Deborah Kobylt Live

Author, playwright, performer, and TEDx speaker Susan Lieu joins us to talk about her tell-all book, “The Manicurist’s Daughter,” along with her one-woman theatrical show, 140 Pounds: How Beauty Killed My Mother, which has been on a 10-city sold out national tour. About Susan: Her family are refugees from the Vietnam War, escaping to California in the 1980s after five failed attempts. Her mother successfully opened two nail salons, and life seemed to be going just fine, until one day when Susan was 11. Her mother died suddenly from a botched tummy tuck, with little mention of the incident even at her funeral. So, for the next twenty years, Susan looked for answers about what happened, and also why her mother felt the need to change her body. Did she struggle with body image issues? Was it pressure? Susan finally uncovered some disturbing facts, and which we will talk with her about, as well as the impossible ideal of beauty. Please join me in conversation with Susan Lieu about grief, trauma, and determination

Please give a warm welcome to my guest, Marianna Cuomo Maier, certified health & wellness coach and founder of Grata Wellness, which helps people take charge of their health, find more joy in their lives, and often, she says, it starts with food. Marianna holds wellness workshops, meditation, and journaling groups at wellness events in support of finding our healthier, more balanced selves. And as she tells it, Marianna was not always a healthy person. She had to learn how to do it. Marianna also writes for @AppetitoMagazine, and in fact, we were introduced by Appetito‘s founder, @AndrewCotto, as well as my friend, @AmyRiolo, writer of many books on the Mediterranean Diet, specifically the Dummies series. Marianna is also founder of the Emerging Leaders Council of the Italian Language Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting Italian language and culture nationally. And if the name Cuomo sounds familiar, she is of the infamous New York Cuomo family. Her grandfather, Mario Cuomo, was a beloved govern

Please welcome to our show the immensely talented Italian director and actress, Ilaria Borrelli, who is also a human rights activist. In fact, much of Ilaria’s activism is reflected in her work, often with an emphasis on the rights of woman and young girls. I met Ilaria at the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles, when she was speaking about her film, “The Goat,” about an 11-year-old pregnant orphan forced into marriage in her small Ethiopian village, only to escape with her goat, which provides nourishment, companionship, and even friendship throughout her difficult journey to find her her father, and ultimately peace. The film stars Mira Sorvino and John Savage, along with young Egyptian Tik Tok star, Jessica Hosam. Ilaria has been behind some of the most prolific films throughout her career, including “Life Is Beautiful,” and “A Girl from the Brothel,” among others. We will talk with her about her adventures filming in often dangerous condition, her life’s work as an actress and eventually behind the

Love to garden and eat fresh veggies and fruits but have no idea how to start, what to plant or when to plant? Have you tried gardening but didn’t quite have the touch? Well, this is a must-listen to show, because our guest can turn anyone into an expert gardener who can enjoy fresh, home-grown food all year long! Meet JoJami Tyler, a kitchen garden coach and founder of Fancy Pants Gardens (there’s a reason behind the name, and we’ll get into that). JoJami and I met at the @InfluencersOfMidlife conference in Vegas where I was a speaker, which is run by my friend, @RobinLaMonte. And we got to talking about food, what’s in so much of the food we purchase at the grocery store, in addition to the rising cost of many store-bought foods. JoJami joins us to teach us what vegetables grow best in what climates, when to plant, how to get rid of pests, and virtually walks us through how to grow anything, even if you live in a small apartment. So please join us on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, and

Please join us in welcoming Andrew Cotto, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Appetito Magazine. Andrew is also an award-winning novelist of seven books, a regular contributor to the New York Times, and he loves all things Italy, particularly food and wine. His passion is to write and talk about it, and share his experiences so we can fall in love with the Italian way of living as he has. Andrew likes to say that “food is his muse.” He draws a comparison between mental health and healthy eating, and talks about how Italians instinctively know how to do that. While he was raised in the states, Andrew fell in love with his ancestral homeland the first time he visited, and decided to plant his own roots there for a time and learn all he could about the Italian lifestyle and good health. He’s been a regular on Good Day New York, and has interviewed some of the top culinary experts in his Appetito magazine, including Rachael Ray. And now he joins us on our #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, and #DeborahKo

