Whiskey & Cream Podcast with Ari Shapiro

Latest Episodes:

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XXIII Aug 09, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for August 9th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:40-16:48: "An ounce of perception is worth a pound of obscure"
To the average human being living under the relentless scourge of a variant-multiplying pandemic, understanding and absorbing what mRNA, spike proteins and lipid nanoparticles are can be a most daunting and bewildering experience. From the outset, this modern day global health emergency that's affected every country on the planet has been handled dubiously by politicians acting as soothsayers, poseurs and hypocrites who want to assure us that they know what's best for us, even while abandoning the most fundamental principles and medical facts provided by established science and health authorities. Naturally, this has created a harrowing disconnect and some would say an existential schism that's significantly undermined humanity's collective efforts to move into a bold and brave new future.
Rob Swanda (@ScientistSwanda) is an mRNA Biochemist and doctoral candidate who's completing his PhD at Cornell University. Back in December of 2020, he decided to post a YouTube video that provided a brief but succinct overview of how vaccines work and why taking them is a personal choice based on a decision that - ideally under normal circumstances - should be rooted in a profound understanding of science. In doing so, he's unlocked a powerful covenant with those of us interested in knowing truth before ideology, facts ahead fiction, and real coronavirus science in place of anti-vaccination superstition.
Music: "Into The Woods" by Tycho (Christopher Willits Remix)
17:01-32:11: "Baseball is ruled by 12 billionaires and plenty of nostalgia"
120 years ago, the Cleveland Indians baseball club was born and along with it a procession of legendary players who remain synonymous with the team to this day. Cy Young, Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Al Rosen, and Frank Robinson are just some of the legendary and towering baseball figures that have come to define the memories for generations of fans of both the team and the sport. Throughout their entire fabled history (one that's almost completely bereft of any winning flavour considering their last championship victory came in 1948), the Indians were instantly recognizable with their branding that always seemed to define how they were remembered; namely, the Chief Wahoo logo that was used from 1950 up until 2018. A potent and controversial symbol that also alienated and disrespected indigenous people all over the country.
Nick Francona (@NickFrancona) is a baseball journalist and Marine veteran who fought in Afghanistan. His intrepid skills of research and investigation has produced a commitment to finding the truth in a game that's become filled with chronic deceptions and daily lies when it comes to confronting the racism, sexism and domestic abuse realities that are nonchalantly swept under the rug and quickly rationalized by unscrupulous owners worried more about profit than any measure of social justice. Amidst all the hypocrisy and failure of moral leadership, Nick remains optimistic that the more fans and admirers of MLB appreciate the state of the game today, the more likely they are to understand why rebranding is absolutely necessary in order to set a true example for future generations, and that much more work needs to be done after simply painting over a legacy that should have been confronted a long time ago.
Music: "Journal" by Polar Inc.
32:22-41:45: "General Zod would have enjoyed ruling Canada"
Although Canada managed to get a grip on the most recent pandemic wave, it's left many in the province wondering what kind of political crucible is likely to remain when the dust settles. Most recently, a triumvirate of conservative-led provinces from Doug Ford in Ontario to Jason Kenney in Alberta and Brian Pallister in Manitoba have all tried the combined patience and humility of their coronavirus-riddled constituents who've become fed up with the powder keg of anti-vaccination movements brought forth by their rudderless leadership methods. In short, the fact that mandatory mask and vaccination efforts for front-line and essential emergency workers remains an opportunity cost in their neck of the woods is a sad reminder that ideology still trumps common sense in many parts of the country.
Neil Waytowich (@WaytowichNeil), also know as Neil Before Zod, is a Canadian political blogger and podcaster. He takes little solace in knowing that for a country where a majority of Canadians identify as conservative, their message has been tainted and corrupted by party leaders lacking a stable game plan or any legitimate promises for the future. And although the prospect of a better brand of compassionate and humble successor to the status quo seems like a reason to be positive about the future, Neil remains highly circumspect and abundantly skeptical that the worst may be yet to come and might possibly require a visit from Kal-El himself.
Music: "Borealis" by Nora Van Elken
41:50-54:09: "Toronto: world class and completely unaffordable"
It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who lives in and knows about the city of Toronto that the cost of living in this world class wonderland comes at a steep and generally unattainable price. Instead of witnessing three levels of government working in tandem to help city dwellers with investing in their future, many already believe that we've ushered in a new and unprecedented level of austerity. With the lowest property taxes found in the most expensive neighbourhoods across the GTA, the question of how to recalibrate the wealth of Torontonians becomes paramount - especially when deluged with visions of homeless folk being evicted from sanctuary parks adjacent to extremely wealthy neighborhoods, profit-mongering real estate developers buying up scores of sub-divisions and converting them into rental homes, and ideologically-bound politicians ignoring the growing plight of the poor and disenfranchised in all corners of social media.
Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) is a journalist who writes for the Toronto Star and has his own official newsletter on all things emanating from city hall(@CityHallWatcher). To call him an expert wouldn't even begin to do justice given the time he's spent writing about the cosmopolitan juggernaut that is Toronto. But in his calm and dispassionate manner of analyzing the recent trends across the municipalities of the fourth largest city in North America - one that's world renowned for its finance, business, technology, and entertainment sectors, and also praised for its supposedly dynamic multiculturalism - he's also unearthed profound reasons to be legitimately concerned about a post-pandemic future around these parts.
Music: "Standing Outside a Broken Phonebooth with Money In My Hand" by Primitive Radio Gods, performed by Pressing Strings
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XXII Jul 26, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for July 25th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:38-16:20: "No one loves Marineland"
It's very possible that at some point during the long history of a profoundly greedy private company whose sole purpose was to showcase extremely rare mammals to the masses for sheer profit, some Canadians actually thought fondly of Marineland. But when a deeper dive of modern technology mixed with whistleblowing tenacity reveals nothing more than an anachronistically ridiculous aquatic zoo that's shamefully taken advantage of every level of government to deflect the lingering array of cruelty, neglect and abuse taking place insider their hallowed halls- well, at someone you have to ask yourself: "How is Marineland still a thing?"
Phil Demers is a crusader for animal rights and a champion of Walruses. His tireless and indefatigable advocacy for all the suffering animals at Marineland who are nothing more than a means to a profiteering end, is a testament to a man who's fed up with the hypocrisy used to silence him in the media; primarily by a cabal of lawyers deployed to strategically minimize the public from knowing the truth. Between the presence of dirty, unsanitary water filtration and increasingly poor life support systems, all of Marineland's inhabitants - the beluga whales, the bottlenose dolphins, the sea lions and penguins, Kiska the last Orca and Smooshi the lovable Walrus; well, they simply won't stand a chance if something isn't done and soon.
Music: "Ocean" by John Butler
16:20-26:41: "Ignoring Gandalf is bad for The Shire"
As you probably know by now, Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci is an American physician and scientist who is also an immunologist that serves as the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and is also the chief medical advisor to the president. Why then is a man with over five decades of established and renowned medical experience in serving his country and fellow man so often vilified and pummelled in the mainstream American media? Why are there so many anti-vaxxers and anti-maskers and anti-science troglodytes strewn across social media all clamoring to remind us why their conspiratorial nonsense is badly damaging the collective efforts of an entire country to emerge from a crippling pandemic?
Aaron Parnas is lawyer, writer and social influencer based out of Florida. Although he identifies strongly with being a Miami-Dade Democrat in a country that's splintered ideologically, his understanding of the community forces at play when it comes to pursuing a progressive agenda based on empirical learning and historical facts is what bolsters his daily resolve. That, and mobilizing the public to be mindful of the frail and precious reality that is their quickly diminishing participatory democracy, and also to always herald science and logic to help better society one election at a time.
Music: "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles
26:41-42:11: "Engineering loyalty, dignity and gratitude"
It's hard enough to find gainful employment in a field that you may have spent decades trying to perfect. It's especially difficult when considering the obscene nature of the country's overpriced real estate market. For most people, the prospect of owning a home has become too daunting to even begin contemplating. It's hard enough to find security during dark times, now we're supposed to also find a way to handle a mortgage during a pandemic? What if a business existed that one day realized how genuine employee loyalty and endless gratitude could be leveraged by simply trying to help a family find real dignity in affording a home by helping them purchase it?
Nick Mocan is the President of Cozier: Consulting Engineers and is an unabashedly proud altruist. For him, the concept of rewarding employees by investing in their ability to purchase a home is a natural existential equation that is less about politics and more about humanism; more precisely, a desire to tap into the potential of what people are capable of when they know their employer has their backs.
Music: "Making Plans For Nigel" by XTC
42:12-53:57: "Release the Kraken and also Harry Hamlin"
The changing nature of the NHL was on fierce display last week as the Seattle Kraken entered the fray as the league's latest expansion team. By the time they were finished, recognizable names like Giordano, Larsson, and Eberle has all changed hands, indicating a significant paradigm shift in why certain franchises were willing to part with older, highly paid promising talent in a competitive crucible where one's salary cap is everything. As a result, local fan favourites like Zach Hyman and Jared McCann are no longer a thing - even if their contributions are seen as vital to the cause.
Luke Armstrong is a writer, podcaster and blogger whose work has been featured with The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. His recent article on the expansion draft presented a primer that was based on a new drafting philosophy that not only differed in the method to which the Vegas Golden Knights constructed themselves to be competitive so quickly, but also revealed a long-term play for an untraditional hockey market that's looking for success through players arriving with heart and soul that was previously on display elsewhere.
Music: "Do It Again" by Steely Dan
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XXI Jul 14, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for July 14th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:40-10:05: "We have to remember to stop because we have to stop to remember"
There was a time before the days of pandemic entropy and woe where the celebration of a traditional monotheistic reason to gather at the end of the week and drink wine while surrounded by loving friends and family was considered to be as symbolically celestial as it was psychologically necessary. The Sabbath has always stood the test of Judeo-Christian time in that its very existence is a testament to the need for human socialization and cathartic release. But in an increasingly volatile and beleaguered world where eight-second attention spans mixed with crushing rates of anxiety and despair tend to prioritize the work week, it has become more vital than ever for us to consider why the holy day of rest might be the last bastion in taking a precious moment and remembering why our history, values and identity deserve to be honored with a reason to gather and celebrate life - even when the candles have long dimmed and the future remains uncertain.
Judith Shulevitz is an American journalist, editor and culture critic who has written for The New Republic, New York Times Book Review and The New York Times. When she wrote "The Sabbath World: Glimpses of a Different Order of Time" over a decade ago and considered the question of what a holy day of rest represents to human culture and our sense of tradition, she unwittingly stumbled upon a powerful narrative that looks at the importance of gathering around the hearth and relishing in the flickering flames of family unity and interpersonal growth that allows us to find solace in a brutally unforgiving world filled with historical revisionism and lonely hearts.
