Facing the Future: AI, Comedy, and Reparations For unpaid Labor

On this Friends Like Us... Ever wondered about the impact of AI on media or the hidden history of our college institutions?  Listen to my conversation with Kenice Mobley and Kimberly Clark, as we tackle topics and give our guests their flowers!  Give it a listen and spread the word!   Kimberly Clark - Originally from Syracuse, NY. She's been seen on Netflix's Tiffany Haddish presents: They Ready, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Last Comic Standing. She was named one of Time Out L.A.'s Comics To Watch. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. She was named to Vulture's 2021 list of Comedians You Should and Will Know. Kenice's debut comedy album Follow Up Question, filmed at Union Hall in New York, was released in December 2022. Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. 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, Marina Franklin talks with Hollie Harper and Von Decarlo about empowering young girls through stand-up comedy.  They take a deep dive into how humor can be a tool for confidence and self-expression.  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 RomCom, Switch Up, and in the indie film, Salesman, currently on Amazon Prime. 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. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.  

On this Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin chats with talented comedians Chanel Ali and Brandon Collins! They talk about comedy, the Drunk Black History tour, and the significance of Juneteenth. Tune in for a dose of humor and education! 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 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" Chanel Ali You know Chanel Ali from Netflix's Dash and Lily or her time on MTV's Girl Code. Originally from Philly, her storyteller-like style and commanding stage presence allowed her to conquer the NYC comedy scene as a crowd favorite. She boasts two Comedy Central specials, an album, and the fact that she drinks way more than 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. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.  

Ready to break through mental barriers? Tune into our latest episode with Courtney A. Seard as we dive into mindset shifts, empowerment, and beating the odds! Featuring funny friend Nonye Brown-West. Courtney A. Seard : With over 20 years of experience in the most innovative mind sciences and a firsthand story of resilience after a near-fatal accident, Courtney has worked with the world’s leading startups and Fortune 500 companies to build, design, and deliver training and development solutions that further strategic business goals and transform people-related systems. Her success with companies including AT&T Global, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, the NBA, Snap Inc., and The Obama Foundation has led her to the TEDx stage and representation from Live Nation’s SME division, with Forbes coining her as "one of the most-in-demand peak-performance coaches and trainers in the country. 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. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.  

This Friends Like Us, Host Marina Franklin and Vanessa Fraction talk with Damon Young, Author of his new book: That's How They Get You" . It sparks a thoughtful conversation on teeth, black comedy, and the power of humor. Pittsburgh writer DAMON YOUNG’s debut memoir, What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker: A Memoir in Essays (Ecco), won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. A founder of the culture blog Very Smart Brothas and creator and host of the Crooked Media podcast Stuck with Damon Young, Damon has been a contributing columnist for The Washington Post Magazine, a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a columnist for GQ and was the inaugural writer-in-residence at the University of Pittsburgh’s David C. Frederick Honors College. Check out his new book THAT'S HOW THEY GET YOU: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor -is a collection of essays and short stories on Black humor from some of the most acclaimed Black writers and performers working today- Roy Wood Jr., Wyatt Cenac, and Angela Nissel.  on sale as of  June 3rd - In the introduction, Damon writes, “existing while Black in America provides enough good material” and given the absurdity of life as a Black person in America we simply must laugh. 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. 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 Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin dives deep into critical discussions on black maternal health with the incredible Dr. Wylin D. Wilson and comedian Ashima Franklin. Empower yourself with knowledge, laughter, and inspiration!  Wylin D. Wilson is Associate Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School where she teaches Womanist Bioethics within the Theology Medicine and Culture program. She is author of Economic Ethics and the Black Church and Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health. Ashima Franklin is a comedian, writer and actor, born and raised in Mobile, AL. Recently, she was selected as one of the inaugural 2024 NETFLIX IS A JOKE… Introducing (New Faces) comedians. In addition, she was also selected “Best of Fest” at Moontower Comedy Festival in Austin. She also performed in comedy festivals like Flyover Comedy Fest, Laughing Skull and New York Comedy Festival. Previously, she toured the country for 5 years with Katt Williams on the Priceless, The Katt Pack and Katapocolypse tours. . As an actor, she also appeared in the movie THE AFTERPARTY on Netflix. Ashima recently appeared on the ALLBLK Network on the Kendall Kyndall show with Drew Sadora, as well as Season 2 of OWN’s READY TO LOVE. In addition, she appeared on Kountry Wayne’s COMEDY SHIT (Youtube), in which she is currently a recurring cast member. Ashima also headlined the Vivica Fox Funny by Nature Tour. Ashima was selected to be a part of the 2022 & 2023 New York Comedy Festival. 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'.     

