evolved into his new venture into the world of fashion.
Get to know a different side of this popular builder, and enjoy an afternoon with Eric and the Podcast Gang!
A Happy Feast of the Epiphany to all of our paesani our there!
Today is January 6th... La Festa dell’Epifania - which means if you were a good little Italian this year, you should have received a few extra treats in your stocking this morning courtesy of La Befana, the Italian Christmas Witch! This legendary lady flies on her broom all over Italy on the Eve of the Epiphany, sliding down chimneys to fill children’s socks with presents and candy if they’ve been good all year, or a lump of coal (a special confection made to look like real coal) if they were bad.
But just where does this Italian tradition come from? We’re going to find out with the help of Kate West and Dina Gregory, the Italian Americans behind “La Befana and Friends”, a movement dedicated to the history and message of this beloved old maid.
This dynamic duo will share how a mysterious family Befana cookie recipe inspired Kate’s book, “La Befana and the Star”, how fate (and La Befana) brought this unlikely pair together, and how their instant chemistry has evolved into a movement to save the world one cookie at a time.
We’ll discuss the legend of La Befana, and what her story means to Italy, Italians around the world, and the future of mankind... all the while keeping to our show’s spirit of intellectual free-styling... meaning you’ll learn about saints and mystics, Italian baking traditions, the Italo-Albanian Community, and how Pat once solved a friend’s generations old genealogical mystery by studying their pepper recipe!
It’s an episode filled with the joy of the holiday season, with lots of laughter, a few tears, and more than enough trivia to satisfy even the most voracious listener... after all, this is the first episode ever to be so filled with topics that it leaves Pat speechless! So it’s probably one you won’t want to miss!
La Befana and Friends
New Year's Eve is almost here and we at the Italian American Podcast thought we should bring in a special guest to help us point you in the direction of Italy’s best “bubblies” so that when the Ball drops, and you pop the cork you could know exactly which Italian sparkling wine should be in your glass!
But, Christian Galliani, Founder of ‘Wine for the 99’ (not to mention the co-founder of "Arthur Avenue Food Tours" and “Feast on History”) is much more than a prosecco connoisseur… he’s a brilliant sommelier with an expertise in Southern Italian wines! So, while he’ll certainly be sharing his recommendations for the best sparkling Italian whites to bring to your New Year's Eve parties tomorrow night, and we will discuss some of Italy and Italian America’s more unique New Year’s customs, this episode turned out to be a brilliant Master Class for listeners ranging from sophisticated oenophiles to those who can’t tell the difference between white and red.
And, since Christian decided to bring some of his favorites to the studio, he and John will make their way through a delicious bottle of prosecco while discussing the history of wine, its place in the Italian culture, and why there is a bottle fit for every drinker. Besides all the fascinating history, and increasingly frequent stutters and hiccups, you’ll want to hear which is Europe’s best recent vintage… so universally great that Christian recommends grabbing ANY European bottle you see from that year. Plus, these two will take you on a tour of Southern Italy’s seven Regions to get insights into this Somm’s favorites! We’ve listed a few below… but you’ll learn about dozens of great finds throughout this laugh-filled, Year Ending episode!
What We’re Drinking in Studio:
Carpene Malvolti '1868 Brut', Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG, Italy
2013 Terrazze dell'Etna Cuvee Brut, Sicily, Italy
San Salvatore 'Ceraso' Aglianico Paestum IGT, Campania, Italy
Christian’s Southern Italian Picks:
Abruzzo & Molise-
Emedio Pepe
Masciarelli Marina Cvetic S. Martino Rosso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy
Puglia-
Gianfranco Fino 'Es' Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy
Angelo Rocca Figli Sirocco Negro Amaro Primitivo Italy Puglia
Campania-
Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico Rosso Irpinia, Campania, Italy
Calabria-
Librandi Ciro Rosso Classico, Calabria, Italy
Librandi 'Gravello' Val di Neto Rosso IGT, Calabria, Italy
Basilicata (Vulture)-
Vestini Campagnano Kajanero Terre del Volturno IGT, Campania, Italy
Sicily-
Armosa Siclys Nero d'Avola IGP Sicily, Italy
Donnafugata 'Mille e Una Notte' Contessa Entellina, Sicily, Italy
Buon Natale Everybody! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, a time for friends, food, famiglia... and the free-flowing conversations bound to come up when Dolores and Anthony get back on the mic at the Italian American Podcast. The duo that started it all have been pretty swamped these past few months, but in the days before Christmas they reunite with John and Pat and set out to record another Christmas Episode.
But, when four great friends reunite after far too long, staying on topic might just be an issue. Catch up with Anthony and Dolores, and follow this Fab Four as they talk baby names, Hawaiian Italians, and what’s been happening since they were last together.
Sure, we’ll talk about Christmas for a bit, but if you relish the feeling of being a part of this wacky group, you’ll love this heart-felt reunion!
Hoboken, NJ is considered a Mecca of Italian American Pastry, with something for everyone, from world-famous brands to the most authentic family-owned Pasticceria you could ask for!
At Giorgio’s Pasticceria Italiana, second generation pastry chef Mary Grace Castiello follows in the footsteps of her late father, the Pastry Shop’s namesake Giorgio, in making sure that no matter how long the lines get, those who pop in for a pastry or some cookies still feel like family. As she likes to say, if other places feel like a big budget Hollywood picture... Giorgio’s is an independent film. Now, after 45 years as a Hoboken institution, Mary Grace is stepping up to keep the family business, and a neighborhood’s Italian American landmark, moving forward into a new era.
In this episode, John and Pat will venture into Hoboken to sit down with Mary Grace at Giorgio’s as the Christmas Bakery Boom begins anew. They’ll discuss what it’s like for a history major to take on the reigns of family tradition, and how an Italian American business has evolved for a new clientele and a new Hoboken.
They’ll exchange some of their favorite recipes, explore how changing tastes have impacted what we buy, and explore how new trends, like gluten-free eating, make their way into an “Old School” institution like Giorgio’s.
It’s an episode about food and family...two of the most important pillars of Italian American identity, and one that will inspire you to head to your local bakery, or make your way to Giorgio’s in Hoboken, to satisfy the “woolee” for an Italian American sweet!
Giorgio's Pasticceria Italiana Facebook
Hoboken Girl: Giorgio's Pasticceria: Hoboken's Beloved Uptown Bakery
Why is Arthur Avenue, the Little Italy in the Bronx, NY, so unique amongst America’s Italian enclaves?
After a day of filming the newest episode of Greetings From Italian America, Rossella, Pat, and John sit down for a plate of fresh-made pasta with Danielle Oteri, the co-founder of ‘Feast on History’ and the ‘Arthur Avenue Food Tours’ to discuss just what makes this neighborhood so unique.
They’ll discuss how a call from a British department store inspired this proud daughter of the Bronx neighborhood to begin her now-booming tour company, and whether the Italian sense of competition is a limitation of a bygone era or the fuel behind this neighborhood’s resilience.
They’ll find out why Arthur Avenue is so special at Christmastime, and share some recommendations on where to visit, but, no Italian American Podcast would be complete without a tangent or two into Italian American minutia!
In this case for example, Pat finally identifies the distinct uses for two different types of beef tripe, and puts on his professorial hat for a fascinating history of Southern Italian Christmas desserts!
It’s an episode that will get you in the Spirit of the Season... and whet your appetite at the same time!
This week, in a special pre-recorded announcement, John and Pat will take a break from their Thanksgiving Eve preparations to sit down for a call to discuss the newest project from the Italian American Podcast... “Greetings From Italian America” a brand new web-series produced in conjunction with the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) in which your favorite Italian American podcasters will be invading your screens -live and in color- to bring you their many adventures (and misadventures) throughout the Italian American community!
They’ll discuss how this show came to be, and what they have got planned for the future of the IAP’s venture into video. And, they’ll be asking listeners to get involved as well, so make sure you listen to the episode, and then head over to the all-new IAP YouTube channel to subscribe, check out the first offering, and start working on your ideas for the next great Italian American show!
IAP YouTube Channel
Grazie Mille,
The Italian American Podcast Team
As we approach Thanksgiving and the start of the Christmas Season, John and Pat are spending an afternoon with one of their favorite Italian American friends, the award-winning singer, actress, and opera star Cristina Fontanelli, who brings her captivating personality into the IAP studio for an episode that’s full of love and laughter from the very first moments... as Cristina tries to prevent Pat taking a cat nap before the recording begins!
These three old friends will discuss Fontanelli’s much-celebrated career as an entertainer, why her love of a good lasagna might be what turned her from actress to opera star, and how an Italian American girl from Brooklyn honed her craft in the “Borscht Belt” resorts of the Catskills.
They’ll discuss her years “singing for the saints” at Italian Feasts across America... and ponder whether a Brioschi cocktail might be the next big drink for the Italian American social scene.
And since our conversations never stay in one lane, you’ll also pick up the secret to perfectly roasted chestnuts (plus Pat’s tip on where to get the ONLY truly native chestnuts in America), and the true history of the famous Italian Christmas Carol, ‘Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle’!
Most importantly, they’ll discuss Cristina’s much-loved "Christmas In Italy" concert...a show benefiting St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital which celebrates Italy's best-loved songs, arias, Neapolitan and Christmas classics, and which is about to celebrate its 16th edition at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, December 8th.
From singing, to screaming, to showering one another with praises, the chemistry between these three will have you hooked from the first line.
Carnegie Hall Calendar of Events
Cristina Fontanelli Official Website
Cristina Fontanelli Official Youtube
Rocco Deserto isn’t blaming his mother for making him nuts... he’s just revealing the humor behind his first generation Italian American upbringing!
This week, Rossella and John are joined by the man known to the world as Rocco the Comic, and this triumvirate of Brooklyn Italians is setting out to understand why it feels so good when we Italian Americans can laugh at ourselves.
They’ll discuss the roots of Rocco’s comedy career, and how his uniquely Italian American experience evolved into one of the funniest acts in Italian America. How finding a gift for an Italian parent is a no-win situation, and why the best home goods are the ones you stole from an Alitalia flight.
It’s a conversation filled with laughs covering everything from the Italian obsession with death, funerals, and guilt to the freedom that comes with being married into a family that isn’t Italian, and why Italian American kids always secretly wanted to try SpaghettiOs
It’s an unfiltered exploration of so many of the strange habits of our Italian American lives... and why so much of it makes for comedy gold!
The United States population is equivalent to 4.27% of the total world population, yet we consume 90% of the opioids on earth. Every single day we lose 150 Americans to opioid related deaths. It’s an epidemic that is ravishing our nation, and one that is little understood.
This week, moderator John M. Viola sits down with longtime friend Dr. John Rosa, the founder of 'Overdose Free America', a leading voice in integrative medicine and a surrogate to the White House Opioid Task Force, who will explain both the terrifying scale of this crisis, and his Italian American approach to tackling it.
They’ll explore the evolutionary tendencies at the heart of opioid addiction, and the long and checkered history of opioids, big pharma, and how these drugs have become the number one cause of death for Americans under the age of fifty.
With 650,000 opioid prescriptions being written a day, and hundreds of billions of dollars spent on advertising and lobbying annually, ending this plague often looks like a battle against insurmountable odds... but could the answer lie with the Italian American perspective on family?
This is an episode destined to open eyes and ears to a cataclysmic national emergency, and one that might just change the way you see this grave issue.
On this episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’ll sit down with Filmmaker Antony Osso to discuss his award winning documentary PIZZA SHOP: An Italian-American Dream- an intimate portrait of his family and the pizzeria and restaurant they have run for over forty years.
Osso’s film introduces us to his father Charlie and uncle Fred, poor immigrants from post-war Calabria, whose lives have revolved around their successful New Jersey pizzeria for four decades. Their tireless pursuit of the American Dream has borne fruit for them and their families, but now- in their seventies, they’re facing a forced relocation, construction of a new restaurant, their sons’ attempts to update the management style, and encroaching old age.
They’ll discuss Osso’s inspiration for this passion project, and examine his family’s efforts to achieve the American Dream of a better life- and what the sacrifices required cost.
It’s an episode that takes on some big ideas about immigration, Italian American identity, assimilation, poverty consciousness... and why the humble Pizzeria says so much about our Italian American experience.
It’s an episode filled with humor, heart, and the sense of family every listener will surely relate to.
Pizza Shop Movie
Italian American Heritage Month is drawing to a close, and for our final episode of October, we’re inviting in a few outside voices to join us as we try to untangle the often-in-the-news topic of Christopher Columbus, his legacy, the holiday that bears his name, and his meaning for the modern Italian American.
As the “Columbus Question” continues to evolve within America’s popular dialogue, many Americans- including Italian Americans- are revisiting the historical portrait of the Genovese navigator, and communities all across the nation are torn over how we memorialize the man and his impact on world history every second Monday in October. And of course (as we explored in Episode 112) we Italian Americans have become the community most closely identified with, and now often-times defending, this man and his impact.
But how deep are we really taking the conversation? This week we have invited three guests to call into the show to help us dig-deeper into the various questions surrounding this delicate debate. We’ll speak to a listener from Florida, a wife and mother who is both Italian and Indigenous American about her experience sharing Columbus Day with her kids. Dr. Anthony Tamburri, Dean of the Calandra Italian American Institute will call us to explore the often-incomplete historiography around Columbus, and to examine the role of Italian American Academia in the ongoing dialogue. And finally, we’ll speak to John Calvelli, Vice-Chairman of NIAF and a leading figure in the institutional Italian American community to probe the ways Italian Americans can broaden the coalition discussing a figure and a celebration with international roots and national implications!
We’re sure we won’t settle the debate here, but we hope our efforts will continue to make it a better-informed and more civilized one for all who listen.
This week we are coming at you from Cleveland, Ohio, one of America’s most passionate Italian communities!
In celebration of Italian American Heritage Month, our favorite moderator John M. Viola has been invited to speak to the Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation (NOIA Foundation) about the history of Southern Italy and its impact on the Italian American story.
Recorded from a live presentation, join our friends in Cleveland as they explore a brief history of a united Southern Italy, from the Golden Age of the Norman Kingdom, through the Bourbon era and the end of the Kingdom’s 731 year sovereignty.
In this beginners overview of two of the most dynamic and important periods of the history of the Two Sicilies, you’ll discover some fascinating historic trivia, and as John shares the shocking statistics of what the South was really like on the eve of the Risorgimento, you’ll begin to understand the long-lost counter-history that explains why the nation that in 1860 had Europe’s lowest rate of emigration, would lose nearly 40% of its population within 50 years of the Italian Reunification.
Next week, we’ll return to the discussion around Columbus Day, but we couldn’t let this important examination of the roots of the Italian American story be kept to just our friends in Cleveland!
Happy Columbus Day everyone! Or is it “Happy Indigenous Peoples Day”? Or “Happy Italian American Heritage Day”?
In recent years, a holiday that was celebrated for centuries without controversy (save for some of the garish green-white-and-red outfits it inspired) has become a hot-button issue that hits at the heart of Italian identity in America.
As some communities opt to re-examine the legacy of the holiday’s namesake navigator, Italian Americans across the nation are finding themselves fighting to defend a figure clouded in historical mystery and a holiday that, for many, had come to represent the Italian contribution to the United States.
But just how DID Columbus Day, a celebration first observed in 1792, come to belong to a community that didn’t really arrive here in significant numbers until a century later?
In this episode we will examine the history of Columbus Day, from its roots as a day free from the fingerprints of America’s recently vanquished British forbearers, through its years as the target of the Ku Klux Klan, to its eventual role as the celebration of Italian American pride that it has become.
