When you let diabetes create the new marketing campaign.

While all the big-budget/celebrity/right-wing nutjob podcasts took the past two weeks off, I did not miss a Monday - and have not missed one yet. Here's the spoiler for tomorrow's episode. @coachhousebooks.bsky.social WHAT HAPPENED NEXT is presented by @thewalrus.ca thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

The ideal childhood, increasingly.

Pierre Poilievre’s Personal Assistant Explains Why He Supports Trump Invading Venezuela youtu.be/NBrSxfzpSpI

From Alberta’s wine wars to how First Nations are rethinking education in the Yukon, our curated list of must-read local stories from 2025 is ready just in time for your holiday break: thewalrus.ca/2025-local-repor...

US news media right now:

The rare rock band documentary that makes you want to quit a band, not start one.

Q: What is a song over six minutes long that's worth every minute? A: (six minutes in, it hasn't even reached the 1st verse yet)

This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)

At least one member of my household did not care that it was -18 with the wind chill at 7am this morning. #hamont

Instead of a regular podcast episode, I recorded some quick end-of-year thank-yous including (spoiler): Carmine Starnino/The Walrus, Alex Lukashevsky, Meaghan Strimas, all the authors, and everyone who listens. Regular episodes begin again next Monday. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Flea just put out a solo single, and it's great. What a weird year this is. youtu.be/TmyjzvQv5bA?...

Instead of a regular podcast episode, I recorded some quick end-of-year thank-yous including (spoiler): Carmine Starnino/The Walrus, Alex Lukashevsky, Meaghan Strimas, all the authors, and everyone who listens. Regular episodes begin again next Monday. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/e...

Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up. I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.

One of the great pods!

The fact that Rian Johnson has given Joseph Gordon-Levitt a voice cameo in each of the KNIVES OUT movies seems fun/sweet until you realize Gordon-Levitt would probably prefer an actual onscreen role.

If you've been watching HEATED RIVALRY (or are aware that everybody on the planet appears to be watching it), and want to hear the Nova Scotia author of the original books talk about her craft, her reaction to sudden fame, and why she thinks sex scenes must serve the story, listen to this chat.

Please donate to my Kickstarter to make "Morty Supreme," a shot-for-shot remake of "Marty Supreme" with Richard Kind in the Timothée Chalamet role.

From the publishing industry’s gambling problem to the World Sauna Championships, here are nine stories from 2025 that our editors can’t stop thinking about: thewalrus.ca/2025-surprising-...

If you've been watching HEATED RIVALRY (or are aware that everybody on the planet appears to be watching it), and want to hear the Nova Scotia author of the original books talk about her craft, her reaction to sudden fame, and why she thinks sex scenes must serve the story, listen to this chat.

Last minute action. We are here 10-4 and we have stuff.

"I was put in the in the Four Seasons in Toronto for the premiere [of the show], and I felt like a hick. I was like, 'I don't belong here.' They had these maple toffees, and I was dumping them in my purse every day. Because I was like, *free toffee*." Listen: thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

New from me: The storied fiddler Ashley MacIsaac wanted to play a show at a Nova Scotia First Nation. It got cancelled because Google's AI search summary incorrectly called him a sex offender. Now he's worried for his safety www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/arti...

"I was put in the in the Four Seasons in Toronto for the premiere [of the show], and I felt like a hick. I was like, 'I don't belong here.' They had these maple toffees, and I was dumping them in my purse every day. Because I was like, *free toffee*." Listen: thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

A reminder that I publish in-depth author interviews each week. And they're all bangers. Listen at your leisure. thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

Spoiler for tomorrow’s episode, which gets, uh, *heated*. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT is presented by @thewalrus.ca Find it at all the podcast places. thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

Spoiler for tomorrow’s episode, which gets, uh, *heated*. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT is presented by @thewalrus.ca Find it at all the podcast places. thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha...

They tried to stop him by giving him millions of dollars, and when that didn't work, they gave him some more.

A big budget is great but on its own will never produce anything near the entertainment value of a strong creative vision left the fuck alone

After the staff at a great local coffee shop/lunch place with a newly ironic name voted to unionize, the owners decided to shut the place down. The GoFundMe for the unemployed staffers has more than doubled its goal in a day. #hamont

Absolutely fuck this union busting owner Anyone want to open a cafe called "Actual Democracy"? I gave 20 bucks because I'll never go to Donut Monster ever again.

After the staff at a great local coffee shop/lunch place with a newly ironic name voted to unionize, the owners decided to shut the place down. The GoFundMe for the unemployed staffers has more than doubled its goal in a day. #hamont

Hold on, is this now part of the VF discourse? This is one step above being surprised that journalists do interviews at all.

Part 1,135 of spotting one of my neighbourhood dog walk locations in a movie or show: Heated Rivalry's "Moscow." #hamont

Going into 2026 like ...

Twice a year, every year.

Part 1,135 of spotting one of my neighbourhood dog walk locations in a movie or show: Heated Rivalry's "Moscow." #hamont

LISTEN: Author Renée D. Bondy discusses her novel, [non]disclosure, on Nathan Whitlock's (@nathanwhitlock.bsky.social) What Happened Next, a #podcast presented by @thewalrus.ca! Check out the full episode: thewalrus.ca/podcasts/wha... #booksky #adultfiction #books #canlit

My kids are so accustomed to everything good being followed by eight sequels and spin-offs, they constantly ask "can we watch the next one?" as the credits are rolling on the first. That's honestly how I felt when I got to the end of this special.

OTOH, every literary novelist, looking at those first week sales numbers:

I recently read Code Name: Pale Horse by Scott Payne & Michelle Shephard, about FBI agent Payne working undercover to disrupt white supremacist groups. Antifa is frequently mentioned as both a source of info on the groups and a general ally in taking them down. Surreal to see this 180.

Got this year’s Christmas Ghost Stories from the sweeties at @biblioasis.bsky.social!!! With groovy covers by SETH! Can’t wait to crack ‘em!

I swear this is a coincidence, but if anyone asks, I'm a master of good timing.

Rik Emmett is best known for being in the multi-platinum-selling band Triumph until the late 80s, but as an author, he has published a poetry collection, a memoir, and a book-length exploration of music, guitars, and creativity - all in the past few years. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

I swear this is a coincidence, but if anyone asks, I'm a master of good timing.

Rik Emmett is best known for being in the multi-platinum-selling band Triumph until the late 80s, but as an author, he has published a poetry collection, a memoir, and a book-length exploration of music, guitars, and creativity - all in the past few years. Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

My last novel does not feature a torrid romance between two hockey players, but it does have family dysfunction, clueless upper middle class urbanites, a creeping disease, and a dangerous yoga teacher. Is that something?

Maybe the writer's real target needs to be the reader. As reader, I should feel a greater sense of resistance, but go away with plenty to think about. Otherwise a high stakes issue translates into a low stakes novel. I think this has been my problem with films on Mubi too.

Reflecting on what's missing in some issue-based novels I've read over the past couple of years. I think it's that they don't confront/challenge the reader enough. Instead the writer and reader cosy up on the side of a blameless protagonist who is pitted against a straightforwardly nasty world.