AUTHORS Episodes

Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet co-founder and Author Don Pyle talks about his new memoir, their iconic instrumental ‘Having an Average Weekend’ serving as theme song for the Kids in the Hall, not being a favourite of Lorne Michaels, beating out David Foster and Liona Boyd for a Juno award, being at The Ramones first Toronto gig in 1976, catching reunion shows of Iggy Pop/The Stooges and the Sex Pistols, getting Mike Myers and Paul Myers mixed up at an REM show, hanging out with The B-52s Fred S...

Scientist and Broadcaster David Suzuki talks about his genetic connection to the NHL Suzukis, his current status as a crotchety old man, his 44 years hosting the CBC’s The Nature of Things, his memoir Lessons From A Lifetime, enjoying his birthday party with guests Jane Fonda Al Gore Pierce Brosnan George Stroumboulopoulos, and why his 10 grandchildren (and one great grandchild) continue to propel his environmental advocacy onwards!


David Suzuki’s memoir Lessons From a Lifetime: Ninety Years ...

In case you missed it, from November 2025: 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist and World's Fastest Man Ben Johnson talks about Charlie Francis, Dr Jamie Astaphan, Carl Lewis, Diego Maradona, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's son Al-Saadi, nearly joining the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, and a complete breakdown of his blazing 9.79 second 100m Gold Medal winning run at the 1988 Seoul Olympics!


For everything Ben Johnson, please visit https://ben979.com/
TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.a...

PBS Travel Journalist Joseph Rosendo talks about visiting 104 countries around the world, his upcoming shooting schedule around the Thousand Islands, his popular PBS shows Joseph Rosendo’s Steppin’ Out and Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope, his 21 episodes focused on Canada, why he respects the business model of his PBS stablemate and fellow travel expert Rick Steves, why he ends every episode with a Mark Twain quote, and how he manages to condense 100 hours of footage into each 26 minute and 46 seco...

Historical crime fiction author Alexis Stefanovich-Thomson talks about his new second novel in the Patrick Bird Mystery Series called Opposite Sully’s Gym, the subset of ‘Maple Noir’ within ‘Noir Fiction’ writing, weaving actual Toronto landmarks and events into his historical fiction, using the story of James Earl Ray as the backdrop to his novel, the challenge of writing one thousand words per day while still holding down a regular nine-to-five job, grocery shopping alongside 'The Killer' Doug...

Rogers Sportsnet Central’s Evanka Osmak talks about her new memoir When The Game Changes, seeing her Dad on a Kellogg’s Corn Pops box, working for nearly 15 years alongside co-anchor Ken Reid, making the unique career pivot from civil engineering to television broadcasting, her career-changing interaction with Jamie Campbell, why she took up ice hockey at the age of 41, and why her broadcasting partnership henceforth shall be known as ‘Evanka and Ken’!


Evanka Osmak’s When the Game Changes is ...

In case you missed it, from January 2023: NHL Superstar Bernie Nicholls talks about scoring 150 points [!!!] in a single season, McDonalds visits with Wayne Gretzky, leadership lessons from Marcel Dionne Mark Messier Chris Chelios Marty McSorley Ken Baumgartner, going from playing hockey in a town of 75 to playing in a city of 10 million, hanging out with Dr Jerry Buss and the Showtime Lakers, golfing with John Candy, Tom Hanks reppin' his jersey on Saturday Night Live, being assured by Bruce Mc...

Singer/Songwriter Marc Jordan talks about his ongoing work with Sir Rod Stewart, playing alongside Ian Thomas Murray McLauchlan and Cindy Church in Lunch at Allen’s, writing his breakout song Marina Del Ray after a Telly Savales sighting, his status within the world of Yacht Rock, keeping the music in-house with his wife Amy Skye and their two singer/songwriter children, his work with Alan Frew David Hasselhoff Don Johnson Olivia-Newton John, the epiphany he achieved while stoned in a cow field ...

