Brandon Ficara thinks we Italian Americans have a special relationship with humor.  

Born in Philadelphia, and raised in Ocean City, NJ, this proud Italian American used humor to combat the tribulations of life at an early age. Born with Sprangles Deformity, a condition that required major back surgery when he was three years old, Brandon turned to humor to combat pain and ostracism. With his humorous approach and strong Italian Famiglia, Brandon would turn his “unique look” into the cornerstone of his career in stand-up comedy, television, writing, and public speaking. 

We’re jumping back into Part 2 of this 2-Part exploration of Italian American humor and the varied portrayals that have shared our sense of humor with the world

We share how “Dominick the Donkey” brought Brandon into the Italian American Podcast Famiglia, and why looking at the “serious vs silly” approach to telling our story could change the way we look at how we are portrayed by ourselves and others.

And speaking of portrayals, we are discussing some of the most famous Italian American characters to grace the small screen in the past 40 years, on shows like “All in the Family”, Who’s the Boss” and “The Golden Girls”.  And, we are soliciting YOUR help in seeking out a hidden gem of Italian American TV history, a long-lost 1972 sitcom called “The Super”.

Are we genuinely funny people? And does our Southern Italian history make us more comfortable with comedy and tragedy than other communities?  

We’ll discuss all this and more in this final half of a 2-Part “Live and Uncut” episode, that we hope leaves you with lots of laughs!