In this laugh-out-loud and deeply personal conversation, Iranian Canadian actor, writer, and creator Tara Grammy joins Leyla to talk about growing up as an Iranian weirdo, navigating diaspora identity, creating her hit comedy series Soosi Lee, and embracing curiosity (aka being fusooli) as a cultural superpower. From getting discovered by Woody Harrelson in a tiny Toronto theatre to producing a DIY Iranian Borat-meets-Cribs series in LA, Tara's story is as inspiring as it is hilarious.

She shares her journey through acting, motherhood, cultural expectations, language guilt, and the power of telling your own story—even when no one gives you permission.

🔗 Related Links:

• 📺 Watch Foozooli: https://www.instagram.com/taragrammy
  
  
• 🎥 Simple Wedding (film): IMDb

• 📝 Tara’s Harper’s Bazaar essay: Joyful Rebellion – Harper’s Bazaar

• 📚 Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation: https://www.chaiandconversation.com

• 🎧 Follow Tara on Instagram: @taragrammy
  

📣 Connect with Us:

• Follow Growing Up Irooni on Instagram: @chaiandconversation
• Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

In this fourth part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the next two lines in detail, regarding the indispensability of love.

In this lesson, we learn some more expressions we can use when meeting new people and a new expression related to tārof.

In this third part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the next two lines in detail, beginning to contemplate the importance of love to all human beings.

In this lesson, we learn some useful expressions for talking with friends or people we know, especially people who we haven't seen in a long time.

In this second part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we go over the first two lines of the poem in detail.

In this lesson, we learn a new way to call attention to someone and how to return a lost item.

In this lesson, we introduce Nizami Ganjavi, an important 12th-century poet in the cultures of Iran, Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan who is also considered the national poet of Azerbaijan. We are joined by Dr. Sahba Shayani to discuss sokhanee chand dar eshgh, or “A Few Words on Love,” an excerpt from Nizami Ganjavi's Romance of Khosrow and Shirin.

In this lesson, we learn some phrases that could be useful when talking to people on the street and how to talk briefly about some routine daily activities.

We also introduce Vijay, his mixtape, and his YouTube playlist, which you can find here!

In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we conclude The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds.
I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the last 4 lines of the poem—exploring its language, imagery, and deeper meaning.
This lesson is perfect for those with some background in Persian who want to experience the richness of mystical poetry and engage with timeless questions of love, longing, and transformation.

📄 Download the accompanying PDF guide: chaiandconversation.com
🎧 Listen to the third episode of our podcast: Spotify link

🔗 Learn more about Omid’s work: YOUniversal Center