House of Crouse

On the Saturday April 20, 2024 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet CJ Tudor. She is 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, the Barry Award, and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut Novel. In her new novel, The Gathering, a detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town.

We’ll also get to know best-selling author Susan Fletcher, author of “The Night in Question,” which is being described as a lyrical and emotionally engaging novel infused with mystery and wisdom about love, friendship, and the power of forgiveness.

Then, I chat with Canadian business executive, entrepreneur, publisher, art collector, fundraiser, and philanthropist Salah Bachir, author of a new memoir, “First to the Leave the Party: My Life with Ordinary People Who Happen to Be Famous,” available wherever fine books are sold.

On the Saturday April 13, 2024 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Phil Heath. Fans of bodybuilding will recognize his name as a seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, having won the competition every year from 2011 to 2017. His incredible athletic career was slowed by health concerns, but his strength of character and intensity is captured in a new film co-produced by Dwayne Johnson, “Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story,” which is now available on the SuperChannel. It’s the untold story of how he battled back from injury in his quest to become the greatest of all.

Later on we’ll meet Tassie Cameron. Tassie is an award-winning screenwriter who was the head writer and executive producer on the series Rookie Blue and creator of the show Pretty Hard Cases. Today we’re talking about her latest gig, as the producer of “Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.” We talk about the show, and what it takes to quote, unquote, play a dead body on the legendary franchise.

On the Saturday April 5, 2024 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Marlo Mckenzie and Jonathan Parker, the filmmakers behind a cool new documentary called “Carol Doda Topless at the Condor.”

The documentary, now playing in theatres, paints a picture of an accidental trailblazer whose provocative performances transformed not only San Francisco’s North Bay neighborhood, but the national nightclub business.

Then, we get to know Holly Gramazio. She is a writer, game designer and curator from Adelaide, currently based in London. Today we’ll talk about her debut novel, The Husbands, which is poised to be a best seller. It’s the story of Lauren, who returns home to her apartment one evening and finds her husband there. Problem is she is not married. While she is trying to figure out who this person is, he goes to the attic to change the light bulb. But what comes down is ANOTHER HUSBAND .

On this episode of The Richard Crouse Show we meet #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, Karen Kingsbury. She is North America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Today we’ll talk about how she found her way from journalism to writing best-selling fiction and the new film, “Someone Like You,” which she produced, based on one of her books.

Then, Roger Mooking stop[s by. As a celebrity chef, restaurateur, television host, author, and award-winning recording artist Roger has earned an international reputation as a multi-media artist and entertainer showcasing a globally inspired vision that reflects his rich family heritage, love for people and travel. He does lots of things… and has even won a special All-Star Chopped celebrity chef episode… today we talk about his career in food and music, and how he combined all of his interests in a new book called “Curious Sounds.”

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Adam Growe. You may know him a standup comedian, a corporate entertainer or even a foster parent to seven children. But he's likely most recognized as being Canada’s favourite cab driver. He hosted the Canadian trivia-based game show "Cash Cab" for roughly eight years between 2008 and 2015, in which he'd quiz unsuspecting riders with general knowledge questions for their chance to collect money while he drove them from place to place.

“Cash Cab” and Adam Growe return with a new spin on the old show… “Cash Cab Music.” Adam is back behind the wheel of a newly-renovated disco taxi, testing his cab customers on musical trivia. Get three wrong and you’re out but get the answers right and you can win cash and even sing some karaoke.

Then, we get to know Shilpi Somaya Gowda is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author whose novels have been translated into over 30 languages, been #1 international bestsellers in several countries and sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Her newest book, “A Great Country,” has been named an Anticipated/Top Book of 2024 by over a dozen publications, a Heather's Pick at Indigo, and received a starred review from Publishers’ Weekly.

On the Saturday March 16, 2024 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, a.k.a. Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took, from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. . They've built upon their famous friendship by working together on podcasts (“The Friendship Onion,” “Moriarty: The Devil's Game”) and TV (Boyd appeared on Monaghan's travel show “Wild Things,” and the two just announced a new reality series “Billy and Dom Eat the World”). But now they're making their stage debut together as a different dynamic duo.

The pair will star in a new production of Tom Stoppard's “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” in Mirvish Productions' Off-Mirvish series at Toronto's CAA Theatre until April 6, 2024.

Then, best-selling author Dolly Alderton stops by. She’s a regular columnist for the Sunday Times Style Magazine, and the author of the phenomenally successful memoir “Everything I Know About Love,” which she’s just finished making into a hit BBC TV series; and a bestselling novelist thanks to her barnstorming fiction debut “Ghosts.” Her latest best seller, “Good Material,” a story of heartbreak and friendship and how to survive both.