Music: "Paranoid" performed by 4Tune Quarter
10:07-21:41: "Vulgo superiorum suffugit"
It's hard enough to chart a path towards a successful post-secondary educational journey that ends with the promise of a financially sustainable career let alone identifying which area of life one wishes to become a proverbial subject matter expert capable of garnering respect and self-worth. Gone are the halcyon days of considering a college or university that is as affordable as it is established in its tenured professors, course flexibility and prestigious value. Instead, the United States has led the western world in revealing an inherent crisis in the very nature of how we learn, what we're taught and where we use our acquired skills and tuition experiences to create a prosperous life amidst all this societal disarray. Until we start unpacking the twin beasts of insurmountably crushing debt caused by over-zealous for-profit public institutions and the increasingly diminished scholastic freedom of speech and critical-thinking on campus, the prospect of a bona fide higher learning education that's worth pursuing will continue to remain precisely what it's become: a mug's game in a fool's paradise.
Dr. Mike Nietzel is president emeritus at Missouri State University and holds a Ph.D. In clinical psychology. He's authored and published books on higher education and contributes regularly to Forbes magazine while remaining a champion against the perils of an academic system that's floundering mightily and absolutely trending in the wrong direction. For him, it's all about looking at the scales of systemic unfairness and balancing them against a generational reckoning that's changed the way students and parents look at how higher learning is considered from both a political and existential reality.
Music: "School's Out" performed by Alice Cooper
21:45-29:18: "A Russian, a Canadian, and an American walk into a hockey rink..."
True to form - and really, this is how it should have ended - the NHL's best team, The Tampa Bay Lightning, captured their second Stanley Cup in a row thus earning the title of being the best pandemic team in the sport of hockey. And although their victory was sublime and came with major accolades from their peers and fans alike, there's still the bigger issue of why players like Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy aren't given their due as not only the best in class, but also the finest talent that the league has to offer considering the decades-long anti-Russian sentiment which permeates to this very day. While fans in Toronto continue to lament a 54-year old tradition of losing and being known as losers, the rest of the league needs to make sure it takes the time, effort and investment of honoring international contributions from athletes whose penchant for winning is reflected in their multicultural roots.
Michael Mazzei is a graduate of the Ryerson journalism program and sportswriter whose work can be found on The Leafs Nation, Maple Leafs Hotstove, CBC and The Fan 590. His passion for the NHL and Canadian hockey has become both a blessing and a curse in a modern culture that rationalizes mediocrity in a manner that's left him coldly analytical when it comes to the future. Being a Maple Leafs fans for the better part of one's life will do that, as does accepting the fact that NHL is as flawed a business organization as one can find when it comes to understanding the strange manner in which it often treats their players who aren't born in North America.
Music: "The Sound of Silence" performed by Charlie Melodia
29:20-35:59: "There's no punishment for bad journalism in the world"
Before the Rachel Nichols controversy jumped the shark and revealed to everyone that high-octane gonzo journalism has become less about the story and more about who's framing the narratives, ESPN was already in a heap of serious trouble. The network has steadily destroyed whatever credibility was constructed over years of dominant sports media by wading into a litany of controversies encompassing racism, sexism and nepotism at breathtaking levels of banality; just ask Doug Adler or Bob Costas or Maria Taylor how they feel. And although ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro joined the organization to bring forth less politics and more sports into the equation, it's abundantly clear that they've got a long way to go in addressing a culture where substance is devalued in the face of click-bait shenanigans.
Marshall Auerback is a fellow of Economists on Peace and Security who writes for international publications ranging from Muck Rack to American Compass to Forbes magazine. As a seasoned and literary critic of sports teams and narratives, it should come as no surprise that the contempt he holds for a time-honored leader in sports journalism is born elegantly out of the fact that there's no accountability for bad writing, horrible stories and incorrect takes in a world where polarized views of so-called industry propriety and morality dominate the underlying need for cold, hard transparency.
Music: "Pigeon Lake" performed by Daniel Steidtmann
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XX Jun 20, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for June 19th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:38-8:15: ""Canada and Islamophobia: Hypocrisy lives here"
How quickly so many have forgotten that a deranged, hate-filled gunman stormed a Quebec City mosque back in January 2017 and brutally murdered six men while injuring 19 others, splintering a close-knit Muslim-Canadian community already grappling with xenophobic prejudice in their neighbourhoods. By March of that year, a Liberal MP (Iqra Khalid) tabled a crucial parliamentary motion following the attack that directly condemned the "fear of Islam" as a form of religious discrimination and source of racism across Canada. Although Motion 103 was subsequently adopted and heralded as a progressive triumph of social and cultural solidarity over political grandstanding, it also resulted in 91 Conservative and Bloc Quebecois members voting against it, including the current leader of the opposition Erin O'Toole.
Karim Kanji is a celebrated political and cultural podcaster whose "Welcome To The Music" show has earned him legions of fans who appreciate his disarming candor and real honesty with guests. For him, the London, Ontario attack on a Muslim family that left a nine-year old boy orphaned remains a powerfully tragic reminder that Islamophobia is alive and well in a country that's always been high on good intentions and low on political results - especially when it comes to growing communities and embracing the multicultural nature of this country.
8:21-15:45: "A disease does not fully exist in America until it has a business model"
Biogen's Aduhelm has arrived like a bolt out of the blue and changed the way the world is looking at Alzheimer's disease. Suddenly, a horrific condition which has had little or no medical progress in treatment for decades and is the sixth leading killer in the United States has met its match and been challenged by the marvels of a pandemic world where science lifts us away from sheer futility and into the realm of endless possibility. However, three members of the FDA's advisory board resigned in protest when it was discovered that the drug had been approved for far broader use and without any substantial consultation. In fact, 10 out of their 11 members voted to reject the application and yet here we are. At $56,000 a year for treatment that doesn't even begin to address how badly a burden it will place on medicare or socialized medicine if you factor in physician, imaging and infusion center expenses that will more than double the overall cost. Many industry experts believe it's only worth around $8,000 in raw manufactured costs, leading many to seriously wonder: is this the latest snake oil from big pharma?
Dr. Jason Karlawish is an American physician and researcher in the field of bioethics, aging and the neurosciences. He's also written a series of critically-acclaimed books on the subject, including: Open Wound, Treating Dementia, and The Problem With Alzheimer's - How Science, Culture and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis and What We Can Do About It. For him, it all comes down to trusting and believing in medical regulatory agencies that have traditionally held the best interests of their patients in mind well before aggrandizing their voracious need for profits, and to have government protect their citizens from the exploitation of big pharma and the scourge of false hope.
15:23-21:02: "Say it ain't so, Robby: the gradual extinction of the modern day baseball hero"
To be banned from Major League Baseball is a terrible thing - especially considering how morally, ethically and existentially the game has gone to rot. Fairly or not, the list of "undesirables" includes Shoeless Joe Jackson for dubiously cheating, Pete Rose for unrepentant gambling, Marge Schott for virulent racism, and Brandon Taubman for being a lying, cheating misanthrope whose conduct shamed the entire sport and a whole generation of disbelieving fans. And now we can add Roberto Alomar's name to the list as a reminder that fame, fortune and influence is fleeting when humility and decency are lacking, leading us all to a place where the emperor has no clothes.
Shi Davidi is an MLB columnist and insider with Rogers Sportsnet. As someone who's covered the Blue Jays legend for years, it comes as no surprise to him that fan nostalgia would cloud the reality of what unfolded to a man who's become synonymous with those glorious World Series championship years. Alomar's troubles are less about the "woke" culture we live in and more about a rapid disintegration of respect for the national pastime and their fans. For him, the struggle to reconcile a hero's fall from grace is never easy when the game is running out of role models for the next generation.
21:11-28:30: "An inspirational league for inspired players"
Basketball in Canada might single-handedly solve our collective problems with bigotry and prejudice. That might sound like hyperbole, but when measured up against other professional sports leagues (and most contemporary western governments for that matter), there's a community-first reality to the NBA that you don't find with football, baseball or even hockey. It's a business mentality that started with the belief that their players remain the most important facet of their success and that everything else is secondary when it comes to the welfare and integrity of the sport.
Dashawn Stephens is a Canadian journalist and social media influencer. In 2019, he founded PRSVRE, an athlete-empowered brand and sports-media platform based in Toronto that sheds light on the inspiration derived from collegiate sports and grass roots storytelling. In doing so, it's shaped an appreciation for the trials and tribulations that underprivileged youth and marginalized athletes face in their quest for excellence and made him into a true crusader for the importance of community-oriented and culturally vibrant philosophies in life.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XIX May 01, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for April 30th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:38-27:49: "Dignity with pride divided by equity"
Imagine having all the talent, vision and ambition in the world - only to have it scuttled by forces you have no control over. In some respects, I've just described a typical employee working for a digital media company today. You know, that realm which has been pillaged and exploited by a sad cocktail of corporate ownership, streamlined departments, and profit-oriented motivations. At a time when aspiring wordsmiths and creative minds are trying to find narratives worth writing home about, it seems that the industry has turned almost completely against them when it comes to finding a place where originality and passion are rewarded, rather than marginalized and bought out.
David J. Roth (@david_j_roth) is the co-owner of Defector Media and the co-founder of The Classical. Together with other writers who left Deadspin in 2019, he's created a media company that's less about sensationalistic fanfare and more about the search for cold, hard truths, offering him some measure of control in the spiraling wild west that's full of woke culture, virtue-signalling, moral relativism and historical revisionism. It makes me truly wonder - what keeps him moving in this world today with his dignity and professionalism intact?
27:50-38:15: "It all begins and ends with goaltending"
Let's not mince words. The New York Rangers went 54 years between winning Stanley Cups that spanned a period of time which began with World War Two and ended with the rise of Nirvana. For a fan of the team, waiting from 1940 to 1994 in order to taste a championship must have seemed purely inconceivable. Which brings us to the city of Toronto, where bleeding blue and white means entering the post-season with visions of grandeur and also a sick sense of deja vu. What was supposed to be a season for Frederik Andersen to redeem himself has become a voyage of reclamation for Jack Campbell. Either way, the fate of the team will depend on if their netminder ends up resembling Ken Dryden instead of Andrew Raycroft. Patrick Roy instead of Vesa Toskala. Dominik Hasek instead of Jonas Gustavsson. I literally could go on forever.
Allan Bester is a former goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Although his time in hockey was short and sweet, he remains a true supporter for the integrity and impact of knowing the game between the pipes. For him, if a half-century drought is to end in the midst of a terrible pandemic, it'll mean having a player between the pipes that's prepared to put an entire hockey club on his shoulders and never look back.
38:16-54:33: "Secretariat would be proud"
Horse racing and gambling is synonymous for a reason; from the era of classical antiquity to our modernized pandemic reality, the sport has endured through the ages while generating considerable tax revenue - over $100 billion dollars is wagered annually in 53 countries. However, like baseball, it suffers enormously from a having a stewardship that's less concerned about the state and health of the industry, and more interested in profit-mongering shenanigans. As a result, what was once a spectacle for royalty has been commodified and dismissed by many as being simply backwards or out-of-touch with itself.
