House of Crouse

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet award-winning country artist Jason McCoy. He has racked up multiple CCMA and CMA awards along with a Gold album and CMA Global Artist Award (Nashville CMA). As the creator and front man of the best-selling band in Canadian Country Music history, The Road Hammers, Jason embarked on a journey through the Country Rock genre and guided the band to unprecedented success throughout Canada and the United States. Along the way, the band earned a Canadian Platinum-certified album, secured three CCMA Band of the Year awards, and a JUNO award. Jason McCoy joins me today to talk about being inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame and much more. Then, we’ll meet Claudia Dey. She is a best-selling author, playwright, actor and the co-designer of women's clothing brand Horses Atelier. Her books have been listed as one of the Most Anticipated Books by Entertainment Weekly, The Millions, Publishers Weekly (starred review) and BuzzFeed. Her latest book is “Daughter,” a searing and hypnotic tour de force about a woman, long caught in her charismatic father's web, who strives to make a life—and art—of her own.

On this special "Best Of" edition of the Richard Crouse Show, we’ll hear from EDM superstar Moby on what it was like to live next door to someone he calls the greatest musician to ever live. I’ll speak to an actor who was nominated for an Academy award, even though his whole role only consists of 17 lines… but I guarantee you’ve quoted one of them. We’ll hear from everyone from the band Cheap Trick and Johnny Rotten to Rick Mercer and many more!

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Zalika Reid-Benta, an author who explores race, identity and culture through the lens of second-generation Caribbean Canadians in her work. The Columbia MFA graduate's debut novel “Frying Plantain,” a series of interconnected stories featuring a young Black female protagonist, was on the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist. Her new book is River Mumma, is an exhilarating contemporary fantasy novel about a young Black woman who navigates her quarter-life-crisis while embarking on a mythical quest through the streets of Toronto. Then, we’ll meet Carley Fortune, an award-winning journalist who has worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada. Her new book is called “Meet Me at the Lake,” a love story about secrets, lies, missed connections and second chances that is being called, “beautiful and heart-tugging.” It recently caught the eye of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry who bought the rights to the book as their first big screen adaptation of a novel.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know Paul Langlois. Best known as the guitarist and songwriter for the Tragically Hip, he was asked to play the closing ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls in August of 2022. That gig got him playing again after Gord Downey’s passing, and the break up of the Hip, and rekindled his love for songwriting. From there, the collection of songs that became his new solo record “Guess What” emerged. We’ll also meet best-selling author Tom Rachman, the author of four works of fiction including the latest one, “The Imposters,” the story of an aging and embittered novelist who knows her mind of going. She is determined, however, to finish her final book, and reverse her fortunes, before time runs out. Alone in her London home during the pandemic, she creates, and is in turn created by, the fascinating real characters from her own life. And later in the show we’ll meet Carly Stone and Amanda Fix, the director and star of “North of Normal,” the true story of Cea Sunrise Person, who, at age 15, was working as a high-fashion model in Manhattan and Paris. The new movie tells the story of her unconventional childhood with free-spirited mother Michelle, played by Sarah Gadon, and the journey from the wilderness of Alberta and British Columbia to the runways of the fashion world.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know American film director, production designer, and screenwriter Catherine Hardwicke. Her directorial work includes “Thirteen,” ”Lords of Dogtown,” the megahit “Twilight,” “Miss Bala” and “mafia Momma” among many others. Today she’s here to talk about her latest film, “Prisoner’s Daughter,” a family drama starring “Succession’s” Brian Cox as a father hoping to reconnect with his estranged daughter and her son. We’ll also meet author Wayne Ng. Wayne is an an award-winning short story and travel writer who was recently nominated for the Guernica Prize for his latest book, a family drama called "The Family Code," which was, in part, inspired by his 30 year career as a social worker. Finally, we meet Phil Dellio. His new book, “Happy for a While: "American Pie," 1972, and the Awkward, Confusing Now,” is a look at the famous Don McLean song and how to approach great art made by people whose personal transgressions become a matter of public record.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies. The an alternative country and folk rock band have been together, producing albums and touring, since 1985. Early on their version of the Velvet Underground song “Sweet Jane” earned them critical success and, the song’s writer, Lou Reed claimed that their version of "Sweet Jane" was his favourite. They are back with a new record called “Such Ferocious Beauty,” the band’s first release of new material in five years and follows their heralded 2022 collection of covers, “Songs of the Recollection.” It is a mix of styles Alternative? Rock? Americana? Roots? And a rumination on aging, losing parents and facing mortality. The we get to know director, actor, writer Sharon Lewis. She talks about her documentary “With Wonder,” an intimate look at the journey of members of the Queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: Can you be both Christian and Queer? We’ll talk about her personal experiences and how she extended the documentary into a multipart series on YouTube called WITH WONDER: Untold Stories. Finally, improviser and comedian Kris Siddiqi. In addition to his work as an improvisor at Second City and in clubs, the Canadian Comedy Awards nominee who has played a role in the Gemini winning Showcase series ‘Cock’d Gunns’, has written for and hosted YTV’s Saturday morning show CRUNCH!, the Showcase series Almost Heroes & Lost Girl, MTV’s Scare Tactics, My Babysitter’s a Vampire, and Disney’s Life with Boys. Kris is now one of the stars of the new Family Channel show "I Woke Up A Vampire.”

