Malcolm Gladwell won’t make up his mind

Malcolm Gladwell is known for turning assumptions on their head, and looking at situations from a different point of view. In this chat recorded before COVID-19, the journalist and podcaster speaks to Anna Maria Tremonti about the importance of changing our minds. The good news is he’s hopeful about our ability to do so. In fact, Gladwell believes closed-minded dogmatists are the real outliers. “Most people are actually open to new interpretations — surprisingly so.” In a season finale...

Margaret Atwood sees many possible futures

Margaret Atwood has crafted her fair share of doomsday scenarios. And a lot of those have been inspired by real-life events, from the totalitarian regimes abroad that shaped her world as a child to the suspension of civil liberties at home in Canada, under the War Measures Act. Along the way, she has lost loved ones — including most recently her life partner and fellow writer, Graeme Gibson, who suffered from dementia. But in the face of all that, Margaret Atwood is still standing strong. With...

Frank Gehry is a stand-out guy

It’s pretty easy to spot a Frank Gehry building: all curves and glass and movement. He’ll tell you his designs — from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles — “speak” to the buildings and environment around them. But to the onlooker, they clearly stand apart. That may be because Gehry views himself as an artist, and his designs as an art. In this conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti, it also becomes clear that Gehry sees his buildings...

Naomi Klein doesn’t like the word “hope”

These are emotional times for Naomi Klein. As an activist, she has fought a lot of big battles. But now she’s waging what may be the fight of her life — against climate change — and many days, the odds seem stacked against her. So what keeps her fighting? Whatever you do, don’t assume it’s because as a mom, she wants to give her kid a better future. And what gives her hope? Turns out she doesn’t really relate to that word. “Our chances aren’t good,” she tells Anna Maria...

Elle Mills won’t cry to her mother

Elle Mills has what a lot of kids these days aspire to. At 21, she makes a living off YouTube — a really good one. Her channel ElleOfTheMills has almost two million subscribers. She’s got an agent. She makes appearances. And she’s got fans who love her and want to talk to her. Thing is, she has trouble talking to them. In real life, that is. Mills exposes herself on YouTube; opening up about tough subjects like disordered eating, mental health issues and coming out. But when it comes to...

David Suzuki doesn't want to live forever

You probably know David Suzuki; the scientist, the broadcaster, the guy who sounded the alarm about climate change long before most knew it was a thing. But there are other things he can speak to with authority — and growing older is one of them. In his early 80s, Suzuki’s moving a little more slowly, but he’s still building treehouses for his grandkids and thinking big thoughts. Like, what would the world look like if we put our seniors on elder councils instead of out to pasture? He gets...

Samantha Bee was ready to walk away

A young Samantha Bee never imagined a future in political comedy. She discovered her love for showbiz quite accidentally. And she fell for it hard, setting her on a path to becoming a staple on late-night television — first on The Daily Show, and then with her own show, Full Frontal. But that path, Bee tells Anna Maria Tremonti, wasn’t always easy. Listen to their conversation to hear just how close she came to quitting (so close!) — but also how she found her passion, her voice, and her...

Vivek Shraya is a Debbie Downer

Multi-artist Vivek Shraya has turned out some pretty grim-sounding titles. Her books “Death Threat” and “I’m Afraid of Men” opened a lot of eyes to the trans experience. And her latest work is an autobiographical play called “How to Fail as a Popstar.” All of which, Vivek jokes, make her sound like a “Debbie Downer.” But when it comes to heavy topics like fear and hate — which Vivek has experienced more than most — she manages to infuse the conversation with humour and...

Catherine O’Hara has never had a plan

After six years of Schitt’s Creek, Catherine O’Hara is slowly letting go of Moira Rose, her longest-running role. Now the renowned comedy actor says she’s got no idea what’s next. But here’s the thing: she never really has. A true improviser, O’Hara has always taken life one day at a time. Perhaps the one constant: she's always been part of a family. Listen in on her chat with Anna Maria Tremonti, and hear what she’s learned from a life of collaboration and saying “yes, and...

Introducing More with Anna Maria Tremonti (Trailer)

Anna Maria Tremonti gives you a taste of More, a new podcast that will take you inside the lives and minds of people you think you know — from Catherine O’Hara to Vivek Shraya to David Suzuki. Conversations for curious minds.