We wrap up with Glass Tiger singer Alan Frew who talks about music, how he keeps his voice in shape and much more.

On the Saturday March 9, 2024 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet Kathleen Munroe, “Law & Order” superfan, and the star of the new “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.” It’s the new adaptation of the legendary “Law & Order” brand, based on the classic series created by Dick Wolf. A psychological thriller wrapped in a criminal investigation, It will showcase original Canadian stories written and produced by, and starring, Canadians.

Kathleen Munroe, who you’ve seen for portraying Dr. Amanda Perry on Stargate Universe, Samantha Flack on CSI: NY, and on shows like Chicago P.D., Chicago Med and FBI, plays Det. Sgt. Frankie Bateman, part of an elite squad of detectives who investigate high-profile crime and corruption in metro Toronto.

Kathleen and I talked about how watching Jill Hennessy as Claire Kincaid influenced her decision to pursue acting and more!

Then, we’ll get to know reggae-fusion artist Ammoye, who recently received a JUNO Award nomination for Reggae Recording of The Year for her incredible song, “Stir This Thing”. Seven-time JUNO Award-nominee Ammoye presents an innovative and unique reggae sound that blends elements of old-school rocksteady, dancehall, soul, and R&B. With an infectious voice and messages of empowerment, Jamaican-born Ammoye is a self-declared soul rebel.

On the Saturday March 2, 2024 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we get to know Alex Mallari Jr. The actor is known for his performances in the television series “Dark Matter” and “Ginny & Georgia.” You’ve seen him in movies “The Adam Project,” with Ryan Reynolds and “Shotgun Wedding” with Jennifer Lopez. Today we’ll talk about his latest Netflix movie, “Code 8 II” and working with Ryan Reynolds and Jenifer Lopez.

We’ll also meet 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.

Then, Dianne Whelan stops by. She is an award-winning director and cinematographer known for making films in extreme locations. She’s made movies in the Canadian Arctic and Mount Everest's base camp but her latest, “500 Days in the Wild,” tested her in ways she had never experienced before. She filmed herself traversing the entire 24,000 kms of longest trail in the world, Canada’s land and water trails from sea to sea to sea. It is an epic journey of discovery—hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing and skiing across the country—that provided challenges over the six year it took her to complete the journey, but at the end she emerged a bit wiser, and certainly more hopeful about the state of the world.

On the Saturday February 24, 2024 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet award-winning, former Toronto Star journalist Morgan Campbell. His new memoir “My Fighting Family: Borders and Bloodlines and the Battles That Made Us,” offers a history of his family’s multigenerational battles, a coming-of-age story, and a powerful reckoning with what it means to be Black in Canada when you have strong American roots.

Morgan Campbell joins CBC Sports as our first Senior Contributor after 18 standout years at the Toronto Star. In 2004 he won the National Newspaper Award for "Long Shots," a serial narrative about a high school basketball team from Scarborough. Later created, hosted and co-produced "Sportonomics," a weekly video series examining the business of Sport. And he spent his last two years at the Star authoring the Sports Prism initiative, a weekly feature covering the intersection of sports, race, business, politics and culture. Morgan is also a TedX lecturer, and a frequent contributor to several CBC platforms, including the extremely popular and sorely-missed Sports Culture Panel on CBC Radio Q. His work has been featured in the New York Times, the Literary Review of Canada, and the Best Canadian Sports Writing anthology.

Then we meet New York Times bestselling author Nita Prose joins me to talk about her new book, The Mystery Guest,” it’s a follow-up to her phenomenally successful first The Maid. It follows the adventures of Molly Gray, a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel who launches an investigation of her own into the death of an acclaimed author who died in one of the hotel’s rooms. We’ll learn how a mummified rat was part of the unusual inspiration for this book and much more.

On the Saturday February 17, 2024 edition of The Richard Crouse Show, get to know Reinaldo Marcus Green, director of the Oscar winning film “King Richard.” He returns to theatres this weekend with “Bob Marley: One Love,” a story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. We talk about why Bob Marley’s influence still resonates today, when his life was cut short in 1981, when he was aged just 36.

Then we’ll hear from Bob Marley’s son Ziggy Marley who talks about his father as an icon, a father and a musician.

Rik Emmett also joins me. He left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career, and released records in a variety of styles, including rock, blues, jazz, classical, bluegrass, and flamenco. He’s he won the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award for Guitarist of the Year and now has written a book called “Lay It On the Line: A Backstage Pass to Rock Star Adventure, Conflict and Triumph,” available now wherever you buy fine books.

Finally, Chris Hadfield joins the show. He is an astronaut, engineer, singer, fighter pilot and author of many books, including the one we’ll talk about today, “The Defector.”