The Italian American Podcast

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 commun...

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 Italian...

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 a...

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...

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 b...

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...

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 gift...

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 immigra...

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 an...

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...

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...

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 Se...

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 Catholic...

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 abou...

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...

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 w...

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 jou...

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 pro...

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 we...

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 dig...

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....

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 refuse...

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.  Bu...

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...

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...