Q with Tom Power

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Q with Tom Power episodes

July 07, 2023 Kwame Alexander on his memoir, “Why Fathers Cry at Night”
In the world of poetry and children’s literature, the author Kwame Alexander is royalty. His books for young readers include “The Undefeated,” which won the prestigious Caldecott prize, and “The Crossover,” which has been adapted into a Disney+ series. Now, Kwame has released his first full-length book for adults. His memoir “Why Fathers Cry At Night” is a window into the life and mind of one of America’s greatest children's authors. Kwame tells Tom about the stories in his memoir and how writing poetry doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a vulnerable person.
25 min
July 06, 2023 Why Peter Garrett and his band Midnight Oil put environmentalism at the forefront of their music
Lead singer Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil was twice president of the Australian Conservation Foundation and a former minister for the environment of Australia. Last year, Peter joined Tom just as his band’s latest and final record, “Resist,” came out, to look back on his illustrious career with Midnight Oil and how the band has put environmentalism at the forefront of their music from day one.
30 min
July 06, 2023 Lina Rodriguez’s new film is a powerful immigrant story about what it means to be settled and unsettled
In Lina Rodriguez’s new film, “So Much Tenderness,” an environmental lawyer flees Colombia after the murder of her husband, and ends up in Toronto where she rebuilds her life with her daughter. It’s a personal project for Lina, who’s also Colombian and came to Canada to study. She talks to Tom about the film and how it explores the feeling of being in between cultures, languages and geographical spaces.
17 min
July 05, 2023 A rare conversation with children's book author Jon Klassen + New music from Laila Biali
Jon Klassen is a big name in the world of children’s picture books. His bestselling works include “I Want My Hat Back” and “This Is Not My Hat.” Now, as Jon prepares to release his latest book, “The Skull,” he opens up to Tom about his early influences, when he first realized he could draw, and how he created his signature style that defined his illustration career.
Plus, the award-winning pianist and singer Laila Biali is back with a new album, “Your Requests.” She tells Tom about why she’s turning to the Great American Songbook for inspiration.
49 min
July 04, 2023 How Valerine Bertinelli learned she was enough already
Ever since she grew up on TV screens on the Norman Lear sitcom “One Day at a Time,” Valerie Bertinelli has been the kind of star that people think they know. In her memoir, “Enough Already,” Valerie treats her life literally as an open book, including the decades-long obsession with dieting that she’s aiming the book’s title at. Valerie talks to Tom about how the last few years, which included the death of her ex-husband Eddie Van Halen, have made her reassess her priorities and find joy.
38 min
July 04, 2023 Kevin Chong on "The Double Life of Benson Yu" and what happens when you try and fail to write a memoir
Vancouver writer Kevin Chong is back with his seventh book. This time, he’s written a metafiction about a comic book writer struggling to come to terms with a past trauma. Kevin talks to Tom about the story, what inspired him to write his darkest ever book and his memories of being with his grandmother in Vancouver's Chinatown.
14 min
July 03, 2023 Tom Holland on his rise to fame: “Billy Elliot,” “Spider-Man” and “The Crowded Room”
You might know Tom Holland best as the web-slinging superhero in Marvel's “Spider-Man,” but now he’s taken on a new role in hopes of showing audiences a different side of himself. Tom talks to Tom Power about starring in the intense new miniseries "The Crowded Room," how he never meant to become an actor, and the unimaginable fame that comes with the role of Spider-Man.
25 min
July 03, 2023 Johnny Reid pays tribute to his grandmother + Mali Obomsawin’s new song “Wawasint8da”
Scottish Canadian country musician Johnny Reid pays tribute to his grandmother in a new musical called “Maggie” that’s headlining the Charlottetown Festival this summer. Johnny tells Tom why this story about a feisty school cleaner in post-war Scotland means so much to him.
Plus, Mali Obomsawin tells you the story behind her song “Wawasint8da” off her new album, “Sweet Tooth.”
28 min
June 30, 2023 Jerry Seinfeld had 45 years of jokes on scraps of paper — so he put them into a book
Over his 45-year career in standup, Jerry Seinfeld had amassed tons of jokes jotted down on paper. He talks to Tom about compiling them into a book, called “Is This Anything?” — and along the way, they chat about how he got his start in comedy, the legacy of “Seinfeld,” and whether there’s an actual difference between day cereal and night cereal.
26 min
June 30, 2023 “The Hate U Give” author Angie Thomas on turning to the fantasy genre to help young readers confront racism
Angie Thomas’s 2017 novel “The Hate U Give” was a game changer, addressing racism and police brutality for young readers. It also sold millions of copies — and faced multiple book bans. Angie’s gone on to write a bunch of bestselling YA books, and she talks about why shifting to fantasy is a whole new way to talk to kids about racism.
29 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.