Nicholas D’Agosto hosts a discussion regarding God, belief, non-belief, and other delicate subject matter in an open and welcoming environment.
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About the Host
In the first grade, Nicholas D'Agosto (Criminal Minds: Evolution, Trial & Error, Gotham, Masters of Sex, Final Destination 5, The Office, Fired Up!) wanted to be a Catholic Priest. He didn't become one. Now a Husband, Father, Actor and Podcaster, he brings in talented and thoughtful guests to share their life story as it relates to the question of God. He also asks about breakfast.
Nicholas plans to release new episodes of G.O.D. in the coming years. Inspired partly by his experiences in this podcast, Nicholas is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Divinity at a Unitarian Universalist Theological School. He intends to become an ordained UU Minister in 2026, while also continuing his entertainment career.
On being a South LA community touchstone; the life and death of his renowned father; overcoming anti-Black business practices; the challenges of being a business owner in South LA; the spiritual calling that is his work; and selling Nashville fried chicken in Ghana!
Greg Dulan is the owner of Dulan's Soul Food Restaurants in South Los Angeles, well-regarded as a Los Angeles soul food institution. He is also co-owner of Hotville Chicken, which serves Nashville Hot Fried Chicken in South LA, and was rated one of the Best Restaurants of 2020 by Los Angeles Magazine. Greg has a business degree from Howard University, has studied at UCLA, and is a beloved community member and leader.
At one point, Greg describes how his Grandfather was a Baptist Minister, and a master "Whooper". He made me promise that I would look up some whooping online, and I gave him my word that I'd leave a link here for everyone to get an idea about what it is: The Art of Whooping And here's an article from the LA Sentinel, honoring the life of Greg's father, Adolf Dulan, LA's "King of Soul Food": Los Angeles Mourns the Loss of Adolf Dulan And another, reporting on how Dulan's was recognized as as a Best Small Business by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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The dangers of "coming out" as a celebrity in the '90's; how cancer taught him to be joyful; how the USO changed his mind on the military; and the discovery of his current sense of purpose.
Bill Brochtrup is a professional television, film and stage actor, best known for his role as "John Irvin" in ABC's critically-acclaimed hit series, NYPD BLUE. He has also had long-running roles on hit shows like Showtime's "Shameless", and TNT's "Major Crimes", among dozens of other credits in television and film. A prolific stage actor, Bill is also Co-Artistic Director of The Antaeus Theatre Company in Glendale, CA. He works with numerous charities and philanthropic organizations, including AIDS Walks, and the USO and Armed Forces Entertainment.
On the 5th Anniversary of his being free from cancer, Bill participated in an ancient spiritual pilgrimage in Northern Spain that is still alive today: Camino De Santiago To learn more about the United Service Organizations: USO To learn more about Armed Forces Entertainment: AFE
Bill's Instagram: @billbrochtrup Bill's Twitter: @billbrochtrup Bill's Facebook: Bill Brochtrup
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Stories from Vietnam; racism and desegregation in the '60's; the early deaths of his sister and father; the dawn of his agnosticism; and the value in pursuing what is "dangerous and alive".
Ned Schmidtke is a professional television, film and stage actor with a resumé spanning decades. He has had long-running roles on shows like Medium, Days of Our Lives, Point Pleasant, and JAG. His film roles include Wedding Crashers, The Change Up and Accepted. He's appeared on Broadway, in Chicago at the Goodman and Steppenwolf, and in theaters all across the country.
Ned tells a story of getting to see Ike and Tina Turner performing live at the Paradise Club in Missouri when he was a young man. Here's a picture from one of those legendary performances (note the low ceiling!): Ike and Tina Turner at Club Paradise
Ned's Facebook: Ned Schmidtke
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Losing a sister at birth; merging Catholic and Mormon faiths; sons with epilepsy and Coats' disease; her charity Know the Glow; and the relationship to faith that she hopes her children will carry with them.
Megan Webber is the Co-Founder of the non-profit charity Know the Glow, which aims to eliminate early childhood blindness. Megan launched Know the Glow after her son, Benjamin, was diagnosed with Coats' Disease in 2009. Megan also sits on the Advisory Board of The Vision Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and works to support the doctors and patients there through the volunteer organization, Bright Eyes.
Here is a link to learn more about...: Coats Disease And, Megan is a big fan of the...: Peloton Bike
Megan Webber's LinkedIn: Megan Lynch Webber Know the Glow's Instagram: @know_the_glow Know the Glow's Twitter: @know_the_glow
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
The fear of God; dark years of addictions; shame; being saved by his Grandmothers' spirit; sobriety; and a lesson about God from his young son.
Paco Lozano is a professional television and stage actor. Recent credits include Jessica Jones, Law & Order: SVU, and God Friended Me. He was born in Puerto Rico to Cuban and Mexican parents, and he lives in New York City with his wife and young son.
Here's a link to the mission of the Mobile Unit at The Public Theatre, which Paco will be a part of when live theatre can return in New York: The Mobile Unit at The Public And Paco loves to cook. Here's one of his favorite chefs to watch for inspiration: Sam the Cooking Guy
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Leaving his Evangelical faith and family; the similarities of atheism and fundamentalism; doubt; confusion; regret; new life; and the love of music and writing.
Jonathan Buchanan works in film production, and has been a prop master since 2007. He is also a musician, and he writes, sings and plays guitar in his anti-folk band Campfire Cassettes. Listen to his music on Spotify: Campfire Cassettes
Jonathan introduced me to a term that was core to his Evangelical belief system growing up: Eternal Security Jonathan briefly references a famous Christian songwriter I had never heard of before, Keith Green, who died in a tragic plane crash at 28. Listen to Keith Green on Spotify
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Reflections on suffering; God's apparent absence and/or disregard; death; the moment he decided to become a Jesuit; and the intersection of art and spirituality.
Joe Hoover, SJ is a religious brother in the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits, working primarily in the arts. He is an actor, playwright and essayist, and his first book - "O Death, Where Is Thy Sting: A Meditation on Suffering" - will be released December of 2020 from Orbis Books. He is also the poetry editor at America Magazine.
At one point, Joe mentions one of his early heroes: Dorothy Day, a progressive Catholic activist. Here is a link describing one of the cornerstones of Jesuit training: The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius And for good measure, once again, his new book: "O Death, Where Is Thy Sting: A Meditation on Suffering" from Orbis Books
Joe's Facebook: Joe Hoover
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Sobriety; racism; spirituality in music; acceptance; the influence of his Indian heritage; his love of Indian mythology; and lots of humor.
Utkarsh Ambudkar (The Mindy Project, Pitch Perfect, Barbershop: The Next Cut, Free Guy, Marry Me) is a professional actor, writer, rapper and musician. A South-Asian American of Indian descent, born in Maryland to immigrant parents who are both progressive scientists as well as quiet practitioners of prayer, Utkarsh possesses a unique perspective on spirituality and culture. He is also charming, funny, kind, quick-witted and thoughtful, which makes for a delightful and insightful episode between these two old friends (who met on the set of the film Rocket Science 15 years ago). Utkarsh has done a great deal of positive self-reflection, and he speaks reverently about the spiritual growth and awareness he has achieved after giving up drugs and alcohol and articulating and accepting a loving God-force into his day-to-day. He speaks about the different religious worlds both in India and the U.S. that have been available to him throughout his upbringing, and yet somehow were never imposed upon him. He speaks about his love and proclivity for music and rhyme, what that meant to him growing up, and what it means to him today. And he also makes Nick laugh many times throughout the episode, the loudest of which probably came after he revealed to Nick what his quiet, loving God-voice said to him after his cable went down. It's a beautiful episode, and I hope you enjoy it.
Utkarsh is a successful and prolific independent musician, with two new albums set to drop in the next six months or so. Find him at the following link, or wherever you get your music: Utkarsh on Spotify Also, Utkarsh mentions how his grandmother is a practitioner of Jainism. Here's a link describing some of the basic tenets of the Jain belief system: Jainism at a Glance
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Cancer survivor (twice!); her mothers' last moments and words; her fathers' difficult last years; the importance of live theater; a new purpose born of survival; and Jin Shin Jyutsu.
Kitty Swink (The Fosters, Crossing Jordan, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Patty Hearst, In The Mood) is a professional actor, and Co-Artistic Director of The Antaeus Theatre Company (where I am a member). Kitty opens a window for us into her nuclear family, and the extraordinary pairing that was her father and mothers' marriage. With deep affection, charm and lots of humor, Kitty tells about her mothers' final days, spent at home in the embrace of her loving family. What is captured in her telling is the poignant, sweet, authentic, hilarious, ludicrous, magical and mysterious nature of the final moments of a human life. Kitty opens up about the complexities of her fathers' last years too, as well as her own brushes with death, having now been a cancer survivor twice over. It is a sublime hour, spent in reverence for life, and in meditation on what gives it meaning.
Kitty speaks about a healing art that she credits, alongside the work of her oncologists, with saving her life after cancer and bringing her back to full health: Jin Shin Jyutsu At one point, Kitty tells a heartwarming story about me and one of her dear friends and mentors who passed away in 2013: Joe Ruskin
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
Overcoming regret; second chances; Living in Truth; purpose in art; and the transformative power of theater.
John Apicella (The Call of the Wild, Seinfeld, Freaks and Geeks, Twin Peaks, Friends, The West Wing) is a professional actor, and a fellow (and founding) member of The Antaeus Theatre Company (which is how we met). John opens a window for us into his childhood and early adulthood from the vantage point of the man grown wiser from that lived experience. In turns sweet and sad, and always compellingly honest, John shares the regrets he has, and the remorse he feels, for some early mistakes he wishes he could take back. But what emerges from the painful process of taking responsibility for his past actions is an artist with an ethos oriented toward "Living in Truth", and a man whose spirituality is framed by love, connection, and community.
John has a deep love for the transformative power of theatre, and here is a link to an article about one of his favorite playwrights and activists: The great Václav Havel At one point, John delights me by introducing me to an old profession which was still around when he was a kid in Chicago: The Ragpicker
John's Facebook: John Apicella
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