Welcome to the 800th episode of the Richard Crouse Show. Today, we’re getting nostalgic. I’ll have a look back at my favorite moments from 216,000 seconds and 800 episodes of the show. Slash from Guns ‘N Roses talk about how his parents gave him a love of horror movies; show business legend Ann Margaret tells us how she got the nickname Slugger; Hugh Jackman reveals how he overcame his fear, onstage and off; Jodie Foster tells me about how she chooses the movies she wants to make; Eric McCormack talks about what he learned from his every first play, when he was in grade one; Malcolm McDowell on life as an actor; Michael Caine talks about being an icon and much, much more. Some of these interviews were done in studio, many of them were done in hotel rooms in lots of different cities, and at least one of them was done in the back of a cab. The thing that binds them all is great conversation and hopefully, some insight into the lives of the people you know from television, movies, music or literature.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Kevin Hegge, director of the documentary Tramps, which is now playing in theatres. His film has an up-close-and-personal look at the New Romantics, the countercultural scene that emerged in late 1970s’ London. It united outsiders, misfits, and bohemians like Boy George, the scene’s most famous member. It is a look back at a time when the artists starved but looked fabulous, but it’s also a portrait of artists and their unswerving need to create, whether the canvas was the outrageous clothes they wore, the jewelry that adorned them, or the music they listened to. Tramps does a deep dive into the New Romantics as an art movement rather than solely a pop-cultural one. If you, like me, read magazines like New Musical Express, Face magazine or ID, you saw the photos and read the stories. Tramps brings the scene to vivid life. Then, we get to know Belinda Carlisle. As the lead singer of the Go Gos, who produced hits like "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat," she fronted the most successful all-female rock band of all time. As a solo artists, she topped the charts with songs like radio hits such as "Mad About You", "I Get Weak", "Circle in the Sand", "Leave a Light On", and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth.” Her new record, “Kismet,” marks her first new English language studio recording since 1997 and the triumphant reunion with hot making songwriter Diane Warren. Finally, I’ll introduce you to Chris Nielsen and Bart Batchelor, the Vancouver based co-creators of “Psi Cops,” a new series on Adult Swim Canada and Stack TV. It’s the animated story of two paranormal investigators at a company called Psi Cops, who investigate alleged sightings of aliens, ghosts, demons, and other hocus-pocus nonsense. Imagine Mulder and Scully from the X-Files… if they were played by Abbott and Costello. It’s a fun show, and we’ll tell you all about it, and how Chris and Bart made the leap from advertising to the world of animation.

On this week’s edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Jon Klassen. He is the creator of the #1 New York Times best-selling I Want My Hat Back. He is also the illustrator of The Shapes Trilogy of books which is now is now a television show on Apple TV+ called Shape Island. His new book is The Skull, a folktale about a brave girl who helps a Skull over come his fears as she overcomes her own. Then, we meet C.C. Humphreys. You know him as an actor. He was Clive Parnell on Coronation Street and appeared on The Adventures of Shirley Holmes and Elysium among many others things. He has also written twenty-two novels of both historical fiction and fantasy including his latest “Someday I’ll Find You,” a novel about a spy, and a pilot, who fall in love but are wrenched apart during World War II, and must find their way back to each other. This tale of causes and compromises, heroism and betrayaI is perfect for fan of historical fiction, of books like “The Nightingale” and “Lilac Girls.”

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet animator and author Alan Barillaro. He’s an Academy Award winner for his work at Pixar and is now an author with the release of a middle-grade novel called “Where The Water Takes Us” is available now wherever fine books are sold. It is a stirring story about a sensitive, shaken young girl who must face that growing up means coming to terms with the things you cannot change--and taking responsibility for the things you can. We’ll also get to know Clare Pooley, the Cambridge educated author of "Iona Iverson’s Rules For Commuting." After working in advertising for twenty years it dawned on her that her daily ‘wine o’clock’ habit was out of control. She wrote the popular "Mummy was a Secret Drinker" blog and a memoir, "The Sober Diaries," published in 2017 to critical acclaim. Her latest novel, "Iona Iverson’s Rules For Commuting," is an entertaining book about unexpected friendships and the joy of connecting.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet best-selling author Ashley Audrain. Two years ago Ashley debut novel, The Push, became a New York Times, Sunday Times (UK), #1 international bestseller, and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. The psychological thriller tells the story of three generations of women who have been abused and are passing on their traumas through these generations. Her second book “The Whispers,” now available wherever fine books are sold, is a propulsive page-turner about four suburban families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens—and what is lost when good people make unconscionable choices. We’ll also meet Elegance Bratton, the film director who turned his story of being a young gay man, who found unexpected strength, camaraderie and support when he joined the Marines, after being rejected by his mother, into a critically acclaimed film called “The Inspection.” It is a classic against-all-odds story that paints a vivid picture of life inside the boot camp, the dehumanization, the violence, but also the brotherhood. The movie carefully builds the world of the boot camp, creating a palette of claustrophobia, brutality and tension that adds layers to the telling of his survival story.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Emm Gryner. She is a Canadian musician and vocal coach. David Bowie named Emm as one of his two favourite Canadian acts. U2 frontman Bono named her song “Almighty Love” as one of six songs that he wished he had written. Gryner toured in David Bowie’s band, singing and playing keyboards, and appears on the recordings Bowie at the Beeb and Glastonbury 2000. Emm helped make the first music video in outer space with Chris Hadfield and is also the author of a book called “The Healing Power of Singing: Raise Your Voice, Change Your Life: What Touring With David Bowie, Single Parenting And Ditching The Music Business Taught Me In 25 Easy Steps.” Her new album is “Business & Pleasure” is a celebration of the Detroit radio scene and the music that shaped her childhood. From Motown, jazz and pop, to Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac and the Doobies, Business & Pleasure is infused with the sunshine soul and stellar playing of the late 70s and early 80s. Then, Gord Sinclair stops by. Best known as the bass player and one of the songwriters in The Tragically Hip, he is now a “reluctant solo artist” with a new album called In Continental Drift, available now wherever you buy fine music. Finally, we go into the vault to revisit my interview with the late, great rock photographer Mick Rock. He is often referred to as ‘The Man Who Shot the Seventies’, for his iconic images of Syd Barrett, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Queen, The Ramones, Blondie, Rocky Horror Picture Show, etc. London born, he has resided in New York for over 35 years. He has shot over 100 album covers. Rock was instrumental in creating many key rock ‘n’ roll images, such as album covers for Syd Barrett’s Madcap Laughs, Lou Reed’s Transformer and Coney Island Baby, Iggy and The Stooges’ Raw Power, Queen’s Queen II (recreated for their classic music video ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’) and Sheer Heart Attack, The Ramones End of the Century and Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll, among many others. He was the chief photographer on the films The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus. He recently shot special stills for the new TV version of Rocky Horror, featuring the transgender actress Laverne Cox as Frank n Furter. He also produced and directed the seminal music videos for Bowie: ‘John, I’m Only Dancing’, ‘Jean Genie’, ‘Space Oddity’, and ‘Life On Mars’.

