Deborah Kobylt Live

Please welcome to our show, professor and author Celia Stahr, who wrote this outstanding book, “Frida In America,” chronicling a young Frida Kahlo accompanying her husband, renowned artist Diego Rivera, to America for the first time. Frida wasn’t yet known for her artwork, and the three years she spent on American soil, namely San Francisco, Detroit, New York, inspired Frida to become the political activist and artist she was famous for. We speak with Celia about Frida becoming politically and socially aware of American social circles, the divide between rich and poor, the cultural divide of white, black, and brown America, where women stood in the framework of this changing country, just a few years after given the right to vote, and much more. All of it helped to shape this 23-year-old woman’s view on the world and ultimately her art. It’s a well-documented, fascinating read. Please join me on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host and creator, #DeborahZaraKobylt. Thanks for tuni

Please give a warm welcome to Robert Allegrini, the distinguished president of the National Italian American Foundation, which does tremendous work preserving and highlighting the image and legacy of Italian Americans (for which I am one). Robert joins our #LittleItalyPodcast and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast to discuss NIAF’s mission for the Italian-American Community throughout the U.S. and beyond, and it’s very forward-thinking and exciting.  As Robert describes, one of the main goals of NIAF is to strengthen ties between the United States and Italy by reflecting positive images of Italians in business, film, politics, and more. NIAF also provides grants and scholarships, travel opportunities to Italy particularly to first-time visitors, called Voyage of Discovery, there’s a NIAF museum, GALA events to raise money for education and cultural initiatives. And Robert is here to tell us the vision of NIAF moving forward in a changing world, but the one constant remains preserving our cultural heritage and encouragin

Valorie Kondos Field is a true legend. As a former UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame Coach of 7 NCAA Championship Teams, she’s been responsible for shaping the gymnastics program there into not just winning, but teaching life skills that athletes have taken with them off the balance beam, too. Valorie joins us today to speak about her hard-earned career, her life, and her magnificent book, “Life Is Short, Don’t Wait to Dance.” This book isn’t about winning, rather it’s about the one’s mindset, and how what’s in your head that fuels everything else. And by the way, Valorie was dancer, and NOT a gymnast when she snagged the coaching job at UCLA. We’ll ask her about that, too, along with so many other moments that have shaped her life, including lessons learned from her mentor, legendary basketball coach John Wooden. She talks about putting those lessons to the test when faced with some rough times, including her breast cancer diagnosis. There’s a lot to cover, and a lot to learn from this maverick. Valorie is current

Please welcome to our show, two extraordinary women making BIG changes in the area of mental health. Terry Hyman Hamermesh and Cecelia Feiler, co-founders of #WOW, the Wisdom of Wellness Summit that will take place next month at UCLA, with an extraordinary panel that includes Oprah Winfrey, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and so many others who will be talking the myriad of mental health issues that plague our nation, young and old, and the extraordinary work and research being done at UCLA to combat mental illness and get people the help they need. The Summit is hosted by actor and mental health advocate Lisa Kudrow. This is an important conversation you won’t want to miss, and an opportunity to learn what's cutting edge at UCLA, and were being done to help. Please tune in to all video and audio platforms of our show on #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, thank you for joining us.    

Sometimes, we’re stuck and need to reframe how we look at ourselves. Meet Mike Diamond, author of “A Dose Of Positivity,” and believe me, this is a dose of something we all could use. Mike talks about his extraordinary spiral from drug addiction, how he found his way to recovery, and now works with others to help them find their way out of whatever is plaguing them, whether it’s drugs, food, alcohol, or anything that holds a person back. Mike has also been a successful actor, he’s a speaker, husband and father, and when you hear his story, you’ll realize that you’re not alone, and you can help yourself with some specific tools, and a dose of positivity. This is real stuff, not “let’s be happy” sort of stuff.  Mike lays out common sense ways of working through life’s toughest moments, and how to keep up the momentum, too. Please find our full show of #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all audio and video podcast platforms, and please invite your friends and family to this important conversation, too. I’m your host, #Debora

Please welcome Annalisa Giolo, aka Inanna, who joins our show today to talk about how her singing and songwriting is completely inspired by what’s happening here on earth. Inanna was born and raised in Italy, decided to make LA her home after she did a house swap and fell in love with Southern California, which inspired her songwriting and performing. As a nature and animal rights advocate, and founder of Better Earth Media, she uses her platform as an artist to draw attention to our environment and now we can keep it from blowing up. As an Italian having grown up just outside of Venice, Inanna says music, dance, and nature were always a constant as a child, and she talks about growing up Italian, too, and how that has inspired her work. Join us on all video and audio platforms of #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, & #DeborahKOBYLTLIVE on all video and audio platforms. And invite your friends and family, too❤️

