Multiracial Family Man

Ep. 210: This week on the Multiracial Family Man Podcast, we speak with comedian, writer, and performer DC Benny about his childhood in DC, his multicultural heritage, his interracial marriage, and changing sensibilities in society about what audiences find funny or objectionable.   In the hard-hitting New York comedy world, D.C. Benny is a heavyweight contender. Benny’s unusual style of telling autobiographical stories, inhabited by original characters has been sharpened for almost thirty years as a performer. His personal essays, stories, and articles have been featured in New York Magazine, The New York Observer, Narratively, and Heeb Magazine. Benny’s diverse fan base know him from a wide range of appearances; his “White Boy Rips The Apollo” clip with almost ten million views, his Comedy Central Presents, one the of the network’s highest-rated half-hour specials, as a top eight finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, his role as Caesar in John Singleton’s feature film “Illegal Tender”, as “Chaz” on the soa

Ep. 209: This week on the Multiracial Family Man Podcast, speaking about the Haitian immigrant experience and representing that onstage, in essays, and on film with Haitian comedian, writer and filmmaker, Tanael Joachim. Tanael Joachim is a standup comedian who has made appearances on Gotham Comedy Live on AXS TV and on Good Day New York on FOX. He is based in New York City but was born and raised in Haiti. Tanael has a very laid back, smooth, and conversational style and he jokes about race, society’s idiosyncrasies, and the inherent contrast between life in Haiti and America. Some people say his humor is smart and eye-opening; he would probably agree with these people. Tanael performs regularly at some of the best clubs in New York, including Gotham Comedy Club, The Stand Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, Eastville Comedy Club, to name a few and the best alternative shows, such as Comedy at The Knitting Factory and Night Train at Littlefield. He's been a featured performer at the Brooklyn Comedy Festival, 

Ep. 208: Russian-born Vicky Kuperman has performed nationwide for over a decade and was named one of Huffington Post’s new comedians to watch. Her comedy albums “When I Could Feel” and “All Good!” are in regular rotation on SiriusXM, and her book “How to Spy on Your Neighbor” was top 10 in political-humor on Amazon.  She just recorded her third album for Audible’s Comedy Label “Rooftop Comedy,” a collaboration with comics Joe DeVito and Kyle Ocasio, to be released fall of 2018. Vicky is a regular panelist on John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything” and has appeared on Nickmom TV. Her episode of the “Maxim Comedy Showcase” has the most views of any in the series. In her comedy, she talks about everything from her Russian Family, World Travel, and marrying a younger guy, to her favorite topic: dogs. She just got back from a three-week military tour for Armed Forces Entertainment. She entertained troops on 15 military bases and five countries across Europe and it was one of the greatest honors of her life. She rec

Ep. 207: Dancer-turned-comedian and multiracial family mom, Kyle Ocasio, has had a fascinating multiracial and multicultural Latino experience.  Born and raised in the Midwest (Cleveland), she has a mom who has roots in Central/Eastern Europe, and a dad from Venezuela.  And, she's had the ability to compare and contrast her Midwestern upbringing with Latino experience elsewhere in the World, having lived in New York now for years and having lived in Argentina for several years as an adolescent.  So, take a listen, as Kyle describes the multicultural Latino experience, as well as her fondness for Puerto Rican cuisine and culture, for travel, for comedy, and, most of all, for her family. For more on Kyle, please visit her website at: https://www.kyleocasio.com/ For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL

Ep. 210: In the hard-hitting New York comedy world, D.C. Benny is a heavyweight contender. His nickname “D.C.” was given to him by Harlem’s legendary host; “Uncle” Jimmy Mack, who sadly passed away in the 2014 Tracy Morgan car accident. Benny’s unusual style of telling autobiographical stories, inhabited by original characters has been sharpened for almost thirty years as a performer. His personal essays, stories, and articles have been featured in New York Magazine, The New York Observer, Narratively, and Heeb Magazine. Benny’s diverse fan base know him from a wide range of appearances; his “White Boy Rips The Apollo” clip with almost ten million views, his Comedy Central Presents, one the of the network’s highest-rated half-hour specials, as a top eight finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, his role as Caesar in John Singleton’s feature film “Illegal Tender”, as “Chaz” on the soap opera “As The World Turns”, and national commercials for Verizon, Dell, Volkswagon, Wendy’s, AIG, as well as the Budweiser

Ep. 206: Ian Lara is just a regular Dominican kid from Queens, New York. Youngest of five and born to immigrant parents since a young age being funny became a way of life. He started comedy right after college after being told by some really successful lawyers that he should skip going to law school because it was a waste of time. He has loved every second since. Usually you can catch him performing every night in some of the best and worst shows in New York City, or he's on the road at a club or college near you. He’s is the host of the “OUT OF TUNE” music gameshow, featured in “Variety” and “Cosmopolitan”, and this year he taped a set for “Comedy Central Stand up Featuring Ian Lara”. Ian Lara might become a household name but his real dream is to one day get big enough where he can wear those big cowboy hats Pharrell wears to awards shows. Listen as Ian talks to Alex about his journey into comedy, and his own Afro-Latino experience. For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarne

Ep. 205: New York City comedian Oscar Collazos originally hails from Cali, Colombia. He immigrated to the United States at age 7 and spent his childhood in Miami, Florida. For the last 15 years, he has traveled the world showcasing his unique humor, and he has been featured on Sirius/XM Radio and appeared in movies, television, and in ESPN and Comedy Central commercials.  You can find Oscar and all his social media channels on his website: http://oscarcollazos.com/ For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabeth A. Atkins and Catherine Atkins Greenspan of Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Intro and Outro Music is Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons - By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecomm

Ep. 204: Thomas Lopez was born and raised in Southern California.  His roots are Mexican American and German-Polish.  As a multiracial Latino, Thomas is keenly aware of the issues confront multiracial people and multiracial Latinos, in particular.  And, Thomas has acted on this awareness.  He has been a very active member of Multiracial Americans of Southern California ("MASC") for more than fifteen years and is a past president of the organization. And, as a long-time board member he has also organized conferences, a mini-film festival, and diversity training workshops.  In addition, he is the Founder and Director of Latinas and Latinos of Mixed Ancestry (LOMA).  And, as a long-time board member he has also organized conferences, a mini-film festival, and diversity training workshops.   Take a listen as Thomas talks about his life, his work, MASC, LOMA and being a Multiracial Latino. For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.

Ep. 203: Krystal Kamenides and Mark Anthony Ramirez are the paradigm of the Multiracial Community. Both are Multiracial and together they are a Multiracial couple.  As such, and because they are comics, they have a very interesting and unique perspective on race, racism, and the role of Multiracial people in fostering dialogue and action on issues of bias, racism, discrimination and prejudice.  And, they've both been on this podcast before separately - (Mark) & (Krystal) and together (Mark & Krystal) Now, they're embarking upon a new project - a travel and food show entitled Mark & Krystal Love To Eat, in which they will travel the country checking out new eateries and connecting with people over a meal and shared culinary habits.  With their multicultural and multiracial backgrounds, their hilarious wits, and their great charm and charisma, the show is sure to be a huge hit.  So take a listen as they talk about how they came up with this idea and their goals and aspirations for it. For more on ho

Ep. 202: Allyson Moore has had some journey.  She came to the U.S. from Trinidad at the age of 8.  When she headed off to college, she had dreams of a career as a doctor, but diverted onto a path in fashion.  And, after more than 20 years as a high-level sales executive in the world of couture fashion, working for some of the biggest "name" houses in the World, she has created her own brand -  The Curated Eye, where she hopes to showcase for the World, the brands and designers who don't ordinarily or otherwise get seen or heard.  And as an immigrant and a woman of color, Allyson knows a thing or two about feeling disenfranchised and going unseen or unheard. For more about Allyson and her brand, please visit https://www.instagram.com/thecuratedeye.ny/ on instagram. For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIR

Ep. 201: Author Alison Hart studied theater at Tisch School of The Arts, New York University (B.F.A.), and education at Saint Mary’s College (M.A.) and later found her voice as a writer. She identifies herself as a mixed race African American, Passamaquoddy Native American, Irish, Scottish and English woman of many colors.   A Black Box Theater produced her play, Mother Daughter Dance, in San Francisco in 1995.  Her poems are published in: Voices of Identity, Rage and Deliverance, by No Press at UC Berkeley, Lincoln by Lincoln, The Cottage Press, and featured on KALX radio in Berkeley (1992), Red Indian Road West: Native American Poetry from California, Scarlet Tanager Books (2015).  Other works include short stories in Writing For Our Lives by Running Deer Press. Maggie Seritzer featured her short story New York Compromise, on KPFA radio (1993).   Alison was a featured reader at the following venues: The First Annual Mixed Roots Film and Literary Festival in Los Angeles, 2008, Works/San Jose’ Art and Perform

Ep. 200: Jennifer Noble, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Pasadena City College.  She's also on multiracial, African-American, and Tamil Sri Lankan, who is on the board of MASC (Multiracial Americans of Southern California). On this episode Dr. Jenn talks about her own background and about the psychology of parenting multiracial children.  Don't miss it. And, for more on Dr. Jenn, please visit: http://drjennpsych.com/ For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabeth A. Atkins and Catherine Atkins Greenspan of Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Intro and Outro Music is Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons - By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Ep. 199: Gabrielle Kazuko Nomura Gainor grew up immersed in Seattle’s arts and cultural scene since birth, and now works in administration for Seattle Opera, as an independent dance artist, and as an activist with the Japanese American Citizens League. She identifies as Asian American, and culturally, as Japanese American; while also fully owning and embracing being of Japanese, Filipino, Spanish and Irish American heritage. As a member of a mixed family, she is married to a white musician and they have a 1-year-old daughter Kiyomi (whom they assume identifies as female and as Mixed Race). Gabrielle’s most recent dance work, “Farewell Shikata ga nai” combines live theater, dance and taiko drumming to tell the story of how her family and community were forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. This piece will be touring local Seattle schools in May 2019. Gabrielle is in the very early phases of planning a conference for Mixed Race Asians with the Japanese American Citizens League, which will be fo