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we meet novelist, editor, and creative writing instructor Amy Jones. She is the author of the novels Every Little Piece of Me (McClelland & Stewart, 2019) and We’re All in This Together (McClelland & Stewart, 2016), her third novel, Pebble and Dove, which is available now wherever fine books are sold. Set in Florida, it’s a story of mothers and daughters and an inspirational manatee. Mother Lauren's life is a mess. She has a storage unit full of candles she can't sell, a growing mountain of debt, and a teenage daughter, Dove, who barely speaks to her. When Dove discovers the abandoned Flamingo Key Aquarium and Tackle, she meets Pebble, the world's oldest manatee in captivity. It is Pebble, a former star attraction, and her devoted caretaker, Ray, who hold the key to helping Lauren and Dove move forward. Then, Andrew F. Sullivan, an author the Globe and Mail called “One of the country’s most talented young writers.” He is the author of “The Marigold,” a new novel that combines decay, urban sprawl, urban dystopia, and nature’s vengeance in a story about a dystopian future in the city of Toronto where a monster of our own making, a deadly mold, becomes sentient and attacks from within.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Pete Sohn, director of the new Pixar film “Elemental.” He is an animator, voice actor, storyboard artist, and film director known for his work at Pixar as the director of 2015's The Good Dinosaur. He has also been the voice of Emile in Ratatouille, Squishy in Monsters University, and Sox in Lightyear… he returns to the big screen with “Elemental,” a beautifully animated movie that takes place in a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together. With that as a backdrop, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common. The story is a fantasy, but has roots in Sohn’s family story. We’ll also get to know Liz Locke. If you like cocktails and classic movies like I do, you’ll want to check out her site CinemaSips.com and then check out her debut novel “Follow the Sun,” a portrait of the 1960s International Jet Set Era through the eyes of an aspiring singer-songwriter. And we’ll meet Emmy-award winning documentary filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine who have created a fascinating look at iconic Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen called “HALLELUJAH: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song” that uses one of his most famous songs as a starting point. We’ll find out why one of Cohen’s most famous songs was rejected by his record company and more.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Lindsay Cameron. For many years Lindsay worked as a corporate lawyer in Vancouver and New York City before leaving the law behind to write books. Her first novel “Biglaw” was an insider's view of the cut-throat world of big New York law firms, was a big hit and was followed by a suspense novel called “Just One Look: A Novel” that critics called “totally addictive.” Her latest novel is “No One Needs to Know,” is another suspense story, described as “White Lotus” meets “Gossip Girl.” It explores a modern age nightmare - what if your darkest secrets were revealed to your enemies? In the book, an anonymous neighborhood forum gets hacked, and the darkest secrets of New York’s wealthiest residents come to light—including some worth killing for. We also get to know Carley Fortune, an award-winning journalist who worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada. Her new book is called “Meet Me at the Lake,” a love story about secrets, lies, missed connections and second chances that is being called, “beautiful and heart-tugging.”

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton, collaborators on a new album called “Death Wish Blues.” Samantha Fish, a guitarist, songwriter and singer, voted by guitarworld.com as oner of the 10 best blues guitarists in the world today joins us. Calling her a blues guitarist is a little misleading because in a career spanning over 10 years, the Kansas City, Missouri musician music features multiple genres, including blues but also rock, country, funk, bluegrass and ballads. Jesse Dayton boasts an exceptional resume as an acclaimed solo recording artist, collaborator with artists such as Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Duff McKagan, a touring guitarist for seminal punk band X, teammate with Rob Zombie on the soundtracks for his iconic horror films, and as a radio show host on Gimme Country. We’ll also get to know Ore Agbaje-Williams. She is a British-Nigerian writer from London who has written for gal-dem and Glamour. Her new novel, “The Three of Us” now available wherever fine books are sold, tells the story of long-standing tensions between a husband, his wife, and her best friend, that finally come to a breaking point in this sharp domestic comedy of manners, told brilliantly over the course of one day. We round things out with Joy Fielding, the New York Times bestselling author called "an ingenious master of domestic suspense," joins me to talk about her new novel “The Housekeeper.” It’s a suspenseful story about a woman who hires a housekeeper to care for her aging parents--only to watch as she takes over their lives.

