Journalist, Stand-up Comedian, Mastermind of AJ+ First Comedy Show 'Newsbroke'
Fiorentinihasbeen contributing to news commentary show 'The Young Turks'since March 2017
Francesca Fiorentini joined Al Jazeera Media Network in September 2013. She helped the network launch the online news channel AJ+. In 2016, Fiorentini launched 'Newsbroke,' the first comedy show on the channel. As a host and head writer of 'Newsbroke,' Fiorentini covered a variety of issues with comedic twists. She utilized comedy as a tool to reach Al Jazeera's work to the younger audience and audience who were not interested on hardcore journalism.
- By Reena Chikanbanjar
- Original :
Francesca Fiorentini is a journalist and stand-up comedian.
Who is Francesca Fiorentini?
Francesca Fiorentini is an Asian-American journalist, activist, and stand-up comedian. She began her journalism career in 2004 as a contributing editor for Left Turn magazine. She then worked in a couple of media companies before joining Al Jazeera Media Network in 2013. She worked as a head writer and host ofNewsbrokeon AJ+ from 2016 to 2018. HerNewsbrokevideos like ‘The Real Deal with the U.S. Mexico Border,’ ‘White Fragility in the Workplace’ and ‘How the Rich Want to Keep you Dumb,’ were viral hits.
She worked as a correspondent for National Geographic Channel’s documentary seriesExplorerfrom 2016 through 2017 and hosted an MSNBC special,Red, White, and Who?on 29 December 2019. Furthermore, she has been contributing toThe Young Turkssince 2017.
Early Life and Education
Francesca Fiorentini was born on 10September 1980 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a Chinese mother and an Italian father. She grew up in the Bay Area of San Francisco.
After graduating from Menlo-Atherton High School, Fiorentiniwentto New York University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Globalization Studies and Women’s Studies in 2005.
Journalism Career
Fiorentinikickedoff her career in September 2004 as a contributing editor for a quarterly social movement magazine, Left Turn. She worked there for six years till September 2010. During that time, she served as an editor in chief at War Resisters League’s quarterly magazine called the Nonviolent Activist (now WIN magazine) from July 2005 to August 2007.
In August 2011, she joined Univision Communications and spent two years working as a contributing journalist.
AJ+ ‘Newsbroke’
After quitting Univision Communications, Fiorentini joined Al Jazeera Media Network in September 2013. Shehelpedthe network launch the online news channel AJ+. One of her videos, titled ‘The Real Deal with the U.S. Mexico Border,’hasbeen viewed 53 million times and shared by 543k people on Facebook as of September 2021.
In 2016, Fiorentini launchedNewsbroke, the first comedy show of AJ+. ShetoldBustle in June 2017 that one of her goals ofNewsbrokewas to “make the journalistic main operative of Al Jazeera more digestible and accessible for both younger audience and audiences that don’t aggressively seek out hard-hitting journalism.” She believed the use of comedy as an ideal way to bridge that gap.
As a host and head writer ofNewsbroke, shecovered a variety of issues with comedic twists. HerNewsbrokevideos include viral hits such as sketches like ‘White Fragility in the Workplace’ and monologues like ‘How the Rich Want to Keep you Dumb,’ both of which attracted millions of views. In a Twitter post dated 4 June 2018, FiorentiniannouncedthatNewsbrokewas canceled after a 91-week run.
National Geographic ‘Explorer’
In addition to her AJ+ career, Fiorentini alsoworkedas a correspondent for National Geographic Channel’s documentary seriesExplorerfrom August 2016 to December 2017. She appeared in several episodes, including ‘Do It For Japan,’ ‘How to Donate Your Body to Science,’ ‘Right to Life in El Salvador,’ and ‘Digging up Dinosaurs.’
As a correspondent forExplorer, sheplayedmatchmaker in Japan, toured a cadaver farm in Texas, and met Oklahomans demanding accountability for fracking-induced earthquakes. In 2018, she won a ‘Media Excellence Award’ from Planned Parenthood for her work on draconian abortion laws in El Salvador.
MSNBC ‘Red, White and Who?’
In 2019, FiorentinihostedtheRed, White and Who?, an MSNBC special focused on the state of healthcare in the United States. She traveled to Texas, New York, and Utah and interviewed doctors, patients, and politicians. The special also featured interviews with politicians such as 2020 presidential candidate and Senator Bernie Sanders.
Fiorentini also explored the effectiveness of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which was signed into law in 2010. After all the fieldwork, Fiorentiniconcludedthat “healthcare in America is often overpriced and even dysfunctional, but it’s the lack of transparency that can be the most insidious.” The MSNBC specialpremieredon 29 December 2019.
‘The Young Turks’
Fiorentinihasbeen contributing to the news commentary showThe Young Turkssince March 2017. Shehasalso written and produced six episodes ofThe Young Turks, which airs on several television networks and YouTube.
Stand-Up Comedy
In addition to a journalism career, Fiorentinistarteddoing stand-up comedy in November 2011 in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a stand-up comedian, shehasperformed at multiple comedy festivals such as the Asian-American Comedy Festival in Los Angeles in 2015, SF Comedy Day in 2017, and SF Sketchfest from 2017 to 2020. She has also been featured on the podcastLovett or Leave Itand theBBC Arts Hour.
Boyfriend
Fiorentiniisdating comedian, actor, and writer Matt Lieb.
Lieb was a comedian on the YouTube morning talk showGood Mythical Morning. He alsoworkedas a correspondent on Emmy-winning short form weekly digital variety news showThe Star Wars Showand co-creator ofNewsbrokeon AJ+.
As a San-Francisco-based stand-up comedian, Lieb was named the ‘2016 Best Comedian in the Bay Area’ by SFist. He had also performed at multiple comedy festivals, including the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, and the 10,000 Laughs Festival. His comedy had also been featured on media outlets, including Viceland, Hulu, and SiriusXM.
MSNBC Newsbroke Al Jazeera Francesca Fiorentini
