The Italian American Podcast

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…...

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...