Best Martha Burk Podcasts (2024)

1
It's Crunch Time -- Candidates in Their Own Words 2:30

5h ago2:30

2:30

We've been inundated with words, words, and more words for months from Trump and Harris. Whose the most convincing? You decide -- your future depends on it.

1
Halloween History: From Creepy Crawlers to Trick or Treaters 3:01

2d ago3:01

3:01

It’s almost Halloween, when the creepy crawlers come out, along with ghosts, goblins, candy, tricks and treats. Did it really start as a pagan ritual? Yes and No.

1
Moving Day 23:06

8d ago23:06

23:06

Well hello. It’s been a while. We are back, but only to say goodbye, then take you with us. After almost three years of being independent podcasters with the Sound Off Network, we are moving over to Substack. Substack is primarily a writers’ platform, but you can host podcasts there too, so we are taking the existing episodes of Women of Ill Repute…

1
Project 2025 -- What's in it for YOU? 3:01

9d ago3:01

3:01

Unless you live in a cave or under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard of Project 2025, a conservative manifesto from the Heritage Foundation outlining an ambitious agenda for a second Trump administration. Trump claims he never heard of it, even though many of its authors came straight out of his administration when he was Prez. It’s got something for e…

1
It's Columbus Day -- But 'Ol Chris Didn't "Discover America" 2:45

16d ago2:45

2:45

The U.S. has been celebrating Columbus Day since 1792, after the explorer who sailed from Spain in 1492 and supposedly "discovered America." But he never actually touched land in what is now the United States, landing in Cuba and Hispaniola, mistaking them for China and Japan.

1
Hispanic Heritage in the U.S. -- Stuff You Didn't Know 3:00

23d ago3:00

3:00

Hispanics are being demonized and terrorized by grandstanding candidates looking to stir up trouble. But their contribution to U.S. history is robust . (And by the way, we stole Texas from Mexico).

1
Relax Girls -- The Great Protector is With You 3:00

1M ago3:00

3:00

Women no longer have to worry about reproductive freedom -- or anything else. The problems have been solved and females are now protected.

1
School's In -- With Some (Really ?) Important Topics for Kids 3:01

1M ago3:01

3:01

It’s September, and school’s in in most of the U.S. Readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic as usual, but in some places a new topic will be added to the curriculum: the Bible, with all its gore and mayhem. Parents -- even some Christian ones -- are pushing back.

1
A New Wave of Abortion Supporters: Men in Red States 3:01

2M ago3:01

3:01

Abortion access has always been viewed as a woman’s problem. Men rarely talked about it, and it didn’t seem high on their political priorities. Not any more – since Trump proudly took credit for overturning Roe v. Wade with his anti-woman, anti-choice Supreme Court picks, men are paying attention – particularly in red states with the most restricti…

1
Debate or Debacle? 2:45

2M ago2:45

2:45

The first (and probably only) Prez candidate debate is this week. Will both parties go by the rules? More importantly, will we learn anything we don't already know?

1
Labor Day: So-called Good Guy Companies Quietly Union Busting 3:01

2M ago3:01

3:01

Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September a day off for workers. Labor unions had campaigned for years to gain recognition of both the contributions and the mistreatment of workers. History is littered dirty tricks to keep unions out with bullets and billy clubs. N…

1
Summer Throwback: Colin Mochrie 38:05

2M ago38:05

38:05

Our Summer Throwback series continues. Is an ambivert a pervert? No, it’s most of us! Maybe we are all just less funny versions of Colin Mochrie, who reveals he is, of course, an ambivert, someone who feels comfortable in social situations but also really enjoys time alone. You may know Colin as an extrovert, but he’s often really introverted. He s…

1
Women's Equality Day? Not Yet 2:30

2M ago2:30

2:30

Women have made steady gains in many areas since they got the right to vote in August of 1920, but there is still work to do. When elected officials refuse to back pro-woman policies, today's females should borrow a page from the suffragists and use their votes to hold them accountable.