Next week, we’ll wade into the battle raging around this enigmatic figure and the holiday that bears his name, but in order to fully participate in the present dialogue, Italian Americans ought to understand, for better or worse, just how this holiday came to be our own. And hopefully, after listening to this episode, you will too!
For over one hundred episodes, we’ve talked, complained, gossiped, and wondered about the “Italian American Way”, and now it’s time to set pen to paper and see if we can’t figure out exactly what that means in 21st Century America.
As ‘Italian American Heritage Month’ kicks into full swing, John presents Pat with a project he’s long sought to bring to fruition... an ‘Italian American Identity Audit’ survey, designed to put a finger on the pulse of the modern Italian American community. Since neither have ever seen something like this that meets their standard for ‘Italian American Excellence’ they’ve set out to create it, and this episode will bring you into the conversation around why this project is so important, how the questions have been formed, and how they intend to gather the widest variety and highest rate of response they can.
You’ll have a front row seat as they begin to craft this project, and hear some of the questions they consider, and opinions they hope to understand in undertaking such a work.
Of course, it’s still an episode of the Italian American Podcast, so what is intended to be a serious sociological conversation will include Pat’s audio tour of some of the Italian American artifacts in the new studio, recipes and culinary history, and countless nuggets of information that’s useless to everyone but the discerning Italian American!
It’s the first in a series of very special episodes celebrating ‘Italian American Heritage Month’, and an invitation to be a part of something of incredible value to the future of Italian America!
* The survey will go live on Friday, October 11, 2019. To submit questions or comments for potential inclusion in the questionnaire, please email info@italianpower.com*
New Jersey native Cara Di Falco is a woman who knows that success is born of passion. In just three short years, she’s made her online series ‘Cara’s Cucina’ YouTube’s first and ONLY Emmy Nominated cooking show!
Di Falco’s distinguished career on TV and radio (at News 12 NJ, Good Day NY on Fox5, and 1010 WINS radio) set the table for her expertly produced and highly entertaining foray into the world of cooking shows, but this Italian American renaissance woman is so much more than just a TV star. She’s also an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, a professional broadcast journalist, and a tireless ambassador for Italian American cuisine and culture.
Now, this proud “graduate of Nonna’s kitchen” sits in with Rossella and John to share the secrets to her success and to dig deeper into their shared Italian American experience.
As they explore the evolution of Italian American cuisine, they’ll discuss family history, culinary anthropology, and the ups-and-downs of sharing personal recipes with the wider world. They’ll try to understand an “Italian American take on Home Economics”, address the hypersensitive topic of finding a consensus-based meatball recipe, and decide whether or not Chicken Parmigiana truly qualifies as part of the “Mediterranean Diet”.
It’s an episode to inspire the amateur culinarian that rests in the heart of all Italian Americans, and one that’s jam packed with laughs and love “from soup to nuts”.
CaraDiFalco.com
Cara's Cucina on YouTube
Linda R. Carlozzi is known to many for her stellar legal career (she’s even included on Crain's NY's list of 100 Leading Women Lawyers in New York City). But, to those of us in the Italian American community, her ubiquitous presence amongst the leadership of countless Italian American organizations might make one wonder exactly how this “Wonder Woman” finds the time for anything but being Italian.
This week, Rossella and John catch up with this ever-present Italian American to explore some of the many institutions and initiatives she lends her talents to. From her college years as one of the founders of FIERI, the first national organization for Italian American college students, to her work with the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), Linda has become one of the most prominent and active women leaders in Italian America. Yet, even with such a robust ethnic résumé, it’s her work as Chairwoman of the 99-years young Italian Welfare League (IWL) that has defined her service to her community.
As the League gears up to celebrate its 99th anniversary in late October, we’ll discuss its founding in 1920 as a project of the American Red Cross in Italy, and its decades long service for newly-arrived Italian immigrants on the piers at Ellis Island, to its current mission born from the tragedy of September 11, 2001- to serve “i Nostri Bambini”, the children of greatest need in the Italian American community. This all-volunteer group is the oldest organization for Italian American women in the nation, yet it's leading the way in redefining service in the community.
As they explore this history, they’ll take the well-worn, meandering path that comes with any episode of the Italian American Podcast, to search for better understanding of why our community keeps its culture so alive, and share a story (and argument) or two from the many years these three have crossed paths in their shared efforts to serve the community they all love.
It’s an episode that will inspire you to get active in the community, and leave you with a ton of laughs along the way.
Italian Welfare League
"Linda Carlozzi, An Extrodinary Italian American Woman" by iItaly
Hidden Heritage Collections- I Nostri Bambini: A Glimpse at the Work of the Italian Welfare League
It’s mid-September in The Big Apple, and the air is filled with the smell of sausage and peppers and fresh frying zeppole, because 'a festa 'e tutte 'e feste'—'The Festival of All Festivals' has arrived!
For eleven days each September, thousands descend on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's Little Italy for the Feast of San Gennaro, and this week, Rossella and John are invited to share a unique view inside the “Greatest Feast of Them All”.
When Rossella is asked to host a private pasta making demonstration to celebrate the opening day of this year’s Feast with WABC Radio NY, she brings the Podcast into the event so John can record an on-location episode to explore the history and happenings behind this world famous Festa!
While Ro, Nonna Romana, and Zia Rosa spend the day hand crafting pounds and pounds of fresh Orecchiette, signing cookbooks and greeting fans, John will try to explain the history of San Gennaro, patron Saint of Napoli, the ancient traditions that celebrate his devotion in that famed city, and how they were transported to and adapted in New York City almost a century ago.
He’ll take to Mulberry Street, the heart of this famed Italian quarter, to speak to some local friends about their experience of the Feast, its history, and its future, and he’ll take you inside his personal experience awaiting the miracle of San Gennaro in Naples.
If you love an Italian American Feast, and if the sounds of a bustling Italian neighborhood dressed in all its finest are music to your ears, then you will love every second of this cacophonous cruise into the heart of one of Italian America’s most important annual rituals!
The Feast of San Gennaro Official Website
E. Rossi & Company
Inaugural Address by OSIA Founder Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro, M.D.
As the summer draws to a close, and the school year begins anew, co-hosts Rossella Rago and John Viola take their first crack at sharing hosting duties by welcoming Italo-Canadian MC, comedian, and social media superstar Giuseppe the MC to the show!
If you haven’t seen Toronto’s #1 Paesan yet, you’ll get a rundown of some of our favorite videos that made Giuseppe Meleca famous- his hilarious impersonations of his mother (complete with costume) assessing the particular hilarity of Italian motherhood. From the unique lunches they packed us, to their rules on recycling (don’t throw anything away), to how to shop for groceries at mom’s house, neophytes and long-time-fans alike will love this look into Giuseppe’s favorite topics. And, for those that have been dying for an answer, we’ll return to the much debated question where it all began- how do you know what to put in the busta envelope at a wedding?!?
You’ll get an inside look at the Italian community in Canada and its favorite son, and enjoy a laugh-a-minute conversation you won’t want to miss. With these three paesani clearly bursting with Italian Pride, this hilarious episode is a laugh-out-loud love-fest from the very beginning!
Follow Giuseppe the MC!
GiuseppetheMC.com
Youtube
Labor Day is here, and with it comes not just the end of summer, but also the close of the “Italian American Feast Season”, so join co-hosts John Viola and Pat O’Boyle as they decamp for the Sicilian American enclave of Lodi, New Jersey to celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker and to discuss the Italian American contributions to the US Labor Movement.
What begins as a thoughtful reflection on the incredible contributions and sacrifices that Italian Americans have made in the history of US Organized Labor begins to veer off topic as the siren song of an end of summer Italian Feast sees our guides unable to resist the distracting allure of Sicilian pastries and fresh fried zeppole.
They’ll introduce often unknown chapters in the history of Italian American Labor, like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the 1912 Lawrence, Massachusetts Textile Strike lead by Italian American Arturo Giovannitti, the history of the Feast of St. Jospeh the Worker, and explore the importance of the Labor Day’s often-overlooked meaning.
But, of course, they are yards away from a Feast, and this is the Italian American Podcast, so the conversation will veer into a debate on Sicilian vs. Neapolitan pastries, the meaning of Feasts in the Italian American psyche, and Pat’s many recommendations for the best sweets in this slice of the Garden State.
If you love those episodes where you just don’t know what to except next, you’ll be thrilled to download this labor of love for our Italian American heritage!
Pat’s Lodi-area Sicilian Delicacy Recommendations:
Maria’s Italian Bakery (Saddle Brook, NJ)
Orlando’s Bakery & Deli (Lodi, NJ)
Venice Bakery (Garfield, NJ)
Vitamia & Sons Ravioli Co. (Lodi, NJ)
On August 20, 2019, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte resigned from his office, bringing to an end the strange fourteen-month experiment that was Europe’s first “Populist Government”. So, on this week’s Italian American Podcast, co-hosts John Viola and Pat O’Boyle attempt to tackle the timeless challenge of explaining Italian politics for the uninitiated.
They’ll discuss how Italy’s “Second Republic” came to be, and introduce the cast of characters behind the current Parliamentary drama that has the world casting weary eyes towards the Italian motherland.
You’ll get to know Italy’s main political parties and the men and women who make them run, a deep dive into the timeline of events that brought ‘il Bel Paese’ to this unique moment, and a concise assessment of the major issues Italy faces as her political class tries to negotiate exactly what comes next for Italia!
It’s a topic that baffles the brightest political scientist... so it surely has our team stumped. But, they’ll give it the old Italian American try so that you might better understand exactly who’s in charge in Italy today... it will be a jam-packed discussion you won’t want to miss!
ATTENTION FELLOW ITALIAN AMERICANS! This week marks the first emergency broadcast for the Italian American Podcast. Although the team was planning to take a week of rest and relaxation to celebrate the ultimate Italian vacation of Ferragosto, the wider world just wouldn't let us rest because during the week leading up to the holiday the Italian American community was in the news for a host of reasons and true to our word to be a voice for Italian America we wanted to make sure to weigh in.
From the controversy surrounding CCN anchor Chris Cuomo's reaction to being labeled "Fredo" to the all too under the radar decision by the First Lady of New York City to strike down a monument of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, there was just too much to discuss to stay off the airwaves. Of course because it's the Italian American Podcast, the episode will start with a fantastic conversation of the history of cassata cake, but we'll get to the meat of it and bring you all the ups and downs that occurred in Italian America during this eventful week.
Episode Sponsors:
Mediaset Italia
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On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, host John Viola sits down for an intimate one-on-one with filmmaker Robert Bruzio to discuss his much-talked-about new independent film “Bottom of the Ninth”- a very personal tale of an Italian American ball player taking a last shot at redemption, both on the diamond and in the old neighborhood.
Bruzio’s film- his feature-length writing debut- stars Italian American actor Joe Manganiello and “real-life” wife Sofia Vergara surrounded by a supporting cast of Italian American stars in a very personal tale of love, life, and last chances. And, it all unfolds on Arthur Avenue, the famed thoroughfare at the heart of the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx- the borough’s bustling “Little Italy”.
They’ll discuss how Bruzio’s upbringing as the son of Calabrese immigrants living on Arthur Avenue lead to his career in film, how he almost starred in “A Bronx Tale”, how he loves speaking Calabrese, the story behind his breakout film, his Italian and Italian American cinematic influences, and the future of Italian American portrayals in film.
It’s a thoughtful and engaging discussion you won’t want to miss!
Episode Sponsors:
Mediaset Italia
Summer plus Italy equals Mediaset Italia! Experience an Italian entertainment getaway on DIRECTV, with all the newest drama, variety, news and entertainment from Mediaset Italia. Now you can get Mediaset Italia and four more Italian channels with the ItalianDirect package from DIRECTV — and enjoy all things Italia. Get Mediaset Italia a la carte for $10/month plus taxes or ItalianDirect package for $20/month plus taxes. Call 877.778.4794 today. WorldDirect a la carte service requires activation of a qualifying base package. Hardware available separately. Additional fees & restrictions apply. New customer offers require equipment lease and credit approval. Other conditions apply. Call 1-877.778.4794 or visit att.com for full details.
Amore is in the air on this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, as our panel of co-hosts are joined by a special guest to explore the ins-and-outs of Italian American courtship!
Rachel Russo- Dating and Relationship Expert, Professional Matchmaker, Relationship Coach, and proud Italian American- is the author of The FabJob Guide to Become a Matchmaker and How to Get Over Your Ex: A Step by Step Guide to Mend a Broken Heart-Italian American Style.
She’s also known as the premier “Italian American Matchmaker”- expertly paring countless couples on the road to all-Italian love. Rachel joins the crew as they share some personal relationship stories and their counsel and caution for the listeners doing laps in the Italian American dating pool.
They’ll discuss the methods available to find other Italian singles, question the pros-and-cons of dating Italian Americans, and ultimately try to decide whether or not the “PC Police” will be called if we ask... “Am I Allowed to Say... I Only Wanna Date ITALIANS?!?”
www.rachelrusso.com
Episode Sponsors
Mediaset Italia
Summer plus Italy equals Mediaset Italia! Experience an Italian entertainment getaway on DIRECTV, with all the newest drama, variety, news and entertainment from Mediaset Italia. Now you can get Mediaset Italia and four more Italian channels with the ItalianDirect package from DIRECTV — and enjoy all things Italia. Get Mediaset Italia a la carte for $10/month plus taxes or ItalianDirect package for $20/month plus taxes. Call 877.778.4794 today. WorldDirect a la carte service requires activation of a qualifying base package. Hardware available separately. Additional fees & restrictions apply. New customer offers require equipment lease and credit approval. Other conditions apply. Call 1-877.778.4794 or visit att.com for full details.
On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, when one of the co-hosts makes a special announcement, the rest of the gang ponder what it would take to raise a “certifiably Italian American” child in the wild world of 21st century America. Listen in on the secretly recorded telephone calls revealing the big news, then get down to the important questions, like whether or not to name a child with an Italian name, who can’t be selected as Godparents, and if you should teach them Italian or Neapolitan first!
They’ll discuss an Italian American approach to self soothing, and the importance of family time in a child’s life, among many other rambling and random topics bound to come up when this group sits around the table. But for all the fun, this episode hits on some serious issues around keeping the culture alive and evolving in a rapidly changing world.
Sure, none of them are parents yet, but by the end of this extra-length episode, you’ll be begging for a hard copy of “Bringing Up Bambino” to guide you when the Italian stork comes to your casa!
Episode Sponsors
Mediaset Italia
Summer plus Italy equals Mediaset Italia! Experience an Italian entertainment getaway on DIRECTV, with all the newest drama, variety, news and entertainment from Mediaset Italia. Now you can get Mediaset Italia and four more Italian channels with the ItalianDirect package from DIRECTV — and enjoy all things Italia. Get Mediaset Italia a la carte for $10/month plus taxes or ItalianDirect package for $20/month plus taxes. Call 877.778.4794 today. WorldDirect a la carte service requires activation of a qualifying base package. Hardware available separately. Additional fees & restrictions apply. New customer offers require equipment lease and credit approval. Other conditions apply. Call 1-877.778.4794 or visit att.com for full details.
The one-and-only, often imitated never duplicated, original Italian American Podcast presents: the Centenario Spettacolore - 100th Episode Supershow!
The Italian American Podcast is celebrating 100 episodes of Italian Pride, as Dolores, Rossella, Pat, and John gather around the table to share a few memories, a lot of laughs, and a sneak-peek at the ALL NEW Italian American Podcast coming your way!
