God & Other Delicacies

Safiya Fredericks

The influences of Death and Race; a "practical" Black mother and "culture warrior" Black father; processing the early deaths of her mother, father and best friend; grief and self-discovery; the spirituality of music; and her insights into this national moment of race awareness. 
 
Safiya Fredericks (Professional stage actor and singer, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award Winner) joins Nick to speak eloquently and openly about two dominant, overarching forces in her life's journey thus far: Death and Race.  Born to a practically-minded Black mother from the South, and an artistically-minded "culture warrior" Black father from the North, Safiya has a unique and elevated perspective on race, and I am grateful for the conversation we shared as she unveiled her story against the backdrop of this current national moment of race awareness.  Spiritually, Safiya's journey is dictated not so much by the religion within which she was raised, but by the losses of loved ones she has suffered so early in her life.  Through the grief of these losses has come great self-discovery, and an acute awareness of the fragility and preciousness of our lives.  It's a compelling, heartfelt, enlightening and compassionate conversation.  I hope you enjoy it.
 
At one point, Safiya speaks about her amazement that Tulsa, Oklahoma's "Black Wall Street" has entered mainstream awareness.  Here are two excellent articles about it, and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921:
The Race Riot That Destroyed Black Wall Street - Official Black Wall Street
The Bezos of Black Wall Street (with video) - Forbes
Here is an article about Samuel's Art Gallery, an African American art gallery that was owned and run by Safiya's father for two decades: Samuel's Art Gallery
And finally, here's a link to part of a stand-up set by Safiya's friend, comedian Kibibi Dillon, who was tragically killed in a car accident: Kibibi Dillon at Laughs Unlimited
 
Safiya's Instagram: @safiyaf
 
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Joe Holt

The son of a high-ranking Black Air Force officer; how racism undercuts character and honor; an actor who grew up in a world where he never saw someone like him represented on TV; the great equalizer that is sport; and his love for competition amidst the spirit of team and community.
 
Joe Holt (The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Law & Order, Scandal, Greys Anatomy) is on the show this week, and we're catching him at a rich and poignant moment in his life journey.  The son of a high-ranking, Black Air Force officer, Joe shares a unique perspective on the juxtaposition of where the qualities of confidence, character, aptitude and honor, meet with the insidious, painful and ugly realities of racism.  Born to a family of achievers and civil rights activists, and having moved with his family from New Jersey to Alabama when he was twelve, Joe speaks about the struggles he faced as his determination never to make excuses for himself met with the unyielding unfairnesses of being judged foremost by the color of his skin.  However, one place where he found an even playing field was in sports, and Joe shares eloquently about what it means to him to compete, and to do it in the context of a loving, team bond.  That same energy and love for family and community has fed him as an actor and artist, and his hard-earned wisdom from his journey of self-discovery has brought him to a present moment where, for the first real time in his life, he sees a sustainable future filled with good health, success, and joy.  (He's also really funny and we have a good breakfast bit.)    
 
Here's a link to an astounding story of strength exhibited by Joe's father and family in the fight to desegregate schools in Raleigh, North Carolina: "Joe Holt, Jr.: The first student to challenge Raleigh's segregated schools"      
Joe's Instagram: @joeholtactor
Joe's Facebook: Joseph Holt
 
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Fr. George Drance, SJ

A Jesuit Priest on the intersection of sanctity and art; theater as ministry and professional life; a marvelous story featuring his native Long Island accent; the discovery of his religious journey; and his daily effort to live in the fullness of the present moment. 
 
George Drance (Artist in Residence at Fordham University, Artistic Director of Magis Theatre Company in New York City, Resident Artist in La Mama's Great Jones Repertory Company) is a member of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order of priests most often referred to as Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius de Loyola in 1540.  Jesuits are renowned for their educational and charitable works, in which Fr. Drance takes part, but his ministry and professional life have been defined by his work in the theatre.  Based in NYC, Fr. Drance has traveled the nation and the globe inspiring communities, fellow artists and students to think more deeply about the world they inhabit, and the possibilities that await us if we can orient ourselves to a greater sense of service to others.  I met Fr. Drance when he returned to Marquette University (where we are both alumni) and directed my classmates and myself in a world-premiere production of Calderón de la Barca's auto-sacramental play "Life Is A Dream", which Fr. Drance translated from the original Spanish.  As he did then, George left me with a deep impression of his artistic integrity, his rich faith in God, and his good sense of humor and charm (of particular fun is a reenactment of a conversation that features his native Long Island accent).   
 
Here is a link to the scene which George references from Babette's Feast: The General's Toast
Here is a link to the bio of one of George's great mentors: Ellen Stewart
... And a link to the memorial tribute of another: Elizabeth Swados
Finally, here is a link to an article regarding: The different rites of the Catholic Church
George's Instagram: @georgedrancesj
George's Facebook: George Drance
Magis Theatre Instagram: @magistheatre
 
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Dr. Judith Mayotte

A life of twists, turns, and profound moments; Stricken with polio; becoming a Nun; leaving the Convent to marry, only to lose her husband three years later; entering TV and winning an Emmy; working with refugees and losing a leg; all of this while maintaining a center of hope and joy for living, and the resoluteness to positively pivot off of anything life brings her way.
 
Dr. Judith Mayotte (internationally-esteemed humanitarian, author of "Disposable People? The Plight of Refugees", and Emmy-Award winning television producer for TBS' "Portrait of America") joins Nick on the phone to share a life story that is as improbable and adventurous as it is spiritual and profound.  Born in Kansas to a Protestant family where her father didn't participate in the faith, she was sent away to a Catholic boarding school at the age of four because she was, by her own admission, "such a pill."  This unorthodox beginning would foreshadow not only a life of Catholic service, but an extraordinary journey fueled by Judy's stalwart independence, her boundless energy, her moral certitude and her enthusiasm for living.  Her life at a glance: Stricken with polio as a teenager, she learned to walk again, became a Nun, left the convent to get her doctorate at Marquette University (my alma mater), would marry and then lose her husband just three years later to cancer, would enter television, would find herself working on behalf of international refugees in Africa where a tragic accident would cost her part of her leg, would enter the US government, and finally would dedicate her life to refugee education and the danger of climate catastrophe...  It is a life full of joy and hope in the face of tragedies and bearing witness to great suffering, and it is an inspiring tale on how to cope with, and pivot off of, life's challenges and changes.  What an honor it was to listen to her story. 
 
Something wild: It wasn't until after I had set up this interview (through our shared connection to Marquette University) that I realized as a student I had actually taken Dr. Mayotte's class on International Human Rights Law!   
Also, here is a link to just one of the esteemed international organizations in which Judy has played a formative role: The Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation
 
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

An Episode on Race: Amanda Payton & Arsène DeLay

Two previous guests on G.O.D. share about how race has directly affected their lives, about their reactions to the murder of George Floyd, about their reflections on other tragic victims of race violence, and about what yet another national moment of race awareness might mean. 
 
Amanda Payton and Arsène DeLay - both previous guests on the podcast, and dear friends of Nick's - generously agreed to return to the show to discuss both the issue of race and how it has affected them directly in their lives, as well as their thoughts and emotions regarding the present moment as we collectively process the tragic murders of George Floyd, and other victims past and present.  Amanda and Arsène are both Black women and, although they speak only for themselves and make clear that every person who has suffered racial abuse has their own unique story to tell, their stories are all too common and universal to the American black experience.  They are honest, powerful, complex, horrifying and compelling stories, filled with love and heartbreak for their fellow humans and this country itself.  I hope you will take the time to listen.     
It is impossible for me to overstate how deeply honored, appreciative, and humbled I am that these two extraordinary women took the time and energy to share so openly with me about what it is like living as a Black person in this country.  I am grateful to help share their stories, their thoughts, and their messages.  I am also grateful for what they've given me as I continue my life journey, hopefully that much more aware of the immense challenges facing some of my friends and fellow humans.
At the end of her segment, Amanda mentions a number of resources to which you can turn for education on the subject of race relations, as well as ways to support the causes of civil justice and equality in our country. 
They are:
White Fragility - A book by Robin DiAngelo 
The Official George Floyd Memorial Fund 
Minnesota Freedom Fund 
Black Visions Collective 
Fair Fight 
Reclaim the Block 
NAACP 
 
I would also like to place a link here to an article I found to be very illuminating, and which has already helped guide me on how to approach conversations surrounding race with greater awareness: 
What Is White Privilege, Really? - by Cory Collins at the Teaching Tolerance website
 
Amanda's instagram: @amanda_payton
Arsène's instagram: @arsenedelaymusic
 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano
 

Babar Peerzada

The tension between creative freedom and religiosity in Pakistan and England; different childhoods; his fight to break free and pursue his dream of acting and freedom of expression in the United States; a meditation on obstacles and struggles; and the yearning to find spiritual peace, happiness and acceptance amidst life's challenges.
 
Babar Peerzada [TV/Stage Actor... NCIS: Los Angeles (also Writer), NCIS, Lions for Lambs] joins Nick on the phone to share the complex and compelling physical and spiritual journey he's taken to this point in his life.  Born in Pakistan to artistic, free-thinking parents, he lived in London, England until the age of 12, when his family returned to Pakistan full time.  This juxtaposition and tension between the cultures of creative freedom and overarching religiosity has defined the struggle of his life.  Unhappy having left England as a pre-teen, Babar fought, with the help of friends and family, to strike out on his own and follow his passion to work in Los Angeles as a professional actor.  The obstacles, setbacks, and successes of his life are worthy of a listen alone, but it is his reflections on his journey of faith, and his yearning to find peace and acceptance amidst life's challenges and his own personal struggles, that are at the heart of this story.  I found it to be a deeply meditative episode, punctuated by moments of aching and laughter and warmth.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
 
Babar is a big fan of Carl Sagan, and quotes him at one point in the episode.  Find that quote and more at this link: Carl Sagan
Also, Babar is writing a stage play about the life of Mary Shelley, and the inspiration for her seminal book, Frankenstein.  More about her at this link: Mary Shelley
Babar Instagram: @babarpeerzada
 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow  
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Arsène DeLay

A military child who returned to her New Orleans home; the spirituality of music; how music and spirituality intertwine with African-American history in Louisiana to bring about something unique; the artistic and spiritual journey that led her home; and the obstacles her community faces to save New Orleans.
 
Arsène DeLay (New Orleans-based singer/songwriter/musician with multiple award-winning albums and music featured on NCIS: New Orleans, MFA graduate of California Institute of the Arts) hops on the phone with Nick, and the old college theatre buddies (Marquette University) share a beautiful catch-up after having not seen each other since Nick and his wife visited her in New Orleans six years ago.  Arsène grew up the daughter of an active-duty military father, and she has the travel history to prove it.  But her family lineage is quintessentially New Orleanian, and the story of her spiritual journey to this point centers on the return to her familial and musical community there.  Arsène shares openly and deeply about the trials and joys of living in her beloved city, the richness of the culture she relies on there, and the particularly painful challenges New Orleans is dealing with today.  It's an intimate story which reveals as much about Arsène as it does New Orleans itself, and it was an honor to listen to her tell it. 
       
Here's a short video that gives insight into something Arsène speaks about in the episode: The New Orleans "Second Line"
 
And here's Arsène performing a song with The Charlie Wooton Project that is damn-near guaranteed to get you shakin' something: Boogie On Reggae Woman  
 
Arsène Delay Official Website: arsenedelay.com
Arsène Facebook: Arsène DeLay Music
Arsène Instagram: @arsenedelaymusic
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Steven Boyer

Converting to Reform Judaism; the Jewish concepts of dayenu and tikkun olam; a yearning for deeper spiritual meaning in his life; the story of his actual conversion as an adult; and how he led a Passover Seder for myself and others in Vancouver while we were shooting season 2 of Trial & Error.
 
Steven Boyer (Hustlers, Orange is the New Black, Chicago: Fire, The Blacklist, and Tony-Award Nominee for Hand to God), Nick's old partner in both committing and fighting crime on their beloved little comedy Trial & Error, hops on the phone from his place in Brooklyn and tells a beautiful story about what led to his conversion to Reform Judaism.  Born in Columbus, Ohio to a loving Presbyterian family that did not practice weekly, or even monthly, Steven found himself at a young age seeking out a deeper religious connection than what he had at hand.  He spent time with Evangelicals, and time as an Agnostic Secular Humanist, but his life transformed emotionally, practically and spiritually upon meeting the woman whom he would marry.  Feeling no pressure from her or her family, Steven began to feel a resonant kinship with the synagogue at which his wife's family attended service, and he decided to convert when they were engaged.  Steven talks affectingly about the Jewish concepts of dayenu and tikkun olam, and he and Nick reminisce about how they were together in Vancouver when Steven led a Passover Seder for the first time (Jewish fans of the show may find a "bone" of contention in the story wink wink).  It's a warm, heartfelt, thoughtful and loving story, and it was an honor to listen to an old friend tell it.
 
Something I need your help with: Let me know if you jam with the Peanut Butter Podcast.
 
Steven Twitter: @SteveBoyer5000  
Steven Instagram: @SteveBoyer5000
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

David Walton

Old friends discuss their complicated beginning in TV; offers of vulnerability; sharing similar spiritual journeys; getting Nick to talk; fatherhood, Hollywood, living in the present and Wakanicci Bathrobes. 
 
David Walton (Council of Dads, New Girl, Masters of Sex, About a Boy, Bad Moms, Fired Up!) and Nick, old friends who were cast as best friends in the first TV pilot either of them ever booked nearly 20 years ago, open up a conversation that surprises both of them in the nature of its' depth, its' generosity, and its' vulnerability.  Unwittingly, both came to the discussion with an offer for healing - Nick, by exorcising past feelings of hurt from when he was replaced off that aforementioned pilot from two decades ago before it went to series; and David, in sharing that he too had the idea to start a podcast on religion similar to G.O.D., and how he was initially reticent to listen.  What follows is the joyfully grounding discovery that they are sharing in similar spiritual journeys at present, along with many of the same questions, concerns and hopes about where they are headed.  It is a free-flowing and loving conversation, and both men left it with a deep sense of gratitude for the moment.
 
David's luxury bathrobe company gets a lot of great run in this story... enjoy the payoff, and learn more about Wakanicci Bathrobes here. 
David's breakfast tip: Butter coffee with MCT oil from Bulletproof?  Love iiiiiiiit!
And now for those FU! fans out there... here's where Nick and Shawn meet Dr. Rick.
 
David's Instagram: @davidwalton
 
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano

Fr. Paul "Pablo" Burson

Seminary at 14, ordained at 27, left the priesthood to marry, became a father and, ultimately, become a Priest again in a new and healthier form; the personal and familial turmoil surrounding his choice to renounce his vow of chastity; a painful memory from his youth which he has overcome; and his spiritual calling to build bridges in his community through healing and reconciliation.
 
Paul “Pablo” Burson (Director of Student Development and Community Partnerships at Regis University, and a Priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Communion), a dear friend and former teacher of Nick’s, joins the show, and Pablo’s inner light, his kindness, and his calm reverence for God and the spiritual life make for sublime conversation.  Pablo’s story is extraordinary.  He entered the seminary at the age of 14, would be ordained at 27, would be transformed while ministering in Guatemala, and would later marry, become a father, and find a new church in which to practice and preach.  He tells of the turmoil surrounding his choice to renounce his vow of chastity, which involved not only his inner spiritual life at the time, but his relationship to his parents, as well as another tragic revelation from his youth.  But Pablo’s story is one of healing and reconciliation, and his spiritual calling is to build bridges in the same fashion.  It is a warm, loving, joyful and generous hour, and it was a great honor to have him on the show.
 
Something I learned: Pablo was influenced in his early training by a style of prayer that resembles the Pentecostal experience -- Charismatic Catholic Renewal
Pablo tells a story about where the practice of his inner spiritual life blossomed, during his time spent at The Abbey of Gethsemani -- where Thomas Merton lived as a monk. 
If you're in Denver, CO, you and all are welcome to attend a service with Pablo and his faith community at The Church of the Beloved! 
 
Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow 
Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow
Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com
Music by Sean Whalen, Art by Alexandra Delano