On this week’s edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Martha Hall Kelly, the New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls, Lost Roses, and Sunflower Sisters. With more than two million copies of her books sold and her books translated in fifty countries, Martha joins me today to talk about her new book “The Golden Doves.” It is a gripping historical novel, inspired by true events, about two former female spies, bound together by their past, who risk everything to hunt down an infamous Nazi doctor in the aftermath of World War II. We’ll also meet Ari Aster, the writer and director of challenging hit films like Hereditary and Midsommar. Today we’ll talk about his latest movie, Beau Is Afraid, a three hour panic attack of a film starring Joaquin Phoenix as a mild-mannered but paranoia-ridden man who embarks on a surreal odyssey to get home to see his mother. I’ve seen a lot of movies, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this one. Find out what it means when I call it a “three hour panic attack.” And we’ll get to know we’ll meet British comedian, actress and television presenter Lorna Watson as we talk about how a one off character she did on a show called “Father Brown” a decade ago is back with season two of a show built around that very same character on the “Sister Boniface Mysteries,” which is is now available to stream on BritBox.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet wrestler, comedian, actor and talk show host RJ City. A lifelong wrestling fan, he’s been wrestling professionally since 2006, he’s appeared in movies and these days, you can find him at All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a backstage interviewer and host of a weekly comedy talk show on AEW's YouTube page called Hey! (EW) where he interviews other AEW talent. And, later we’ll meet Corinna Chong, a writer, editor, and graphic designer based in Kelowna, BC. Her first novel, Belinda's Rings, was published in Spring 2013. She won the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize for "Kids in Kindergarten." Today we’ll talk about her new book, “The Whole Animal,” a collection of short stories that grapple with the self-alienation and self-discovery that make us human.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Noah Pink, screenwriter of a new movie called “Tetris,” starring Taron Egerton, and now playing on Apple TV+, that tells the story of how Dutch video game designer Henk Rogers fit the differently shaped pieces of international intrigue and video game creation together to secure the intellectual property rights to popular game. It’s a story of international intrigue, the Cold War and of the deep friendship that grew between entrepreneur Henk Rogers and the game’s Russian creator Alexey Pajitnov. Then, Gregory Sestero, star of the found footage film “Infrared.” In the film he plays the creepy caretaker of an abandoned schoolhouse. If Greg’s name rings a bell, it’s likely because you’ve attended one of the midnight madness screenings of “The Room,” a movie so deliciously awful, it has become a cult favorite since its release in 2003. Gregory turned the experience of making the so-bad-it’s-a-hoot movie into a book, which eventually went on to become the Oscar nominated movie “The Disaster Artist,” starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. We talk about “Infrared” and whether or not, twenty years on, if “The Room” is an embarrassment or a source of pride. Finally, we go to the vault to hear a vintage interview I did with Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman. We don’t talk superheroes, instead, the actor gets personal, talking about the projects that worked, the ones that didn’t and what drives him.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Steve Ryan. He began his policing career at just eighteen years old. After nearly thirty years of policing — two thirds of that working as a detective — he retired and began a career with CP24 as a crime specialist. In his book, “The Ghosts That Haunt Me,” he reflects on just a few of the many cases that have greatly impacted him. He remembers six cases — seven people whose lives were senselessly taken — that he still thinks about nearly every day. While these stories are hard to tell, they were harder to live through. We’ll also get to know Barbie Latza Nadeau. She has worked as the Rome bureau chief for Newsweek Magazine and currently holds that position for The Daily Beast. She is an on-air contributor for CNN and a writer for Scientific American. She is also a true crime novelist, with a new book, “The Godmother,” about the rise of women in the mafia. Publishers Weekly calls it “A must for true crime fans,” and it is a great read. And finally, we’ll meet American film director, production designer, and screenwriter Catherine Hardwicke. Her directorial work includes “Thirteen,” ”Lords of Dogtown,” the megahit “Twilight,” “Miss Bala” and “Prisoner's Daughter” among many others. Today she’s here to talk about her latest film, Mafia Mamma, a movie I described as having the same kind of themes as “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Eat, Pray, Love” only with 100% more gunplay and slapstick violence.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show: It’s hard to remember now, but there was a time when we were not tethered to our smart phones. A new film, “BlackBerry,” starring Jay Baruchel and Matt Johnson, and now playing in theatres, vividly recreates the scrappy story of friendship, betrayal and hubris that began our obsession with our phones. Today, we going to focus on that story, courtesy of the film BlackBerry, which opens in theatres on May 12. There was a time when the Canadian made, odd little phone, with a QWERTY keyboard, encrypted messaging and low data cost, was a status symbol, used by some of the world’ most powerful people. In the hands of everyone from President Barack Obama and Justin Timberlake to Katy Perry and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, the phones helped the world communicate in a whole new way. They were the original smart phones, which makes their Canadian creators Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin, visionaries, the men who gave us the future. Recently I sat down with BlackBerry co-writer, co-star and director Matt Johnson, and Jay Baruchel who stars as the awkward genius behind the BlackBerry tech, Mike Lazaridis. Matt is the director of The Dirties, which won Best Narrative Feature at the Slamdance Film Festival, Operation Avalanche, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and mockumentary television series Nirvanna the Band the Show. You know Jay from his voice role as Hiccup Haddock in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise, and for roles in Knocked Up, Tropic Thunder, The Trotsky, Fanboys, She's Out of My League, Goon, This Is the End, and the action-fantasy film The Sorcerer's Apprentice. You can also see him as the host of We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel) on Crave. BlackBerry is the story of the company Research in Motion, Jim Balsillie, the hotheaded businessman, played by Glenn Howerton, who was there for the rise and fall of the iconic company. “BlackBerry” isn’t just a business story or the story of innovation. Instead, it is an underdog tale that emphasizes the human foibles that led to RIM’s downfall, not just the financial ones. We began the interview with the idea of talking about the film, but were soon sidetracked by a discussion inspired by the lessons learned from the film, about what it means to be Canadian, why we don’t celebrate our own stories and much more. Stay tuned, it often doesn’t sound like an interview as much as a conversation we might have had over a drink or two. Like the movie we were supposed to concentrate on, before the conversation took a few left turns, the interview is passionate, patriotic, funny and not quite what you might expect.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Thomas Hayden Church. He became a star as Mechanic Lowell Mather on the sitcom “Wings,” was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in “Sideways” and has had supporting roles in films such as Tombstone, George of the Jungle, The Specials, and Demon Knight. Today, we talk about his new movie, Acidman. In the film, he plays Lloyd, a reclusive man who lives in in the middle of nowhere, and spends his time searching for UFOs. He is estranged from his daughter Maggie and has been given the nickname "Acidman" by the locals. One day his daughter arrives to pass along some important news and they attempt to make contact, with UFOs and each other. We’ll also meet actor Melanie Scrofano. You know her from everything from the Crave comedy series Letterkenny and the comedy-drama series Being Erica, to the CTV fantasy-drama series The Listener and the Syfy modern Western drama Wynonna Earp. Today we talk about her latest movie, “The End of Sex.” Later in the show we’ll meet author Justin Cronin. In 2010, novel “The Passage” became a phenomenon. The unforgettable tale that critics and readers compared to the novels of Cormac McCarthy, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, and Margaret Atwood became a runaway bestseller and loved by readers around the globe. His latest book, “The Ferryman” is a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn't what it seems. No less an expert than Stephen King said, ““The Ferryman is next to impossible to put down once you’ve read the first few pages. Exciting, mysterious, and totally satisfying, this is a book to get lost in…”

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Deaundre’ Woods who stars as Alexander Hamilton in the Toronto production of the hit show. We’ll talk about what he thinks sets Hamilton apart from other musicals, the excitement of performing the show with its creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and how a hole in a very inappropriate place on his costume helped calm his nerves in opening night. Then we’ll get to know filmmaker April Mullen. Her new film, Simulant, stars Sam Worthington of Avatar, Jordana Brewster of the Fast and Furious franchise and Marvel superhero Simu Liu in a sci-fi thriller that will explore the dangers of artificial intelligence in a world where sentient robots roam free.

On this edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet award winning Quebec filmmaker Stéphane Lafleur. His new movie “Viking” was a selection in Canada’s Top Ten and is available wherever you legally download movies on line. In the film The Viking Society is recruiting volunteers for the first manned mission to Mars. The goal is to form a B-team that will mirror the mission here on Earth in order to find solutions to the interpersonal problems that the Mars-bound crew is experiencing. Then, Andy Garcia about the scene that scene that made him a movie star, the Odessa Steps sequence in “The Untouchables.” Finally, we’ll get to know multi-hyphenate Kevin Smith. He’s a filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, and podcaster. You know his movies like “Clerks,” “Dogma” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” Now he adds another hyphen to his resume. Documentary subject. The documentary “Clerk,” now on VOD, touches on every aspect of his work, from the film that put him on the map to the View Askewniverse to his health problems and a new found self-awareness.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet producer/writer/comedian Dan Galea. The two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner’s debut musical comedy album “Inter-Dan-Mensional” on Comedy Records, executive produced by Scott Thompson from Kids in the Hall who also appears on the album, is available next week at dangalea.ca. Dan spent twenty years working on the album, which he describes as a comedic diary of his life. It has everything from Disco to Metal and every song gives you a peek into who he is and what he is all about. Some songs are just silly, he says, “but so am I.” Scott Thompson joins us late to talk about his involvement with the record and why he loves comedian Flip Wilson. Then we’ll get to know bestselling Edmonton author and professor Thomas Wharton. He has written several books, including his award-winning debut novel, “Icefields,” and “Salamander” which was shortlisted for a Governor General's Literary Award for fiction. His latest book is “The Book of Rain,” a suspenseful sci-fi novel about nature, environmental stewardship and the fate of the planet. “The Book of Rain” is a multi-plotted novel set in a world where ghost ore, a new minable energy source much more lucrative than gold, can disrupt time and space and slowly make an environment inhospitable. In one of three ghost ore hotspots in the world, the Alberta mining town of River Meadows, residents have been evacuated, except Amery Hewitt can't seem to stay away

