Q with Tom Power
CBC
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
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Nov 27, 2024 • 23min
Oliver Jeffers: How the stories we tell ourselves shape our lives
For the last two decades, the artist and author Oliver Jeffers has created children’s books, such as “How to Catch a Star” and his latest book “Where to Hide a Star,” that have become staples in homes around the world. Oliver joins Tom Power to talk about his new book and how growing up amid the conflict in Northern Ireland gave him his life's mission to change the stories we tell.
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Nov 27, 2024 • 24min
Benjamin Von Wong: Why art is a key player in the survival of our planet
When you read about a global climate summit in the news, you probably don't see a lot about Jenga. But at this year’s UN Biodiversity Conference (also known as COP16), the Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong unveiled a provocative large-scale art installation called “Biodiversity Jenga,” which really got people thinking about climate change. Some of Benjamin’s past work includes giant skulls made of electronic waste and a massive structure made of drinking straws. His work is accessible, whimsical and in-your-face. Benjamin talks to Tom Power about his latest installation, his “clickbait approach” to activist art, and why he believes art is a key player in the survival of our planet.
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Nov 26, 2024 • 25min
Paris Hilton: Fame, mental health & the abuse she endured as a teen
More than 20 years ago, Paris Hilton started building an entertainment empire that went hand in hand with her reputation for being a ditzy blonde heiress. But that wasn’t her true self — it was a character she played in public as a trauma response. Now, she’s dropped the character and is showing the public the real her. In this conversation with guest host Talia Schlanger, Paris opens up about her mental health struggle and the abuse she faced at a boarding school for troubled teens. Plus, she talks about making her return to music with her new album, “Infinite Icon,” and reuniting with Nicole Richie to celebrate 20 years of “The Simple Life.”
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Nov 26, 2024 • 25min
Tokyo Police Club: Why the band is saying goodbye
Tokyo Police Club started as a high school band in an Ontario suburb, but it didn’t take long for them to become Canadian indie rock darlings. Now, after nearly 20 years together, Tokyo Police Club is calling it quits. Dave Monks and Graham Wright from the band sit down with Tom Power to tell us how they’re feeling as they head into their final shows this week.
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Nov 25, 2024 • 33min
Henry Winkler: How being diagnosed with dyslexia liberated him
The actor Henry Winkler spent 11 seasons playing The Fonz on “Happy Days,” and for much of that time, he was struggling with an undiagnosed learning disability. He only realized he had dyslexia at age 31, when his stepson was diagnosed. Now, Henry is a prolific children’s author who’s helping kids who have trouble with literacy. He joins Tom Power to talk about the latest book in his “Detective Duck” series, the shame he felt as an actor who struggled with reading, and what happens when you admit you need help.
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Nov 25, 2024 • 20min
Payal Kapadia: Her big win at Cannes for All We Imagine as Light
At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the director Payal Kapadia won the prestigious Grand Prix award for her debut narrative feature, “All We Imagine as Light.” It’s one of the buzziest films of the year and the first Indian film in 30 years to compete at Cannes. The story centres around three women who are each living and working in Mumbai. Though they’re all financially independent, they’re not free from the expectations of what it means to be women in a patriarchal society. Payal joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about making a film that celebrates female friendship, how she addressed some of her own biases against women in the film, and how she feels about it not being selected to represent India at the next Oscars.
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Nov 22, 2024 • 25min
Malcolm Washington: The weight of legacy & carving your own path
Malcolm Washington knows a thing or two about legacy. As the youngest son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington, he grew up in a movie-making family of actors, directors and producers. Now, Malcolm is entering the family business with his debut feature film, “The Piano Lesson,” which is an adaptation of the revered August Wilson play of the same name. It’s about what we pass on from one generation to another and the legacy we leave. Malcolm sits down with Tom Power to discuss his directorial debut, how he personally connected with the story’s themes of legacy, and what it’s like to carve out your own path when your father is a truly legendary actor.
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Nov 22, 2024 • 21min
Sameer Farooq: Why flatbread belongs in a museum
Whether you call it naan, roti, lavash or tortilla, flatbread represents our cultures and traditions, showing us how food can unite us across borders. It's for that reason that the Canadian artist Sameer Farooq believes that flatbread belongs in a museum. His latest project, “Flatbread Library,” is a large-scale sculpture that indexes flatbread from different regions, sourced from bakeries around Toronto. Sameer sits down with Tom Power to tell us how a trip to Pakistan sparked the idea for the project, why bakers are the best sculptors, and how “Flatbread Library” challenges what we typically see in museums.
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Nov 21, 2024 • 32min
Barry Sonnenfeld: The best gossip from his decades in Hollywood
As a cinematographer, director and producer, Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black, The Addams Family, Get Shorty) has done a lot in the world of film and TV. Last month, he released his second memoir, “Best Possible Place, Worst Possible Time,” which is full of candid stories from his blockbuster career. Barry joins Tom Power to share some of those Hollywood stories, including the unique challenges of directing Michael Jackson on “Men In Black II” and the time he fired Donald Trump off of a Macy’s commercial. Plus, he tells us why he became a Canadian permanent resident in 2016.
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Nov 21, 2024 • 20min
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas: Mixing Haida art with Japanese manga
Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a Haida artist who’s considered the father of Haida manga — a distinct style that combines the traditional art of his culture with contemporary Japanese comic book storytelling. His work explores themes of cultural identity, environmentalism and colonialism, while making it accessible in the graphic novel form. Michael sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss Haida manga and his new exhibit, “Diaries After a Flood,” which is on now at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto.