We are thrilled to have writer, producer, and filmmaker Chiara Tilesi join our show today, who is on a mission to change the way women are heard and portrayed in media, and as you’ll see, she’s succeeding. Chiara is behind the award-winning film, “Tell It Like a Woman” and documentary, “One Of Us.” In addition, she founded, “We Do It Together,“ a nonprofit production company that produces content to empower the story of women around the world. It’s working, having recently been asked to speak before the United Nations. “Tell It Like a Woman” highlights seven segments by female directors from around the world, with topics ranging from homelessness to mental health and addiction, starring some of today’s most recognized actresses. Each story is about women and by women, but for everyone. “One Of Us” started as a documentary about four Italian women living and working in Los Angeles, and the concept has since grown and Chiara will be also talking about that. It was a collaboration with former Italian consul Silv

Please welcome to our show, Margie Smith Holt, who did something almost imaginable. She sailed across the Atlantic - twice - in a hand-made, 30-foot boat, only just having learned to sail, with one crew member. Talk about your mid-life regroup! Margie is my long-time friend, an Emmy-winning journalist whose first book, Not On Any Map, One Virgin Island, Two Catastrophic Hurricanes, And The True Meaning Of Paradise, is a MUST read! Margie was working as a reporter in Philadelphia when her life came crashing down at the age of 40. The man of her dreams decided to leave to seek the “glamour” of being a war correspondent, and suddenly she looked around and didn’t see a future where she was. A vacation to St. John changed all of that, turning what was supposed to be a few weeks into something life changing for Margie. In between, she also battled cancer, and recovered. And I thought Margie was the quiet, demure type when we worked together. You will NOT want to miss our interview, on ALL platforms of #DeborahKobyl

Jordan Matthews is a high-profile attorney, former actor, and author, “Failure: When You Have Nothing, You Have Everything,” and this book may have very well changed my life. Jordan speaks very personally about grief and tragic personal events, interwoven into an incredibly successful professional career, and he talks about failure, a lot, and how it’s actually failure in life that brings on clarity. It’s nearly impossible to spot as hard times are happening to us, but they really are lessons to bring us to the next level, whatever that may be. Please join me in welcoming Jordan on our show today, and invite your friends, too. There’s a lot of wisdom in what Jordan has to say, something familiar about it, too. Thanks for tuning into #DeborahKobyltLIVE, I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt

Sometimes, life can be one big SHiTHOUSE, and that’s the title of Lauren Dollie Duke’s book, and this is one fascinating “I can’t put this down” read. Lauren is a healer, educator, community activist, and writer who talks about recovery from generational trauma, because she’s been through it with her alcoholic mother and bank-robbing father. Oh, and that’s just the beginning. She talks about the day she decided to be proactive in her healing from trauma, and what she did to get there. It wasn’t easy, but she’s done it, and her book is an inspiration to all of us on how we can cut the chord to generational trauma, too. Please join our full conversation on #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all audio and video podcast platforms, and invite your friends, too. Thanks for tuning in, #DeborahZaraKobylt

Please welcome to our show famed pizza maker, entrepreneur, restauranteur, and author, Joe Farruggio, whose pizzas in the Georgetown section of DC are a favorite with some very famous residents in the White House to movie stars like Harrison Ford (who also played a U.S. President in one of his films). Joe’s journey from Sicily is a story to be told, and he did just that in his book, “My Name Is Joe, And I Am A Pizza Man.” This is a terrific read about a man not shy to admit some mistakes, but also celebrate how each step led to his tremendous success, from his Il Canale and 90 Second restaurants, along with A Modo Mio, meaning “My Way,” and Joe wouldn’t have it any other way. We speak with Joe about family, belief in self, and keeping things simple to keep customers coming back. We also talk about his Italian upbringing and his trip on the Michelangelo ship from Italy was a life changing moment for him. Hear and see our full interview with Joe on YouTube, Facebook, and on all video and audio podcast platforms

Filmmaker Michel Shane didn’t envision himself as an activist, but circumstances in life brought him to a different place. The producer of “Catch Me If You Can” this time produced something even closer to his heart, “21 Miles In Malibu,” and Michel joins us today to talk about it. The Pacific Coast Highway is a long, twisty, narrow stretch of road, it’s beautiful but it’s also dangerous. Michel knows all too well, because his beautiful daughter, Emily, was killed by a driver said to be on a murder mission. She was just 12. In this film, Michel details the history of the 21 mile road that borders the Pacific Ocean, why it was built, and the history of the area and land long before a road was built there. It’s fascinating and well researched, and has gained the attention of the larger film community. The film will be shown at the Santa Barbara Film Festival this year. The goal is to draw attention to how the PCH can be safer. And he details that in his film as well. Please join us for this wonderful convers

