Archive for August, 2020

IN ISOLATION WITH..: book, comics, and video game author Sam Maggs!

Check out episode thirty-three of Richard’s web series, “In Isolation With…” It’s the talk show where we make a connection without actually making contact! Today, broadcasting directly from Isolation Studios (a.k.a. my home office) we meetSam Maggs, an author who joins us via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles. Sam is a bestselling author of books, comics, and video games. She’s been a senior games writer, the author of many YA and middle-grade books, a comics writer for beloved titles like Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, My Little Pony, and Transformers. She is also an on-air host for networks like Nerdist.

Today she joins me to talk about two books, “Con Quest,” an adventure novel for young readers set in the world of comics conventions and “The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope,” a Young Adult novel based on the world of “The Unstoppable Wasp” Marvel comics series. I love this line in her bio… as a Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk.

In this interview we talk about her books, why we both feel we have to work all the time and discuss whether that is a good thing or not.

“A lot of the people in the book and experiences are based on real things that have happened to me at cons,” Sam says in the interview. “The antagonist in the book is based on an amalgamation of gatekeeping nerd dudes who over the years have told me that maybe I don’t belong in fandom and or that I’m not a real nerd and that I’m ruining their hobbies or whatever so making that bad guy was very fun for me.”

Let’s get to know Sam Maggs…

Watch the interview on YouTube HERE or on ctvnews.ca HERE!

CTV NEWS AT 11:30: MORE MOVIES AND TV SHOWS TO STREAM THIS WEEKEND!

Richard speaks to “CTV News at 11:30” anchor Andria Case about movies on VOD to watch this weekend including the Disney+ talking animals movie “The One and Only Ivan,” the World War II drama starring Gemma Arterton “Summerland on VOD and the self explanatory documentary “Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies.”

Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 24:05)

CTV NEWS AT SIX: NEW MOVIES AND TV SHOWS TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEKEND!

Richard speaks to “CTV News at Six” anchor Andria Case about television and movies to watch this weekend including the stop-motion animated satire “Crossing Swords” on Crave, the Netflix superheroes-without-the-capes movie “Project Power,” the timely documentary “Boys State” on Apple TV+ and the #MeToo drama “The Assistant” on Crave.

Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 38:15)

NEWSTALK 1010: THE RICHARD CROUSE SHOW WITH ANDREA DORFMAN & SAM MAGGS!

On the August 23, 2020 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Andrea Dorfman, a filmmaker, animator and artist who joins us via Zoom from her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her films have played at film festivals around the world, won awards and she is back with a new one, now on VOD. “Spinster” stars actor and comedian Chelsea Peretti from “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” as a wedding caterer gets dumped on her 39th birthday. Over the next year she builds a new life based on self-empowerment and independence. “Spinster” is being called “the anti-rom-com of the summer,” so I began by asking Andrea Dorfman about subverting the rom com genre.

Then country artist Sacha stops by to talk about her EP “The Best Thing.”

Finally, we meet Sam Maggs, an author who joins us via Zoom from her home in Los Angeles. Sam is a bestselling author of books, comics, and video games. She’s been a senior games writer, the author of many YA and middle-grade books, a comics writer for beloved titles like Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, My Little Pony, and Transformers. She is also an on-air host for networks like Nerdist. Today she joins me to talk about two books, “Con Quest,” an adventure novel for young readers set in the world of comics conventions and “The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope,” a Young Adult novel based on the world of “The Unstoppable Wasp” Marvel comics series. I love this line in her bio… as a Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk. In this interview we talk about her books, why we both feel we have to work all the time and discuss whether that is a good thing or not.

Listen to the whole thing HERE!

 

POP LIFE ENCORE: WATCH THE FULL EPISODE WITH LEGENDARY CHEF BOBBY FLAY!

On the August 22, 2020 episode of “Pop Life” Richard speaks to celebrity chef Bobby Flay about his love for the restaurant business, Easy Bake Ovens and his start in the industry. Then the Pop Life panel, Baron Hau, chef & founding instructor Gusta Cooking Studio, Luke Hayes chef & owner L.U.S.T Supper Club and Janet Zuccarini, CEO of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group, share their take on what makes a chef great.

Watch the whole thing HERE!

Tune in Saturday nights, 8:30 pm (ET) on the CTV NewsChannel and again at midnight on CTV or watch the whole thing HERE!

Film critic and pop culture historian Richard Crouse shares a toast with celebrity guests and entertainment pundits every week on CTV News Channel’s talk show POP LIFE.

Featuring in-depth discussion and debate on pop culture and modern life, POP LIFE features sit-down interviews with celebrities from across the entertainment world, including rock legends Sting and Meat Loaf, musicians Josh Groban and Sarah Brightman, comedian Ken Jeong, writer Fran Lebowitz, superstar jazz musician Diana Krall, stand-up comedian and CNN host W. Kamau Bell, actors Danny DeVito and Jay Baruchel, celebrity chefs Bobby Flay and Nigella Lawson, and many more.

RICHARD’S CTV NEWSCHANNEL WEEKEND MOVIE REVIEWS FOR AUGUST 21!

Richard sits in on the CTV NewsChannel with host Jennifer Burke to have a look at the new movies coming to VOD, streaming services and theatres including the Disney+ talking animals movie “The One and Only Ivan,” the World War II drama starring Gemma Arterton “Summerland on VOD, the self explanatory documentary “Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies” and the dreary drama “Euphoria.”

Watch the whole thing HERE!

CP24: WHAT MOVIES AND TV SHOWS TO WATCH TO THIS WEEKEND!

Richard and “CP24 Breakfast” host Pooja Handa have a look at some special streaming opportunities and television shows to kill time over the weekend including a new cooking show on Crave called “Selena + Chef,” the aspiring artists of Apple TV+’s “Little Voice,” the cocaine opera “Scarface” on Starz and the Disney+ talking animal movie for kids, “The One and Only Ivan.”

Watch the whole thing HERE!

CFRA IN OTTAWA: THE BILL CARROLL MORNING SHOW MOVIE REVIEWS!

Richard sits in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with host Bill Carroll to talk the new movies coming to theatres, VOD and streaming services including the Disney+ talking animals movie “The One and Only Ivan,” the World War II drama starring Gemma Arterton “Summerland on VOD, the self explanatory documentary “Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies” and the dreary drama “Euphoria.”

Listen to the whole thing HERE!