Season 3, Episode 9 – Brought Together by Bagels

Welcome back to another episode of the True Fiction Project Podcast! This week on the podcast, I have the pleasure of talking to Gastor Almonte. He is a Comedy Central featured comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn NY. Gastor shares his experience being a first generation immigrant, and what it was like having parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. He shares the benefits he has because of the struggles that they faced coming to America, and how he still ties back everything he does to his roots. Gastor tells a hilarious story about the time he attended the wrong party and how he learned that he was in fact at the neighbors house instead of his aunts. At the end of the episode, we hear the story Brought Together by Bagels about new neighbors who struggle with garbage responsibility, but ultimately come together over their love of bagels.

Brought Together by Bagels - A short story in print

IN THIS EPISODE:
[2:28] Gastor introduces himself and talks about his profession.
[3:05] Gastor discusses his debut standup album, Immigrant Made, and why he chose that title.
[5:18] Why Gastor thinks immigrant stories are the best American stories.
[9:00] Is there a big difference between an immigrant and a 1st generation child?
[13:48] Gastor shares a hilarious story about a party he attended that he wasn’t really supposed to be at.
[23:27] What is The Story Collider?
[25:48] The short story, Brought Together by Bagels, written by Gastor Almonte and narrated by Kristen Udowitz.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Immigrant stories are the best American stories because their world view was different, the things they had to go after were different. Many of the kids of immigrants are artists, and the work that they put in first drove the direction of their families in America.
As a 1st generation American, the challenges are a lot less than what immigrant parents had to go through. Their stakes were much higher and 1st generation children are automatically granted many opportunities that immigrants weren’t.
Taking opportunities to meet people and get to know them can turn into great stories as well as bonus friendships that we wouldn’t otherwise have! Take the time to talk to someone new.

Short story written by: Gastor Almonte
Short story narrated by: Kristen Udowitz

BIO:
Gastor Almonte is a comedian and storyteller from Brooklyn, NY (East New York specifically.) He has twice appeared on Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happen, Comedy Central’s Featuring, Vice Live, and the PBS featured Stories From The Stage. His appearance on Stories From The Stage won the 2020 Webby People’s Voice award for Best Individual Performance. Timeout Magazine named him “One of your new comedy obsessions.”
His debut album, Immigrant Made, debut at #1 on the iTunes Comedy, Google Play Comedy and Amazon Music Comedy charts. His self-funded independent special, “Immigrant Made”, can be seen on Amazon Prime.
He is a producer and board member of the science-storytelling non-profit Story Collider. He is also the producer and co-host of the topical news comedy podcast, The War Report, with co-host Shalewa Sharpe.
Currently, Gastor can be seen touring the country and workshoping his one-man show, The Sugar.

Gastor Almonte's Website
The War Report Podcast
Gastor Almonte's Facebook
Gastor Almonte Twitter
Gastor Almonte Instagram
Story Collider Website