We are honored to present the story of Gaetano “Tony“ Gaudio, the first Italian to have won an Academy Award. His life and work are remarkable, and today we welcome Gino Gaudio, president of the Tony Gaudio Foundation, and brothers Fabrizio & Alessandro Nucci, filmmakers from Italy, in Los Angeles to shoot the film about Tony’s life called, “The Lost Oscar.”  The film documents the extraordinary life of this talented cinematographer, who won the Oscar for his work in 1937. Yet the famed statue is no where to be found, hence the title of the film.  This is a fascinating look into the life of this talented man, born in Cosenza, Italy, where he was recently memorialized for his life’s work, which left a profound mark on this beautiful village, as well as breaking ground in all aspects of cinematography here in America.  Hear about Tony’s upbringing and fast rise in the world of cinematography, catching the eye of Hollywood and working with some of the greats of his time, from Bette Davis to Greta Garbo, a

I love Harlem, have lived there, and have always had a passion for the people, culture, and history there. So naturally, I jumped at the chance to interview Carolyn Johnson, creator of Harlem-Opoly, an exciting board game based on the Harlem Renaissance, which includes some of the famous personalities and landmarks Harlem, from Josephine Baker to the Apollo Theater. Carolyn is also President and Founder of Welcome to Harlem, focusing on the rich history and cultural diversity of Harlem, and also Harlem Roots, which teaches kids about Harlem’s history. In this clip, we talk about Carolyn’s passion for Harlem, what has encouraged its resurgence, and she gives us a quick history lesson into this fascinating part of NYC. Please find our full interview with Carolyn on all #DeborahKobyltLIVE video and audio podcast platforms. Please invite your friends to listen, too, and thank you as always for joining us! #DeborahZaraKobylt

This next story is what life, and the holidays, are all about. Meet JD Slajchert, former college athlete and author, “Darling, You’re Not Alone.” The book is based on JD’s life story about a young boy who came to see all of JD’s college basketball games, until one day, the boy got very sick. What happens after the boy’s illness forever changed JD’s purpose in life, and he writes about it. In fact, the NY Times calls his book, “A Must Read That Will Change Your Life.” We talk with JD about this, and also how one incident in a person’s life can truly change one’s entire direction in life. #DeborahKobyltLIVE #DeborahZaraKobylt

We are honored to welcome Iranian businesswoman and former U.S. Diplomat, Goli Ameri, discussing the human rights violations of women in Iran, highlighted by the death of brutal murder of Iran has been rocked by the biggest protests in years following the death of Masha Amini, who was arrested by the country’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly and for sporting skinny jeans. She died in police custody, which then set off a storm of protests globally to put a spotlight on the the atrocities against women there and what can be done about it.    It’s a complicated situation there, buried beneath a thick layer of culture and politics, and Goli joins us to explain in detail what’s it’s like for women in Iran today, and how increased pressure from the international community could finally break decades of oppression, and murder, again women.    Please invite your friends to listen as well, and join our conversation. #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio podcast platforms, and streaming LIVE. #D

Ever wonder why you’ll pick up the phone to call a friend and that same friend was literally about to call you? Or you’re on the subway, and you keep spotting the same person? Please join us today in conversation with Dr. Bernard Beitman, who wrote the book, “Meaningful Coincidences, How and Why Synchronicity and Serendipity Happen.” The book is a fascinating read about coincidences, what they mean to us, and the bigger picture in life and the universe. Dr. Beitman has spent his career researching coincidences, and what he’s discovered will make you question if what happens in life is a coincidence or part of a bigger plan. Tune in to our conversation with #Dr. Beitman, here on #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio platforms. And please invite your friends to join, too. #DeborahZaraKobylt

Ever wonder how #Madonna, #MichaelJackson, and so many iconic performers got their moves? Remember the crotch-grab? You can thank famed choreographer and now author Vincent Paterson for that, and he joins us today to talk about his incredible book, “Icons & Instincts.” This is one of those “I can’t put this down” kind of reads, believe me. Vincent and I will discuss so many of his brilliant moves, like the one by Robin Williams in “Birdcage,” but we will also talk about the performers and what they were like behind the scenes. Vincent gives us a complete inside look to their most private moments. Can’t wait to talk with him, and even hear about some of the performers that were a challenge for him, too, and they’re some HUGE names as well.  Join me on #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all audio and video platforms, and please invite your friends, too. We will also play this on our #LittleItalyPodcast as well (Vincent’s mom was Italian and we’ll be talking about that). We look forward to sharing his story with you. #D

Please welcome to our show, Erin Runnion, founder of The Joyful Child Foundation, formed in memory of her beautiful daughter, Samantha, who was abducted and murdered when she was just five years old. Joyful Child is dedicated to preventing crimes against children through programs that empower them, and adults, through training. Their aim is to protect young people from all forms of abuse, violence, and exploitation, including harassment, sexual abuse, trafficking, and abduction. What Erin has done is remarkable, and she has become a friend to the show. Please hear her story, and all she’s done to help protect children for nearly two decades now. Thank you for joining us, Erin, and for fighting to keep our children safe. Please find our full interview on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. #DeborahZaraKobylt