We welcome Christine Scolinos to the show! Christine is the founder and creative force behind TheGreekend, a modern Greek American community and lifestyle brand connecting Greeks through shared culture and experiences. What began as a grassroots idea to promote Greek events has evolved into a globally recognized platform spanning live events, media, travel, and community initiatives.
We welcome author Shelley Dark to the show! After a lifetime raising cattle on Queenslandâs Granite Belt, Shelley and her husband swapped the bush for the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia. She's an award-winning Australian author who travels as often as she can and enjoys iPhone photography. She's a member of the ALLWRiTE Club and Writers on the Coast Noosaâa generous community of writers whose work and thinking continually stretches her own.
We welcome Tom & Nick from the Ouzo Talk podcast to the show! Ouzo Talk is a Sydney-based podcast for Greeks of the diaspora. They bring the Ouzo-fueled conversations of âkafeniaâ the Greek world over, right to your ears. From music, history and culture, to science, philosophy and everything in between, Ouzo Talk is all about 'parea'. And with a bottle of Ouzo always on the table, there's no telling where the conversation might go. It's solving the worldâs problems â one bottle of Ouzo at a time. Join us in welcoming Tom & Nick to Connecting Greeks!
We welcome writer, director, and actress Rachel Suissa to the show! Rachel has created something truly unique with "Greek Mothers Never Die" â a supernatural comedy inspired by her real-life relationship with her Greek mother, blending heartfelt themes with laugh-out-loud cultural quirks. We talk to Rachel about how this very personal film was born, what it means for Greek American audiences, and how her family (and ghostly mothers) helped shape the story. Join us!
Join us in our chat with Nicholas Syris of Lavida Habana Cigars. Nick started his professional life as a very successful audio video electronics specialist. Thankfully, it was his passion for good cigars that won him over and also led him to a side career on a radio talk program, âSmooth Drawsâ a weekly program dedicated to Cigars and the Cigar Lifestyle. It was also his love of cigars that opened the door, back in the mid-90s, to Saudi Arabian Royalty and subsequently the creation of the first of a several Lavida Habana Cigar Lounges. âThe cigar is the great equalizer, where people from all walks of life, different cultures and various socioeconomic backgrounds can all bond over the experience of enjoying a cigar,â says Nicholas. And despite the anti-smoking hysteria that has befallen on the US and other parts ÎżÏ the world, âwe are strong in our convictions and our desires to enjoy the pleasures that we derive from smoking premium cigars!â Kick back with a cigar and
We welcome the awesome Bill Pantazis to the show! Bill is a George Michael impersonator so convincing that many struggle to tell him apart from the original artist, an effect heightened when viewed face-to-face. In addition to their strikingly similar facial features and eyes, Pantazis and the late singer also share Greek heritage and the same Zodiac sign. Pantazis's uncanny physical resemblance is matched by his stage presence, as he has mastered George Michael's signature moves for his performances. Beyond his tribute act, Bill Pantazis also performs as a vocalist with the Luisa Marshall Band. Join us!
We welcome the awesome and inspiring Yianni Kioussis to the show! "Asperger Dynamo" is the wrestling persona of Yianni, who has Asperger's Syndrome. Yianni uses the name to represent his wrestling persona, which embodies the underdog and aims to inspire those with disabilities. He embraces his social difficulties, such as a lack of filter and social cue issues, as part of his wrestling character, finding the ring a place where he can express himself authentically. Join us!
We welcome the fascinating Stelios Maltepes to the show! Raised by Greek immigrants, Stelios is the only one of his siblings born in America. Destined to be the golden child, he drops out of high school, ends up hustling on the streets, and falls in love with a Puerto Rican girl from the Badlands. From professional sports bettor to marijuana trafficker, Stelios has ties to the NBA betting scandal, the Philly and New York Mob, and the Mexican Cartel-all while raising his own interracial family. Despite the odds, Stelios navigates his way to becoming one of the biggest marijuana dealers in America. However, this rags-to-riches story comes to a crossroads when Stelios Maltepes places the biggest bet of his life, with everything on the line. Can Stelios Maltepes defy the odds once again? Watch our interview with Stelios!
We welcome the awesome Chris Mustakas to the show! Chris is a Canadian author, storyteller, and proud father of two. Born in Waterloo, Ontario and now living in Ottawa, he balances family life, endless creative projects, and a career rooted in marketing, communication, and leadership.
We welcome the inspiring Leon Logothetis to the show! In today's increasingly polarized, digitized world, human connection and empathy seem to be drying up. Stress, animosity, and disillusionment are on the rise in many workplaces. Leaders face a "kindness crisis" - their people are craving more compassion, belonging, and purpose.
