House of Crouse

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we answer the age old question, "What are you watching on television?" Culture journalist and co-author of "What to Watch Next," now in bookstores, helps you navigate pandemic viewing. Then, award winning historian and author of "The Company," Stephen R. Bown, drops by to discuss one of the worst villains in Canadian history.

This week on the Richard Crouse Podcast we meet John Landis, director of some of the most popular movies of all time including The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, National Lampoon's Animal House, Three Amigos! And Spies Like Us, Coming to America. His new project is "John Landis Presents The Library of Horror – Haunted Houses: Classic Tales of Doors That Should Never Be Opened," an anthology book featuring classic haunted house ghost stories. The selection includes tales of terror by Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft, and Percival Landon; studies of creeping dread by Edgar Allan Poe and Henry James; short, sharp shockers by Ambrose Bierce, M.R. James and Lafcadio Hearn; and comedic masterpieces by Oscar Wilde and Saki. Then we meet country star Jason Blaine. You know his hits like “Country Side” and “Friends of Mine” and he’s back with a new EP called "Go With Me," which promises to deliver many more hit songs.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Andrew Ferriss of INXS. In the 1980s and for much of the 1990s he wrote some of your favorite songs including "New Sensation," "Never Tear Us Apart" and "Elegantly Wasted." He’s put the new wave dance rock of his superstar band on hold to write a series of heartfelt songs with a country-roots edge for a new 5 song EP called "Love Makes the World," which is available now wherever you legally buy or download music. In this interview we talk about music during the pandemic, life in one of the biggest bands in the world and why he loves Nashville. Then, journalist Justin Ling, author of “Missing from the Village: The Story of Serial Killer Bruce McArthur, the Search for Justice, and the System That Failed Toronto’s Queer Community” stops by. The book documents the tragic and resonant story of the disappearance of eight men–the victims of serial killer Bruce McArthur–from Toronto’s queer community.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show podcast we meet Ansley Simpson, a Toronto-based Anishinaabe singer-songwriter. Nominated for two Indigenous Music Awards and winner of “Best New Artist," on November 6 and November 12, she appears as part of the 13-episode AMPLIFY series on APTN. The show has a fascinating premise… invite an Indigenous songwriter to find a piece of Indigenous inspiration (whether it be a book, art piece, belief, etc.) and write a song about it. Then from his home in London , England via Zoom, New York Times–bestselling author Simon Beecroft joins us to talk about his latest, "The Peanuts Book: A Visual History of the Iconic Comic Strip." In this celebration of Schulz and his beloved work, explore rarely seen sketches, influential comic strips, and collectors’ artifacts. Pore over evolving artworks of Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the gang. Chart the rich history of Peanuts as it grew to become the world’s favorite comic, and travel from 1950 to the present day, from California to Japan. Every page of this visual guide is an exhibition to treasure. Discover the enduring and nostalgic charm of Peanuts in this stunning anniversary book. With a foreword by Stephen Colbert.