Please welcome to our show a woman who appears to have more hours in her day than the rest of us, Zibby Owens. Zibby is an award-winning author who will join us to talk about her latest book, “Blank.” She also hosts an award-winning DAILY podcast, Moms Don’t Have Time To Read Books. In addition, she owns and operates Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica, which is an incredibly inclusive space for writers, authors, and anyone interested in books and learning how to get started as an author. Want more? The Zibby-verse has become a mini empire, led by Zibby Media, which includes Zibby books publishing house, retreats for authors, book club, writing group, not to mention her bookstore on Montana Ave. and her podcast. She lives in NYC with her husband and FOUR kids under the age of 16, attended Yale and Harvard, and spends a good chunk of time working in LA, too. And she smiles a lot, too, perhaps because she’s truly doing what she loves. But she’s faced a lot of rough patches, too, and we’ll talk about that, because

Please welcome to our show, Stan Zimmerman, author, “The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore. Stories about all the wonderful women I’ve worked with...and Roseanne.” Let’s just say Stan has worked with them all, and is a prime example of someone living his dream by living his truth. Stan Zimmerman grew up a self-proclaimed gawky Jewish kid from the suburbs of Detroit, who dreamed of becoming a wildly successful actor, rich enough to buy his own mansion in the Hollywood Hills. The actor part didn’t quite work out, but he found success as a writer, producer, director, and playwright on some of the most noteworthy shows in the business. The book chronicles his days from acting in plays in his basement as a kid, to attending NYU on scholarship, where he met his first serious boyfriend and somehow became Andy Warhol’s photo subject at Studio 54 one evening. This is a story about friendship, finding one’s sexuality after battling years of homophobia, and honoring the many women in his life who have been supportive throug

David Richman was once an overweight, sedentary smoker who was jolted into making big changes in his life. Now an entrepreneur, athlete, public speaker, and author, David joins us to discuss his latest book, “Cycle of Lives,” which chronicles the stories of 15 people, five-thousand miles, and the journey through the emotional upheaval of cancer that David and his family endured after his sister was diagnosed with brain cancer, which ultimately claimed her life. “Cycle of Lives” was created as the result of many years of dedication to raising awareness and funds for cancer research and care, inspired after his sister was initially diagnosed in 2007. Over the past 15 years, David has completed several events including a 104-mile run along the Pacific Coast Highway, 87-miles from Cancun to Tulum, numerous bike rides and other events to raise money for the American Cancer Society and Moffitt Cancer Society. David is also donating profits from his book sales to the cancer organizations he supports. The book talks

Often, some doctors and teachers were advocates of using medicine to quiet the child diagnosed with ADHD, but we now know that may not be the best option. Remember all the talk about how Ritalin could quiet a busy mind? Well, medicine is not longer the first choice to help people with ADHD succeed and lead happy, productive lives, and today we’re talking about it. Please welcome Dr. Connie McReynolds, author, “Solving the ADHD Riddle, The Real Cause and Lasting Solutions to Your Child’s Struggle to Learn.”  Dr. McReynolds and I will discuss auditory and visual procession issues that very often disguise themselves as “problems” in the classroom for teachers. Essentially, ADHD is about the brain not being able to fully hold or interpret information coming in, so we will talk about some new therapies that have proven successful, in addition to the “gifts” of ADHD, because from my own standpoint, I believe there are gifts associated with ADHD, and instead of having kids feel like failures for not being able to fo

Have you thought of taking weight loss drugs? Seems as though everywhere you turn, people are jumping on the craze, but perhaps there’s another way to control our weight and health, and today we speak with our dear friend, chef and acclaimed author, Amy Riolo, along with her colleague, Dr. Simon Poole, MD, who collaborated on the “Diabetes for Dummies” series which also includes “Diabetes Meal Planning & Nutrition,” along with the “Diabetes Cookbook.”  Amy has written 17 books that include healthy eating and how to incorporate the Mediterranean diet into our daily routines, and Dr. Poole talks about the many health benefits from introducing extra virgin olive oil into our diets. In fact, the two met at a convention speaking about olive oil and healthy living, and have made it their mission to talk and write about how we can all live healthier lives and even turn around type 2 diabetes if we incorporate certain foods into our diets and eliminate others that are essentially “poison” to our bodies. Our show

