The Women Of Ill Repute: Recent Episodes
Maureen Holloway and Wendy Mesley
Women of Ill Repute is a compliment. And not just for women! Wendy Mesley and Maureen Holloway have left CBC and CHFI to chat with sassy women about sex, family, politics, and media. Lots of secrets and no room for shame. Is it journalism or comedy? It’s both. Smart talk with tv and radio stars, comedians, authors, lawyers, politicos, restaurant icons and more. All of them brave, fierce and funny. Fun!
Colin Mochrie: The AmbivertIs an ambivert a pervert? No, it’s most of us! Maybe we are all just less funny versions of Colin Mochrie, who reveals he is, of course, an ambivert, someone who feels comfortable in social situations but also really enjoys time alone. You may know Colin as an extrovert, but he’s often really introverted. He says he’s afraid his neighbours might think he’s a dick, when he’s really just shy.Colin is a famous improv guy, he was on the U.K. and U.S. versions of “Whose Line is it Anyway” for decades. He is now doing big shows in L.A. with a hypnotist. He tells us why “Hyprov” is a perfect mix for improv. He also performs “Scared Scriptless” with comedian Brad Sherwood. His wife, Deb McGrath, who he met at Toronto’s Second City, is also an improv pro. She is an extrovert! He says they just hide away in different corners of the house when the laughs run out. You can watch this episode on YouTube. We have a new sponsor! Embark is owned by a not-for-profit foundation, and they only do education planning and savings. They are passionate about helping students reach their full potential. The Embark Student Plan is a registered education savings plan (RESP) that supports your child’s journey to and through post-secondary education. Start an account using the promo code REPUTE100 and we’ll contribute $100. A transcription of this episode is available here. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is Mary Berg’s moment. If you haven’t noticed, Mary is everywhere these days. She’s already been on our radar as the winner of MasterChef Canada, the host of two cooking shows, the author of three cookbooks and now … the host of The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, a new national daytime talk and lifestyle series replacing the irreplaceable Marilyn Denis on CTV’s fall schedule. Despite her pretty damn adorable appearance, Mary is no lightweight: she learned to cook as the result of a family tragedy. She has degrees in history, English and information science. She worked as an insurance broker, then quit to compete in MasterChef - without any formal culinary training. Sure, Mary makes it easy, but we know better. We talk recipes and entertaining tips, but also how exciting - and daunting - it is to be on the precipice of being the next big thing. This episode is in partnership with Kitchen Stuff Plus. It’s Back to School time again, and you can find everything you need for yourself and your family at KSP’s back to school event. Lunchbags, water bottles, all important FOOD STORAGE (Mo’s obsession). Back to School made easy, with 24 stores across the GTA. Or shop online at https://www.kitchenstuffplus.com Kitchen Stuff Plus | Houseware & Home Decor Retailer Kitchen Stuff Plus includes Housewares, Kitchen Gadgets, Bakeware, Cookware, Storage, Knife Block Sets and more available for sale at the best discount price. (4 kB) A transcription of the episode is available here. You can also watch the episode here through our YouTube Channel. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does it mean to age gracefully? Does it involve defiance or acceptance? For Suzanne Boyd, editor-in-chief of Zoomer magazine, it means making the most and best of the time we have, each according to his or her own preference. There’s a world of opportunity for people over the age of, say, 45? But it’s also OK to wear pyjamas and watch Jeopardy all day, if that fulfills you. Of course it helps if you have Suzanne’s drive, energy and downright gorgeousness. Come meet the woman who says comfort is overrated, and that she’d never be caught dead in a loafer, unless it’s a silver platform. Moses Znaimer says Suzanne Boyd is the only Canadian editor who is her own brand. Prior to her current role running Zoomer media, Suzanne was editor-in-chief at Flare magazine, the first person of colour to helm a national Canadian publication. Then she went to New York to launch Suede magazine, where she was named to Advertising Age’s prestigious A List and was also lauded in The New York Times, The New York Daily News, Italian Vogue and Women’s Wear Daily. She is perennially named to multiple Best Dressed lists. A Transcription of this episode is available here. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute You can also watch the show on YouTube Here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have you ever been scammed? Ripped off? Betrayed? Lied to? Ever fallen for a sociopath? Are YOU a sociopath? How would you know if you were? These are the questions we discuss with Zoe Whittall, author of the bestselling novel “The Fake”. Zoe is a Canadian poet, teacher TV writer and novelist. She has won all sorts of awards for her work, including being shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and her 2016 novel, The Best Kind of People, is being developed for film by Sarah Polley. “The Fake” is her fifth novel, and tells the story of a charming con artist who changes the lives of two victims (or patsies, as Mo calls them). We also tackle humour and mental health, Judy Blume, and growing up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. “The Fake” is published by Harper Collins. Zoe is currently working on a book based on the Gilmore Girls, to be edited by Jen Sookfong Lee - another Woman of Ill Repute! We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com A Transcription of the show can be found here. We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Moore is the thinking person’s thinking person. As the affable yet acerbic host of Moore in the Morning on radio station Newstalk 1010, he gets up at an ungodly hour to keep Toronto informed and entertained. John is also a dear and longtime friend to Wendy and Mo, so we put the host in the guest chair to talk about all things to do with friendship: how to make them, how to lose them, what matters in a friend, what doesn’t, friends on social media, and of course friends with benefits. John Sanford Moore (yup, that’s his middle name) was born and raised in Montreal. His career speaks for itself, but he is also an actor, an improv performer, a skilled cook and an avid cyclist and kayaker. He suffers endless abuse about his golf game. John can ride a horse, and puts up with an ornery terrier named Rory. He met his partner in 1995 on a disastrous date, but so far things are working out. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Transcription of this episode can be found here. You can also watch the show on YouTube Here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Not a lot of chuckles when you are kidnapped by the Taliban and thrown in a hole. And then you write a book about the girls stolen and raped by Boko Haram. But we laughed anyway. Mellissa Fung talks about her life, her new book, women’s fears, and ultimately finding joy. No one wants to be defined by their worst experience, we talk about learning to be a survivor and not just a victim. Mellissa Fung is a journalist and thinks that matters. While reporting in Afghanistan in 2008, she was kidnapped by the Taliban and kept in a hole in the ground for 5 weeks. She wanted to keep reporting on the world’s problems, but the CBC refused to let her go back. She has written 2 books about what happened to her, 'Under an Afghan Sky’ and now ‘Between Good and Evil, the Stolen Girls of Boko Haram’. She lives in London with CTV journalist Paul Workman. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Transcription of this episode can be found here. You can also watch the show on YouTube Here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jeanne Beker has done it all, most of it on TV. Rock ‘n roll, fashion, and now, breast cancer. Unfortunately, Mo and Wendy know too much about the latter. Jeanne offers lessons on how to be super upbeat. We share tales until we realize we could do a whole show about hair! Mostly we talk about Jeanne’s many closets and her treasured pieces. She also spills about that time in the bathtub with a famous rock star. Jeanne Beker is a journalist, media personality, and fashion entrepreneur. She was a star on The NewMusic, and hosted the internationally syndicated Fashion Television for 27 years. She has won every award imaginable and was recently named Style Editor of the Shopping Channel. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Transcription of this episode can be found here. You can also watch the show on YouTube Here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The great outdoors is overrated, says Ivy Le, a comedian and podcaster from Austin, Texas. Ivy, a self-admitted indoorswoman, took on camping, and then hunting, as a sort of exercise in reverse colonialism. Ivy is Asian, you see, as well as a bisexual Buddhist mom with allergies, and she couldn’t see herself, or anyone like her, in a tent in the woods with a gun, ready to butcher and eat whatever she catches. So she set out to see what she was missing, and the result is FOGO - Fear of Going Outside, a hilarious and eye-opening look at nature by someone who finds it unnatural. Ivy Le is Vietnamese American comedian from Austin, Texas. She’s a first generation college grad who speaks Spanish, German, Vietnamese and English. She’s also a reporter, a poet, and a bi mom of two kids who is on a mission to queer up comedy and decolonize everything. She has performed at the Laugh After Dark Comedy Fest, Tower City Comedy Fest, Lysistrata Comedy Festival and more! Her podcast FOGO - Fear of Going Outside is available here. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com A Transcription of the show can be found here. We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Stephen Marche: SmartypantsIs the world gonna end? Are computers gonna take over? Stephen Marche says he’s written lots of cataclysmic novels and columns about everything from the end of the monarchy to a new Civil War in the U.S. But he’s in love with Artificial Intelligence, thinks it’s like Hip-Hop; the next era of creativity. Marche admits optimism is kinda weird for him, but he thinks humans will remain in control. Wendy is not so sure. But then she and Mo are control freaks.Stephen Marche has written “The Next Civil War”, “The Unmade Bed: the Messy Truth About Men and Women” and now “The Next Election” with Andrew Yang. You watch the episode on YouTube. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com A Transcription of the show can be found here. We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Everyone loves a drag queen, right? Well they did, thanks to the emergence of Pride, artists like RuPaul, and the success of shows like Canada’s Drag Race, dragging drag out of the back room and into the limelight where the queens love to shine. But lately there’s been a shift in support, with anti-gay protestors storming libraries to decry Drag Queen Story Hour, a program intended to gently and humorously teach children about inclusivity. It coincides with a rise in violence against trans and queer people, and Scarlett Bobo, for one, is not having it. Scarlett, a hugely popular drag performer, joins us to talk about their march, or “sashay”, to Queen’s Park to support a bill prohibiting violence and intimidation near drag venues. We also talk drag mothers, make-up and tucking. Scarlett Bobo is the creation of Ottawa born Matthew Cameron. A fusion of Hollywood golden era icons and modern pop vixen, Scarlett has wowed audiences worldwide, and was in the top 3 of the first season of Canada’s Drag Race. Now living in Los Angeles, they continue to fight the surge in hate crimes there and at home. As they say, “We’re not going back in the closet. We’re just going to get more queer. We’re going to throw more glitter.” We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Transcription of this episode can be found here. You can also watch the show on YouTube Here. https://youtu.be/v23qFL_YJ_8
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Everyone asks her the same question: what happened? Amanda Marshall was at the top of her game in the late 90’s, selling millions of albums and sold-out concert halls and then … she disappeared. Except she didn’t really. It was a business decision as much as anything, but now she’s back with a new album and a new sense of purpose, but that same powerful, gut-wrenching voice and that truly amazing cape of hair. We talk musical roots, live performance, being an only child, being mixed race, food and, yes, hair care. Amanda Marshall is a Toronto born music phenom who studied music extensively during her childhood. She was discovered while performing on the Queen West bar scene by legendary guitarist Jeff Healey, who was struck by her big, powerful voice, and took her on tour. She has released three top selling studio albums, and is best known (so far) for her 1996 single, Birmingham. After a more than 20 year absence, Amanda released a new album, Heavy Lifting, and is currently on a Canada-wide tour. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. Transcription of this episode can be found here. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Wendy and Maureen at womenofir@gmail.com We now have a YouTube Channel! Please hit the Subscribe button when you get there. And because you asked for it - Future episodes will be in video form. https://www.youtube.com/@WomenofIllRepute Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Women are not funny, or at least not as funny as men. Men don’t like funny women, they like women who laugh at their jokes, but not their penises. If women are funny, they’re probably lesbians. On and on it goes, despite ample evidence to the contrary. Enter Allison Dore, laughing. Allison is the founder of Howl and Roar Records, a female centric comedy record label that facilitates in the creation and distribution of content, in order to empower artists and help different voices and perspectives be heard. Plus, she’s funny. Allison, Wendy and Mo talk about Christopher Hitchens, atheism, standup, sit down, and trying to be funny in a dangerous time. Allison Dore is the host of the entertainment-focused, daily talk radio show The Breakdown, on SiriusXM channel 167. In 2018 she founded Howl & Roar Records, a female-centric comedy record label with a mandate to focus 70% of their output on women in the industry. In the remaining 30% priority is given to men in marginalized communities. Allison is a highly coveted speaker and host, and shares her story of battling mental illness and addiction in order to bring hope to those who are currently struggling. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter.
Why do they do it? It’s easy to have a theory of why war correspondents put their lives on the line. Are they dealing with trauma? Are they addicted to the adrenalin? Maybe. Maybe they just have big hearts. For more than 20 years, photographer Lynsey Addario has been one of very few women covering conflict around the globe. Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan and now Ukraine. For the New York Times, for National Geographic, often at tremendous risk to her own safety. But of course, we can’t resist. We ask her why. Photographer Lynsey Addario has been kidnapped twice. She puts her life on the line to show the world what war and conflict really look like, most recently in Ukraine. Her work is now being celebrated at the School for Visual Arts in NYC. She's won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer, and was even given a MacArthur genius grant. Our first official genius! We talk to her about still having to prove herself as a woman in the field, about love and war and everything in between.
