Mike Marino, Actor, Comedian, Podcast Host

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Please welcome one of the funniest guys in comedy today, Mike Marino, who hails from New Jersey, next to the town where I was born. Mike manages to turn circumstances from everyday life as a proud Italian-American into something we can all relate to – funny, relatable, ridiculous.

He went on a campaign to “Make America Italian Again” which attracted a cult following. He hosts the popular podcast, “Live From My Mother’s Basement,” which is literally recorded in the basement of the home where he grew up. In fact, with the recent death of his parents, he bought the house, and starts each morning taking us on a LIVE walk around the neighborhood, sharing his thoughts of the day. And these days, there’s a lot to share.

While performing on a cruise ship last year, he became ill. Doctors found a tumor in his brain which they removed. Now he’s on another campaign – to get healthy with the help of his beautiful fiancée, Heather. He’s currently also working on a new TV special with the working title, “Mike Marino: Back 2 School,” and he’s back performing LIVE this week, so check his social for deets.

Mike has performed at the Comedy Store, Laugh Factory, Carnegie Hall, and he’s entertained veterans for which he earned the USO Bob Hope Comedy Award. He’s also a successful actor, having appeared on Frazier and so many other shows and commercials. He’s got a lot to share, not only about comedy, but about loss, family, being Italian, and his recent health scare that literally knocked him off his feet.

Please find my full conversation with #MikeMarino on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

And congrats, Mike, for being inducted into the N.J. Comedy Hall of Fame.

Monica Guerritore, Acclaimed Actress, Writer, Director, “ANNA: The Untold Story”

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Please welcome acclaimed actress Monica Guerritore to our show, who joins us to talk about her magnificent film, “Anna – The Untold Story” – about the life of legendary actress Anna Magnini, specifically set on the night of 1956 when Anna won theAcademy Award for Best Actress for “The Rose Tattoo.” @AnnaIlfilm

She was the first Italian actress to win an Oscar. The film portrays Anna as a woman of immense strength and passion, navigating her private struggles and memories while wandering the streets of Rome.

Monica wrote, directed, and also stars in the film, offering a rich portrayal of Anna the person as opposed to the cinema icon. It’s an incredible story, told from the heart, and so beautifully acted by Monica, I was left speechless. I wanted to understand Monica’s process in capturing the story of Anna, as well as her keen interest. The film, which debuted in Los Angeles for International Women’s Day, also stars Tommaso Ragno, Beatrice Granno, and Lucia Mascino.

I love a story about strong women, particularly Italian women. Today, I not only interview one – Monica – we talk about one as well – Anna.

Please join me on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. Please share with your friends and family as well.

Larry Freeborg, Author of “Always At Choice”

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Grief can be crippling both mentally and physically. It is one of the most complicated of human conditions, and often difficult to recover from. Today, we speak with someone who has been through it and writes to help others process their grief and get to the other side of living again.

Please welcome Larry Freeborg, author of “Always At Choice,” which helps people to realize they have the choice to move forward even from the most crippling grief. The book is rooted in Larry’s personal experience when he simultaneously lost his wife to leukemia and his 18-year career due to an economic downturn. He was left to raise four children on his own and find work, too, all while grieving. It took some time, but Larry found his way back.

In this book, Larry talks about how to reinvent yourself at any age, even if you feel stuck, and he offers practical strategies on how to do it.

Please join our show today, and share with a friend, because we all experience grief at some time, and it’s good to know we’re not alone and important to share how to get through it.

Please join my full conversation with Larry Freeborg on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Brent Mata, Producer/DP on “It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story

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There was a time when there were very few female comics, but that’s changed due in large part to the brave women who had the courage to stand up and speak their mind on stage. One of those women was Judy Tenuta, considered one of the most unique and trailblazing comedians of a generation, cutting through the male-dominated profession with her sharp wit and style. And because of her, many women were subsequently able to break into comedy. Judy gained national recognition in 1987 after starring in the HBO special, Women of the Night, opposite Ellen DeGeneres and Rita Rudner. After that, she never looked back.

Judy passed away in 2022 from ovarian cancer, but she left behind a legacy and rich story to tell. Her life and career are the subject of an award-winning short titled, “It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story,” starring Taylor Blackwell, who wore many of Judy’s costumes in the film. This is a story about breaking through barriers and not giving up, and believing in yourself even with others don’t. Today, we welcome to our show Brent Mata, director and producer of “It Happened,” who
speaks about the importance of telling Judy’s life story with purpose and authenticity.

Please enjoy my full conversation with award-winning filmmaker Brent Mata on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you to our show.

Tracy Doyle, Navigating Life’s Storms

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If you find yourself feeling exhausted and burned out, you’re not alone. And you’ll want to tune into our show to find out how to find your way back to feeling okay again.

Please welcome Tracy Doyle, a successful entrepreneur with a multi-million dollar company who simply couldn’t do it any longer. She was exhausted, not processing daily tasks clearly, and she hit rock bottom. But she found her way again, and wrote about it, “Life Storms: Finding Your Clear Sky,” a proven self-help guide designed primarily for women who seem put together on the outside but are struggling on the inside. And that was Tracy. In fact, she nearly drove herself off a cliff.

She created the Aurora Method, which are eight mindful practices designed to break negative cycles, regulate emotions, and restore connection with yourself and others in your life. She talks about what drove her to write this, and she believes early unresolved trauma and overwork caused her to mentally snap. Her goal – to help everyone else out there struggling mentally to find their way back to balance and clarity.

