Friends Like Us

This week host Marina Franklin talks with Vanessa Fraction and Nonye Brown-West about Kelly Clarkson, 3D-printed salmon, Halle Barry's public family disputes, and more. Catch our hilarious take on hot topics!  Vanessa Fraction is a comedian, actress, writer, and host who brings big laughs, big energy, and a point of view you don't forget. She's known for turning real‑life chaos into comedy that lands every time. With a style rooted in honesty and delivered with undeniable presence, she's built a reputation for humor that connects and performances that stand out on stage, on screen, and anywhere someone hands her a mic. Nonye Brown-West is a New York-based Nigerian-American comedian and writer. She has been featured in the Boston Globe's Rise column as a Comic to Watch. She has also appeared on Amazon, NPR, PBS, ABC, Sway In The Morning on Sirius XM, and the New York Comedy Festival. Check her schedule on nonyecomedy.com or Instagram to see when she's coming to a city near you. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch

In this week's Friends Like Us, we explore the powerful role Black women play in shaping democracy, Marina Franklin talks with the brilliant Professor Christina Greer and. Listen in for political insights and a chuckle or two with comedian Mia Jackson.  Christina Greer is a Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus and currently a Visiting Fellow at Brooklyn Org. Her research and teaching focus on American politics, Black ethnic politics, campaigns and elections, and public opinion. She is the author of "Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream", "How to Build a Democracy from Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams", and co-editor of "Black Politics in Transition: Imimigration, Suburbanization, and Gentrification". Greer writes a weekley column for the Amsterdam News, is a frequent political commentator on several media outlets, and is the co-host of the New York City centered podcast FAQ-NYC.  Mia Jackson is a bonafide Georgia peach (that's Georgian for "native"). In 2017, she was selected as a New Face by the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival and Atlanta's Creative Loafing named her the Critic's Choice Best Stand-Up in the city. She has toured nationally with Amy Schumer and is a featured comic at festivals and clubs across the country. Her first stand up special aired in October 2018 as part of Unprotected Sets on EPIX. Mia has appeared on NickMom's Night Out, Viceland, Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar and was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of NBC's Last Comic Standing. Her Comedy Central half hour special debuted in November 2019. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

Host Marina Franklin talks with Ant Pruitt, and Alexis Bradby! From AI's impact on the workforce to the value of human connection, this episode covers it all. Don't miss out on the laughs and wisdom!  Ant Pruitt is a model and commercial actor as a well as a freelance digital content creator. If not on set working as talent for a photo or commercial shoot, Ant is out in the field as a freelance photographer capturing local high school sports photos for the local newspaper and MaxPreps online. He also hosts the Everyday People podcast with his better half where they pretty much talk about being "everyday people, doing everyday sh** "   Alexis Bradby  Originally from East Tennessee, Alexis Bradby started her stand-up journey after moving to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California. Recently , she's been featured in the Netflix is a Joke Festival and the New York Comedy Festival. Known for her contagious smile and youthful energy, Alexis can be found regularly performing all over New York City. In addition to stand-up, she writes for television and was in the writers room for hit shows such as iCarly and Tab Time. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

This week on Friends, Marina Franklin hosts a vibrant discussion with Sara Contreras, and Kimberly Clark. From personal journeys to cultural insights, explore the power of comedy to bridge generations and spark change. Don't miss out! #ComedyUnites Sara Contreras is one of the nation's leading Latina comics, known as the "Latin Diva of Comedy."  She's best known as a member of "The Original Latin Divas of Comedy," Showtime special that earned an ALMA Award nomination for Best Comedy Special. Her TV credits include NBC's *Law & Order: SVU*, *Mozart in the Jungle*, and *Third Watch*, along with appearances on Comedy Central and ABC's *The View*. Contreras is currently touring with her one-person show, "Freak of Nature," a multimedia production that takes audiences through her life navigating "Generation Jones" and the Baby Boomer generation. Before comedy, she spent four decades as a public school speech therapist, holds a master's degree in Speech Pathology from Brooklyn College, and is fluent in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.   Kimberly Clark: Originally from Syracuse, NY. She's been seen on Netflix's Tiffany Haddish presents: They Ready, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and Last Comic Standing. She was named one of Time Out L.A.'s Comics To Watch. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

This Friends Like Us, Marina Franklin is chatting with comedians Rob Haze and Gina Brillon about everything from comedy dynamics to Hispanic Heritage Month. Get ready for laughs and thought-provoking insights! Rob Haze is a comedian from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a writer/ performer on Sherman's Showcase on IFC. He was on the Sneaker Sketch  show Sneak This on B/R Kicks. Rob has a stand up album called Haze-o-pedia. Rob's standup has been featured on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show, Comedy Central, and Viceland. Rob has a podcast called The Inconsistent Podcast with Rob Haze available everywhere.  Gina Brillon is a comedian, host, writer and producer born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Brillon has been performing stand-up since the age of 17 and in 2012 became the first Latina winner of NBC's stand-up for Diversity showcase. Named a "new face" at the 2013 Montreal Just for Laughs festival, she went on to release her debut Hour special 'Gina Brillon: Pacifically Speaking' in 2014. Her HBO special 'Gina Brillon: easily offended' was released in 2019 as part of the entre nos series and in 2020 the critically acclaimed 'Gina Brillon; the floor is lava' premiered on Amazon and went on to become an imagen award nominee and a 2021 Gracie award winner. Her latest release 'Gina Brillon; Mind Your Business' premiered on 800pgm earlier this year amassing over a quarter million views in the first month. Brillon's tv roles include guest stars on CBS's Kevin Can Wait, ABC's the conners and appearances on The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Most recently, in 2023, she guest starred in the Disney holiday movie 'Dashing Through the Snow' alongside Lil Rel Howery and Ludacris. In 2021, during its 16th season, Gina became the first Puerto Rican comedian to be named a finalist on NBC's America's Got Talent. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch