Q with Tom Power CBC Arts & Entertainment
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- Society & Culture
Five days a week acclaimed interviewer Tom Power sits down with the artists, writers, actors and musicians who define pop culture. Whether he’s ribbing Adele, singing a boyband classic with Simu Liu, or dissecting faith with U2 frontman Bono – Tom brings the same curiosity, respect and meticulous preparation into every conversation. He also has a track record for interviewing artists on the precipice of stardom – like Lizzo and Billie Eilish — who appeared on Q well before hitting the mainstream. Hear your favourite artists as they truly are, every weekday with Tom Power.
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Dallas Smith: His switch from rock to country, his old band Default, and why he hasn’t moved to Nashville
Dallas Smith was the lead singer of the Canadian band Default, which had a big hit called “Wasting My Time.” But after a long, lonely time on the road, Dallas decided to make a career change that took him from rock stardom to country music dominance. He sits down with Tom to talk about the risk that comes with that decision, why he stayed in British Columbia instead of moving to Nashville, and how you actually pronounce the name of his old band.
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Katori Hall: Telling Tina Turner’s story in The Tina Turner Musical
When the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall was approached to write a musical about Tina Turner, she got to fly to Switzerland to spend some one-on-one time with Tina herself. Katori joins Tom to discuss the concerns the late music icon had about the way her story would be told, what they learned they have in common, and why it’s important to look at our favourite musicians and artists as people — not as myths.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus: Stretching into dramatic work, therapy with her mom, and her new film Tuesday
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, Veep) is best known for her quick wit, physical comedy and — when it comes to her character Elaine Benes — her dance moves. But in her new film, “Tuesday,” the Emmy-winning actor flexes her dramatic chops. Julia joins Tom to discuss the film, why she’s more comfortable talking about death these days, and what happens to your comedy when you get mentally healthy.
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Walter Scott: Why he’s saying goodbye to Wendy, his most famous creation
How do you step away from your most famous creation? Mohawk artist Walter Scott is about to find out. More than a decade after creating his beloved “Wendy” series of graphic novels, Walter is taking a long hiatus from his cartoon alter-ego. He joins Tom to tell us how he came up with Wendy — a neurotic young party girl who’s trying to make it as an artist — and why his latest book, “The Wendy Award,” is going to be her final adventure for now.
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Ally Pankiw: Comedy and tragedy, depression snacks, and her new film I Used to Be Funny
The Canadian director Ally Pankiw is no stranger to working with funny people. She’s directed comedian Mae Martin in their series “Feel Good” as well as comedy actor Annie Murphy in the dark satire “Black Mirror.” Now, she’s released her debut feature film, “I Used to Be Funny,” which stars real-life comedian Rachel Sennott as a stand-up comedian who’s struggling with PTSD. Ally joins Tom in studio to discuss the film and why she wanted the story to capture the coexistence of joy and despair.
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George McWhirter: The art of translation and his Griffin Poetry Prize win
The Griffin Poetry Prize is the world’s largest prize for poetry written or translated in English. This year, it went to “Self-Portrait in the Zone of Silence,” which was written in Spanish by the Mexican poet Homero Aridjis and translated into English by the Canadian poet George McWhirter. Tom catches up with George to talk about his big win, his collaboration with Homero, and the art of translation.