1
Summer Throwback: Sheila McCarthy 38:07

3M ago38:07

38:07

Our Summer Throwback series continues. Even when playing old ladies, she’s beautiful. Sheila McCarthy is one of those people you feel like you’ve known forever. And maybe we have. She’s been in everything, and now stars in Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking”, the Oscar-winning movie based on a true story by Miriam Toews about Mennonite women and girls d…

1
Equal Time with Martha Burk Women Paying a Well Hidden Tax 2:31

3M ago2:31

2:31

We all know about taxes – income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, use taxes, entertainment taxes – it seems like the list is endless. But there’s one tax that’s a new one on me, even though I’ve been paying it for most of my life. If you’re a female, chances are you’ve been paying it too.

1
Kids Are Back in School: The Good, Bad and Illegal 3:00

3M ago3:00

3:00

School varies by state and even towns and districts. Some kids get what they need, others get less or nothing -- what gives?

1
Summer Throwback: Rick Mercer 44:42

3M ago44:42

44:42

This week we go back to Episode 20 and the First Man. Rick Mercer was the first male to appear on our show. We decided to open up the floodgates and talk to anyone fearless and/or funny enough to want to talk to US, and no one fits that bill better than Rick. He’s been called a national treasure, Canada’s beloved comic genius, the scourge of Parlia…

1
Choose Carefully -- You Could Be Voting for the Next Two Prezes 3:00

3M ago3:00

3:00

Most people think Vice Presidents don't matter -- just window dressing for low level events. But history shows they could become number one at any minute: Let's look at the best & the worst.

1
Summer Throwback: Measha Brueggergosman-Lee 38:00

3M ago38:00

38:00

It's August and we are into some Summer Throwbacks! We go back to earlier this year and Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, a diva in the true sense of the word: a famous female opera star, with all the fierce discipline and flair for drama that that entails. But Measha is also a mother, a wife, a memoirist, a 7th generation Canadian descended from Black lo…

1
A New Kind of Sports Bra -- For You Too Guys 3:01

3M ago3:01

3:01

Sports on TV has long been guy heavy. But a new kind of sports bra for both genders may just be the uplift the fans need.

1
Prosecutor vs. Perp -- You Decide 3:01

3M ago3:01

3:01

Presidential history was made when President Biden gracefully ended his candidacy for a second term. He put country over self and very possibly saved our democracy. The crowds are loving his prosecutor replacement. His convicted felon opponent is less than thrilled.

1
July marks a milestone you’ve may never have thought about, and it ain’t pretty. 3:01

4M ago3:01

3:01

Besides record heat and fireworks on the 4th, July is known for something else: Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. The day in 2024 when Black women’s wages caught up to what white men made by the end 2023: one hundred and ninety one extra days work, to be exact.By Martha Burk, PH.D.

1
Equal Time with Martha Burk It Shoulda Been a Giant Step for Womankind Too 2:31

4M ago2:31

2:31

When the U.S. space program was launched, women were tested for astronaut duty -- and passed. But male astronauts candidates and NASA big-wigs objected, and the women's program was shut down. So we literally put a man on the moon. That giant step should have been for womankind too.

1
The Republican Convention: Women in the Platform Crosshairs 3:00

4M ago3:00

3:00

Political conventions always lay out a party's vision for the future if their folks get in power. This year's Republican plan is a doozy for the majority of voters: women.By Martha Burk, Ph.D.

1
Sarah Burke: Women in Media 33:58

4M ago33:58

33:58

Sometimes singers sing about singing, writers write about writing, and podcasters podcast about … yes, podcasting. This episode is actually a live off the floor recording of an interview we did with Sarah Burke, the founder of the Women in Media podcast and network. It takes place in Toronto at the Soundwave Summit, a conference and showcase for in…

1
A Perfect Solution to Biden's Dropout Dilemma 3:01

4M ago3:01

3:01

After President Biden's recent meltdown during a debate with Donald Trump, various factions are calling for him to drop out of the presidential race. He says no -- here's a great solution.

