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Q with Tom Power

Latest episodes

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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.

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