This week on The Richard Crouse Show Podcast we are joined by Sam Roberts who joins us via Zoom from his home in Montreal. His band, the aptly named Sam Roberts Band has been nominated for fourteen Juno Awards, they’ve won six, including Artist of the Year twice. They’ve been very busy since the world pressed pause back in March. The band’s song ‘We’re All in this Together’ became an anthem of sorts for various promos featuring frontline workers and Canadians alike. They put the finishing touches on their new album and played a part in each and every charitable opportunity they could to help artists and Canadians across the board. Sam Roberts Band have a new album called ‘All of Us’, the first in 4 years Then, Ethan Lou is a journalist whose work has appeared in in the Globe and Mail, the Guardian, the Toronto Star, the Walrus and the Washington Post. He has broken stories about the Canadian spy agency’s secret briefing to parliament, the snubbing of Sri Lanka by the country’s prime minister and the possible non-depiction of the future King Charles on Canadian bank notes. This year was supposed to see the publication of his first book, "Once a Bitcoin Miner: Scandal and Turmoil in the Cryptocurrency Wild West" but the pandemic pushed that release date into next year… but he still has a book in stores right now. It’s called Field Notes from a "Pandemic: A Journey Through a World Suspended" and was inspired by two articles he wrote for MacLeans magazine after a January visit with his ailing grandfather in Beijing allowed him to witness the very earliest stages of a COVID-19, a virus he says, will forever change the world as we know it. The book says that over decades, globalization has crafted a world painfully sensitive and susceptible to shocks such as this pandemic… and examines the virus's beginnings and how it spread and the unprecedented measures to contain it. He also looks at past pandemics in other crises and how they shaped the world--and has an argument for why this one's different. "Field Notes from a Pandemic: A Journey Through a World Suspended" is a timely look at how the virus has transformed the world.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle who stops by to talk about his new book "All Together Now" and tell us why St. John's has one of the best pub cultures in North America. Then Jake Clemons, saxophone player for the E Street Band discusses his Uncle Clarence and working with Bruce Springsteen.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Chart topping songs like "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" and "Coming Around" and albums like album, "The Man Who," which spent nine weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart, made Scottish rock legends Travis one of the most interesting bands of the last few decades. They are back with an emotionally charged & deeply heartfelt ninth studio album simply called "10 Songs." it’s a record about life’s challenges and how love can help weather those trials and tribulations. Joining me today is Travis lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Fran Healy on Skype. He’s been called one of the UK’s finest songwriting exports. Then "Aladdin" star Mena Mossaud stops by to chat up hius new book "Evolving Vegan." Finally, Halifax-based Rich Aucoin’s fourth studio album, “United States,” is available now wherever you legally buy or download music on sites like bandcamp. He has been long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize twice and has built a reputation for putting on some of best live shows in Canada. So that’s where we began… by talking about the lack of live music in our lives right now.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: This year is the 20th anniversary of Reelworld, a festival founded by my guest Tonya Williams, to showcase films, animation, shorts, music videos, industry panels and awards from racially diverse and indigenous filmmakers and media artists. Missing this year are the parties and galas as ReelWorld has adapted to the pandemic and moved on line. The entire festival will be online - with live webinars from Oct. 14 to 19. They are also promoting www.accessreelworld.ca - which is now the largest national database for Canadian Black, Indigenous, People of Colour in the Creative Industries. Tonya Williams joins me from her home in Los Angeles. Then, "Aladdin" star Mena Massoud joins me to talk about his new project, a book called "Evolving Vegan."

On the October 4, 2020 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet former Rough Trade keyboardist and “High School Confidential” co-writer Kevan Staples on the occasion of the song being inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, Then, Ace Frehley, former guitarist for KISS swings by to talk KISS Koffins and the release of his new solo album "Origins Vol. 2." Finally, we talk to Steve Earle, a Grammy award winning singer-songwriter, a record producer, author and actor whose song Copperhead Road is still a jukebox favorite thirty-three years after it made him a superstar. Earle Zooms in from his home in Tennessee to talk about how his new album “Ghosts of West Virginia” might bridge the political gap.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show we talk about one of the most enduring Canadian rock and roll hit of all time. John Picard of The Kings said, “We never made a million dollars, but we had a song that people love and has stood the test of time.” 40 years ago The KIngs released their Bob Ezrin produced debut album, “The Kings Are Here” on the US major label Elektra Records. That same month, their smash hit single “This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide” first entered the Billboard Hot 100. And on August 23rd, 1980, The Kings closed the now-legendary Heatwave Festival, a giant outdoor concert some called "Punk Woodstock" that drew 100,000 people to Mosport Park, just north of Bowmanville, Ontario. The Kings played alongside Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, The Pretenders, Nick Lowe and Rockpile, Teenage Head, the B-52’s, and more. The Kings and Teenage Head were the only bands that gave permission to be filmed. As Teenage Head’s audio has disappeared, the only surviving footage of that iconic night is of The Kings, and now you can see the 30-minute concert movie “The Kings: Live at Heatwave” at their YouTube channel. With band members Dave Diamond and John Picard a.k.a. Mister Zero, we talk about the only surviving, authentic, and original sync footage from that legendary concert and, of course, we’ll celebrate four decades of one of the greatest double-A sides ever “This Beat Goes On / Switchin’ to Glide…” Then, we go back to the vault to find an interview I did with producer Bob Ezrin from his Los Angeles home in 1994. Ezrin produced The Kings, but he is best known for his work with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Andrea Bocelli and Phish. His career in music has spanned four decades and he continues to work with acts such as Deftones and Thirty Seconds to Mars. We talk about how he got his first big musical break producing Alice Cooper and some fascinating behind the scenes stories of working with Cooper and Peter Gabriel.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Gloria Kim, writer/director of a new family drama called "Queen of the Morning Calm." In this interview we about the eleven years she spent working to get this story to the screen, How her background in journalism (former Maclean’s reporter) informed the writing of this story, how she guided her eleven year old co-star Eponine Lee through the film’s difficult material and much more. Then, former CTV Toronto crime reporter Tamara Cherry joins the show to talk about her new book, "All the Bumpy Pebbles," a novel based on her reporting of human trafficking cases. Finally, Kevan Staples, former keyboardist for Rough Trade and co-writer of the classic hit "High School Confidential," stops by to talk about the history of the controversial tune.