Spend some time getting to know just how your favorite co-hosts met, how the show has changed their lives, and what they think about the changes ahead. You’ll hear some inside stories, hilarious outtakes, and well wishes from some famous fans. You’ll also get a guided tour of the all new italianamericanpodcast.com website, and the true story of the photo shoot behind it. The team takes you inside their thoughts on listener feedback, both good and bad, and what to expect from the next hundred episodes and beyond.
It’s a celebration of the history, the culture, and the friendships at the root of the Italian American Podcast!
Episode Sponsors
Mediaset Italia
Summer plus Italy equals Mediaset Italia! Experience an Italian entertainment getaway on DIRECTV, with all the newest drama, variety, news and entertainment from Mediaset Italia. Now you can get Mediaset Italia and four more Italian channels with the ItalianDirect package from DIRECTV — and enjoy all things Italia. Get Mediaset Italia a la carte for $10/month plus taxes or ItalianDirect package for $20/month plus taxes. Call 877.778.4794 today. WorldDirect a la carte service requires activation of a qualifying base package. Hardware available separately. Additional fees & restrictions apply. New customer offers require equipment lease and credit approval. Other conditions apply. Call 1-877.778.4794 or visit att.com for full details.
In our 99th episode of The Italian American Podcast we highlight some of our favorite clips from our first 98 episodes. We also discuss some of the new and exciting developments which have been going on with The Italian American Podcast. It’s an episode full of fun, laughter, and heartwarming reflections that you should definitely check out.
We both picked a few clips from some of our favorite episodes and will reflect back on the “Strictly Dolores and Anthony Age” of the podcast. Looking back at how things were for us since inception up to now and how the themes in these clips have evolved through all of our conversations, but in reality, they remain the same with family being the core. It's a very exciting time for the podcast and that's why we would like to share our thoughts with you, our listeners, who have supported us so much throughout the years. We could not have done it without you!
Mediaset Italia Summer plus Italy equals Mediaset Italia! Experience an Italian entertainment getaway on DIRECTV, with all the newest drama, variety, news and entertainment from Mediaset Italia. Now you can get Mediaset Italia and four more Italian channels with the ItalianDirect package from DIRECTV — and enjoy all things Italia. Get Mediaset Italia a la carte for $10/month plus taxes or ItalianDirect package for $20/month plus taxes. Call 877.778.4794 today. WorldDirect a la carte service requires activation of a qualifying base package. Hardware available separately. Additional fees & restrictions apply. New customer offers require equipment lease and credit approval. Other conditions apply. Call 1-877.778.4794 or visit att.com for full details.
Law Office of Michael A. Desapio Have you dreamed of reconnecting with your ancestral homeland by becoming an Italian citizen? Since a change in Italian law has allowed dual citizenship between Italy and the United States, thousands of Italian Americans have done just that. Italian citizenship by descent is granted to those individuals who can prove Italian ancestry (even if through several generations). If you or a family member is interested in pursuing their Italian citizenship, contact the law office of Michael De Sapio for a free consultation to see if you qualify. They are a full-service law firm based in New Jersey that has served clients throughout the United States in assisting with dual citizenship applications. Mike will work with you, and his experienced network of researchers, genealogists and translators both in Italy and the US to guide you through the process. Don’t miss the opportunity to reclaim your right to be an Italian citizen. Contact them at 908-996-6766 or www.desapioesq.com for more information.
This week’s episode of the Italian American Power Hour is one for the ages, when most of the gang reassembles in New York City for the chance to spend an incredible day with America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani. Known for leading one of the most transformative eras in the history of America’s great metropolis, Mayor Giuliani sat down with us for over two and a half hours of honest, contemplative, and (in true Power Hour fashion) meandering discussion about life, faith, service, and exactly why his Italian heritage makes him the man he is today.
Find out how a day at the beach changed his life path, and how his love of the Latin Mass made him an opera lover. Learn what inspired his beliefs about homelessness and crime, and how his Italian culture made him one of American politics' great huggers. Find out where his affections fall in the debates between southern and northern Italy, and get an inside look at his infamous mission to destroy the American mafia.
While you may think you know this iconic figure, this episode will reveal an often-unseen side of this familiar man... his glaringly Italian soul. It’s Rudy like you’ve never heard him, in what we are sure will go down as one of our most talked about episodes yet!
In this week's episode, Pat and John sit down with Jeanne Abate Allen, the Founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform. Considered one of the nation’s most accomplished and relentless advocates for education reform, and a recognized expert, speaker and author in the field, she is also an incredibly proud and active Italian American. While the conversation eventually turns to the challenges surrounding education, and the Italian American values at the root of her work, this wouldn't be the Italian American Power Hour if the show didn't start with a heated debate on the right types of flavorings required to make the perfect pastiera, and why cheese on seafood is not really a mortal sin! It's an episode that goes from pastry to profound and everywhere in between... and one that you won't want to miss!
In this week’s episode of the Italian American Power Hour, Pat and John sit down with Italian American artist Steven Mairella, a proud paisano enjoying a second successful career as an artist. The son of a sign painter, and the grandson of Italian immigrants from the Calabria, Basilicata, and Campania regions of Italy, this New Jersey native spent 33 years as a successful attorney before trading his briefcase for brushes and setting out to capture his deeply held affection for his Italian American heritage in painting. They’ll discuss the inspiration behind his iconic Italian American images, the state of the Italian American in the 21st century, and exactly which grapes make the most authentic homemade wine. With his passion for his heritage seeping out in every brush stroke, Mairella is the perfect addition to this Power Hour discussion!
Ciao paisani! With Memorial Day come and gone, summer vacation season is upon us and on this week’s episode our Power Hour panel of Italian travel experts share some of their top-secret destinations, deals, and detours to give you an insider’s guide to your trips to Southern Italy.
With tips in all 7 regions of the South, find out which region is best for Donkey braciole and what’s Calabria’s best museum. Identify alternatives to the over-crowded Amalfi Coast and discover “the Maldives of Italy”. We’ll introduce you to Matera, Italy’s hottest new travel destination and reveal the city where a Greek temple still stands as a modern Catholic church. Find out what town in Sicily has the best flea market and fish market and many more of our best recommendations for a chance to build your own Power Hour certified insider’s experience in Italy’s beautiful South.
This is the Italian American Podcast, and in this episode, we talk to PBS-TV Star and Tenor Christopher Macchio about using your talent to serve your community. This is a fun-filled episode with a lot of stories, laughs and humor that might just make you reconsider your mission in life.
About Christopher Macchio
Christopher Macchio is a PBS-TV Star & well-known Tenor. His performances range from full operatic arias, to stirring songs from the repertoire of Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti and Mario Lanza, to timeless classics in the styles of Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé. His presentation consists of the display of a highly trained voice of beautiful tone and quality, delivered with a charisma and sincerity that never fails to produce a standing ovation! Mr. Macchio has performed in a variety of languages and cultural settings for sacred ceremonies, lively receptions, private and public events, and for numerous charities.
Episode Sponsors
Law Office of Michael A. DeSapio
Have you dreamed of reconnecting with your ancestral homeland by becoming an Italian citizen? Since a change in Italian law has allowed dual citizenship between Italy and the United States, thousands of Italian Americans have done just that. Italian citizenship by descent is granted to those individuals who can prove Italian ancestry (even if through several generations). If you or a family member is interested in pursuing their Italian citizenship, contact the law office of Michael De Sapio for a free consultation to see if you qualify. They are a full-service law firm based in New Jersey that has served clients throughout the United States in assisting with dual citizenship applications. Mike will work with you, and his experienced network of researchers, genealogists and translators both in Italy and the US to guide you through the process. Don’t miss the opportunity to reclaim your right to be an Italian citizen. Contact them at 908-996-6766 or www.desapioesq.com for more information.
Dogman
Cinema Made In Italy and Magnolia Pictures present DOGMAN, the new film from Matteo Garrone, the award winning director of GOMORRAH. Winner of the Best Actor award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and the European Film Awards, DOGMAN tells a story of vengeance where only the strong will survive. Marcello is a slight, mild-mannered man who divides his days between working at his modest dog grooming salon, and being coerced into the petty criminal schemes of the local bully Simoncino, an ex-boxer who terrorizes the neighborhood. When Simoncino’s abuse finally brings Marcello to a breaking point, he decides to stand up for his own dignity through an act of vengeance, with unintended consequences. An Official selection of the Cannes, Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals and the winner of 9 David di Donatello Awards, the Italian Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Actor. The Guardian calls “Dogman,” “a movie with an incomparable bite and strength.” Now playing in select cities. Visit dogmanthemovie.com to watch the trailer and order tickets.
In this episode of the Italian American Power Hour, John scores a one-on-one interview with Marina Di Guardo, one of Italy’s best-selling authors and the mother of the most influential influencers in il bel paese! They’ll discuss the author’s early life as a “Nordic Sicilian” and just what inspired her to become one of Italy’s most renowned writers of her best selling noir thrillers, and emotional novels. They’ll veer off into the light and dark in the Italian soul, what it’s like to begin a writing career after raising a family, and how much responsibility Italy’s most insta-famous family has in trying to maintain Italian values. In what the author described as an “in-depth interview” full of empathy, this is a conversation you are sure to enjoy!
La Memoria dei Corpi by Marina Di Guardo
Episode Sponsors Dogman
Cinema Made In Italy and Magnolia Pictures present DOGMAN, the new film from Matteo Garrone, the award winning director of GOMORRAH. Winner of the Best Actor award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and the European Film Awards, DOGMAN tells a story of vengeance where only the strong will survive. Marcello is a slight, mild-mannered man who divides his days between working at his modest dog grooming salon, and being coerced into the petty criminal schemes of the local bully Simoncino, an ex-boxer who terrorizes the neighborhood. When Simoncino’s abuse finally brings Marcello to a breaking point, he decides to stand up for his own dignity through an act of vengeance, with unintended consequences. An Official selection of the Cannes, Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals and the winner of 9 David di Donatello Awards, the Italian Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Actor. The Guardian calls “Dogman,” “a movie with an incomparable bite and strength.” Now playing in New York and Los Angeles. Coming to additional select cities April 26th. Visit Dogman to watch the trailer and order tickets.
This is the Italian American Podcast, and in this episode, we talk to Candice Guardino, star of the one-woman show "Italian Bred" about her upbringing in an Italian American family and the dream she had to become an actress. Candice shares some very interesting and funny stories, and also talks about how her acting career has brought so much fulfillment for her in life.
About our Guest Candice Guardino Candice Guardino is being called someone who “Stuns!” & is “Re- defining Solo Performances” by The Chicago Stage, Los Angeles, New York, & New Jersey. Within this 85-minute Theatrical Comedy, Candice slips in & out of her family impersonations as she cooks up a full meal of growing up Staten Island. The stories in “Italian Bred” are derived from Candice’s real childhood experiences. She recounts her upbringing by impersonating her family’s unique personalities, singing iconic music tunes, and interacts virtual celebrity cameos that makes this Hit Show not to be missed!
Episode Sponsors Law Office of Michael A. DeSapio Have you dreamed of reconnecting with your ancestral homeland by becoming an Italian citizen? Since a change in Italian law has allowed dual citizenship between Italy and the United States, thousands of Italian Americans have done just that. Italian citizenship by descent is granted to those individuals who can prove Italian ancestry (even if through several generations). If you or a family member is interested in pursuing their Italian citizenship, contact the law office of Michael De Sapio for a free consultation to see if you qualify. They are a full service law firm based in New Jersey that has served clients throughout the United States in assisting with dual citizenship applications. Mike will work with you, and his experienced network of researchers, genealogists and translators both in Italy and the US to guide you through the process. Don’t miss the opportunity to reclaim your right to be an Italian citizen. Contact them at 908-996-6766 or www.desapioesq.com for more information.
Dogman Cinema Made In Italy and Magnolia Pictures present DOGMAN, the new film from Matteo Garrone, the award winning director of GOMORRAH. Winner of the Best Actor award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and the European Film Awards, DOGMAN tells a story of vengeance where only the strong will survive. Marcello is a slight, mild-mannered man who divides his days between working at his modest dog grooming salon, and being coerced into the petty criminal schemes of the local bully Simoncino, an ex-boxer who terrorizes the neighborhood. When Simoncino’s abuse finally brings Marcello to a breaking point, he decides to stand up for his own dignity through an act of vengeance, with unintended consequences. An Official selection of the Cannes, Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals and the winner of 9 David di Donatello Awards, the Italian Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Actor. The Guardian calls “Dogman,” “a movie with an incomparable bite and strength.” Now playing in New York and Los Angeles. Coming to additional select cities April 26th. Visit Dogman to watch the trailer and order tickets.
In this week's special edition of the Italian American Power Hour host John Viola, just back from the Big Easy, presents a special travel journal sharing his multi-year relationship with one of his favorite Italian American events of the year, the Annual St. Joseph's Day Weekend in New Orleans, LA.
This year, John had the honor of serving as the events honorary Grand Marshal and through interviews with some of his friends from the Sicilian American community and some personal insights into the history of St. Joseph's Day, the Sicilian American community in New Orleans and the parade itself, he hopes to take you along with him as part of this very special weekend.
Episode Sponsors Dogman
Cinema Made In Italy and Magnolia Pictures present DOGMAN, the new film from Matteo Garrone, the award winning director of GOMORRAH. Winner of the Best Actor award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and the European Film Awards, DOGMAN tells a story of vengeance where only the strong will survive. Marcello is a slight, mild-mannered man who divides his days between working at his modest dog grooming salon, and being coerced into the petty criminal schemes of the local bully Simoncino, an ex-boxer who terrorizes the neighborhood. When Simoncino’s abuse finally brings Marcello to a breaking point, he decides to stand up for his own dignity through an act of vengeance, with unintended consequences. An Official selection of the Cannes, Telluride & Toronto Film Festivals and the winner of 9 David di Donatello Awards, the Italian Oscars, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Actor. The Guardian calls “Dogman,” “a movie with an incomparable bite and strength.” Opens Friday April 12 in New York and Los Angeles. Visit DogmanTheMovie.com to watch the trailer and order tickets.
In this episode we talk to scholars and researchers Laura Ruberto and Joseph Sciorra about the history of Italian migrations to the United States and their work surrounding this topic. We also discuss the two books they edited, New Italian Migrations to the United States: Vol. 1: Politics and History since 1945 and New Italian Migrations to the United States: Vol. 2: Art and Culture since 1945
About our Guests Laura Ruberto Laura Ruberto is professor of Humanities in the Humanities Program at Berkeley City College in the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies. She teaches film studies courses and interdisciplinary liberal arts courses that focus on cultural studies, material culture, aesthetics, and media. Her research includes work on material culture, Italian American culture, Italian film, and cultural theories of transnational migration.
Joseph Sciorra Joseph Sciorra is the director of Academic and Cultural Programs at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, a Queens College (CUNY) research institute. Receiving his Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania, Sciorra is the recipient of the Italian American Studies Association 2016 book award and author of several works in the Italian American experience.
Episode Sponsor Law Office of Michael A. DeSapio Have you dreamed of reconnecting with your ancestral homeland by becoming an Italian citizen? Since a change in Italian law has allowed dual citizenship between Italy and the United States, thousands of Italian Americans have done just that. Italian citizenship by descent is granted to those individuals who can prove Italian ancestry (even if through several generations). If you or a family member is interested in pursuing their Italian citizenship, contact the law office of Michael De Sapio for a free consultation to see if you qualify. They are a full service law firm based in New Jersey that has served clients throughout the United States in assisting with dual citizenship applications. Mike will work with you, and his experienced network of researchers, genealogists and translators both in Italy and the US to guide you through the process. Don’t miss the opportunity to reclaim your right to be an Italian citizen. Contact them at 908-996-6766 or www.desapioesq.com for more information.
What do you do when three attempts at recording a Power Hour episode fail? You’re about to find out when you listen to “The Greatest Podcast Never Made!”
This week, Pat and John set out to record an episode while making one of Pat’s signature dishes, Sanguinaccio... a Neapolitan chocolate and pig's blood pudding traditionally prepared for Carnevale – the feast day on the eve of Lent. But, when things go awry, their week full of Italian American events makes each attempt to record more confusing than the next! Of course, just sitting these two down in front of a microphone means loads of random knowledge about Italian American food culture, and an episode about the greatest episode never made is a result for all to enjoy.
From the best pots to use for your gravy/sauce, to why macaroni always comes in blue packaging, to the deep historical roots of this often-misunderstood delicacy, it’s an Italian American Power Hour you won’t want to miss!
Do you keep a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket”? If you’re a true believer in Italian Power, you’ll want to hear this week’s episode of the Italian American Power Hour, as Rossella, Dolores, and Pat reunite to dissect John’s take on the ten must-see monuments, events, and institutions that constitute his “Italian American Bucket List”.
Of course, since this is the Power Hour, there will be plenty of debate around this catalog of Italian American experiences, and fascinating facts (and equally fascinating tangents) to walk you through these destinations! From timeless Italian feasts to some of the oldest Italian American restaurants in the USA, and from world class museums to the largest gatherings of Italians in America, by the end of this episode you’ll be booking a trip to one of these events... and working out your very own “Italian American Bucket List”.
This is the Italian American Podcast, and in this episode, we will answer some questions from our listeners on a variety of topics including Italian American food traditions, the Italian culture, Little little Italys as well as genealogy and ancestral research. Andiamo!
On this week’s episode of The Italian American Power Hour, co-host John Viola heads down to the capital of Sicilian American culture- New Orleans, Louisiana- to sit down with renowned singer and proud Italian American, Lena Prima. This special episode offers a sneak peak into Lena’s new chart-topping album Prima La Famiglia- a Big Band journey into the Italian American songbook. The two share memories of Lena’s father, the Italian American icon Louis Prima, discuss her life as an Italian American woman in music, and examine why they shared so much passion for this project- and how John ended up making his singing debut on it.
You’ll learn the history behind all eleven songs from the album, and even get to hear a sample of each... but we know you’ll want to go out and buy the whole record, not just because you’ll love it, but because a portion of all proceeds go to support CIAO Women, a New Orleans based non-profit Lena founded to support Italian American Women!
In this episode of the Italian American Podcast, we talk to former Mets pitcher John Franco about his childhood years and the sacrifices that his parents made for him which contributed to his success in his career. John also discusses his involvement in the Italian American Baseball Foundation.
About our Guest John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career spanning 1984–2005, he pitched for three different National League teams, the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and Houston Astros. His 1,119 career games pitched is a National League record and ranks fourth in major league history. His 424 career saves rank fifth all-time in major league history (ranking second when he retired), and remains the most by a left-hander. For 15 of his 22 seasons, he played for the New York Mets, serving as team captain in his final years with the team.
Episode Sponsors Law Office of Michael A. De Sapio
Ciao paisani! Gear up for an all new episode of the Italian American Power Hour with a brand-new segment we’re calling Greetings from Italian America! Let’s face it, even though everyone in the Power Hour Team calls New York and New Jersey home, we know that in every inch of this great country of ours, from sea to shining sea, we Italian Americans have created vibrant and distinct communities and we want to experience them all.
In this episode recorded last summer, members of our Power Hour Team set off on the Great Italian American Road Trip with a visit to the City of Good Neighbors, Buffalo, New York. We sit down with the President of the Federation of Italian-American Societies of Western New York, our friend Mr. Peter LoJacono so he could guide us through the culture, history and happenings of this incredible Italian American enclave. We hope you enjoy being on the road with us!
In this episode of the Italian American Podcast, we welcome back our good friend Mickela Mallozzi, four-time Emmy® Award-winning Host and Executive Producer ofBare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, through which she travels around the world and learns the dances of different regions. In this episode, we talk about the importance of DNA testing and heritage travel and how engaging in these endeavors can change your overall perspective on life.
About our Guest
Mickela Mallozzi is the four-time Emmy® Award-winning Host and Executive Producer of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a travel series highlighting the diversity of dance which airs on PBS stations nationwide and on Amazon Prime globally. A professional dancer and trained musician, Mickela decided to start a journey around the world, taking her camera with her to follow dance in the lives of everyday people wherever she went. From re-discovering her family’s heritage in Southern Italy to dancing tango on the main stage in Buenos Aires, the series covers Mickela’s adventures as she experiences the world, one dance at a time. She has been featured in The New York Times, Travel Channel, Dance Magazine, Forbes, American Express, and AFAR Media, and she has performed on various television shows including Sesame Street and The Doctor Oz Show.
Episode Sponsors
Mediaset Italia
Buon Anno and Happy 2019 to all of our paisani out there! This first episode of the New Year is the fourth and final part of our four-part Power Hour series on Italian American history. John, Pat and Dolores reunite to reveal the books behind their knowledge of the Italian American experience.
We bet you can’t listen to this episode without adding at least one of these amazing works to your home library!
In this final episode of 2018 for "The Italian American Podcast," we recap this past year and discuss some of our favorite episode highlights. We also talk about the launching of "The Italian American Power Hour" and some of our favorite posts in our private Facebook Group - "The New Neighborhood - A Place for Italian Americans."
In our stories segment, we once again feature Mallorie Vaudoise, a Brooklyn-based spiritualist and author of the blog, ItalinFolkMagic.com and her husband, Dr Alexander Cummins, author of “A Book of the Magi: Lore, Prayers, and Spellcraft of the Three Holy Kings.” They discuss The Epiphany, Three Kings, and La Befana.
More About Our Guest
Mallorie Vaudoise
Mallorie Vaudoise, author of the blog, ItalianFolkMagic.com, is a Brooklyn-based spiritualist of Italian descent, with her mother’s family hailing from Campania and her father’s family from Abruzzo. She studies Southern Italian music and dance with world-renowned folk artist Alessandra Belloni. She believes that music, food, wine, and kissing are vital tools of spiritual evolution.
Episode Sponsors Mediaset Italia
Chingedy ching, hee haw, hee haw! Christmas Eve is right around the corner and there’s no better way to kick off the holiday than joining us back at the table for Part Two of the Italian American Power Hour Christmas Eve Spectacular. As we wind down our incredible fish feast and polish off the last drops of far too much homemade vino, our conversation starts anew as we explore some of the non-culinary traditions that make Christmas Eve such a special day on the Italian American calendar.
Join us as we discuss the history of the famous presepio, the Neapolitan nativity set, the significance of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and many more facets of our Christmas traditions. And stay tuned until the bitter end to hear a rather heated debate about the surprisingly controversial Christmas carol, Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey.
A great big Buon Natale to all of our paisani out there because this is Part One of the Italian American Power Hour Christmas Eve Spectacular! Join the Fab Five (and some of their spouses) as we sit down for a very special pre-Christmas Eve fish feast and dig into the ins and outs of what makes the Italian American Christmas Eve fish feast so special.
We’ll talk about our family menus, the history of the FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES, how to avoid a re-gifted Panettone and some of our favorite traditions for the most famous Italian American holiday of the year.
This is the Italian American Podcast, and in this episode, Dolores Alfieri Taranto talks to Dr. Christopher Fasano, who is our co-host Anthony Fasano’s brother. We talk about a subject called “blood memory”, otherwise known as “genetic memory,” and how this influences who we are today.
Today’ segment features Mallorie Vaudoise, a Brooklyn-based spiritualist and author of the blog, ItalianFolkMagic.com. She will be speaking about St. Lucy in the first of several segments on saints and their feast days.
About our Guests Christopher Fasano is a Ph.D. trained neuroscientist with a passion for promoting the positive effects of communication on brain development and mental health. After spending years researching how stressors affect brain development, Dr. Fasano has a unique perspective on the mental stress young children feel as they grow up and blends his scientific knowledge with parenting experience to have meaningful discussions on topics relevant to children, their parents, and educators.
Like many of us, Dr. Fasano is alarmed by the rise of mental health issues amongst our children, and their families, and hopes to provide a resource and point of discussion as to how we can raise more mentally strong children. Dr. Fasano has years of experience hosting podcasts and utilizes an engaging communication style to entertain and educate listeners.
Mallorie Vaudoise
Mallorie Vaudoise, author of the blog, ItalianFolkMagic.com, is a Brooklyn-based spiritualist of Italian descent, with her mother’s family hailing from Campania and her father’s family from Abruzzo. She studies Southern Italian music and dance with world-renowned folk artist Alessandra Belloni. She believes that music, food, wine, and kissing are vital tools of spiritual evolution.
Episode Sponsors Mediaset Italia
The moment you’ve all been waiting for is finally here! Part Three of the Power Hour’s Four-Part History of the Italian American Experience has arrived. This week, our entire team reassembles for a boisterous meal at one of our favorite Italian American restaurants to bring you ‘Americans of Italian Descent: 1941 – Present’.
We will dig into the latest chapter in the Italian American story with topics ranging from our community’s role in the Second World War to the era of Sinatra the entertainer and Sinatra the community leader, through the founding of our earliest national institutions and into the 80's and 90's and the decades of the Italian Americans. The incredible historical episodes are interspersed with our own personal anecdotes and recollections in what is definitely a must download part of our impassioned look into our history.
In this episode, we’re speaking with Italian American comedian Mike Vecchione, who has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central and more. We talk about how his family supported his journey to comedy and how this love and support helped him to become the man he is today.
About our Guest Mike Vecchione was born in Youngstown, Ohio and graduated High School in Boca Raton, Florida. He has appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Comedy Central's Fresh Face Debates, and Russell Simmons Presents: Stand Up at the El Rey Theatre.
In 2010, Mike won the People’s Choice Award for the New York Comedy Festival, was a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and was selected to perform at the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival (New Faces). Later that year, Mike went on to perform on the Tonight Show starring Jay Leno and shot his own Half Hour Special for Comedy Central.
In 2014, Mike appeared on Comedy Underground with Dave Attell on Comedy Central, was again a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen. He also released his first comedy album, Muscle Confusion. In addition, he has appeared on Conan on TBS and Inside Amy Schumer.
In 2018, Mike appeared on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon for a second time, did Montreal’s Just For Laughs for a third time and released his second comedy album, The Worst Kind of Thoughtful.
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Hot on the heels of Part 1, Before We Were Italians: 1492 – 1890, of our four-part Power Hour series on Italian American history, join John, Pat, and Dolores as they delve into Part 2 with "Italians in America: 1890-1941."
If you enjoyed Part 1, you won't want to miss this next chapter in the Italian American story, covering the Great Migration, the New Orleans lynchings, the Italian American role in the First World War, and our community’s relationship to Fascism. All that and a wealth of random knowledge make this episode one you will want to listen to over and over again!
Put on your history hats paisani, and gear up for the Power Hour’s version of Italian American history! This week, in part one of a four-part series, John, Pat, and Dolores hunker down to disseminate their take on the major moments and movements on the Italian American story.
In what is sure to be some of the most scholarly episodes the Power Hour will ever produce, we seek to dig out some lesser known episodes in the history of our community and have a few good laughs along the way.
In this episode, we speak with Val DiFebo, CEO of Deutsch New York. We talk about defying stereotypes, working hard, and putting family first, and how doing so has helped DiFebo bring so much value to her career, as well as her personal life. Val is known in the business world for her equally honest and endearing demeanor, having a reputation for straight talk with her clients and compassion with her employees. Get ready for a warm and entertaining episode!
About our Guest Val DiFebo You never know which is bigger, Val’s brain or her heart. With Deutsch for 25 years, she’s helped build mega-big clients and mom and pop brands while simultaneously being a leader, mentor and cultural cultivator to the Deutsch family. Bronx born with the accent to prove it, Val was brought up in a tight-knit family with 3 sisters and accepts no compromise between winning and having fun doing it. Precious family time with her husband Dick and son Bryan is spent exploring the vast richness of New York’s Museum mile, cooking and squeezing in as much travel as they can.
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In this fourth episode of the Italian American Power Hour, John, Pat, Stephanie and Rossella, discuss the many familiar brands and Italian American products that are intrinsically and uniquely associated with the Italian American experience. We discuss the roles they played in forming our community’s sense of identity, how their development reflected our community’s own, and the hold they still have on us today.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Mark Sullivan, author of 18 novels including Amazon's most sold book, "Beneath a Scarlet Sky,"which is based on true events. Sullivan talks about what made him decide to tell this wonderful story. The book takes place in Italy during World War II and tells of how an Italian man named Pino Lella saved the lives of many Jews during the war. It's a fascinating story, and we're sure you're going to love it.
In the Story Segment, we speak with Jonathan Freedman about another Italian hero, professional cyclist Gino Bartali, and how he used his bike to pass messages and documents to others to also save many Jews during World War II.
In this episode, we're speaking with best-selling author, manifesting expert, keynote motivational speaker, and master life coach Sarah Centrella about her book, "Hustle Believe Receive," and how everyone can make their dreams reality when they're not afraid to take action. She also talks about how she was able to take an inspiring trip to Italy with her children, as a single mother, and she outlines how you can make your own dream trip come true. And of course, she talks about one of our favorite topics - the hustle as an Italian American trait.
In the Story Segment, we talk to one of our long-time listeners, author Joe Pagetta about his book, "Guinea Bastard," a collection of personal reflections and essays from his childhood growing up as an Italian American.
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey, one of the founders and the first president of the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW). She discusses the role of Italian American women before, during, and after the feminist movement, as well as her own journey straying from then returning to embracing her heritage.
In the story segment, Dolores reads a segment from Dr. Sirey’s incredible research booklet, "Ethnotherapy: An exploration of Italian-American identity"
About our Guest Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey, Ph.D Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey was elected the first President of NOIAW in 1980, when the organization began with a small group of women including Geraldine Ferraro, Matilda Raffa Cuomo and Roseanne Colletti.
Sirey maintained her position as President for 7 years. For the following 25 years she served as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the organization, which in that time span has grown into an international network with more than 1,000 members and affiliates in Australia, Argentina and Italy.
This is the second episode of the Italian American Power Hour. These episodes will air periodically and will feature Italian Americans talking about the Italian American community today and current cultural topics.
In this episode we talk about the long-debated subject around sauce vs. gravy. We discuss the different opinions around this topic and how this relates to who we are as a community, but at the end of the episode we discuss the true importance of this topic.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we answer a variety of listeners' questions.
We love hearing from our listeners! In fact, we had so many questions come in response to our request, we plan to do more Q&A episodes in the future. We had a great time recording this episode!
In this episode of "The Italian American Podcast," which is the second episode of "The Italian American Power Hour," we discuss going back to Italy as Italian Americans. We talk about traveling to Italy, the Italian culture, how Italy has changed, and whether or not people still speak Italian in Italy (hint: we talk about regional languages).
At the end of the show, we give you a few tips that you can use when visiting Italy to make your experience there even more remarkable.
This is the Italian American Podcast and, in this episode, we’re talking to the very talented singer, dancer, percussionist, director and author, Alessandra Belloni. We talk about really interesting topics focused around some of the Southern Italian tradition of tarantism.
