Get ready to fulfill all your fictional fantasies because this week we’re chatting with writer and podcaster, Diana McCallum (she/her), about the only artistic medium that is - for legal reasons - fueled exclusively by the power of fandom; It’s FANFICTION! We discuss the history of the genre, best-selling novels that started as fanfiction, the popularity of slash ships, male pregnancy, and all-werewolf universes, what ‘whump’ means, the perils of censorship, and why Anne Rice is probably...

Get hyped for your Halloween costume because today we’re talking to professional makeup artist, Meg Fraser, about the magical and monstrous world of SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP! We’re taking you behind the scenes to talk about fake dirt, biologically correct injuries, old-age makeup, legendary creature designs and the iconic makeup artists whose work you didn’t realize you loved. Plus, some hot tips for your next zombie costume and a handy home-made blood recipe.  Produced by Andrew Ivimey as...

Today we’re playing padawan to writer and comedian Ben Sosa-Wright (he/him) about the animated Star Wars property that literally saved the galaxy; THE CLONE WARS! We discuss Dave Filoni’s legendary efforts to make the Star Wars canon make sense, how Ahsoka became a fan-favourite, animated world-building, the lightsaber personality test, and which characters are queer coded (cause it’s more than you’d think). Plus, Kyah and Steph invent a brand new word.   Produced by Andrew Ivimey as part...

Hold onto your butts! This week we’re excavating fascinating fact fossils with comedian and writer Chris Leveille, as we discover a fandom that DOES move in herds; JURASSIC PARK! We dig into the massive success of Crichton’s original book, how Spielberg masters fear and awe, (r)evolutionary special effects, an iconic (and meme-worthy) cast and a bunch of Pratt-keeping sequels that should have stayed extinct. Plus, Chris gives us his safety tips for dinosaur encounters, Kyah muses on the...

Grab your straw hat and munch on a devil fruit because we’re talking to Katie Chin about her favorite manga, ONE PIECE! We discuss the loveable optimism of Monkey D. Luffy, geopolitical pirate politics, wacky island themes, awkward ‘kid appropriate’ edits, and how the author, Eiichira Oda, somehow created a narratively coherent world where he was allowed to draw whatever the hell he wanted. Plus, we assemble a crew from Katie’s favorite characters and get our own pirate personas.  Produced...

Cut an LVAT wire to the tune of Snow Patrol, because we’re talking to drag queen, gamer and superfan, Juice Boxx about the steamy medical drama that kills more people that it saves; GREYS ANATOMY! We discuss iconic soundtracks, weird medical cases, the origin of the ‘Pick Me’ girl, behind the scenes cast drama, a misguided musical episode, a parking lot of no return, the endless string of increasingly ridiculous disasters and why the plane crash episode was TOO far. Plus, a not entirely...

Get ready to stomp the catwalk because we’re learning about FASHION with writer, costume designer and drag queen extraordinaire, Justin Gray (he/him). We talk about the origin of popular fashion, who decides what’s trendy, what ‘au couture’ actually means, the glory of Mary Kate’s Birkin Bag, why you're probably washing your clothing wrong and how fast fashion is, quite literally, demonic. Plus, how you can build your own style without breaking the bank, and a crash course in designers using...

Things are about to get real forkin’ philosophical because we’re talking to actor and comedian Ashley Comeau about the show with an afterlife of its own; THE GOOD PLACE. We talk about Mike Schur’s carte blanche from NBC, how the writers made philosophy funny, which character we think represents us best, and how it may have changed our personal outlook. Plus, we decide which celebrities would end up in the Good Place, and what customizable Bad Place we might dish out to the rest.  Produced...

Grab a long-haired companion and hop a plane to Norway, because today we’re joined by improviser and psychotherapist, Jess Bryson, to discuss the undefinable mythos and subsequent pop-culture phenomena of Trolls (both the doll and the creature). We dig into mysterious stone faces, troublesome sock thieves, family traditions, jerks on the internet, the original Danish doll that started the craze, and why we could all use a little bit more magic in our lives. Produced by Andrew Ivimey as part...

Kupo kupo kupo! Performer, producer and teacher David Hadley joins us to explain the game series meant to be a saving grace that became a worldwide phenomena that is Final Fantasy. We chat about the golden era of the series, the baddies that make you want to misbehave, and how Square has reinvented the world over 16 times but still hasn’t reached the Final fantasy.  Produced by Andrew Ivimey as part of The From Superheroes Network.

Lace up your sneakers and get ready to sweat because today we’re talking to Kyah and Steph’s personal trainer, Jimmy Kim, about his lifelong passion; EXERCISE AND FITNESS. We chat about the do’s and don’ts of starting a successful exercise habit, prioritizing the fun part of working out, how lifting muscles uses your brain, the prevalence of performance enhancing drugs, how hard it really is to bulk up, good gym manners and questionable instagram fitness trends. And in case you’re wondering,...

We’re talking to comedian, youtuber and one half of the Girl Historian podcast, Carley Thorne, about her obsession with the world’s most famous witch-hunt; THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS. Put on a cauldron of tea and get cozy because we’re talking about the origin of New England’s witch hysteria, American vs. European witches, deadly teenage gossip, political scapegoats, devil-dogs, the cartoon coven that caused bisexual awakening, not-so-just Puritan justice system, Salem tour guide wars and the...

It’s time to get spooOOooOOooky. Today we’re talking to actress, comedian and podcast host, Sarah Hillier (she/her) about her paranormal obsession: GHOSTS. Gather round as we discuss ghost stories, other-worldly experiences, why there are no caveman ghosts, why spirits might be annoyed by seances, a brush with an undead spider, and ghost-proof architecture. Plus a lightning round game that quickly descends into ‘which ghost is the hottest’ and never quite recovers.  Produced by Andrew...

*CUE DRAMATIC VIOLINS*  Today we’re talking to actor and comedian, Chris Sandiford (he/him) about his love for MOVIE SCORES. We chat about the difference between a ‘score’ and a ‘theme’, what makes a really good score, which composers are the most under or overrated, how a single evolving motif can enhance a narrative, and why Hans Zimmer has rejected the concept of instruments. Plus, Steph, Kyah and Chris invent a new pastime we like to call ‘movie score karaoke’. Produced by Andrew...

Elementary, Dear Watson! Today we’re joined via Zoom by writer and illustrator, Molly Ostertag (she/her), to discuss her newest obsession, Sherlock Holmes! We talk about the crime-solving genius archetype that Arthur Conon Doyle unleashed on the modern era, the loyal and loving relationship between Sherlock and Watson, how Oscar Wilde influenced the character, the history of queerness in the Victorian era, and decoding the language and context of the 1800s. Plus, we touch on the many film...

It’s time to start the music and light the lights because we’re joined by professional puppeteer, Jordan Brownlee (he/him), to talk about the world’s most famous felt-based comedy troupe -  THE MUPPETS! We get into the legacy of Jim Henson and his team, how he brought puppetry to an adult sketch variety world, iconic muppet moments, memorable guest stars and the great lengths (and very awkward positions) that muppet performers put themselves through to bring your favorite characters to life....

This week we’re coming to you LIVE from Toronto ComicCon where we’re joined by writer and graphic novelist, Stephanie Cooke (she/her), to discuss her favorite 90s adventure classic; THE MUMMY! We talk about the unmatched charm of Brendan Fraser, the joy of a good swashbuckler, the horror of murder scarabs, how the action-adventure genre was usurped by Marvel, and how some ancient monsters just want to be loved. Plus, the evolution of the tan-pant wearing swashbucklers, how the Mummy emulates...

Talk it through as a crew! Today we’re joined by actor, writer and artist, Neta Rose (they/them) to discuss the queer cult phenomena, OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH. Hop aboard The Revenge and sail away as we chat about queer storylines, the historical accuracy (or lack thereof), the delicate balance of comedy and heart, and how one show launched a thousand fan-ships by inspiring new communities, fanfiction, art and activism. Plus, we finally discuss our thoughts on season two and the ongoing campaign...

Get ready to think about the nature of human existence because today we’re talking to comedian, actor and Baroness Von Sketch star, Aurora Brown (she/her), about the legendary science fiction and fantasy author, URSULA K. LEGUIN. We learn about Leguin’s youth as the child of anthropologists, how she explored societal values in her work, how gender informed her career, her warnings against the steep cost of capitalism and what it feels like when an author blows your mind. Plus, we dive into...

Grab backup and get ready for a stakeout, because this week we’re talking to The Villain Was Right host, Rebecca Reeds, about her favourite teen sleuth; VERONICA MARS! We get the scoop on record breaking crowdfunding campaigns, irredeemable bad boys, what makes a great mystery, the difficulty with rebooting teen properties, and the eternal power of Kristen Bell. Plus, Steph and Rebecca discover they have very different taste in men. Produced by Andrew Ivimey as part of The From...

Never let go! Today we’re talking to comedian, writer and one half of the Girl Historian podcast, Blair MacMillan, about the not-so-unsinkable ship of dreams, THE TITANIC. We talk about the real conditions that caused the Titanic to be such a massive disaster, the ethics of robbing shipwrecks, James Cameron’s 1997 mega-blockbuster and why Rose is SUCH a Taurus. Plus, we get into cruise line class dynamics, famous art that was never lost, various Titanic conspiracy theories, and finally put to...

Get out your pencils (or pens, if you’re brave) because today we’re talking to word nerd and New York Times approved puzzle constructor, Jess Shulman, about her hobby and passion; CROSSWORDS! We learn the ups and downs of building a really good crossword puzzle, the beauty of a clever crossword theme, the difference between a regular crossword and a cryptic one, and why ‘Oreo’ is the crossword builder's favourite cookie. Plus, the best publishers in the biz, some clue-writing rules that may...

And now for something completely different! Today we are joined by actor, writer and comedian, Anders Yates, to talk about the holy grail of British sketch comedy; MONTY PYTHON. We discover what makes something ‘Pythonesque’, which sketches are timeless (and which ones aren’t), what Terry Gilliam’s incredible animation allowed them to get away with, and how they influenced other sketch groups like Kids In The Hall. Plus, we dig into Carol Cleveland, the unofficial female python, why Anders...

I’m Listening! That’s right, this week we’re doing some analysis of television's favorite radio psychiatrist because we’re talking about the classic 90s sitcom (and Kyah’s ultimate comfort watch): FRASIER! We talk about career defining performances, the magic and mayhem of David Hyde Pierce, the incredible writing and Frasier’s tactics of seduction (and the associated spotify playlist). Plus, we get into the implied queerness of the show and how it found a second life in memes. Goodnight...