Xing The Gap, with Rick Miller

In this animal-focused episode, Rick's two guests are Jonathan Balcombe and Jo-Anne McArthur. Jonathan is a world-renowned biologist, ethologist, and author of popular science books on the inner lives of animals, including Pleasurable Kingdom, Second Nature, and What a Fish Knows - a New York Times best-seller. Jo-Anne is an award-winning photojournalist, speaker, and founder of WeAnimalsMedia. She’s visited over sixty countries to document our complex relationship with animals. As a pack, they talk aboutEthologyAnimal photojournalism“Try and try again”How you protect what you loveAnimal sentienceAnimal playfulnessThings getting better AND worseCultural influence on meat-eatingThe effects of vegetarianismLeading by exampleThe ick-factor of lab-grown meatFactory farms as conflict zonesAd-gag lawsAnd trivia for plant-eaters... You do make friends with salad.XingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegapig: @rickmilleractortw/x: @rickmilleractorjonathanbalcombe.comfb: JonathanBalcombeAuthortw/x: @jonathanpb1959weanimalsmedia.orgYoutube: weanimalsmediafb: WeAnimalsig: @WeAnimalstw/x: @WeAnimals

It’s back-to-school time, as Rick's two guests are Linda Schuyler and Sara Waisglass. Linda is a Canadian television producer best known for co-creating the award-winning Degrassi franchise, which spans five series over 4 decades. She’s a member of the order of Canada and Order of Ontario, and has recently written a memoir entitled The Mother of All Degrassi. Sara is a Canadian actress who co-starred as Frankie Hollingsworth in Degrassi: The Next Generation, as Robyn in the film Mary Goes Round, and most recently as Maxine in the Netflix drama Ginny & Georgia. In our study group, they cover:The multi-generational impact of DegrassiAge-appropriate castingThe space between the sensational and the trivialLearning from mistakes and failureFearing the future Living in the presentAcceptance and tolerance in young people todayTeachers that change your lifeLatch-key kidsHelicopter parentsVoicing both sides of the storyAnd a quiz … show!XingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractorig: @sarawais, @motherofallDegrassi tw: @swaisglass, @mother_degrassifb: @MotherDegrassiTikTok: @sara.wais, @motherofalldegrassiSara on imdbLinda on imdbLinda's book at: ecwpressamazonDegrassi:ig: @degrassinextgenerationig: @degrassi_junior_high

Rick shares the mic with two of Canada’s most accomplished writer/performers, Sugith Varughese and Anusree Roy. Sugith, born in India and raised in Canada, is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and actor, who was one of the original writers of the classic Muppet TV Show Fraggle Rock. More recently, he's played recurring characters in Kim's Convenience on CBC, and Transplant on CTV and NBC. Anusree is a renowned Indo-Canadian actor and writer of plays, television, film and opera, who has worked on major TV shows on CTV/NBC/CBC/Global TV/Netflix/and Paramount+.  She also teaches Playwriting at the University of Toronto, Mississauga.As a trio, they discuss:Auditioning for your own movieDEIB: Diversity, Equity Inclusion, & BelongingProgress or Performance?Breaking in as a brown personInclusion in Theatre and TelevisionArtificial vs Earned sensibilityElevating minority communitiesHigh stakes failureAutonomy and Authorship Fraggle Rock as an Allegory for how to live togetherSpecies Inter-dependencyThe future of theatreAnd an improvised storyXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractortw: @SugithVarughese ig: @SugithVarughese Threads: @SugithVarughese BlueSky: @sugithvarughese.bsky.social fb: @SugithVarughesetw: @i_write_alldayig: @writeranusreeroy www.anusreeroy.comwww.kaliroyinc.com 

Rick hosts a conversation with two extraordinary Canadian film makers, Atom Egoyan and Graham Foy. Atom is a Canadian icon, behind classic films such as Exotica, The Sweet Hereafter, Chloe, and more recently The Captive, Guest of Honour, and his upcoming film Seven Veils. Atom’s been nominated for every prestigous film prize out there, including the Palme D’Or at Cannes, the Golden Lion in Venice, and the Academy Awards in Hollywood. And today, he’s joined by Graham Foy, an up-and-coming young Canadian filmmaker, whose recent debut feature The Maiden has been earning him kudos and award nominations around the world. Together, they dig into…Remembering our teenage yearsShooting film vs. shooting digital“Graininess” in film and theatreSuspension of disbeliefLow and hi-tech magicThe evolution of music videosFilm scoring vs. music licensingMusical Motifs in film The challenges of directing operaFocusing audiences on now, not nextCommitment in live performanceThe importance of connectionXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractorAtom's website: egofilmarts.comThe Maiden trailerphoto of Atom Egoyan by: Tina Rowden

Rick shares the mic with two of the world’s top neuroscientists, who also happen to be related. Dr. Robert Sekuler is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, and a world-renowned researcher in the fields of perception and memory. His daughter, Dr. Allison Sekuler, teaches at the University of Toronto and McMaster University, and is Sandra A. Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience at Rotman Research Institute, the President and Chief Scientist at CABHI and the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Oh, and she’s a professional drummer, too. As a trio, they riff on…Blind spots: physical, cognitive and metaphorical Getting the gist of thingsEpistemic humilityIndigenous knowing, being and doingMindfulnessKnowing what distracts youReal and imagined time pressureLearning new languagesHuman vs. Artifical intelligenceDrumming: the mother of all ageing interventionsand a game show…XingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractortw: @asek47tw: @robsek in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsekuler/in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-sekuler-b4299a4/

In this episode, we use money as a catalyst for intergenerational conversation. Rick's two guests are Bruce Sellery and Naanak Sodhi. Bruce is a renowned Canadian financial consultant, business journalist, TV host and professional speaker. He’s also the founder of Moolala, which inspires people to get a better handle on their money.Naanak is a mechanical engineer, screen composer and music producer, who works with Google in Toronto, and who writes music for Bell Media. Together, they speak about...The intersection of tech, culture and businessHow young people view moneyAligning Value with ValuesThe problem of affordabilityThe disconnect of expectationsThe energy of immigrants Working smart vs working hardThe wisdom of experienceThe capacity for resilience Developing your passionFinding your peopleReconciling self and otherAnd a game show!XingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegapfb: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractormoolala.ca, brucesellery.comtw: @BruceSellerysodhivine.comtw: @Sohdivine

In this episode, Rick speaks with Mary Furlong and Zoe Byington of Mary Furlong & Associates. Mary is an entrepreneur, educator, author, and leading authority in the longevity marketplace. For 30 years, she’s guided major corporations, startups and non-for-profits, as they navigate trends in aging and technology. Since this podcast recording, Zoe’s been named the Technology and Digital Equity Project Coordinator at AARP, and is a social gerontologist working closely with Mary to enhance the lives of our aging society.Together, they tackle…Bi-coastal livingIntergeneration livingAgeism going both waysThe business opportunies of Baby BoomersIncluding young voices in investingMoney as a giftTechnology as a toolEntrepreneurs and innovationThe importance of storiesEvolving ecosystemsThe 5Ls of LeadershipAnd, as always, a game show!XingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractormaryfurlong.comLinkedIn: MaryFurlongLinkedIn: ZoeByingtonfb: CEOMaryFurlongtw: MaryFurlong

In this episode, