The Italian American Podcast

Join us as we jump back into the incredible life story of Severino D’Angelo, a “Paesan of Interest” with a story in which determination and dedication meet some very good luck. Leaving what he describes as a “Medieval Italy” Severino D’Angelo went on to discover his natural gifts in the American education system, have his life saved when he was dra…

Severino D’Angelo is a name you might not recognize. But, if you’ve stepped into a car in the United States at any point since Ronald Reagan was in the White House, you’ve encountered a technology patented by this unassuming “Paesan of Interest”. Leaving what he describes as a “Medieval Italy” Severino D’Angelo went on to discover his natural gifts…

Alessandro Crocco is an energetic and personable thirty-something from Calabria, on a mission to change the way Italy and Italian America interact. And, as the newly elected President of the Committees of Italian Abroad (Com.it.es) for New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut (and Bermuda!) Alessandro is in the perfect position to do so. But, Alessand…

8 years in the making, our 300th Episode is an uncut dive into the past, present, and future of our show, and the real-life friends behind it. We're catching up and sharing stories from our times together beyond the podcast, giving you a glimpse "behind the green-white-and-red", and letting the tangents do the talking as we discuss everything from …

Because this is the final episode of Italian American Heritage Month, we thought we’d gather the Famiglia and share the stories of the “Italian Heritage Heroes” who inspire each of us, except… we never quite got to that! When Dolores, Rossella, John, and Pat reunite in person and around the table for the first time in a long time, and 3/4 of the gr…

We’re keeping the Italian American Heritage Month party going with a visit to one of our favorite Italian American hangouts, a place that lives up to its cozy name, Staten Island, NY’s stunning Italian Cultural Center at Casa Belvedere. The “House with the Beautiful View” was the brainchild of our friend Gina Biancardi, an Italian American with an …

Happy Italian American Heritage Month Paesani!!! We’re kicking off our favorite month of the year with a good old-fashioned “Power Hour” roundtable, with Rossella, Pat, and John catching up on how they’ve spent the first few weeks in a month filled with Italian American Pride! We’re discussing the galas, gatherings, and get-togethers that we’ve all…

Brandon Ficara thinks we Italian Americans have a special relationship with humor. Born in Philadelphia, and raised in Ocean City, NJ, this proud Italian American used humor to combat the tribulations of life at an early age. Born with Sprangles Deformity, a condition that required major back surgery when he was three years old, Brandon turned to h…

When you spend as much time as we do examining and analyzing the Italian American experience, sometimes you just have to laugh. There are those little quirks that make us unique which are often at the source of so much of the “Italian American comedy” that speaks to each of us every time we encounter it. But what makes “Italian American comedy” gen…

Every September for the past ninety-seven years, thousands upon thousands descend on Mulberry Street in Manhattan's venerable Little Italy for “a festa 'e tutte 'e feste”—“The Feast of All Feasts”... the eleven-day celebration that is the Feast of San Gennaro! This year, the Italian American Podcast is celebrating the Patron Saint of Napoli- and on…

Summer is almost over, and many Paesani are outside soaking up the last weeks of our “Italian American National Sport”… the beloved game of BOCCE! For many, this simple lawn game is a staple of Italian American summer life, but for an increasing number of young people seeking out ways to engage and promote their Italian American heritage, bocce has…

In our final LIVE and UNCUT recording from the National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, Pat, John, and Rossella sit down with some very special Paesani from Buffalo, NY. Danette Porto and Danielle Salasavage are a Nonna and Granddaughter team representing FIVE GENERATIONS of their Italian American …

Come back to the table for Part 2, as we throwback to the old “Italian American Power Hour” days, with the second half of a conversation already earning rave reviews! Pat, John, and Rossella are joined by longtime friend Marianna Gatto (Executive Director and Co-FoundRESS of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles) for a freewheeling conversatio…

Get ready for a throwback to the old “Italian American Power Hour” days, as you join four friends at the kitchen table for a breakneck conversation about something we all love… being Italian American! When Rossella, Pat, and John are brought together with some of their favorite out-of-town Paesani for the 46th Biennial National Convention of the It…

We here at the Italian American Podcast have spent eight years and 288 episodes exploring the ins and outs of what it means to be an American descendent of the Italian diaspora… but have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the offspring of Italian immigrants from a little further afield? For two of our loyal listeners who tune in each week from …

For years we’ve been searching for an idyllic Italian American village where we might find the perfect spot to recreate the Italian American neighborhood life we all long for, and this week, we’ve literally hit the Big Time! In this week’s episode, we discuss our recent trip to Pennsylvania’s Slate Belt borough of Roseto, a historically Italian Ame…

In an Italian American family, every dish tells a story. For two young Italian American bloggers, the stories of so many of their family dishes have become wildly popular with readers worldwide. In this week’s episode, we’re discussing how our Italian American foodways have helped our guests Kate Famiglietti of The Two Bananas and Maria Del Russo o…