House Of Crouse

On the Saturday December 16, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know Tom Wilson. He is a Canadian music legend, famed storyteller and visual artist. Wilson’s memoir, “Beautiful Scars” reveals the impact of discovering his Indigenous heritage after a chance encounter with a stranger caused him to question everything he had always known about his past. As a musician he has won the Polaris Prize, Juno Awards, and has certified gold and platinum records. His song writing has seen his works recorded by and with artists such as: Sarah McLachlan, Jason Isbell, Colin James, Lucinda Williams, Mavis Staples as well as his own bands Lee Harvey Osmond, Junkhouse, and Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. Today we talk about creativity, specifically around a new show called “Amplify.” Each episode features a different Indigenous artist, and in his episode, Tom Wilson crafts a powerful song based on a famous painting by Métis artist Christi Belcourt. In conversation at a diner, the two remarkable artists explore th

On the Saturday December 9, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Salah Bachir, author of a new memoir, “First to the Leave the Party: My Life with Ordinary People Who Happen to Be Famous,” available now wherever fine books are sold. Salah is a Canadian business executive, entrepreneur, publisher, art collector, fundraiser, and philanthropist, who has raised millions of dollars for charity… and says the only autograph worth having is on a cheque. He is a pioneer in consumer video, the founding president and chair of Famous Players Media, and later the president of Cineplex Media and creator of the Scene program, which I know you’ve all used… It is a storied career, which he covers in the book in 54 short chapters about the people he has met and befriended over the years… chapters like: Elizabeth Taylor Tries on My Pearls; Eartha Kitt is Not For Sale; Wooing Gregory Peck; Harvey Milk Sets Me Free and Keith Haring Does New York. Then we meet Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris. “The Pigeon

On the Saturday December 2, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Olympic gymnast, Cirque du Soleil acrobat, entertainment executive and now author, Mary Sanders. Mary inherited an Olympic dream by her father, a Big Ten Champion from the University of Michigan. Determined to follow in his footsteps, the young gymnast struggled through training setbacks, financial hardships, and personal rivalries, to compete in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. But that achievement was only the beginning for a woman determined to reinvent herself and consistently raise her own standards for success. In her memoir “9 Lives By 35,” now available wherever fine books are sold, Mary recounts her journey from Olympian to Cirque du Soleil acrobat to entertainment executive while balancing life at home with two children. It’s a story of dedication and personal sacrifice that led to success and reinvention. Then we’ll meet American comedian, radio host, writer, musician, actor and author Dave Hill. He is also part-Canadi

On the Saturday November 25, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet two Canadian legends. First up is stand-up comedian Brent Butt, the star, writer and/or producer of TV shows such as “Corner Gas,” “Hiccups” and “Corner Gas Animated.” He recently added a new line to his resume, thriller author. His debut novel is “Huge,” and it is indeed a huge bestseller. Set in 1994, the darkly comedic psychological thriller follows a trio of comics on a tour put together by a shady Winnipeg-based comedy booker, through small-town Manitoba and Ontario. The situation goes from bad to worse to downright frightening and violent as they try and get off the road in one piece. Then, we’ll meet Canada's sharpest and funniest political satirist, Rick Mercer. His latest project is a book titled “The Road Years: A Memoir, Continued…” It’s a look at the his wildly popular show The Mercer Report, it’s beginnings, it’s end and everything in between, including Every living prime minister. Rock and roll royalty from Rush

On the Saturday November 18, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show, we meet Nick Broomfield, director of the new documentary “The Stones And Brian Jones,” now playing in theatres. With candid interviews and never-before-seen footage he reveals how Brian Jones, the founder of the Rolling Stones, was left behind in the shadows of history. Broomfield props the film up with first-hand accounts, particularly from former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, whose enthusiasm for the music, and Jones’s contributions to it, is infectious. The old stories are bolstered by the addition of new, fresh interviews but it is the focus on Jones as a brilliant musician and not simply another rock ‘n’ roll casualty, that elevates “The Stones and Brian Jones.” The story has its sordid moments, but Bloomfield emphasizes the very heart of Jones’s being, the music. We’ll also get to know Chelsea McMullen, director of Swan Song, a documentary that takes us inside the National Ballet of Canada’s 2022 legacy-defining new production