"The "bite of the tarantula" was a myth applied to a condition familiar to women through the centuries who experienced abuse, repressed sexuality, powerlessness, and the feeling of being "caught in a web that binds them." Sufferers, known as "tarantate," endure "tarantismo," a lethal mixture of depression, loneliness, and oppression." - Alessandra Belloni, Facebook
About our Guest Alessandra Belloni Alessandra Belloni is the Artistic Director, Founder and Lead Performer of "I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA", an Italian Music, Theatre and Dance Ensemble, she is also Artists-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St.John the Divine in New York City. She is also the designer of a line of signature series Italian tambourines made by Remo. She is the only woman in the U.S. and in Italy who specializes in traditional Southern Italian folk dances and percussion combined with singing that she learned in Southern Italy.
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This is the first full episode of the Italian American Power Hour. These episodes will air periodically and will feature Italian Americans talking about the Italian American community today and current cultural topics. In this episode we will be dissecting the Italian American wedding today versus years ago.
Times have changed dramatically since our parents had their weddings, years ago. In this episode, we banter back and forth about what the Italian American wedding has turned into and whether or not we think it is headed in the right direction. You can listen to the episode by clicking the play button above or get a taste for it by reading through some of the comments from the episode below. Please leave your comments on the topic in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
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Enjoy your favorite shows from channels Canale 5, Italia 1 and Rete 4 with Mediaset Italia for $10/month. Plus taxes. Plus, get a $100 AT&T Visa® Reward Card when you sign up with qualifying DIRECTV® service, WITH 24-MO. AGMT. REDEEM W/IN 75 DAYS (CARD W/IN 4 WKS). Ends 6/30/18. Call 877.778.4794 today.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast , we talk with two guests who are both listeners of the podcast and who both have a passion for their heritage that they have turned into very special projects focused on keeping Italian American traditions alive . Our first guest is Dominic Condo, author of A Little of This and Some of That: Recipes and Memoirs from an Italian-American Food Blogger. Our second guest is Michelle Messina Reale who is very passionate about Italian American authors and has started an outlet for them called Ovunque Siamo.
About our Guests Dominic Condo Dominic Condo was born and raised in South Philadelphia, now living in the Philly ‘burbs of Drexel Hill. He enjoys sharing traditional (and personally updated) Italian American recipes and the family stories that go along with them.
Although he is not a professional chef, or have any formal training or professional experience, he's always had a passion for cooking. His skills are very old school. It’s not often that he deals with exact measurements. Dominic grew up with “a pinch of this,” “some of that,” “a little more over there!!!” It’s a skill that most Italians and Italian-Americans pride themselves on. In 2017, Dominic published his first book, A Little of This and Some of That: Recipes and Memoirs from an Italian-American Food Blogger.
Michelle Messina Reale Michelle Messina Reale is the creator of a project and website called Ovunque Siamo, providing an avenue for the voices of Italian American authors to be heard. Michelle is an Associate Professor at Arcadia University in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She is a poet, researcher and social activist and is super passionate about Italian American authors.
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Enjoy your favorite shows from channels Canale 5, Italia 1 and Rete 4 with Mediaset Italia for $10/month. Plus taxes. Plus, get a $100 AT&T Visa® Reward Card when you sign up with qualifying DIRECTV® service, WITH 24-MO. AGMT. REDEEM W/IN 75 DAYS (CARD W/IN 4 WKS). Ends 6/30/18. Call 877.778.4794 today.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we will be introducing a brand new segment of the show called the Italian American Power Hour. The hosts of this segment will be John Viola and Patrick O’Boyle. They are both very passionate and active members of the Italian-American community and will be talking about Italian American related issues based on their perspectives as young Italian Americans who have been extremely active in the Italian American community.
About Our Hosts for the Italian American Power Hour Segment John M. Viola was elected President of the National Italian American Foundation in March of 2013. With a career in community leadership and development, Viola is the co-founder of ELITE Learning of Brooklyn, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fundamental reform and improvement of inner-city education. The organization’s mission is to integrate educational programs and resources between schools and their local cultural institutions. While at ELITE Learning, Viola created numerous programs to foster the teaching of the Italian language to Italian American youth and others dedicated to service travel.
A graduate of Fordham University with a dual degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Viola has dedicated himself to developing international and domestic service programs inspired by the Jesuit mission to create “men and women for others” and to infuse a sense of social justice into all acts. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of Savoy and serves as the United States Delegate for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest Chivalric Orders in the world. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he traces his ancestry to the Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno, Puglia and Sicily.
Patrick O’Boyle is the Vice Chancellor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. O'Boyle also helps to coordinate the Feast in honor of the Madonna Del Sacro Monte which will be held on Sunday May 20th this year in Clifton. Click here for details.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with two Italian American authors about their connection to their heritage and how they are helping to keep the Italian American traditions alive.
In the main segment, we speak with Joseph Luzzi, writer and Professor of Comparative Literature at Bard College, where he also teaches in the Italian Studies and Film programs. In the stories segment, we talk with Stephanie Longo who has dedicated her life to celebrating and focusing on her family's heritage. You can find full biographies of each of our guests below.
About our Guests Joseph Luzzi Joseph Luzzi is a writer and Professor of Comparative Literature at Bard College, where he also teaches in the Italian Studies and Film programs. The first child in his Calabrian family born in the U.S., he is the author of the memoir, In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love. His other books include My Two Italies. He is a frequent contributor of essays and reviews to publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bookforum, the London Times Literary Supplement, and many others. His first book, Romantic Europe and the Ghost of Italy, received the Scaglione Prize for Italian Studies from the Modern Language Association, and his book A Cinema of Poetry: Aesthetics of the Italian Art Film was a Finalist for the “The Bridge” Book Award from the American Initiative For Italian Culture Foundation, International Competition in Italy and U.S.
Stephanie Longo Stephanie was Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA, she holds dual Italian citizenship and descends from the town of Guardia Lombardi, Avellino Province, Italy. Specializing in immigration, her books aim to give people a glimpse of Italian life in NEPA-past and present.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk to John Vourlis about a documentary that he produced called: Breaking Balls, which is a 75-minute feature length documentary film that follows three colorful figures involved in the game of bocce as viewed through the lens of the 30th Anniversary Cleveland Challenge Cup of Bocce tournament. We also talk in detail about the avenues through which we Italian Americans strive to keep our community together.
In the stories segment, we talk with Diana Pishner Walker, author of several award-winning children’s books including Hopping to America: A Rabbit's Tale of Immigration who shared a very inspirational story with us about her journey as a writer.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we focus on the Italian American connection to Jazz music. We speak to singer Vanessa Racci about how her grandfather inspired her to embark upon a journey that has allowed her to connect with her heritage deeply through becoming Italian American Jazz performer.
In our Stories Segment, I talk to Bill Dal Cerro and David Anthony Witter authors of the book Bebop, Swing, and Bella Musica: Jazz and the Italian American Experience. They talk about how Jazz has been influenced Italians and Italian Americans.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we traveled out of the studio for a conversation with John Viola, former President of The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), just 10 days after he stepped down from the position he held for six years. The conversation was rich with topics of importance to Italian Americans like family, faith, and tradition. John also talked about how he believes that the Italian American community needs to work together to continue to grow and strengthen over time.
"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." – Helen Keller About our Guest… John M. Viola John M. Viola was elected President of the National Italian American Foundation in March of 2013 and served in that role until December 2017.
A graduate of Fordham University with a dual degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Viola has dedicated himself to developing international and domestic service programs inspired by the Jesuit mission to create “men and women for others” and to infuse a sense of social justice into all acts. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of Savoy and serves as the United States Delegate for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest Chivalric Orders in the world. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he traces his ancestry to the Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno, Puglia and Sicily.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast episode, I speak with Dan Yaccarino, an internationally acclaimed author-illustrator with more than thirty books to his credit. We’re going to talk specifically about one of his books called All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel. The children's book details his great-grandfather's immigrant journey from Italy to the United States.
In the stories segment, I speak with Thomas Gambino, author of the book The Scattered Italians: Reflections on a heroic journey. He tells me about his dream that literally took him to Sicily. You have to hear this inspirational story.
About our Guests… Dan Yaccarino Children the world over know Dan Yaccarino from his children's books, Parent's Choice Award-winning animated TV series Oswald (Nick Jr), Emmy-winning Willa's Wild Life (NBC and Qubo), and character designs for The Backyardigans (Nickelodeon), as well as his many illustrated toys, games, and other children's products.
Dan's internationally recognized art style has earned him a large following in Japan, exhibits in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Bologna, and a visit to the White House. He is also a contributing children's book reviewer for the New York Times.
Dan's work has been recognized with a host of prestigious awards including the Bologna Ragazzi, The New York Times 10 Best Illustrated, ALA Notable, and the Parents Choice Award. Over 1.5 million of his books have been sold to date. Dan lives with his family in New York City and creates his quirky characters and stories in his studio full of vintage toys.
Thomas Gambino Thomas Gambino is a proud Italian-American whose career in the international aviation industry has given him a global perspective that he gladly shares with others. He has written a book entitled, The Scattered Italians, that recounts the fascinating tale of the Italian-American saga. You can find the book here.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Mary Ann Esposito about her career as a TV chef and the traditions behind food for Italians and Italian Americans. Mary Ann has been teaching people how to cook both the Italian and the Italian American way for 28 years on TV.
At the end of the episode, we will have a special Christmas Stories Segment with some audio clips from our recent Arthur Avenue Food Tour.
About our Guest…
As the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series, Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito™, she has brought her Italian American values to millions of Americans. This year, the series celebrates its milestone 26th season, making it the longest running cooking series in television history. Through Ciao Italia and appearances on other television programs including The Today Show, Regis and Kelly, QVC, the Food Network, Discovery Channel, Fox, Martha Stewart Radio, RAI International, The Victory Garden, Simply Ming, and so many others!), she has been able to share traditional Italian cooking with audiences around the world.
Mary Ann Esposito is the author of 12 cookbooks. Her most recent, Ciao Italia Family Classics. In addition, she hosts an annual trip to Italy for students to experience hands-on cooking classes.
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In this special holiday episode of The Italian American Podcast, I speak with the three winners of our Italian American Recipe Contest that we recently held. They are Christine Simolke, Mariann Dirico-Raftery, and Jennifer Perrine Nevins. We talk about their wonderful recipes as well as the rich Italian American traditions that their recipes represent. At the end of the episode, I'm going to bring you with me to my family gathering where I will be cooking these wonderful recipes.
We want to thank Botticelli Foods and Cooking with Nonna for teaming up with us for this special Italian American Recipe Contest. They both helped spread the word about the contest, Rossella Rago and Nonna Romana of Cooking with Nonna selected the winning recipes, and Botticelli Foods provided all of the food for me to cook the winning dishes. Grazie mille!
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak to New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani about her latest book titled Kiss Carlo but more specifically about one of the themes of the book which is Italian family feuds. Adriana shares some of her own family stories and her thoughts on how and why she writes the way she does.
In the stories segment, I talk to my two brothers about the holidays and the stress that goes around them as well as the new app that they designed, Holidaze, which helps reduce some of that stress by helping you to remember where you were for the holidays.
About our Guests…
Adriana Trigiani is beloved by millions of readers around the world for her bestselling novels, including her latest, Kiss Carlo. She wrote the blockbuster The Shoemaker’s Wife, the Big Stone Gap series, the Valentine trilogy and Lucia, Lucia. Trigiani’s themes of love and work, emphasis upon craftsmanship and family life have brought her legions of fans who call themselves Adri-addicts (a term coined by book maven Robin Kall). Their devotion has made Adriana one of “the reigning queens of women’s fiction” (USA Today).
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast episode, I have two guests. Firstly I speak with Helene Stapinski, author of the wonderful book Murder in Matera, a true story of passion, family, and forgiveness in Southern Italy.
In the stories segment, I speak with Danielle Oteri from Feast on History where she hosts Arthur Avenue Food Tours, and she will be hosting one for our listener on December 9th. It will be focused on the Christmas Seven fishes meal (click for details).
About our Guests…
Helene Stapinski
Helene Stapinski began her career at her hometown newspaper, The Jersey Journal. She is the author of three memoirs: Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History and Baby Plays Around: A Love Affair, with Music, and Murder In Matera: A True Story of Passion, Family, and Forgiveness in Southern Italy. Helene has also written extensively for The New York Times, for Travel & Leisure, Food & Wine, Salon, Real Simple, New York magazine and dozens of other newspapers, magazines, and blogs. She’s been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, The Today Show and as a performer with The Moth main stage.
Danielle Oteri
Danielle Oteri is an art historian, writer and founder of Feast On History and Arthur Avenue Food Tours. Her food, history and travel writing has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Dream of Italy, Grove Dictionary of Art, Roads & Kingdoms, Gothamist, NPR and Metropolitan Museum of Art's blog. She is also the editor of Museum Travel for TripSavvy. Danielle writes feature stories, lists, deeply researched pieces and adaptations of academic papers for a general audience. She draws on her professional experience in art and design to create visually compelling slideshows and Instagram takeovers for brands and editorial publications. Her favorite projects include developing a visual component.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, I talk with actor Michael Badalucco, a passionate Italian-American and a really funny guy who has had some big success in his acting career and is also very involved in the Italian American community.
About our Guest…
Michael Badalucco, a Brooklyn native, got his start in the entertainment industry at a very young age, going to work with his father Giuseppe, a Sicilian-born immigrant, who worked as a carpenter on movie sets. His first speaking role was in the feature film Raging Bull, directed by Martin Scorsese, which led to additional roles in movies such as Broadway Danny Rose, directed by Woody Allen. Throughout the 1990's, Badalucco appeared in a series of memorable supporting roles in such acclaimed films as Miller's Crossing, Sleepless in Seattle, Jungle Fever, The Professional, and Mac. His performance in the romantic comedy One Fine Day, prompted star Michelle Pfeiffer to recommend Badalucco to her husband, David E. Kelley, for a role in his ABC television series The Practice. Not only did Badalucco get the part, but his performance as Jimmy Berluti would ultimately serve as his breakout role. In 1999 he received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Next, on the big screen, he portrayed serial killer David Berkowitz in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. He then stepped into the shoes of notorious gangster George "Baby Face" Nelson for the throwback Coen Brothers comedy, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and appeared in their subsequent film, The Man Who Wasn't There. Michael is privileged to support Italian-American causes through his work with the National Italian American Foundation and Arba Sicula, an organization which preserves, studies, and promotes the language and culture of Sicily. He is also a proud member of the New York Athletic Club, Tiro A Segno of New York, and The Italian American Marching Club of New Orleans, where he has served as Grand Marshal of its annual parade in honor of St. Joseph.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast episode, we speak with Marianne Leone who is an actress and an author. She wrote an inspirational book about her son (who she lost way too early) entitled Jesse: A Mother's Story (Simon & Schuster) and then a second book entitled Ma Speaks Up: And a First-Generation Daughter Talks Back (Beacon Press) about growing up with an Italian immigrant mother. In the episode, she talks her son and what she learned from him. She also talks about grief, her writing, and about her role on the Sopranos.
In the stories segment, we talk to a talented author, Olivia Kate Cerrone, who wrote a book called the Hunger Saint (Bordighera Press) that focuses on the Carusi (children in Sicily who were forced to work in the sulfur mines at very young ages). Cerrone talks about this topic in detail and what led her to write this book.