Friends Like Us celebrates Malcolm X's  100th birthday! Join host Marina Franklin as she talks with Tamara Payne and Troy LaRaviere as they discuss the impact of his teachings and how they resonate today. Tune in and be inspired!  Tamara Payne sheds light on her father Les Payne's groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize-winning work, "The Dead Are Arising," and its revelations about his life.   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. Troy A. LaRaviere is an American school administrator, educator and current President of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. Prior to assuming his role as president, LaRaviere served as a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) principal. He began his teacher career at CPS in 1997. LaRaviere received both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from the University of Illinois. LaRaviere served in the United States Navy in the late 80's. LaRaviere advocates for Progressivism, and has appeared in ads for Bernie Sanders and was a candidate for the 2019 Chicago mayoral election. 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'.   

 This Friends Like Us, Marina Franklin and Hollie Harper chat with the incredible Sumer Strawbree, a 15-year-old CEO inspiring young girls with her empowering coloring books and confidence-building affirmations!  Sumer Strawbree, is a 15 year old speaker, author and affirmations authority. She helps girls unleash the power of positive "I Am" affirmations to improve their confidence and mental health. "I Am"...two words that speak directly to your subconscious mind. Between 8 and 14, girls’ confidence levels drop by 30%. As Seen on, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, at LA Comic Con & More... After she was bullied at school, this young CEO has independently sold over 10,000 worldwide copies of her Affirmations Coloring Books through her publishing company that features positive images of Black and Brown girls equating to 10,000 girls inspired. She teaches girls how to unlock their subconscious mindsets to bring out the SUPERHERO that is already inside of them, through her I Am Confident University™ Affirmations and Vision Board workshops, workbooks and books. 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. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch'.   

Discover the magic of community-driven cat rescue in our latest Friends Like Us episode. Join host Marina Franklin, Becky Wisdom from Green Point Cats, and comedian Subhah Agarwal as they chat about cat colonies, TNR, and the urgency to help communities in the over populations of cats.  Becky Wisdom is the founder of Greenpoint Cats, a leading Brooklyn-based animal rescue organization focused on TNR (trap, neuter, return). Her journey into rescue began in 2018 when she moved to Greenpoint and found herself living on a block with a crew of unforgettable feline neighbors—an encounter that inspired her to take action. What started as an effort to help a few street cats quickly became a full-time calling. By 2020, Becky had left her career in marketing to devote herself entirely to rescue work. Her grassroots efforts sparked a growing community of animal advocates in Greenpoint and beyond, building a network of support and care for some of the city’s most vulnerable animals. Her passion for rescue is deeply rooted in her upbringing, which included daily chores like caring for opossums and rehabilitating birds. With media coverage from New York Magazine, the Hallmark Channel, and several local TV news outlets, Becky continues to save lives—and inspire others to do the same. Subhah Agarwal has brought an honesty to her comedy that will leave you saying "I didn't need to know that." Subhah has written for Netflix’s “Arsenio Hall” limited series, the "Plan B" movie on Hulu," and The Jim Jefferies Show"on Comedy Central, amongst others. You can also catch her jokes live at stand up comedy clubs across the country. If you don't want to leave your couch, you can see her late night debut on NBC's "A Little Late With Lilly Singh." She's also appeared on season three of HBO's "Westworld", "General Hospital," TruTv's sketch comedy "Friends of the People", and as herself on MTV2, Comedy Central, and Gotham Comedy 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'. 

Dive into Friends Like Us as host Marina Franklin talks with veteran comedians Ralph Harris, Keith Robinson, and Charles Walden. They share stories, laughs, and insights on what keeps them thriving in the industry.  Keith Robinson: Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Keith Robinson, is considered a comic’s comic. He has captivated audiences around the world with his straightforward humor. He was a regular on Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd; and the co-host of The Wanda Sykes Show (Fox), His first hour special; 2014’s Kevin Hart Presents: Back of the Bus Funny can still be streamed on Amazon Prime, Peacock and Tubi. Keith has been featured in films such as Trainwreck and King of Staten Island. After two strokes, and an extended hospital stay, during COVID, Keith marched right back to the stage to create his latest and most personal work yet, Different Strokes; his second hour special, picked up and to be released in 2024 by Netflix. Keith is currently working on several projects, including, feature films, television and tours. Charles Walden: Celebrity standup comedian and actor Charles Walden has been doing what he loves for over 30 years and that’s entertaining his audience. Stricken by Cerebral Palsy from birth Charles doesn't allow his condition to limit or stop him from living his best life. Between gigs Charles has been employed by the State of Philadelphia for over fifteen (15) years. He enjoys traveling the world making people laugh.  Charles Walden was raised in the rough and tough inner city of Philadelphia and had to struggle and survive like any other kid in the inner city. He got No breaks just because he had Cerebral Palsy. He was not babied at all by family, friends, or the community. He had to put his pants on one leg at a time like every other boy or man. He had to overcome many obstacles. There was a lot of mental and physical pain he endured from living and growing up in the inner city of Philadelphia. The death of his mother crushed him, but he kept going. She was his rock. Many years have passed since her death and the pain never goes away but he keeps going. Charles' greatest pleasure is when he's on stage performing as he gives his audiences the most inspirational laughing good time they've had in a long while.  Charles Walden is not embarrassed or ashamed of his Cerebral Palsy and has incorporated his condition in a unique way into his standup comedy show.  Charles is proud to say stand up comedy has giving him the opportunity to perform on some iconic TV shows and stages such as BETs Comic View, Martin Lawrence 1st Amendment and even Def Comedy Jam’s All-Star Season, to name a few.  Charles is a requested favorite to perform at  colleges, universities, comedy clubs, churches and military bases across the Country. Ralph Harris - From humble beginnings in North Philadelphia to the bright lights of Hollywood, Ralph Harris has been living the dream as a successful comedian and actor, in a career that spans over thirty-five years, and remains in full swing. Labeled by his peers as one of today’s legendary comedic talents, with a resume that includes notable acting experience. Harris also served as host of the Culinary Competition, My Momma Throws Down on the TVOne network. He also made his feature film debut in the Golden Globe hit DREAMGIRLS, starring one of his comedy idols Eddie Murphy, Beyonce´, Jamie Foxx and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Harris kicks off the movie as the Detroit MC that helps Jamie hook up with the Dreamettes. Not one to slow down, Harris continued his film career momentum, immediately landing his second feature role in the film Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell and Wanda Sykes. Harris’ jump to the big screen comes after years of successful television work, including appearances on Seinfeld, The Parent ‘Hood, Nick Freno, Living Single and In Living Color. No stranger to late night TV, Harris has been featured on The Tonight Show and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and Arsenio. Harris, is best known for his starring role in the ABC sitcom On Our Own which aired during the immensely popular TGIF block on Friday nights, the show has also aired in syndication on TVOne. You can catch Harris on TV and the Web, in either of his previously recorded specials – Comedy Central Presents and the widely popular HBO Comedy Half-Hour, also on all major streaming music platforms, on his previously recorded album titled HICKEY HEAD. When he’s not filming, Harris continues to tour the world and the sea, literally! Performing to sold-out audiences as a comedian, his first career and love. Harris’ comedy is character driven, a throwback to many of the greats including his other comedy idols Pryor, Cosby, Redd Foxx, Jonathan Winters and the list goes on. Born and raised in Philadelphia… Ralph spends what little time he’s not on the road performing, at home in Los Angeles. 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'.