On the Saturday November 11, 2023 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we get to know Paul Langlois. Best known as the guitarist and songwriter for the Tragically Hip, he was asked to play the closing ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls in August of 2022. That gig got him playing again after Gord Downey’s passing, and the break up of the Hip, and rekindled his love for songwriting. From there, the collection of songs that became his new solo record “Guess What” emerged. Then, Chris Hadfield joins the show. He is an astronaut, engineer, singer, fighter pilot and the author of the memoir An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, the children's book The Darkest Dark, which was illustrated by the Fan Brothers, and the photo book You Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes. Last year he wrote a thriller called “The Apollo Murders,” a Cold War thriller that introduced audiences to former U.S. test pilot Kaz Zemeckis, as he attempted to stay one step ahead of his Soviet rivals as Russian and America

On the Saturday November 4, 2023 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet Rik Emmett. He is a solo artist, a guitarist, a poet, a song writer, a teacher, a Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame and is probably best known as the co-singer and guitar player of Triumph, the gold and nine platinum selling rock trio who lit up radios in the 70s and 80s. Rik Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career, and released records in a variety of styles, including rock, blues, jazz, classical, bluegrass, and flamenco. He’s he won the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award for Guitarist of the Year and now has written a book called “Lay It On the Line: A Backstage Pass to Rock Star Adventure, Conflict and Triumph,” available now wherever you buy fine books. In this conversation we talk about the memoir, objective perspective of a career when you’re inside it, his favorite guitar players and much more.

On the Saturday October 28, 2023 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet David and Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams, the writers and co-directors of Airplane, the the story of a washed-up pilot summoned to greatness on a potentially doomed aircraft. It spoofed the genre of airline disaster movies, made a fortune at the box office in 1980 and inspired a generation or two of filmmakers like Peter Farrelly, one of the filmmakers behind s Dumb and Dumber; There's Something About Mary and the comedy-drama Green Book, who said, “Seeing Airplane for the first time was like going to a great rock concert, like seeing Led Zeppelin or the Talking Heads.” The movie’s secret weapon was the casting of serious actors, like Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves, who played the comedy straight. The result was a great spoof and a comedy unlike anything else. Now you can learn the story behind the making of the film in “Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane!,” the new book by David a

On the Saturday October 21, 2023 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we welcome a household name. In the NHL Ken Dryden backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to six Stanley Cup championships in eight seasons. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a Liberal Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 and Minister of Social Development from 2004 to 2006. In 2017, the league counted him in history's 100 Greatest NHL Players. He received the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2020. He's also an author. His books include the bestselling “The Game” and “Face Off at the Summit.” His new book is “The Class: A Memoir of a Place, a Time, and Us,” a look back to class 9G at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute. Then, we’ll meet Irish-Canadian playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel “Room” was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for “Room,” and since then she has released a numbe

On the Saturday October 14, 2023 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we get to know Academy Award-winning filmmaker Errol Morris. His film “The Thin Blue Line” placed fifth on a Sight & Sound poll of the greatest documentaries ever made, and he has, in his films, documented everything from the career of Robert S. McNamara, the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and physicist Stephen Hawking to a topiary gardener, a robot scientist and a naked mole rat specialist. “The Pigeon Tunnel,” his latest film, now streaming on Apple TV+, is a look at the extraordinary life of David Cornwell a.k.a. prolific author John le Carré. Through a retelling of his life, Cornwell examines the very essence of truth, and how memory and manipulation play a part in how we shape our world and our perceptions. “The Pigeon Tunnel” is as compelling as any le Carré novel. Cornwell/ le Carré knows how to tell a tale, and like any good spy, he knows what details to include, and which to hide away. Morris doesn’t attempt to chip aw