About our Guests…
Marianne Leone is an actress, screenwriter, and essayist. Her essays and op-ed pieces have appeared in the Boston Globe, The Bark magazine, and WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. She had a recurring role on HBO’s The Sopranos and has appeared in films by John Sayles, Martin Scorsese, Nancy Savoca, Michael Corrente, Larry David, and the Farrelly Brothers. She is married to the actor Chris Cooper. Her memoir, Jesse: A Mother’s Story (Simon & Schuster) is a chronicle of the remarkable life and untimely death of her child who died suddenly at age seventeen. Her latest book is Ma Speaks Up: And a First-Generation
Olivia Kate Cerrone
Olivia Kate Cerrone’s Pushcart Prize-nominated fiction won the Crab Orchard Review's Jack Dyer Fiction Prize. She is at work on a novel called DISPLACED.
The Hunger Saint (Bordighera Press, 2017), a historical novella about the child miners of Sicily, was praised by Kirkus Reviews as "a well-crafted and affecting literary tale." SPD Books also listed The Hunger Saint as a Fiction Bestseller for May, June, July & August 2017.
Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in The Rumpus, The Brooklyn Rail, The Huffington Post, New South, the Berkeley Fiction Review, The MacGuffin, War, Literature and the Arts, JMWW, Word Riot, Paterson Literary Review and elsewhere.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we are changing it up. I will be taking you on a trip with me and we will be heading to the black hills of South Dakota to attend a ceremony where Luigi del Bianco will be named the Chief Carver of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
We will also speak with Lou Del Bianco about the role he played in helping to pursue this recognition for his grandfather. We will then attend Lou Del Bianco’s performance where he will dress up like his grandfather and put on a play at the memorial, and then immediately after that we’ll attend the official ceremony and hear from some of the speakers including Gloria Del Bianco, Luigi’s daughter.
In the Stories Segment of the episode, we’ll reflect with Lou, the day after the ceremony about his 30-year journey of dedication and perseverance to garner this rightful place in history for his grandfather Luigi Del Bianco.
About our Guest…
Lou’s dramatic approach to storytelling “puts pow into passivity!” The Parents Choice foundation states that “few performers excel as both storyteller and musician, but Lou Del Bianco is one who does.”
Lou Del Bianco has been working with children of all ages since 1982. According to the New York Times,
Lou has performed all over the country, from the Tastes of Chicago to the Kravis Center to Carnegie Hall. His music video, “A Little Bit Clumsy”, is presently playing on the Learning Channel.
Lou’s portrayal of Abraham Lincoln has been endorsed by the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. His grandfather, Luigi, chief carver on Mount Rushmore was recently honored by TLC’s CAKE BOSS with a remarkable lifelike cake of the American icon. Lou’s one-man show about his grandfather has received rave reviews from schools, libraries, and historical groups.
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Ray Guarini, founder of Italian Enclaves, about the memories he is creating to help preserve Italian American culture.
In the Stories Segment, we hear from one of our listeners, Joseph Blanda Pintacuda Sciame, who tells us an inspiring story about going back to his ancestral village — and the warm reception he received.
About our Guest…
Ray Guarini is a cultural preservationist. His current project is titled, "Italian Enclaves." Through Italian Enclaves, Ray seeks to preserve vanishing Italian American neighborhoods throughout the country through photographs, stories, and other means of documentation. Guarini is currently expanding the project to include the distribution of high-quality, traditional Italian ingredients to help Italian Americans preserve their cooking heritage. Italian Enclaves started as a hobby for Guarini, but has now become a larger project that people are really enjoying.
This episode features the third and final part of our Southern Italy series. These episodes have consisted of interviews with National Italian American Foundation President John Viola, and Anthony and Patrick O’Boyle, who are all members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. We have a candid conversation with these passionate and active members of the Italian-American community about what is known as the Neo-Bourbon Movement and discuss the hidden history of Southern Italy’s glory.
In the Stories Segment of the episode, I share a special email sent in by one of our listeners named Garret, who is an Italian American currently serving in the Peace Corps in Ukraine.
About our Guests…
John M. Viola was elected President of the National Italian American Foundation in March of 2013. With a career in community leadership and development, Viola is the co-founder of ELITE Learning of Brooklyn, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fundamental reform and improvement of inner-city education. The organization’s mission is to integrate educational programs and resources between schools and their local cultural institutions. While at ELITE Learning, Viola created numerous programs to foster the teaching of the Italian language to Italian American youth and others dedicated to service travel.
A graduate of Fordham University with a dual degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Viola has dedicated himself to developing international and domestic service programs inspired by the Jesuit mission to create “men and women for others” and to infuse a sense of social justice into all acts. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of Savoy and serves as the United States Delegate for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest Chivalric Orders in the world. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he traces his ancestry to the
Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno, Puglia and Sicily.
Patrick O’Boyle is the Vice Chancellor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Anthony O’Boyle is a Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 29 novels, including her latest work,Exposed:A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel.
In our Stories Segment, Anthony talks to Zachary DiIonno, events director for the Friends of Italy Society of Hawaii, about how he ended up in Hawaii and the feast (Festa Italiana) that his society is putting together.
About our Guest…
Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 29 novels, including her latest work, Exposed:A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter, Francesca Serritella, for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit,” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective.
This episode features the second part of this series of interviews with National Italian American Foundation President John Viola, and Anthony and Patrick O’Boyle; all three are members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. We have a candid conversation with these passionate and active members of the Italian-American community about what is known as the Neo-Bourbon Movement and vital, shocking parts of Southern Italian history that have been buried.
In our Stories Segment, Anthony talks about his own family research and how he recently found relatives living near by in New Jersey.
About our Guests…
John M. Viola was elected President of the National Italian American Foundation in March of 2013. With a career in community leadership and development, Viola is the co-founder of ELITE Learning of Brooklyn, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fundamental reform and improvement of inner-city education. The organization’s mission is to integrate educational programs and resources between schools and their local cultural institutions. While at ELITE Learning, Viola created numerous programs to foster the teaching of the Italian language to Italian American youth and others dedicated to service travel.
A graduate of Fordham University with a dual degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Viola has dedicated himself to developing international and domestic service programs inspired by the Jesuit mission to create “men and women for others” and to infuse a sense of social justice into all acts. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of Savoy and serves as the United States Delegate for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest Chivalric Orders in the world. A native of Brooklyn, NY, he traces his ancestry to the Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno, Puglia and Sicily.
Patrick O’Boyle is the Vice Chancellor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Anthony O’Boyle is a Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode (which is part 1 of this series) of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with National Italian American Foundation President John Viola, and Anthony and Patrick O’Boyle. All three are members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George. We have a candid conversation with these passionate and active members of the Italian-American community about what is known as the Neo-Bourbon Movement and vital, shocking parts of Southern Italian history that have been buried.
In our Stories Segment, Dolores reads an excerpt from one of the books mentioned in our conversation, "Between Salt Water and Holy Water" by Tommaso Astarita.
About our Guests…
John M. Viola was elected President of the National Italian American Foundation in March of 2013. With a career in community leadership and development, Viola is the co-founder of ELITE Learning of Brooklyn, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fundamental reform and improvement of inner-city education. The organization’s mission is to integrate educational programs and resources between schools and their local cultural institutions. While at ELITE Learning, Viola created numerous programs to foster the teaching of the Italian language to Italian American youth and others dedicated to service travel.
A graduate of Fordham University with a dual degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Viola has dedicated himself to developing international and domestic service programs inspired by the Jesuit mission to create “men and women for others” and to infuse a sense of social justice into all acts. He is a Knight of the Order of Merit of Savoy and serves as the United States Delegate for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, one of the oldest Chivalric Orders in the world. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he traces his ancestry to the Vallo di Diano in the province of Salerno, Puglia and Sicily.
Patrick O'Boyle is the Vice Chancellor of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Anthony O'Boyle is a Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
Verizon Fios (Mediaset Italia)
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast , we talk with Mallorie Vaudoise, a Brooklyn-based spiritualist and author of the blog, ItalianFolkMagic.com. We talk to Vaudoise about Italian folk magic, rituals, and dreams and how practice in each can connect you to your heritage.
In our Stories Segment, you'll hear a recording from listener Marc Grandinetti about his experience when he went back to Italy to visit his ancestral villages.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
Verizon Fios (Mediaset Italia)
Mediaset Italia has all the best programming from Italy’s top channels put together in one channel, and right now our listeners can get 50% off their Italian Language package for 6 months, which features Mediaset Italia AND Rai Italia. And if you’re a new customer, for $79.99 per month for your first year with a 2-year contract, you can get 150 Megabite speed Internet, Custom TV and Phone. To get in on this deal, call Verizon Fios at 1-888-755-7571 to subscribe.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Dianne Hales. Hales is the author of La Bella Lingua and a widely published, award-winning freelance journalist. In this episode, Dianne tells the story of her love for the Italian language and how learning to speak Italian has enriched her life in so many ways.
In our Stories Segment, Anthony discusses five specific tips on how you can learn to speak Italian. The tips were taken from an article which Anthony references by Lucrezia Oddone who has a website entitled Learn Italian with Lucrezia.
About our Guest…Dianne Hales
Dianne Hales is a widely published, award-winning freelance journalist. She has served as a contributing editor for Parade, Ladies Home Journal, Working Mother and American Health and has written for many national publications, including Family Circle, Fitness, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Health, Mademoiselle, McCall’s, New York Times, Psychology Today, Readers’ Digest, Redbook, Science Digest, Self, Seventeen, Washington Post, Woman’s Day, and World Book.
Dianne’s trade books include La Bella Lingua; Think Thin, Be Thin; Just Like a Woman; and Caring for the Mind. She is also the author of the best-selling college health textbook, "An Invitation to Health," and co-author of "An Invitation to Personal Change."
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
Verizon Fios (Mediaset Italia)
Mediaset Italia has all the best programming from Italy’s top channels put together in one channel, and right now our listeners can get 50% off their Italian language package for 6 months, which features Mediaset Italia AND Rai Italia. And if you’re a new customer, for $79.99 per month for your first year with a 2-year contract, you can get 150 Megabite speed Internet, Custom TV and Phone. To get in on this deal, call Verizon Fios at 1-888-755-7571 to subscribe.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Lena Prima, New-Orleans based singer songwriter and daughter of the legendary Louis (Louie) Prima.
In our Stories Segment, Anthony reads a section from his new book, Forty Days in Italy Con La Mia Famiglia: How to Travel to Research Your Italian Roots, which will be available on Tuesday, June 13th.
About our Guest
Lena Prima is a gifted singer and songwriter with five albums to her credit, a published author, a jewelry designer and a highly respected artist. She is the youngest daughter of legendary musician and entertainer Louie Prima and his fifth wife and singing partner, classically trained vocalist Gia Maione.
Lena began her singing career as a child on tour with her parents and then crafted a career for herself that has spanned more than thirty years and three thousand performances at showrooms, theaters, casinos, clubs and festivals across the United States. A career that inspired the Chicago Tribune to gush: “ A standing ovation! Lena has the panache of her father!”
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
Verizon Fios (Mediaset Italia)
Mediaset Italia has all the best programming from Italy’s top channels put together in one channel, and right now our listeners can get 50% off their Italian Language package for 6 months, which features Mediaset Italia AND Rai Italia. And if you're a new customer, for $79.99 per month for your first year with a 2-year contract, you can get 150 Megabite speed Internet, Custom TV and Phone. To get in on this deal, call Verizon Fios at 1-888-755-7571 to subscribe.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Cassandra Santoro from Travel Italian Style. We talk about the mental and emotional aspects of reuniting with family in Italy or just visiting one of your ancestral villages, especially those in southern Italy.
In our Stories Segment, we play a recording from one of our listeners, Antoinette Merenda, who tells us how her family immigrated here, where they came from, and some of the extraordinary research she has done.
About our Guests:
Cassandra Santoro is the CEO and Founder of Travel Italian Style. As a personal trip planner and luxury small group tour operator, Cassandra is an expert in slow travel and authentic and inspiring experiences throughout Italy. She also leads motivational talks and can most recently be found at TEDx DHBW Manhein. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @travelitalianstyle.
Antoinette Carbone is a listener of The Italian American Podcast and has done extensive research on her Italian roots dating back to the 1600's. Brava!
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In our 40th episode of The Italian American Podcast episode, we wanted to do something special for Mother’s Day. We talk to some of our past guests, all very proud Italian American women, and discover what their mothers did and believed in as they grew up and also what it meant to them back then, and today.
In our Stories Segment, we talk about the deep connection to Italy for Italian Americans and what our ancestors had to go through in life to get where they are today. We also introduce a new venture we're embarking on with Cassandra Santoro of Travel Italian Style to help you visit your ancestral towns.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Gina Barreca, an Italian American author and humorist. She is the editor of two books that our audience may find interesting: DON’T TELL MAMA: THE PENGUIN BOOK OF ITALIAN AMERICAN WRITING and of A SIT-DOWN WITH THE SOPRANOS: Watching Italian American Culture on TVs Most Talked-About Series. In this episode, she tells us her Italian-American story, and she talks about how education was looked at much differently twenty years ago by Italian Americans.
In our Stories Segment, we talk with Susan Van Allen, author of 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go. Susan talks about how her love for Italy was born at a dining room table in Newark, New Jersey during Sunday dinners.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Fred Gardaphé, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of English and Italian American Studies at Queens College/CUNY and the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute. Fred lost his father, grandfather, as well as his godfather to violence at a very early age and tells us the story of how that lead him to not only become a professor, but to become passionate about educating Italian Americans.
In our Stories Segment, Dolores talks to Christian Piazza, director and producer of Waiting, a documentary that features three Italian Immigrants in New York. It’s a tale about second chances and giving up old habits to thrive in a new cultural environment.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Paul "Paulie" Malignaggi, a former two-weight World Champion who currently works as a commentator. Paulie tells the story of how he transitioned from Sicily to Brooklyn and had to learn to adapt to the diverse cultures and lifestyles, and how that led him to start his boxing career, despite coming out of a broken home.
In our Stories Segment,Charlie Scalies, the father of one of our listeners, best known for his work in "The Wire" (2003) and "The Sopranos" (2004), shares with us some of his greatest moments and memories growing up as an Italian.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Robert Orsi, who is the first holder of the Grace Craddock Nagle Chair in Catholic Studies at Northwestern University. Robert discusses what inspired him to write his book, The Madonna of 115th Street: Faith and Community in Italian Harlem. He expands on the experiences of immigration and community formation, Italian-American Catholicism, as well as traditional Italian feasts.
In our Stories Segment, Dolores sits around the table with several women in her family to talk about dreams, dream interpretation, and how Southern-Italian women have used both to strengthen, guide, and nourish their lives and the lives of their families.
About our guest…Robert Orsi Robert Orsi is the first holder of the Grace Craddock Nagle Chair in Catholic Studies. Professor Orsi studies American religious history and contemporary practice; American Catholicism in both historical and ethnographic perspective; and he is widely recognized also for his work on theory and method for the study of religion. In 2002-2003, he was president of the American Academy of Religion. Professor Orsi has held fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Fulbright Foundation. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2010 he received the E. Leroy Hall Award for Teaching Excellence, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University, the highest recognition for teaching offered by WCAS.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we talk with Anthony Julian Tamburri, Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute (Queens College, CUNY) and Distinguished Professor of European Languages and Literatures. Tamburri dives into his career and what inspired him to pursue Italian and Italian American studies, and why he feels that we as Italian Americans need to read about our past.
