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  Editor
Robert J. Lewis
 
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Jason McDonald
 
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Louis René Beres
David Solway
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Jordan Adler
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Serge Gamache
 
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Lydia Schrufer
 
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Chantal Levesque
 
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Emanuel Pordes
 
 
 
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  Noam Chomsky
Mark Kingwell
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Stephen Lewis
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Irshad Manji
Richard Rodriguez
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Ernesto Zedillo
Pico Iyer
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Leon Wieseltier
Nayan Chanda
Charles Lewis
John Lavery
Tariq Ali
Michael Albert
Rochelle Gurstein
Alex Waterhouse-Hayward
 
     

THE MEGABLAST PODCAST


with
JASON MCDONALD

______________________________________________________

Jason McDonald is the Senior Editor of Arts & Opinion, an on-line arts and culture journal permanently housed in the Archives of Canada. His mission as a podcaster: the bring truth and nothing but the truth into radiant unconcealment.

 

All great truths begin as blasphemies.
George Benard Shaw

Our lives begin to end
the day we become silent
about things that matter.

Martin Luther King

You should not honor men more than truth.
Plato

Podcast theme music, Mexican Burn.
Serge Gamache

 

PODCASTS

Chris Barry (HARD TIMES & SELF-LOATHING)

Take the highway to the end of the night with ex-punk rocker Chris Barry who doesn't shy away from entering into the public domain his sense of abject failure and humiliation in having to front a Doors cover band; and then lifting himself out of the abyss as a pornographer (conCOCKting porn scripts in L.A.). Forging a hard-earned way through the garbage and the flowers, the indomitable Chris Barry is still looking for his fugitive self.

 

VINCENT GALOSO (QUEBEC'S REAL AND NOT SO QUIET REVOLUTION)

Economist Vincent Galoso waxes philosophic on hard truths of Quebec. Did the Catholic Church repress French Canada for a century or did it assist in the dispersion of vital services to the population? Did Uber destroy the livlihoods of thousands of Montreal taxi drivers or crush a system of privilege? Should Quebec be an independant nation? Are French-Canadians the most British people in the world?

 

Mike Munger (MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE)

What distinguishes Mike Munger is his understanding of the workings and interconnected of the multi-faceted world as it turns. His life's work is dedicated to making us want to make the world a better place? By "better place" he means enabling philosophy and economics to trade places.

Mike Munger (THE WRETCHED OF THE EARTH ON THE RISE)

Economist, philosopher Mike Munger redefines his discipline as a humanitarian mission. Beginning at ground-zero, he provides a blue-print for people to take control of their lives. He deconstructs the sharing economy and indicts a world order that obliges the have-nots to seek the better life in Canada, USA and Europe. Mike Munger is the bridge that links theory (best intentions) to solutions.

 

Tom Siebert (A WRINKLE IN THE WIRE)

Siebert deconstructs the big lie, his own underestimation of The Wire, and what the Wire did so well and not so well. If the truth is a moving target, is current journalism up to the task of setting its sights on it? Is Craigslist guilty of collapsing conventional newspaper revenue?

 

Mark Gabriel (CREATING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING)

Painter/musician MG digs deep into the act of creation and tries to explain the inexplicable. And when words fail, he lets his art speak = www.instagram.com/shooting_mark/?hl=en

 

Jason McDonald (TALKING THOMAS SOWELL

The genius economist who changed my life. That he is dismissed by the establishment is why we should read him -- and more than once.

 

Chris Barry (BAD BOY TO THE BAD MANNER BORN)

What does it mean to be an authentic musician? Chris waxes poetic about his time on the scene in NYC, London, and Montreal as well as his friendships and connection with legendaries such as: Blondie (with whom, in bed, he watched TV one afternoon), Johnny -- rotting inside -- Thunder, William Burroughs and many more. What's with the deranged-radical left? Chris and I get into free speech, Donald Trump and the decline of the CBC.

 

Nick Catalano COMEDY AND THE HUMAN CONDITION

Never before in the history of mankind has there been such a constant craving for comedy. Even in the smaller cities, comedy clubs are popping up like mushrooms after a hot rain. Why is this happening on our watch? From Aristophanes to the latest joker on the block, Nick traces the history of comedy as a cultural feature whose permanence is assured by the certainty that human beings love to laugh.

Nick Catalano NYC'S RENAISSANCE MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

Child prodigy, jazz critic-musician, author, Nick Catalano has has been an integral part of the New York cultural scene for half a century. Before they became celebrities, he booked and produced Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams and Jay Leno. His knowledge is encyclopedic because he's worked and mingled with them all.

 

Liz Hodgson NOTHING'S SHOCKING

From the age of innocence to the jaded age. Liz cuts through the hype and deconstructs the Oscars, Satan and trans phenomenon. Is Madonna ageing gracefully, tastelessly? And philosophically, what does it mean to be alive.

Ken Doolittle: FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE UGLY: THE MUSIC WE LOVE

What makes a truly great song? Rhythm? The musicianship? Vocal work? Lyrics? How do the elements mix together to create a meaningful, lasting experience? What causes both sublime and repulsive music to come into being. Ken and Jason examine the artistry of Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Fiona Apple, Bonnie Prince Billy, and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Jason introduces Ken to a French Canadian classic by Les Colocs, and the latter shares Rip Rig + Panic (Featuring Neneh Cherry). In the last segment they revisit the father of Rock n Roll, and examine his influence.

THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE - Open Heart Surgery: Listener beware - it's gruesome.The podcast tells of certain types of persons who are tragiclly vulnerable to the next idea on the block, who would rather surrender their sovereignty, their self-hood than take responsibility for their lives. Young soldiers are of the same ilk. Together they constitute the fodder on which the powerful thrive -- and survive.

LEONARD COHEN - THE STRANGER SONG: LC's legendary "The Stranger Stong" deconstructed by non-legends Ken Doolittle and Megablast Podcast host Jason McDonald.

John Jordan MANAGING THE EXTREMES OF LIFE AND ART -- and DEPRESSION

Living with bipolar disorder. John Jordan gets into the nitty gritty of being on a manic high and then the subsequent crash. Plus:insights/confessions while touring with his rock band Me, Mom, & Morgentaler. What does it mean to be NDG (West End Montreal 'hood) proud?

Liz Hodgson (Click here to listen) ELON MUSK MUSK-TAKEN?

Liz cuts through the hype and lays bare both the man's monstrous ego and magnificence. What is the forgotten little guy to do about government in thrall to the corporation? Feminism at the crossroads two abuses before the abyss.

Albert Nerenberg: UNDER THE RAZERWIRE

Albert expatiates on the legedary Oka crisis of 1990 that produced two definitive documentaries.. . .. for more.

Sonny Greenwich (out from UNDER HIS FATHER'S SHADOW?)

Sonny Greenwich Senior was a celebrated jazz guitarist. Did he drive his son into post punk funk metal. The kid answered back with a Juno award for the track "Everyone Is a Winner." No looking back in anger. . .. for more.

Milton Fernandez (RUMBLINGS OF WAR IN THE DR)

Is Haiti a failed nation state? What can the DR (Dominican Republic) do to pretect itself from the impoverished masses that have had of Haiti's hell . . . . for more.

Andrew Caddell (LANGUAGE, AIM AND FIRE).

Founder of the Parti Canadien du Québec, Andrew has been on the front line of the linguistic wars for many years. He wants to make it fair as opposed to the all is fair in war syndrome. . . . for more.

Chris Barry (PUNK, PLAYING GAY AND DEUCES ARE WILD)

Lead singer of the 222s, Montreal's first punk band, Chris tells it like it was; life in the fast lane with the beautiful and the damned, the drug scene, the music racket, from basement bacchanalias to the corner vomitorium, and against all the odds and oddballs, Chris Barry isn't dead . . . . . for more

Christian Boutin (FUTURE OF QUEBEC).

CAQ's craven Covid policy and the inexcusable death count. Is Pierre Polièvre Canada's new hope for freedoms crushed beneath the wheel of Trudeau -- a secret admirer of Trumpism. . . . for more.

Roy Eappen (POLITICIANS DO CARE).

Quebec Conservative Party candidate calls for radical health reform, which includes empowering non-doctors. Why are qualified doctors driving Uber? He explains how it can work. . . . for more.

Kristian Gravenor (ELECTION QUEBEC)

J & K in the first in a series of podcasts on all things Montreal, Quebec and Canada. Did de Tocqueville get it right: "beware of the tyranny of the majority". Is English Quebec getting hammered . . . . for more

Martin Deck (DECONSTRUCTING TINTIN).

Tintin is arguably first global role model in comic books history, but is the intrepid boy reporter guilty as accused: sexist, racist . . . for more.

John Woolfrey (TICKET TO RIDE)

From the Lords of Industry to the gutter people, limo driver, ex-Uber chauffeur, JW explains why the world is his oyster -- getting to meet and know people from every walk of life from everywhere on planet . . . . . for more

Robert Wilkins (MONTREAL NOW AND THEN)

The good and bad and ugly of Montreal is disinterred through old newspaper headlines and clippings -- throwing into relief the city's evolution, its prejudices and passions . . . . . for more

Maira Prado (podcast in French)

Est-ce que les Québécois sont racistes ou très bien accueillant ? Le Québec devient-t-il comme le Vénézuela ou le contraire ? Écoutez Maira et Jason débattre. . . . . for more

Jordan Stein (Click here to listen)

Should Jews retain their paranoia? Do the Chinese have higher IQs? Is Israel a legitimate state. . . . for more

Kristian Gravenor (Click here to listen)

Kristian and Jason go toe to toe, the latter accused of hyporcracy and towing the line for the elite . . . . for more

Christian Belanger (Click here to listen).

Is the music we love an all-purpose pharmaceutical that we turn to when the going gets rough, when life turns tough . . . for more

Neal Mukherjee (Click here to listen).

The nitty gritty on racial profiling. Is Bitcoin for losers? Uncomfortable truths about Quebec Supreme Court justices. Handling the hot potato of multiculturalism in ultra nationalist Quebec. . . for more.

Thierry Alexandre Zambo (Click here to listen).

Music is your only friend, until the end . . . TAZ and Jason go head to head on the importance of music in turbulent times . . . for more.

Martin Deck (Click here to listen).

Never mind the bollocks - here’s Jason and Martin going toe to toe about which Canadian city produces the best music: Montreal, Toronto or Detroit? . . . for more.

Liz Hodgson (Click here to listen)

Did the #metoo movement go too far? What do gender and sex mean in 2022? From Jian Ghomeshi to Will Smith, what has been happening to masculinity and femininity while no one was looking? Liz and Jason dissect these issues and much more -- and how Red China fits in. . . . for more

Tanya Maria (Click here to listen)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau -- the art of normalizing betrayal. Vaccine hypocracy. The beautiful and the damned retreating before the abyss of political correctness . . . for more

Serge Ouimet (Click here to listen)

He describes himself as an atheist with a profound sense of wonder at all the beauty and mystery of existence . . . . . for more

Alexander Boldizar (Click here to listen)

The Freedom Convoy (the good, and bad and ugly). Where will Ukraine be in a year from now and will Putin survive his . . . . for more

Sid Parkinson (Click here to listen) Best laid plans

What really happened during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812-1815 . . . . for more

Sid Parkinson (Click here to listen: Don't Give Up the Fight

How America's wars led to the near bloodless birthing of Canada . . . . for more

Kristian Gravenor (Click here to listen) on the Freedom Convoy: Part I

The Freedom Convoy: Law breakers, anarchists or guardians of freedom . . . . for more

The Malaise of Modernity: Part II . . . for more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arts & Opinion, a bi-monthly, is archived in the Library and Archives Canada.
ISSN 1718-2034

 

Comedy Podcast with Jess Salomon and Eman El-Husseini
Bahamas Relief Fund
Film Ratings at Arts & Opinion - Montreal
fashion,brenda by Liz Hodson
MEGABLAST PODCAST with JASON McDONALD
Festival Nouveau Cinema de Montreal(514) 844-2172
Lynda Renée: Chroniques Québécois - Blog
Montreal Guitar Show July 2-4th (Sylvain Luc etc.). border=
Photo by David Lieber: davidliebersblog.blogspot.com
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