Please find my full conversation with Tracy on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE.

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. Please share with your friends, too!

Suzanne Cope, Italian Women Warriors

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Today, I present an extraordinary true story for Women’s History Month, written by Suzanne Cope, “Women Of War: The Italian Assassins, Spies, and Couriers Who Fought the Nazis.”

This is the untold story of the women who risked their lives to secretly pass messages, ammunition, and other secrets to help fight the Nazis who were occupying Italy in the 1940’s. The book focuses on four women – in their early 20s – who would do their work on bicycle and on foot, carrying messages in a loaf of bread or hiding munitions in their overcoats, and risking their lives to do it.

This is a hidden chapter of Italian history — women of the Resistance who fought Fascism and Nazi occupation while living their everyday lives. And what they did mattered, as told by author and journalist Suzanne Cope, who conducted meticulous research for this book. The women highlighted here carried notes, transported weapons, organized strikes, and committed acts of extraordinary bravery, yet their stories had been overlooked for decades. Until now. In fact, these stories are perhaps more significant as women face challenges around the world to stand up for their rights and freedom.

Please find my full conversation with Suzanne Cope on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast.

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for joining us.

Arzo Yusuf, Executive Director. Angels Nest

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There are more than 30,000 children in the foster care system throughout Los Angeles County. Once they reach legal age, they are on their own, often with no place to go, no job, family, and often with limited skills. Arzo Yusuf,
executive director with Angels Nest, is working to change that.

Angels Nest assists with transitioning youth from foster care into the world so these children can function as thriving adults. But it’s hard. Nearly 33% end up homeless, 85% are sex trafficked, and 90% end up incarcerated. Clearly,
something isn’t working with these kind of statistics, and we’ll talk about that and possible solutions to a system that has been in place for decades. 

Arzo’s mission is to give these kids tools and finances to get a head start, providing services from rent support, educational assistance such as tuition, books, and laptops, groceries, and the list goes on. And she’s had tremendous
success.

Imaging growing up in a chaotic household, only to end up in a foster system that abandons you. It seems unimaginable. And you can help, too. Please find my full interview with Arzo Yusuf on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. 

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.

Rob Thomas, Wordless Connection: Deepen Intimacy Without Saying a World Even if You are Married

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Very often, we don’t need to speak to get our point across. In fact, a look or touch can speak volumes, and I’ll be discussing that with Rob Thomas, author of “Wordless Connection: Deepen Intimacy Without Saying a Word.” 

Rob’s book provides a practical, five-step framework for couples to rebuild trust and closeness through nonverbal communication rather than the traditional “talking it out” method, which can often lead to arguments. Rob talks about
specific silent techniques designed to increase empathy and intimacy, and uses neuroscience and behavioral research to illustrate how nonverbal cues, such as a touch or gaze, can deepen emotional bonds and reduce conflict. The gestures are subtle, but effective.
We’ll talk about it and even go through some exercises to illustrate. 

The work is done with purpose. For example, there’s a simple hug, and then there’s a hug with deeper meaning and intent. The idea is to engage with deeper care to provoke love and connection. And it works. We all need that tender
touch and provocative look. It makes us feel good. 

Please find my full interview with #RobThomas on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. 

I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here. 

David Schnurman, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur

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Ever think of packing up and leaving? Let’s face it, many of us have. With all the crazy happening in our country, from gun violence to a lack of affordable housing and healthcare, not to mention an education system that has been sub par, many have dreamed
of packing up the kids and getting out of dodge. And that’s just what our guest did.

Meet David Schnurman, successful entrepreneur and author, “Eleven Suitcases: How Moving Abroad Changed A Family Forever,” who says moving was the best thing he and his family ever did.

Overwhelmed by the grind of raising three young kids in NY, David, the founder and CEO of Lawline, and his wife, Kelli, made a decision in 2019 while sitting at their kitchen table to pack up and move to Barcelona. What followed was a life of unplanned adventure,
from treks in Morocco to mountain escapes in Spain. However, there were multiple challenges, like the lockdown, among others.  But what unfolded changed their family forever – in unexpected ways.

Now back in the States with his family and their eleven suitcases, David talks about their experiences and how it transformed them.

Please find my full interview with #DavidSchnurman on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here!

Mimi Nichter, Author, Hostage: A Memoir of Terrorism, Trauma, and Resilience

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Mimi Nichter was 20-years-old when she was on TWA flight 741 to JFK after spending her summer on a kibbutz in Israel. But her flight was hijacked and redirected to Jordan where passengers were held captive for six days in unimaginable conditions. Most were
sent home, but Mimi, falsely accused of being an Israeli soldier, was held hostage along with 31 others. This is Mimi’s story of survival and courage as she and the others hostages navigated the uncharted waters of how to stay alive and find their way home.

#Hostage recounts Mimi’s dramatic time as a hostage, her release, and the aftermath of when she returned home. She was never the same, plagued with terrifying memories and PTSD that has haunted her for much of her life. She backpacked across Africa and Asia
trying to release the trauma, but it was only buried deep inside of her until finally, she wrote about it. “Hostage” is her gift to herself and others facing unimaginable circumstances and coming out a survivor.

Please find my full conversation with #MimiNichter on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s my pleasure to welcome you here.