Robin Dawson (@RobinOnRacing) started his racing career in 1971 in France and is the author of Last Hurrah: A compelling tale of greed, control, self-preservation...and vindication. For him, a lifetime spent around majestic horses and understanding the kinship between man and beast ultimately inspired him to write his first piece of literary fiction. Although the perception of his industry may have changed over the years, his nostalgia remains a potent force in driving his craft and educating others with his love and affection for a fading equestrian legacy.
54:34-1:03:25: "Two for slashing, Five for dreaming"
How can you not admire what the National Hockey League has done when it comes to handling their second season during this pandemic? What should have been calamitous barriers to travel, gameplay and personnel has resulted in an astonishingly successful season that's proving to be a huge respite for fans. Seriously, this is front-line escapism when Toronto, Boston, Tampa Bay and other juggernauts of major cosmopolitan cities manage to show the faithful that there's a reason to believe in more than simply misery and woe. And that's not just a credit to the leadership of the league, but to every person that's made this season a success given the adversity which existed before them.
Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) is a digital hockey content writer for the Vancouver Canucks, Daily Faceoff and SportsBettingDime. As a social influencer, he loves finding videos and images that make fans forget the raging dystopia outside their windows and instead focus more on the glorious game before them. That's why he's committed to using his extensive platform and admiration of the game to make sure that others can revel in a league that clearly stands alone and ready for the playoffs.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XVIII Apr 19, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for April 19th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:34-24:53: "Pragmatic Truths over Ideological Lies"
There are 124 seats in the Ontario legislature comprised of an incredibly unpopular and short-sighted Conservative majority government and a smattering of largely ineffective opposition. This, of course, is left over from the remnants of a slightly less unpopular Liberal regime that led to this tidal wave of populism we're experiencing today. The Green Party has one of those seats. That's right, in a province comprised of left-to-right forces scattered around moving, ideologically-wired fenceposts, the one party which is all about saving our children's future and defending our planet from human exploitation is only just getting started, and it knows it has a long way to go
Mike Schreiner (@MikeSchreiner) is the leader of the Ontario Green Party and the MPP for Guelph. In a province overwhelmed with unscrupulous politicians bent on flexing their dogma in the face of science and nature, he's a rare breed of leader - one that's willing to negotiate and compromise at all costs if it means preserving the future of the next generation. Because for him, it's always and only been about the air we breath, the land we inhabit, and the water we use to cleanse ourselves.
25:01-43:51: "Wake up and smell the Pravda"
The hypocrisy inherent to living in a dreadful era where we use social media to validate ourselves, our ambitions and our dogs and cats is quickly revealing why living in a technocratic age is killing us slowly and not so softly. With every turn in cyberspace, it seems as though the Facebooks and the Twitters and the Instagrams and the TikToks have aligned themselves to bring out the very worst in people by preying on their growing insecurities and lingering fears. In doing so, it's given birth to a degree of self-determination that's matched only by the level of self-immolation caused by horribly impressionable human beings who stopped being critical-minded a long time ago and take everything at face value.
Zeynep Yenisey (@zeynepmyenisey) is a luxury travel and lifestyle writer whose work has been featured in Maxim and countless other international publications. Her anti-woke nature reveals a fiery character that's fed up with all the pandering and posturing caused by social media overreactions. When she was recently banned from Twitter for impersonating herself, it opened the door to understand just how profoundly unfair and all-encompassing big tech had become and represented a stunning rebuke of supposed free speech guarantees that simply no longer exist or maybe never even existed in the first place.
44:02-1:04:21: "It's the best game you can name"
Hockey continues to rumble forward like a pre-ordained cultural fact of life that refuses to give in to the reality of the pandemic, and it's a marvel to watch. As the celebrated trade deadline passed and the fallout from the variant-riddled Vancouver Canucks remains fresh on the minds of NHL fans, players and executives alike, there can be no doubting that pure, wondrous escapism continues to be in great supply for a league that's weathered the storm of rule revisionism and syntax upgrades in an effort keep the faithful satisfied in their need for genuine competition and personal excitement.
Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) is a hockey author, blogger and podcaster who writes for the Montreal Gazette and Sportsnet. Becoming a father made him appreciate not only what the sport continues to mean in his own personal life, but in why he remains committed to his craft as a way of providing a true distraction for his readers and followers who value direct and no-nonsense expertise. For him, the prospect of witnessing his beloved Montreal Canadiens taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs might just be the glorious tonic needed to get all fans of the sport rallying together through the difficult dog days of a ruthless pandemic summer to come.
1:04:33-1:17:09: "Stormin' Norm versus the volcano"
For an audiophile enjoying the glory years of Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark and Felix Potvin, there was nothing quite like tuning in to the post-game talk radio experience around these parts featuring hosts who left an indelible impression with their mighty, unfiltered passion for telling it like it is and not pulling any punches. Sadly, as our broadcast journalism landscape gradually devolved into a virtue-signaling battlefield controlled by penny-pinching corporate executives concerned more with the bottom line rather than industry integrity, a terrible thing happened that left many feeling to marginalized after having devoted most of their lifetime in the field.
Norm Rumack (@NormanRumack) is a professional sports journalist known better by Toronto sports enthusiasts of my era as "Stormin Norman Rumack" and is part of the old guard of golden-era radio and television hosts who've been rendered largely extinct thanks to big media buying up and owning big sports franchises and treating their employees as nothing more than a content-filling means to a financial corporate end. If you grew up around these parts, you probably know him by the sound of his unique and distinguished voice - one that still resonates and evokes imagery of epic on-ice calls and Saturday night conversations that, for many of us on this side of the pond, will never be forgotten or replaced.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XVII Apr 11, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for April 11th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:34-32:35: "When we don't heed the distant early warnings"
It's a terrible thing to be confronted with a reality where your freedoms are restricted, your children are at home and growing up without a proper education, and your small business and general livelihood is going down the tubes. But what's especially unnerving for so many of us is the stunning realization of just how divided this world is when it comes to tackling an existential problem that requires a sensible and disciplined solution. That's where Canada, the United States and most of Europe discovered the hard way that even with all the financial resources and human capital at their disposal, our inability to set aside political and social grievances has ended up conspiring against us in more than ways than one.
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) is North America's leading epidemiologist and health economist who is also a Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists and was a researcher at Harvard Medical School and John Hopkins University. His now infamous tweet which signaled the virulent and infectious nature of the virus went largely ignored at first, which is why he remains vigilant and committed to educating the world about the true nature of the virus while debunking some of the propaganda and toxic myths associated with the pandemic.
32:36-45:15: "A world without Bubbe and Zayde"
Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time for soulful commemoration and personal reflection on an event in history that is quickly slipping away like kernels of sand in a celestial hourglass. In their battle against the pandemic, Israel has emerged as leader in their vaccination efforts amidst a brutal paradigm of divided political forces in their society - and it's come at a terrible price. After spending an entire lifetime rising from the ashes of genocide, it seems so profoundly unfair to know that over 900 survivors met their end; alone and abandoned in a hospital bed and apart from their loving families.
Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) is a correspondent at the Israeli public broadcasting corporation. For him, the pandemic has brought out the worst in his nation's ideological divisions, especially when it comes to confronting the sad and gruesome reality that over the next 10-20 years, most accounts of the Holocaust will not come from the survivors themselves, but from those left to grapple with a growing wave of revisionist history and dubious authenticity thrown at them by the enemies of the state and Judaism.
45:16-52:50: "Lifestyles of the rich and famous and infected"
When it gets to the point that you're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a golf membership during a pandemic, you're probably one of the exclusive and select few who are looking to migrate your wealth to the best possible spots on the planet. And considering that the coronavirus has infiltrated different regions of the world differently, it's fascinating to see where the wealthy are preoccupying themselves amidst a world that's buckling under the strain of endless financial stress.
David Scanlan (@ScanlanDavid) is the senior finance editor for Bloomberg news in Singapore. As someone who has covered the financial health of dozens of countries for many years, there's very little left that surprises him. In fact, his recent work has focused on highlighting the success of new gig economy industries - from Zoom to online retailers to Malaysian glove makers, everything it seems is being driven by high demand based on geographic and socio-economic incentives which are quick to reveal a fundamental division between rich and poor never experienced in the history of mankind.
45:16-102:15: "Cut from an entirely different pandemic cloth"
Adversity comes in all forms during these times of trouble, especially with certain industries that no longer value the human element in their business equations. If the pandemic has shown as anything, it's that modern sports journalism will never be the same once this is all said and done. With corrosive a trickle down effect from big, duopolistic media companies cutting their losses and streamlining their profits, to the surreptitious exploitation of genuinely talented men and women who were household names for decades; the media is definitely the message..and the message is closed for business.
Ashley Docking (@SmrAsh) is an award-winning, multi-sport athlete and collegiate basketball coach turned national broadcaster and social influencer. For awhile there, it seemed like her natural resiliency would bring her success in the monolith's media realm where creativity is almost always dictated and the fallout is easily cleaned up with a quick termination. But unlike others who disappeared without a whimper, she's going all-out to make her voice heard loud and clear when it matters most.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XVI Apr 08, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for April 7th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:34-11:21: "Peanuts, crackerjacks and COVID-19"
Major League Baseball has returned...and with a mighty vengeance. First, it was all about bringing back a 162-game extravaganza season in the midst of the worst that a pandemic has to offer. Then, it involved confronting the state of Georgia and rescinding an All-Star game promise that's drawn the ire of Trump loyalists everywhere. And finally, they went along with having the Texas Rangers host their home opener in a brand new billion dollar facility with over 40,000 humans all eating, drinking, and potentially superspreading themselves into baseball oblivion.
Laura Armstrong (@lauraarmy) is a beat writer with the Toronto Star covering the Blue Jays and their seasonal travails. In her eyes, the city of Toronto has much to look forward to when it comes to competitive and worthwhile baseball around these parts. But in welcoming the return of peanuts, crackerjacks and the chance to one day root for the home team in person, she's also willing to confront certain gruesome realities that simply can't be ignored - including the profound risks taken by big business in pursuit of pandemic profits.
12:48-17:45: "On fire and passing the generational torch"
Here's the thing about the subject of voter suppression that seems be getting lost between the battle lines of left versus right: at the end of the day, it's all about democracy. It's really as simple and elegant as that. Now, you can go ahead and choose to debate the merits of how and why the United States chooses to tackle the grim reality of gerrymandering and the brutally unfair district demarcation that's transpired across the union for decades, but in the final analysis it really comes down to empowering people and having them succeed through elected officials who care more about their actual dignity than the almighty dollar.
Aaron Parnas (@AaronParnas) is lawyer, writer, podcaster and social influencer based out of Florida. His work with the MeidasTouch political action committee has galvanized his passion for reaching the largest possible audience when it comes to pursuing his agenda for fairness and justice in modern day America. Stuck between the conservative nature of the Gen-Y demographic and the predisposed liberal tendencies of the average Millennial, his thoughts on the passing of the proverbial torch from one besieged generation to another are as frank as they are indelible.