Please welcome to our show, Bryan and Stephanie Mazzarello, creators of their brilliant short film, “Make Me Italian,” which follows the story of an Italian-American man attempting to prove his Italian citizenship through ancestry so he can attain an Italian passport. The story is loosely based on Bryan’s experience of getting his Italian passport, and it’s quite a story. We talk with Bryan about that, and also how he was motivated to do this after a backpacking trip through Europe landed on the very soil where his grandparents lived. Let’s just say he felt the calling. Stephanie was the creative director on the film, and this is so beautifully shot and choreographed, we discuss that with her as well. Please join our shows on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s a pleasure to have you join us. Please invite your friends and family, and if you have an Italian story for us, we’d love to hear about it Pl

Please welcome to our show the mega-talented writer, producer, and director Andria Litto, who joins us to discuss her magnificent documentary, “My Father Moves Mountains,” about her dad, George Litto, who represented many of Hollywood’s top writers who were black-listed during the McCarthy era and beyond. This is a fascinating film, with detailed interviews from actors, writers, and agents, with film footage of a time in Hollywood when studios could crush the careers of actors and writers, but George Litto wasn’t afraid of them. Instead, he fought for the rights of people he thought were unfairly blacklisted, and ended up behind some of Hollywood’s most accomplished films from “Mash” and “Midnight Cowboy.” He later went on to produce films directed by Brian DePalma. And Andria, his daughter, had a front row seat to it all and joins us to talk about it. Please join our show on #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast on all video and audio platforms. And invite your friends and fami

Is there life after our time on Earth? It’s a question most of us have pondered, and today, I’d like to invite you to explore this topic with our guest, Mark Ireland, author, “The Persistence of the Soul: Mediums, Spirit Visitations, and Afterlife Communication.” In this book, Mark takes a deep dive into exploring, through personal accounts and scientific study, about the possibility of an afterlife and explores psychic/medium phenomena through the many lenses of various religious tradition. This book and study of what lies beyond “here,” is also personal to Mark, and we discuss that, too, along with providing guidelines for those trying to communicate with those who have departed. Skeptical? Listen to our interview and decide for yourself. Please join us on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt. Thanks for joining us.

It’s rare to go anywhere in Los Angeles and not see the serious implications of drug use, mental illness, and homelessness lining our streets and neighborhoods, and today we speak with Neil Gong, a sociologist and associate professor at UC San Diego, who has studied this phenomenon for years and explains why mental health treatment in LA often fails, what can be done to change that. Neil will also discuss his latest book, “Sons, Daughters, and Sidewalk Psychotics: Mental Illness and Homelessness in Los Angeles,” and the research he’s compiled regarding community care, successful treatments and recoveries, and he delves into the differences between the rich and poor when it comes to drug and mental health treatment. Finally, he talks about possible solutions to this growing and complicated social dilemma, and yes, it involves politics, too. Please join our show on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends and colleagues, too. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I’d like

Honored to present my magnificent, talented, and beautiful guest today, Roslyn Kind, talking about her latest album, “The Look of Love/The Island.” This is an outstanding array of songs originally recorded by some of music’s greatest talents, presented by Roslyn, who says her mission is to uplift people with her music, and she does just that. In fact, when I listen to her, I get lost. Roslyn has been an actress, singer, songwriter and public figure since she was a young girl, having appeared in a variety of genres from Broadway to The Ed Sullivan Show, The Nanny (loved her on that), films such as “Switched at Birth,” and the list goes on. YES,  her older sister is Barbra Streisand, and you can hear the similarities in Roslyn’s voice and see the resemblance in her face. Theresa much to talk about, including her sincere interest in LOVE and spreading that message through her work. Life is short, she says, why not spread love instead of hate. Why not? We’ll also talk about growing up in NY and her early influenc

