If you grew up in an Italian household, you know that "quiet" is a four-letter word and silence usually means someone is either sleeping or up to no good. In this episode of The Good Bit Edit, host Lou D’Adamo—a man who clearly understands the melodic power of a high-decibel conversation—dives deep into the beautiful, chaotic symphony of growing up Italian.

From the strategic "jump rope" technique required to join a conversation to the high-stakes politics of being demoted to the "kids' table," we’re exploring the traditions that shaped us. We’ve got stories of marathon four-hour Sunday dinners, the mystical healing powers of the Malocchio ritual, and the ultimate linguistic battlefield: Is it sauce or is it gravy?

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The Physics of the Italian Yell: Why talking over each other is actually a sign of deep affection and engagement.
• Sunday Dinner Survival Tactics: How to navigate a table that stretches across the living room and why you never, ever say you’re "full"—only that you’re "done".
• The Kitchen Arsenal: Memories of the wooden spoon, the flying slipper, and why those plastic-wrapped sofas were both a summer torture device and a sacred boundary.
• The "Italian Goodbye": A breakdown of the multi-stage migration from the table to the porch to the car window that takes at least 45 minutes.
• Aunties, Uncles, and "Family": How the definition of family extends far beyond DNA to anyone who offers advice, protection, or a bag of goodies for the ride home.

Join Lou and special guests Mario Scillipoti, Victor Tosti, Donna Russo-Antignano, and Linda Matarazzo DeRemigis as they look past the red sauce and hand gestures to the heart of what it means to be family.

Grab a meatball (or three), turn up the volume, and welcome home.

Remember back in the 1960s and '70s when the streetlights were your curfew, and there were only a few TV channels? Neil Beller, author of several books, including Missing Pine Park, joins Lou D'Adamo to dissect the unsupervised adventures of the mid-20th century. We discuss the lost art of the "drop-in" visit, neighborhood parenting, and why modern technology can’t compete with the thrill of a Jiffy Pop package on the stove.

You can follow Neil and purchase his books at www.neilbellerauthor.com

Juliano Rosetti thought he had made it—twice.

At the age of 14, he watched his family lose everything overnight. He fought hard to support his family, becoming a successful club DJ while simultaneously working at a bank in Brazil. But then, a few years later, everything was gone again.

With only $2,500 and a small grasp of the English language, Juliano booked a one-way ticket to New York. His journey is an incredible testament to resilience, fueled by the kindness of strangers and the power of a passion he found unexpectedly.

In this emotional episode, we follow Juliano's move from a sleepless kid sleeping on a pile of newspapers to a thriving business owner. We also catch up on his present-day update: how a global storm forced him to face a third devastating loss that eerily mirrored his father's—and how he's finding his way back through the music that saved him before.

Listen now to hear how losing everything twice led to the ultimate American Dream.