The Italian American Podcast

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 wit...

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 h...

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...

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 outli...

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. S...

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...

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 y...

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,...

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...

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...

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 Am...

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 seg...

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...

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 t...

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...

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 Ital...

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 rec...

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...

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 a...

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 Dec...

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...

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 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 grand...

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…...