1
Cathal Kelly: French Formula 33:16

4M ago33:16

33:16

So Wendy never reads sports, but always reads Cathal Kelly, the sports writer at the Globe and Mail. He’s funny and fearless and clever, Cathal just happens to have chosen sports as the best vehicle. We pretended we were going to talk about the upcoming Paris Olympics, and we did! (Cathal loves the Olympics, aka 23-year-olds doing crazy, exceptiona…

1
July 4, 1776: A Surprise Signer Lost to History 3:01

4M ago3:01

3:01

If you remember your junior high history lessons, you know that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, famously declaring that “all men are created equal.” All of the signers were male. Nevertheless, a woman’s name appeared on the official document.

1
Martha Chaves: Laughing Til You Cry 34:49

4M ago34:49

34:49

We both feel like we know her, Martha Chaves is after all the funniest Nicaraguan Canadian LGBTQ+ Stand Up Comedian in the World! We know her best from radio shows like “The Debaters”, and “Because News”. She also teaches comedy at Humber and Metropolitan Toronto University, showing the ropes to people just starting out. Martha tells us she’s heard…

1
An Anniversary You Don't Want to Celebrate 3:01

4M ago3:01

3:01

June 24th marks the anniversary of the infamous Dobbs Supreme Court decision, trashing women’s right to abortion guaranteed since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Let's inventory the damage to women’s rights, emboldening states to jump on the anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti-choice bandwagon.

1
Chelsea Wakelyn: Heartbreak 38:03

5M ago38:03

38:03

We love books and authors, we consider a lot of them for our podcast, but Vancouver Island’s Chelsea Wakelyn sent us an intriguing email. So we read her first book and got truly blown away. “What Remains of Elsie Jane” is a quasi-fictional story about losing her beloved partner, father to her kids, to drugs and addiction just as the opioid crisis b…

1
Are You a Kid at Heart of Ever Been One? Pick Your Prez. 3:01

5M ago3:01

3:01

The New York Times Kid Section recently showcased the candidates' answers to kid friendly questions. Listen to their direct quotes and pick your leader for the next four years.

1
Melissa Dilkes-Pateras: The Laundry Lesbian 38:02

5M ago38:02

38:02

There are many pathways to fame and fortune, but being exceptionally good at doing laundry is an unusual one. Enter Melissa Dilkes Pateras, whose knowledge of housecleaning tips and tricks has turned her into an internet sensation. Well, that, and her sly sense of humour and unblinking acknowledgement of her sexuality. A resident of Uxbridge, Ontar…

1
Father's Day Ain't What it Used to Be 3:00

5M ago3:00

3:00

Back in the day Mom stayed home with kids, housework, and runny noses. Dad went to work, plopped down in the evening with the newspaper or TV and did little else. No more -- it's a new world out there for fathers.

1
Ann Pornel: Force Of Nature 39:37

5M ago39:37

39:37

There’s no getting away from Ann Pornel, not that you would want to. She’s loud, she’s proud, she’s utterly glamorous and funny as hell. Ann’s a sketch comedian and an actress who is best known as the host of The Great Canadian Baking Show. Born in the Philippines, Ann moved with her family to Canada, then came up through the comedy ranks at the Un…

1
The D-Day Stowaway: 150,000 Sailors and One Surprise 2:31

5M ago2:31

2:31

June 6 marks the anniversary of D-Day, the day in 1944 when Allied forces in World War II invaded France from offshore. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Thousands never made it out of the water, making the landing on Normandy one of the deadliest days of the war. In an all-out push, 150,000 sailors – and one stowaway -- hit the beac…

1
George Stroumboulopoulos: Canada's Boyfriend 44:05

5M ago44:05

44:05

George Stroumboulopoulos is a man for all seasons. He’s everything: a media personality, broadcaster, former VJ, radio, talk and reality show host, social advocate and one time host of Hockey Night in Canada. Everyone knows George, and George know everyone, but what do we really know about him? He’s 51 and lives in L.A. now, where he does a show fo…

1
Memorial Day: Not What You Were Taught in School 3:01

5M ago3:01

3:01

Official history says the first Memorial Day celebration was held in Arlington National Cemetery on May 30, 1868, where Union and Confederate soldiers from the Civil war are buried. Nope. The earliest ceremony was years earlier, and the participants not the people you learned about in school.