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Jacob Silverman. On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Jacob Silverman. He is a journalist in New York, where he writes about technology, cryptocurrency, and politics. He's the author of "Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection" and is a contributing editor for The New Republic and The Baffler. His new book, co-written with the actor and writer Ben McKenzie, is called "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud," and will be published by Abrams Books in July 2023. He is also the host of new podcast "The Naked Emperor" about Sam Bankman-Fried, from CBC News' Front Burner and CBC Podcasts. The Naked Emperor is on CBC and everywhere podcasts are available. The podcast is the story of Sam Bankman-Fried, once a billionaire and trusted face of crypto with his trading platform FTX. Despite his dorm room lifestyle he charmed celebrities, politicians, and Silicon Valley. That is, until it all came crashing down. Today Sam faces charges that could send him to jail for the rest of his life. It’s a fascinating story. Then, Metis/Ukrainian writer and educator Conor Kerr stops by. His debut novel, "Avenue of Champions," won the 2022 RELIT Award and was shortlisted for the 2022 Amazon/Walrus Debut Novel Award and his available wherever you buy fine books, right now. The book centers on Daniel, a young Métis man searching for a way to exist in a world of violence, intergenerational trauma and systemic racism. Finally, we’ll meet Lilah Fitzgerald. Best known for her roles in “Seventh Son” and “Monster High.” She is also a busy author, with her debut novel “Stars and Swashbucklers” set to release on April 4th. The book is a futuristic fantasy that follows a girl on a sailing trip across a shattered Earth that has become a series of islands floating between the stars. . He is a journalist in New York, where he writes about technology, cryptocurrency, and politics. He's the author of "Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection" and is a contributing editor for The New Republic and The Baffler. His new book, co-written with the actor and writer Ben McKenzie, is called "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud," and will be published by Abrams Books in July 2023. He is also the host of new podcast "The Naked Emperor" about Sam Bankman-Fried, from CBC News' Front Burner and CBC Podcasts. The Naked Emperor is on CBC and everywhere podcasts are available. The podcast is the story of Sam Bankman-Fried, once a billionaire and trusted face of crypto with his trading platform FTX. Despite his dorm room lifestyle he charmed celebrities, politicians, and Silicon Valley. That is, until it all came crashing down. Today Sam faces charges that could send him to jail for the rest of his life. It’s a fascinating story. Then, Metis/Ukrainian writer and educator Conor Kerr stops by. His debut novel, "Avenue of Champions," won the 2022 RELIT Award and was shortlisted for the 2022 Amazon/Walrus Debut Novel Award and his available wherever you buy fine books, right now. The book centers on Daniel, a young Métis man searching for a way to exist in a world of violence, intergenerational trauma and systemic racism. Finally, we’ll meet Lilah Fitzgerald. Best known for her roles in “Seventh Son” and “Monster High.” She is also a busy author, with her debut novel “Stars and Swashbucklers” set to release on April 4th. The book is a futuristic fantasy that follows a girl on a sailing trip across a shattered Earth that has become a series of islands floating between the stars.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Lindsay Wong. She is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir "The Woo-Woo: How I Survived Ice Hockey, Drug Raids, Demons, and My Crazy Chinese Family," which was a 2019 Canada Reads finalist. Her new book, “Please Tell Me Pleasant Things About Immortality,” is a collection of 13 horror stories, all of which tour the Chinese-Canadian experience. Then we’ll meet Zale Mednick is a successful ophthalmologist who, just at the cusp of embarking on his career, was suddenly overcome with self-doubt about the path he'd chosen for himself. Realizing that his preconceptions might be misleading him, Zale set out to explore many of his preconceptions in a podcast called “Preconceived!” Today we talk about his podcast and his new book, “Preconceived - Challenging the Preconceptions in Our Lives.” Fionally, actor, musician and writer Cliff Cardinal stops by. If you happen to find yourself in Toronto in the next little while, check out his provocative new show, a “radical retelling by Cliff Cardinal” of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Called “The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It,” the show is the unvarnished truth of the state of the reconciliation process this country has been attempting for the last few decades.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet director Chandler Levack, whose debut feature film, “I Like Movies,” will be in theatres on March 10. The film festival hit is based on her experiences working at a Blockbuster Video in Burlington, Ontario in the early 2000s. It’s the story of how movie obsessive Lawrence Kweller (Isaiah Lehtinen) allows his love of film, dream of attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and anxiety, alienate the most important people in his life. Part work-place comedy—think “High Fidelity” only set in a video store—part character study, “I Like Movies” is sweet-natured, funny film that digs deep to make us feel empathy for Lawrence, a socially awkward character who hides his real feelings behind a facade of bluster and pretension. Strong performances and a genuinely heartfelt script make this take on adolescent angst a winning debut for Levack. Then, C. J. Tudor, bestselling author of “The Burning Girls,” “The Other People,” “The Hiding Place” and “The Chalk Man,” which won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, stops by. Over the years she has worked as a copywriter, television presenter, who asked Tim Robbins an embarrassing questions, a voice-over artist, and dog walker. Today we’ll talk about some of those jobs and her new novel, “The Drift,” a heart-pounding new novel about three ordinary people who risk everything for a chance at redemption. And finally, we spend time with “In the Key of Dale” author Benjamin Lefebvre. He is a writer based in Kitchener, Ont. His edited books include the anthology “The L.M. Montgomery Reader,” which won the 2016 PROSE Award for Literature from the Association of American Publishers, and an edition of L.M. Montgomery's rediscovered final book, “The Blythes Are Quoted.”

