a podcast
Why is trying so hard? We're gonna find out by asking the very people who seem to do it the best.
See, I’ve always been a dreamer. Simultaneously, I’ve always been terrible at follow through; at the actual work of making my dreams come true. Now, hard work for someone else, no problem. Hard work on my own behalf, not as easy.
Yet, I’m surrounded by fantastic people doing fantastic things; how do they do it? I’ve always wanted to know. So in order to find out, I’m going to invite them to sit down with me and we’re going to talk about how they do these fantastic things that they do and hopefully, we’ll all learn something from them.
At the very least, hopefully, I’ll learn something from them. Either way, it should be interesting.
The goal is to have a new conversation up here weekly.
new
episode FIVE​
rachel WAGNER
Rachel and I are old friends going all the way back to fifth grade and you'll hear all about it in this, our newest, albeit pretty late, fifth episode. Apart from being a blast from my past, she's also a talented writer and television producer. Currently she's working at the forefront of the Canadian-ing (if I might coin a phrase) of some of your favourite food-related reality tv; mouth-watering shows like The Great Canadian Bake-off, Iron Chef Canada and most recently Back In Time For Dinner on CBC.
Rachel has also written and edited for a number of publications all over the world. We spoke at her home in Toronto, where she lives with her partner and son.
dave MERHEJE
episode FOUR​
In which I made actual, honest to goodness plans with someone whom I have spent much of the last ten years only bumping into randomly. Dave was gracious enough to fit me in the last time he was in Toronto. We talked about life and the universe and most importantly, all the amazing things he's been up to and about these days.
Dave is one of my favourite comedians and he should be one of yours too. He's got a comedy special that just dropped called Good Friend, Bad Grammar; I was there when they taped it, it was excellent, you definitely need to get some of this, short term or long term, right here. For more details or just for more Dave, check out the man's website www.davemerheje.com and his Instagram which might be @davemerheje21
picture taken by Genevieve Pellettier
episode THREE​
nikki STRACHAN
In which I brave the wilds of Liberty Villiage, to sit down with Nikki, who makes beautiful people even more beautiful at the ungodliest of hours. We talked in her adorably tiny apartment, an almost perfect metaphor for this powerhouse makeup artist.
You can find the fruits of her labours on CTV, where she's the senior artist in the makeup department and key artist for Your Morning and The Social. She's also on Instagram page @nikkistrachanmakeup and Twitter @nikkistrachan.
miquelon RODRIGUEZ
episode TWO
In which Mickey comes over to my place to talk about all the amazing shit he's up to these days. Mickey and I used to work together until he left to become the Apprentice Creative Director at The Factory Theatre.
We talked about his experiences as a person of colour in the Toronto arts community and the things he's doing to expand that world. Next time he does the show, we're going to do it over dim sum, like all great conversations should be.
You can find him on twitter at @djtronix and on instagram @troysteel
episode ONE
In which I sit down with my best friend for the inaugural episode of this podcast. We talked in his apartment, where we normally hang out and where we also film the online talk show, The DGSpecial.
Dan does so many things it's hard to narrow it down to just one, but if you happen to watch CP24, some of those Oliver The Jeweller commercials were made by Dan.
You can find him at his website dangalea.ca and on twitter under @therealdangalea and on Instagram @dgspecial. The Dgspecial is also live on stage at Toronto's The Rec Room, the last Friday of every month. Free tickets available here .