There’s Canadian famous, and then there’s Famous famous. Like author Louise Penny. Luckily, she was Wendy’s best friend in grade 9, so we were able to persuade her to come on the podcast. Maureen, Louise and Wendy talk all about friendship, fame, and facing fear. Too many f’s? Well, that’s her motto: Don’t be Afraid. She’s just published book #18 in her Three Pines Inspector Gamache series. A World of Curiosities. She will be speaking at the Indigo bookstore in Toronto on December 2nd, the same day Prime Video launches the Three Pines series with Alfred Molina as Gamache! 18 books in 18 years! A #1 New York Times Bestseller! Louise Penny’s new book is out, the latest in her Inspector Armand Gamache Three Pines murder mysteries. A World of Curiosities. Often compared to a modern day Agatha Christie, her work is a lot more than cozy, with ill winds blowing in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, the setting for all the murders. We talk about the books, about growing up, and the value of friendship.
She’s a badass blues woman with the best laugh in this or any other business. Sass Jordan joins us to talk about female rockers (there aren’t that many), great musicians, and how to spot true talent. Not giving a damn about anything except love, family and creativity, and maybe food and drink. What it’s like to be in Dad territory, as in “My dad thinks you’re hot”. Warning: lots of hooting and hollering, giggling and cackling. Born in England, raised in Montreal, Sarah Jordan became Sass because she’s full of it. Named Most Promising Vocalist by the Junos in 1989, Sass has kept that promise. Billboard listed her as the Top Female Rock Artist of the year in 1992, the year she released “Racine”, her landmark album that made everyone a believer. An actress on stage and screen, Sass also sat as a judge on all six seasons of Canadian Idol. Her latest album, Bitches Blues, featuring the song Still Alive and Well is available on Stony Plain Records. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter.
You may have had The Talk with one of your parents. You know, the squirmy, uncomfortable and downright incredulous chat about what happens when a man and a woman truly love each other, etc.etc. But for many of us, the fun part of it all came from Sue. Sue Johansen, the feisty, hilarious, and deeply kind creator of Sex with Sue. For decades, on radio and television,in Canada and the U.S., Sue explained how stuff was done, safely and enjoyably. Now filmmaker Lisa Rideout and Sue’s own daughter Jane join us to tell us the deeper story of Sue Johanson, and why her straight-from-the-hip message is more important than ever. Jane Johanson Jane Johanson is an actor, singer, dancer and choreographer who has been gracing stages for the past 40 years. From the age of 14, Jane worked as a receptionist at the groundbreaking Don Mills Collegiate birth control clinic for her mom Sue Johanson. Growing up with Sue, Jane learned the value of hard work and fearlessness. Not to mention sewing, knitting, baking and carrying on the tradition of working with sourdough. Lisa Rideout Director, Writer, Producer Lisa Rideout is an award-winning director who makes films about topics that make people uncomfortable. Death, sex, identity, race, politics and more are presented from a nuanced perspective that challenges stereotypes with the aim of creating more tolerance. She is unafraid to tackle controversial topics and has done so by showcasing the stories of musicians, sex workers, activists, death doulas, adult entertainers and more. Her latest documentary Sex with Sue, about renowned sex expert Sue Johanson, can be seen on WNetwork and Stack TV. We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter.
We’ve always been here, writes Ann-Marie MacDonald. And so have the moors. She calls her new book the queerest she’s ever written. But what is queer? Isn’t everybody different? Fayne, published by Penguin Random House Canada, is placed in the late 1800’s and is full of love, diversity, and magyk. There’s also a fascination with pudding! The book is huge! So huge, we feared it might be a chore to read. It definitely was not. Maureen was a bit intimidated to talk to her. After all, Ann-Marie MacDonald is a playwright, author, actress, even a tv host! And now she’s written a new, huge book. If you thought Fall on Your Knees was good, check out Fayne, published by Penguin Random House Canada and on sale now. She calls it her queerest book ever, and it’s full of magyk, love and learning too. Turns out she’s not intimidating at all. Unless brains, opinions, and a sense of humour put you off! We love writing and would love for you to read what we write. Sign Up for our Substack Newsletter.
So glad you asked! What started as a little podcast hosted by two nervous women with love in their hearts and stars in their eyes … is still a little podcast hosted by two nervous women etc etc. But we’re still here, and it’s going pretty well! Join Wendy and Mo for a look back at the first 12 episodes: hear about the fights, the scandals, the guests we didn’t get, the ones we did that scared or shocked us, and the ones we loved the best (spoiler alert: we love them all). Plus: what we’ve learned, who we have coming up, and a special announcement, but only if you listen to the end! Sign Up for the Newsletter Here.