1
Loreena McKennitt: Celtic Queen 34:04

6M ago34:04

34:04

We had to ask about the red hair, does one get ridiculed or admired? Loreena McKennitt has a mass of beautiful red curls but is mostly admired for her music. When Mo thinks of her, she sees mists and magic and fairy tales. Loreena’s sold more than 14 million albums and toured the world with her harp and her beloved band of fellow musicians. She’s a…

1
Learn Something New: It's Asian American Pacific Islander Month 3:01

6M ago3:01

3:01

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Month, was designated in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush to pay tribute to immigrants who enriched America's progress -- but only after a century of persecution.

1
Erika Casupanan “Sole Survivor” 34:59

6M ago34:59

34:59

“Going to the coconut tree”. You hear it all the time on “Survivor”. What does that mean? Erica Casupanan spills the beans. She is the first Canadian to win “Survivor”, and the first Filipino. Tiny and Asian, she was tired of always being underestimated, so she used it on “Survivor 41”. Erika voted out her rivals, won over everyone else, and surpri…

1
A New Corporate Dirty Trick to Pick Your Pocketbook 3:00

6M ago3:00

3:00

We all have to buy groceries, household goods, and a fair amount of fast food. But are we getting what we pay for, or a hidden swindle?

1
Chef Michael Smith: What's Cooking? 30:59

6M ago30:59

30:59

Michael Smith is a Celebrity Chef who decided he had a problem with the Celebrity part. He’s kind of a big deal, has published several cookbooks, hosted TV shows on the Canadian Food Network, and wore the chef’s hat at some big-name restaurants around the world. Now, tired of Michelin-priced restaurants, he moved to Prince Edward Island and runs th…

1
Who Invented Mother's Day? Not Hallmark or the Florist Society 3:01

6M ago3:01

3:01

Most people think Mother's Day is just a day for mom to get gifts and thanks. But it has a far more serious and important origin and history.

1
Ron James: Rocking The Boat 33:54

6M ago33:54

33:54

Ron James says comedy should never be mean, but he sure has a lot of opinions! You should hear what he says about Quebec comedians. Is there a geographic link to comedy, a humour gene unique to Eastern Canada? Ron says he learned the power of laughter at his father’s knee in Glace Bay and then Halifax. That’s why he loves to tour, he says laughs ar…

1
Live Anywhere You Want? A Black/White Duo Made it Happen 3:01

6M ago3:01

3:01

If you were born before 1968, it was legal and normal to deny folks housing based on skin color or heritage. Enter two guys – one white, one black – who changed all that.

1
Jen Gerson: Mouthy Babe 40:35

7M ago40:35

40:35

Jen Gerson of “The Line” readily admits to being a mouthy babe, but only when she writes, she insists she is actually shy. Jen says she’s just opinionated, not trying to change anyone’s mind. She argues that’s not a journalist's job, that only activists try to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable”. Well, call us afflicted! Her writing…

1
A New Lifeline for Students -- Maybe 3:00

7M ago3:00

3:00

College is now ridiculously expensive and students are in hock up to their eyebrows. President Biden wants to help -- but the Supremes have stopped him once. Rerun or success?By Martha Burk

1
Michaela Watkins: Late Bloomer 25:06

7M ago25:06

25:06

You know you know Michaela Watkins, but you may not know why. Then you remember (or are told) that she’s been in over a hundred sitcoms, dramas and comedies, including a 2 year stint on SNL. And then you remember that you love her, and when you see her latest movie, Suze, you’ll remember why. In Suze, Michaela plays a woman who once wanted more for…

1
Tax Day: Who Gets the Gold Mine, Who Gets the Shaft? 3:00

7M ago3:00

3:00

Taxes are necessary for a civilized society, and most ordinary people pay their fair share. But there's one group that pays nothing at all, while rewarding their benefactors handsomely.

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