In case you missed it, from October 2022: Canada’s former Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae talks about his incredible career as a diplomat, a politician and a lawyer, what an actual ‘day in the life’ is for our UN Ambassador, the funny/not so funny shaving cream incident caused by Frank Zappa at U of T’s Convocation Hall, being inspired by Stephen Lewis, meeting Bill Clinton at a Rhodes Scholar alumni event, and the emotional joy of taking the same job for PM Justin Trudeau as his father...

In case you missed it, from August 2023: The most versatile sports broadcaster in North America Kenny Albert talks about learning by osmosis from Dad Marv and Uncles Al & Steve, working alongside 'The Great One' Wayne Gretzky, taking over for ‘the Vin Scully of hockey’ Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, the confusion about how John Tavares pronounces his own name, working 37 days in the Edmonton NHL covid bubble, how close he came to NOT meeting his future wife while working the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals for NHL ...

In case you missed it, from March 2023: Hollywood Macher Paul Reiser talks about casting Helen Hunt as his Mad About You wife with his actual wife’s approval, stumbling into his breakout role in Barry Levinson’s ‘Diner,’ seeing George Carlin/Robert Klein/David Brenner/Robin Williams/Billy Crystal/Rodney Dangerfield live in the local NYC clubs, sharing the set with Carol O’Connor/Carol Burnett/Mel Brooks, using his son as cultural canary in the coalmine to accept the role of Dr Sam Owens on ‘Stra...

Original Toronto Raptor Acie Earl talks about playing in the franchise's first game ever (at SkyDome!), living in the SkyDome hotel and simply taking an elevator to games, managing Oliver Miller’s fruit baskets and McDonalds runs, dealing with Marcus Camby’s duffle bag of candy, learning from The Chief Robert Parrish in Boston, hanging with Samuel L Jackson, Wesley Snipes, Will Smith, Spike Lee, Mike Tyson, Whitney Houston, coming to Toronto via the Smiling Assassin Isiah Thomas, playing against...

Author and Journalist Dan Robson talks about the miracle of The Athletic (and its takeover by the subscription-driven New York Times), the differences between a ‘book’ and a ‘feature’ piece (spoiler: feature equals a book chapter), his books on (and subsequent friendships with) the Killer Dougie Gilmour, Buck Martinez, Nazem Kadri, Dave The Hammer Schultz, his features on Eugene Melnyk, The Great One #99, Vladdy Jr, having to cut off Wayne Gretzky at Fenway Park, Doug Gilmour’s key to his own pr...

Journalist/Author Oren Weisfeld shares his debut book The Golden Generation: How Canada Became a Basketball Powerhouse and talks about the 25 Canadians currently in the NBA, the significance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s commitment to the Canadian national team, his thoughts on Vince Carter, Jamaal Magloire, Steve Nash, Aubrey 'Drake' Graham, Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard, RJ Barrett, Rowan Barrett, Sherman Hamilton, Jay Triano, Samuel Dalembert, Jack Armstrong, Leo Rautins, Bill ...

Sportsnet Broadcaster and Author Ken Reid returns to talk about his 15 years and counting hosting partnership with Evanka Osmak, getting his start as radio DJ Rip Tide playing disco requests, golfing with David Amber & James Duthie, his extensive sportscard collection, his latest (8th!) book on hockey scouts (and the progress on his 9th book), the holy trinity of hockey broadcasting Danny Gallivan Bob Cole Dick Irvin, his memories of the first time he held a Hockey Night in Canada microphone at ...

Toronto Raptors Broadcaster/Author Eric Smith talks about this 21st season of radio coverage with Paul Jones, his day in Burlington with the actual 2019 NBA Championship trophy while rocking his Championship ring, Kobe Bryant covering him in rosin dust during his 81 point outburst (he got the box score autographed!), spending time with Jack Black, Sting, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Alvin Williams, Jack Armstrong, Matt Devlin, the relative importance of super fans Drake and GloRi...

Mr TSN James Duthie talks about 27+ years at The Sports Network, his deft handling of Hot Dog Phil Kessel’s being chosen dead last during the live televised 2011 NHL All Star Game Fantasy Draft, how Sid the Kid acquired his lesser known nickname of Darryl, his friendships with the late Gord Downie and Darren ‘Dutchy’ Dutchyshen, the post-hockey relationship between legendary Toronto Maple Leafs Darryl Sittler and The King Borje Salming, his letter to the Clemson University football program in an...

Former NHLer and Author Steven Finn talks about his memoir Lafleur The Legend, playing in the NHL alongside the Flower, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, roomate Joe Sakic, current Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, memories collected about Le Demon Blond from Marcel Dionne, Scotty Bowman, Gilbert Perreault, Larry Robinson, Chris Nilan, Serge Savard, Gary Bettman, Vladislav Tretiak, Ken Dryden, playing in the Montreal Forum, the Quebec Colisee, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Chicago Stadium, going from pra...

The Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran talks about his new unauthorized biography on Auston Matthews, AM34’s very unconventional path from Arizona to Switzerland to NHL superstardom in Toronto, the off-ice incidents (the 2019 ‘mooning’, the 2020 Covid-disclosure, the 2024 awkward Captaincy transfer), who will replace Mitch Marner (and his ‘Mitch-isms’) on the top line, why he loved dealing with Sundin/Gilmour/Clark but picked on Vesa Toskala, where he sits in the gondola press box to cover games (under...

Tim Cherry talks about Everything Cherry: the publication of his late sister Cindy’s The Don Cherry Story, how dad Don is doing as he approaches his 92nd birthday, the status of Don Cherry’s Grapevine Podcast after 313 episodes, the ramifications of Coach’s Corner ‘Poppygate’ six years later, the current status of the Ron & Don relationship, Don’s latest visit from BFF/Greatest Player of All Time Bobby Orr, the definitive histories of Blue the Bull Terrier(s)/Rock’em Sock’em Hockey/Don Cherry’s ...

Journalist and Author Morgan Campbell talks about racing against his wife World Champion hurdler Perdita Felicien, his early football career interactions with CFL Superstar/US College Hall of Famer Chuck Ealey, walking on as a wide receiver for the Northwestern University Wildcats, his 18 years writing for The Toronto Star at 1 Yonge Street, his pivot to contributing to CBC Sports and the NY Times, developing a working relationship with Jose Bautista that began pre-bat flip, and the positive rea...

Sportscasting Legend Mark Hebscher talks about 11 years of Global’s Sportsline with Jim Tatti, his upcoming book Madness: The Rise and Ruin of Sports Media, the origins of both the Hebsy nickname and his Hebsy Awards, his on-air all-too-real April Fool’s prank with HHOFer Larry Robinson, putting The Champ Muhammad Ali on hold, politely stalking Bob McCown to get his big break, Blue Jay George Bell’s feedback to his farewell montage, why Just Like Mom's Fergie Olver is the connection you need for...

Business Journalist/Host/Author Amanda Lang talks about her Ottawa/Winnipeg roots growing up as the daughter of a Prime Minister Trudeau cabinet minister (with Justin two grades behind her at school), why like George Costanza she always yearned to be an architect, getting her print journalism start at The Globe & Mail, moving to New York City and joining CNN, the benefits of her Financial Post being mistaken for the Financial Times, her interactions with Paula Zahn & Hilary Duff, her 13 years of...

NHL Superstar Brian Propp talks about scoring 1000 points over 1000 NHL games, learning he had been drafted 14th overall in 1979 by the Philadelphia Flyers while working on his Saskatchewan family farm, contributing to the Flyers’ crazy 35 game unbeaten streak in his rookie season, developing his trademark 'GUFFAW' goal celebration with the authorized blessing of Howie Mandel, his post-Philly hockey stops in Boston/Minnesota/Hartford/Switzerland/France, playing on the same line with some guys na...