On the September 12, 2020 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Jeff Gibbs and Ozzie Zehner, director and producer of the climate change movie “Battle for the Planet of the Humans.” The controversial documentary is a harsh look at how the environmental movement has lost the battle through well-meaning but disastrous choices. Then we spend time with singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas. Her new album, “All That Emotion,” is a lush and lovely record, produced by Aaron Dessner, hot off his work on Taylor Swift’s recent smash, folklore. Here’s some info on The Richard Crouse Show!: Each week on the nationally syndicated Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to hear in-depth interviews with actors and directors, to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favourite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Recent guests include Ethan Hawke, director Brad Bird, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, Eric Roberts, Brian Henson, Jonathan Goldsmith a.k.a. “The most interesting man in the world,” and best selling author Linwood Barclay.

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Iain Reid the Canadian author of the bestselling novel "I’m Thinking of Ending Things." "I’m Thinking of Ending Things" has been described as a psychological thriller and horror fiction, and is about a young man who takes his girlfriend to see his parents on a remote farm and the disturbing aftermath that follows. It sounds simple, but this is anything but. It’s a story of predetermination and free will that bears up to reading and rereading. It’s now also a Netflix film, directed by Charlie Kaufman, starring stars Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons and Toni Collette. Then, Richard welcomes four very special guests, “Midsommar” director Ari Aster and star Jack Reynor.

Today I spent a chunk of my day going through closets, finding discs of unlabelled photographs and other bits and pieces that have piled up in the nooks and crannies of my house. I came across a set of interviews I did at a rather loud party at the Tavern on the Green in New York City in 2009 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the release of The Wizard of Oz. That day I mixed and mingled with some of the original Munchkins like Karl Slover, who was just two feet tall when he played the first trumpeter, Villager Munchkin Ruth Duccini, member of the Lollipop Guild Jerry Maren and Judy Garland’s daughter Lorna Luft, while enjoying Wizard of Oz themed drinks like the Gin Tornado. But mostly I soaked up the stories from some of the folks who were there when Judy Garland was swept away to a technicolour OZ. Today I banged the interviews together in a podcast, the first project from the newly dubbed Isolation Studios. I enjoyed doing it and somehow the movie makes perfect sense for right now. “Someplace where there isn’t any trouble? Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It’s not a place you can get to by a boat or train. It’s far, far away… behind the moon… beyond the rain.”

This week on the Richard Crouse Podcast: Today, broadcasting directly from Isolation Studios (a.k.a. my home office) we meet Andrea Dorfman, a filmmaker, animator and artist who joins us via Zoom from her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her films have played at film festivals around the world, won awards and she is back with a new one, now on VOD. “Spinster” stars actor and comedian Chelsea Peretti from “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” as a wedding caterer gets dumped on her 39th birthday. Over the next year she builds a new life based on self-empowerment and independence. “Spinster” is being called “the anti-rom-com of the summer,” so I began by asking Andrea Dorfman about subverting the rom com genre… Then country artist Sacha stops by to talk about her EP "The Best Thing." Then, we meet Sam Maggs, an author who joins us via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles. Sam is a bestselling author of books, comics, and video games. She’s been a senior games writer, the author of many YA and middle-grade books, a comics writer for beloved titles like Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, My Little Pony, and Transformers. She is also an on-air host for networks like Nerdist. Today she joins me to talk about two books, “Con Quest,” an adventure novel for young readers set in the world of comics conventions and “The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope,” a Young Adult novel based on the world of “The Unstoppable Wasp” Marvel comics series. I love this line in her bio… as a Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk. In this interview we talk about her books, why we both feel we have to work all the time and discuss whether that is a good thing or not. Let’s get to know Sam Maggs…