On the October 6, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet actor Peter Facinelli. You know him from roles on TV shows such like Six Feet Under, Damages and Nurse Jackie but he’ll likely always be best known as Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the wildly popular Twilight franchise. Today we talk about his new film On Fire, the story of a family who lives in a trailer home in the woods who are suddenly confronted by a wildfire. Then we’ll meet John Carney, the Irish musician and director of Flora and Son, a new Apple TV+. comedy about a mom, played by the fabulous Eve Hewson, who tries to connect with her rebellious son with music. The director of the Academy Award winning film “Once” tells me about his music saved his life and why he didn’t include my favorite Dublin pub in the film. We’ll also meet Michael Crummey, an award-winning poet and novelist from Newfoundland and Labrador. The Toronto Star called his latest novel, The Adversary, a story about two rivals who represent the largest fishing operations on

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Stewart Reynolds a.k.a. Brittlestar, a fifty-something social media star who bills himself as “The Internet's Favourite Dad* (*unproven).” He has a massive following—his videos have been viewed over 650 million times on all the platforms—and done so without licking an airplane toilet seat, like viral video sensation Ava Louise, or posing provocatively on an OnlyFans page… yet. Today we’ll talk about his latest project, a new book called “Welcome to the Stupidpocalypse: Survival Tips for the Dumbageddon,” a collection of short comedic essays on politics, life, and more as a field guide for life. Then, we’ll meet Emily Pohl-Weary, a writer and creative writing instructor at the University of British Columbia. Her previous books include YA novels Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl and Strange Times at Western High and the poetry book Ghost Sick. Today we’ll talk about her latest novel “How to be Found,” a young adult novel about inner-city teens who live on a razor

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Bill Welychka. Fans of Much Music and MuchMoreMusic will remember Bill as the longest serving VJ on those channels, including a long stint as the host of the channel's country music series Outlaws & Heroes. These days Bill is still working in broadcast television, and has recently written a book about the lessons he learned from hanging out with many of the music industry’s biggest stars. The book is called “A Happy Has-Been (Exciting Times and Lessons Learned by One of Canada’s Foremost Entertainment Journalists.)” Today we talk about the book, Much Music, and his battles with depression. Then, we’ll get to know Canadian singer/songwriter, Astrid Young. She is the younger sister of Neil Young, with whom she toured and recorded for many years, and an accomplished musician whose discography dates back to 1984 and boasts over forty releases, including four solo albums and a multitude of credits as a side-musician and background singer. Through the years,

On the September 16, 2023 edition of the Richard Crouse show we’ll meet Jon Heder, Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez, the stars of “Napoleon Dynamite,” the movie Jim Carrey said “changed comedy movies.” The story of a listless and alienated teenager who decides to help his new friend Pedro win the class presidency in their small western high school, while dealing with his bizarre family life back home, is one of the most quoted movies of all time, and now you can revisit the fun when the stars bring "Napoleon Dynamite" to Toronto for a special screening and Q&A at the Elgin Theatre as part of Just For Laughs Toronto on September 27. Then, we’ll get to know comedian Ronny Chieng. You know him as a senior correspondent on The Daily Show, the star of Ronny Chieng Takes Chinatown, one of the stars of “Crazy Rich Asians” and the recent blockbuster “M3GAN,” and as one of the most I demand comedians out there. Today we’ll talk about why he waited until he was in university to give stand-up comedy a try and why he says,