Broadcasting is a brutal business, especially for women over fifty who may or may not have gray hair. There is one woman, however, who has been at the top of her game, on both radio and television, and she is, of course, Marilyn Denis. Host of the appropriately named The Marilyn Denis Show on CTV, as well as CHUM-FM’s perpetually top rated radio morning show Marilyn Denis and Jamar, Marilyn is everyone’s best friend. She actually is one of Mo’s, and she joins Mo and Wendy for a free wheeling, no holds barred discussion about being a mother, a grandmother AND a newlywed! Not only that, but Marilyn gives us the lowdown on what cosmetic work she’s had done. That’s something you’re not going to hear anywhere else, and we love her all the more for it. Come hear what becomes a legend most. Marilyn Denis is one of the best and most beloved broadcasters in the country, and we would say that even if we didn’t know her. She has hosted CHUM-FM’s top rated morning show since 1986, and the equally popular daytime talk show “The Marilyn Denis Show” on CTV since 2011. Mother to radio host Adam Wylde (Virgin 99.9), and grandmother to adorable Everley, Marilyn married her high school prom date Jim just a few years ago. Marilyn tells us how they found each other again, and talks about the trials and tribulations of being famous, growing older in front of an audience, and why she’s never retiring, because why the hell should she? Keep in touch by reading and/or signing up for our newsletter at https://womenofillrepute.substack.com
Just when you’re convinced the world is a dark place with an uncertain future, along comes Hannah Alper. It’s not that Hannah’s a foolish optimist. She is, as Gloria Steinem calls it, a “hopeaholic”. Hannah has been an activist for social and environmental change since she was 9 years old - and that wasn’t that long ago! She’s a motivational speaker, a blogger, an author and budding journalist. She’s also a second year university student, and yes, she assures us that she’s also hanging out and having fun. Just listening to her puts a smile on our face. Come be inspired. The kids are alright. Hannah Alper was born in Toronto in this century. In July 2012, at the age of 9, Alper launched a blog called Call Me Hannah, speaking out about causes important to her: animal welfare, habitat destruction, and the natural environment. With a social media following in the tens of thousands, Hannah has emerged as an author, a motivational speaker, an ambassador for Free the Children, co-president of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization in Ontario, a TedX talker, and a budding journalist. In 2018, Bloomberg Businessweek named her one of 18 people to watch, so watch her! She’s also a student at Western University, where she assures us she’s having as much fun as she should. Keep in touch by reading and/or signing up for our newsletter at https://womenofillrepute.substack.com
If you are famous and in trouble, she is the one you call. She’s Canada’s pre-eminent criminal defence lawyer. Marie Henein defended Jian Ghomeshi. Was she doing her job or a “traitor to women”? We found her defiant, in love with her job, and surprisingly funny! She dishes on marriage, her favourite tv shows, and the stupidity of trying to find a “work life balance”. Marie Henein is a criminal defence lawyer who’s fought for a lot of infamous Canadians and become famous herself. She’s defended Jian Ghomeshi, and Michael Bryant. Mentored by the recently departed Eddie Greenspan, she now runs her own large firm and dared to bare her arms in a staff photo. Oh my! She has written a memoir about her love of the law, hating being called exotic, and how to identify a Canadian. Keep in touch by reading and/or signing up for our newsletter at https://womenofillrepute.substack.com
Why are we so obsessed with the mob? Can women be just as cutthroat? Is Italian culture too macho? We have all the answers (not!) in our chat from Rome with Barbie Latza Nadeau about her new book “The Godmother”. She tells us about admiring and reviling “Pupetta” , who, ya, shot her husband’s killer and became a mafia icon. Barbie got to interview her just before she died. She spills about Mafia women and refusing to be intimidated after the attack on Salman Rushdie. Barbie Latza Nadeau is the Rome correspondent for the Daily Beast. She also wrote about Sex, Murder and the Italian sex trade involving Nigerian women, and “Baby Face: Sex Drugs and the Inside Story of Amanda Knox”, which was turned into a movie. She has just published The Godmother: Murder , Vengeance and the Bloody Struggle of Mafia Women”. (Out September 7) Sex and violence are always a theme. And Pupetta , or Lady Camorra, knew it. Barbie tells how women are taking on more of a role in a mafia culture that never dies.
Going There. She moved to London, but boy, she’s still writing. Leah McLaren talks to us about her new book ”Where You End and I Begin”. About her writer mom, family commitments, being weird (aren’t we all?) and “whatever happened to that fucking guy?” Ya, that one, who may have started it all in a barn when her mom was 12. Maureen cracks a few narcissist jokes. Leah is not sure they apply. Leah McLaren is a writer now based in London. She started off as a columnist for the Globe and Mail, where she was like a Canadian Carrie Bradshaw, writing about sex and other fixations in the big city. She now writes for Macleans, the Toronto Star and a bunch of U.K. papers. After years of trauma, drama, and lots of love she has written a book about her and her mom. Where You End and I Begin. We wonder what mom thinks! Is it true that “commitment sucks the life out of you”? There are also tales about never trusting anyone to tell your story, especially a journalist. Sign up for Leah's Newsletter here. https://leahmclaren.substack.com/p/how-to-write-your-life-without-losing Sign Up for Our Newsletter too! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
Jen Agg is the owner and power behind Toronto restaurants The Black Hoof (now Bar Vendetta), Rhum Corner, and Grey Gardens. She is both revered and criticized for outspokenness, her work ethic and her honesty with regards to rampant sexism and discrimination in the restaurant industry. She has no time for Michelin stars, and thinks vodka is stupid. Jen also wrote a bestselling memoir called “I Hear She’s a Real Bitch”. Restaurateur Jen Agg talks to us about the trials and tribulations of running her many venues in the midst of rampant misogyny, personal challenges (her beloved husband had a stroke), and oh, a pandemic. Outspoken as always, Jen talks about writing, traveling, restaurant critics and the value of truth. Apparently the customer isn’t always right. Caution: C word is dropped, and Wendy and Mo get all worried about it. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
You can take a girl out of the Maritimes, but she’ll still go home to visit. Jax Irwin, morning co-host on Toronto’s Virgin radio, joins us to talk about life and laughter, coming out, her love of family, and playing with the good guys. Plus: bringing your girlfriend home to mom, and where to get an octopus costume. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
You think you know Jann Arden: she’s Canada’s cranky songbird, but still comes across as everyone’s best friend. Writer, singer, songwriter, actress, comedian, animal rights activist - Jann’s all that, but still maintains that failure is an integral part of personal success. We talk about mothers, addiction, and the importance of friends. Oh, and Wendy drops the F-bomb. Again. This highly anticipated convo with Jann may not be what you expect: of course she’s funny and foul-mouthed, but also deeply kind and perceptive. Come sit by Jann’s crackling fire and for a laugh and a couple of dives into all the things that matter. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
Former Justice minister and Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould is not just angry–not just determined to improve the lives of indigenous people. She’s all that, but we discover she’s also a hoot! She dishes on how hugs from prime minister Justin Trudeau made her skin crawl. And she gets personal about her hubby, her sister, not being able to have kids, and trying to function on 3 hours sleep a night. Jody, aka Puglass, is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation and lives in Vancouver and Cape Mudge where she is about to publish a follow up to “Indian” in the Cabinet. She talks to us about the SNC-Lavalin affair and why it’s sometimes important to be difficult. Oh, and Wendy is accused of paying to get an interview. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
If Mary Walsh isn’t the mother of Canadian comedy, she is certainly its sister. Born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland, a founding member of the CODCO comedy troupe, Mary went on to co-create the legendary news satire program This Hour has 22 Minutes. There, she created the infamous character Marg Delahunty, a fearless, sword-wielding warrior princess in cat’s eye glasses who became the scourge of Parliament Hill. A writer, director and novelist, Mary still lives in St. John’s, just down the street from her husband. She spoke to us the day after the 2022 Oscars, when the world was reeling from Will Smith’s attack on presenter Chris Rock. This led to an intense discussion about violence, violence against women, against comedians, and against women comedians. We also talk about getting older and getting funnier, sexy politicians and the lack thereof, Mary’s unusual upbringing, unconventional marriage, and love of family, We also learn about Milltowns and rainbow blowjobs. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon
Howdy! Once upon a time, two lady broadcasters realized they weren’t really ladies, or even broadcasters anymore. So they became podcasters, and part-time cowgirls. Wendy and Mo talk about all the truly strange coincidences in their lives, how they came together, how naive they were thinking a podcast would be easy, and the trials and tribulations of finding, identifying and recruiting other women of ill repute. We also discuss how both our traditional careers came to an untimely end, and ponder the mystery of The Woman with No Pants. It’s all over the place, but so are we. Here’s how it started, and how it’s going. Sign Up for Our Newsletter! https://womenofillrepute.substack.com/p/coming-soon