In our Stories Segment, one of our listeners, Marisa Mansueto, tells the story of how she was able to give her dad one thing he desired most in life, via one email to an Italian Comune.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we air a conversation recorded this past summer in Sicily with Laura Lee, founder of Digging Up Roots in the Boot, which specializes in heritage tourism and genealogical research throughout Italy for Americans, Canadians, and Australians of Italian descent. The conversation covers attaining your dual citizenship, discovering and reconnecting with your Italian relatives.
In our Stories Segment, Anthony speaks with Rita Richardson, an Italian American living in Nashville, who is spearheading a campaign to save and restore a 17th century baroque chapel located in Castiglion Fiorentino, Tuscany, Italy, and by extension the community it resides within.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with proud first generation Italian-American Rossella Rago from "Cooking with Nonna" about her cooking experiences throughout her life, and the true meaning behind them.
During this lively interview, Rossella tells the story of how her family relocated to New Jersey from her beloved Italian neighborhood in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, when she was young, but she wouldn’t stay there for long. At the age of 18 she moved back to Bensonhurst to be with her nonna. One day a joke by her father ended up leading to an amazing career opportunity, which is thriving today. Rosella explains the importance of nonnas in Italian culture and how her family’s support has catapulted her to success.
In our Stories Segment, we read a letter from Adam Kapaun-Piattoni, one of our listeners, about his grandfather’s death and how one person can have such a profound impact on a family.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Cassandra Santoro, who decided to take a big risk in the face of tragedy and, by doing so, changed her life for the better.
Santoro tells the story of how the deaths of both her father and grandfather inspired her to take a risk and move to Italy at the age of nineteen to learn about her heritage. She talks about how rewarding her journey to Italy was and how it ultimately led to what she is doing today.
In our Italian American Stories Segment, we talk to Linda Mulé, Queen of the Order of The Sons of Italy Association for Nassau County, about the importance of engaging young Italian Americans and inspiring them to learn about their heritage.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Emmy-Award winning directors Anthony and Joe Russo. We also speak to Michele Cerullo McAvoy for our Story Segment, author of My Superhero Grandpa.
Anthony and Joe Russo tell the story of how they went from being two young Italian American boys in Cleveland to top directors working on the latest Marvel films. The brothers, fiercely proud of their Italian-American heritage, talk about the faith and support their entire Italian-American family gave them, including their father, who, despite his reservations that the brothers would succeed as filmmakers, took the extra step to make sure they didn’t give up on their dream.
In our Story Segment, Michele Cerullo McAvoy tells the story of how she wrote My Superhero Grandpa as a way to let her kids get to know her father, who tragically passed away before they were born.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we visit Arthur Avenue, the Little Italy in the Bronx, NY. While many “Little Italy” neighborhoods throughout the United States have waned, Arthur Avenue remains alive and vibrant, and in this episode you will hear sounds from the main indoor marketplace on Arthur Avenue.
A little bit about Arthur Avenue, largely from the official Arthur Avenue website….
Generations of Italian families have given the area a special small-town character unique for an urban setting, at the same time establishing traditions that permeate the neighborhood like the sweet smell of sausage and peppers. Among the notables born and raised here are actor Chazz Palminteri, author Don DiLillo and rock star Dion DiMucci, whose group, Dion and the Belmonts, is named after a local street (Belmont Avenue). Joe Pesci began his acting career after being discovered by Robert DeNiro at a local neighborhood restaurant, where Pesci worked as the maitre’d.
Today the tradition continues with grandchildren and great-grandchildren remaining on Arthur Avenue, or returning here, to own and manage business begun by their immigrant ancestors. “Nearly every shop on Arthur Avenue is already some sort of institution,” as one writer put it. And although, like many Little Italy's across the nation, the neighborhood has changed and is perhaps smaller than it once was, it remains vibrant and active, with the vast array of markets, butchers, pasta and pastry shops supported not only by long-time area residents, but also their relatives and children from far and wide, who regularly return for the tastes and memories.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with world champion accordionist Cory Pesaturo. We also interview Mary and Elise from the Italian Garden Project who are trying to preserve the wonderful gardening traditions of Italian-Americans via The Italian Garden Project.
Cory Pesaturo (“C Pez”) is one of only four accordionists to win World Championships on both the acoustic and digital accordion, and is the only person to ever also win a world championship on jazz. He is a graduate of the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, where he was the first musician ever to major and graduate in the accordion. Cory’s main contribution is his visionary thinking of how the accordion should be used, played, and presented in modern music. He has given a TED Talk about this, which is currently the only talk in the world about the accordion.
Pesaturo's extensive resumé includes appearances at the White House for President and Mrs. Clinton on four different occasions, beggining at age 12, including eight other appearances for the Clintons since 2000 and 14 letters from the first family. On one of those occasions, he became the youngest person to ever perform at a State Dinner, performing with the Marine Strolling Strings for the President of Hungary. Some television appearances include the Late Show with David Letterman playing with Johnny Depp, the Columbus Day Parade in New York City and nationally televised programs in New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Tunisia, France and Finland. On an American broadcast, then-CNBC host Maria Bartiromo once said, “No one is currently doing more for the Accordion than Cory.” Cory currently gives master classes on both music theory and the accordion at various universities throughout the U.S. and Europe.
A win at 16 years old in a concerto competition at the New England Conservatory of Music gave Pesaturo the rare opportunity to perform with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra as a featured soloist, where he became the youngest accordionist to ever solo with a symphony orchestra in the US back in 2003. Concerning his Jazz side, Cory recorded two CDs with saxophone legend George Garzone and his known band “The Fringe” at age 19 and has performed with jazz and music legends Quincy Jones and Wynton Marsalis. His performances at all three of his World Championships were played on accordions that were not his and were generally 90% improvised; both aspects are unheard of in the accordion world.
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
Nonna Box - Enter PODCAST at checkout for a 10% discount
Select Italy
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Anita Bevacqua McBride. McBride served as assistant to President George W. Bush and chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush from 2005 to 2009, directing the staff’s work on the wide variety of domestic and global initiatives in which Mrs. Bush was involved. She had primary responsibility for the First Lady’s efforts to support U.S. foreign policy objectives in human rights, women’s empowerment, global health and human freedom. She directed Mrs. Bush’s travel to 67 countries in 4 years, including historic visits to Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Thai-Burma border.
McBride's White House service spans two decades and three presidential administrations, including as Director of White House Personnel under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush; and as Director of the U.S. Speaker's Bureau at the United States Information Agency.
Also under President George W. Bush, McBride served as a special assistant for White House Management; as senior advisor in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Organizations and as the State Department's White House liaison.
Currently, McBride is Executive-in-Residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C. She directs programming and national conferences on the legacies of America’s first ladies and their historical influence on politics, policy and global diplomacy.
McBride co-founded the RAND African First Ladies Initiative and Fellowship program to partner with Africa’s first ladies and support their efforts to become champions of change for health and education in their countries, as well as train their staff and advisors in strategies for establishing and managing an effective First Lady’s office.
McBride is an advisor to the George W. Bush Institute as well as a strategic consultant to global non-profit organizations. She is a member of several organizations, including the U.S. Afghan Women's Council, the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the White House Historical Association.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
Select Italy
In this episode we feature listener stories that have been submitted by listeners of The Italian American Podcast.
In the first story, Dina Horwedel explains how an Indian College President inspired her to learn Italian and travel to Italy to re-connect with her family. Since she made her first trip, she has been back seven times.
In the second story, Amadeo Lauria explains how his teacher refused to call him by his true Italian name, so she changed it.
Lastly, Virginia Mastroianni talks about how close she is with her Italian mother. She talks about the homemade food, the clothes her mother made for her, and more.
In the Italian American Stories Segment, I talk about overcoming grief when you lose a loved one. We feature my Grandmother Jo telling a story about Saint Rita.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with four-time Super Bowl champion Franco Harris. Harris began his professional football career when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the first round of the 1972 National Football League Draft—the 13th player chosen overall. In his first NFL season, he became only the fourth rookie in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards or more. But what most fans remember even more than his stats was his roof-raising catch in the famous "Immaculate Reception" pass from quarterback Terry Bradshaw that gave the Steelers a 13-7 over the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh its first-ever playoff victory. Harris was named the league's Rookie of the Year by both The Sporting News and United Press International.
Steelers fans, and especially its large fan base of Italian Americans, adored him. His most loyal fans dubbed themselves "Franco's Italian Army" and wore army helmets with his number on them. Even Frank Sinatra joined Franco’s Italian Army.
He rushed for 1,000 yards or more eight seasons and totaled 47 100-yards-or-more games. At the time of his retirement, his career totals in rushing and combined net yardage of 14,622 ranked third highest in professional football history.
Harris earned All-AFC honors in 1972, 1975, 1976 and 1977; and All-Pro six times. He was named to nine Pro Bowls; and played in five AFC championships and four Super Bowls. In Super Bowl IX, when the Steelers won their first-ever league title, Harris rushed for 158 yards and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.
In 1990, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Born in Fort Dix, N.J., Harris graduated from Penn State in hotel and hospitality and food. After retiring from the NFL, with Penn State teammate and NFL great Lydell Mitchell, he founded Super Bakery to produce nutrition-oriented foods for schools, hospitals, and other food-service customers. Best known for marketing a nutritious Super Donut, in 2006 Harris launched RSuper Foods to distribute the Super Donut and other products across the country.
The Italian American Stories Segment
In the Italian American Stories segment of the episode we feature a wonderful story from one of our listeners, Bryan Mazzarello, a listener who took back his Italian name after his grandfather gave it up.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Carole "DiFalco" Radziwill, an Emmy Award winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, as well as a cast member of the hit Bravo-TV series "The Real Housewives of New York City." Her first book,What Remains, is a memoir that traces her life from a child growing up in a boisterous working class family in upstate New York to her start in journalism, through her marriage to fellow ABC News producer Anthony Radziwill, the son of socialite/actress Caroline Lee Bouvier (younger sister of First Lady Jacqueline Lee Bouvier) and Polish Prince Stanisław Albrecht Radziwiłł, and the young couple's heartbreaking battle with cancer. Her second book, a novel, The Widows Guide to Sex & Dating, was released in 2012.
Carole started her career as a journalist at ABC News working for Peter Jennings’ documentary unit, where she reported on stories in Cambodia, Haiti, India, and Israel. She traveled extensively on the Thai-Cambodian border reporting and filming in refugee camps and with Khmer Rouge soldiers for the award-winning documentary titled From the Killing Fields. For her journalism, she received three Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award, among other accolades.
During the 2001 Afghan War Carole spent four weeks filming with the 101st Airborne Division, stationed with an infantry unit at the U.S. military base in Khandahar. She produced segments for an ABC-TV series called Profiles From the Frontline.
In the Italian American Story Segment, we feature an interview with Beth Rubin, a travel expert from Select Italy with some pointers on how to start your initial planning for your next trip to Italy. She covers three very specific points to consider.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
Select Italy
In this episode, we interview filmmaker John Maggio, who has spent a decade making documentaries hailed for their social impact and exceptional craft. His work includes several films for "FRONTLINE" and "American Experience." Maggio’s films have been honored with the National Emmy Award, Writers Guild Award, an Independent Spirit Award, and NAACP Image Award nomination, as well as multiple News and Documentary Emmy Award nominations. His work has premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has been shown at festivals around the world.
Maggio is co-creator and Senior Producer of "Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr." He wrote and directed the landmark four-hour series "The Italian Americans" in 2015. He’s currently at work on "Into the Amazon," a two-hour exploration of Theodore Roosevelt’s fateful 1914 trip down the River of Doubt in Brazil.
In our Story Segment, we feature a touching story from two of our listeners, father-daughter duo Samuel and Lisa Amato, about their mother/grandmother and a childhood experience that impacted the rest of her life, which highlights the challenges our ancestors faced when they arrived in the United States.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
Select Italy
Select Italy's Yoga Trip to Italy
In this episode, our own co-host Anthony Fasano breaks down his recent trip to Italy during which he visited the ancestral villages of seven of his eight great-grandparents. Anthony did what many Italian Americans hope to do at one point in their lives - connect with their relatives who never left the homeland. During this episode, he not only shares some stories of connecting with his family in Italy, but walks us through the steps he took to prepare for the trip and the actions he took in those small villages to find records and connections.
In the Italian American Story Segment, we interview Lou Del Bianco, a man who has spent years fighting to get his grandfather Luigi the recognition he deserves. Luigi Del Bianco, an Italian immigrant, was the chief carver of Mount Rushmore, but if it were up to the history books and Mount Rushmore's officials, this would remain an unknown fact; it's thanks to the work of Del Bianco's descendants that his story is becoming known. More during the episode….
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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Select Italy's Yoga Trip to Italy
In this episode, Dolores interviews Mickela Mallozzi, an Emmy Award winning host and producer of the popular travel dance TV and web series "Bare Feet®." Born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut of Italian immigrant parents, she grew up with well-preserved traditions of the Southern-Italian culture, and her appreciation for folk tradition started at a very young age. She began dancing when she was 3, started playing the piano at age 5, was trained in classical and jazz piano, played violin and flute, trained at the Stamford City Ballet School and Center Stage Dance Studio, and was choreographing and performing with prestigious companies in the Tri-State Area once she reached high school. In college, Mallozzi attended New York University (NYU) for music composition, studying abroad for two summer semesters through the NYU Florence Program and as an AIAE Programma Ponte Scholarship recipient in Rome in 2003.
Inspiration from her own experiences led Mallozzi to create the Bare Feet® blog, documenting her dance adventures around the world, which then evolved into the Emmy® Award-winning TV series on public television nationwide, “Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi” – combining her two passions in life: travel and dance.
The Italian American Stories segment of this episode features an interview with Grazia Solazzi from Cook with Grazia. Anthony conducted the interview on site in Lerici, Italy where Grazia spends her summers.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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Select Italy's Yoga Trip to Italy
This is a special bonus episode we produced to celebrate Mike Piazza’s induction into the Major League Baseball (MLB) Hall of Fame, which is happening today, July 24, 2016. Most of the content in this episode was recorded at The National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) New York City Gala this past April, including our interview with Mike Piazza, as well as his moving honoree acceptance speech. We have also included a fun segment at the end of the episode where we talk to some passionate Italian-American Met fans about what Mike Piazza means to them.
One of the reasons we wanted to publish this special episode is because Mike Piazza is extremely proud of his Italian-American heritage; he often speaks publicly about it, which we think really inspires young Italian Americans to engage with their Italian backgrounds.
In this episode, you will first hear a one-on-one interview we did with Mike Piazza. If you are not familiar with Piazza, he is a former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in the MLB, from 1992–2007. He played most notably for the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, while also having brief stints with the other teams. Piazza was a 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner at catcher, producing strong offensive numbers at his position; in his career, he recorded 427 home runs—a record 396 of which were hit as catcher—along with a .308 batting average and 1,335 runs batted in (RBIs). He was drafted very low as a favor to his father’s friend Tommy Lasorda, but like many Italian Americans, through dedication and industriousness, he worked his way up quickly.
You will also hear the acceptance speech Piazza gave when receiving NIAF's Special Achievement Award in Sports, where he not only talks about his Italian upbringing, but why we as a community all stand beside him as he's inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame.
In our Story Segment, we have a fun conversation with three Italian-American Met fans - Drew Taranto, Nick Ferraro, and Michael Bozzone - about Piazza, how his Italian heritage shaped him and contributed to his success, and why he is as beloved for his character as much as his athleticism. We talk about his career and the momentousness of his induction through the lens of our shared Italian-American heritage and community.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
In this episode, we interview Domenica Marchetti on one of the oldest Italian traditions, preserving food. Many Italians and early Italian Americans needed to preserve food to survive, and in this episode Domenica discusses both the importance of preserving food and flavors and the mechanics of how to do it the right way.