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Kiesza, a singer, songwriter and pop star with a fascinating story of resilience. From the reserves of the Royal Canadian Navy to writing songs for people like Rihanna to her single "Hideaway" debuting at number one on the UK Singles Chart to collaborating with everyone from Duran Duran to Pitbull and Diplo she is a bona fide pop princess. Then, in 2017 she suffered life altering injuries when a taxi t-boned the car she was riding in. Her recovery from a traumatic brain injury was slow and involved staying in a darkened room for six months but she is back with a new album, a new self-run record label and a new outlook. Then... In a career that spans five decades Chaka Khan has sold an estimated 70 million records, collaborated with everyone from Ry Cooder and Robert Palmer to Ray Charles and Quincy Jones, from Chicago to De la Soul and Mary J. Blige. She’s a musician, singer and songwriter with a shelfful of Grammys. I first saw her, with the band Rufus, on Soul Train singing their mega hit Tell Me Something Good. I became an instant fan and have remained so all these years later. I had the chance to speak with the music legend via Zoom to talk about her role as the voice of Henrietta the Chicken in the new Disney+ film The One and Only Ivan. And finally...I speak to Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke, the stars of “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.” For more than twenty years Kenny and Fagerbakke have voiced two of pop culture’s favorite animated characters, SpongeBob SquarePants and his pal Patrick Star. In the new film, playing in theatres in Canada, SpongeBob and Patrick go on a rescue mission to save SpongeBob's pet snail Gary, who has been "snailnapped" by King Poseidon. In this interview e talk about the new movie, the popularity of SpongeBob memes and why these characters have endured for more than two decades.

On the Richard Crouse Podcast this week we meet Jay Baruchel. He's been acting since the age of twelve and has appeared in everything from "Knocked Up" and "Tropic Thunder" to "The Trotsky" and "She's Out of My League" to the action-fantasy "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "This Is the End." He’s probably best known as the voice of Hiccup in the wildly successful "How to Train Your Dragon" franchise but he says, despite all the success in front of the camera, what he really wants to do is direct. Two years ago he wrote and directed the sports comedy "Goon: Last of the Enforcers." Now he appears both in front of and behind the camera in "Random Acts of Violence," a genre film that asks serious questions about how we relate to violence in art. Based on a 2008 Image Comic, “Random Acts of Violence” begins with comic book writer Todd (Jesse Williams) suffering a case of writer’s block. His series, a grisly and successful adaptation of a real-life serial killer dubbed Slasherman, is coming to an end and he doesn’t know how to wind it down. On a press tour from Toronto to New York to promote the final issue, Jesse and friends, visit the scene of the Slasherman’s crimes. As the group fall victim to a series of heinous copycat crimes the film asks, “What are the real consequences when life (and death) begin to imitate art?” I talk about that with Jay in this interview but we started by reminiscing about the “beforetime” when we could go to the movies. I asked him what movie memories stand out for him when he thinks back to the theatre experience. NOTE: This podcast contains language that may not be suitable for all listeners. NSFW! Then, we meet Mike Scott, the founding member, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of The Waterboys. He is a restless creative spirit, known for radical changes in music style throughout what he refers to as his "allegedly unorthodox" career. The music on his solo albums and with The Waterboys explores a number of different styles, including folk, Celtic and rock and roll, fusing them together to create a sound that is not only catchy but unique. The press release for his newest record "Good Luck, Seeker," says the songs are populated by unrepentant freaks, soul legends, outlaw film stars and 20th Century mystics, drawing inspiration from the Stones, Kate Bush, Sly and Kendrick as well as Mike Scott’s very own musical past. It’s a genre busting effort with epic songs like the dramatic, spoken word tune "My Wanderings In The Weary Land" to the earworm of the extremely catchy single “The Soul Singer.” In this interview we talk about the construct of time, the power of the Clash and why he liked a record by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich enough to spend 8 and sixpence, or about 50 cents on it… I began the interview by asking Mike Scott why he’s never made the same record twice.

NewsTalk 1010 host Jim Richards and Richard Crouse discuss the recent allegations surrounding the "Ellen" show. Will this be the end of the show or is there life after a scandal for the afternoon talk show?

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: We meet Dawn Tyler Watson. via Zoom from her home in Montreal. To call Dawn Tyler Watson a blues singer isn’t quite accurate. Sure, she’s called the Queen of the Blues in Montreal and latest record “Mad Love,” just won the 2020 JUNO award for Blues Album of the Year, but her music also infuses elements of Jazz, Soul, Rock, and Gospel to pushes the boundaries of traditional Blues. We caught up, talking about what she learned while busking in the subway, taking home the coveted first-place prize at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2017, why she used to have imposter’s syndrome, but doesn’t anymore and how her perspective on everything changed after triple bypass surgery. I started the interview by asking how she and her dog Molly are doing these days. Then, Chris Hadfield stops by to discuss when science and pop culture collide.

On this week’s The Richard Crouse Show we meet: Joe Pantoliano, a working actor for over forty years. From doing plays in empty basement theatres in New York City to Broadway to guest roles on the biggest television shows of several decades like “M*A*S*H” and “The Sopranos” and juicy supporting parts in films like “Risky Business,” “The Goonies,” “The Fugitive,” “Memento,” “Bad Boys” and “The Matrix” he says “There aren’t any small parts, only small paychecks.” He jokes that he has a twenty-minute face, perfect for character work but his new film, “From the Vine” offers him the chance to show off his ninety-minute face. His first starring role in recent memory sees him playing a man who gives up a high-flying career as an executive to return to Italy, where he was born, to search for find his centre and regain his moral compass. In this interview we talk about the parallels between his life and that of his “From the Vine” character, Jimmy Stewart’s wig and how “On the Waterfront” made him want to be an actor… and here’s a surprise. It had nothing to do with Marlon Brando. Let’s get to know Joe Pantoliano. Then we meet hip hop musician, former elementary school teacher and author Humble the Poet. He stopped by the “Pop Life” bar to discuss his new book “Things No One Else Can Teach Us,” what he learned from his failures, including a bad record deal, how even after he crawled out of crippling debt, the satisfaction was short lived and much more. Finally, we close with legendary rock photographer Mick Rock who talks about his collaboration with David Bowie.

On this week's The Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet: James Purefoy, direct from the south west of England, via Zoom. If you were a fan of HBO’s “Rome,” you know him as joyfully decadent Roman general and politician Mark Antony. Perhaps you were a fan of “The Following,” which saw him play a college professor-turned-serial-killer and cult leader for three seasons opposite Kevin Bacon. The versatile actor has a list of credits as long as my arm including the film he joins me to talk about today, “Fisherman’s Friends.” No, it’s not about the cough drops… it is a is a good-natured crowd pleaser about a real life singing group from Cornwall in England who went from singing at the local pub, when they weren’t on the water making a living, to producing the biggest selling traditional folk album of all time. Purefoy plays Jim, the leader of the group, who was initially skeptical about their chances for success outside their tiny village. When we did this interview he was sitting in his garden, and proudly showed me all the produce he’s been growing since the beginning of the pandemic. That also means that from time to time you’ll hear a bird chirping or a bit of wind… it’s not your speakers, it’s just nature on Purefoy’s property. Then we spend time with Rod Lurie, a West Point graduate who became a film critic and was once banned from screenings for referring to Danny DeVito as “a testicle with arms.” He is a journalist and author and, since 1999, a filmmaker. In this interview we talk about West Point, why he stood at attention at a screening of “Poltergeist” and, of course, his latest film, “The Outpost.” It’s an intense recreation of the Battle of Kamdesh, a bloody 2009 confrontation that saw 400 Taliban fighters attack Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan, a station manned by 53 American soldiers and just days before it was to be disbanded. Critics are raving about the film. “IndieWire” said that Rod shot “much of the 45-minute long ambush in hectic, agile long-takes that allows him to capture the Battle of Kamdesh for all of its terror, and with a clarity that allows us to feel that terror in our bones." The film is also being praised by veterans, including those who fought in the battle, for its realistic depiction of warfare and the life of a soldier. “The Outpost” is available now on VOD, wherever you legally rent or buy movies. Finally Richard welcomes Phil Dellio, author of "You Should've Heard Just What I Seen: Pop Music at the Movies and on TV."

