Q with Tom Power

By CBCSociety & Culture

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Q with Tom Power episodes

March 30, 2023 Tegan and Sara + Sean Towgood
Singer-songwriters Tegan and Sara (The Con, Crybaby) on changing direction in your life and in your art, their frustration with how twins are depicted in the media, and what they think when they look back on their career so far.
Plus, Sean Towgood (35:52) on how his show “You’re My Hero” gives a realistic depiction of someone living with cerebral palsy, the absurd things people say to him in grocery stores, and using comedy as a way to cope.
51 min
March 29, 2023 Guillermo del Toro + Jeremy Dutcher
Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth,The Shape of Water, Nightmare Alley) on the darkness within Pinocchio, why he included facism in his retelling of the classic story and the time he may have encountered a ghost.
Plus, composer Jeremy Dutcher (35:24) and his mother Lisa Perley-Dutcher on the importance of language preservation and why they want to create the first-ever Wolastoqey immersion school (which is now up and running since they last spoke!!).
50 min
March 28, 2023 Melanie C + Aysanabee
Singer-songwriter Melanie Chisholm (a.k.a. Sporty Spice) on the Spice Girls, the challenges that come with international fame, and life after being in one of the biggest pop groups in the world. Plus, singer-songwriter Aysanabee (37:52) on his breakthrough album “Watin” and the significance of including the voice of his grandfather ⁠— a residential school survivor ⁠— in his music.
52 min
March 27, 2023 Sheila McCarthy + Vir Das
Actor Sheila McCarthy (Women Talking, I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing) on working with Sarah Polley, meeting Robin Williams, and the best acting advice she’s ever received.
Plus, comedian Vir Das (37:35) opens up about being labeled a ‘terrorist,’ turning criticism into comedy, and holding onto love during moments of hate.
51 min
March 24, 2023 Bill Nye + Begonia
Bill Nye (the Science Guy!) on his late friend Carl Sagan, skepticism, and his gratitude for his Canadian audience.
Plus, Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Begonia (23:51) on her start in music, the Coldplay song that made her feel “everything,” and the lessons you learn after releasing your debut record.
48 min
March 23, 2023 Taye Diggs + Cliff Cardinal
Actor Taye Diggs (The Best Man: The Final Chapters) on his role in the Tony award-winning musical “Rent,” the universality of Black stories and whether or not he’ll return to Broadway.
Plus, playwright Cliff Cardinal (21:25) on his confrontational play “The Land Acknowledgement, or As You Like It,” subverting the audience’s expectations and laughing in the face of trauma.
43 min
March 22, 2023 Sabrina Benaim + Ravi Jain
Poet Sabrina Benaim on being “that depression girl,” breaking expectations and her new audio-exclusive poetry collection, “Chaotic Good.”
Plus, director Ravi Jain (26:37) on adapting a 4,000-year-old Sanskrit poem for the stage, pushing the boundaries of theatre and the pressures of making an ancient story speak to modern life.
50 min
March 21, 2023 Clement Virgo + Kim Thúy
Writer and director Clement Virgo (The Wire, The Book of Negroes, Brother) on maturing as a filmmaker, how art reflects back your own humanity and working on hit TV shows like “The Wire.”
Plus, author Kim Thúy (32:21) on the haunting photograph that inspired her latest novel, “Em,” the endurance of love amongst misery and her own immigration story.
51 min
March 20, 2023 Steve Reich + Priyanka
Composer Steve Reich on his influences, his reverence for the voices of Holocaust survivors in his piece “Different Trains,” and what music sounds like when you’re considering your own mortality.
Drag queen Priyanka (34:40) on being the first winner of Canada’s Drag Race, her journey to drag and the advice she’d give to her 14-year-old self.
48 min
March 17, 2023 Anthony Shim + Aryana Sayeed & Fazila Amiri
Filmmaker Anthony Shim on his award-winning film “Riceboy Sleeps,” the line between comedy and tragedy and how he just wants to make his parents proud.
Plus, Afghan-Canadian filmmaker Fazila Amiri and singer Aryana Sayeed (34:04) on their documentary, “And I Still Sing,” which tells the story of how the reality singing show, "Afghan Star" made history when two courageous female contestants defied death threats to continue singing.
49 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.