Best Maureen Holloway and Wendy Mesley Podcasts (2024)

1
Jen Gerson: Mouthy Babe 39:50

8h ago39:50

39:50

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
Michaela Watkins: Late Bloomer 24:21

3d ago24:21

24:21

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
Ron Sexsmith: Unsung Hero 31:52

10d ago31:52

31:52

Ron Sexsmith says “I’m not really shy, I’m just Canadian”. He’s a singer-songwriter who has never had a top 40 hit, is not rich, but is deeply admired by the people he admires most. Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Gordon Lightfoot, are all, were all, huge fans. Sexmsith’s songs, like “Secret Heart”, have been performed by everyone fr…

1
Dianne Whelan: 500 Days in the Wild 34:41

17d ago34:41

34:41

Award-winning director and cinematographer Dianne Whelan does not choose easy topics. She’s made docs about Mount Everest, and the Arctic, but this one, about being the first to tackle the whole Trans Canada Trail, takes the cake. Or in this case, the reheated oatmeal. Dianne has called her new documentary “500 Days in the Wild”, because that was t…

1
Carol Doda: Topless at the Condor 31:47

24d ago31:47

31:47

What IS the deal with boobs? Our preoccupation with women’s breasts isn’t just sexual, it’s social, historical, political and economic. No one knew that better than Carol Doda, a dancer and cocktail waitress, who, 60 years ago, dared to bare her nipples atop a baby grand piano as it descended from the ceiling of the Condor, a San Francisco nightclu…

1
Tassie Cameron: Law and Order Toronto 29:14

1M ago29:14

29:14

When Tassie Cameron first saw the opening credits for Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, complete with the iconic DUN DUN sound effect, she felt a shiver up her spine. It was Cameron who was entrusted with the legendary series’ first foray beyond American borders, serving as show runner and head writer for the Canadian franchise. Tassie says T…

1
Tracy Dawson: The Trouble with Tracy 38:20

1M ago38:20

38:20

It felt like Old Home Week. A few years ago Tracy Dawson was on the CTV comedy show The Dish Show, co-hosted by you know who. Yes, of course, it was Mo. And Tracy is still tempting trouble, mouthing off and cracking jokes, only now she’s in L.A. She’s a comedy writer who’s just written her first book, “ Let Me Be Frank: A Book About Women Who Dress…

1
Johanna Schneller: Star Whisperer 40:19

2M ago40:19

40:19

Why does the serious man movie always get the nod? On the eve of the Oscars, Johanna Schneller says some things don’t change. Hence Oppenheimer getting the glory and Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie getting snubbed. Wendy and Mo have different thoughts on the movie, but really? Barbie was huge! We talk to Johanna about Girl Power, why we love celebri…

1
Bruce Cockburn: On a Roll 30:41

2M ago30:41

30:41

38 albums in, most of them gold or platinum, Bruce Cockburn is still Kicking at the Darkness. He’s a legendary singer-songwriter-activist who’s won 13 Juno awards, and is now heading out on tour with his latest, “O Sun, O Moon”, where he sings “In my soul, I’m on a roll”. Now 78, Bruce is still trying to make the world a better place. We talk about…

1
Measha Brueggergosman-Lee: Open Hearted 35:53

2M ago35:53

35:53

Measha Brueggergosman-Lee is 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 loyalists, on her way to finishing a Masters degree in practical theology. She does ever…

1
Dr. Jennifer Gunter: The Gyno Guru 40:11

2M ago40:11

40:11

Is being a woman just like in the ads? Blood is blue, and we all need supplements that make us smell like a pina colada? Jennifer Gunter is a Canadian gynecologist who also writes for the New York Times, hosts a podcast, and has written several bestselling books: The Vagina bible, The Menopause Manifesto, and now: BLOOD, The Science, Medicine and M…

1
Alan Doyle: Happy Man 33:49

3M ago33:49

33:49

Alan Doyle says the best part of leaving, is coming home. And home is Newfoundland. His elders voted to keep Newfoundland a country, but they lost the 1949 referendum and joined Canada. Alan is the first generation Canadian in his family. We talk about his love of touring, of music, of acting beside Russell Crowe, and partying in pubs. Alan plans t…

1
Molly McGlynn: Fitting In 37:09

3M ago37:09

37:09

Molly McGlynn has a lot to distinguish her: an accomplished writer and director, her first feature film Mary Goes Round won multiple awards at all the cool festivals, and she’s written for TV shows like Workin’ Moms, The Wonder Years and Grace and Frankie. Molly’s latest feature film, however, is a semi-autobiographical account of a teenager who di…