On the Richard Crouse Show Podcast this week we meet Liberty DeVitto. He joins me via Zoom but you’ve been listening to him for decades. As Billy Joel’s drummer from 1976 to 2003, he’s credited as drummer on records with sales of over 150 million copies. Do you love “Just the Way You Are”? That Liberty DeVitto. How about "She's Always a Woman,” “Only the Good Die Young" “You May be Right” or “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”? All Liberty DeVitto. He’s what they call a New York City style drummer, solid and powerful. He also an author with a new memoir, “Liberty: Life, Billy and the Pursuit of Happiness,” available now wherever you buy fine books. It details not only the good times with Joel, but also the bad… leading up to their split in 2006. Later in the show I ask Liberty about how his relations with the singer disintegrated… and how they buried the hatchet after fifteen years. We started though, by talking about something we’re all missing these days: live music.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: My guest today joins me via Zoom from his home in Massachusetts. Dan Lyons has spent much of his recent career, following jobs as a senior editor at Forbes magazine and a writer at Newsweek, examining something that is on people’s minds these days… work. Drawing on his experience at his first job outside of a newsroom, at the HubSpot start-up he has looked at how and why we work from all angles. He has been called “the Mark Twain of Silicon Valley,” and “Jonathan Swift for our own digital age.” No less an expert than money man Dave Ramsay, of daveramsey.com,” says Lyons is “the expert on the culture of work, and how it’s changing business and lives.” Today we take the conversation he started in his last book, Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for The Rest Of Us, and recontextualize for the pandemic to talk about what work will look like in the coming months and years.

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: “Black Leopard, Red Wolf” author Marlon James, recently named one of Time’s 100 most influential people. From Time magazine: James lives part-time in St. Paul and teaches at Macalester College, where he is writer-in-residence. He was born in Jamaica and is the author of “The Book of Night Women,” winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize; “A Brief History of Seven Killings,” winner of the Man Booker Prize, and “Black Leopard, Red Wolf,” already being made into a movie. About that book, Rushdie writes, it is “highly original, its language surging with power, its imagination all-encompassing. Marlon is a writer who must be read.” Then, stand-up Comic & host of CNN’s “United Shades of America” W. Kamau Bell’s Twitter bio reads, “I tell jokes, but I’m not kidding.” Find out what he means in this exclusive, full-length interview. And finally, Spike Lee gives us his perfect movie double bill!

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Ian Williams is the author of Personals, Not Anyone's Anything, You Know Who You Are, and a finalist for the ReLit Prize for poetry. He was named one of ten Canadian writers to watch by CBC. His latest book is a novel called “Reproduction,” a love story about the way families are formed. That novel, which explores unconventional connections and brilliantly redefines family made him the second writer with Trinidadian roots to win the coveted Giller Prize, the biggest prize in Canadian Literature. Then, Sir Ben Kingsley stops by. He burst onto screens in 1982 playing the title role in "Gandhi," a part that won him an Oscar for Best Actor and a shelf full of other awards… other memorable roles followed in "Schindler's List," "Bugsy," "Sexy Beast" and dozens upon dozens of other great films. He was made a Knight by Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2002 and it is there that we began our conversation. Finally, an in-depth interview with Arlene Dickinson, Canadian businesswoman, investor, television personality and author of, “Reinvention: Changing Your Life, Your Career, Your Future.” She is a dragon investor on CBC television’s Dragons' Den, she owns one of Canada's largest independent marketing and communications firms and is someone who has shaped and reshaped her life. Arlene stopped by to discuss her new book, and how to make meaningful changes in your life at any age.

This week on the June 15, 2020 episode of Richard Crouse Show Podcast: We meet Clarke Peters, one of the stars of the new Spike Lee joint “Da 5 Bloods.” It’s an adventure movie that also examines the role of African American soldiers in Vietnam and how that conflict affected the rest of their lives. We talk about how he was accused of draft evasion by the FBI, how life during the pandemic has taught us to think about more than just ourselves and why he considers himself a stage actor first and foremost. Then we talk to Steve Earle, a Grammy award winning singer-songwriter, a record producer, author and actor whose song Copperhead Road is still a jukebox favorite thirty-three years after it made him a superstar. Earle Zooms in from his home in Tennessee to talk about how his new album “Ghosts of West Virginia” might bridge the political gap, going to Walmart and how doing yoga helps to center him in these anxious times. NSFW Please note that some of the language used on this podcast may not be appropriate for all listeners.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Fourteen! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, a coming of age story, a comic playing against type and the secret history of disco. #Pariah #Drive #TheSecretHistoryofDisco

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: My guest today isn’t a psychic but fifteen years ago in a book called “Pandemic,” he wrote that the world was well overdue for a killer virus. On the Richard Crouse Show Podcast I speak with Daniel Kalla, an emergency room doctor, the head of the ER department at St. Paul’s hospital in Vancouver and the author of bestselling books including his most recent novel “The Last High.” We talk about his pandemic prediction, why we have been lucky as a planet and if he ever feels like a character in one of his own books. Then... as the lead guitarist and singer for the platinum selling Big Sugar my next guest has employed his signature six string stomp to giant hits like “Diggin’ a Hole”, “The Scene”, “Turn the Lights On” and “Roads Ahead.” Gordie johnson zooms in from his Soundshack Studios, just outside of Austin, Texas to discuss Big Sugar’s new album “Eternity Now,” their first in five years, his love of doubleneck guitars and how being in isolation is kind of like being a musician on the road.

On the May 24, 2020 episode of The Richard Crouse Show we meet comedian and author Mark Critch, photographer Paul Perrier and “The Trip to Greece” star Rob Brydon. Critch talks about life in isolation in Newfoundland, photobombing Justin Trudeau and offering Pamela Anderson $1 million to quit acting. Photographer Paul Perrier talks about “The Mask Project” on Instagram (search thetorontoportrait) and then British comedian Rob Brydon joins us from England to talk about Al Pacino, whether he’s keen to fly on a plane again, meeting Michael Caine, and, of course, the fourth instalment of “The Trip” series, “The Trip to Greece” available this week on VOD.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Fourteen! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, going underground, a gang war in rhyme and the beginning of a franchise. #Buried #ChiRaq #FirstBlood

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Thirteen! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, a financial crisis, a blacklisted writer and a troubled trumpeter. #TheBigShort #Trumbo #BornToBeBlue

This week on The Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet comedian and actor Sean Cullen. We find out his #COVID19COMEDYFEST, how “Full Metal Jacket” influenced his humour, why he hates “Mrs. Doubtfire” and what it was like playing twins in the new Netflix animated movie “The Willoughbys.” Then, internationally best selling author and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs visits via Zoom. We talk about finding the real life inspiration for her wildly popular series of Temperance Brennan "Bones" novels, why she doesn't wear rings anymore and why crime books are so popular. Come visit with us! In isolation we are united!

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Twelve! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, a strange biography, lovestruck bank robbers and a cabin in the woods. #ALiarsBiographyTheUntrueStoryofMontyPythonsGrahamChapman #TheTown #ACabinInTheWoods

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Almost Live from Isolation Studios! Richard speaks to Kristian Bruun, star of “Orphan Black,” “Carter” and “Ready or Not.” Join us to hear about life as a Los Angeles-based actor during the pandemic, how packs of coyotes have been spotted in his neighbourhood and how his character Donnie from “Orphan Black” would fare during self-isolation. Then, we meet Laura Vandervoort, star of “Rabid,” new to VOD this week. We talk about her recent consultation with a dog psychic, why you should never drink the fake blood on a movie set and her hand washing tips. Come visit with us! In isolation we are united!

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast we meet Gordon Deppe, lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for The Spoons. The writer of big hits like "Romantic Traffic," "Nova Heart," "Old Emotions" and "Tell No Lies" joins me to talk about what should have been a celebratory summer season for The Spoons, who turn forty years old this year, the band’s brand new album “New Day New World”—and play the title track for us live!—why he doesn’t feel like writing songs right now and what it is like being married to a front line worker. Then, we speak to tv host, author, designer and olive oil farmer, Debbie Travis. From her home in London, England she describes what’s happening in her neighborhood, why she left her retreat in Tuscany when the pandemic started and why may be the perfect time to reinvent your life, which just happens to be the subject of her best selling book, “Design Your Next Chapter: How to Realize Your Dreams and Reinvent Your Life, now out in paperback. Come visit with us! In isolation we are united!

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Almost Live from Isolation Studios! Richard speaks to Michael Greyeyes, star of “Blood Quantum,” new to VOD this week. We talk about the film’s social messages of identity and survival and, on a lighter note, what it’s like to be covered in fake blood. The, we meet Amy Jo Johnson, director of “Tammy’s Always Dying,” a new film starring Felicity Huffman about a woman who says, “I’m not a good person, but I am a good time.” We talk about releasing a film during a pandemic, how her fans from her “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” are the fuel to the engine of her new career as a director and much more. Come visit with us! In isolation we are united!