19:23-25:43: "One shift, one period, one breath at a time"
The NHL is doing many things right in the quest to keep their audiences happy during times of trouble. But a deeper look reveals that all that glitters isn't necessary gold. Minor league hockey franchises all over North America are folding left, right (and pardon the pun), centre, while recent virus outbreaks like the one that subdued the entire Vancouver Canucks team is a stark reminder that, in some ways, the worst is yet to come. And that means hockey will need to demonstrate the kind of leadership and resolve that's kept it ahead literally ahead of the game when it comes to running a business for themselves, their players, and most of all: their fans.
Eric Engels (@EricEngels) is a writer, radio host and senior hockey columnist with Rogers Sportsnet. As someone who professionally and personally covers the Montreal Canadiens and has dedicated most of his adult life as an authority on the sport of hockey, his opinion on the manner and method to which Gary Bettman and the league have battled the coronavirus is one balanced equally between a healthy sense of optimism and an idealistic desire to see things improve without sacrificing the integrity of the game he so dearly admires.
26:05-39:28: "And now for something completely different..."
Between Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford, it's become almost a picture of banality to hear the average Canadian sounding off on the nature of the job that our elected leaders are doing as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. The predictable criticism and fatalistic scorn of traditional red and blue pylons debating their ideological views at a time when some human beings are sleeping in makeshift tent in downtown Vancouver and Toronto is beyond surrealistic; as is the simultaneous realization of having to reconcile a mind-boggling reliance on outsourced and incompetent vaccine rollouts along with dubious lockdown strategies in the struggle to keep our fragile population healthy and safe.
Abhijeet Manay (@AbhijeetMonet) is the deputy leader of the Green Party of Ontario. For him, the battle of moving forward from dystopian times has little to do with human ideology and everything to do with our connection to nature. Slowly but surely, the growing trend of citizens more concerned with their children's future rather than the need for instant gratification is essentially the reason why his party is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds thus begging the question: can the Greens find a way to cut through the hot air of political hypocrisy and evolve into a mobilizing force that can one day offer the country something more than the usual string of false promises and smug excuses?
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XV Apr 02, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for April 2nd, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:35-12:21: "Raconteur Troubadour"
It never fails that during times of real trouble, we tend to lose perspective about a great many things that are important to us in life. But what always seems to remain is that aching need to feel inspired that, deep down inside, the human condition comes with a seemingly indomitable spirit and a will to survive, especially when we least expect it. The Paralympian athlete remains one of the better examples what happens when empathy and opportunity mixed with courage and dignity produces just the right kind of story that makes us all proud to be in this together.
Teddy Katz (@ktazt) is a journalist who worked at the CBC for over 20 years and is the owner of Think, Redefined. Crafting inspirational narratives has always been second nature to him, but with the arrival of the pandemic, it has become paramount in his quest to find a balance between right and wrong and good versus evil. His eternal love of storytelling has elevated his consciousness in ways that makes him a truly respected and admired raconteur during the darkest of hours.
12:22-24:19: "In basketball we trust"
Norman Powell of the Toronto Raptors was pretty much everything you could ever ask for in a beloved fan favourite. An anchoring force years in the making, his growth in the spotlight produced a player with the pedigree of a champion, the developed skills of an elite shooting guard, and the demeanor of a pure and absolute winner. So, you can imagine why the decision to trade him to the Portland Trailblazers resulted in an unprecedented outpouring of grief from the faithful. After all, trading an in-his-prime coalescing force that existed in a young nucleus featuring Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet was the kind of decision that left many scratching their heads in anguish and wondering what's next on the horizon.
Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) is a multi-sports, multi-platform author and basketball insider with Sportsnet for over a decade. Although the Toronto Raptors chose to part ways with such an entrenched fan favourite during the prime of his career, he remains convinced that the cultural reality of the sport in the hands of authentic, brave leaders will be the lasting legacy of an organization that an entire city has come to admire and cherish.
24:20-35:59: "Passing the literary torch"
Modern journalism has been under siege long before the pandemic, and it's only gotten worse. As profit-oriented, duopolistic media companies circle the wagons of discontent by downsizing talented employees and removing iconic outlets for sports with an almost slavishly nihilistic attitude, it makes one pine for the days when old-school writers stoked the collective imagination of a city through typed words, memorable interviews, and honest narratives that invited a critical and unbiased look at the remains of the day. But with the relentless rise of digital monetization inside heavily polarized camps of ideologically-bound content publishers, the freedom to enjoy the press has become a struggle for anyone who values critical-thinking and empirical conclusions.
Sean Fitz-Gerald (@SeanFitz_Gerald) is the senior national writer for The Athletic, has appeared in the National Post and the Toronto Star, and was named Canadian sports writer of the year in 2015. Sports journalism has always been embedded in his DNA; his entire family and ancestors resonate with creative and literary ambition that's fuelled his resolve for the longest time. But on the eve of yet another lockdown in one of the world's most populated and cosmopolitan cities, he's convinced that a love of the written word might also be the cure to what ails us most.
36:00-48:41: "King Clancy. Art Ross, and Franke Selke walked into a bar..."
In the struggle to remain relevant and pure during difficult times, the National Hockey League has quietly and surreptitiously achieved a balance where rival leagues have failed. Unlike football and baseball, notorious for their aggressively profit-oriented schemes to keep fans interested and involved at all costs, hockey has endeared itself enormously to those of us who value parity, possibility and potential in a sport. And as the playoffs loom on the horizon, it's no surprise that between a rising (and powerful) memorabilia market and the arrival of the most talented generation of players ever witnessed - now is the time for every generation to embrace the good ole' hockey game.
Dr. Mike Commito (@mikecommito) is an author, blogger, and a teacher of Canadian history and all things hockey. The spirit of the game was infused in his soul at a young age, which explains not only his lingering desire to chronicle its history, but also to identify the elements that sets the NHL apart from not only their competitors, but in the hearts and minds of their ravenously loyal fans.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XIV Mar 28, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for March 27th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:39-9:35: "When a strong minority silences a weak majority"
Oh, the glorious absurdity that remains Israeli politics. And now with their fourth election in two years, the world's most genuine version of participatory democracy once again finds itself rudderless and at cross purposes. Benjamin Netanyahu remains the quintessential "Teflon" braggadocio incumbent who's cobbled together a vast network of unholy alliances that not only betray his ideological views, but cements his place as an irredeemable opportunistic force during vulnerable and perilous times.
Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) is a Middle East correspondent with The Economist and the author of How Long Will Israel Survive? The Threat From Within. For him, Israel remains a fascinating study into how the more things change, the more they stay the same. In his recent book, he postulates and laments on the very historical and spiritually existential reality that's gripped the nation for the better part of multiple generations.
9:35-18:54: "Synonymous with baseball, he reveals only truths"
True admirers of the Toronto Blue Jays have long coveted the history and lore associated with the only baseball franchise in Canada. So when a local favourite sportscaster whose voice had become a staple with the radio broadcast and whose literary prowess established him as a trusted authority was unceremoniously let go by the media company that owns the team..the outrage was palpable and fierce.
Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) is a baseball columnist and podcaster who writes for the Toronto Star. His passion and love for the game is not only entrenched in the hearts and minds of countless fans who have come to appreciate his talents, but is also on display with a measure of humility when he's recognized as the voice that was synonymous with the team for the better part of two decades.
18:55-27:34: "An explosion of false and misleading narratives"
North Americans recoiled with horror at the site of yet another mass shooting in the United States. This time, it was the turn of Boulder, Colorado - and once again, the familiar narrative of racially motivated violence permeated the media cyber-waves as we steel ourselves to the white noise of conspiratorial conjecture and the relentless spread of social media disinformation.
Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) is a European journalist investigating online disinformation, conspiracy theories, and extremism for the BBC. He's mortified that not only does social media allow others to chronicle and display chillingly brutal acts of criminality, but that it sets yet another standard of exhibitionist viewing that does nothing more than sensationalize our appetite for violence rather than provide ointment for our grief.
27:35-33:15: "I haven't seen a winning baseball or hockey team in my lifetime"
It took a mid-season pandemic swoon for the Toronto Maple Leafs to realize their own limitations; that they remain an offensive juggernaut constrained only by the limitations of their goaltending. While Frederik Andersen has yet to win a single playoff round and the feel-good story of Jack Campbell refuses to go away, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where the team rides the hottest hand available - especially if that hand has a catchy nickname and is beloved by teammates.
Braydon Holmyard (@BraydonHolmyard) is a sports writer and editor for The Toronto Star. For him, the triumvirate of pro sports teams in the city has opened up endless possibilities for glory and escapism; that's why he remains vigilant that the local Original Six franchise in particular might make him forget this pandemic altogether.
33:15-40:52: "It's about unspoken hockey integrity"
When veteran NHL referee Tim Peel was caught articulating his thoughts on camera recently, the mountain of outrage that was generated by the subsequent viral video was as predictable as it was disturbing. Sure, he was scheduled to retire by season's end and was perfectly positioned to be the sacrificial lamb in this particular controversy, but the heavy-handed, sanctimonious manner in which disciplinarian Colin Campbell and the rest of the league responded to the issue at hand seems to mirror the level of self-righteous overreaction that's become magnified in our modern social media culture.
Matt Best (@bestofmatt) is a video producer and podcaster who does work with the Mayo Media Network, Penalty Box Radio and Locked on Predators. His decision to expose evidence over YouTube of a professional league's unwritten rule that's frequently manipulated and generally accepted by fans as "a part of the game" ended up creating precisely the kind of quagmire that the NHL was looking to avoid.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XIII Mar 20, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for March 20th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:45-16:12: "Lincoln would be proud"
By now you've probably heard about that scrappily intrepid American political action committee known as The Lincoln Project. Formed in late 2019 as a bulwark against Trumpism while ultimately endorsing future President Joe Biden, this band of political brothers named after the illustrious Abraham Lincoln is essentially bent on preserving democracy by respecting the country's constitution during a post-modern authoritarian wave that's swept across the globe much like the virulent nature of the pandemic.
Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) is the executive director and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. As a veteran of both conventional and political warfare, he remains a crusader of free and truthful speech - something that's in short supply across his country and over social media. That's why his heart and soul is about being more than just an anti-Trump Republican but in representing a strong and heavily patriotic number of traditional economic conservatives who deserve a party that's less about demagoguery and racism, and more about progressive agenda-building and the pursuit of real social justice.
16:13-23:51: "A species bent on psychological annihilation"
On some micro-level, it pays to be a human being. Our individualized, self-actualized thoughts offer a myriad of mental and physical realities that rely us to endorse a balanced measure of rational thought and primal instinct when it comes to dealing with everything from the coronavirus to which breakfast sandwich is worth your attention in the morning. But in the final analysis, an abdication of this characteristic of free will can also lead to a herd mentality resembling scared and desperate lemmings going over a cliff. And when the priority of the day is about educating yourself about health dangers and mitigating poor decisions with wise practices, you can imagine how frustrating it can be for the men and women of science.
Dr. Allen Frances (@AllenFrancesMD) is a writer, professor and America's most prominent psychiatrist. Aside from writing a number of books and medical journals on the importance of how mental health and wellness is diagnosed and treated, he's also become politically active in the fight against voter suppression and gerrymandering across the United States. In his view, our species doesn't stand a chance for survival if we keep ignoring the most basic and elementary ways of treating everything from pandemics to climate change to the rise of stone cold authoritarianism.
