God in the harmony of voices mingling together in song; being a person of color in the white world of choral music; God shining down on her at the age of five; being raised by her mother while her father followed his music; Kwanzaa; and owning her own identity in the age of Black Lives Matter. Dr. Zanaida Stewart Robles is an award-winning American composer, vocalist, and teacher. She is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in music education and performance. She is a performing arts in...
Nov 17, 2022•52 min•Season 2Ep. 70
On creating “God 101” with Julie Chen Moonves; the celebration of her Armenian identity and culture; the loss of her Jewish father as a child; “welcoming Jesus into her heart” as a grade schooler; a message and direction from her mother’s spirit; and giving her husband a second chance after a botched first date. Anita Vogel is a Correspondent and Anchor for the Fox New Channel, as well as an actor, voiceover artist, moderator and host. A graduate of the University of Southern California with deg...
Nov 16, 2022•53 min•Season 2Ep. 69
His grandmother as conduit to his ancestors and what is “holy”; deep reflections on slavery and his journey through “The Slave Letters”; the brutality and abuse of his parents and grandfather; the rejection of Christianity and his embrace of Buddhist practice; the release of guilt and a future bound up in kindness and beauty. Michal Dawson Connor is an accomplished performer and composer of choral, chamber, and solo vocal works, with a particular emphasis on slave songs created before the Civil ...
Nov 15, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 68
Music as foundational to understanding the spiritual; being a religious skeptic while loving the church choir; how the pandemic freed her musical “beast”; reflections on the future death of her mother; the release of control and the glee that followed. Majel Connery is a vocalist and composer with the NYC art/punk band Sky Creature , which recently released its Bear Mountain/Childworld double EP . On the side, she composes electro/acoustic music as a solo artist, and recently released the album ...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 67
Nick will be recurring throughout the new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution , premiering this Thanksgiving 2022 on Paramount+! Nick is in graduate school pursuing his Masters of Divinity at Meadville Lombard Theological School. It's one of only two Unitarian Universalist seminaries in the world. What is Unitarian Universalism ? Official Website: nicholasdagosto.com Instagram: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow Twitter: @nicholasdagosto #GodsDelicateShow LinkedIn: Nicholas D'Agosto Music by Sea...
Nov 13, 2022•3 min•Season 2Ep. 66
A "goodbye for now"; and excerpts from two of Nick's favorite books. Nicholas D'Agosto is a professional television, film and stage actor, and the creator and host of this podcast - God & Other Delicacies . Here's a link to Gore Vidal's review of Italo Calvino's "Invisible Cities" in The New York Review of Books - Fabulous Calvino by Gore Vidal Here is an article in The New Yorker compiling some of Italo Calvino's letters, one of which was a letter of appreciation to Gore Vidal regarding the...
Dec 27, 2020•12 min•Season 1Ep. 65
A Christ follower that's wary of the word "Christian"; her mothers' final, transcendent moments; Top Story Tonight: Jesus! and how her research has redefined her faith; and the contentment that comes with knowing and choosing what is right for oneself. Jane Wells is an award-winning broadcast journalist with over 30 years experience in the news media. She has worked all over the country, moving up from local news stations to national ones, but it is at CNBC, her current employer, where she has s...
Dec 20, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Being religious but not spiritual; the search for serenity; learning about his OCD; reflections on the temptations and dangers of "status"; choosing the internal good; the admiration of material indifference and non-attachment; and the dilemma of loving the individual despite possessing opposing ideologies. Jeffrey Guhin is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at UCLA, with research interests in education, culture and religion. His first book -- Agents Of God: Boundaries and Authority in Muslim a...
Dec 13, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 63
Owner of award-winning Hotville Chicken in South LA; daughter of an Evangelist preacher; God in every facet of her life; prayer; and hilarious stories about the Prince Family men and other philanderers who got punished by the scalding heat of the Hot Chicken tradition in Nashville. Kim Prince is the owner and creator of Hotville Chicken , a Los Angeles restaurant serving Nashville Hot Chicken in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw neighborhood of South LA. Recently voted one of LA's Best Restaurants of 2...
Dec 06, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 62
Faith in combat; reflections on his service during the Iraq War; the self-discoveries from time spent "in extremis"; the unintended consequences of war; and how he carries his service as a civilian. Ben O'Rourke is a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, a combat veteran, and a graduate of the US Army War College. He graduated from Notre Dame, and currently serves as an executive for an enterprise tech company in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife and children. Here is a brief overview regar...
Nov 29, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 61
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 ...
Nov 22, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 60
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...
Nov 15, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 59
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 Goo...
Nov 08, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 58
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'...
Nov 01, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 57
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 w...
Oct 25, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 56
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 S...
Oct 18, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 55
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...
Oct 11, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 54
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 spiritua...
Oct 04, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 53
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'...
Sep 27, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 52
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 c...
Sep 20, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Transgender female artist/activist reflects on suicide, addiction, shame in the church; the discovery of her true self; and the privilege of authenticity and a loving perspective. Joslyn DeFreece ( Strange Angel , Daily Show, Comedy Central, CNN) is an actor, writer, and Trans activist . Joslyn tells a heart-wrenching and deeply compelling story about the evolution of her life, her spirituality, and her transgender identity. It is a story marked by moments of extraordinary pain, fostered in part...
Sep 13, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Fractured childhood with Muslim father & Catholic mother; faith as social justice; activism; silence & reconciliation; and her love for her Boyle Heights community. Fatima Djelmane Rodriguez is the Executive Director of Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times , a non-profit charity which works to create a positive, long-lasting impact on children with cancer and their families by providing fun, safe, cost-free, year round camp programs. And since September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month...
Sep 06, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Christian faith deconstruction; divorce; his mothers' death; therapy, and becoming a therapist; honesty; and his new novel. Jeff Newburg is a therapist , a lifelong artist, and an old friend of Nick's from their days in a Meisner acting program back when they were in their twenties. Jeff's latest creative focus has been the completion of his first novel - Shame Baseball - which tackles Christian faith deconstruction. Jeff at one time identified as an Evangelical, and Born Again Christian. Throug...
Aug 30, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Champion pro golfer on purpose and leadership; retiring mid-round!; rejection; and her new book "Trust: Understanding My Why". Deb Richard is a five-time LPGA Tour Champion , an executive coach, a philanthropist, the CEO of Burlap Leaders , and the author of " Trust: Understanding My Why, " which translates the lessons of golf into successful pathways in leading. Deb is deeply passionate about inspiring people to realize their inherent value and discover a purpose in life that is focused on help...
Aug 23, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 47
The burden of Pentecostalism; racism; success in Hollywood; divorce; separation from his children; his renewal of faith and hope; and his love for his Omaha, Nebraska home. Randy J. Goodwin is a professional television and film actor (Showtime's "Fast Track", UPN's "Girlfriends", Greys Anatomy, 911, American History X), as well as a writer, director and producer. He's also a man of deep faith, with a long spiritual journey that at times represented his greatest obstacle, and at others his greate...
Aug 16, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 46
His mothers' paranoia; her life as a traveling evangelist, exorcist and faith healer; a sad and shameful discovery; the separation and ultimate reconnection with his father; Josh's evolution of faith, and his journey of forgiveness. A commercial, music video and short film producer for over 15 years (Elton John, Paul McCartney, Kelly Clarkson, Gatorade, Google, Beats by Dre, "Atlanta", "Neighbors"), Joshua Martinez has one of those stories that's almost too incredible to believe. Telling it for ...
Aug 09, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Living with terminal brain cancer; thanking God for every day of his life; how all we can control is our reaction to an event; finding sobriety as a younger man; a spiritual connection with his Grandmother; and the fullness of every day. Michael J. has worked primarily as a television, film and stage writer (Drunk History, Dog Bites Man, Viral on Full Screen, the original Vice Studios), but he also has two graduate degrees ( University of Michigan and Pepperdine University ), has worked as a tou...
Aug 02, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 44
The challenges of being gay in the Catholic Church; his difficult relationship with his father; processing his husband's cancer diagnosis; candid discussions with his mother about religion; and why comedy is more than just laughs. Eric Blume (Writer/Director/Producer at Comedy Central, Netflix, truTV, Funny Or Die!, Cartoon Network; Commercial Director for J. Crew, L'Oreal, Axe) is the guest this week, and he and Nick are old friends, having met doing promotional stuff on Comedy Central for FIRE...
Jul 26, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 43
A diagnosis of breast cancer at 30 years old; her physical and spiritual transformation; growing up an Orange County Christian; stories from Broadway and Hollywood; and the dawning of her self-realization, independence, and new life perspective. Actor, singer and Broadway star Krysta Rodriguez (Stage: In The Heights, The Addams Family, First Date, Spring Awakening... Screen: Smash, Chasing Life, Quantico, Daybreak) generously hops on the phone with Nick from her place in New York City, and she t...
Jul 19, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Spirituality in music; the death of his mother; his father's life with Parkinson's Disease; the Fibonacci Sequence; how everyone who has ever lived still exists in some form on Earth today; and discovering new things about old friends. Nick's dear friend, John Bobek (A Series Of Unfortunate Events, American Crime, The West Wing, singer-songwriter ), visits the show this week, and he shares about the spirituality he finds in music, his father's battle with Parkinson's Disease, and the loss of his...
Jul 12, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 41
