
thecommentary.ca
Joseph Planta interviews authors, journalists, celebrities and more.
Latest episodes

Nov 16, 2022 • 34min
Mark Leiren-Young
The award-winning writer Mark Leiren-Young discusses his new book Sharks Forever: The Mystery and History of the Planet’s Perfect Predator (Orca Books, 2022), with Joseph Planta.
Sharks Forever: The Mystery and History of the Planet’s Perfect Predator by Mark Leiren-Young (Orca Books, 2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Sharks Forever
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Sharks don’t want to eat you. That’s the lesson in the new book from Mark Leiren-Young, Sharks Forever: The Mystery and History of the Planet’s Perfect Predator. Sharks are fascinating, one of the oceans top predators. We take a deep dive as it were into the habitat, biology, behaviours, and personalities of sharks. And in the book, Mark gives us a sense of the threats to sharks like pollution and overfishing and shark fin soup. The book also provides us with ideas on what to do save sharks, the seas and us. Mark Leiren-Young is an award-winning author, screenwriter, playwright, and filmmaker. He hosts the podcast Skaana. He has written television shows for young viewers, cartoons too, and has produced the award-winning documentary The Hundred-Year-Old Whale. He’s previously appeared on this program with his previous books Free Magic Secrets Revealed, The Killer Whale Who Changed the World, and Orcas Everywhere. Visit www.leiren-young.com for more. This new book is from Orca Books. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, in person as it were, Mark Leiren-Young; Mr. Leiren-Young, good morning.
The post Mark Leiren-Young first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 15, 2022 • 47min
Matt Tyrnauer
The filmmaker and journalist Matt Tyrnauer discusses Kali: Artographer (powerHouse Books, 2022), the art of Kali, the late Joan Archibald, his own films and writing, with Joseph Planta.
Kali: Artographer by Len Prince, Matt Tyrnauer (powerHouse Books, 2022).
Click to buy this book from powerHouse Books: Kali
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Matt Tyrnauer joins me now. He is the author of the monograph to new collection, Kali: Artographer. It’s a remarkable collection of photographs and art, by an artist named Joan Archibald, from Long Island, New York who in the 1960s made her way to California and remade herself as Kali. She reinvented herself, took photography at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs, and became friendly with the showbiz crowd like Richard Chamberlain in Malibu, and Frank Sinatra in Palm Springs. She moved into a house there, once owned by Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee. She began creating what she later trademarked, “Artography.” She would take photographs, develop them herself, then finish them with dyes, spray paint, even dirt and bugs. She would move from prints to Polaroids and manipulate them to striking effect. She published a few pieces, was written up in a trade magazine, then by the 1970s her worked was locked away in suitcases stored away never to be seen again for over forty years. She didn’t stop creating art though, and as we find out, when Joan Archibald died, her daughter Susan discovered all this art which is the subject of an exhibit currently at the Columbus Museum of Art, and beautiful new books from powerHouse books. There is a limited edition four-volume set of the work which was published last year, and now a trade edition out shortly. It is edited by Len Prince, the noted American photographer, who was once married to Susan Archibald. I’ll ask Mr. Tyrnauer about his reaction when showed the photos by his friend Len Prince, and about this remarkable story of Kali, her art, and the mystery of it all. She and her work has been described as a sort of West Coast version of Vivian Meier. Matt Tyrnauer is a director, writer, and journalist, whose documentaries include Valentino: The Last Emperor, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, Studio 54, Where’s My Roy Cohn?, and the four-part miniseries The Reagans. As editor-at-large and special correspondent for Vanity Fair he contributed many feature articles, including Once Upon a Time in Beverly Hills, which told the story of Janet DeCordova, the widow of Johnny Carson’s former producer Fred DeCordova. It’s a fascinating piece that has captivated readers, one I really liked when I first read it more than ten years ago, one I had to ask Matt about. I’m a fan of his work, and I appreciated that he indulged me in questions about his films and writing as well. Visit www.powerhousebooks.com for more. I spoke to Matt from Los Angeles late last week. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Matt Tyrnauer; Mr. Tyrnauer, good morning.
The post Matt Tyrnauer first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 10, 2022 • 23min
Alec Silberblatt
The playwright, actor, and director Alec Silberblatt discusses his play The Mon Valley Medium, which streams to at-home audiences through StudioWorks starting Friday, 11 November 2022, with Joseph Planta.
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
The Studios of Key West, in South Florida, is launching starting this Friday, 11 November 2022, StudioWorks, a streaming theatre series that brings innovative productions to at-home audiences. Original digital theatre productions will be released and available for streaming each month, starting with The Mon Valley Medium. Its writer, director and performer, Alec Silberblatt joins me now to preview his play, and what to expect. There will be four productions in total between now and February, and you can purchase them individually or as a subscription. Visit https://tskw.org/studioworks/ for more information, or go directly to www.vimeo.com/ondemand/studioworks to subscribe. The Mon Valley Medium is a darkly comedic tale centering on Mack, a local man who relays the story of his role after there’s a murder in a working-class community. I’ll get Alec to tell us about Mack, about the Mon Valley, this part of Pennsylvania just outside Pittsburgh, where Mr. Silberblatt was born and raised, and began in the theatrical community there. Alec Silberblatt is a playwright, actor, and director. He’s got numerous credits in the theatre as a performer and director, and acting credits in film and television. Visit www.alecsilberblatt.com for more. He joined me earlier this week from his home in New York City. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Alec Silberblatt; Mr. Silberblatt, good morning.
The post Alec Silberblatt first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 10, 2022 • 19min
Cole Stanbra
One of the performers on tour with Disney On Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures, Cole Stanbra joins Joseph Planta to preview the show which will be at the Pacific Coliseum, 23-27 November 2022.
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Disney On Ice returns to Vancouver in less than two weeks. They’ll be at the Pacific Coliseum, 23-27 November 2022 with Mickey Mouse, and friends. The show is called Disney On Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures, and joining me now is one of the performers, Cole Stanbra. I’ll ask him about portraying Jack from Mary Poppins Returns, one of the Disney works in this show, which also includes Aladdin, The Lion King, Frozen, and Moana. I’ll also ask Cole about performing, his roots here as he lives in New Westminster, and was born and raised in Castlegar. He’s a performer with Feld Entertainment, after almost fourteen years with Willy Bietak Productions, performing onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Visit www.disneyonice.com for more information, and www.Ticketleader.ca for tickets. Cole joined me one week ago from Everett, Washington while on tour with the show. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Cole Stanbra; Mr. Stanbra, good morning.
The post Cole Stanbra first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 9, 2022 • 34min
Russell Wangersky
The writer and journalist Russell Wangersky discusses his new memoir Same Ground: Chasing Family Down the California Gold Rush (ECW Press, 2022), with Joseph Planta.
Same Ground: Chasing Family Down the California Gold Rush by Russell Wangersky (ECW Press, 2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Same Ground
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Russell Wangersky joins me now. He’s just published a memoir, Same Ground: Chasing Family Down the California Gold Rush Trail. It’s a chronicle of a car trip he and his wife, the writer Leslie Vryenhoek made following in the footsteps of the cross-continent journey Russell’s ancestor William Castle Dodge made in search of gold in 1849. Being Canadian, gives Russell a great perspective into America, as he travels in search of the bucolic wonders that still are there, but family as it were. I’ll ask Russell about his connection to Castle, as well just what he wanted to get out of this trip. We meet Castle in the book, who was just twenty-two years old, as Russell quotes extracts from a diary. It’s a diary that fascinated Russell’s father, even though this was an ancestor on Russell’s mother’s side. The journey 160 years or so later is as fascinating as the one during the gold rush, as we see middle America in all its forms, culturally, politically, socially, economically, as it were. Russell Wangersky is an award-winning writer of seven books of fiction and non-fiction, including Burning Down the House, Whirl Away, and The Hour of Bad Decisions. He is the editor-in-chief of the Regina Leader-Post, and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. The website for more is at www.russellwangersky.com. This book is published by ECW Press. He joined me from Saskatoon ten days ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Russell Wangersky; Mr. Wangersky, good morning.
The post Russell Wangersky first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 7, 2022 • 26min
Michael Kaeshammer
The acclaimed pianist, singer, and songwriter Michael Kaeshammer previews his cross-Canada concert tour, with a date in New Westminster, December 3rd, 2022 at the Massey Theatre, and discusses his career and more, with Joseph Planta.
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Michael Kaeshammer joins me now. The celebrated pianist, singer, and songwriter starts a coast-to-coast Canadian tour this week. He’s in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick this week and next, there are dates through Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, coming into British Columbia late this month, with a December 3rd date in New Westminster at the Massey Theatre, and December 4th at the Kay Meek Theatre. Visit www.masseytheatre.com and www.keymeek.com for tickets. He’s got a new album out now The Warehouse Sessions, and one out early next year, Turn it Up. We’ll talk about these albums, reflect on his career, and more, in this conversation we taped late last month. Michael Kaeshammer was born and raised in Germany, and emigrated with his family to Canada in the mid-1990s. His first studio album, Blue Keys was released in 1996 to great acclaim. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including seven Juno Award nominations. Visit www.kaeshammer.com for more. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Michael Kaeshammer; Mr. Kaeshammer, good morning.
The post Michael Kaeshammer first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 4, 2022 • 34min
Emily Urquhart
The award-winning journalist and author Emily Urquhart discusses her new collection of essays Ordinary Wonder Tales (Biblioasis, 2022), with Joseph Planta.
Ordinary Wonder Tales by Emily Urquhart (Biblioasis, 2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Ordinary Wonder Tales
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Emily Urquhart joins me again. She has a new book of essays, Ordinary Wonder Tales. It’s a highly readable, fascinating collection of pieces that touch on a number of subjects like death and dying, radioactivity, plague, grief, pregnancy, prenatal genetics, trauma, as well as family, her father’s dementia, as well as family history. The pieces are thoughtful and provoke thoughts from the reader, they’re also enriching. The book is captivating, and as one critic has said, spellbinding. I’ll ask Emily about some of the pieces in the book, when she wrote them, and whatever wisdom she’s gleaned from her experiences and the experience of writing about herself and those around her. Emily Urquhart is a journalist with a doctorate from Memorial University of Newfoundland in folklore. Her work has appeared in a number of publications including Longreads, Guernica, and The Walrus. She first appeared on the program in 2015 when her book Beyond the Pale: Folklore, Family, and the Mystery of Our Hidden Genes was published. That book was a finalist for the BC National Award for Canadian Nonfiction, and shortlisted for the Kobo First Book Prize. Her most recent book The Age of Creativity: Art, Memory, my Father and Me was a top book of 2020 by the CBC, NOW Magazine, and Quill & Quire. She is a nonfiction editor for The New Quarterly, and joined me from her home in Kitchener, Ontario. The website for more is at www.emilyurquhart.ca. And this book is published by Biblioasis. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Emily Urquhart; Ms. Urquhart, good morning.
The post Emily Urquhart first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 3, 2022 • 31min
Aaron Volpatti
The former NHL player (Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals) Aaron Volpatti discusses his new memoir Fighter: Defying the NHL Odds (2022), with Joseph Planta.
Fighter: Defying the NHL Odds by Aaron Volpatti (2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Fighter
Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Aaron Volpatti joins me now. The former NHL player has just published a new book, Fighter: Defying the NHL Odds. The book begins with Mr. Volpatti recounting the horrific 2005 accident that resulted in second and third degree burns to over forty percent of his body. He narrates the journey from the Vancouver General Hospital Burn Unit, fighting as it were to get to the Brown University playing NCAA hockey and graduating there, to realising his dream to play in the National Hockey League. It’s a riveting book that I’ve started and can’t put down. We see an athlete overcome staggering odds to make it, and it’s thanks to visualization, a practice that Aaron used and now uses to help athletes all over the world. I’ll ask Aaron about his family, about Cinematic Visualization, and about how it’s helped him not just with his injuries, but with challenges on the ice in his career (he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks 2010-2011 season, when the Canucks lost to Boston in game seven of the Stanley Cup final), as well as off the ice contending with his friend Rick Rypien’s suicide in the summer of 2011, what to do after his professional hockey career, as well as the challenges of his father Tony’s ALS. The book is available now. And information on it as well as personal appearances that Aaron will be making for the book can be found on his website www.aaronvolpatti.com. A portion of profits for the book will be donated to the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. We taped this interview last week, with Aaron joining me from Lake Country, BC. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Aaron Volpatti; Mr. Volpatti, good morning.
The post Aaron Volpatti first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 2, 2022 • 38min
James Mullinger
The comedian, writer and publisher James Mullinger discusses his memoir Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream (Goose Lane Editions, 2022), with Joseph Planta.
Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream by James Mullinger (Goose Lane Editions, 2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Brit Happens
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
James Mullinger joins me now. The popular English comedian, who a few years ago, moved to Atlantic Canada, recently published a memoir Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream. It’s a fine book, funny, and full of insights about Eastern Canada, that make one want to go there. The book also features a fascinating look at comedy, from the early spark that young James encounters listening to comedy albums, then certain movies that interest him in the art and craft of stand-up comedy. I’ll ask James about how he arrived at his style of comedy, about performing, and the work he’s continuing to do not just with live performance but television as well. James Mullinger is a writer, comedian, filmmaker, and public speaker. He has over twenty years experience in publishing as well, having served as comedy and photographic editor for British GQ magazine. He moved to Canada in February 2014, and since his arrival has sold out comedy shows across the country, appeared on CBC Radio’s The Debaters, as well as specials of his own. He is also the co-founder of [EDIT] magazine, Atlantic Canada’s first-ever international magazine, an award-winning premium media brand. He’s also done remarkable work raising money for various charities as a comedian and keynote speaker. His website is at www.jamesmullinger.com. This book is published by Goose Lane Editions. He joined me from his home in Rothesay, New Brunswick last week. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, James Mullinger; Mr. Mullinger, good morning.
The post James Mullinger first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

Nov 2, 2022 • 32min
Carol Marie Newall
The author Carol Marie Newall discusses her book Outside the Gate: The True Story of a British Home Child in Canada (Barlow Books, 2022), with Joseph Planta.
Outside the Gate: The True Story of a British Home Child in Canada by Carol Marie Newall (Barlow Books, 2022).
Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Outside the Gate
Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
The story of one of the more than 100,000 “home children” Britain sent here between 1869 and 1948 is told in a new book, Outside the Gate: The True Story of a British Home Child in Canada. Carol Marie Newall is the author, and she is the granddaughter of Winnie Cooper, one of these children born in the slums of England, and sent to Canada to work as indentured farmers and domestics. There was the promise of opportunity, and while some managed to make a good life, a lot were abused and neglected. In Winnie’s case, she was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, and sent at 12 to Barnardo’s Village Home for Girls. Three years later she was shipped off to a farm in rural Ontario. Carol narrates Winnie’s rough life, as well as the starting of a family, the one Carol is born into. What Carol has yielded from Winnie’s troubled life is a marvelous family history, as well as insight into herself. I’ll ask Carol about the impetus to write this book, as well as how she went about it. Carol Newall is a mother of three, and a grandmother of four. She is a graduate of the Ryerson University School of Business. Visit www.carolnewall.com for more information especially on the complex socio-economic conditions in Britain and Canada that led to this immigration program, as well as resources to help others find their roots. This book is from Barlow Books. We taped this interview fifteen days ago, with Carol joining me from her home in Muskoka Lakes District, Ontario. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Carol Newall; Ms. Newall, good morning.
The post Carol Marie Newall first appeared on thecommentary.ca.