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Eleven! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, wrestling, murder, aliens and keeping time. #Foxcatcher #AttackTheBlock #Whiplash

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Ten! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, newsrooms, vigilantes and a twelve-year-old vampire. #Christine #HarryBrown #LetMeIn

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Almost Live from Isolation Studios! Richard speaks to "Relax! Dammit" author Timothy Caulfield and magicienne Julie Eng about how they are holding up during the pandemic and what we can do to make the most of our time in isolation. Timothy Caulfield is a professor of law at the University of Alberta, the Research Director of its Health Law Institute, and current Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy. He specializes in legal, policy and ethical issues in medical research and its commercialization. He is also a television host and author of several books. Julie Eng has brought her original magical approach to thousands of performances around the world for over three decades—everywhere from expected venues like small private functions, festivals and conventions, to less-obvious ones at senior centers and children’s hospitals. As the executive director of Magicana, a Toronto-based organization dedicated to the exploration and advancement of magic, Julie has also been steeped in the study of the rich history and applications of the often-misunderstood art.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Nine! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, dinosaurs, the meaning of life, the potential of the page and true crime. #treeoflife #paterson #westofmemphis

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Eight! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, there’s trouble in the kitchen, thrill killers and “Gucci!” #nosetotail #eighthgrade #thestrangerspreyatnight

This week on The Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Three of Richard’s favourite interviews from the most recent season of “Pop Life.” First up, Harry Connick Jr., a musician who first performed in public when he was just five years old and is still making music, most recently releasing an album of interpretations of classic standards called “True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter.” Connick Jr stops by the Pop Life bar to talks about his earliest musical memories, the massive success of his When Harry Met Sally soundtrack, how he narrowed down Cole Porter’s library of hundreds of songs to the 13 that appear on the record and more! Then, the multi-Gold and Platinum-selling Bif Naked. She has been called a Punk Princess, Rock Goddess, and Legend… she’s all that and more. Add to the list, Cancer Survivor, Mentor and Entrepreneur. With a new tour, a new record and her own CBD brand, Bif is busier than ever. She found time to stop by the Pop Life bar to talk about the record that made her take up music over medicine, how her cancer diagnosis changed her and taking risks. And finally, an in-depth interview with John Lennon’s personal photographer Bob Gruen. The legendary photographer opens up about taking famous pictures of every rock ‘n roll star from David Bowie and Led Zeppelin to The Clash and The Sex Pistols.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Seven! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, too much money, a murderous game and SSSHHH! They're listening!

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Six! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, a human-animal hybrid, a homemade superhero and a country music legend.

Charles MacPherson is known as Canada’s Butler. A world authority in household management and butlering, he is the founder of Charles MacPherson Associates Inc., North America’s only registered school for butlers and household managers. He brings 30 years of experience in his field and is the resident butler for The Marilyn Denis Show. He’s also an author with a number of books to his credit, including “The Pocket Butler's Guide to Good Housekeeping: Expert Advice on Cleaning, Laundry and Home Maintenance,” now at fine bookstores everywhere.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Five! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, Ozark drug dealers, driving lessons and teenage rock n' roll! #Winter's Bone #TheRunaways #LearningToDrive

This week on the Richard Crouse Show Podcast: Two of Richard’s favourite interviews from the most recent season of “Pop Life.” The television host, author, restaurateur culinary legend Lidia Bastianich stopped by the “Pop Life” bar to talk about how growing up on her grandparents’ farm affected her relationship with food… how she ended up in New York City working with a soon to be very famous actor and what dish every household should know how to make. Then, we hear from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom. His new book, “Finding Chika,” the intimate and heartwarming memoir about the young Haitian orphan whose short life changed his life, is his most personal story to date.

What to watch when you’ve already watched everything Part Four! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, rogue cops, troubled troubadours, a chef and a story about a cat!

What to watch when you've already watched everything Part Three! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movies to stream, rent or buy from the comfort of home isolation. Today, road warriors, romantic zombies and an underemployed dancer.

What to watch when you've already watched everything Part Two! Binge worthy, not cringe worthy recommendations from Isolation Studios in the eerily quiet downtown Toronto. Three movie choices to stream, rent or buy that will help fill the minutes until we can comfortably cough in public once again. And no, "Electric Boogaloo" is not one of the selections.