Deborah Kobylt LIVE

Deborah Kobylt LIVE

Deborah Zara Kobylt is an award-winning journalist best known for her work on CNN, Fox11 Los Angeles, KCAL9 News, Turner Entertainment, and Deborah Kobylt LIVE, a successful video/audio podcast. Deborah believes everyone has a story to tell, and because of her keen interest in people and community, her guests feel relaxed enough to reveal what they might not tell anyone else. And that's her gift as a journalist and storyteller. Born in New Jersey, she currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, John Kobylt, a successful radio talk show host, her three amazing sons, and a menagerie of animals. Deborah enjoys hiking, travel, biking, and writing. She's also a fierce competitor and completed the NYC and LA Marathons. Her passion is to promote women's causes, mental health, veterans, and animal causes.

  1. 4 FEB

    Randy Gardner, LETS TALK OLYMPICS & Go Figure: The Randy Gardner Story

    The Olympics are here, and one of my all-time favorite sports to watch is figure skating!!! So today, I welcome a skating legend to our show, Randy Gardner, who won the 1979 World Figure Skating Championships along with his skating partner, Tai Babilonia. Tai and Randy also won five U.S. Figure Skating Championships from 1976-1980 and qualified for the Winter Olympics in 1976 and 1980, but what happened just before their skate was truly crushing. This year, the Olympics has some of the most brilliant skaters on the U.S. team, from quad-God Ilia Malinin to Amber Glenn, recognized for landing the rare triple axel, and teammates Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito. We'll ask Randy to break down what to look for and what we might expect. And of course there's the other winter sports to look forward to as well, from skiing to bobsledding. I also want to know what it feels like to walk into the arena with the possibility of bringing home the Gold. It must be amazing. We've had Randy on our show previously to discuss his incredible documentary, Go Figure, The Randy Gardner Story, which is a jaw-dropping string of events starting with his conception. Let's just say at multiple times during the documentary, I had to stop and say, "did that just happen??" So we'll talk about that, too. And I'd like to add, despite more than a few bumps in the road, or in his case, cracks in the ice, Randy has remained positive throughout. Please welcome Randy Gardner on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahkobyltLIVE. I hope you'll join us for this exciting conversation. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it's my pleasure to have you as part of our team!

    37 min
  2. 4 FEB

    Heavenly Hughes, My Tribe Rise: Helping Altadena Fire Victims

    Nearly 9500 homes, businesses, churches, and schools burned in the Altadena fires last year, and many in the community are facing foreclosure on their homes because there's been little movement to recover funds to rebuild. Rents are sky high for most, and they simply can't make ends meet. Developers are swooping in to make low ball offers to homeowners, and many are forced to settle because it's their only choice. Residents aren't getting much help from local, county, or state government, either, and it's time everyone steps up. Meet Heavenly Hughes, longtime Altadena resident and founder of My Tribe Rise, a grass roots organization that provides funding and resources for members of the community in need of housing, work, and a place to turn during this critical time. The residents of Altadena say they're trying to remain hopeful, but time is running out. They've asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to step in to ensure homeowners don't foreclose, because people still have to pay their mortgage even though there's no home, and they're paying rent at the same time. It's too much. Heavenly is working every angle to get people the help they need, and it's been a challenge. So we're talking with her about it on our show, and I hope you'll join our conversation and do what you can, too. You can find my full interview with Heavenly on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, and invite your friends, too. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

    28 min
  3. 9 JAN

    Ondi Timoner, Filmmaker, "All The Walls Came Down"