23:51-39:45: "A basketball culture second to none"
It may seem like the Toronto Raptors won the NBA championship eons ago even if it's been only a year and a half. I suppose throwing in the arrival of a dystopian plague mixed with revealing traces of institutionalized racism will do that to even the most hardy of basketball crusaders, and this team is no exception. Even as they continue their 2021 campaign in Tampa during these unusual times, it's refreshing to know that the character and class of an organization that was built by Masai Ujiri and driven by Nick Nurse has continued to shine as a true example of human dignity during largely indignant times.
Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) is the voice and host of the Toronto Raptors basketball team on Fan 590 and Sportsnet TV. In covering the team for over 20 years, he's not only perfectly positioned to offer his perspective on the leadership and personnel nuances of the 2019 NBA champs, but to further elaborate on what's been a positive cultural impact across an entire country that's not only stood up to the pandemic but also challenged the conventional ways in which we look at athletes and their intangible contributions to society.
39:45-48:49: "Cosmic storms and our global reckoning"
There's an electricity in the Ontario air that I haven't felt since I was a very young boy. After years of assigning myself to an urbanized existence based around the notion that the city can protect us from the weather, I've come to appreciate why living in the country opens a small portal to the mind when it comes to understanding nature and why the symptoms of our organic existence are always on display around us - if we take the time to notice and analyze the sad and grim reality that is climate change.
Tom Eves (@EvesTom) lives in Barrie and is Canada's Storm Chaser. His penchant for investigating volatile weather patterns and earth-shattering climate events has made him a popular authority over social medias and on this side of the pond. In devoting a life to understanding the elements, he's endeared himself to tends of thousands over Facebook and beyond who seek a better awareness of the unpredictable reality that constitutes our cosmic storms and their global reckoning.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XII Mar 15, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for March 15th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:44-9:01: "A different kind of Kryptonian"
Once upon a time there was a civil servant who lived in Canada who dared to question what his government stood for and believed in. An organic on-line crusader of the old school who took a half dozen followers and turned them into tens of thousands of admirers; he unexpectedly began to grow into a national social media celebrity of sorts when it became abundantly obvious that a love of thinly-veiled sarcasm and delicious irony would serve him well in skewering a country's elites who insisted on manipulating the masses during a pandemic with their corporate doubletalk and penchant for dark and dirty lies.
Neil Waytowich (@WaytowichNeil) is better known as Neil before Zod, a powerful social influencer in Canada on all things related to ideological politics and humanistic philosophy. When it comes to dissecting the truth and exposing hypocrisy in all forms, Neil is a throwback to an era where you were called out for bullshit and forced to pay the piper. He's a true empiricist living in an era where superstition and conspiracies may run amok like galactic villains, but if they happen to cross the path of this pseudo-Kryptonian while he's delivering his gospel of truth and fairness, they simply won't stand a chance.
9:02-19:31: "Introducing the 3HL Tour"
Imagine going to an arena and watching a 3-on-3 hockey tournament. Think about that that for a moment as I'll let it ferment in hockey-crazed minds across North America and allow you to savour what has been arguably the most important advancement in hockey since Jacques Plante and his revolutionary idea of wearing a protective hockey mask. The NHL turned a page in their history by endorsing a newly proposed format in June of 2015 that heralded a paradigmatic shift in the way the game is enjoyed. It instantly created more space on the ice, more goals scored during overtime, and more thrills and chills in way that's brought the faithful out of their seats and often to their knees.
Justin Fox (@itsJustinFox) is the CEO and Founder of the 3HL Tour - Ontario's first ever professional three-on-three hockey league that exists to bring small-town Ontarian communities together through their shard love of Canada's national sport. Be it in Collingwood or Sarnia, Orangeville or Georgina, Wasaga or Grimsby; this is a form of escapism not seen in many years and one that's meant to inspire young and old alike in their love of grass roots hockey.
19:32-28:29: "The guardians and destroyers of Dr. Seuss'
As the toxic winds of our cancel culture and penchant for historical literary revisionism grows, who knew that it was time for Dr. Seuss to become the latest victim of our collective existential angst. Who knew that a writer and illustrator of children's books, someone who identified as a Democrat his entire political life and fought endlessly against the forces of fascism - could also be found guilty of imperfections in his work. And while Theodor Geisel was always heralded as a champion of our collective childhood sensibilities in his prodigious works of cartoon satire and fable story-telling, it's sad to see how easily his reputation is being politicized between the forces of the offended left and the righteous right.
Brian Bradley (@brianjbradley) is a digital content publisher and podcaster with the Toronto Star. He's a pleasure to interview; not just because of his intelligent perspectives on freedom of speech and the daunting reality that is modern day racism, but because he genuinely offers reverence where it's warranted and not because it's been superimposed by the digital forces of the day.
28:30-33:59: "Rolling with the punches, jabbing with your words"
The pandemic has devastated an industry that once gave hope to many young writers and ambitious university grads looking for a career in sports journalism. But in an era where resiliency and perseverance will become their hammer and sickle, it's nice to hear about success stories in the form of a former athlete who embraced sports journalism on all fronts; as an accomplished writer, an engaging host and a bona fide media personality.
Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) is the co-host of Hockey Central on the FAN 590 and writes hockey for Sportsnet. For him, the city of Toronto is essentially right on the cusp of a golden era with their hockey, baseball and basketball teams. Never has it become more important to believe in the spirit of their accomplishments, and that has him excited about what the post-pandemic future has in store.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream Round Table: Toronto Blue Jays Edition (03-05) Mar 05, 2021

Whiskey & Cream Round Table for March 5th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
Guests: Eric Rosenhek, Jesse Goldberg-Strassler & David Morassutti
Narratives: Toronto Blue Jays Baseball; the end of the radio experience courtesy of Rogers, why MLB continues to struggle through the pandemic when it comes to their publicity, and why a great reckoning is at hand if baseball doesn't get their priorities in order.
Duration: 34:48
WARNING: Listener discretion is advised. This podcast contains seriously blunt truths, excessively mature language, ruthlessly candid perspectives, and the kind of intellectual discourse that serves to enlighten, educate and punch through the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode XI Mar 03, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for March 2nd, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:44-17:21: "Extraordinary times require extraordinary leaders"
What does it take to be a trusted politician during the pandemic? I mean, seriously, do we even have any true leaders left once the dust from all the hypocrisy and lies settles like a lukewarm, mediocre blanket around our endlessly cold and cynical ankles? For some, the cosmic vital alignment between actions and values, principles and beliefs ends up forming what can best be described as a rare clarity of purpose or the sense of a higher calling armed with the incredulous notion that instead of playing petty politics, it might be better to trust leaders who who say as they do and do as they say.
Maurizio Bevilacqua (@mbmayor) is the Mayor of Vaughan, a bustling cosmopolitan force of a city in Ontario, Canada that will likely be in the news for decades to come. This mayor is both a realist and an idealist; someone who profoundly believes in sharing in the benefits and risks of what it means to be a law-abiding, tax-paying citizen. In doing so, he remains a champion of respecting and empowering people to make decisions for the greater good while knowing that the imperfection of the human condition is such that common sense and intelligence simply can't be taken for granted.
17:21-27:12: "There's always someone out there who thinks they can do what you do"
Podcasting has become a natural extension of social media in ways that simply couldn't be predicted. Powerhouses like Howard Stern are raking in $100 million dollars a year while Joe Rogan commands a half a billion empire from Spotify, and suddenly it's an audiophile entrepreneur's paradise - but it came at the cost of radio. With the passage of time, the permeating nature of the medium finds itself under siege and is gradually being rendered extinct. Whereas satellite was predicted as the AM/FM killer, it now seems that the desire to thrust one's voice into the public sphere has forever changed the way we look at a decaying industry while struggling through the best and the worst in ourselves.
John Derringer (@JohnDerringer) is a Canadian radio personality whose indelible voice is instantly recognizable for anyone from my generation that grew up in Toronto. Besides setting the standard for lovers of radio everywhere with his work at Q107, he's also a student of history, a motorcycle aficionado and a bloody good drummer. For him, the rise and monetization of podcasting should be seen as a form of evolution that heeds a cautionary tale in a world full of hot air supposition, cold-hard extremism and the rise of the gig economy.
27:12-36:01: "We get hired alone, we get fired alone"
Kicking and screaming, we've officially entered the era of mass layoffs punctuated by the deeply unsettling and traumatic reality of having modern technology showing us the door on the way out. Being told that you no longer have a job was difficult enough back when humans communicated and sympathized face-to-face; now it's something straight out of a bad science fiction film. When taxpayer-subsidized media companies decide to justify their austerity by parting ways with contractors and stalwarts alike, people are finding themselves robbed of the opportunity to communicate back - even if it's just to vent. With companies downsizing relentlessly and removing thousands of jobs while small businesses are going the way of the dodo, at some point it all begins to feel like a cruel joke.
Jacob Lorinc (@jacoblorinc) is an investigative journalist and reporter with The Toronto Star. He sprung to action in profiling the recent spate of news concerning mass layoffs conducted via Zoom and realized that something inherently dystopian was transpiring before his very own eyes. For him, a pandemic future where people have to struggle alone under the weight of heavy psychological trauma caused by unemployment is like harbouring a festering wound in society that's refused to heal even as we've become more aware of just how static and disconnected the western capitalist economic model has become.
36:02-45:11: "It's time to challenge the stigma of concussions"
Did you know that you brain has 100 billion neurons firing in all directions and that we're all wired differently when it comes to how we experience life? Even though many of us enjoy discussing this fact in the context of what's inside our heads and how our thoughts distinguish us from one another, there's still not enough being done to address a fundamental lack of concussion awareness. Not understanding the clarity behind the nature of injuries has created a level of personal suffering on an absolutely unprecedented scale that's being ignored. There's barely enough empathy and compassion left in this world as it is; many people simply don't get the help they need nor realize how badly hurt they really are.
Seth Mendelsohn (@headsupcan) is the co-founder and Creative Director of Headsupcan, a non-profit concussion advocacy network that looks to spread bona fide awareness and challenge the stigma of concussions through grass-roots community action and high school visitations. For him, knowing that 70% of concussions aren't sports-related affords him the chance to take on the misconceptions caused from a culture where hyper-masculinity and general ignorance has clouded our dwindling personal health priorities in this regard.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream Round Table: Toronto Raptors Edition (02-26) Feb 26, 2021

Whiskey & Cream Round Table for February 26th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
Guests: Stephen Burns and Marshall Auerback.
Narratives: Toronto Raptors basketball; Adam Silver's weaksauce apology to Masai Ujiri, Doug Smith and the tyranny of words when using social media, and why the sport itself is a blessing during dark times.
