Friends Like Us

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'. 

Marina Franklin talks with the first African American Rockette, Jennifer Jones and comedian Jenny Saldana. Jennifer Jones  shares her journey from a child to the first African American Rockette. Discover her inspiring story in 'Becoming Spectacular: The Rhythm of Resilience.'" #RockettesAnniversary #DreamBig Meet Jennifer Jones, who has her new memoir: Becoming Spectacular :The Rhythm of Resilience from the First African American Rockette. Jennifer Jones is the pioneering first African American Radio City Music Hall Rockette! With her exceptional skills and infectious passion for dance, Jennifer has not only mesmerized audiences but also played a pivotal role in reshaping the performing arts landscape. Through grace and artistry, she has shattered barriers and championed diversity in what was once a monolithic industry. Jennifer made her groundbreaking debut as a Rockette during Super Bowl XXII’s halftime show, showcasing unparalleled talent, precision, and poise that left spectators in awe. Her stellar performance on such a prestigious platform ignited inspiration and underscored the vital importance of authentic representation in entertainment. Throughout her illustrious career, Jennifer’s captivating stage presence has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Her unwavering commitment to her craft, combined with her natural talent, has garnered immense admiration from fans and colleagues alike. By boldly defying stereotypes, Jennifer serves as a guiding light for aspiring dancers, encouraging them to chase their dreams with determination and tenacity. In addition to her remarkable achievements in dance, Jennifer is a dedicated advocate for colorectal cancer awareness. As a survivor herself, she passionately raises awareness about this critical health issue, striving to ensure that discussions around cancer are inclusive and accessible to all. In essence, Jennifer Jones’ journey as the first African American Radio City Music Hall Rockette is a testament to her talent, grit, and unwavering commitment to change. Her memorable Super Bowl performance has etched her name in dance history, inspiring countless individuals to embrace their talents fearlessly. Jennifer’s legacy transcends generations, leaving an indelible mark on the world of dance while serving as a beacon of progress, unity, and hope. Jenny Saldana is a writer, actress, and stand-up comedian and a Breast Cancer Rock STAR and all around hotness. She wrote, produced and starred in Happy Cancer Chick, a web series inspired by her own battle with breast cancer. She appeared in HBO’s High Maintenance. Her video series, The Little Brown Girl Show can be found on Youtube and Facebook 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'.   

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'. 

Join Marina Franklin, Dr. Brittany Friedman, and Akeem Woods in an eye-opening discussion on Dr. Friedman's new book: "Carceral Apartheid. How Lies and White Supremacists Run Our Prisons." Learn about the systemic issues within America's prisons and how history repeats itself without intervention. Dr. Brittany Friedman is recognized as an innovative thinker on how people and institutions hide harmful truths. Her current work examines this in the realm of social control, and the underside of government such as prisons, courts, and treasuries. New ongoing work is examining this within interpersonal relations. She is the author of CARCERAL APARTHEID: HOW LIES AND WHITE SUPREMACISTS RUN OUR PRISONS. Friedman has written for outlets such as TIME, The Washington Post, and The Conversation, and is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California, co-founder of the Captive Money Lab, and an Affiliated Scholar of the American Bar Foundation. 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. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'. 

From laughter to resilience: Joanna Briley and Nonye Brown-West join host Marina Franklin to highlight the Black Women In Comedy Laugh Fest's mission of community building. Joanna Briley. Brooklyn born, Connecticut raised. Hilarity ensued. Joanna’s worked for the MTA 34 years and it’s made her one of the friendliest Token Booth Clerks. With her love of stand up comedy and outrageous subway stories, Ms. Briley has written and will perform “Swipe This: My Life in Transit!” at this year’s NYC Fringe Fest April 5, 9, 11, 16 at the Chain Theatre. Joanna is also the proud creator of the Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest which was created in 2018 and will have her 6th festival this February 26 - March 2 2025 in various venues throughout NYC. 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 episode, Marina Franklin hosts Shari Dunn, author of 'Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work,' and comedian Kenice Mobley. The conversation covers the backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, competency checking, and the pervasive assumption of black intellectual inferiority. Shari Dunn is a polymath, an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, and university professor. She is an American Leadership Forum Fellow and has been awarded the prestigious Executive of the Year Award in 2018, the 2019 Women of Influence Award (Portland Business Journal), the Associated Press Award for Best Spot News, and the Wisconsin Broadcasting Association Award for Best Morning News Show. Shari has written for Fortune Magazine; her work has been cited in the Wall Street Journal and quoted in Ad Age and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, among others. Shari is also a sought-after speaker. She holds a BA in philosophy from Marquette University and a JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Shari is the author of 'Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work' published by Harper Collins business available February 25th everywhere you buy books. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show. She has appeared on Comedy Central, Netflix, and HBO and was named to Vulture's list of Comedians You Should and Will Know. Kenice's debut comedy album Follow Up Question, was on Paste Magazine's list of best albums of the year. After it's Edinboro Fringe Festival debut, she'll be performing her solo show Don't Kill Yourself Yet at this year's 6th Annual Black Women in Comedy Laugh Fest in New York on February 27 at Caveat. 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.  

Join Friends Like Us for a vibrant discussion with Lamar Woods & Charles McBee! We celebrate Black excellence, discuss mental health in hip hop, review the Black National Anthem and more.  Lamar Woods Lamar grew up in Atlanta, Ga. where he got his BA in Religious Studies at Georgia State University. Once he graduated, he moved to Los Angeles and got his start in Hollywood studying improv and sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade. Lamar's writing credits include GRAND CREW (NBC),  BROOKLYN 99 (NBC), SINGLE PARENTS (ABC), NEW GIRL (FOX), and SURVIVOR'S REMORSE (Starz).   On the feature side, Lamar co-wrote and stars in IT'S A PARTY which is available on Roku & Amazon.  You can also see Lamar performing around town with his all black, all male, improv/sketch team, The Big Team.   Lamar has also recently released his sophomore hiphop album, Highly Sensitive Person, which is currently available on all DSPs. Highly Sensitive Person..  has successfully over 100, 000 streams 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  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.      

Discover the connection between Afrofuturism and prophecy with our latest episode featuring Vanessa Fraction and Hollie Harper. Hosted by Marina Franklin, we explore Black History Month and its significance today.  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 Barbershop 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. 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.