1
Emily O'Brien: Comeback Kid 34:16

3M ago34:16

34:16

When she was 26, Emily O’Brien, a promising young woman (as they say) from Hamilton, Ontario made a really bad judgment call, and was sentenced to 4 years in prison for drug smuggling. That could have been the end of her story, as it is for so many, but Emily, given lemons, decided to turn them into lemon (and pepper and dill) flavoured popcorn. Wh…

1
Andrea Werhun: Modern Whore 42:12

3M ago42:12

42:12

Andrea Werhun embraces being called a whore. But she’s really about work, about making money, about boundaries, and yes, having a good time. She’s also an activist who is tired of feeling sex workers should be ashamed. Andrea was an escort and then a stripper for several years. She’s now published a glossy memoir full of naughty pictures and storie…

1
Pam Anderson: Wild Abandon 25:20

4M ago25:20

25:20

Happy New Year! According to Hello magazine, this is Pamela Anderson’s year! Or did they mean last year? Either way, we are witnessing a turning point in the life of our favourite Canadian bombshell. Yes, she has moved back to Vancouver Island, and Pamela has not one but two new TV shows, but she’s been making headlines - actual headlines - for dar…

1
A Year of Repute 21:00

4M ago21:00

21:00

Join Maureen & Wendy for a special year-end episode celebrating the first full year of Women of Ill Repute! In honour of the fine guests who've graced us with their presence on the show, the Women of Ill Repute go through some of their favourite highlights from this year, such as Rick Mercer, Mary Berg, Marilyn Denis, Colin Mochrie and many others.…

1
Cat Alvarado: Sex and Sensibility 36:57

5M ago36:57

36:57

We’re not saying emotions aren’t real, or valid, but might they also just be … digestive issues? That’s one of Cat Alvarado’s theories. Cat is not a dietician. She’s a comedian, a self-styled Latina misfit, and a former teen bride (which she says may have happened on a sugar high). We talk about getting kicked out of church, reconciling sexuality w…

1
Hilary MacMillan: Ahead of the Curve 36:45

5M ago36:45

36:45

Can you be a vegan, a plus-size designer, and a feminist? Hilary MacMillan says of course! She also says age, size, old viewpoints begone, that Mo and Wendy can wear see-through clothes if they want to. (We don’t) Even the dreaded leopard print. It’s back! We talk about Barbie, cute cows, and super thin models. And we reveal more secrets…check us o…

1
Carolyn Taylor: Buffoon Makes Good 34:17

5M ago34:17

34:17

It’s real! After a year of trying we finally got Carolyn Taylor to come on the podcast. She was one of the Baronesses on the comedy series Baroness Von Sketch, very funny: perfect! But her excuse for delaying us seemed like a joke. She said she was gonna be busy doing a TV series about choreographing an Olympic level pairs skating routine to Whitne…

1
Denise Donlon: Firebrand 39:51

5M ago39:51

39:51

Ok, she’s done everything. Much Music rock ‘n roll host/producer, president at SONY Music Canada, honcho at CBC Radio, and all-around do-gooder. Seriously. Through it all, Denise Donlon has tried to use her powers for good. She has fought for women, gay people, for racial diversity, and usually had a lot of fun while she was at it. She spills about…

1
Ann Hood: Fly Girl 38:48

6M ago38:48

38:48

Hard to believe, but there was a time when flying was … glamourous. Not just for passengers, but for the crew, especially the stewardesses, as they were called. They were the goddesses of the air, beautifully groomed, alluring, international jet setters. Of course they also dealt with unwanted advances, brutal hours in high heels, and a constant at…

1
Naomi Snieckus: The Rules Of Improv (And Life) 34:01

6M ago34:01

34:01

Wendy has a problem with rules. But some rules matter. Like the rules of improv. Naomi Snieckus loves those. And so does Maureen. Naomi talks about Improv Rule #1: Yes, And. About the importance of supporting a partner in comedy or drama or a podcast. And yes, in life.Naomi started doing improv at Second City in Toronto, and is now an actor, produc…

1
Jeannette Walls: Family and Fiction 41:34

6M ago41:34

41:34

Family secrets are now the stuff of tell-all memoirs, thanks largely to Jeannette Walls and her book The Glass Castle. Jeannette turned the book world - and the world in general - on its ear with her account of growing up rootless, homeless and in dire poverty. Jeannette has now moved on to fiction. Hang the Moon is her latest, the story of an intr…

1
Vivek Shraya: How to Succeed as a TV Star 40:15

6M ago40:15

40:15

Vivek Shraya wants to talk about failure. She has a new TV series on CBC called “How to Fail as a Popstar”. Vivek says that failure is what keeps her up at night. Why didn’t she become the next Madonna? Did people think she was too brown? Too queer? Or maybe she was too held down by people’s expectations? Vivek embraces the failure, and argues we n…

1
Jon Dore: Border Crosser 38:16

7M ago38:16

38:16

Jon Dore is a national treasure, or will be when he returns to Canada from Alaska, where he’s been living these past few years. He’s not everyone’s cup of maple syrup, however. His humour lurks on the dark side: domestic arguments, pregnancy, cancer, his own surprise diagnosis of epilepsy. There are few borders Jon won’t cross, literally and figura…

1
Jennifer Podemski: The Storyteller 34:18

7M ago34:18

34:18

Good stories don’t have to be based in truth, but they are all the more compelling when they are. Have you seen Little Bird? You must. The series, available on Crave, tells the story of Esther Rosenblum, born Bezhig Little Bird, a First Nations woman who was adopted into a Jewish family during the Sixties Scoop, when children were forcibly taken fr…

1
Melissa Bubb-Clarke: Backstage 36:46

7M ago36:46

36:46

She has a lot of letters: SVP at MLSE. Melissa Bubb-Clarke has a big job overseeing music and other live events at huge arenas. But what’s really cool is that she gets to see behind the stage and meet the stars! We talk to Melissa about her favourite concerts (like the Tragically Hip), brown M&Ms, and what it’s really like for the Madonnas of the w…

1
Sheila McCarthy: Women of Ill Repute Talking 36:01

7M ago36:01

36:01

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 drugged and then raped by men they know …

1
Colin Mochrie: The Ambivert 35:58

7M ago35:58

35:58

Colin Mochrie: The AmbivertIs 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 says he’s afr…

1
Samantha Irby: Quietly Hostile 42:23

8M ago42:23

42:23

Samantha Irby is not as hostile as she might like us to think, quietly or otherwise. What she is is brutally and hilariously honest. Fierce and foul-mouthed, Sam joins us to talk about why it’s ok not to like your body … How she’s not responsible for killing Big on And Just Like That, but did help expedite his demise (send your outraged emails to u…

1
Mary Berg: The Next Big Thing 36:22

8M ago36:22

36:22

This is Mary Berg’s moment. If you haven’t noticed, Mary is everywhere these days. She’s already been on our radar as the winner of MasterChef Canada, the host of two cooking shows, the author of three cookbooks and now … the host of The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, a new national daytime talk and lifestyle series replacing the irreplaceable Marilyn …

1
Suzanne Boyd: Ageless Glam 40:06

9M ago40:06

40:06

What does it mean to age gracefully? Does it involve defiance or acceptance? For Suzanne Boyd, editor-in-chief of Zoomer magazine, it means making the most and best of the time we have, each according to his or her own preference. There’s a world of opportunity for people over the age of, say, 45? But it’s also OK to wear pyjamas and watch Jeopardy…

1
Zoe Whittall: Lovers And Liars 32:37

9M ago32:37

32:37

Have you ever been scammed? Ripped off? Betrayed? Lied to? Ever fallen for a sociopath? Are YOU a sociopath? How would you know if you were? These are the questions we discuss with Zoe Whittall, author of the bestselling novel “The Fake”. Zoe is a Canadian poet, teacher TV writer and novelist. She has won all sorts of awards for her work, including…

1
John Moore: The Morning Man 41:56

9M ago41:56

41:56

John Moore is the thinking person’s thinking person. As the affable yet acerbic host of Moore in the Morning on radio station Newstalk 1010, he gets up at an ungodly hour to keep Toronto informed and entertained. John is also a dear and longtime friend to Wendy and Mo, so we put the host in the guest chair to talk about all things to do with friend…

1
Mellissa Fung: The Survivor 34:42

9M ago34:42

34:42

Not a lot of chuckles when you are kidnapped by the Taliban and thrown in a hole. And then you write a book about the girls stolen and raped by Boko Haram. But we laughed anyway. Mellissa Fung talks about her life, her new book, women’s fears, and ultimately finding joy. No one wants to be defined by their worst experience, we talk about learning t…

1
Jeanne Beker: Silver linings 42:41

10M ago42:41

42:41

Jeanne Beker has done it all, most of it on TV. Rock ‘n roll, fashion, and now, breast cancer. Unfortunately, Mo and Wendy know too much about the latter. Jeanne offers lessons on how to be super upbeat. We share tales until we realize we could do a whole show about hair! Mostly we talk about Jeanne’s many closets and her treasured pieces. She also…

1
Ivy Le: Indoorswoman 38:34

10M ago38:34

38:34

The great outdoors is overrated, says Ivy Le, a comedian and podcaster from Austin, Texas. Ivy, a self-admitted indoorswoman, took on camping, and then hunting, as a sort of exercise in reverse colonialism. Ivy is Asian, you see, as well as a bisexual Buddhist mom with allergies, and she couldn’t see herself, or anyone like her, in a tent in the wo…

1
Stephen Marche: Smartypants 32:18

10M ago32:18

32:18

Stephen Marche: SmartypantsIs the world gonna end? Are computers gonna take over? Stephen Marche says he’s written lots of cataclysmic novels and columns about everything from the end of the monarchy to a new Civil War in the U.S. But he’s in love with Artificial Intelligence, thinks it’s like Hip-Hop; the next era of creativity. Marche admits opti…

1
Scarlett Bobo: Activist Queen 38:17

10M ago38:17

38:17

Everyone loves a drag queen, right? Well they did, thanks to the emergence of Pride, artists like RuPaul, and the success of shows like Canada’s Drag Race, dragging drag out of the back room and into the limelight where the queens love to shine. But lately there’s been a shift in support, with anti-gay protestors storming libraries to decry Drag Qu…

1
Amanda Marshall: Dark Horse 37:16

11M ago37:16

37:16

Everyone asks her the same question: what happened? Amanda Marshall was at the top of her game in the late 90’s, selling millions of albums and sold-out concert halls and then … she disappeared. Except she didn’t really. It was a business decision as much as anything, but now she’s back with a new album and a new sense of purpose, but that same pow…

1
Natalie MacLean: Glass Half Full 38:58

11M ago38:58

38:58

How do you remain an expert wine taster while watching your intake? A lot of spitting, obviously, although Natalie MacLean’s career is nothing to spit at. Natalie, who was gifted with an uncanny ability to pair wine with food, built her reputation on a hugely popular newsletter, but then came divorce, depression, defamation and yes, drinking too mu…

1
Jody Vance: The Fighter 35:15

11M ago35:15

35:15

Jody Vance calls herself a Mama Bear. Don’t mess with her. If she wants something, like hosting her own prime-time sportscast, she goes for it. The first woman ever in that role. But when a stalker came after her, then her son, online, she was devastated. Attacking her was one thing, but her kid, no. Mo and I both were told to not engage, it’s the …

1
Brittlestar: Return of the Straight White Man 36:57

11M ago36:57

36:57

He's a middle aged white guy, backed by Disney, who makes dad jokes on the internet ... with an edge. Amidst all the hatred on social media, Brittlestar actually makes people feel better, or at least laugh at the things that don't. We had a lot of fun with Stewart Reynolds, which is what his mom calls him when he's in trouble. Brittlestar’s videos …

1
Jen Sookfong Lee: Superfan 38:00

11M ago38:00

38:00

Jen Sookfong Lee makes no apologies: she’s a superfan. That’s the name of her latest book, a deeply personal compilation of essays on how her life has been touched and affected by the likes of Anne of Green Gables, Princess Diana, Amy Tan, sensitive white boys like John Cusack, the Biebers, the Kardashians and, inevitably, Gwyneth. The truth is the…

1
Beverley McLachlin: Full Disclosure 33:40

12M ago33:40

33:40

Beverley is not retiring. Beverley McLachlin was told in grade 8 that she wasn’t very alert. That she probably wouldn’t amount to much. Ha! She went on to become the chief justice of our Supreme Court, the first woman in that role. All justices are told to step down at 75, so she has now taken up writing thriller novels. Oh, and a bit of lawyering.…

1
Suzette Mayr: Giller Girl 37:35

12M ago37:35

37:35

Suzette Mayr thinks happy endings are important, (not that kind of happy ending). She just won the Giller Prize for The Sleeping Car Porter and tells us why it was so important and so difficult to tell the story of being a Black gay man in Canada 100 years ago. Suzette tells us about what it was like for her the first time in a lesbian bar, what ha…

1
Jonathan Torrens: What Is Normal? 37:51

12M ago37:51

37:51

What is normal anyway? We may have spent our childhoods trying to fit in, but now being a “normie” is an insult. When Jonathan Torrens moved to L.A., surrounded by buff guys in v-necks, he realized his future was not as a Brad Pitt stud. He says he’s quirky, we think he’s funny. He’s been a white rapper on ‘Trailer Park Boys’, a Quebecker who “Léve…

1
Lauren Hough: The Hardest Thing 40:15

1y ago40:15

40:15

Lauren Hough is living a remarkable life. Author of a collection of essays called “Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing”, Lauren causes us to consider what IS the hardest thing? Growing up in a doomsday sex cult? Joining the Air Force and almost getting court-martialed? Going to jail? Traveling around the country in a van with her dog? Being a 6 foot le…

1
Cynthia Loyst & Josie Dye : Unmentionables 41:46

1y ago41:46

41:46

Women talk, they say, but do we really? So much of the female - or even the human - experience is caught up in shame: shame about our bodies, our feelings, our, well, our “unmentionables”. Enter Cynthia Loyst and Josie Dye, two (almost) shameless women who dare to tackle the messy, silly and sexy topics you won’t find anywhere else. Cynthia and Jos…

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Maureen Holloway And Wendy Mesley Podcasts

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