Q with Tom Power

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Q with Tom Power episodes

January 18, 2024 Nikki Giovanni: Poetry, influencing the birth of hip-hop, and why being talented means being lonely
Considered one of the world’s greatest living poets, Nikki Giovanni carved out a revolutionary legacy during the civil rights era with poems that uplifted the experiences of Black Americans. Decades later, Nikki’s writing and interviews have grown increasingly personal – offering insight into her childhood, health struggles and thoughts on growing older. She shares her story in the new documentary, “Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project.” Nikki tells Tom about being involved in the birth of hip-hop, why artists should go to space, and how she packed a club of 100 people, including guests like Morgan Freeman and Nina Simone.
35 min
January 18, 2024 Matty Matheson: The Bear, his passionate Emmys speech, and bringing his kitchen experience to the show
This week, Matty Matheson made a memorable acceptance speech at the 75th Emmys where “The Bear” swept up several awards, including best comedy series. Matty joins Tom to talk about bringing authenticity to the kitchen environment in the series, what it was like kissing his co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach on stage, and why he thanked the hospitality industry in his speech.
24 min
January 17, 2024 Jasmeet Raina: Overnight internet fame, misunderstandings about his Sikh faith, and his new show Late Bloomer
From 2009 to 2018, Jasmeet Raina was known online as Jus Reign. His viral videos about being a first generation Indo-Canadian millennial amassed more than 160 million views on YouTube and more than a million fans on Facebook. But one day, with no explanation, Jasmeet decided to walk away from the spotlight. Now, he’s back with a comedy series on Crave called “Late Bloomer.” Jasmeet talks to Tom about his hiatus, representing his Punjabi Sikh culture and faith on screen, and what his relationship with the internet is like now.
34 min
January 16, 2024 Hayley Williams: Getting Paramore back together, being a woman in the pop-punk scene, and why she’s “addicted to a survival narrative”
If you grew up in the mid-to-late 2000s, there's a good chance you know the band Paramore. Hayley Williams has fronted the pop-punk band for 20 years. She tells Tom about the band's history, the advice she’d give her younger self and what inspired Paramore’s latest album, “This Is Why.”
21 min
January 16, 2024 Ibrahim Maalouf: Pushing the boundaries of the trumpet, his father’s influence, and how music became a refuge to him
Ibrahim Maalouf is no stranger to defying genre. The acclaimed trumpeter’s latest album, “Capacity to Love,” blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, classical and Arabic music to create a unique record that sees him collaborate with the likes of Gregory Porter, De La Soul and even Sharon Stone. Ibrahim talks to Tom about his life in music, escaping war-torn Lebanon, and how music became a refuge for him as a child. Plus, he opens up about why he’s so interested in pushing the boundaries of the trumpet and why he doesn’t feel bound to the traditions he was schooled in.
37 min
January 15, 2024 R.L. Stine: Goosebumps, writing advice, and how he stumbled into writing horror for kids
R.L. Stine is one of the best-selling children's authors in history, made famous by his “Goosebumps” and “Fear Street” books. For decades, he’s kept a strict writing schedule, pumping out around 2,000 words (roughly 10 pages) each morning. More than 350 books later, he’s sharing what he knows with a new book of writing advice called “There’s Something Strange About My Brain: Writing Horror for Kids.” R.L. Stine joins Tom to talk about how growing up feeling like a fearful outsider inspired him to retreat in his room and write, how he accidentally ended up writing horror books for kids, and what his best advice is for young writers.
33 min
January 15, 2024 Vanessa Morgan: Riverdale, Wild Cards, and receiving death threats for her character's actions
Vanessa Morgan (Riverdale, My Babysitter’s a Vampire) stars in the new series "Wild Cards.” She tells Tom how playing high schoolers for so many years kept her young, what she remembers about her last day of shooting for the CW series “Riverdale,” and why she feels so ready to take on this new role.
18 min
January 12, 2024 Geoff McFetridge: Beastie Boys, skateboarding in Calgary, and designing for brands like Apple and Nike
Geoff McFetridge has been called “the most famous Canadian artist you’ve never heard of.” As a graphic artist and painter, he’s collaborated with directors such as Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola, designed for brands like Nike and Apple, and created huge murals for Ottawa’s transit system. In a rare interview, Geoff tells Tom how the DIY culture of skateboarding in Calgary influenced him to get into art, how he ended up designing the Beastie Boys’ Grand Royal magazine, and how he keeps one foot in the world of art galleries, and one foot in the world of corporate design.
34 min
January 12, 2024 D.J. Demers: How growing up hard of hearing and working in a used sporting good store inspired his new sitcom
D.J. Demers is a hard of hearing comedian who’s performed on some of the most famous stages in comedy, such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Conan,” and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Now, the Canadian comedian is out with his new CBC workplace comedy, titled “One More Time,” which follows a semi-fictionalized version of himself who is a manager of a used sporting goods store and is also hard of hearing. D.J.tells Tom about writing a show based on his personal experience, why he wanted to write a sitcom steeped in Canadiana and nostalgia, and what it means to him to have people who are hard of hearing at his shows.
19 min
January 11, 2024 Nicole Byer on how ADHD can help your comedy + Mark Critch pays tribute to his dad by impersonating him
Nicole Byer has made a living talking to people and being funny. She’s so good at it that she's got multiple podcasts and TV shows, and she's now up for an Emmy nomination for hosting the amateur bake-off show “Nailed It!” Nicole tells Tom about growing up as a hyperactive kid, how she initially wanted to be a dramatic actor and how having ADHD has helped her comedy career.
Plus, Season 3 of “Son of Critch” premieres this week. Mark Critch, the show's creator and namesake, stops by to share the real-life story from his past that inspired a pivotal scene in the new season.
47 min

About Q with Tom Power

From the publisher's feed

Five days a week, Tom Power brings you candid conversations with the artists shaping our culture. Whether he’s chatting with A-listers or rising stars, his disarming warmth and meticulous research…

always gets below the surface, bringing us deeper into the art and lives of today's most compelling musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers.

As a Canadian institution, Q has attracted the biggest names in the world. But it's never been about the fame. It's always been about the art.

Since becoming the host of Q in October 2016, listeners have come to know Tom for his in-depth interviewing style (asking founding Wu-Tang Clan member RZA what was inside his teenage notebooks), his mischievous sense of humour (jokingly chiding actor Catherine O'Hara for her parenting skills in Home Alone), and his genuine enthusiasm and fearlessness (singing a duet with Mavis Staples).

You’re just as likely to hear from celebrities and cultural icons as you are to hear from emerging artists at the beginning of their career. Tom gives each and every artist the space to tell their story in their own words. He also has a track record for interviewing artists on the precipice of stardom, like Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Daniel Caesar, who appeared on Q well before they hit the mainstream.

On Q, we cover arts and culture in all its forms, including music, movies, film, TV, comedy, painting, photography, theatre, cinema, Broadway, fashion, dance, opera, documentaries, books, fiction and memoirs.

Look to our archives to hear some of Tom’s award-winning artist interviews, including his moving and insightful conversation with the Canadian actor Michael J. Fox, which was awarded the prestigious gold medal for best interview at the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards.

In 2022, Tom spoke with Friends star Matthew Perry in front of a live audience. Their warm and frank conversation about the actor's struggles with substance abuse struck a chord, leading to millions views on TikTok and Instagram, while also being picked up by news outlets internationally, including Vanity Fair and CNN.

Tom’s impactful discussions with top talent have included Adele, Bono, Chappell Roan, Pamela Anderson, Cate Blanchett, Dua Lipa, Cher, Denzel Washington, Mick Jagger, Florence Pugh, Francis Ford Coppola, Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone, Jim Carrey, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, Tyler Perry, Alicia Keys, Alan Moore, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Darren Aronofsky, Harry Styles, Simu Liu, Sean Penn, Sandra Bullock, Michaela Coel, Ryan Reynolds, Katy Perry, Neil Young, Shakira, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Omar Apollo, Trixie Mattel, Orville Peck, Big Sean, Anil Kapoor, Jane Fonda, Robert DeNiro, Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Celine Dion, Kerry Washington, Chuck D, Steven Soderbergh, Mikey Madison, Cillian Murphy, Sean Baker, Steve McQueen, Paris Hilton, Taylor Tomlinson, Gwen Stefani, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kylie Minogue, Stanley Tucci, Rufus Wainwright, Caroline Polachek, Hans Zimmer, Denis Villeneuve, Alex Garland, Alan Ritchson, Britt Lower, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, David Blaine, Brian Tyree Henry, Perfume Genius, Deepa Mehta, Tracy Chapman, Chloë Sevigny, Josh Hartnett and many more.