Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

You know that old quote about how the road to hell is paved with good intentions? That pretty much sums up “The Thanksgiving Play” by Larissa FastHorse. It’s a cringe comedy that follows a group of well-meaning white theatre nerds as they desperately try to create a politically correct Thanksgiving show, without the guidance of an Indigenous person. Larissa joins Tom to talk about the inspiration for the play, performative activism in the theatre world, and how wanting to be seen as doing the right thing isn’t actually the same as doing the right thing. 

As a self-described “image architect,” Law Roach is single-handedly responsible for styling Zendaya’s daring looks, as well as Celine Dion and Lindsay Lohan’s career comeback transformations. While he has no formal training, Law managed to become one of the most influential stylists in the world through sheer grit and instinct. Now, he’s released a new book, “How to Build a Fashion Icon,” which is both a memoir and a manual. Law joins Tom to tell us how thrifting with his grandmother helped him cultivate his style, how he rigged the “Who Wore It Best?” columns to put Zendaya on the map, and why he decided to announce his retirement at the height of his success.

Janelle Niles is a Black, Mi'kmaw, two-spirited comedian who’s been bringing her sharp humour to stages around Canada for the past few years. Now, she’s one of eight comedians featured in “Rez Comedy,” the first stand-up comedy film featuring all Indigenous Canadian comics. Janelle sits down with Tom to talk about the film and her life in comedy, from being the class clown in school to becoming a “progressive edgelord” on stage.

The Canadian actor Victor Garber (Titanic, Legally Blonde, Alias) has enjoyed an incredible career on stage and screen. This month, he’ll be honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Forest City Film Festival — but there’s still at least one more thing he wants to accomplish. Victor sits down with Tom for a career-spanning chat about his time in the successful sunshine pop group The Sugar Shoppe, his starring role as Jesus Christ in the legendary Canadian production of “Godspell,” his iconic supporting role in James Cameron’s “Titanic,” and why he hopes his big film break is yet to come.

When the Montreal singer-songwriter Patrick Watson was tapped to write music for “So Long, Marianne” — a new scripted series about the romance between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen — he had to find a way to channel Leonard’s music without imitating his sound. Patrick ended up writing the theme song for the series and his involvement didn’t end there. He joins Tom to talk about his work on “So Long, Marianne” and his relationship with the late Canadian icon. 

For many of his fans, Kelsey Grammer is inseparable from his character Dr. Frasier Crane, who first appeared on “Cheers” and later got his own spin-off, “Frasier.” Last year, the actor reprised the role in a reboot of “Frasier” that’s now in its second season. But Kelsey’s connection to his most famous character runs deeper than simple nostalgia. He opens up about how the cast of “Frasier” became his family after he suffered several personal tragedies, why he didn’t always feel welcomed on “Cheers,” and how he ended up voicing Sideshow Bob on “The Simpsons.”

After years of struggling with auditions, the Canadian actor Carrie-Anne Moss landed the role of a lifetime playing Trinity in “The Matrix.” In her latest movie, “Die Alone,” she plays Mae, a hardened and eccentric survivor of a pandemic that’s caused a zombie-like outbreak. Carrie-Ann talks to Tom about the film, how “The Matrix” changed her life, and how she managed to maneuver fame and the Hollywood system after getting that breakthrough role.

Lead singer Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend has been called a generational voice in indie rock. From the band’s iconic first singles “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma” to their acclaimed follow-up albums “Contra” and “Modern Vampires of the City,” their music defined the mid-‘00s for millions of people. Now, Vampire Weekend is back with their fifth album, “Only God Was Above Us.” Ezra joins Tom in the Q studio to talk about the new record, the early days of the band, and what it’s like having Quincy Jones for a father-in-law.

Toronto’s Dylan Sinclair is a rising star on the Canadian R&B scene. Last year, he and singer Savannah Ré won a Juno for their collaboration, "Last One." Now, he’s released his highly anticipated debut album, “For the Boy In Me,” which is some of his most honest and vulnerable music yet. Dylan sits down with Tom to talk about the record, and how meditation and self-discovery tie into his sound. 