On this episode of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet award-winning country artist Jason McCoy. He has racked up multiple CCMA and CMA awards along with a Gold album and CMA Global Artist Award (Nashville CMA). As the creator and front man of the best-selling band in Canadian Country Music history, The Road Hammers, Jason embarked on a journey through the Country Rock genre and guided the band to unprecedented success throughout Canada and the United States. Along the way, the band earned a Canadian Platinum-certified album, secured three CCMA Band of the Year awards, and a JUNO award. Jason McCoy joins me today to talk about being inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame and much more. Then, we’ll meet Claudia Dey. She is a best-selling author, playwright, actor and the co-designer of women's clothing brand Horses Atelier. Her books have been listed as one of the Most Anticipated Books by Entertainment Weekly, The Millions, Publishers Weekly (starred review) and BuzzFeed. Her latest book is “Da

On this special "Best Of" edition of the Richard Crouse Show, we’ll hear from EDM superstar Moby on what it was like to live next door to someone he calls the greatest musician to ever live. I’ll speak to an actor who was nominated for an Academy award, even though his whole role only consists of 17 lines… but I guarantee you’ve quoted one of them. We’ll hear from everyone from the band Cheap Trick and Johnny Rotten to Rick Mercer and many more!

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Zalika Reid-Benta, an author who explores race, identity and culture through the lens of second-generation Caribbean Canadians in her work. The Columbia MFA graduate's debut novel “Frying Plantain,” a series of interconnected stories featuring a young Black female protagonist, was on the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist. Her new book is River Mumma, is an exhilarating contemporary fantasy novel about a young Black woman who navigates her quarter-life-crisis while embarking on a mythical quest through the streets of Toronto. Then, we’ll meet Carley Fortune, an award-winning journalist who has worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada. Her new book is called “Meet Me at the Lake,” a love story about secrets, lies, missed connections and second chances that is being called, “beautiful and heart-tugging.” I

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know Paul Langlois. Best known as the guitarist and songwriter for the Tragically Hip, he was asked to play the closing ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games in Niagara Falls in August of 2022. That gig got him playing again after Gord Downey’s passing, and the break up of the Hip, and rekindled his love for songwriting. From there, the collection of songs that became his new solo record “Guess What” emerged. We’ll also meet best-selling author Tom Rachman, the author of four works of fiction including the latest one, “The Imposters,” the story of an aging and embittered novelist who knows her mind of going. She is determined, however, to finish her final book, and reverse her fortunes, before time runs out. Alone in her London home during the pandemic, she creates, and is in turn created by, the fascinating real characters from her own life. And later in the show we’ll meet Carly Stone and Amanda Fix, the director and star of “North of Normal,” the true

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we get to know American film director, production designer, and screenwriter Catherine Hardwicke. Her directorial work includes “Thirteen,” ”Lords of Dogtown,” the megahit “Twilight,” “Miss Bala” and “mafia Momma” among many others. Today she’s here to talk about her latest film, “Prisoner’s Daughter,” a family drama starring “Succession’s” Brian Cox as a father hoping to reconnect with his estranged daughter and her son. We’ll also meet author Wayne Ng. Wayne is an an award-winning short story and travel writer who was recently nominated for the Guernica Prize for his latest book, a family drama called "The Family Code," which was, in part, inspired by his 30 year career as a social worker. Finally, we meet Phil Dellio. His new book, “Happy for a While: "American Pie," 1972, and the Awkward, Confusing Now,” is a look at the famous Don McLean song and how to approach great art made by people whose personal transgressions become a matter of public record.

On this edition of the Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies. The an alternative country and folk rock band have been together, producing albums and touring, since 1985. Early on their version of the Velvet Underground song “Sweet Jane” earned them critical success and, the song’s writer, Lou Reed claimed that their version of "Sweet Jane" was his favourite. They are back with a new record called “Such Ferocious Beauty,” the band’s first release of new material in five years and follows their heralded 2022 collection of covers, “Songs of the Recollection.” It is a mix of styles Alternative? Rock? Americana? Roots? And a rumination on aging, losing parents and facing mortality. The we get to know director, actor, writer Sharon Lewis. She talks about her documentary “With Wonder,” an intimate look at the journey of members of the Queer, Christian community of colour and their attempts to answer the question: Can you be both Christian and Queer? We’ll talk about her personal exper