Duration: 31:47
WARNING: Listener discretion is advised. This podcast contains seriously blunt truths, excessively mature language, ruthlessly candid perspectives, and the kind of intellectual discourse that serves to enlighten, educate and punch through the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode X Feb 17, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for February 17th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:42-7:38: "When familiarity breeds contempt"
Once upon a time, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators had the kind of rivalry that transformed their respective cities in what was fondly referred to as The Battle of Ontario. And if you're old enough to remember what those halcyon days were like during the mid 2000's with names like Daniel Alfredsson and Darcy Tucker leading the charge, then you'll appreciate why the NHL's new divisional re-alignment can be seen as a throwback to the time-honored notion that familiarity breeds contempt. The excitement and animosity generated by provincial rivals is something that Gary Bettman and the NHL front office are hopingto help mitigate the fallout from a pandemic reality that's transformed the way one looks at professional hockey competition.
Steve Warne (@TSNSteve) is a broadcaster, writer and podcaster who spent over two decades hosting on TSN morning radio. His appreciation for the Ottawa Senators and the NHL's newfangled North division is clearly on display when he looks at the value of having geographic enemies face-off against each other on a regular basis. For him, the league is creating home-and-home series with potentially indelible confrontations that could serve to bolster fan interest in familiar and yet unprecedented ways.
7:39-15:21: "The forced quiet that saved her life"
Anxiety and despair seem to have become the pandemic's best friends, and thanks to the rampant nature of our increasingly volatile and uncontrollable world, most people are ignoring the steps necessary to avoid forming destructive habits and holding patterns that lead to the kinds of coping mechanisms which hold us back rather than freeing our minds. It's hard enough dealing with the financial devastation and emotional pain of displacement caused by our divided world, but soon the word "self-care" began to lose all meaning when treated like a romanticized stigma rather than an open concept to explore how to get at the root of mental health challenges. And although big corporations with their glitzy social marketing campaigns try to sell you the notion that everything is hunky-dory if you just send a text or make a donation, the truth is that without real grass-roots awareness it all becomes just a series of empty buzzwords and nonchalant lip service.
Sammy Nickalls (@Sammynickalls) is a freelance writer, editor and social influencer who believes that the world is filled with inordinate amounts of pain and grief that shouldn't simply be covered up and shelved away. She created the popularized hashtag #talkingaboutit which invites social media users to openly and seamlessly share their feelings about mental wellness in a manner that underscores the importance of honesty over stigma, openness over shame, and diligence over complacency.
15:22-21:34: "To have no master and become untouchable"
From the earliest days of Lenny Bruce through to Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Bill Hicks and Greg Giraldo, the history of comedy is paved with trailblazers who refused to accept the limitations of the business they were in and embraced free speech as a true mantra. In an era where social media and internet politics can make or break a career, more artists have taken to the internet to create exposure and weaponize it without the permission of Hollywood or big tech companies. As a result, there's a seismic shift in play where creative and financial success can be found through personal resiliency rather than public affirmation.
Josh Denny (@JoshDenny) is an actor, podcaster and a stand-up comedian who has done work with The Food Network. He's no stranger to controversy by virtue of his position on political incorrectness and the growing cancel culture in the United States, but it's his knowledge of the industry and love of comedy that's allowed him to empower himself and others in embracing technology to help overthrow the traditional gatekeepers who have exploited artists in the name of stone cold profit.
21:35-31:18: "A blockbuster trade that made sense"
The Winnipeg Jets have the unenviable task of trying to work with an established nucleus of players who may have missed the chance for ultimate glory. Although they remain laden with enormous amounts of overall talent - players such as Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Jacob Trouba and sensational netminder Connor Hellebuyck, something simply wasn't clicking. With the recent decision to trade their 2nd overall draft pick in the 2016 lottery, the team said farewell to the gloriously talented goal-scoring machine that was Patrik Laine and replaced him with Pierre-Luc Dubois; a centre whose rare mixture of size high-end skill represented a rare "win-win" scenario for both teams involved.
Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) is a multimedia journalist with the Winnipeg Sun and NHL.com. For him, the Jets remain a bona fide contender because of their ingrained leadership and key personnel that captivated an entire country's imagination several years ago. The decision to part ways with a cog in their wheel should be seen as a chance to format the right kind of chemistry for a ravenous fan base hoping for legitimate reasons to cheer in the spring.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode IX Feb 04, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for February 4th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:46-11:08: "Discovering the tools left by our fathers"
The journey we all tend to go on after suddenly losing a parent is not only unique to each and every human born on this planet, but it tends to codify and amplify our future outlook on life itself. It can in essence steer us down into an abyss of self-loathing and deep regret but it also offers us the chance to recalibrate our priorities on what really matters. Although death is often talked about as being a part of life, it also offers us the rarest of opportunities to find solace in the places that were constructed by those who loved us most. In doing so, we not only honor their memory but also restore our faith in the face of lingering despair and perpetual grief.
Dan Robson (@RobsonDan) is an author and sports writer who suffered the loss of a parent when he least expected it. As his childhood anxieties overwhelmed him in facing the reality that the person who fixed everything everyday was gone, he used any feelings of guilt or abandonment to learn how to use the very tools that his father left behind - literally. His upcoming book "Measuring Up: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons" is a powerful autobiography which chronicles the importance of learning to grow while keeping things together after the end of an era for a traditional, close-knit family.
11:08-19:40: "When things are getting objectively worse"
Remember when you were a kid and you held this utopian resolve that things would eventually get better because grownups had your best interests at heart? The truth is, it feels like we haven't made much progress in the past few decades. Almost every measure of momentum in modernized society has failed to live up to its billing. With a caretaker President taking over from a destructive administration built on the foundation of a colonial legacy that's produced a brand of crisis capitalism not seen before, the stakes are higher than ever. Over 400,000 Americans and 19,000 Canadians are dead alongside evidence of a disproportionate impact on racialized and indigenous communities, it seems that families across North America have been thrown into chaos under the weight of corrosive neoliberalist policies that never birthed the very ideals they claimed to represent.
Nora Loreto (@NoLore) is an author, podcaster and activist from Quebec City. She's been featured in The Washington Post and National Observer and writes passionately about feminism and labour unions in the post-modern world. For her, the last couple of years have shown us the full scope of the damage caused from political hypocrisy and the scourge of Trumpism. As such, this brand of capitalism built on the shoulders of disenfranchised and marginalized labour has revealed a disturbing trend that's leading North America on a downward spiral.
19:40-29:31: "Going to California with tear-stained eyes"
California has always caught the attention of anyone who subscribes to the belief that the American dream still exists. As a trailblazer for conversations about politics, art, and technology, it's very much the epicentre of modern progressive thought for an entire nation. With a population of over 40 million that's defined by urban and rural diversity in ways you couldn't possible imagine, it remains one of the most enigmatic states of the union and is considered both a progressive beacon and a stunning indictment of how the best laid plans have gone awry. Between struggling with a profound underinvestment in their public health system, overlapping government control with a tendency for passing the buck, and an existential struggle for truth on social media, California has never seen these kinds of problems all happening at the same time.
John Myers (@johnmyers) has spent more than two decades in radio and television news. He's an award-winning reporter who's cited by state and national organizations as one of the country's top political journalists. Although he remains optimistic about the lessons learned from the pandemic and our societal discord, his belief that we need to support the places which generate truth is also underscored by a fundamental desire to see a new paradigm in managing delicate democracies across the globe.
29:31-36:02: "In search of dinosaur bones and long-term fan equity"
The Toronto Raptors are a basketball team out of time and space; besieged by a virulent pandemic and dealing with the loss of fan favourite stalwarts as they transition their identity to a younger nucleus of developed talent. Between the logistics associated with playing in a US city during a pandemic and having to deal with an unprecedented level of family displacement, it's hard to tell what they've become or which direction they're heading. The team continues to struggle mightily with media exposure even though they've become the gold standard for NBA franchise success given what they've achieved on and off the basketball court.
Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Toronto Raptors and has worked for Vice, Dime Magazine and FanGraphs. Although he concedes that hockey and baseball will always dominate his city's sports culture, he remains intrinsically hopeful that the profound afterglow of a championship in 2019 coupled with the legacy of contending for eight straight post-seasons will be more than enough to compete for fan interest for years to come.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode VIII Jan 23, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for January 23rd, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:46-8:30: "There is increased fire here"
It's still very early in the abbreviated and pandemic-influenced NHL season, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are already feeling the weight of fickle fans who scrutinize their every win and loss in much the way you'd cheer for heavyweight fighters exchanging blows. But this year, there's a bona fide sense of urgency and a real commitment to team defense. Although the Northeast division will undoubtedly make it easier for them to avoid some of the juggernauts of the past such as Boston and Tampa Bay, the team is poised to succeed if goaltender Frederik Andersen can do his best to resemble Grant Fuhr rather than Andrew Raycroft. But with all their young and highly coveted talented players, this would seem to be the year that they could find a way to win a single playoff round.
Luke Fox (@lukefoxjukebox) is an NHL writer with Sportsnet in Canada and has published a variety of books on rap music. In covering the team on a national level, he believes that there's increased fire in the way the team has been constructed under general manager Kyle Dubas, and that by adding players like Wayne Simmonds, Joe Thornton and Jimmy Vesey, he believes that the team infused a measure of toughness, leadership and skill that offers priceless intangibility in a payroll that's dominated by a nucleus of game-breaking talent short on professional success.
8:50-15:42: "A baseball team is a big company designed to make money"
Most fans of the Toronto Blue Jays have come to accept the limitations and scope of what their baseball team is all about. After decades of playoff futility and cultural rot, the organization seems to be a shadow of its former championship self. You know, that glorious platinum standard set by the exploits of Carter, Alomar, Molitor and company. But then suddenly and as quickly as it came, the steady development of 80's talent and the cultivation of a family-oriented brand began to erase itself from the hearts and minds of an entire generation. For awhile there, it looked like the sport itself was drifting into irrelevancy through doping, cheating and the commitment to heartless austerity by billion-dollar corporate owners. Although 2015 brought a mighty reprieve to cynical fandom everywhere, the current front office has been besieged by lingering expectations of competitive play that hasn't existed for half a decade.
Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) is a writer and multiplatform contributor with Sportsnet. He's also the co-host of At The Letters podcast where he breaks down this team for a living. For him, the Blue Jays front office of Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins have been transparent with their intentions from the moment they arrived in Toronto, and although most people are turned off by their corporate doubletalk and penchant for public relations tone-deafness, it all comes down to a baseball team being a big company finding ways to make a profit. When asked about the recent George Springer signing and his outlook on the team in 2021, his responses were as refreshing as they are candid.
15:55-22:49: "We stand on guard for thee?"
Once upon a time, Canadians were known for the sport of hockey, maple syrup and peacekeeping. But as populism raged across the western world and took most of empathy and compassion with it, a nation respected for centrism and balance finds itself grappling with its identity amidst a global pandemic. It's not a stretch to think that if things get worse and more people become unemployed and homeless, that this country could find itself facing an existential crisis that strikes to the very core of what it means to be a liberal or a conservative.
Asif Hossain (@asifintoronto) is a social influencer and has worked with MLSE, Tennis Canada and the Canadian Olympic committee. His eloquent contempt for political misanthropes and posturing leaders comes from a belief that most Canadians have a generally favourable view of their government and are willing to work together for compromise. Perhaps that's why it's so disheartening for him to witness countless examples of elected leaders who continually let us down with their hypocrisy and lies.