Our Italian-American Story Segment features a conversation between Dolores and her mother, talking about cooking in Italy compared to cooking Italian in America, and how homemade food keeps a family together. Mamma Alfieri also gives listeners some good old-fashioned straight-talk on why you should not be lazy and learn how to cook!
Domenica Marchetti is a food journalist, cooking teacher, and author of seven cookbooks, most recently “Preserving Italy: Canning, Curing, Infusing, and Bottling Italian Flavors and Traditions.” Other books include “The Glorious Pasta of Italy” and “The Glorious Vegetables of Italy,” “Williams-Sonoma Rustic Italian,” and “Ciao Biscotti.” Her articles and recipes on Italian home cooking have appeared in The Washington Post, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, and Food and Wine, among other publications. When Domenica is not in her kitchen or at her computer, she leads culinary tours in Italy’s magnificent Abruzzo region. Visit her website at www.domenicacooks.com to learn more.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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Select Italy's Yoga Trip to Italy
In this episode we talk with Pat Harrison on the Italian-American values she received from her family, the unique leadership of Italian-American women, and Italian-American stereotypes. The Honorable Patricia de Stacy Harrison is the president and chief executive officer of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the leading funder of public radio and public television programming for the American people.
Under Ms. Harrison’s leadership in 2011, CPB launched American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen, a nationwide public media initiative to help communities across the country identify and implement solutions to the high school dropout crisis. For this work, she was honored in 2016 with a Promise of America Award from the America’s Promise Alliance.
Ms. Harrison is also chairman of the Leadership Council of Women and Girls Lead. In 2012, she was included on the Forbes list of “Women Changing the World in Media” for establishing Women and Girls Lead and her continued leadership on the project.
Prior to joining Corp Public Broadcasting in 2005, Ms. Harrison served as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs and Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. She is the recipient of many awards and honors, including the U.S. Secretary of State's Distinguished Service Award.
She sits on the boards of the National Italian American Foundation, the National Parkinson Foundation and the American University of Rome. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors at the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security.
She is a former Thomas Colloquium on Free Enterprise guest lecturer at Youngstown State University in Ohio and was a visiting fellow at the Institute for Public Service of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania, in 2000, and at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in 1992.
She is the author of two books, A Seat At The Table: An Insider's Guide for America's New Women Leaders and America's New Women Entrepreneurs.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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This episode features the second part of our two-part interview with Tony Reali of ESPN's "Around the Horn" (you can listen to part 1 here). In this episode, Reali talks about his faith, including wearing ashes on his show, his diet that has caused some stress for him with his family, and also his thoughts on fatherhood. We also celebrate fathers on this Father’s Day in our Italian American Story Segment at the end of the episode.
Tony Reali joined ESPN in July 2000 and in September 2001 became researcher for ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption," a role that evolved into daily on-air appearances correcting factual errors by co-hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon at the end of each show.
In February 2004, Reali was named host of "Around the Horn," a show for which he had been a regular fill-in host and guest panelist. Prior to joining ESPN, Reali was sportscaster for WFUV 90.7 FM at Fordham University, serving as the voice of the men's football and basketball teams and hosting New York City's longest-running sports call-in show. He also served as beat reporter for the New York Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Jets.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode, we visit the "Good Morning America" Studios in Times Square where spent the day with Toni Reali, host of ESPN’s "Around the Horn." This is part one of a two-part interview, where Reali talks about his Italian upbringing and how it contributed to his work ethic and successful career. We also feature a beautiful story from a listener, Stephanie Piccone, about her grandmother, who she never met.
Tony Reali joined ESPN in July 2000 and in September 2001 became researcher for ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption," a role that evolved into daily on-air appearances correcting factual errors by co-hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon at the end of each show.
In February 2004, Reali was named host of "Around the Horn," a show for which he had been a regular fill-in host and guest panelist. Prior to joining ESPN, Reali was sportscaster for WFUV 90.7 FM at Fordham University, serving as the voice of the men's football and basketball teams and hosting New York City's longest-running sports call-in show. He also served as beat reporter for the New York Yankees, Mets, Giants and Jets.
Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation
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This episode features the second part of our two-part interview with literary and journalistic legend Gay Talese (click here for part 1). Additionally, in our Italian American Story Segment, we have an interview with Italian-American actress, producer, and television host, Lucia Grillo. Talese is a bestselling author who has written eleven books. He was a reporter for the New York Times from 1956 to 1965, and since then he has written for the Times, Esquire, The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, and other national publications.
Lucia Grillo began her theatre studies at the age of fifteen, attending the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York for seven years. She received her B.F.A. in Acting from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and acted in her first play at the age of six and has since worked in theatre, cinema and television. Grillo founded her own production company, Calabrisella Films and her directorial debut, the short film, "A pena do pana (The Cost of Bread)," stars internationally acclaimed actor, Vincent Schiavelli, and premiered at AFI Fest in Hollywood. She is also an associate producer for the "Italics" television show (CUNY-TV Channel 75 www.cuny.tv).
Episode SponsorsThe National Italian American Foundation
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In this episode, we interview literary and journalistic icon Gay Talese. Talese is a bestselling author who has written eleven books. He was a reporter for the New York Times from 1956 to 1965, and since then he has written for the Times, Esquire, The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, and other national publications. In this first part of a two-part interview, Talese gives a perspective of an Italian American who lived at a time when it wasn’t cool to be Italian American. We also interview Umberto Mucci of WeTheItalians.com in the Italian American Stories Segment of this episode. Mucci has built up a wonderful resource for Italian Americans online and also represents The Italian American Museum of New York in Italy.
Episode SponsorsThe National Italian American Foundation
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The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) recently became a partnering sponsor of our podcast. In this episode we visit The National Italian American Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C. and learn about how it protects, preserves and celebrates Italian-American heritage and culture. This episode contains some really in-depth discussion on Italian-American pride and respect. Enjoy it....
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
NIAF New York City Gala
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This isn’t a typical how to make sopressata instructional episode, but it may be the funniest episode of The Italian American Podcast yet. We love talking to famous Italian Americans in our community, but what we love even more is being able to capture La Famiglia - the traditions, the love, the bonds, the laughter, the stories we share between us as family and friends who are family. In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we make homemade sopressata while drinking a little too much homemade wine. We talk often on The Italian American Podcast about trying to keep the family together by creating opportunities for the family to gather, just like we did for this episode. Enjoy!
Episode Sponsors
The National Italian American Foundation
NIAF New York City Gala
Select Italy
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Lidia Bastianich, otherwise knows simply as Lidia, Emmy award-winning public television host of "Lidia's Kitchen," bestselling cookbook author, restauranteur, co-owner of the Italian marketplace Eataly, and purveyor of the best-selling artisanal Lidia’s pasta and sauce line. Her new book, Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine, is a compendium of techniques, recipes and more, geared to help the home chef become a great Italian chef.
Episode SponsorsThe National Italian American Foundation
NIAF New York City Gala
Select Italy
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Rick Zullo, an American writer, teacher, and relentless Italophile. He was born in Chicago, raised in Florida, but always dreamt of Italy. In 2010, he left his career in the United States to live in Rome, where he met his wife.
When he’s not writing for his blog, he enjoys exploring the hidden areas of Italy and studying the Italian language, trying to become fully fluent before his two-year-old daughter Demetra beats him to it.
We also talk about the feast of St. Joseph in the Italian American Stories Segment.
Episode SponsorsThe National Italian American Foundation
NIAF New York City Gala
Select Italy
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Tom Santopietro, the author of five books: "The Sound of Music Story"; "The Godfather Effect: Changing Hollywood, America, and Me"; "Sinatra in Hollywood"; "Considering Doris Day" (a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice); and "The Importance of Being Barbara."
Tom’s books have been featured in The New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, The Atlantic, Library Journal, The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, The New York Post, and numerous newspapers across the country.
Prior to becoming an author, Tom worked as a tennis pro and has spent twenty-five years as a manager of over 30 Broadway shows, including Phantom of the Opera, A Few Good Men, Jersey Boys, and Master Class.
We also announced during this episode that the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is now the official sponsor of our podcast. NIAF is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., that serves as a resource for the Italian American community; preserving the Italian American heritage and culture; promoting and inspiring a positive image and legacy of Italian Americans; and strengthening and empowering ties between the United States and Italy. Visit www.niaf.org to learn more. Two NIAF events coming up that we will be attending include "Italy in the White House" and their annual NYC Gala.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak with Kathy McCabe, host and executive producer of the travel series "Dream of Italy," showing on PBS stations around the U.S. through spring 2017. The television series is inspired by the award-winning subscription travel newsletter and website, Dream of Italy, which McCabe founded in 2002, publishing more than 125 editions to date. The newsletter is recommended for its savvy travel advice by National Geographic Traveler, USA TODAY, U.S. News and World Report, BusinessWeek and more. McCabe and "Dream of Italy" were featured in The New York Times in June 2015, and she is widely quoted in the international media on Italian travel topics.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak to author Maria Laurino, who has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, and whose essays are widely anthologized. Her first memoir, Were You Always an Italian?, (W.W. Norton, 2000) was a national bestseller and explored the issue of ethnic identity among Italian-Americans. Her second memoir, Old World Daughter, New World Mother, (W.W. Norton, April 2009) examined the pull and tug the author experienced between Old World traditions that valued familial dependence and a New World feminism that prized female autonomy. In 2014, she published The Italian Americans: A History, a companion book to the popular PBS series of the same name, which chronicles the Italian American experience from 1860 to the present day. Currently, Laurino teaches creative nonfiction at New York University.
We also feature a touching story from one of our listeners, Ben Lariccia, in our Story Segment.
Please note this is part 2 of our interview with Adriana Trigiani, you can listen to part 1 here.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we air Part Two of our conversation with New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, author of "The Shoemaker's Wife," "Lucia, Lucia," and "All the Stars in the Heavens," among other critically acclaimed and bestselling books. Adriana is also a filmmaker, most recently writing and directing "Big Stone Gap," a film, starring Ashely Judd and Whoopi Goldberg, based on her enormously successful Big Stone Gap Series. In this episode you will hear Trigiani discuss why Italy will change you, the things she really needs in this life, and why understanding the past is vital to survival. This is part 2 of a 2 part episode.
BONUS: Adriana shares a story from when she was five-years old as part of our "Storytelling Segment."
Please note, since this was published, we have also published part 2 of our interview with Adriana Trigiani.
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we speak to New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, the author of "The Shoemaker's Wife," "Lucia, Lucia," and "All the Stars in the Heavens," among other critically acclaimed and bestselling books. Adriana is also a filmmaker, most recently writing and directing "Big Stone Gap," a film, starring Ashely Judd and Whoopi Goldberg, based on her enormously successful Big Stone Gap Series. In this episode you will hear Trigiani on family, "The Shoemaker’s Wife," and recreating the lives of our Italian American ancestors. This is part 1 of a 2 part episode.
BONUS: We also had some fun at the end of this episode in our Italian American stories segment and added in some footage that we didn't publish for Episode 5 of us making some homemade mozzarella (see video below).
This is a very special Christmas episode that is dedicated to our family member Pina Maietta, who left us too early. We celebrate her in this episode by doing what she would have been doing at this time of the year. Getting together with family and friends in the kitchen baking delicious Italian holiday treats.
You’ll hear in this episode, though, that holiday baking is about more than the treats. It's really about the people and the conversations that go on around the counter and the oven while those treats are being made. So this episode is mostly those conversations, and a lot of Italian American kitchen background noise. We think you’ll enjoy it…
You can scroll down for photos of our baking gathering, the treats, and the recipes.
Buon Natale to you and your family from The Italian American Podcast hosts and our families…
In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we visit the Italian American Museum in Little Italy, New York City. Founder and Director Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Ph.D. talks about what Italian immigrants went through and how he is trying to recreate that experience so our generation can experience it. Also, my grandmother will end the episode with a touching story of how her father got lost on his first day of a new job in New York.
Episode Guest:
Dr. Joseph Scelsa, Ph.D. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Italian American Museum in the heart of New York City's historic Little Italy. Dr. Scelsa is a fountain of knowledge about Italian and Italian American history and a leader in sharing this knowledge with the world. However, his impressive academic background is not confined to the study of the Italian American experience.
Dr. Scelsa estimates that about as many non-Italian-Americans as Italian-Americans have come to the museum and enjoyed it immensely, which he thinks is wonderful. He explains, "People want to be able to be in touch with their past. And even if it's not their past, so many people are entering, learning about other people's past, seeing what America was like before. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand each other."
You can listen to this episode by clicking the player above or subscribing on iTunes.
Are your ancestors Sicilian? Have you ever been to or wanted to go to Sicily? Well, this is the episode for you.
In this episode, John Keahey, author of several Italian travel narrative books, including Seeking Sicily, shares with us his thoughts, feelings, and experiences about the beautiful island of Sicily. At the end of the show, we also hear a touching story from Mama Alfieri, who talks about how it felt growing up as a poor child in Italy around the holidays.
Episode Guest:Here’s an introduction to this episode’s guest, Seeking Sicily author John Keahey:
John Keahey has spent more than thirty years as a newspaper/wire service reporter and editor who has turned his love for Italy into a career of writing and speaking on the subject. His third book– Seeking Sicily : A Cultural Journey through Myth and Reality— takes a unique approach beyond the typical travel narrative. It explores Sicilian culture through a variety of elements: its cuisine, which draws from the influences from the various nations that once controlled the island; its authors, who, like their fellow islanders, consider themselves Sicilian rather than Italian; and through their deeply ingrained isolationist attitudes of Sicily’s three thousand-year history of being ruled by one invader after another (northern Italians being that latest conqueror during Italian Unification in 1861). Keahey also examines the influence of the Mafia and the impact of Sicilian-Greek myths that still permeate the Mediterranean’s largest, most mysterious, and most historically significant island.
You can listen to the episode by clicking the player above or clicking here to subscribe on iTunes.
Have you ever wanted to research your Italian American Genealogy?
Well, in this episode, we interview Mary Tedesco, an Italian Genealogy expert on how to get started in researching your Italian Genealogy.
Episode Guest:
Here’s an introduction to this episode’s guest Mary Tedesco. She is:
- A professional genealogist, speaker, and author.
- Host and Genealogist on the PBS TV series “Genealogy Roadshow” (seasons 2 and 3) as well as the Founder of ORIGINS ITALY.
- Fluent in Italian and travels often to Italy to conduct client genealogical research and visit family.
- The co-author of Tracing Your Italian Ancestors an 84-page Italian research guide published by Moorshead Magazines.
- Holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Boston University and a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University’s Center for Professional Education.
In addition to her Italian ancestry (Calabria, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Tuscany) on her father’s side, she also has deep American roots (German, Irish, Danish & English) on her mother’s side and is a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mary is a member of a number of local and national genealogical societies. She can be contacted at www.originsitaly.com.
You can listen to this episode by clicking the player above or clicking here to subscribe on iTunes.
Ciao. We are super excited to launch The Italian American Podcast! The first podcast dedicated to helping Italian Americans share and learn about their Italian heritage.
In this first episode we will touch on the following points, and at the end of the show, you will here my Grandma talk about a funny story from when she went back to Italy and shocked a woman in the bathroom, by speaking Italian too her:
- What is the Italian-American Podcast?
- Why are we starting this podcast?
- Who are we?
- What can you expect?
This is a shorter than usual episode, just to help you understand what you can expect from The Italian American Podcast, and how you can actually contribute and help shape the show.
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