    Please welcome to our show award-winning filmmaker, Ondi Timoner, who lost her home in Altadena when the Eaton fire tore through neighborhoods there last January, killing 19 people and leaving thousands of others without a home.This is a tight-knit, multi-generational community where kids played safely in the streets, residents organized block parties, and neighbors would meet at nearby coffee shops. But that's all gone now, up in flames in just one night, leaving residents to mourn not just homes, but their community, wondering if they'll ever be able to rebuild, siting little help from government officials and most insurance companies. So Ondi did what she does best, and produced the documentary, "All The Walls Came Down," a magnificent portrayal of the struggle, sadness, and reality of those who lost so much, including those residents who tragically lost family members. This is a stunning portrayal of a community left to fend for themselves, hanging on to hope while still looking for answers. Ondi graduated cum laude from Yale and is the founder of Interloper Films. In fact, two of her films were acquired by New York's Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection. We will talk with Ondi about her outstanding career in the arts and what fuels her as a filmmaker, particularly this latest film, where she's part of the action. Please join me in welcoming Ondi Timoner to all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

    33 min
  4. 10/12/2025

    Bruno Serato, Celebrity Chef

    Bruno Serato, owner of the Anaheim White House Restaurant and founder of Caterina's Club, feeds literally thousands of children and families every day, and he's raising money so his Caterina's foundation can continue feeding literally thousands every day who would otherwise go hungry. And he joins us today to talk about it. Just last week, SoCal powerhouse radio station #KFIam640 (where my husband hosts the #JohnKobyltShow), teamed up with Bruno, Smart & Final, Wendy's, and De Cecco pasta to raise money and bunches of pasta and sauce so Bruno could continue doing what he does best - feeding hungry people. And the mission has been affectionately called #Pastathon. Already, they've raised close to $1-million dollars, and the campaign is still going, and he'll talk about how you can help. Now that's A LOT of Pasta! Bruno has become a friend over the years, and many of us call him a saint. His generosity was inspired by his mom, Caterina, who gave him the inspiration to feed hungry children in nearby Anaheim. He took the challenge, and so many years later, he's been recognized by Time Magazine, CNN Heros, the Pope, and others around the globe. We will talk with Bruno about his humble beginnings before moving to the United States, where his restaurant quickly became a fixture in Southern California. But he's faced plenty of tough times, too, like when his restaurant burned to the ground a few years ago, and his first thought was, "how will I feed the children." He rebuilt, and came back stronger than ever. Please join me in welcoming Bruno Serato on all audio and video platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, and our #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for joining me.

    32 min
  5. 10/12/2025

    Alexia Melocchi, Global Producer, Author, "The Art of Show Biz" & Producer, Little Studio Films

    There's a lot of talk about the changes in Hollywood, a city that has been at the center of moviemaking and TV production for nearly a century. So we invited producer and writer Alexia Melocchi, who co-authored the book, "The Heart of Show Business," to talk about what's really happening in this city of dreams. Alexia will discuss in detail a road map to navigating how work is getting done in this new era. "The Heart of Show Business" speaks with industry professionals from writers, directors, actors, athletes, and more, discussing how to stay ahead and win at every level. Each chapter offers career insights and professional advice from with a variety of successful individuals, including Blair Underwood, Keith Mitchell, Rev. Michael Beckwith, Jean-Michel Cousteau and many others. I found it deeply interesting to dive into the mindset of industry pros, a terrific tool for any profession. But in the ever-changing entertainment industry, it's critical to stay one step ahead. Whether it's Ai, digital, the business of acting, where the industry is headed, or how to learn the ABC's of filmmaking, Alexia offers an interesting perspective on what's next. Please find my full interview with Alexia on all video and audio platforms of #DeborahKobyltLIVE, #LittleItalyPodcast, & #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and it's my pleasure to welcome you here.

    32 min

About

Deborah Zara Kobylt is an award-winning journalist best known for her work on CNN, Fox11 Los Angeles, KCAL9 News, Turner Entertainment, and Deborah Kobylt LIVE, a successful video/audio podcast. Deborah believes everyone has a story to tell, and because of her keen interest in people and community, her guests feel relaxed enough to reveal what they might not tell anyone else. And that's her gift as a journalist and storyteller. Born in New Jersey, she currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, John Kobylt, a successful radio talk show host, her three amazing sons, and a menagerie of animals. Deborah enjoys hiking, travel, biking, and writing. She's also a fierce competitor and completed the NYC and LA Marathons. Her passion is to promote women's causes, mental health, veterans, and animal causes.