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
Feb 29, 2024 • 21min
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee on collaborating with Margaret Atwood to create Zombie Blizzard
Two heavyweights of Canadian culture have come together for an exciting new collaboration. Acclaimed soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee sings the words of literary giant Margaret Atwood on “Zombie Blizzard,” an album of musical interpretations for seven Atwood poems. Measha joins Tom to talk about the project, why she finds Margaret Atwood such an inspiration, and her own personal attachment to Margaret’s poetry.
Feb 28, 2024 • 25min
Karen Robinson: Law & Order Toronto, moving from Jamaica to rural Alberta, and naming her character after family
For over 30 years, the “Law & Order” franchise has taken viewers inside a dramatized version of the American justice system. And though the series is most notably associated with New York City, the franchise has now come to Toronto. Canadian actor Karen Robinson talks to Tom Power about starring in “Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent,” her love of telling complicated stories, and why starring in a “Law & Order” spinoff series makes her father so proud.
Feb 28, 2024 • 18min
Adrian Glynn: Why it's important to know your grandparents' story
How much do you really know about your grandparents? The Vancouver musician Adrian Glynn recently realized that he didn’t know much, so he went on a deep dive into his grandparents’ journey from refugee camps in Austria to Montreal — and now has a new album about their journey. Adrian joins Tom to explain how learning about your grandparents can help you understand yourself a little better, too.
Feb 27, 2024 • 48min
Alan Ritchson on Reacher, Ordinary Angels, and living with bipolar disorder + Meredith Hama-Brown on her film Seagrass
The actor Alan Ritchson is best known for playing Jack Reacher, an ex-military nomad who negotiates suspicious and dangerous situations. But in his new film “Ordinary Angels,” Alan plays a father whose brawn is of little use in the face of his young daughter’s illness. He sits down with Tom to talk about playing a dad desperate to save his child, what it’s like to do a scene with an Oscar winner when you can tell she’s not sure about you, and why he wrote a letter to Tom Cruise when he booked “Reacher.”Plus, the Canadian film “Seagrass” is getting a lot of attention. Set in British Columbia in the 1990s, it tells the story of a Japanese-Canadian woman named Judith who goes on a retreat with her family in an attempt to mend her marriage with her white husband, Steve. Director Meredith Hama-Brown tells guest host Talia Schlanger what she wanted to explore about the Japanese-Canadian experience and the generational trauma caused by Japanese internment during World War II.
Feb 26, 2024 • 32min
Pam Grier: How she became the queen of Blaxploitation film and Hollywood’s first female action hero
Pam Grier (Coffy, Foxy Brown) is Hollywood’s original female action hero and the undisputed queen of 1970s Blaxploitation movies. This month, the Toronto Black Film Festival is presenting her with a career achievement award in honour of the five decades she’s spent representing Black women on screen. Pam sits down with Tom to talk about her incredible legacy, how she got cast in her very first film, and how running into Quentin Tarantino in traffic led to her comeback in “Jackie Brown.”
Feb 26, 2024 • 19min
Alexandra Billings: Queen Tut, chosen family, and the evolution of trans representation in film and TV
Alexandra Billings (Transparent, Never Have I Ever) is a groundbreaking trans actor who’s had some incredible firsts in her career, including playing one of the first openly trans characters on TV in 2005’s “Romy and Michele: In The Beginning.” Now, she stars in the new queer-led Canadian indie film “Queen Tut.” Alexandra joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the emotional reaction she had to reading the script and how her own experience as a trans woman informed her performance.
Feb 23, 2024 • 31min
Marlon Wayans: From Scary Movie and White Chicks to his new life as a stand-up
Marlon Wayans (In Living Color, Scary Movie, White Chicks) has been acting, writing, producing and directing comedy for more than 30 years. With his movies grossing more than $1 billion at the global box office, he’s achieved massive success, but he’s never been one to simply rest on his laurels. Marlon is currently taking his stand-up routine on tour, showing audiences who he really is. He tells Tom where his comedic instincts come from, what it’s like to come from a legendary comedy family, and how he reconciles his box office success with negative reviews.
Feb 23, 2024 • 16min
Kablusiak: The winner of the Sobey Art Award, one of Canada’s most prestigious visual arts prizes
Last fall, the Calgary-based Inuvialuk artist Kablusiak was recognized with the $100,000 Sobey Art Award, one of the highest honours in the Canadian art world. Now, their work is on display at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa until March 3. Kablusiak talks to Tom about their big win, the power of satire in visual art, and why having their work in the National Gallery makes them feel like a spy.
Feb 22, 2024 • 49min
Brittany Howard on leaving Alabama Shakes, What Now, and growing up in poverty + New music from Mumford & Sons
Brittany Howard’s new album “What Now” is her second solo release since a hiatus with her band Alabama Shakes. Now more than ever, she’s exploring the potential of her famous raspy voice by pairing it with surprisingly poppy songs about love and heartbreak. Brittany sits down with Tom to talk about the record and finding the courage to step into new musical territory.Plus, the boys from Mumford and Sons are back with their first new song since 2019, titled “Good People.” What you might find surprising about the track is that it features and was produced by Pharrell. Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane from the band chat with Tom about the single and what it’s been like moving ahead with the band as a trio.
Feb 21, 2024 • 24min
Adam Beach: Exile, Smoke Signals, and his journey to acting
Adam Beach has been in more than 60 films and TV shows, from Canada’s “North of 60” to the cult classic movie “Smoke Signals,” to Clint Eastwood’s “Flags Of Our Fathers.” Adam tells Tom about how he began acting in Manitoba, how he looks back on his leading role as Victor in “Smoke Signals,” and why he’s drawn to his complicated character in the new film “Exile.”