Ep. 198: In this episode, we replay our conversation with Eartha Kitt's daughter, Kitt Shapiro, and listen as she tells us about growing up multiracial with an internationally famous multiracial mother and about maintaining her mother's legacy. Kitt is the founder and creator of the Simply Eartha™ lifestyle brand (http://www.simplyeartha.com/) and served as president of Eartha Kitt Productions for more than 20 years. Her work with her mother was highlighted by her own Grammy nomination as executive producer of Eartha Kitt’s CD, “Back in Business.” Shapiro attended Barnard College/Columbia University before beginning a successful modeling career. She studied interior design and worked in the fashion industry before taking on the responsibilities of running her mother’s company. Shapiro has dedicated herself to sharing her mother’s story and bringing attention to the importance of colon cancer screening and early detection, and, toward that end, she serves as a Board Member for the Colon Cancer Alliance (http:/

Ep. 197: In this re-broadcast of episode 144, Alex talks to Karith Foster, stand-up comedian, motivational speaker, TV and radio personality, actress, author and entrepreneur. Karith is "one of the hottest comics to come out of New York City" according to both The Hollywood Reporter and Backstage Magazine who named her one of the "Top 10 Comics to Watch." Karith stepped onto the comedy scene in New York City in 1998 where she has since risen to the top of her game as a national headliner and became well known for being Don Imus’ sidekick on his nationally syndicated Imus in the Morning radio show on WABC Radio. Her equally successful speaking career of keynotes and presentations has had her wowing audiences inclusive of colleges and universities including her alma mater- Stephens College, The Woodhull Institute, and Tony Robbin’s NY Powerteam, and Own it Venture's Women's Business Expo. Karith has appeared on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, NBC’s Today Show and Last Comic Standing, VH-1’s Best Week Ever, Awes

Ep. 196: This week on the Multiracial Family Man, we speak with private equity analyst, Ethan Danial, about his work in Puerto Rico and investing in rebuilding the island.  It's a great primer on private equity investing and on the opportunities for growth and investment on Puerto Rico as it rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Maria.  For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabeth A. Atkins and Catherine Atkins Greenspan of Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Intro and Outro Music is Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons - By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Ep. 195: Monique Fields is the author of Honeysmoke, a new picture book about a biracial girl who discovers her color. Monique is the mother of two biracial girls who inspired her to write the book when they started asking questions about their racial identity. Her essays about race and identity have appeared on air, in print, and online, including NPR’s All Things Considered, Ebony magazine, and TheRoot.com. Monique is the founder and editor of Honeysmoke.com, a site for parents raising multiracial children. Honeysmoke will be released by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in January 2019. For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabeth A. Atkins and Catherine Atkins Greenspan of Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Intro and Ou

Ep. 194: Christelyn Karazin is the author of the multiracial dating book, Swirling (http://www.amazon.com/Swirling-Relate-Mixing-Culture-Creed/dp/1451625855) and the founder/creator of the multiracial dating website: Beyond Black & White (www.beyondblackwhite.com).  She's also the creator of the Pink Pill program, which is devoted to helping Black women navigate social interactions.  Listen as Christelyn discusses the creation of Beyond Black & White and the Pink Pill as well as the growth and development of the Multiracial Community.  For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabeth A. Atkins and Catherine Atkins Greenspan of Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Intro and Outro Music is Funkorama by Kevin MacLeod (incompetec

Ep. 193: Jen Curry is a Puerto Rican, Jewish person, who grew up in Queens, NY.  But, her mixed and Multiracial experience does not end with her own lineage, for she is now married to a White man and has a Multiracial child (a daughter) of her own. Motivated by her own life experiences, Jen created MiXD Life -- a community for people in multi-racial, -ethnic, and -national families. MiXD Life is a place for the 9 million biracial Americans, the 3 million transracial adoption families, the 17 million families with at least one foreign born parent, the unknown millions of multi-ethnic families (how do we not have data on this?), and everyone else who wants to celebrate the beautiful diversity among their loved ones. Listen as Jen tells her story and the story of the creation of MiXD Life. For more on MiXD Life, go to: https://www.mixdlife.com/ For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barn

Ep. 192: This is a rebroadcast of episode 141 -- In Episode 141 (and again in this episode) we speak with Professor Ronald E. Hall.  He is an expert on the issues of: Intraracial Racism; Bleaching Syndrome; Black/White conflict Organizational issues; and Race Relations & Diversity.  He has traveled the World and extensively chronicled the pernicious and insidious effects of "colorism" which he explains on the podcast.  You don't want to miss it. To learn more about Professor Hall, please check out his bio and curriculum vitae at: https://socialwork.msu.edu/About-Us/Faculty-Staff/Ronald-E-Hall And, to connect with him on social media, please go to: https://twitter.com/TheSkinColorDr For more on host, Alex Barnett, please check out his website: www.alexbarnettcomic.com or visit him on Facebook (www.facebook.com/alexbarnettcomic) or on Twitter at @barnettcomic To subscribe to the Multiracial Family Man, please click here: MULTIRACIAL FAMILY MAN PODCAST Huge shout out to our "Super-Duper Supporters" Elizabet