In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, John and Pat welcome Erma Camporese —the self-styled “Queen of Graham Avenue” and “Love Doctor”—for a wide-ranging conversation steeped in neighborhood humor, inherited customs, and the unmistakable rhythm of Italian American life. What begins with tenants, cash rent, and “favorite tenant status” quickly becomes a vivid portrait of how close-knit communities transmit culture through stories, sayings, and shared memory.

Erma explores the world of malocchio as she learned it from her mother—its gestures, warnings, and protective rituals—arguing that the “evil eye” is more than superstition, with roots in Southern Italy and Eastern Christian tradition. Told with warmth and wit, these stories balance laughter with a serious respect for practices often misunderstood or dismissed.

The conversation then turns to Italian American mourning culture: “doom patrol” phone trees, funeral flower hierarchies, chapel politics, and ritual phrases like “she looks like she’s sleeping.” Along the way, Irma reflects on how her corner-of-the-neighborhood presence evolved into matchmaking and advice-giving, and why being the “Love Doctor” is ultimately about tending to souls, not just romance.

 

HER SOCIALS

Instagram: @ermacamporese

TikTok: @ermacamporese

 

HOSTS:

John Viola

Patrick O’Boyle

 

SPECIAL GUEST:

Erma Camporese

 

PRODUCED BY: Nicholas Calvello-Macchia