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Gord Sinclair. Best known as the bass player and one of the songwriters in The Tragically Hip, he is now a “reluctant solo artist” with a new album pon the way. His new single “Gool Guy” marks a continuation of the solo career he never anticipated embarking on before the 2017 passing of The Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie. Following decades of music-making with the band’s frontman, Gord Sinclair continues to honour his friend through music. The new song is the follow-up to his debut solo project, 2020’s Taxi Dancers, which was released to critical acclaim, and brings back a more rhythmic and driving rock ‘n roll energy that just might put you in the mind of The Hip. Then, bestselling Métis author Cherie Dimaline stops by. Her breakout book, The Marrow Thieves, has been widely acclaimed for its portrayal of Indigenous colonization and ecological devastation and was named one of Time magazine's top 100 YA novels of all time and her other novels, like Empire of Wild and Hunting By Stars have won many awards, including the Governor General's Award for English-language children's literature. Her new book, VenCo is a novel about a coven of modern-day witches. It is an epic adventure that unfolds involving secret witches, witch hunters, magic spoons and an epic road trip from Toronto, to Salem, through Appalachia and into New Orleans.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Matt Bauer. He is the director of “The Other Fellow,” a new documentary that asks a simple question, “What would it be like to share your name with legendary movie spy James Bond?” It is the untold story of the real James Bond[s], people like a Swedish superfan who changed his name to James Bond and opened his own James Bond Museum, a South Bend, Indiana man, James Bond Jr. whose life has been marred by several police officers who refuse to believe the name is real and other Bonds in Vancouver, Toronto, London, Denver, Guyana, Europe, the US and Baghdad. All are bound by being in that looming shadow of James Bond and the movie, The Other Fellow, explains how it creates an identity crisis like no other. Then, Darron Cardoza stops by. If that name doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps you know him by his on-line name, The Bitchy Waiter. He is a long time New York City restaurant worker, an actor and a writer. His popular blog and social media sites are the voice for restaurant workers around the world. He says out loud what most people in the restaurant industry are only allowed to think.

This week on the Richard Crouse Oscar Special we meet four Academy Award nominees! First up, Ke Huy Quan, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the most aptly titled movie of last year, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” You can say a lot of things about “Everything Everywhere All At Once” but you can’t say you’ve ever seen anything quite like it before. An eye-popping reflection on the power of kindness and love to heal the world’s problems, it is exhilarating that mixes and matches everything from family drama and tax problems to martial-arts and metaphysics into a whimsical story that moves at the speed of light. The result is a singular film that milks intentionality out of its madness. You know Ke Huy Quan as Short Round, the plucky kid companion to Indiana Jones in The Temple Of Doom and from a role in cult classic comedy-adventure The Goonies. We’ll talk about why he chose to return to acting in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” after a twenty-year break from Hollywood. I caught up with Best Director nominee Baz Lurhmann and the stars of “Elvis,” Best Actor nominee Austin Butler, who hands in a terrific performance as Elvis and Olivia DeJonge who plays Elvis’ wife, Priscilla. We talked about what the story of Elvis’s life can tell us about America, Priscilla’s role in the singer’s life and much more. Then, we meet Best Actor nominee Brendan Fraser, whose performance as a 600 pound man in “The Whale” earned him a six minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, and the film’s screenwriter Sam Hunter, to talk about what Fraser learned from playing the character, how Hunter changed the script from the original stage play and more.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show, comedian and actor Matt Walsh was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for his role as Mike McLintock in “Veep.” He is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe, was a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and has appeared in films such as Road Trip, Bad Santa and The Hangover. He co-wrote and stars in the new film, “Unplugging,” a new comedy now on VOD, that sees a workaholic husband and wife, played by Matt and Eva Longoria, who are both permanently glued to their phones. In an effort to relax, they go off the grid on a rustic getaway with no cell service, internet or social media to revive their marriage. But what starts as the perfect weekend getaway quickly spirals out of control with unearthly encounters, strong edibles, cranky locals, and a pesky one - eyed dog. Without GPS to guide them or social media to save them, they are forced to rediscover what truly matters — each other. Then we meet “Pressure” star Kevin Doyle. In the show, now playing the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, it’s D-Day, June 1944. The Allied forces led by General Eisenhower are poised to launch. 350,000 lives are at stake and the decision of whether to attack comes down to the most important weather forecast of all time. We talk about “Pressure,” and his most famous role, “Downton Abbey's second footman, Joseph Molesley.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2021, and CMT’s 2022 “Breakout Artist of the Year” Lainey Wilson. Her highly anticipated album “Bell Bottom Country” is out now and she recently announced a 27-city headlining tour, that will visit Vancouver and Edmonton this year. Then welcome Slava Pastuk, the co-author of “Bad Trips,” a book recounting how he went from an editor for VICE media, to being to sentenced to nine years in prison for recruiting friends into a scheme to smuggle cocaine from the U.S. into Australia. Finally, we’ll meet Maya Macatumpag, a Filipino Canadian stuntwoman whose work can be seen in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” the Ryan Reynold's movie “Deadpool 2”, and the TV shows “Supergirl” and “Supernatural.”

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Quebec ultramarathon runner Joan Roch who is preparing for a nearly 8,000-kilometre run from the most southern point of the United States to Quebec's Gaspé peninsula. Then, Oscar winner Laura Dern joins me to talk about her latest film “The Son,” which is in theatres now. In it, she plays Kate, ex-wife of the Hugh Jackman character and the mother of a young man experiencing extreme depression. We’ll also get to know Andrea Constand. Of the more than 60 women who publicly accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, she is the only one to get a conviction. She joins me to talk about her pursuit for justice and healing and a new docu-series called “The Case Against Cosby.” Finally, we get to meet Lou Lou la Duchesse de Riere, an Indigenous burlesque performer from Quebec who was named No. 2 in the world by 21st Century Burlesque Magazine.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Mark Critch. He is an actor, comedian and author, who, since 2003 has starred on the political parody show This Hour Has 22 Minutes. He’s photo-bombed Justin Trudeau, offered Pamela Anderson a million dollars to stop acting, and poked fun at characters like Rex Murphy, Don Cherry and Donald Trump. The show turns thirty years old this season, making it the longest running comedy show on Canadian television. As if that wasn’t enough to keep Mark busy, his other show, the hit CBC sitcom “Son of a Critch,” is now on its second season. The show is a biographical look at growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in a fun twist, he plays his own father on the show. Then, we get to know Raymond Knowles, and he is the world’s number one Avatar fan. To prove it, he has tattooed 95% of his body with Avatar related tats, named his Edmonton Alberta based carpentry company Mr. Avatar, and has seen the movies more times than you can count.

Usually around this time of year I look at the best and worst movies of the year, but with so much negativity in the world, I decided to concentrate on the good stuff, the best movies I saw this year.

It’s time to buy a new calendar and think ahead to the next year. For some the New Year is a new start on old habits, for others, like me, it’s a time to make some resolutions, but why do we make them every year, when every year we break them. On the show today we’ll talk about resolutions, whether they help or hurt and how to make your life a little better in 2023.

A bee shares their Christmas message with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

On the Richard Crouse Show Booze & Reviews Christmas Special, I'll share movies to enjoy over the holidays and the perfect cocktail to sip while watching. Then, I'll tell you all about the booziest Christmas song of all time.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know Teddy Wilson, co-host of “The Mightiest,” a six-episode docu-series, airing on Wednesdays on the Discovery Channel, that examines the science and ingenuity behind some of the biggest and most complex planes, trains, and ships that humankind has ever made and operated. From re-engineered Chinook helitankers fighting wildfires 24/7 in Southern California, to a train that helps sustain life and connect communities, the series gives viewers an all-access pass to every aspect of the vessels and the people around it as they embark on new and dangerous journeys. Then, we meet Enuka Okuma. You know here as detective Traci Nash in the police drama series, Rookie Blue. She is also known for her work on the television series Madison (and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. Today we talk about her work as one of the stars and writers of the hit CBC show Workin’ Moms. We’ll meet meet Humble the Poet. He is a Canadian-born rapper, spoken-word artist, poet, internationally bestselling author, and former elementary school teacher with a wildly popular blog with over 100,000 monthly readers. After the international best-selling success of his book “Unlearn,” Humble The Poet is back with a new book, “How to be Love(D).” With short chapters filled with insight, advice, and personal anecdotes from his own journey, this book is a guide to self-love that helps clarify your path inward toward the inherent love and value that is within each of us… perfect reading for the start of a new year. As we get closer to Awards Season, there is an embarrassment of riches of movies playing in theatres this month. IN this segment, we meet two of the stars of two of the season’s best movies. First, we meet Brendan Fraser. In his first leading role in a decade, he is garnering Oscar buzz for playing a 600-pound man trying to reconnect with his daughter in “The Whale.” The specter of death hangs over every frame of “The Whale,” and yet Fraser manages to bring optimism to a character not long for this world. He's looking to set things straight and make sure Ellie will have the tools to have a decent life after he goes. It is a tremendous performance that soars, transcending the stage-bound nature of the story. Now let’s meet Janelle Monáe. The Grammy nominated singer, rapper and actor is one of the stars of of “Glass Onion,” the sequel to the 2019 hit “Knives Out.” In the movie tech billionaire Miles Bron, played by Ed Norton, invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, is put on the case.

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know, all the way from Cornwall in South West England, Jeremy Brown and Jon Cleave, two of the founding members of the sea shanty singing group Fisherman’s Friends. They have incredible story of being discovered by a music producer who visited their small fishing village of Port Isaac, and propelling them to stardom. Their recordings of traditional sea shanties have topped the charts and they’ve played on the main stage of the Glastonbury Festival in front of 100,000 people and for royalty at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Their story has inspired two films, “Fisherman’s Friends” and the sequel, which is in theatres now, “Fisherman’s Friends: One and All,” starring James Purefoy and now it’s a stage show called “Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical which has just touched diown at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto after a successful run in the UK. Then, Enrico Colantoni stops by. You know the talented actor from portraying Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom “Just Shoot Me!,” Keith Mars on the television series “Veronica Mars.” On the big screen he has appeared in the films “Galaxy Quest,” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” “Contagion,” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” Today we talk about his latest film, a comedy about four stoners, the self-proclaimed "Vandits", have a bright idea to knock over a senior citizens bingo hall on Christmas Eve. In this segment we talk about the unusual way he paid for theatre school in New York City and how the cast and crew of “Vandits” persevered after all their equipment was stolen the night before they were to start shooting. Finally, we’ll meet Elegance Bratton, the film director who turned his story of being a young gay man, who found unexpected strength, camaraderie and support when he joined the Marines, after being rejected by his mother, into a critically acclaimed film called “The Inspection.” It is a classic against-all-odds story that paints a vivid picture of life inside the boot camp, the dehumanization, the violence, but also the brotherhood. The movie carefully builds the world of the boot camp, creating a palette of claustrophobia, brutality and tension that adds layers to the telling of his survival story.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show we meet Linwood Barclay. He is the best selling author of thrillers like “No Time for Goodbye,” “The Accident”, which was turned into the six-part television series in France and “Never Saw It Coming” adapted into a movie, starring Eric Roberts and Emily Hampshire, have made him a favourite writer of thrillers. So much so, that Stephen King calls him, “a terrific writer. 'A suspense master. 'In a class of his own.' Today we’re talking about his latest novel, “Look Both Ways.” In the book he envisions a world in which automotive technology outpaces our wildest dreams—and our darkest nightmares—as self-driving cars become sentient. Then, we’ll meet Yannick Bisson. You know him from sixteen seasons as Detective William Murdoch on the very popular “Murdoch Mysteries.” But did you know he is also a director? We talk about “Baking All the Way,” a new holiday movie he directed and stars in, playing in theatres for one night on December 5, then premiering on Super Channel Heart & Home on December 10.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2021, and CMT’s 2022 “Breakout Artist of the Year” Lainey Wilson. Her highly anticipated album “Bell Bottom Country” is out now and she recently announced a 27-city headlining tour, that will visit Vancouver and Edmonton next year. “Bell Bottom Country” draws its title directly from the name people use to describe the Louisiana native’s unique sound, style, and aesthetic — it’s Country, but with flare, mixing in elements of ‘70s Rock, Funk, and Soul. We talk about her new record, what influence Hannah Montana had on her career… it’s not what you might think, and why she only wears bell bottom pants. We’ll also meet Fab Filippo, co-creator, executive producer, co-showrunner on the CBC original series “Sort Of.” We’ll talk about the hit show and how the stories in “Sort Of” resonate across all genders, races, and ages – they are universal no matter how one identifies. Then, we’ll meet Barry Avrich, director of “The Talented Mr. Rosenberg,” a new documentary about a lifelong con artist with a stunning history of heartbreaking betrayal, outrageous lies and elaborate masquerades.

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Bryan Trottier. He is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche. His new memoir, ‘All Roads Home: A Life On and Off the Ice,’ is a poignant and inspiring memoir of the people and challenges that shaped his life and career. In this interview we talk about growing up in a town of 500 people and how he celebrated his first Stanley Cup win. Then, we’ll meet Eric McCormack. You know Eric McCormack as Will Truman in the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace,” or maybe as Grant MacLaren in Netflix's “Travelers” or Dr. Daniel Pierce in the TNT crime drama “Perception.” In the new coming-of-age movie, “Drinkwater,” he plays Hank, a small-town dad who didn’t live up to his potential. With its subplot about a Wayne Gretzky rookie card some physical comedy in a Tim Hortons drive-thru and a great Zamboni scene, it’s the most Canadian movie to come out so far this year.

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Podcast we meet Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ian Urbina, host of “The Outlaw Ocean.” The project began years ago as a series in The New York Times, where he was a staff writer. Between the articles, a book on the subject and now the podcast, the journey took more than four years, spanning 40 cities and every continent, and over 12,000 nautical miles across five oceans and 20 other seas. In the podcast Urbina explores a gritty and lawless realm, populated by traffickers and smugglers, pirates and mercenaries, wreck thieves and repo men, vigilante conservationists, seabound abortion providers, clandestine oil dumpers, shackled slaves and cast-adrift stowaways. “The Outlaw Ocean” is brought to you by CBC Podcasts and the L.A. Times. Learn more about The Outlaw Ocean Project, a non-profit journalism organization that produces investigative stories about human rights, at theoutlawocean.com. Then, we’ll meet Scott Goodson, the author of “Activate Brand Purpose: How To Harness The Power Of Movements To Transform Your Company” and founder and CEO of advertising and marketing agency StrawberryFrog. He Zooms in, from New York City, to talk about purpose driven companies and why consumers care about what a company stands for and what its values might be.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet award-winning journalist and editor-in-chief of The Hamilton Spectator, Paul Berton. His new book “Shopomania: Our Obsession with Possession,” is a thought-provoking and provocative challenge to consumerism. It is a sassy and satirical look at today’s consumer culture that asks, Do we really need all our stuff? We’ll also meet Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund. His film “Triangle of Sadness” received an eight-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, and won the top prize, the Palme d'Or. It is a very dark satire, an over-the-top tale of hypocrisy, greed, and ambition that is about as subtle as a punch to the face, but it is memorable and for lovers of adventurous film, a must see. Then, Metis author Willie Poll stops by to talk about her er new book for kids, “Together We Drum, Our Hearts Beat As One.” It’s a simple story of a little Indigenous girl who comes up against a monster called "Hate.”

On this special Halloween edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Ainslie Hogarth, author of “Motherthing,” darkly comedic novel about a woman who must take drastic measures to save her husband and herself from the vengeful ghost of her mother-in-law. Then, David Cronenberg stops by. The director of “Eastern Promises,” “A History of Violence,” “The Fly” and “Videodrome,” among many others, talks about “Crimes of the Future,” an all-star story of eroticized human evolution starring Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen and Léa Seydoux and we’ll find out whether he likes the nickname for his fans! We go to the vault to find an interview I did with Daniel Radcliffe the night after I hosted the Canadian premier of his first post Harry Potter movie, a brooding gothic horror film called “The Woman in Black.” In the film Daniel plays a recently widowed layer who is grieving the loss of his wife when he is sent to a remote village on business. Once there he discovers his client's house is haunted by the spirit of a woman who is trying to find someone and something she lost, and that no one is safe from her terrible wrath. We’re talking horror, and who better to talk to than John Landis. As the director of An American Werewolf in London and the groundbreaking music video for Michael Jackson's "Thriller," he knows a thing or two about how to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. In this conversation we talk about The Exorcist, The Omen, ghosts and one of th4e scariest scenes he’s ever seen in a movie. Ninety years ago Charles Laughton starred in The Island of Lost Souls as Dr. Moreau, a brilliant surgeon who performed vivisection on animals with the goal of turning animals into half human beings.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Douglas Stuart. His first novel, "Shuggie Bain," won a shelfful of major awards, including the Booker Prize, in 2020. It told the story of an alcoholic single mother and her children living in a Glasgow tenement in the 1990s. His new novel, "Young Mungo" centers on a romance between two teenage boys - one Protestant, one Catholic. It is a gripping and revealing story about the meaning of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much. In this interview we talk about growing up in Glasgow, how writing became his second career and why he named his main character after the patron saint of Glasgow. Then, we’ll meet Tegan and Sara, the Grammy and Academy Award nominated, identical twin sisters behind the earworm “Everything is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie” and many ither hits. But we’re not talking about music today. We’re here to chat about their latest project, a new television pm Amazon Prime show based on their memoir High School.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we meet Matt Cahill. He has a private practice and is a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario and is a writer whose debut novel, “The Society of Experience,” was picked as a must-read by Harper's Bazaar magazine. His short stories have been widely published and his essay “On Madness Within Imagination” was selected for Best Canadian Essays 2017. His new book, “Radioland,” is a mesmerizing literary thriller, where music, fame and magic wind together in an eerie mystery. Then, Robert Harris, bestselling author of “Fatherland,” “The Ghostwriter,” “Munich” and “Conclave.” His new novel, “Act of Oblivion,” is an historical novel that brilliantly imagines one of the greatest manhunts in history: the search for two Englishmen involved in the killing of King Charles I and the relentless foe on their trail. Then, word legend gets kicked around a lot, but in this case it really fits. Stan Lee made an indelible mark on popular culture by co-creating some of the most popular characters in comic books. Without him there’d be no superheroes like Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Black Panther and the list goes on and on. He is a legend and I got the chance to speak with him on the phone a couple of years before he passed away in 2018. He was in fine form, it's a really fun interview and I wanted to share it with you again.

On this week’s Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet actor and JUNO nominated, jazz singer and songwriter Alex Bird. The subject line of the email from his publicist really caught my eye. “Move over Bublé,” it read, “JUNO-nominated artist Alex Bird has released Canada's FIRST Thanksgiving song.” That’s right, Thanksgiving finally has its own anthem courtesy of Alex Bird. In this interview we talk about the inspiration behind “The Sweetest Moments” and why Canada deserved a Thanksgiving song of its very own. We’ll also meet Mark Critch, star of the hit CBC sitcom “Son of a Critch” and “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” which celebrates its 30th season this year. We talk about his time spent on the political satire, and some of his antics, like photo-bombing Justin Trudeau, interviewing Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle (while impersonating Alan Doyle), offering Pamela Anderson a million dollars to stop acting, and crashing a White House briefing. Then, since publishing his first novel in 1968 John Irving has been a literary force. He is the Academy Award winning author of The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany and many others which have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Today we talk about his latest novel The Last Chairlift, the epic story of a slalom skier with an eventful past, that displays his trademarked imagination, storytelling gifts, and intelligence.