It's an Election year and so we are re-airing this important episode.  Subhah Agarwal and Sharon Lavigne visit friends and discuss Sharon Lavigne's battle for clean air and justice, taking on the big industries that have created Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” -- nicknamed for the above-average rates of cancer within the 85-mile stretch of communities with the highest concentration of fossil fuel and petrochemical operations in the Western Hemisphere. Sharon Cayette Lavigne, Times voted Sharon one of the most influential people of 2024. A native of St. James, Louisiana ..read more

Hollie Harper and host Marina Franklin disuss the debates, ageism in politics, and the upcoming election. Don’t miss this insightful chat!  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 M ..read more

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 t ..read more

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 c ..read more

Rachel Feinstein and Keith Robinson share insights into their creative processes, the importance of resilience, and why they continue to push their boundaries. The episode is filled with humorous anecdotes, practical advice for young comedians, and an inspirational message to keep striving no matter the obstacles. Special appearances by rising comedian Nonyé Brown-West add fresh perspectives to this engaging and heartfelt discussion with host Marina Franklin. Rachel Feinstein fresh off her new Netflix special “Big Guy” , if you have not seen it - go and check it out! She has appeared on LIFE ..read more

Mugga, Rita Brent, and Joanna Briley visit friends and talk about the upcoming Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest , Rita Brent's new song: gospel version of  “Bleach-blonde, Bad-built, Butch body and more with host Marina Franklin!  Rita Brent is an award-winning comedian, musician, and military veteran. She grew up in Jackson, MS where she played music in Baptist churches alongside her mother and singer-pianist, Angela. She credits her mother for single-handedly cultivating her talents and preparing her for the entertainment business. By 18, she joined the Army National Guard wher ..read more

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 ..read more

SublimeLuv and Kaneez Surka visit friends and discuss spoken word, poetry, mental health wellness, christians stepping away from gender roles and more with host Marina Franklin.  SublimeLuv (aka Sublime) is a powerful spoken word and teaching artist, author, curator, facilitator, public speaker, and social justice advocate. SublimeLuv’s work embodies the theme of the “personal as political.” She exists in this world as a Black Queer woman with a mental illness. Her life and experiences living in her body often fuel her poems. She changed her artist name to SublimeLuv in 2012 when she bega ..read more

Subhah Agarwal and Sharon Lavigne visit friends and discuss Sharon Lavigne's battle for clean air and justice, taking on the big industries that have created Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” -- nicknamed for the above-average rates of cancer within the 85-mile stretch of communities with the highest concentration of fossil fuel and petrochemical operations in the Western Hemisphere. Sharon Cayette Lavigne, Times voted Sharon one of the most influential people of 2024. A native of St. James, Louisiana, boasts a distinguished 38-year career as a devoted Special Education teacher within the St. Ja ..read more

Jon Laster and Nathan Macintosh visit friends and discuss the troubles with tech, black app for black products- BLAPP and so much more! It's a funny one... don't miss it!  Jon Laster is known for One Bedroom (2018), No More Mr Nice Guy (2018) and The 2019 ESPY Awards (2019) and check out his new series An Astute Woman Web Series. He is the Founder and C.E.O. of Blapp. Blapp is a Google-based, geo-located app that will tell you all the Black businesses that are right around you. Nathan Macintosh Most recently performing for his third time on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC, N ..read more