On the hit series “The Bear,” Liza Colón-Zayas plays a middle-aged line cook named Tina who’s challenged by her mentors to learn new skills as a sous-chef. In some ways, her character’s story mirrors her own journey as an actor. Liza joins Tom to talk about the scarcity and struggle she had to overcome on her path to success, how her setbacks continue to shape her as an artist, and how as an actor you can feel invisible as you age.

Back in 2020, the Canadian singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk found himself with a lot of extra time to think about the direction of his life and music. During that time, he allowed himself the space to dream, both figuratively and literally. Those dreams became the foundation of his new album, “Revelation.” Leif joins Tom to talk about the record and what he learned from reading Carl Jung’s “Memories, Dreams, Reflections.” 

For four decades, Nuno Bettencourt has been the lead guitarist and songwriter for the band Extreme. His style is so distinct that generations of guitar players have tried to sound just like him. In this career-spanning conversation, Nuno talks to Tom about Extreme, why a great guitar solo has nothing to do with how fast you can play or how proficient you are, and why Eddie Van Halen is his hero.

Back in July, the Palestinian Canadian singer-songwriter Nemah Hasan, a.k.a. Nemahsis, sat down with Tom to talk about her forthcoming debut album, “Verbathim.” The record was originally supposed to come out last year, but then she says her label unexpectedly dropped her. Now, with “Verbathim” finally out in the world, we revisit Nemah’s conversation with Tom where she explains exactly what happened in her own words.

Dr. Shirley Cheechoo is one of Canada’s most prominent voices in Indigenous film and theatre. At the annual Weengushk International Film Festival this past July, Dr. Cheechoo gave back to her community with a special event called Blanket of Stars: A Tribute to Resilience, dedicated to Canada’s residential school survivors — or as she calls them, residential school warriors. Dr. Cheechoo joins Tom to talk about her life on stage and screen, and what art can and can’t do when it comes to healing.

As a filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now) is legendary for his vision, drive and propensity to risk it all. Now, he’s put it all on the line once again for his latest film, “Megalopolis” — a Roman epic set against the backdrop of New York City. In this wide-ranging interview, the acclaimed auteur tells us why he doesn’t want “Megalopolis” to be called a passion project, how making his masterpiece “The Godfather” turned his life upside down, and why he always ends up becoming the characters in his films.

Marek Tyler of the indie rock band nêhiyawak has just released his debut solo album, “Asko.” He joins Tom to talk about his process of using traditional nêhiyaw ceremony to make the record, what he learned by slowing down and shedding his ego, and the story behind his new single “wâhkôhtowin.”

The Australian author Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers) is known for writing bestselling novels that tackle big questions. Her new book, “Here One Moment,” looks at fate and whether it’s something we can change or even avoid. Liane talks to Tom about the cancer scare that shaped her own thoughts on fate, how her dad gave her $1.00 to write her first novel, and how she blocks out the pressure that comes with success.

Lead vocalists Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of the indie pop band Lucius are used to being confused for twins. Not only do these inseparable best friends dress alike, but their voices blend together in perfect harmony. Now, they’ve re-recorded their breakout album, “Wildewoman,” to recreate the spark and energy of their early career. Holly and Jess join Tom to talk about the album, their friendship, and what they learned singing backup for Joni Mitchell.

The Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean's Eleven, Magic Mike) is shaking up the horror genre with his latest film, “Presence.” It’s a paranormal thriller with a twist in that it’s shot from the point-of-view of a housebound spirit. In this career-spanning chat, Steven looks back on his filmography and explains how moving into a house with its own spirit influenced his new movie.

In the 1886 play “Rosmersholm,” written by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, an increasingly polarized country leads to an increasingly polarized election that begins to tear a household apart. Now, a critically-acclaimed adaptation, directed by Chris Abraham, is being staged at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto. Chris sits down with Tom to talk about what this politically-charged play can teach us about the upcoming elections in the U.S. and Canada.