Have you ever stopped to think about what a balloon, a bar of soap, a subway seat, or a can of cola would have to say? On this podcast, they each have a voice and they're ready to spill their truths.

From PRX and Radiotopia, Everything is Alive is an unscripted interview series in which each guest is an inanimate object. No two items' experiences are the same as they each have a life story and their own unique perspective on the world at large. With company like this, it's no wonder the show won the 2019 Webby Award for Best Interview/Talk Show.

This week, we're sharing one of our fave episodes from last spring. Joining us is Ian Chillag – producer, writer and host of Everything Is Alive. As our guest curator, he brings us his favourite outside-the-box podcasts.

"There's a flavour that is McDonald's, and I feel like that sometimes when I'm listening to podcasts. There's a flavour that is 'podcasts' ."

- Ian Chillag

We're joined this week by Elaine Lui, founder and editor of LaineyGossip.com and co-host of CTV's The Social. She shares her favourite podcasts and talks about how she made it in the entertainment industry.

Podcasts featured this week:

Show Your Work – "Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of New York Times bestseller 'Daisy Jones & The Six' tells us why men's interest in her work doesn't interest her."

Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. – "Football star Aaron Hernandez went from the bright lights of the Super Bowl to a convicted murderer in a few years. Did a brain badly damaged by football contribute to Hernandez's violent behavior?"

They Call Us Bruce – "Recorded live at NCORE in Portland, Jeff and Phil welcome back Soleil Ho, restaurant critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. They talk race, culture, politics, identity and, of course, food."

Still Processing – Hosts Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham examine the portrayal of masculinity as mental illness in Joker and Fight Club.

Shiver me timbers! This week we've got stories about all sorts of pirates. Featuring:Every Little Thing – Hooks, eye patches, peg legs: are these classic pirate tropes fact or fiction? Pirate historian Laura Sook Duncombe tells us about the golden age of pirates.

99% Invisible – A modern day (radio) pirate, Roy Bates is the self-proclaimed king of Sealand. But he developed a bigger plan for his platform than a radio station: Roy Bates wanted to start his own country.

The Memory Palace – Eugenia Kelly was a 19-year-old socialite in 1915. Not only was she in love with the cabaret, she also loved Al Davis, an older, married man known as the "tango pirate". But her mother, Helen Kelly, did not approve of their relationship. When Eugenia refused to end their affair, Helen took her daughter to court and the case scandalized the nation.

StartUp – Mike Hallatt wanted to give the people of Vancouver what they want: Trader Joe's snacks. So every week, he'd head across the border to snag some contraband to resell in his own shop: Pirate Joe's.

Lost Notes – WBAD in New York was among the most beloved pirate radio stations in the 90s. They played unsanitized hip-hop, most of which wasn't being touched by mainstream radio.

Our Fake History – Anne Bonny & Mary Read are two of the most famous & ruthless pirates of all time. But their story is so tangled up in myth, it's hard to separate fact from legend.

This week we're celebrating the little guys : ) We're sharing some of the best independent podcasts. Featuring: 1. Wild Thing – "Believe in Bigfoot? Think it's total BS? Host Laura Krantz spent a year in the woods and in the lab, trying to answer that question. What she found might surprise even the staunchest non-believer." 2. Long Distance – "What happens when you're caught between two worlds – your homeland and your new home country?" Host/producer Paola Mardo and her friend Pia Ilagan Lingasin reflect on their differing experiences as 1.5 generation Filipino immigrants. 3. Have You Heard George's Podcast? – "George The Poet is a London-born spoken word performer of Ugandan heritage. His fusion of music and storytelling acts like a secret door into the mind, painting pictures that come to life behind closed eyelids." 4. Media Indigena – "What happens when you reverse the lens and try to unpack what it means to be a Settler? What's the difference between Settler colonialism and white supremacy—is it one of kind or degree? And can we ever hope to solve "The Settler Problem"?" 5. Roommate From Hell – "Bea is an ancient demon who fought in the epic war against the tyrant god Yahweh. Claire works in...business. They're roommates in a fourth-floor walkup in Slope Hill, Brooklyn. And they have adventures!" 6. Hot Plate – Humanity has finally learned for certain that sitting down helps you taste better. A new study proves what instinct tells us: posture has an impact on our enjoyment of food. 7. Twenty Thousand Hertz – "Have you ever wondered what your dog or cat would say to you if they could talk? How about your plant? This episode explores the world of bioacoustics and cognitive ecology."

How did Toronto become the most hated city in Canada? We've got the history behind its questionable mayors and its bitter fight to become the capital city. Then, is your roommate trying to kill you!? We'll learn how to spot a psychopathic.Plus, two women attempt to live by the rules of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. The book tells them to throw out belongings, fold socks into intricate pinwheels, and say: "thank you, garbage!" Can they do it? Featuring: Invisibilia, Ear Hustle, Death, Sex and Money, By the Book, The Secret Life of Canada, Every Little Thing.

This week we're talking about the long, complicated process of finding "the one." If that's something you even believe in...

Featuring: Science VS, Modern Love, Love Me, This Is Love, Alone: A Love Story, Word Bomb.

This week we're sharing the best new releases. Featuring: Broken Record (plus an interview with host Bruce Headlam), the new daily podcast from the Washington Post - Post Reports, 10 Things That Scare Me, Born & Raised, and PlayMe. Plus, Nick Quah stops by to share why he's obsessed with self help and what trends are coming up this year.

This week, we're sharing stories about people divided over things like politics, climate change and sexuality...and about what happens when they try to talk across those lines. The Daily, Hidden Brain, Canadaland's Oppo, The Heart (Phoebe Wang's God + The Gays), Reveal, Conversation With People Who Hate Me.

We've got the entire Podcast Playlist team in studio, and everyone's chosen one of their fave pieces of the year to play. Featuring: Earhustle, Finding Cleo, Articles of Interest, Caliphate, Punch Up the Jam, Getting Curious with Jonathan van Ness, Waking Up with Sam Harris.

This week: grab a hot cocoa, cuddle up under a blanket and have a listen to these warm and cosy stories for the holidays. Featuring: Soul Music, The Allusionist, The Nod, Every Little Thing, Only Human and The Feast.