Entrepreneur Sigmar Berg was living the life, with a successful career and social life, only to wake up one day and decide he needed to change the direction he was headed and lead from the heart. So he made some big changes, and wrote about it in his book, “One Journey, The Lovetuner Book.” Sigmar starts by saying, “When I started this book, I was out on my ranch hugging a tree.” To be clear, this isn’t a woo-woo book, rather it’s a successful man’s journey into leading himself and others through the prism of love first. He talks about merging science with spirituality, reducing stress, relieving anxiety, and living in the present moment. He also created a meditwtive device called the lovetuner, which lets out a soothing sound to help with relaxation and breathing. And we’ll talk about that. Please join my interview with Sigmar on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I’m happy to have you join us, from the heart❤️

When Dr. Esther Zeledon came to the United States with her parents from Nicaragua when she was a little girl, she aspired for the “American Dream,” or so she was told. But she nearly died as a child, bills mounted up for her family, and she quickly realized it wasn’t so easy on this side of the border to make ends meet. Years later, she was educated, got the big house and all they comes with it, and she realized, she was miserable. What happened to the American Dream she strived for? Well, she soon realized it wasn’t money or privilege that was the dream, but rather finding one self. So she set out on a journey to do just that, and writes about it in her book, “Creating Your Limitless Life.” And she shows us how each of us can find our hidden purpose, too. Please join our show today, on all video and audio platforms of DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it’s a pleasure to have you with us.

Please welcome to our show my dear friend, Ann Potenza, who is bringing an exceptional play to life in Los Angeles for the upcoming Women’s History Month, called “The War of Roses - The Women. The Voices. The Vote.” This is an important play that talks about the women suffragettes, and the play follows some of the most memorable names who were at the forefront to getting women out to vote. In fact, “The War Of Roses,” making its debut the El Portal Theatre in No.Hollywood on 3-1 and 3/2, is also encouraging all participants to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) that evening. Ann is also a well-established Events Planner in Los Angeles, behind some of Hollywood’s most notorious events, starting with the San Gennaro festival she brought to LA a few years ago, along with her cousin, Jimmy Kimmel, exec producer Doug DeLuca, and other notable Italians. So we will also be talking with Ann about growing up Italian, some of her favorite traditions, hanging with Jimmy as kids, and where she sees the Italian community growing in

Every child, teen, or adult interacts with the world in their own unique way, yet we’ve gotten to the point in our society where labels are commonplace and often people spend years at the doctor’s office looking for a solution to have they navigate in the world. And that can lead to misdiagnosis, and pills prescribed by health care professionals before other methods are considered. Think ADHD. Please welcome to our show Sally Fryer Dietz, therapist and author, “Sensory Processing Solutions,” which talks about drug-free therapies to unlock your child’s protential. Sally writes from first-hand experience with her own son. She is not against drug therapies, but says there are ways to deal with processing issues that should be considered first, or in conjunction with prescribed drugs. And we will talk all about that. Please welcome Sally, and invite your friends to our interview on #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio platforms. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt.

It takes GUTS to be a 16-year-old waitress at Denny’s and decide at age 23 that you were going to own the place. And that’s just what Dawn Lafreeda did. Cut to a few decades later, and Dawn is now the largest female-owned restaurant franchisee in the U.S., with 80 Denny’s in her portfolio. But her road to success was not always paved with gold. Her early life was heart-wrenchingly difficult, but she decided to use that as fuel to become a success and earn enough money to control her life and destiny. And that’s exactly what she’s done. Dawn is also the exec producer of the much-acclaimed documentary, “Show Her The Money,” which highlights four female entrepeneurs and their journey to securing venture capital money for their projects. Women get just two percent of the billions of dollars in venture capital funding. Dawn is on a mission to change that. Please join our full interview on #DeborahKobyltLIVE on all video and audio platforms. I’m your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for tuning in.