We welcome family man and social media superstar Jimmy "the Greek" Ntebekos to the show! Jimmy is a father of two, Georgie and Yioanna, who share the spotlight with him on his many viral videos. Let's get to know this awesome Greek!
We welcome the fantastic Christina Mavronas to the show! Christina is everyone's Greek Brooklynite friend! đ€ She's an actress, creator, writer, and comedian and we had so much fun chatting with her! Join us!
We welcome the awesome Aristotelis Rigas to the show! Aris is a writer, director, actor, and standup comedian. He is also a musician, and has written music for theater and has participated as a musical actor in theatrical performances. His first solo performance entitled "musicomedy" was presented for the first time at the 1st comedy festival of the theater "Avaton". He has participated in "standup for U", is a founding member of the "Gazi Comedy Club" at theater 104, and numerous performances in Athens, all over Greece, and Europe. Join us!
We welcome Alexandros & Christophoros to the show! They are the founders of To Kinima Tou Ethnous, a Greek Diaspora organization that seeks to leverage Greece's greatest natural resource, its people, to influence Greek politics and involve the diaspora in the political process of Greece.
We welcome Maria C. Miles to the show! Maria is an attorney and the founder of an entertainment law practice with offices in New York. Her practice focuses on all areas of entertainment law, including film, music, literary publishing, and new media. She is the president of the board of the Hellenic Film Society USA and previously served on the board of New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT). She is Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at the School of Visual Arts, the Feirstein Graduate School for Cinema and NYU Tisch School of the Arts.
We welcome Demetri Thomas to the show! Demetri Thomas grew up in beautiful sunny Los Angeles, but you wonât mistake his songs for breezy summertime fare. Demetri writes from the point of view of a hard working Country Music artist, bringing a new perspective and incisive wit to his tales of relationships gone wrong as well as the joys of being in love. With an easy listening Greek voice trained on the classics, he combines vintage sound with modern country and crossover material to thrilling effect. Kick back and join us!
We welcome Dimitra of Dimitra's Dishes to the show! Dimitra grew up in a traditional Greek family in New York. All of their meals were homemade and every happy gathering took place around a table full of delicious food that was shared with loved ones. Her summers were spent visiting family on the beautiful island of Crete and are filled with memories of getting together with grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles in a laid-back happy setting, again, sharing homemade food while creating memories and traditions that now she now gets to pass down to her children.
Connecting Greeks is a light-hearted streaming, video, and podcast show meant to unite and connect Greeks from all around the world. We love our Hellenic culture, and we use that as the basis to entertain, unite, enhance, and promote both the culture and its' people. We are made up of three friends: Angelo Tsarouchas, Ari Kalogeropoulos, and Fotios Stamos.
We sat down with acclaimed photographer Nick Bourdo to discuss his life, his work, and what the Hellenic culture means to him. Through his amazing artistic photographic eye, Nick is one of the great promoters of Hellenism and we were happy to discuss all things Greek with him. Join us!
We welcome the very funny Peter Kypri to the show. Peter, also known as Cypriot Smurf, has a unique background and upbringing have had a profound influence on his perspective and creative endeavors. Born in London to a Greek Cypriot father and an Italian mother, he grew up in a multicultural household that was steeped in a rich tapestry of traditions, languages, and idiosyncrasies. However, it was at the age of 11 that his life took a significant turn as he moved to Cyprus, a move that would shape his sense of humor and artistic expression.
We welcome the super cool Peter Nikkos to the show! Peter currently resides in Los Angeles with his lovely wife, RID Certified American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter, Eva Tingley. Born in the small village of Karyes, near Sparta, Greece, he immigrated with family to Chicago and was educated in the Windy City's public school system attending Lane Technical High School and James Monroe Elementary School. The first in a family of five to graduate from college, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from North Park University while receiving professional consideration following an exemplary college soccer career. Strong theatre, improv and on-camera training brought him to the west coast, where significant onscreen work includes DESERT DAWN (Al Bravo Films), RUTHLESS (Premiere), FIRE BORN (Independent), BLACK WARRANT (Premiere), BLOWBACK (Premiere), ENCOUNTER (Amazon), AMERICAN CRIME STORY: VERSACE (FX), THE LAST SHIP (TNT) and TIME TRAVELING BONG (Comedy Central). Los Angeles stages haveâŠ
Zafirios Georgilas is a writer, musician, voiceover artist, and content creator born in Vancouver, Canada, who spent part of his childhood in his fatherâs northern Greek village. He later moved to London, England, but returned to Vancouver in between sojourns in New York and Montreal. Georgilas has a BA in English Literature (with additional studies in Classical Greek and Latin) from the University of British Columbia and an MA in Publishing from the University of the Arts London.