23:07-28:51: "The power of a microstory"
Microstories might be better than teletherapy. I know that's a bold claim coming from someone who isn't a psychiatrist and hasn't published a book in his lifetime, but nothing seems to bring me genuine catharsis more than a compelling short story wrapped in the mental shape of a bite-sized piece of chocolate. In a world where doomscrolling has become a tradition and reading a book seems blase, it's nice to find true escapism through the musings of someone who combines delicious yiddishkeit humour with the cold, steel pragmatic irony of our modern times.
Eric Rosenhek (@TheHek) is the author of Dim Sum Stories, a series of heartfelt microstories available exclusively at arishapiro.ca. For him, the capacity to visualize intriguing narratives cobbled forth in small spaces offers him the chance to channel his stress and anxiety in all the best ways - through the promise of literary escapism where the white noise stops and all you can hear is the sound of your heart beating. Hearing his observations on the pandemic and what keeps him sane reveals a touching look into the mind of someone whose creativity defines the very essence of his soul.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode VII Jan 19, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for January 19th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:36-13:20: "On the outside and feeling betrayed"
The inauguration is almost upon us and most Americans are waiting with bated breath to usher in what should be a new era in US politics. But as the steam goes out on the Donald Trump presidency and the reality of losing a fair and democratic election sinks in, it isn't a coincidence that anti-state and anti-law enforcement ideas are flourishing across all states of the union. The movement has taken on a decidedly militant turn across the board specifically because the outgoing administration crafted a brutal and convenient revisionist narrative that Trump supporters are stuck on the outside looking in on an election that was stolen and requires them to defend themselves and their honour. As a result, multiple forms of virulent militant activity ranging from The Oathkeepers to The Proud Boys are finding themselves with the kind of raison d'être that could end up creating a measure of public unrest not seen since the civil rights movement.
Brendan O'Connor (@_grendan) is freelance journalist and the author of Blood Red Lines: How Nativism Fuels The Right. He's covered right-wing extremism since the end of the Obama administration and believes that overstating the danger of what may come can lead to poor analysis and even worse conclusions. But what he does believe is that what happens next will be a period of turmoil, and that The Biden administration will likely not be defined by healing and reconciliation. In his eyes, there will be a greater and far more spectacular reckoning of political violence in the US for the foreseeable future.
13:21-19:31: "When lightning strikes twice"
Most Canadians don't realize how special and unique the Tampa Bay Lightning are as a professional NHL franchise, and with the return of hockey for a second season in a pandemic reality, there's a great deal to be said for an organization which values their fans as much as their profit levels and industry achievements. In a market devoid of hypercritical fans and a vicious media backbite, the Lightning aren't just winners on the ice - they are bona fide winners off it as well.
Dave Randorf (@DaveRandorf) is the play-by-play commentator for the Tampa Bay Lightning and a celebrated Canadian sports broadcaster. He's never taken his success for granted and believes that in aligning his future with the Florida-based Stanley Cup champions, he can help fans of hockey feel better about their own personal struggles by enjoying a first class organization which has succeeded in winning the championship twice since the turn of the century. Which, for the record, is twice more than the Toronto Maple Leafs have accomplished since 1967.
19:32-26:21: "Coming back to normal, a little dark and colder"
It's hard to keep your mind fresh and spirits high when the numbing reality of covid statistics exist to remind you that all is not normal. It makes one really wonder: how much of this can we take without going back to the normal things - you know, the simple things. Like enjoying a breakaway in overtime, an extra innings nailbiter or the last few remaining seconds of an alley-oop, centre court play to win the game in regulation. Having sports back, even under such abnormal conditions, is essentially a return to normalcy that gives us the kind of distraction needed to help absorb the hypocrisy of our times - the fact that politicians and corporate profiteers are treating this time as business as usual.
Tony Ambrogio (@Tony_Ambrogio) is a freelancer with TSN and teaches at the College of Sports Media in Toronto. He's a highly respected sports journalist who finds himself becoming a colder, darker person when confronted with an endless barrage of pandemic statistics and political hypocrisies which make him pine for the simplicity of hockey, basketball or baseball. Amidst all the vitriol and hate associated with masks and vaccinations, he remains grateful that society can still rely on professional sports to bring us back to a time when arguing at the dinner table and mulling over the latest feats of athleticism were once the norm.
26:23-34:01: "The psychology of pandemic sports betting"
We've come a long way from the days when sports betting was frowned upon as a reckless or taboo indulgence. With 19 American states now legalizing the activity, it's clear the appetite for gambling has reached a whole new level with the pandemic raging throughout the winter. In the first couple of months alone, Table Tennis became the seventh most wagered on sport as people sought to find ways to wager money on competitive spectacles that reminded them of something other than negative media news and gradual societal decay.
Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) is the VP of Digital Content at VISN The Sports Betting Network and has done work with ESPN. For him, the concept of sports betting is all about psychology and economics and shouldn't be for the faint of heart. In a changing world of easy to use technology and unlimited access, his mantra of making informed decisions and playing within your boundaries is an absolute prerequisite for anyone who is serious turning this pursuit into a money-maker, and that having consistent success relies more on studying and learning the craft well before embarking on it.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode VI Jan 12, 2021

Whiskey & Cream for January 12th, 2021
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:36-7:50: "Freedom is about respecting other's freedom"
It isn't a stretch to say that this pandemic has revealed a deep and inexplicable hypocrisy when it comes to political leadership and our notion of civic pride. Ask yourself this question: why is the city of Toronto failing at protecting its most vulnerable during these troubled times? Cases of infection are spiralling out of control, hospital ICUs are filled to capacity, and now we've gone from a full lockdown to a proposed curfew similar to neighbouring Quebec. So, what's going on? Is it a lack of moral courage or empathy when confronted with such overwhelmingly large numbers of bad behaviour? Or have we stumbled so badly in helping one another when other countries are showing us that different paths can and are being followed? And what about those people out there who represent the service class - you know, the working stiff who prepares and cooks your take-out food, throws out your garbage, delivers your furniture and look after your elderly parents in retirement homes - are all being let down horribly while more and more elected politicians are taking vacations to Caribbean islands. And that's not even mentioning the scores of elderly dying in abandoned and poorly run retirement communities.
Shawn Micallef (@shawnmicallef) is a celebrated writer and known authority on Canadian urbanism. He's written for the Toronto Star, teaches at the University of Toronto and is the co-founder of Spacing Magazine. In his recent article chronicling the recent spate of Canadian political controversies, he reveals the extent to which some people are willing to break the delicate and coveted social contract that no longer seems to protect the most vulnerable and essential members of society.
8:01-13:45: "Being online has revealed a new consciousness"
The distinction between peaceful protestors being tear gassed during the BLM movement and the spectacle from earlier this week was jarring and hit many progressive idealists right in the gut, and hard. Ignoring the more concerning issue of who was responsible for the DC police and Maryland national guard standing down for a moment, what transpired at the US Capitol will be poured over and examined for quite some time to come. But what it really does is raise powerful new questions about what the internet is doing to us when it comes to the way we dissect information and the sweeping conclusions that we ultimately reach.
Richard Cooke (@rgcooke) is the critically-acclaimed author of "Tired of Winning: A Chronicle of American Decline" and is correspondent and contributing editor with publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post. In his eyes, the recent US Capitol riots and "insurrection" that took place reveals the kind of breakdown between government and its people which speaks to how we perceive the internet and the flow of information being fed to us on a daily basis. For him, it's all about a new type of consciousness that has no precedent and so our vigilance becomes everything moving forward during these challenging times of actual established truth versus cobbled myopic fiction.
13:58-20:22: "Trouble in Jurassic Paradise"
Fans of Toronto basketball are trying desperately to reconcile what's happened to their 2021 Raptors. The team is sliding fast and losing games at a rate that isn't sustainable in a shortened NBA season if you're serious about making the playoffs. Although players like Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have shown up of late in a desperate effort to stem the tide, the once mighty NBA champions who came off an even more impressive coronavirus shortened season last year are beginning to live more off their nostalgia and less off the potency of their once-feared bench and indefatigable leaders. And while coach Nick Nurse is doing everything in his power to right this sinking ship, the faithful are turning into faithless faster than you can say James Harden.
Luca Rosano (@lucarosano3) is the host of The Luca Rosano Show and is a respected Canadian sportscaster whose been seen on TSN and ESPN. As someone who considers this team near and dear to his heart, his conclusions about their trials and tribulations is clearer to him than most people - that the front office failed miserably on recruiting high-priced free agents while letting go of key stalwarts who could have made a major difference in their chances for success this year. Without a Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol and the promise of "The Greek Freek" one day joining their ranks, the future seems bleaker than most fans could ever have anticipated.
20:30-26:35: "In Kyle Dubas We Trust"
The Toronto Maple Leafs are about to embark on a new hockey campaign this week and considering that they haven't won a Stanley Cup in 54 years and didn't make it past the first round of playoffs since the last Canadian federal election, there's this sense that maybe this year might be different. That perhaps after half a century of front office excuses and player alibis as to what went wrong, that maybe..just maybe, this roster has what it takes to win a single playoff round. With a nucleus of ruthlessly talented young forwards including the mercurial Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, along with savvy veterans like John Tavares, Wayne Simmonds and San Jose's prodigal son, Jumbo Joe Thornton, the team finds itself heading into a season where everyone has something to prove.
Marshall Auerback (@mauerback) is an international economist, acclaimed author and popular blogger who bleeds blue with stunning regularity. When it comes to the buds and his view of the long and troubled history of the Maple Leafs, he leaves nothing behind in his candid assessment of general manager Kyle Dubas and the desire to switch gears in bringing players well past their prime and with something to prove. In doing so, chronic weaknesses that previously existed seem to have evaporated and the future seems bright indeed for the last remaining hockey idealists left in this city.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode 005 Dec 23, 2020

Whiskey & Cream for December 23rd, 2020.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:36-7:35: "A kinder, gentler brand of politics"
It always comes down to the fundamentals, that we're different from them. That's how it feels looking at the United States from a distinctly Canadian perspective. The pandemic has caused immeasurable harm to the very fabric of their society in ways that defies the imagination and begs the question: why isn't more being done to help their citizens during a time when compassion is needed more than ever. And why does their culturally innate suspicion of government and resistance to being told what's best for them - inevitably finds a way of steering them into the realm of greed, paranoia and conspiracy? Furthermore, one has to wonder if a correlation exist between populist and progressive governments when it comes to empathy in their political leaders?
Warren Kinsella (@kinsellawarren) is a celebrated Canadian lawyer, author and musician who has appeared in The Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen and the National Post. He's collaborated and interacted with numerous prime ministers and political bigwigs during his time, and when it comes to understanding the true merits of effective governance, his take on the differences between Canada and the United States during this global pandemic is squarely focused at our existential differences and how having trust in government is essentially what separates our two democracies.
7:44-13:48: "The men and women of science were correct"
Toronto is heading towards a lockdown on Boxing Day, an announcement that sent shockwaves through those living in Ontario and across Canada. A first wave that was met head-on by the conservative government in the province has long been forgotten in the face of a second wave that's exposed a shocking level of excuses, pivoting and the passing of the coronavirus buck. With Ontario averaging over 28 deaths a day, the sense of urgency has never been greater even if the credibility of the messengers seems minimized by their tendency to speak out of both sides of their mouths.
Mary Ormsby (@MaryOrmsby) is one of Canada's most respected journalists who has covered Olympic games, World Cups, and major professional leagues across North America for over three decades while writing for The Toronto Star. She's spearheaded features about concussions, women in sports, homelessness and clergy abuse with award-winning features spanning over three decades of investigative journalism. For her, Doug Ford presents two phases - or "faces" as she calls them - that's tested her limits when it comes to political leadership. Whereas she felt he was the right leader at the right time for the first wave of COVID-19, his foot-dragging disposition and chronic insistence of ignoring the men and women of science who were correct is making her wonder why a lockdown didn't happen sooner.
13:51-18:22: "Always eliminate the window dressing"
Vaccine-hesitancy has quickly become one of the most controversial terms of the day, and when you eliminate the window dressing, it essentially bogs down to a tempting desire to reach for conspiracies over having the gumption to explore the real truth. Behind masks, behind social distancing, behind a vaccine to help keep us safe and healthy. But in an era where the written word has caused so much harm, are we perhaps underestimating the power of the spoken word?
Adam Corsair (@AdamCorsair) is a professional baseball and basketball podcaster whose literary passion for the Toronto Raptors and Blue Jays makes him an instant favourite here at Whiskey & Cream. His heart may be Canadian, but his family lives in Rhode Island - where faulty information and propaganda remains a daily battle for sweet, lucid sanity. His craft is reflected nicely in the gorgeous tonality and dissonant manner to which he passionately explains his plight in a world where fiction becomes fact in the click of play button.
18:35-22:44: "The Coronavirus Athlete"
Living during a global pandemic as a sports fan means settling for a new reality where your season, playoffs, rules and regulations seem permanently amorphous and subject to change. And that's left some armchair fans scratching their heads and wondering if an asterisk needs to be deployed as a reminder that these achievements are happening during exceptional times. But as the business side of hockey, baseball, football and basketball continue to forge ahead amidst all this societal doom and gloom, there's immense solace to be found in the astonishing power of sport and what it can do for a stir-crazy, cabin-fevered audience that can't leave the house to enjoy Pascal Siakam, Auston Matthews or Bo Bichette.
Jim Lang (@JimLangSports) is Canadian sportscaster, writer and radio host who has covered major sports... For him, escapism is about savouring the real stories of courage and fortitude that exist to help soothe our burgeoning layers of anxiety and depression. That means embracing the notion that things will get better if we support those who train, excel and overachieve in pursuit of sporting excellence. In doing so, he tips his hat to the modern day coronavirus athlete.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode 004 Dec 18, 2020

Whiskey & Cream for December 18th, 2020.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:35-6:51: "A Hill To Die On: The Future of the NHL"
It's not hard to admire the way Gary Bettman and the NHL handled their season in the face of a global pandemic. Although they lost millions of dollars in playoff revenue, they ultimately succeeded in bringing their sport back to the masses in a way that made the Stanley Cup seem like a holy grail during dark times - and all you had to do was take one look at Victor Hedman's face after the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars to win their second Stanley Cup to really understand what it meant to the players and their fans.
But now there's trouble in paradise, as is the case with any league that has a profit-oriented group of owners who love real estate development taking on a powerful union of players who won't back down after the lockout fiasco in 2004. With a healthy league growing in non-traditional markets and hockey related revenues firmly and fairly where they should be, it's hard to fathom that the NHL could easily shoot themselves in the foot if they aren't careful.
Luke Armstrong (@armstrongthings) is a Canadian sports blogger and writer whose work has been featured on Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. His recent article entitled "COVID-19's Impacts on the Future of the NHL" looks deeper at what sort of options exist for the NHL as they enter the daunting reality not trying to ruin a good thing.
7:03-11:55: "The Pandemic Never Ended In July"
It took Senator Republican leader Mitch McConnell six weeks to recognize the new President of the United States, and so it shouldn't come as a surprise that, finally, after nearly 10 months, their Congress is on the verge of putting together bona fide economic stimulus legislation that's presumably designed to take care of their weakest and most downtrodden citizens.
But considering that 40 million Americans are at risk of losing their homes due to an inability to pay their rent or mortgage, and that millions more are flocking to unemployment insurance and food banks, it's hard to imagine that the world's richest country has failed so miserably to help their own taxpayers - especially considering the way Canadians have witnessed their own federal government from the start of the year.
Emily Stewart (@EmilyStewartM) is a business and politics reporter for Vox News, and has been seen on MSN, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, to name but a few. Her recent articles on how the United States government is tackling COVID-19 from an economic perspective reveals a colder and harder reality where the concepts of empathy and fairness of leadership seems harder and harder to find as time goes by.
12:02-16:35: "The Tampa Raptors in the Land of COVID-19"
The Toronto Raptors basketball club will be spending their 2021 season in Tampa, and that means learning about COVID cases from afar and having to endure the physical loss of the only Canadian team playing in one of the worst pandemic outbreak states in the union. But that being said, it's also a chance for the NBA to prove that their league is a cut above the rest - and that a harmonious relationship between players and ownership has commissioner Adam Silver and company to dream bigger and bolder than ever before.
Josh Weinstein (@joshhweinstein) is the NBA editor for The Score and has written for the Raptors Republic. For him, the team is embarking into uncharted waters with their new digs down south, but he's optimistic that the league will continue to lead by example and show their fans that the future is bright and worth believing in.
16:48-21:35: "Profit over Practicality"
It's not a stretch to think that Major League Baseball and the National Football League really blew it when it came to monetizing their seasons. Sure, they wanted to bring back their respective forms of entertainment and escapism, but in the end of just seemed like a stumbling, bumbling mess of execution. The end results were appalling; endless cases of infection, oddly disjointed travel schedules, and a sense of general calamity.
Sam Mendelsohn (@Mendy_Island) is an NFL writer and sports betting analyst for Odds Shark, and he understood early on why baseball and football were choosing profit over practicality when it came to ushering back their limited seasons.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream: Episode 003 Dec 06, 2020

Whiskey & Cream for December 5th, 2020.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:35-8:51: "Music is medicine"
Canadian music correspondent, blogger and radio host Eric Alper (@ThatEricAlper) is celebrated as one of the country's best known and in-demand industry influencers. He shares his love of music in a candid way that's brought him real peace and serenity - even if he's not certain about what the future holds. In his world, it's all about survival of the fittest and staying resilient at time filled with cruel, lingering memories and ruthlessly shortened attention spans.
9:05-15:44: "A system so profoundly corrupt"
Marshall Auerback (@Mauerback) is a research associate and celebrated economist who writes for multiple front-line and mainstream publications across the globe - including The Nation and Counterpunch. His academic research and political opinions are as fair as they are pragmatic, which makes him a rarity in this world. And he understands better than most why Canadians should be fortunate they aren't more like their neighbours down to the south.
16:01-23:51: "An intrepid Torontonian"
Karim Kanji (@karimkanji) is a senior digital strategist by day and one of Toronto's most popular podcasters at night; his branded series Welcome To The Music offers him tremendous opportunity to interview actors, musicians, politicians and activists that have made him proud to call Toronto home. In doing so, he offers an organic perspective of how he's personally endured an entirely avoidable wave of coronavirus danger in his beloved city.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream Episode 002 Dec 01, 2020

Whiskey & Cream for November 30th, 2020
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:35-8:31
America's leading psychiatrist Dr. Allen Frances (@AllenFrancesMD) provides an unflinchingly scathing assessment of the Donald Trump presidency and explores how the country is dealing with the mental health fallout of a sustained period of historic anxiety and chronic depression. He also delineates the fundamental differences between Canada and the rest of North America when it comes to struggling with the global pandemic. Note: "Twilight of American Sanity: A Psychiatrist Analyzes The Age Of Trump" published in 2017 is your tome of reference and is worth a deeper dive.
8:35-13:28
Conservative MP for Dufferin-Caledon and rural internet crusader Kyle Seeback (@kyleseeback) drops by to remind us all why internet in Canada remains a travesty, and how his social media savvy and grass roots efforts have rallied the cause for rural Ontarians struggling with affordability and accessibility. His candor is especially refreshing, now more than ever. Note: this segment is sponsored by: Cloudwifi (@cloudwifiinc).
13:35-18:53
Author of the Baseball Thesaurus and 2019 Minor League Broadcaster of the Year Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass) talks about the pending extinction of the SkyDome and how the Blue Jays as an organization could approach the end of a cherished era, thus generating optimism from the fans and instilling genuine hope for fellow Torontonians - especially those refusing to abandon indelible memories brought forth from consecutive world championships in the early 1990's.
19:01-24:47
Sportsnet journalist and site expert of Tip of The Tower, David Morassutti (@d_morassutti) joins the show to pontificate and elucidate why the Toronto Maple Leafs remain the most inspiring draw in professional sports across a city that's three generations removed from the last time they won anything worthwhile. Some would say it's a tragic comedy, but this segment might actually change your mind for a limited time.
"Whiskey & Cream Theme" written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Whiskey & Cream Episode 001 Nov 26, 2020

Whiskey & Cream for November 26th, 2020.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:28-5:31
Author and Montreal Expos historian Danny Gallagher (@dannogallagher7) talks about the resurgence of Montreal Expos memorabilia and what seems like a true renaissance of fan interest in the wake of his new book (Always Remember, New Revelations and Old Tales about the Montreal Expos).
6:50-8:01
Podcaster and AMI radio host Cam Jenkins (@NeutralZoneCamJ) offers his thoughts on the pandemic reality affecting disabled fans of spectator sports.
9:30-17:54
Writer and Pension Plan Puppets blogger Omar White (@TicTacTOmar) delivers an eloquent rant in his summation of the madness behind recent Toronto Maples Leafs free agent acquisitions and where this hockey team stands today.
18:42-20:23
Site expert of Editor-In-Leaf and writer James Tanner (@EditorinLeaf) chimes in with a brazen attempt to help digest the identity of this club after the surrealism of the Mike Babcock era and why he thinks fans need to have a more realistic perspective moving forward.
20:24-23:20
Texas Rangers assistant pitching analyst Richard Birfer (@richardbirfs) can't quit baseball and believes that neither should you.
23:20-28:10
Excerpts from a recent Toronto Raptors round table with members of Shapiro's League of Seven; lawyer and college basketball player Mick Sloniowksi (@MSloniowski), economist and writer Marshall Auerback (@mauerback) and producer and political consultant Jon Reid (@JReid416).
"Whiskey & Cream Theme" written and performed by Chris Henderson.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Whiskey & Cream Podcast with Ari Shapiro

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected