Guest suggestions? andrew.applebaum@gmail.com

Episodes

May 22, 2023

John Shannon, Hockey Storyteller

Sports Broadcaster/Author/Podcaster John Shannon talks about 'Team Baby Blue'/Hockey Night in Canada [that themesong, those blazers!], who Dave Hodge telephoned FIRST immediately after his irreverent on-air ‘pen flip’ in 1987...

Listen to the episode

May 18, 2023

Sean Kelly, Guitarist/Teacher/Author

Professional Guitarist/TCDSB Teacher/Author Sean Kelly shares a lifetime of surreal moments: Inspired by Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider...eventually collaborates with Dee Snider! First concert ever attended growing up in North B...

Listen to the episode

May 15, 2023

Ken Wong, Queen’s Business School

Retiring [not retired] Professor Ken Wong from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University talks about his early immersion in the family business [Wong Wing grew from egg rolls in 1948 Montreal’s Chinatown to Canada’s ...

Listen to the episode

May 11, 2023

Rick Vaive, Toronto Maple Leafs

Former Toronto Maple Leafs Captain Rick Vaive talks about being the first Maple Leaf in franchise history to score 50 goals in a season [and doing it 3 seasons in a row], playing his first pro season in the WHA with the Birmi...

Listen to the episode

May 8, 2023

Justin Davis, Conflicted Scars

Former Hockey Pro & Author Justin Davis walks us through a hockey journey that involved being drafted by the Washington Capitals, multiple championships at multiple levels of hockey, playing overseas, disturbing accounts of h...

Listen to the episode

May 4, 2023

Jesse Fuchs, Sportsnet

Sportsnet anchor/host Jesse Fuchs talks about growing up in Scarborough, playing hockey for Birchmount Park Collegiate [Anthony Stewart made the team...Wayne Simmonds did NOT!], interning at TSN for Michael Landsberg, working...

Listen to the episode

May 1, 2023

Steve McAllister, Gaming News Canada

Gaming News Canada Editor/Parleh Media Group partner Steve McAllister delivers a primer on the past/present/future of sports gambling in Ontario, speculates on the gambling prospects for niche sports such as table tennis, cri...

Listen to the episode

April 27, 2023

Curtis McElhinney, Maple Leafs Goalie/2x Stanley Cup Winner [not together, silly!]

Ex-NHL Goaltender Curtis McElhinney talks about playing in Toronto [lots of Instagram messages] and in Tampa Bay [scootered from the beach to the arena], his TWO Stanley Cup rings, his Save of the Season on Sid the Kid to get...

Listen to the episode

April 24, 2023

Greg Oliver on Billy Van/John Gibbons/Rocky Johnson

Author/Journalist/Wrestling Historian Greg Oliver talks about his memoir on Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons [“tried to watch a video compilation of all his umpire ejections...couldn’t get through them all!”], his biography of ...

Listen to the episode

April 20, 2023

Stuart Coxe, Dragons’ Den & More

Four-time Canadian Screen Award winning Producer Stuart Coxe talks about cutting his teeth at CBC’s The National & The Journal, Peter Mansbridge’s calm & consistent presence during 9/11, launching Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank,...

Listen to the episode

April 17, 2023

Stu Grimson, The Grim Reaper

700+ NHL game enforcer The Grim Reaper Stu Grimson talks about catching a scout’s eye in a Kamloops street brawl, being ‘a player so NICE that I got drafted TWICE’ [first by Detroit and then by Calgary], the liberation he iro...

Listen to the episode

April 13, 2023

Rudy Sarzo, Quiet Riot

Legendary heavy metal bassist Rudy Sarzo talks about rejoining Quiet Riot [his 3rd stint!], playing with Ozzy Osbourne/Whitesnake/Dio, and his friendships with the late Randy Rhodes/Kevin DuBrow/Frankie Banali. Rudy shares me...

Listen to the episode

April 10, 2023

The Incredible Boris Cherniak, Comedy Hypnotist

Comedy hypnotist/motivational speaker/author The Incredible Boris Cherniak talks about his journey from Moscow to Toronto, running out of material early in his first professional show [at age 17!], being Facebook Friends with...

Listen to the episode

April 6, 2023

Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays

Former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider joins the podcast from Kirkland WA [home of Costco!] to talk about the life of a [baseball] retiree at 35, learning perseverance over adversity, his love for Cito Gaston & Ale...

Listen to the episode

April 3, 2023

Steven Kerzner, Ed the Sock

Ed the Sock Creator Steven Kerzner remembers North York’s Newton Cable, shares Ed’s origin story [involves the Crafts Closet] and namesake [think Lou Grant/Carl from UP], talks about Ed’s Night Party transitioning from commun...

Listen to the episode

March 30, 2023

Glen Metropolit, NHL/Worldwide Hockey Pro

HC Davos Coach/Ex-NHLer Glen Metropolit talks about going from Cabbagetown/Regent Park to playing pro hockey literally around the world, getting training inspiration from ‘The Killer’ Doug Gilmour running the hills of Christi...

Listen to the episode

March 27, 2023

John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays

Gibby!! Former Toronto Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons talks about why he loves Toronto [and why Toronto loves him back], the story behind writing his new autobiography, why Josh Donaldson wrote the foreword, his back to back ...

Listen to the episode

March 23, 2023

Linda Schuyler, Degrassi

Degrassi Co-creator Linda Schuyler talks about producing over 500 episodes of the iconic franchise, why Drake will always be Aubrey Graham to her, sets the record straight on the urban legend that Drake threatened legal actio...

Listen to the episode

March 20, 2023

Bob Hunter, (E-)Sports Executive

OverActive Media Group’s Bob Hunter updates the E-Sports venue project at Exhibition Place and shares stories from the ORIGINAL Ontario Place, BC Place Stadium, Expo 86 Worlds Fair, SkyDome [now Rogers Centre], Air Canada Cen...

Listen to the episode

March 16, 2023

Ben Bankas, Comedian

Stand-up Comedian & Podcaster Ben Bankas talks about taking his ‘Permission 2 Laugh’ tour across Canada, the strength of Mark Breslin’s Yuk Yuk’s brand, launching his ‘Please, Wear a Mask’ stand-up special on YouTube, travell...

Listen to the episode

March 13, 2023

Justin Morrow, Toronto FC

Toronto FC & 2017 MLS Cup Champion Justin Morrow talks about playing against David Beckham, the bitter feelings/lessons learned from the 2016 MLS Cup loss directly fueling Toronto FC’s amazing successes in 2017, Zlatan Ibrahi...

Listen to the episode

March 9, 2023

Paul Reiser, Comedian

Actor/Writer/Author/Musician/Comedian Paul Reiser talks about stand up comedy being his first love, creating Mad About You & casting Helen Hunt with his wife’s approval, stumbling into his breakout role in Barry Levinson’s ‘D...

Listen to the episode

March 6, 2023

Choclair, Rapper

Scarborough rap superstar Choclair talks about coming up together with Jully Black, Kardinal Offishall and Saukrates, morphing from ‘Junior’ to ‘Choclair’ [and how he got that name], literally getting called out of the classr...

Listen to the episode

March 2, 2023

Ellen Roseman, Demystifying Money & Righting Wrongs

Financial Literacy Expert & Consumer Advocate Ellen Roseman talks about being BLOCKED by Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey, her Montreal roots, moving from covering Women’s Wear to Business at Maclean-Hunter, going from The Toronto ...

Listen to the episode