Podcasts about friends like us

Friends Like Us celebrates Malcolm X's  100th birthday! Join host Marina Franklin as she talks with Tamara Payne and Troy LaRaviere as they discuss the impact of his teachings and how they resonate today. Tune in and be inspired!  Tamara Payne sheds light on her father Les Payne's groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize-winning work, "The Dead Are Arising," and its revelations about his life.   Tamara Payne is co-author of The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X written with her father, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne, published by Liveright. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and NAACP Image Award. Troy A. LaRaviere is an American school administrator, educator and current President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. Prior to assuming his role as president, LaRaviere served as a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principal. He began his teacher career at CPS in 1997. LaRaviere received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from the University of Illinois. LaRaviere served in the United States Navy in the late 80's. LaRaviere advocates for Progressivism, and has appeared in ads for Bernie Sanders and was a candidate for the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.   

 This Friends Like Us, Marina Franklin and Hollie Harper chat with the incredible Sumer Strawbree, a 15-year-old CEO inspiring young girls with her empowering coloring books and confidence-building affirmations!  Sumer Strawbree, is a 15 year old speaker, author and affirmations authority. She helps girls unleash the power of positive "I Am" affirmations to improve their confidence and mental health. "I Am"...two words that speak directly to your subconscious mind. Between 8 and 14, girls' confidence levels drop by 30%. As Seen on, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, at LA Comic Con & More... After she was bullied at school, this young CEO has independently sold over 10,000 worldwide copies of her Affirmations Coloring Books through her publishing company that features positive images of Black and Brown girls equating to 10,000 girls inspired. She teaches girls how to unlock their subconscious mindsets to bring out the SUPERHERO that is already inside of them, through her I Am Confident University™ Affirmations and Vision Board workshops, workbooks and books. Hollie Harper  is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.   

Discover the magic of community-driven cat rescue in our latest Friends Like Us episode. Join host Marina Franklin, Becky Wisdom from Green Point Cats, and comedian Subhah Agarwal as they chat about cat colonies, TNR, and the urgency to help communities in the over populations of cats.  Becky Wisdom is the founder of Greenpoint Cats, a leading Brooklyn-based animal rescue organization focused on TNR (trap, neuter, return). Her journey into rescue began in 2018 when she moved to Greenpoint and found herself living on a block with a crew of unforgettable feline neighbors—an encounter that inspired her to take action. What started as an effort to help a few street cats quickly became a full-time calling. By 2020, Becky had left her career in marketing to devote herself entirely to rescue work. Her grassroots efforts sparked a growing community of animal advocates in Greenpoint and beyond, building a network of support and care for some of the city's most vulnerable animals. Her passion for rescue is deeply rooted in her upbringing, which included daily chores like caring for opossums and rehabilitating birds. With media coverage from New York Magazine, the Hallmark Channel, and several local TV news outlets, Becky continues to save lives—and inspire others to do the same. Subhah Agarwal has brought an honesty to her comedy that will leave you saying "I didn't need to know that." Subhah has written for Netflix's “Arsenio Hall” limited series, the "Plan B" movie on Hulu," and The Jim Jefferies Show"on Comedy Central, amongst others. You can also catch her jokes live at stand up comedy clubs across the country. If you don't want to leave your couch, you can see her late night debut on NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." She's also appeared on season three of HBO's "Westworld", "General Hospital," TruTv's sketch comedy "Friends of the People", and as herself on MTV2, Comedy Central, and Gotham Comedy Live. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'. 

Dive into Friends Like Us as host Marina Franklin talks with veteran comedians Ralph Harris, Keith Robinson, and Charles Walden. They share stories, laughs, and insights on what keeps them thriving in the industry.  Keith Robinson: Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Keith Robinson, is considered a comic's comic. He has captivated audiences around the world with his straightforward humor. He was a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd; and the co-host of The Wanda Sykes Show (Fox), His first hour special; 2014's Kevin Hart Presents: Back of the Bus Funny can still be streamed on Amazon Prime, Peacock and Tubi. Keith has been featured in films such as Trainwreck and King of Staten Island. After two strokes, and an extended hospital stay, during COVID, Keith marched right back to the stage to create his latest and most personal work yet, Different Strokes; his second hour special, picked up and to be released in 2024 by Netflix. Keith is currently working on several projects, including, feature films, television and tours. Charles Walden: Celebrity standup comedian and actor Charles Walden has been doing what he loves for over 30 years and that's entertaining his audience. Stricken by Cerebral Palsy from birth Charles doesn't allow his condition to limit or stop him from living his best life. Between gigs Charles has been employed by the State of Philadelphia for over fifteen (15) years. He enjoys traveling the world making people laugh.  Charles Walden was raised in the rough and tough inner city of Philadelphia and had to struggle and survive like any other kid in the inner city. He got No breaks just because he had Cerebral Palsy. He was not babied at all by family, friends, or the community. He had to put his pants on one leg at a time like every other boy or man. He had to overcome many obstacles. There was a lot of mental and physical pain he endured from living and growing up in the inner city of Philadelphia. The death of his mother crushed him, but he kept going. She was his rock. Many years have passed since her death and the pain never goes away but he keeps going. Charles' greatest pleasure is when he's on stage performing as he gives his audiences the most inspirational laughing good time they've had in a long while.  Charles Walden is not embarrassed or ashamed of his Cerebral Palsy and has incorporated his condition in a unique way into his standup comedy show.  Charles is proud to say stand up comedy has giving him the opportunity to perform on some iconic TV shows and stages such as BETs Comic View, Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment and even Def Comedy Jam's All-Star Season, to name a few.  Charles is a requested favorite to perform at  colleges, universities, comedy clubs, churches and military bases across the Country. Ralph Harris - From humble beginnings in North Philadelphia to the bright lights of Hollywood, Ralph Harris has been living the dream as a successful comedian and actor, in a career that spans over thirty-five years, and remains in full swing. Labeled by his peers as one of today's legendary comedic talents, with a resume that includes notable acting experience. Harris also served as host of the Culinary Competition, My Momma Throws Down on the TVOne network. He also made his feature film debut in the Golden Globe hit DREAMGIRLS, starring one of his comedy idols Eddie Murphy, Beyonce´, Jamie Foxx and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Harris kicks off the movie as the Detroit MC that helps Jamie hook up with the Dreamettes. Not one to slow down, Harris continued his film career momentum, immediately landing his second feature role in the film Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell and Wanda Sykes. Harris' jump to the big screen comes after years of successful television work, including appearances on Seinfeld, The Parent ‘Hood, Nick Freno, Living Single and In Living Color. No stranger to late night TV, Harris has been featured on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Arsenio. Harris, is best known for his starring role in the ABC sitcom On Our Own which aired during the immensely popular TGIF block on Friday nights, the show has also aired in syndication on TVOne. You can catch Harris on TV and the Web, in either of his previously recorded specials – Comedy Central Presents and the widely popular HBO Comedy Half-Hour, also on all major streaming music platforms, on his previously recorded album titled HICKEY HEAD. When he's not filming, Harris continues to tour the world and the sea, literally! Performing to sold-out audiences as a comedian, his first career and love. Harris' comedy is character driven, a throwback to many of the greats including his other comedy idols Pryor, Cosby, Redd Foxx, Jonathan Winters and the list goes on. Born and raised in Philadelphia… Ralph spends what little time he's not on the road performing, at home in Los Angeles. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.         

Most weeks, we confront our guests with a Thought Experiment to compile for an end-of-year special. But this time, we're the ones in the hot seat. We asked our friends -- past podcast guests all -- to challenge us with TV-themed Would You Rather? They came through in a big way with hypothetical choices that really set us to some soul-searching. Listen to hear what decisions we're being forced to make! TOPICS Lead Topic:

Marina Franklin host comedy giants on Friends Like Us! Tune in as Ralph Harris, Charles Walden, and Keith Robinson share stories about their journey, friendship, and the comedic landscape today. It's a laughter-packed episode with comedy legends! Keith Robinson: Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Keith Robinson, is considered a comic's comic. He has captivated audiences around the world with his straightforward humor. He was a regular on Comedy Central's Tough Crowd; and the co-host of The Wanda Sykes Show (Fox), His first hour special; 2014's Kevin Hart Presents: Back of the Bus Funny can still be streamed on Amazon Prime, Peacock and Tubi. Keith has been featured in films such as Trainwreck and King of Staten Island. After two strokes, and an extended hospital stay, during COVID, Keith marched right back to the stage to create his latest and most personal work yet, Different Strokes; his second hour special, picked up and to be released in 2024 by Netflix. Keith is currently working on several projects, including, feature films, television and tours. Charles Walden: Celebrity standup comedian and actor Charles Walden has been doing what he loves for over 30 years and that's entertaining his audience. Stricken by Cerebral Palsy from birth Charles doesn't allow his condition to limit or stop him from living his best life. Between gigs Charles has been employed by the State of Philadelphia for over fifteen (15) years. He enjoys traveling the world making people laugh.  Charles Walden was raised in the rough and tough inner city of Philadelphia and had to struggle and survive like any other kid in the inner city. He got No breaks just because he had Cerebral Palsy. He was not babied at all by family, friends, or the community. He had to put his pants on one leg at a time like every other boy or man. He had to overcome many obstacles. There was a lot of mental and physical pain he endured from living and growing up in the inner city of Philadelphia. The death of his mother crushed him, but he kept going. She was his rock. Many years have passed since her death and the pain never goes away but he keeps going. Charles' greatest pleasure is when he's on stage performing as he gives his audiences the most inspirational laughing good time they've had in a long while.  Charles Walden is not embarrassed or ashamed of his Cerebral Palsy and has incorporated his condition in a unique way into his standup comedy show.  Charles is proud to say stand up comedy has giving him the opportunity to perform on some iconic TV shows and stages such as BETs Comic View, Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment and even Def Comedy Jam's All-Star Season, to name a few.  Charles is a requested favorite to perform at  colleges, universities, comedy clubs, churches and military bases across the Country. Ralph Harris - From humble beginnings in North Philadelphia to the bright lights of Hollywood, Ralph Harris has been living the dream as a successful comedian and actor, in a career that spans over thirty-five years, and remains in full swing. Labeled by his peers as one of today's legendary comedic talents, with a resume that includes notable acting experience. Harris also served as host of the Culinary Competition, My Momma Throws Down on the TVOne network. He also made his feature film debut in the Golden Globe hit DREAMGIRLS, starring one of his comedy idols Eddie Murphy, Beyonce´, Jamie Foxx and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Harris kicks off the movie as the Detroit MC that helps Jamie hook up with the Dreamettes. Not one to slow down, Harris continued his film career momentum, immediately landing his second feature role in the film Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell and Wanda Sykes. Harris' jump to the big screen comes after years of successful television work, including appearances on Seinfeld, The Parent ‘Hood, Nick Freno, Living Single and In Living Color. No stranger to late night TV, Harris has been featured on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Arsenio. Harris, is best known for his starring role in the ABC sitcom On Our Own which aired during the immensely popular TGIF block on Friday nights, the show has also aired in syndication on TVOne. You can catch Harris on TV and the Web, in either of his previously recorded specials – Comedy Central Presents and the widely popular HBO Comedy Half-Hour, also on all major streaming music platforms, on his previously recorded album titled HICKEY HEAD. When he's not filming, Harris continues to tour the world and the sea, literally! Performing to sold-out audiences as a comedian, his first career and love. Harris' comedy is character driven, a throwback to many of the greats including his other comedy idols Pryor, Cosby, Redd Foxx, Jonathan Winters and the list goes on. Born and raised in Philadelphia… Ralph spends what little time he's not on the road performing, at home in Los Angeles. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.       

Marina Franklin talks with guest Professor Marlene Daut and Nonye Brown-West. They dive into the incredible history of Haiti with Dr. Marlene Daut on the latest episode of Friends Like Us. Discover the power of education and representation in shaping our narratives.  Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Marlene L. Daut is an author, scholar, editor, and professor. Her books include Tropics of Haiti: Race and the Literary History of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World (Liverpool UP, 2015); Baron de Vastey and the Origins of Black Atlantic Humanism (Palgrave, 2017); Awakening the Ashes: An Intellectual History of the Haitian Revolution (UNC Press, 2023); and The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe (Knopf, 2025). Her articles on Haitian history and culture have appeared in over a dozen magazines, newspapers, and journals including, The New Yorker (“What's the Path Forward for Haiti?”), The New York Times (“Napoleon Isn't a Hero to Celebrate”), Harper's Bazaar (“Resurecting a Lost Palace of Haiti”), Essence (“Haiti isn't Cursed. It is Exploited”), The Nation (“What the French Really Owe Haiti”), and the LA Review of Books (“Why did Bridgerton Erase Haiti?”). She has won several awards, grants, and fellowships for her contributions to historical and cultural understandings of the Caribbean, notably from the Ford Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, the Haitian Studies Association, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Most recently, she won a grant from the Robert Silvers Foundation for The First and Last King of Haiti. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.A. in English and French in 2002 and went on to teach in Rouen, France as an Assistante d'Anglais before enrolling at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2009. Since graduating, she has taught Haitian and French colonial history and culture at the University of Miami, the Claremont Graduate University, and the University of Virginia, where she also became series editor of New World Studies at UVA Press. In July 2022, she was appointed as Professor of French and African American Studies at Yale University. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.   

Dive into an inspiring episode, as host Marina Franklin talks with Mayor Randall Woodfin and Roy Wood Jr. on Friends Like Us! From community empowerment to leadership and Randall Woodfin's new memoir, "Sons of Birmingham,". Hear how these sons of Birmingham are making waves.  Randall Woodfin was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and after four years in Atlanta earning his degree from Morehouse College, has lived in Birmingham ever since. He worked at City Hall (in jobs for both the Mayor and the City Council) and for the Jefferson County Committee on Economic Opportunity, attended Cumberland School of Law at Samford University and, after obtaining his law degree, accepted a job in the City of Birmingham Law Department. As an assistant city attorney, he also became an organizer, working on campaigns at the local, state, and federal level. After serving on the Birmingham Board of Education, he ran for mayor in 2016 with endorsements from President Joe Biden, Senators Bernie Sanders and Cory Booker, and Stacey Abrams. Woodfin won an upset victory in a runoff in 2017 and earned a featured speaker role at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. He is seeking his third term in 2025. Buy his new memoir: "Sons Of Birmingham". ROY WOOD JR. is a comedian, an Emmy-nominated documentary producer for the PBS documentary The Neutral Ground, a correspondent on Comedy Central's Emmy-nominated The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and host of Comedy Central's award-winning podcast, The Daily Show: Beyond the Scenes. Spring of 2023, Wood guest hosted The Daily Show and headlined the White House Correspondents' Dinner to its highest ratings since 2017. Wood co-starred alongside Jon Hamm in Paramount Pictures' long-awaited Fletch remake, Confess, Fletch (2022), and has guest appearances in ‘Only Murders in the Building', ‘Better Call Saul', ‘The Last O.G.' & ‘Space Force.' As a writer and executive producer, his development deals have included a first-look deal with Comedy Central for ‘Jefferson County: Probation,' an HBO Max project, ‘1% Happy,' an untitled medical field comedy for NBC, and an untitled single-camera comedy about the National Guard for FOX. Wood's first Comedy Central one-hour stand-up special, Roy Wood Jr.: Father Figure, debuted in 2017, the same year he was named the new host of Comedy Central's storytelling series, This is Not Happening. Debuting in 2019, his second Comedy Central special, Roy Wood Jr.: No One Loves You, remains the network's highest-rated original stand-up premiere. In 2021, his third Comedy Central special, Roy Wood Jr.: Imperfect Messenger, aired hyper-recent material just two weeks after taping. Forbes declared he is “One of comedy's best journalists,” Entertainment Weekly has described his thought-provoking comedy as “. . . charismatic crankiness. . .” and Variety Magazine named him “One of 10 Comics to Watch in 2016.” Wood began his comedy career in 1998 at 19 while attending Florida A&M University. In 2006, he debuted on network television on The Late Show with David Letterman. In 2008, he appeared on HBO's historic Def Comedy Jam and was selected by America as one of the top three finalists on Last Comic Standing on NBC. He has appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyer, Conan, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.  He also performed on numerous USO Tours for our Troops stationed everywhere from Guam to Iraq to the Philippines.  At the height of the pandemic, Roy raised money for the displaced staff of comedy clubs through tipyourwaitstaff.com and Laugh Aid. In his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, his philanthropic endeavors include supporting Workshops, Inc., which enriches lives by helping people with disabilities and other employment barriers achieve their vocational potential. The DUBS Baseball Academy is an investment in sports to change lives. STAIR of Birmingham, where tutoring empowers students to read better and dream bigger. Also, I See Me, Inc., where the mission is to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline by increasing the literacy rates in children of color by engaging them in literature that reflects their culture and image. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.       

You don't have to be perfect to find true love! Join host Marina Franklin as she and funny friend Von Decarlo dives in to finding true love with dating coach Francesca Hogi in our latest episode. Learn how self-love and authenticity lead the way to meaningful connections.  Francesca Hogi is a coach, speaker, and writer. She teaches people how to truly love themselves and find true love. She's the founder of The True Love Society membership community and the host of the podcast Dear Franny.  And her first book, How to Find True Love: Unlock Your Romantic Flow and Create Lasting Relationships is available for Preorder by April 7th . Von Decarlo is a New York-bred stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actress who has appeared in worldwide ad campaigns and national commercials for Disney, GNC, Match, and Carnival Cruise lines. She performed in Montreal for Kevin Hart's LOL Network as well as the Lil' Rel and Friends show at the Just For Laughs comedy festival, and most recently in Australia for the Human Kind Festival. Additional appearances include HBO's Pause with Sam Jay, Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks on Tru TV and HBO Max, CNN's year-end wrap-up special, The Jerry O'Connell Show on FOX, BET, BuzzFeed, The Breakfast Club, Angela Yee's Lip Service, Sirius XM's Urban View and NBA channel, In Godfrey We Trust Podcast, and more. Von Decarlo is the Executive Producer of the documentary Killing Is Easy on Comedy Central as well as the producer of three posthumous comedy albums, Mr. P, Unreleased, and The Lost Files. Her debut comedy album, A Draggable Offense, is available on all major platforms, and can be heard on the She So Funny and Laugh Out Loud radio stations on Sirius XM. Look out for Von Decarlo in the upcoming RomCom, Switch Up, and in the indie film, Salesman, currently on Amazon Prime.   Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'. 

On this Friends Like Us for Women's Month: Marina Franklin talks with Calise Hawkins and Mia Jackson, breaking down the impact of boycotts, the necessity of taking breaks, and sharing laughs with incredible women.  Mia Jackson is a bonafide Georgia peach (that's Georgian for “native”). In 2017, she was selected as a New Face by the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and Atlanta's Creative Loafing named her the Critic's Choice Best Stand-Up in the city. She has toured nationally with Amy Schumer and is a featured comic at festivals and clubs across the country. Her first stand up special aired in October 2018 as part of Unprotected Sets on EPIX. Mia has appeared on NickMom's Night Out, Viceland, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing. Her Comedy Central half hour special debuted in November 2019. Calise Hawkins is a stand-up comedian and writer. She has performed her standup on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , Nick Mom's Night Out and she was a cast member of Oxygen's Funny Girls. She has written for Comedy Central's @midnight , Hood Adjacent with James Davis, HBO's That Damn Michael Che, and Hulu's Everything's Trash.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'. 

This week on Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin is joined by comedians Zainab Johnson and Subhah Agarwal to discuss hope amid the LA wildfires and how you can help. In tough times, community matters  Subhah Agarwal has brought an honesty to her comedy that will leave you saying "I didn't need to know that." Subhah has written for Netflix's “Arsenio Hall” limited series, the "Plan B" movie on Hulu," and The Jim Jefferies Show"on Comedy Central, amongst others. You can also catch her jokes live at stand up comedy clubs across the country. If you don't want to leave your couch, you can see her late night debut on NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." She's also appeared on season three of HBO's "Westworld", "General Hospital," TruTv's sketch comedy "Friends of the People", and as herself on MTV2, Comedy Central, and Gotham Comedy Live. Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" premiering worldwide October 24th only on Amazon Prime video. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

This is our Favorite Episode for 2024! Friends Like Us with host Marina Franklin features guests Dr. Donna J Nickel and Nonye Brown-West.  Dr. Donna J. Nickel, an academic from California, discussing her latest book on Claudia Hampton's contributions to affirmative action and black education. The discussion extends to contemporary issues, including the repercussions of ending affirmative action, historical context of race-based discrimination, and the attack on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. The episode aims to shed light on the broader history of race and conservative philanthropy while examining current racial and educational policies. Dr. Donna J. Nicol is the Associate Dean of Personnel and Curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of history at California State University Long Beach. She is the immediate past department chair and professor of Africana Studies at CSU Dominguez Hills, a post she held from 2017-2023. She earned her doctorate degree in Educational Studies (with a specialization in History and Philosophy of Higher Education and a graduate minor in African American and African Studies) from The Ohio State University in 2007.  Dr. Nicol's research focuses race, conservative philanthropy, and U.S. higher education, and the history of African American women's educational activism. Her work has been published in Race, Ethnicity and Education, The Feminist Teacher (twice), History of Philanthropy, Palimpsest: A Journal of Women, Gender and the Black International, The Encyclopedia of American Women's History, Encyclopedia of Multiracial America, and Habitus of the Hood. In February 2021, Dr. Nicol was a featured guest expert for the Al Jazeera English documentary, The Big Picture: A Race for America. Dr. Nicol has also published opinion columns on racism in philanthropy for Al Jazeera Digital and has appeared on the Insufferable Academics podcast, the Fresh Off the Vote podcast, and the Peace and Justice Radio Show. Prior to becoming an academic, Dr. Nicol spent three years teaching secondary language arts and social studies for Los Angeles Unified School District and seven years in various academic administrative roles at Mt. St. Mary's College and The Ohio State University. She serves on the board of directors for the Historical Society of Southern California, co-principal investigator for the State of Black Los Angeles County Report (2023) and is active in a number of professional academic and social service organizations. Black Woman on Board: Claudia Hampton, the California State University, and the Fight to Save Affirmative Action examines the leadership strategies that Black women educators have employed as influential power brokers in predominantly white colleges and universities in the United States. Author Donna J. Nicol tells the extraordinary story of Dr. Claudia H. Hampton, the California State University (CSU) system's first Black woman trustee, who later became the board's first woman chair, and her twenty-year fight (1974–94) to increase access within the CSU for historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

In this Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin welcomes Lonnie B. Supreme, a talented jazz musician and composer, and comedian Nonyé Brown-West. Lonnie shares his journey pursuing his doctorate in Miami, and discusses the significance of his family's historical legacy in jazz. He emphasizes the importance of education, resources, and perseverance in music, while reflecting on his latest album, 'The Future is Bright.' The conversation also touches on the value of embracing one's heritage, the impact of influential musicians like Quincy Jones, and the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in the arts. With insightful discussions on history, personal growth, and the current socio-political climate, this episode aims to uplift and inspire listeners. L  A N I  B.  S U P R E M E (b. 1989; New Orleans, USA) is an internationally-performing American musician, sound artist, and educator who plays with the practice and concept of lineage as a portal into past and future. Transmuting the tension between tradition and improvisation that is the philosophical foundation of Black American music, he creates sound installations, original compositions, and film and podcast scores that propel his audience into a bright future made possible by merging honor for and transgression of tradition.L A N I  B.  S U P R E M E has performed and presented at venues, festivals, and museums in Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, including the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Domaine Forget Jazz Festival in Quebec, the Detroit International Jazz Festival, Jazz a la Calle in Uruguay, the Jazz Standard in New York City, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and St. Regis Hotel in Doha, Qatar. He has also worked performed with Rihanna, Ravi Coltrane, Ellis Marsalis, Rickey Minor the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Billy Porter, and many others. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

In this lively episode of Friends Like Us, Marina talks with comedian Von Decarlo and Kenice Mobley. They discuss various topics, including experiences at the Edinburgh Festival, the importance of promoting health and exercise, and the humorous yet practical use of Depends. The conversation shifts to the political landscape, examining Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, the challenges of voting amidst controversies, and Barack Obama's message to black men about the importance of participating in elections. The hosts also cover the advantages and potential downsides of evolving technology, such as Apple's noise-canceling earbuds and Meta's new glasses. Tune in for a mix of humor, personal stories, and insightful political commentary.  Kenice Mobley - Kenice performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She's been featured as one of Vulture's Comedians You Should and WiIll Know, performed at the Netflix is A Joke Festival as part of the taped show “Introducing….”, and premiered her solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  Kenice worked on the BET Awards, By Us For Us (Color of Change),  and the Creators Program at Comedy Central.  She hosted Complexify on ViceNews, the Love About Town podcast, and Make Yourself Cry. Von Decarlo is a New York-bred stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actress who has appeared in worldwide ad campaigns and national commercials for Disney, GNC, Match, and Carnival Cruise lines. She performed in Montreal for Kevin Hart's LOL Network as well as the Lil' Rel and Friends show at the Just For Laughs comedy festival, and most recently in Australia for the Human Kind Festival. Additional appearances include HBO's Pause with Sam Jay, Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks on Tru TV and HBO Max, CNN's year-end wrap-up special, The Jerry O'Connell Show on FOX, BET, BuzzFeed, The Breakfast Club, Angela Yee's Lip Service, Sirius XM's Urban View and NBA channel, In Godfrey We Trust Podcast, and more. Von Decarlo is the Executive Producer of the documentary Killing Is Easy on Comedy Central as well as the producer of three posthumous comedy albums, Mr. P, Unreleased, and The Lost Files. Her debut comedy album, A Draggable Offense, is available on all major platforms, and can be heard on the She So Funny and Laugh Out Loud radio stations on Sirius XM. Look out for Von Decarlo in the upcoming RomCom, Switch Up, and in the indie film, Salesman, currently on Amazon Prime.   Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

We love this episode so much we are airing it twice! Tamara Payne, Nonye Brown-West and Troy Laraviere visit Friends Like Us and discuss pulitzer prize winner's Les Payne's and Tamara's book : The Dead Are Arising: The Life Of Malcom X and more with host Marina Franklin. Tamara Payne -Tamara Payne is co-author of The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X written with her father, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne, published by Liveright. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and NAACP Image Award. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch, as well as in NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning, and the New York Comedy Festival. Nonye made her acting debut in The Sympathy Card, now available for streaming on Vudu, Apple, Amazon, and Google Play Troy A. LaRaviere is an American school administrator, educator and current President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. Prior to assuming his role as president, LaRaviere served as a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principal. He began his teacher career at CPS in 1997. LaRaviere received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from the University of Illinois. LaRaviere served in the United States Navy in the late 80's. LaRaviere advocates for Progressivism, and has appeared in ads for Bernie Sanders and was a candidate for the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf

Hollie Harper and Nonye Brown-West visit friends and discuss cultural vultures to Kamala Harris, we're breaking down some heavy topics on this episode of Friends Like Us. Catch the insightful conversation and let us know your thoughts!  Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Jourdain Fisher and Charles Mcbee visit friends and discuss comedy, social media, the tend commandments, and surviving breakups. Catch the laughs and insights now with host Marina Franklin. Jourdain Fisher has got it all. He is a hilarious comedian, writer, and actor. He has performed on COMEDY CENTRAL and in 2018 he made his late night TV debut on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON where he received a standing ovation. In fact, his performance on The Tonight Show went so well that Jimmy hired him as a staff writer! He has also written for VICELAND, NETFLIX and BET. He was a highlight at the prestigious Just For Laughs festival in Montreal as a New Face and was a finalist at Stand Up NBC, held in Los Angeles. Jourdain has also performed at festivals Laugh Your Asheville Off, Laughing Skull, and Riot Comedy Fest. Jourdain has gained attention on social media platforms with numerous viral clips racking up millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. His debut Comedy Album “Good For You” can be found on all streaming platforms. When he is not touring he resides in New York City where he is a regular at The Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club.  Charles McBee is a respected NYC stand-up comedian and writer from Toledo, Ohio. He has made three national stand-up comedy appearances on Gotham Comedy Live and was a favorite on two FOX television shows, Laughs Seasons 1 and 2 and Punchline Seasons 1 and 2.  Charles has written for several TV shows, including Uncommon Sense and Uncommon Sense Live with Charlamagne Tha God, VH1's Hip Hop Honors 2017, and was also a creative consultant on Nick Cannon's Wild N Out.  He's most recently worked on the 2020 VMA's as well as the 2021 Golden Globes, hosted the 2021 Music Lives Festival for the Live X Live Network, and was the Head Writer for Comedy Central's Hell Of A Week, which was nominated for a Writers Guild Award. Charles has also gained a following on social media with his comedic commentary about growing up in the 80s and 90s. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf  

This week stand-up comic and host of the podcast “Friends Like Us,” Marina Franklin joins the show. From a clairvoyant feeling about her grandmother's dog Whitey, to shared dreaming, Marina tells the ladies about a lifetime of woo woo moments, including one about a ghost who did not share her taste in tv viewing! All here on Woo Woo! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tamara Payne, Nonye Brown-West and Troy Laraviere visit Friends Like Us and discuss pulitzer prize winner's Les Payne's and Tamara's book : The Dead Are Arising: The Life Of Malcom X and more with host Marina Franklin. Tamara Payne -Tamara Payne is co-author of The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X written with her father, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Les Payne, published by Liveright. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and NAACP Image Award. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch, as well as in NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning, and the New York Comedy Festival. Nonye made her acting debut in The Sympathy Card, now available for streaming on Vudu, Apple, Amazon, and Google Play Troy A. LaRaviere is an American school administrator, educator and current President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. Prior to assuming his role as president, LaRaviere served as a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principal. He began his teacher career at CPS in 1997. LaRaviere received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from the University of Illinois. LaRaviere served in the United States Navy in the late 80's. LaRaviere advocates for Progressivism, and has appeared in ads for Bernie Sanders and was a candidate for the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf  

This week Mia Jackson and Brandon Collins visit Friends Like Us for a honest conversation about growing up with skewed or limited black history and more with host Marina Franklin. Brandon Collins is a versatile screenwriter, comedian and podcaster who has performed at the SXSW and New York Comedy Festival, and has had appearances in various MTV, VH1, and Max productions. He recently participated in the 2022-2023 Universal Writer's Lab (beating out over a thousand applicants) and is the host of the critically acclaimed show, "Drunk Black History" Mia Jackson is a bonafide Georgia peach (that's Georgian for “native”). In 2017, she was selected as a New Face by the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and Atlanta's Creative Loafing named her the Critic's Choice Best Stand-Up in the city. She has toured nationally with Amy Schumer and is a featured comic at festivals and clubs across the country. Her first stand up special aired in October 2018 as part of Unprotected Sets on EPIX. Mia has appeared on NickMom's Night Out, Viceland, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing. Her Comedy Central half hour special debuted in November 2019. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.      

Kenice Mobley and Alycia Cooper visit Friends Like Us and discuss the importance of understanding systemic issues in tax codes, Mayor Adam's attack on NYC Libraries, Biden Skewers The Orange man and more with host Marina Franklin!  Alycia Cooper Twenty-three year stand-up comic, Alycia Cooper, has always been a natural performer. A Washington DC area native, Alycia grew up in Seat Pleasant and later, Temple Hills, MD. She then went on to graduate from The University of Maryland at College Park with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Radio-Television-Film and a minor in Theater. While in college, she fell in love with comedy by watching HBO's “Def Comedy Jam.” There, she saw people her age who reminded her of herself performing the funniest routines she had ever seen. They were raw and uncut, but most of all hilarious. After college, she worked at BET in Washington, DC as a music television producer. Years later, after having moved to Los Angeles in hopes of creating sitcoms, Alycia tried her hand in stand-up, and was bitten by the bug. She has been on NBC's “Last Comic Standing,” BET's “Comic View”, NBC's “America's Got Talent,” Nuvo TV's  “Stand Up & Deliver,” Byron Allen's “Comics Unleashed,” TV Guide's “Stand Up in Stilettos”, “Laff Mobb's Laugh Tracks” on Tru TV, “Coming to the Stage” on Apple TV, and TV One's “Who's Got Jokes,” to name a few. In addition to her stand-up, this comedy chameleon has appeared in the number one streaming movie on Netflix called, “Guest House” with Pauly Shore, the first scripted series on Facebook, “Loosely, Exactly Nicole,” and several network television shows; including “Kenan” on NBC, “The Parkers” on UPN, and “The Resident” on Fox where she acted alongside Morris Chestnut. She then went on to appear in a string of independent films, voiced several characters in The Oscar Award winning film, “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” all while having six top albums in heavy rotation on Sirius Satellite Radio and iTunes. She also has her own Pandora Station. You can also check out her latest special, “Alycia Cooper for President” on Tubi. Alycia has been featured in Essence Magazine as “One to Watch.” You can find her at “The World Famous Comedy Store” on Sunset Boulevard most weekends, where her name is displayed on the wall alongside the likes of Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Marsha Warfield, and Jerry Seinfeld. She has performed in over 40 countries while entertaining our courageous men and women in uniform. She is currently writing, directing, and producing films.  She has four critically acclaimed short films that have won awards in various festivals: “Trade”, “Just Us,” “Fat Stripper,” and her most recent comedy: “We Got Ours.” Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. This year, Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

The guest is comedian Marina Franklin, there's pizza news, and the topic is: "Chicago Tavern Style. Are you a middle or an edge?"Marina Franklin is a standup comedian and actor based out of New York City. She has toured with Conan O'Brien and can be seen in the film Trainwreck, and the shows Chappelle's Show, Inside Amy Schumer, and Crashing. She also wrote for the HBO show Divorce. Marina hosts the podcast “Friends Like Us”. Get her tour dates at MarinaFranklin.com.Marina discusses the hardships of finding good vegan pizza, why she argues with Colin Quinn about Joe's Pizza in NYC, and when she thinks it's appropriate to put ketchup on pizza.Also check out Arthur and Alfred on the Amuse News podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Ooni Pizza Ovens. Go to Ooni.com for more information.Follow us for more information!Instagram: @pizzapodparty @NYCBestPizza @AlfredSchulz4Twitter: @PizzaPodParty @ArthurBovino @AlfredSchulzTikTok: @thepizzapodpartyThreads: @pizzapodparty @NYCBestPizza @AlfredSchulz4

Mike Britt, Ashima Franklin, and Akeem Woods visit Friends Like Us and discuss the Good Times Animation, Mike Britt's new comedy special, TikTok Ban, racist/homophobic family members, and anulled marriages due to no sex.  Mike Britt is a Brooklyn, NY-born stand-up comedian. He got his start at the Uptown Comedy Club in Harlem. Since then, He has appeared on Comedy Central Presents, BET's Comicview, VH1's Best Week Ever, and The Bad Boys of Comedy. In 2015, he's now known as the "singer" of the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt theme song. Check out his new special "Check the Mike" on 800lb Gorilla. Ashima Franklin Originally from Alabama, Ashima Franklin has a “girl next door” personality that mixes with her no holds barred delivery to form a hilarious comedy routine that's inspired by her real-world situations as a working “Baby Momma”. Ashima rose to fame after appearances on Showtime's “Kattpacalypse,” having toured the country with comedian Katt Williams on the Conspiracy Theory & Development Spurt tours, and also from Bounce TVs “From the String.” She was also a writer for Russell Simmons All Def Digital which offers over 2.2 million subscribers and counting. Akeem Woods is the funny little brother you always (never) wanted — his comedy style will have you on the edge of your seat reeling from laughter! No topic is safe from discussion, whether it be the KKK or the hardships of growing up poor. Akeem is a regular at the Comedy Cellar in NYC, was a semi-finalist on Stand Up NBC, has been seen on Kevin Hart's LOL Network, and just recently made his television debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden! Currently, you can find Akeem working on a new show for BET and at clubs and colleges all over the country. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

Janna Pea and Marc Theobald visit Friends Like Us and discuss bringing a folding chair to the table, black people not being the boogey man, DEI Attacks, the she-economy and more with host Marina Franklin. Janna Pea is a seasoned communications executive + recent entrepreneur. Her work has increased the visibility and influence of artists + entertainers, innovative brands + companies, philanthropies, visionary cultural organizations, and more. Pea Nation partners with clients to not simply fight for a seat at the table of representation but to create new rooms, venues, and movements where diverse change makers can transform dominant impact narratives. As a result of Janna's work, more Black and brown Americans, women, and LGBTQ+ people are now seen and heard. From the Women's March to the #MeToo movement to the racial reckoning of summer 2020, Janna has helped shape and define some of the highest-profile national and global events in recent history. Known for her calm navigation of crisis communications situations, Janna began her career on Capitol Hill. She lives in Brooklyn with her family. Marc Theobald is a stand-up, writer, and producer known for The Last O.G. (2018), Delocated (2018), and the 2019 ESPY Awards. He has performed in a number of New York's hot spots, including the "New York Comedy Club", "Catch a Rising Star", "Stand-Up New York", and "Uptown Comedy Club", He also has been featured on "Comic View" and "The Chappelle Show". True to form, Theobald keeps the crowd in stitches with his sketch artist talents and physical style. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.          

The Ridshare Queen Deanna Dixon and Vanessa Fraction visit friends and discuss different perspectives on success and more with host Marina Franklin. Deanna Dixon, renowned as the Rideshare Queen, has woven an extraordinary narrative as an esteemed background vocalist for icons like Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Monica. However, her journey took a transformative turn when she chose to relinquish the glitz of Hollywood and prioritize her daughter's well-being. This decision led her to become a full-time rideshare driver in Atlanta, where her exceptional ability to forge deep connections with passengers soon took center stage. Capturing these magical, unscripted moments on TikTok, her impromptu musical performances and heart-to-heart conversations garnered over 4.9 million viewers across platforms. Notably, industry titans such as Chance the Rapper and Rihanna recognized her unparalleled talent, solidifying her status as a rising star. This transition from the spotlight to the everyday sphere, driven by her devotion to her daughter and the desire to surround Her family highlights Deanna's resilience and authenticity. In stepping away from Hollywood, she unknowingly crafted unexpected enchantment, proving that the most remarkable stories unfold in the most unassuming of ways. Vanessa Fraction is a talented and hilarious comedian, actress, and writer who has made her mark in various forms of entertainment. She can currently be heard as a co-host on the Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by Tpain and seen in the movie Praise This on Peacock. Vanessa can also be seen guest hosting on the entertainment news show Dish Nation. As a stand-up comedian, Vanessa has performed on Def Comedy Jam , Laff Mobs Laff Tracks , and more. Her writing credits include Raven's Home , 106 & Park , and The Mo'Nique Show. Additionally, she has appeared in the film Barber Shop 2 and television shows Last Call, Mann & Wife (BounceTV), Comedy KnockOuts (TruTV) and Tales (BET) Not only is Vanessa "Action" Fraction a talented entertainer, but she is also a certified self-defense instructor. She teaches her unique class called Kicks & Comedy, combining her love for humor with her passion for empowering others through self-defense. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Vanessa Fraction, Pat Brown, and Kenice Mobley visit friends and discuss diversity attack, quantifying your resolution, Rudy Giuliani's attack on Georgia election workers, and more with host Marina Franklin.  Vanessa Fraction is a talented and hilarious comedian, actress, and writer who has made her mark in various forms of entertainment. She can currently be heard as a co-host on the Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by Tpain and seen in the movie Praise This on Peacock. Vanessa can also be seen guest hosting on the entertainment news show Dish Nation. As a stand-up comedian, Vanessa has performed on Def Comedy Jam , Laff Mobs Laff Tracks , and more. Her writing credits include Raven's Home , 106 & Park , and The Mo'Nique Show. Additionally, she has appeared in the film Barber Shop 2 and television shows Last Call, Mann & Wife (BounceTV), Comedy KnockOuts (TruTV) and Tales (BET) Not only is Vanessa "Action" Fraction a talented entertainer, but she is also a certified self-defense instructor. She teaches her unique class called Kicks & Comedy, combining her love for humor with her passion for empowering others through self-defense. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. This year, Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. Pat Brown Sex Tape Released now available on YouTube at Pat Brown Comedy,  Tours with Tracy Morgan, writer for VMA's, ESPy and NFL Honors  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

Keith Robinson and Zainab Johnson visit Friends Like Us and discuss Keith Robinson's new Netflix Comedy Taping, Zainab Johnson's Amazon's Comedy Special: Hijabs Off, and lessons from life's interuptions.  Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" available NOW only on Prime Video. Keith Robinson, the comedic sensation born and raised in Philadelphia, has become an enduring legend in the heart of New York City's comedy circuit. Renowned for his sharp wit and uproarious humor, Robinson's career boasts a rich tapestry of accomplishments. He's graced the stages of HBO's iconic “Def Comedy Jam,” delighted audiences on MTV, VH1, and charmed viewers on shows like “The Chelsea Lately Show” and “Late Night with Conan O'Brien.” With his infectious laughter and keen observational humor, he's a true master of the craft. Beyond the stage, Keith Robinson's talent transcends into the world of cinema, with memorable roles in hit movies such as “Trainwreck” and “King of Staten Island.” His unique brand of comedy, marked by its authenticity and relatability, continues to captivate fans and cement his status as a comedic icon in New York and beyond. Please join him for the taping of his upcoming Netflix special on Dec. 19th in NYC at Sony Hall! Go to sonyhall.com for tickets! Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf        

Jeff Leach and Nonye Brown-West visit Friends Like Us and discuss Jeff Leach's Comedy Spectacular, Processing Loss and more with host Marina Franklin.  Jeff Leach- Born and bred out of the character-rich East End of London, Jeff cut his teeth in the world of showbiz first as an international DJ and Producer playing at clubs and major festivals throughout Europe and remixing dance tracks for Island Records and Ministry Of Sound. After years on stage performing as a theatrical actor with institutions as globally recognized as the Royal Shakespeare Company he fell into a career on-screen as a BBC television presenter. During those formative first years on television, Leach worked for many other major networks including ITV, Channel 4, ABC, Virgin Media and Current TV, hosting shows as wide-ranging as youth chat formats, live music festivals, addition therapy series and a couple of award-winning immersive documentaries. He also hosted and produced his own series for London Live entitled Jeff Leach +1 about the most bizarre nightlife activities on offer in the capital. His other accolades include hosting or guest appearing on Big Brother's Big Mouth, Comic Relief's Naughty Bits, Fake Reaction and NBC Sports. Check out Jeff Leach Presents: A Comedy Spectacular. With over 205,418 views!  Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch, as well as in NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning, and the New York Comedy Festival. Nonye made her acting debut in The Sympathy Card, now available for streaming on Vudu, Apple, Amazon, and Google Play. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf  

Shannon Jones and Yadira Harrison visit Friends and discuss the importance of making cool stuff with friends in business, working with some of the world's biggest and most recognizable brands, diversity in marketing, and work-life balance. Shannon Simpson Jones Co-founder, verb. Shannon Simpson Jones is co-founder of Verb, a marketing consultancy that is redefining how consumers experience and interact with brands. Verb gives brands a new type of partner, providing a holistic approach to integrated and experiential campaigns, brand partnerships and proprietary platforms. At Verb, Shannon leads a diverse bi-coastal team, working with clients including Netflix, Everlane and Amazon. Shannon is a natural-born leader; inspiring her team to reach new heights and deliver for clients by staying ahead of the curve on industry trends. She also has exceptional business leadership skills - Shannon co-founded Verb just over two years ago, and she has already been on some of the industry's largest stages including SXSW, Fast Co Innovation Festival and CultureCon. Additionally, Shannon was named to the 2019 AdAge 40 Under 40 and the AdWeek Creative 100 with co-founder Yadira Harrison.   An avid seeker of innovation, Shannon has continued to keep her clients and her team on top of the latest trends in culture and entertainment. She is especially skilled in identifying key business challenges brands face and prioritizing and managing resources to solve them. Utilizing these skill sets, Shannon has also been working to build a platform in the death care industry to support people with end of life planning. Shannon is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and now resides in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and son. She is also a proud alum of the University of Maryland College Park. Yadira Noelle Harrison is a creative marketer and experiential expert who offers leadership and thoughtful solutions to brands. For nearly 20 years, she has led marketing strategy and execution for iconic and groundbreaking events, while also forging partnerships and developing innovative concepts for content, social media and programming.  Yadira is co-founder of Verb, a creative consultancy + agency developing brand experiences, partnerships, campaigns and proprietary platforms for brands such as Airbnb, HBO, FX, Lyft, Netflix and Everlane. She has been featured in Ad Age, Entrepreneur Magazine, Campaign US, Digiday and recognized as an inspiring Agency Leader on Adweek's ‘Creative 100' list. Before founding Verb with her longtime business partner Shannon Jones, Yadira was Vice President at creative agency Civic Entertainment Group, where she led Airbnb and eBay on numerous activations and proprietary franchises including Airbnb Open, Airbnb Haus @ Sundance Film Festival and On The Run with eBay Motors. Prior to, she led the Advertising & Partnership Marketing team at Macy's Parade & Entertainment Group pushing for digital and social integration, new art direction and large-scale promotional ideas to increase brand equity for Macy's annual events. Yadira is originally from Arlington, Texas and now resides in Los Angeles. She is also a proud alum of Syracuse University, an obnoxious lover of Formula 1 and a karaoke assassin. (No really, she was once told she performed Bruno Mars better than Bruno Mars, LOL). Yadira Harrison and Shannon Jones: two marketing masterminds who have taken the industry by storm with their dynamic and innovative approach to brand experiences. As co-founders of verb, their creative consultancy + agency offers a holistic and thoughtful approach to solving business challenges, working with some of the world's biggest and most recognizable brands like Airbnb (Barbie Dreamhouse, Home Alone, Bad Bunny Tour Truck), HBO (I May Destroy, In Treatment), and Netflix (Orange is the New Black, TUDUM). Yadira brings over 20 years of experience in creative marketing and experiential events, having led groundbreaking events and partnerships for leading brands like Macy's Parade & Branded Entertainment, Airbnb, and eBay. Meanwhile, Shannon is an avid seeker of innovation and has worked in marketing agencies for nearly 20 years, specializing in sports, entertainment, and talent endorsement deals across properties like NCAA Final Four, IMG Fashion Week, and Cirque du Soleil. Together, with their bi-coastal team, verb offers a wealth of experience and passion to their clients. They're dedicated to inspiring brands to reach new heights and stay ahead of industry trends, earning recognition from Ad Age, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Adweek's ‘Creative 100' list. They've also graced some of the industry's most prestigious stages at SXSW, Fast Co Innovation Festival, and CultureCon. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf    

Aparna Nancherla and Alvin Irby Visit friends and take a deep dive into the imposter syndrome and how funding for Black Organizations are held under a microscope.  Aparna Nancherla is a comedian and general silly billy. Her sense of humor is dry, existential, and absurd, with notes of uncalled-for whimsy. Think a wine you didn't order. Her forthcoming book, Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself and Impostor Syndrome (Viking), is currently available for pre-order via Penguin Random House and will be released on September 19, 2023. You can hear Aparna as the voice of Moon on Fox's The Great North, or have heard her as the voice of Hollyhock on Bojack Horseman. You can currently watch Aparna in The Drop on Hulu or as Dr. Pocha on Lopez vs. Lopez (NBC). You may have watched Aparna as Grace the belabored HR rep on the critically-acclaimed Comedy Central show, Corporate. She also has a half-hour special on the second season of The Standups on Netflix, as well as appearances on Late Night with Stephen Colbert on CBS and Two Dope Queens on HBO. Other acting credits include A Simple Favor, Modern Love, Bob's Burgers, Crashing, Master of None, and Inside Amy Schumer. She's written for Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and Late Night with Seth Meyers, as well as Mythic Quest on Apple+. Aparna was also named one of “The 50 Funniest People Right Now” by Rolling Stone. In 2019, she was in a Super Bowl commercial with Michael Bublé for sparkling water neé seltzer. In 2016, she released her debut album, Just Putting It Out There, on Tig Notaro's label, Bentzen Ball Records, and recorded a half hour special for Comedy Central. She was also chosen as one of Variety's “Top 10 Comics to Watch” that year. Aparna currently lives in Los Angeles if you can even imagine.  Watch the absurdist web series Womanhood Aparna made with bright light Jo Firestone for Refinery29. Alvin Irby is a former kindergarten teacher turned award-winning social entrepreneur, international speaker, comedian, and author. He is Founder and Chief Reading Inspirer at Barbershop Books, a literacy program that creates child-friendly reading spaces in barbershops and provides early literacy training to barbers. His work connecting reading to male-centered spaces and involving men in boys' early reading experiences earned him the National Book Foundation's 2017 Innovations in Reading Prize. Irby's popular TED Talk "How to inspire every child to be a lifelong reader," has been viewed over 1 million times. Irby's nationally-recognized cultural competency workshops help school districts, library systems, and education organizations create relevant and engaging learning experiences for all students. His Diversity & Inclusion trainings have been described as informative, inspiring, engaging, and humorous. Ir by helps educators better understand and address the systemic and personal challenges that inhibit children's intrinsic motivation to read and learn. His debut children's book, Gross Greg, combines Irby's passion for early literacy and comedy. Gross Greg is a laugh-out-loud story that captures the hilariously gross behavior of kids everywhere. As a stand up comedian, Irby's fresh perspective and smart brand of humor shine through in his comedy album "Really Dense." His clever social commentary and funny observations have not gone unnoticed. Irby won the Clean Comedy Showcase at the 2019 San Diego Comedy Festival and won 2nd place at NYC's 2019 Laughing Devil Comedy Festival. One of the highlights of Irby's comedy career was being selected as a national finalist for the StandUp NBC competition and performing at the legendary Hollywood Improv in Los Angeles. Alvin Irby holds a Masters of Science (MS) in Childhood Education from Bank Street Graduate School of Education, a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) from New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, and a Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Sociology from Grinnell College. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf  

Sarah Cooper, Zainab Johnson and Erica Switzer join friends and discuss Sarah's new book: "Foolish", Zainab's new comedy special: "Hijab's Off", and young star Erica Switzer.  Sarah Cooper is a writer and comedian with millions of followers across social media. She's the author of How to Be Successful without Hurting Men's Feelings and 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings, as well as the star of the hit Netflix comedy special, Sarah Cooper: Everything's Fine. Cooper built her comedy career in between working for companies like Yahoo! and Google, where she was fed free lunches and lots of material. She has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Vanity Fair and countless others. Cooper's debut memoir, Foolish: Tales of Assimilation, Determination, and Humiliation will be released October 3, 2023 from Dutton Books Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" premiering worldwide October 24th only on Amazon Prime video.  Erica Switzer As seen on Roast Battle Chicago, Las Locas Comedy and Hot 5, Chicagoland's Erica Switzer is “Your bougie jet-setting auntie who twerks to NPR.” A divorce and failed rebound in Shanghai, China led to her “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” moment in July 2017. Co-founder of Shanghai's Blackout Comedy and founder of Hei Now Comedy, Erica became the 1st Black comedian to perform in Mongolia at the 2019 Silk Road International Comedy Festival. She has featured for The Comedy Cellar's Simeon Goodson, Laugh Factory's Mateen Stewart, and America's Got Talent's Justin Rivera. A 2020 Flappers Comedy Club Soup-or-Bowl winner, festival appearances include the World Series of Comedy, Laugh Riot Grrrl Festival, and Burbank Comedy Festival's Best of Fest. 2022 festival appearances include Chicago's World Comedy Expo and NYC's Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest, producing "Erica Switzer & Friends" there in 2023. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

Kevin A. Walton and Lady Carol Causieestko visit Friends Like Us and discuss suicide prevention,  Subverting Toxic Masculinity by alligninging with inner spirit and more with host Marina Franklin. Kevin Walton is a Spiritual Leader, Transformation Specialist, and Activational Speaker who has led thousands of students and initiates around the globe on a powerful journey of access into the greater depth and capacity of the Self, Creation, and Authentic Expression.  Through the founding of his spiritual practice and life path entitled “Creatorhood: The Art of Living From Truth,” he has established an operating system that supports and directs a more sustainable and comprehensive embodiment within our life experience through a greater understanding and utilization of Spiritual Connectivity, Conscious Awareness, Personal Evolution, Emotional Intelligence, Masculine/Feminine Principles of Energy, Relational Dynamics, Multidimensional Comprehension, and Community Development. Kevin is the founder of the Light Beings Ministry and Community, a Central Leader and Pillar Facilitator in the Sacred Sons Men's Organization and Movement, a co-founder of Unified We Stand, and a co-owner of Level Up Film Studio. Kevin A. Walton has recently become a familiar face on the BET Network through his series regular role as Aaron Carter on the number 1 cable hit television series “Sistas” written and directed by Tyler Perry, now in its 5th season, and through his leading role as Matthew Reynolds on the BET Original Film “Twice Bitten”. Kevin quickly made a name for himself in the South Florida acting scene with several independent films as a lead or co-star and in powerful portrayals in roles such as Cyrus in “Loving The Bad Man”, Dutch in NatGeo's “Locked Up Abroad”, and as an actor and stunt performer on USA's Original Series “Burn Notice”.  He had a feature role as Bob Cooper in “Step Up Revolution” the 4th installment of the franchise and he received great acclaim for his dynamic portrayal of Dwight in the Ground Up & Rising's theatre production of "The Recommendation" that saw a beautiful dance of intensity, humor, and menacing spontaneity.  Kevin's range as an actor been recognized from his scene presentations of Shakespeare's Othello, Macbeth, and Hamlet and after a series of more dramatic roles, in the film "Playin' For Love" Kevin revealed a more comedic side of himself in the character of Carvel 'Cooty' Larson which he delivered flawlessly alongside the guidance of Robert Townsend. Lady Carol Causieestko : The Lady, is a fierce advocate for social change, a vibrant businesswoman, style icon, costumer/clothier,  former model, internationally-trained makeup artist, and mother of two. She is the Founder and Director of Inner Makeup Enterprises (InnerMe)LLC,  and is known to many as the empowering facilitator for her signature The Return of the Lady (ROTL) tea party seminars. ROTL is a unique platform focusing on bridging the gap across relationships (e.g. familial, romantic, etc.) by facilitating healthy discussions centered on a variety of inter- and intra-personal topics including, but not limited to, mental and sexual health, intimate partner/sexual violence, and teen pregnancy with a modern touch of social etiquette. Additionally, The Lady is the creator and facilitator of The Return of the Gentle Man, a global mental wellness symposium where men of all identities and socio-economic groups can speak openly and honestly about issues that affect them. ROTG is a transformational and informational forum that travels the country challenging and encouraging men to have intimate and honest dialogues that diminishes stereotypes associated with toxic masculinity. The discussions will emboldened healthy conversations --free from judgment of participants' health conditions, sexual/gender diversities, and/or lifestyle preferences.  The Lady is also the owner of The Lady's Dressing Room, a high end vintage and luxury resale/rental boutique. She is an International Life coach and is developing her own docu-series, allowing the viewer to take a proverbial walk in her fabulous shoes and witness the wins, the challenges, and the whimsy of a unique real life super-sheroe..."The Lady."  Lady will be speaking about Youth Mental Health at the UN at the United Nations Platform. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.      

Onika Mclean and Nonye Brown-West visit friends and discuss how they all need that fire lit to get a win, Coco Gauff's win, flipping 45 the bird in Iowa, and more with host Marina Franklin.  Onika McLean, born in North Carolina, and raised in East New York Brooklyn, is a single mother of two, legal professional, and a sharp comedian whose no-nonsense perspective on life, love, single motherhood, and her mid life crisis is taking the comedy arena by storm. She was the fan favorite on Bravo Television's, The Single's Project. She is the winner of the Sloshed Comedy Competition and the Rising Stars Comedy Competition in London.Onika performs regularly at LOL and Times Square and passed at Comic Strip Live and has Dangerfield's, New York Comedy Club, New York Stand, Broadway Comedy, Village Underground, and the. She runs a monthly show entitled Cosmic Comedy.  Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch, as well as in NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning, and the New York Comedy Festival. Nonye made her acting debut in The Sympathy Card, now available for streaming on Vudu, Apple, Amazon, and Google Play. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

Von Decarlo and Ant Pruitt visit Friends Like Us and discuss the good, the bad, and the grey of artificial intelligence with host Marina Franklin.  Ant Pruitt Freelance digital content creator. What does this mean? I'm someone that not only loves to snap photographs, but I also enjoy shooting video and writing. When I'm not capturing freelance content, I'm performing my daily duties as a host, producer and community manager at TWiT TV, the podcast network focused on providing news around the world of consumer technology and geek culture.  Von Decarlo is a New York-bred stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actress who has appeared in worldwide ad campaigns and national commercials for Disney, GNC, Match, and Carnival Cruise lines. She performed in Montreal for Kevin Hart's LOL Network as well as the Lil' Rel and Friends show at the Just For Laughs comedy festival, and most recently in Australia for the Human Kind Festival. Additional appearances include HBO's Pause with Sam Jay, Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks on Tru TV and HBO Max, CNN's year-end wrap-up special, The Jerry O'Connell Show on FOX, BET, BuzzFeed, The Breakfast Club, Angela Yee's Lip Service, Sirius XM's Urban View and NBA channel, In Godfrey We Trust Podcast, and more. Von Decarlo is the Executive Producer of the documentary Killing Is Easy on Comedy Central as well as the producer of three posthumous comedy albums, Mr. P, Unreleased, and The Lost Files. Her debut comedy album, A Draggable Offense, is available on all major platforms, and can be heard on the She So Funny and Laugh Out Loud radio stations on Sirius XM.  Look out for Von Decarlo in the upcoming RomCom, Switch Up, and in the indie film, Salesman, currently on Amazon Prime. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

Francesca Hogi and Calise Hawkins visit Friends Like US and discuss possibilities for a better romantic future with host Marina Franklin. Francesca Hogi is a coach, speaker, writer, and podcaster. As a love coach, she teaches single people how to transcend their romantic challenges and find true love. As a life coach, she teaches rebels and seekers to truly love their lives. Francesca also teaches people about personal branding, community building, and marketing. Calise Hawkins is a stand-up comedian and writer. She has performed her standup on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , Nick Mom's Night Out and she was a cast member of Oxygen's Funny Girls. She has written for Comedy Central's @midnight , Hood Adjacent with James Davis, HBO's That Damn Michael Che, and  Hulu's Everything's Trash.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

This week on Gunslinger's Gateway:  In this mini-sode, we follow the actions of Karric Varsimony, one of the prisoners that was found in the Extractor's hideout beneath Serenity Falls.Karric uses clever magic, well-placed pressure on unstable leaders, and webs of political lies to gain favor with the infamous Lord Longfellow...and other powerful players. With these games, Karric hopes to rise to the top of the social elite--one way or another.

This week Zainab Johnson and Abbi Crutchfield join Friends Like Us and discuss the hardship brought on by the WGA/SAG strike, Billy Porter selling his house, and how the Alabama riverboat brawl sparked a cultural moment with host Marina Franklin.  Zainab Johnson, a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer is quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen. Zainab was named one of Variety's Top 10 Comics To Watch, she is one of the host for Netflix's show "100 Humans", she can be seen as a series regular on the hit Amazon series from Greg Daniels a half hour comedy titled “Upload”, and she made her first late night stand up appearance on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers.  Aside from her many breakout performances on shows like NBC's Last Comic Standing and her viral standup clips she is a regular at the Comedy Store in LA and the Comedy Cellar in NY. Abbi Crutchfield has been seen on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS, and Broad City on Comedy Central. She was a host on You Can Do Better on TruTV, and the host of Up Early Tonight on Hulu. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

Rob Eschmann and DC Benney discuss how Rob's new book, "When The Hoods Come Off" , chaotic giveaway in Union Square, DC Benny's new comedy hour on YouTube, and how the use of social media challenges racism and racist narratives with host Marina Franklin. Rob Eschmann Dr. Eschmann is a writer, educator, filmmaker, and scholar from Chicago. He is a proud product of the Chicago Public Schools and received his PhD from the University of Chicago in 2017. He writes on educational inequality, community violence, racism, social media, and youth wellbeing. His research seeks to uncover individual, group, and intuitional-level barriers to racial and economic equity, and he pays special attention to the heroic efforts everyday people make to combat those barriers. For Dr. Eschmann, this work is a part of the freedom struggle. The function of racism is to reproduce racial inequality, but in the 21st Century the devices of racism are often hidden behind color-neutral laws or friendly interactions. Highlighting the mechanisms of racism, therefore, can demonstrate the continuing significance of race, raise consciousness, and promote and strengthen resistance efforts. Dr. Eschmann is an avid reader and re-reader of fantasy fiction who uses his children as a justification for his continued interest in young-adult fiction and regular trips to the comic book store. In terms of creative endeavors, Dr. Eschmann has co-written and directed several short films for the 48 Hour Film Project Film Festival, and has written and workshopped fiction since his days as a graduate student. He is currently in the midst of his first novel project.  *Dr. Eschmann's first book, When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age, is an engaging and comprehensive exploration of the ways technology and online communication are changing how we experience, understand, and respond to racism, both online and in-person. You can buy it now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever books are sold. D.C. Benny's story-telling style of comedy has delighted audiences over his thirty-five years as a New York-based performer. His third appearance on NBC's  “Showtime At The Apollo” has over eighteen million Youtube views, he has 4 stand up specials including Comedy Central Presents, Dry Bar, was a season finalist on both seasons 2 and 8 of NBC's Last Comic Standing. He's been featured in John Singleton's “Illegal Tender”, "Freedomland" with Samuel Jackson and Julianne Moore, "Love Walked In" with Terrance Stamp, "Where God Left His Shoes" with John Leguizamo, recurred on the soap opera “As The World Turns” and appeared in many national commercials such as the Budweiser "How You Doin'?” campaign.  He co-hosted the story-telling podcast, "Tall But True", with Cash Cab's Ben Bailey, was a cast member on ABC"s Supermarket Sweep with Leslie Jones and currently plays "Bart" on Amy Schumer's series Life and Beth on Hulu. His writing has been published in New York Magazine, Mystery Tribune, Heeb Magazine, Narratively, and The New York Observer. He currently lives in Long Island's North Fork, where he teaches comedic storytelling and runs a beach rental business with his wife at www.bungalowouteast.com.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Vanessa Fraction and Kenice Mobley visit Friends Like Us and argue wether they would stop for a white baby, late at night, on an Alabama road and more with host Marina Franklin!  Vanessa Fraction  is the high-spirited, outrageously funny co-host of Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by rapper and producer T-Pain. She also guest hosts on the entertainment news television series Dish Nation (FOX) and can be seen in Universal Pictures' cinematic musical, Praise This written and directed by Tina Gordon, produced by Will Packer, Tim Story, James Lopez, and Sharla Sumpter. From her unique brand of comedy that's both witty and unapologetically honest, Fraction's hilarious stand-up sets never fail to deliver sharp commentary on everyday life, relationships, and the struggles of being a successful black woman. Her ability to effortlessly weave these topics into a cohesive storyline that perfectly illustrates her point is what makes her stand out from other comics. Fraction's comedy is relatable and incredibly funny, with an edge that allows her to push boundaries. She's the kind of comedian who will make you laugh until your face hurts while making you think about the issues at hand. With a storied history of industry wins, Fraction was an analyst for the Comedy Hype News show and periodic face on Windy City Live (Chicago), she is also a recurring favorite as a crowd warmer for numerous shows, including Dancing With Myself, America's Got Talent: Extreme, Black Girls Rock, The Soul Train Awards, BET Her: Fights Breast Cancer, Sunday's Best and The Ms. Pat Show. As an actress, Fraction's appearances in television and film also include Last Call (Bounce TV), Comedy Knockout (truTV), Tales (BET), a returning role on Bounce TV's Mann and Wife, Kim Field's Holiday Love: The Rebirth (TV One), Kevin Hart's Celebrity Game Face (E!), and the lighthearted comedy Squatter's Rights.  From Def Comedy Jam (HBO) to NickMom Night Out (Nick Jr.) to Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks (truTV), 1st Amendment Standup (STARZ), Mike Epps Live at Club Nokia, Just for Laughs Montreal Festival (2008, 2018), and Just For Laughs Chicago (2013), Fraction's bold and clever stand-up has been a welcomed highlight on these and other showcases. The demand for her comedic brilliance has garnered opportunities to perform abroad touring the UK and performing for the U.S. troops in Germany, Japan, and South Korea. After performing on The Monique Show, a year later she was offered her first writing gig. Fraction's versatility as a writer blossomed on shows like Raven's Home (Disney), The Arsenio Hall Show (CBS), the Triumph Awards (Bounce TV), and 106 & Park (BET). Fraction's passionate take on women's freedoms and rights to empowerment stretches beyond the stage. She is a certified self-defense instructor, and her branded style of teaching, Kicks & Comedy, equips women with life-saving self-defense skills and lifts spirits by infusing comedy. Vanessa's mission is to empower her audience to overcome their struggles while laughing at hers. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. This year, Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.    

Rick Younger, Veniece Antoinette, and Marc Theobald visit Friends Like Us and discuss what WGA writers want, picket line etiquette, policing of black joy and more with host Marina Franklin.  Rick Younger is an actor, comedian, and singer originally from Baltimore, MD. Television appearances include "AXS TV'S Gotham Comedy Live" and "It's Showtime at the Apollo." Rick also toured nationally with the Broadway musical RENT. You've undoubtedly seen him in numerous national television commercials, the Woody Allen Amazon Series, "Crisis in Six Scenes" and guest spots on HBO's "Girls," "Blue Bloods" and "Law & Order: SVU." Film credits include Ordinary World and Morning Glory. Rick’s latest comedy album, "Fried Chicken and White Bread," is available on iTunes. Veniece Antoinette is a Podcaster, Content Creator, and Entrepreneur. Veniece found herself on her first podcast, Talk Hvy, in 2014, and went on to start her own podcast in 2016 called Sip & Spill. After obtaining her Master's Degree in TV and Media Management she went on to work with the Glass Entertainment Group Production Company to help successfully produce one of largest podcasts on Apple, "Confronting OJ Simpson '' getting over 7 millions listeners in its first season; and then started her business, Podcasting and Media Group, LLC to help small business owners and independent podcasters launch their podcasts! Marc Theobald is a stand-up, writer, and producer known for The Last O.G. (2018), Delocated (2018), and the 2019 ESPY Awards. He has performed in a number of New York's hot spots, including the "New York Comedy Club", "Catch a Rising Star", "Stand-Up New York", and "Uptown Comedy Club", He also has been featured on "Comic View" and "The Chappelle Show". True to form, Theobald keeps the crowd in stitches with his sketch artist talents and physical style. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Mugga and Sara Contreras visit Friends Like Us and discuss Netflix's "Manifest", The 123yr old virgin, New York's Lack Of School Diversity, Hot Flashes and more with host Marina Franklin. Mugga is an American actress and comedian who was born and raised in Brooklyn. She is known for her roles as Dolores in The First Purge, Reema Pell in Orange Is The New Black, and NBC's Manifest as Bethany.  Sara Contreras, a top female comedian, actor, and writer since 1995—and one of Showtime's 2008 ALMA-nominated (Best Comedy Special) Original Latin Divas of Comedy. Sara has performed for the troops in Iraq as part of the USO tour. She has been tapped to open for El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico, the iconic salsa band, in 2022 for their 60th-anniversary world tour. She was selected as one of the 22 top Comedians to watch in 2022. Her hilarious one-woman show, F.R.E.A.K. of Nature is premiering in 2022 around the country. Sara was a featured radio personality for the WRKS 98.7 Kiss Morning Show and has been a featured comedian for nationally syndicated radio personalities Luis Jimenez and Wendy Williams. Sara has performed at the New York Comedy, Marshalls Women in Comedy, Urban Comedy, and the Toyota Comedy Festivals. She has been critically acclaimed for her work with the N.Y.-based “Sistas Doing Comedy,” D.C.-based “DiverCity,” and the L.A.-based “Hot & Spicy Tamales” comedy troupes. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Hollie Harper, Joanna Briley, and Chaundra Daniels visit Friends Like Us and discuss the importance of black women in comedy, The Black Women In Comedy Laff Fest For Juneteenth and more with host Marina Franklin. Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Joanna Briley Brooklyn born, Connecticut raised. Hilarity ensued. Joanna's work for the MTA made her one of the friendliest Token Booth Clerks and her love of stand up and being a token booth clerk aka Station Agent, allowed her to write and produce “Swipe This: My Life in Transit!” to critical acclaim. Joanna is also the proud creator of the Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest which was created in 2018 and will have her fourth festival this June 14th-June 18th 2023 in various venues throughout NYC.  Chaundra Daniels is currently the Director of Career Services at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology providing guidance and structure for a range of student services offered by career services and overseeing all office operations on career development strategies. She is a former Project Manager working on career development projects for Fortune 500 companies such as Colgate, the Federal Reserve Bank, McDonald's, Pepsi,  Starbucks, and Verizon. Chaundra is the Principal Consultant of  Monarch Productions, LLC, a boutique consulting firm that provides coaching and consulting sessions, workshops, and speaking engagements for individuals and businesses. Known as “The Humor Consultant”, Chaundra is an enthusiastic and resourceful communicator. The Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships & Planning for the 4th Annual Black Women in Comedy Festival, Chaundra is also the producer of the BFF (Beautiful, Fabulous, and Funny) Comedy Show,  a monthly comedy residency that donates partial proceeds to the designated benefactor, TechCore2, a Philadelphia based STEM program whose mission is to empower youth through tech industry training to build confidence and to pursue a technology career path.  She is often sought out to facilitate presentations and host events. An effective communicator,  she uses humor as a tool, offering a unique communication style with the ability to successfully engage and motivate audiences through critical thinking.  She has a fond appreciation of butterflies and uses their symbolic nature of “transformation” as part of her message providing inspiration to her audiences. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.  

Vanessa Fraction, Mia Jackson, and Akeem Woods visit Friends Like Us for a hilarious take on hot topics! Vanessa Fraction: Action Fraction is a fitting handle for the intelligent and hilarious stand-up comedian, actor, writer, television personality, and women's empowerment advocate Vanessa Fraction. A mother of two, working at the phone company in 2001, Vanessa Fraction hit the stage of a popular open mic at The Cotton Club, Chicago to sing backup for a co-worker. Performing the gig with a few girlfriends from church, they weren't great, but Fraction decided that night, she wanted to be on stage. She went back the next week to do a comedy set and got booked for a show. Two years later she landed the role of Monisha in Barbershop 2: Back in Business. Currently, Fraction is the high-spirited, outrageously funny co-host of Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by rapper and producer T-Pain. She also guest hosts on the entertainment news television series Dish Nation (FOX) and can be seen in Universal Pictures' cinematic musical, Praise This written and directed by Tina Gordon, produced by Will Packer, Tim Story, James Lopez, and Sharla Sumpter. From Def Comedy Jam (HBO) to NickMom Night Out (Nick Jr.) to Laff Mobb's Laff Tracks (truTV), 1st Amendment Standup (STARZ), Mike Epps Live at Club Nokia, Just for Laughs Montreal Festival (2008, 2018), and Just For Laughs Chicago (2013), Fraction's bold and clever stand-up has been a welcomed highlight on these and other showcases. The demand for her comedic brilliance has garnered opportunities to perform abroad touring the UK and performing for the U.S. troops in Germany, Japan, and South Korea. After performing on The Monique Show, a year later she was offered her first writing gig. Fraction's versatility as a writer blossomed on shows like Raven's Home (Disney), The Arsenio Hall Show (CBS), the Triumph Awards (Bounce TV), and 106 & Park (BET). Fraction's passionate take on women's freedoms and rights to empowerment stretches beyond the stage. She is a certified self-defense instructor, and her branded style of teaching, Kicks & Comedy, equips women with life-saving self-defense skills and lifts spirits by infusing comedy. Vanessa's mission is to empower her audience to overcome their struggles while laughing at hers. Akeem Woods is the funny little brother you always (never) wanted — his comedy style will have you on the edge of your seat reeling from laughter! No topic is safe from discussion, whether it be the KKK or the hardships of growing up poor. Akeem is a regular at the Comedy Cellar in NYC, was a semi-finalist on Stand Up NBC, has been seen on Kevin Hart's LOL Network, and just recently made his television debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden! Currently, you can find Akeem working on a new show for BET and at clubs and colleges all over the country. Mia Jackson is a bonafide Georgia peach (that's Georgian for “native”). In 2017, she was selected as a New Face by the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and Atlanta's Creative Loafing named her the Critic's Choice Best Stand-Up in the city. She has toured nationally with Amy Schumer and is a featured comic at festivals and clubs across the country. Her first stand up special aired in October 2018 as part of Unprotected Sets on EPIX. Mia has appeared on NickMom's Night Out, Viceland, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing. Her Comedy Central half hour special debuted in November 2019. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.

Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons, Gina Brillon, and Hollie Harper visit Friends Like Us and discuss sexual liberation, maternal health care week, and more with host Marina Franklin. Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons is an award-winning associate professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky, where she studies sexual wellness and liberation. She is the host of F*ck the System: A Sexual Liberation Podcast and How to Love a Human, a liberation podcast that asks people with multiple marginalized identities what the world would be like if it loved them. She has published over 50 research articles and has been featured in the Huffington Post, the APA Monitor, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Blavity, Cosmopolitan, and the New York Times. Gina Brillon was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. The Puerto Rican actress, comedian, writer and mom has been a standup comic since she was 17 years old. Her 1-hour special Gina Brillon: The Floor is Lava won a 2021 Gracie Award, is nominated for an Imagen Award, and is available on Amazon Prime Video, along with her first special, Pacifically Speaking. Her 1/2 hour special Easily Offended was one of the top shows from the Entre Nos franchise on HBO Latino, and streams on all HBO Digital Platforms. She was a finalist on America's Got Talent Season 16, and has made appearances on HBO Max's HA Festival: The Art of Comedy, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, E!'s Chelsea Lately, The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live. You have seen her on Kevin Can Wait on CBS and The Conners on ABC. ​​Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat “BlerdDating.” Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for “Blood Lassi” on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.   ​​

Favorite Episode of 2022! Lessons from a Mutha, Auntie, and Bestie with Bevy Smith! Bevy Smith, Joyelle Johnson, and Zainab Johnson visit Friends Like Us and discuss how it gets greater later and other Bevelations with host Marina Franklin!   Bevy Smith Quintessential Harlem girl, life-long New Yorker and Gracie Award Winner Bevy Smith is the host of Sirius XM's “Bevelations” on Radio Andy.  Once a wildly successful luxury fashion publishing exec, Bevy shifted her professional goals over a decade ago to pursue a life in front of the camera. A pop culture aficionado and fashion expert, Bevy served as moderator of Bravo TV's revolutionary “Fashion Queens," and was a former co-host on the nationally syndicated “Page Six TV.”  Bevy continues to be part of “The Wendy Williams Show's Style Squad.” Her memoir Bevelations: Lessons from a Mutha, Auntie, Bestie is available where books are sold. Joyelle Nicole Johnson is a Brooklyn-based stand-up comedian, writer, and actress. She made her network TV debut on Late Night with Seth Meyers and most recently performed as the warm-up act for Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Act. She wrote for the final season of Broad City, and has performed on Comedy Central's digital series Comics to Watch, Wyatt Cenac's Night Train for Seeso, Laff Tracks for TruTV as well as being a panelist for Refinery 29/Facebook Watch's After After Party and MTV News. And while transitioning to the headliner that she is today she regularly features for Hannibal Buress and has opened for Dave Chappelle, Maria Bamford & Russell Peters. She also combines her dream of comedy and activism by touring with Daily Show creator Lizz Winstead's Lady Parts Justice League. Her comedy special Love Joy on Peacock has been nominated for the Critic's Choice Award Best Comedy Special. Zainab Johnson , a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer is quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen. In 2019, Zainab was named one of Variety's Top 10 Comics To Watch. Recently, she was one of the hosts for Netflix's new show "100 Humans". You can also catch her as Aleesha on the Amazon Prime comedy series "Upload". Zainab made her first late night stand up appearance on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers, and has also had appearances on HBO's All Def Comedy (2017), NBC's Last Comic Standing (2014), Arsenio (2014), BET's Comic View (2014), AXSTV's Gotham Comedy Live! She also just recently starred in a new web series titled Avant-Guardians. Zainab is a regular at the Improv Comedy Club in LA and the Comedy Cellar in NY, and has performed in the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival as one of the 2014 New Faces of Comedy and returned numerous times since.  Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf