Friends Like Us

Fruits of Color and Fascinating Flaws with Zainab Johnson and Kenice Mobley

Wondering how dating apps compare to thrift shopping? So did we! Host Marina Franklin talks with Zainab Johnson and Kenice Mobley on our latest episode of Friends Like Us as we navigate the amusing world of dating, autism awareness, and everything in between. Listen now for your daily dose of laughter!  Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" premiering worldwide October 24th only on Amazon Prime video. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. She was named to Vulture's 2021 list of Comedians You Should and Will Know. Kenice's debut comedy album Follow Up Question, filmed at Union Hall in New York, was released in December 2022. Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. 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  

Stand-Up and Stand Strong: A Health Conversation with Guy Torry

Tune in for an insightful episode where Marina Franklin discusses black men's health, comedy, and the power of community with guests Guy Torry and Nonye Brown-West. Guy Torry is an actor and comedian known for his role in the film American History X and as the creator of the acclaimed docuseries Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy.  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      

Your Behavior Will Be Monitored with Justin Feinstein

Host Marina Franklin takes a deep dive into the future of AI with Justin Feinstein's new book, "Your Behavior Will Be Monitored," and the hilarious Sami Beason! Tune in to our latest episode for laughs, insights, and more. Justin Feinstein is a writer and storyteller across multiple media. Available now for pre-order: "Your Behavior Will Be Monitored" is Justin's debut specu-lative novel about a reckless AI company racing towards a launch, published by Tachyon Publications. The official release is in April 2026. Justin is also an essayist and culture writer and has written about jazz for the Associated Press, about the UFC for VICE, and about being a celebrity doppelgänger for Salon. His work as an advertising copywriter and creative director has received accolades from the New York Times, Adweek, and BuzzFeed. Justin works as an editor and writing coach and is an instructor for the Sackett Street Writers' Workshop. He was a Berklee-trained profes-sional hand percussionist in a past life and performed, recorded, and taught music for ten years. More recently, Justin earned an MA in media studies from The New School. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Julia Fierro, their two children, and two dogs. Sami Beason is a rising comedy talent from Denver, celebrated for their quick wit, authentic storytelling, and constant giggle. In 2024, they took home the Best of Fest award at the Colorado Springs Festival and now has a special on YouTube called "First Gen" through open bar.    

Laughter and Lessons for the Holidays with Vanessa Fraction and Hollie Harper

How do you handle winter blues? Join host Marina Franklin, Vanessa Fraction and Holie Harper as we talk holiday cheer, money-saving hacks, and controversial documentaries that will keep you talking. Hollie Harper is a comedy nerd from South Jersey. She is currently the creator and co-exec producer of Hella Late! with Hollie Harper on BRIC TV and a co-host of the nationally trending Twitter Storytelling Chat "BlerdDating." Hella Late! with Hollie Harper was recently in the 2021 NYC Web Fest where she was nominated as Best Actress. Hollie was a semi-finalist in the 2019 NBC Standup Competition and has been featured on NY1, and in Black Enterprise Magazine, Thrive Global, Confessional Magazine and Black San Diego Magazine. Her popular sketch comedy show AMERICAN CANDY has played the Comic Strip, Gotham Comedy Club, BAM Café as well as the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival. Time Out Chicago named them one of the five groups to watch. Hollie is a regular host for West Side Comedy Club in NYC and works with Gold Comedy and Stand Up Girls, two programs that empower young women by teaching them standup comedy. She was recently the talent coordinator and casting for "Blood Lassi" on Spotify, written by Pratima Mani, and moderated the panel for the Emmy Award winning, WOC editing team of Black Lady Sketch Show for The Black TV and Film Collective. She is also the Creative Consultant for the very successful Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest. Vanessa Fraction is a talented and hilarious comedian, actress, and writer who has made her mark in various forms of entertainment. She can currently be heard as a co-host on the Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by Tpain and seen in the movie Praise This on Peacock. Vanessa can also be seen guest hosting on the entertainment news show Dish Nation. As a stand-up comedian, Vanessa has performed on Def Comedy Jam , Laff Mobs Laff Tracks , and more. Her writing credits include Raven's Home , 106 & Park , and The Mo'Nique Show. Additionally, she has appeared in the film Barbershop 2 and television shows Last Call, Mann & Wife (BounceTV), Comedy KnockOuts (TruTV) and Tales (BET) Not only is Vanessa "Action" Fraction a talented entertainer, but she is also a certified self-defense instructor. She teaches her unique class called Kicks & Comedy, combining her love for humor with her passion for empowering others through self-defense. 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

Marina Franklin's Holiday Reflections and Gratitude

Marina Franklin reflects on a year full of incredible guests, heartfelt discussions, and important advocacy work. Whether you're a longtime listener or new, there's something here for everyone. Happy Holidays, and here's to a bright 2026! 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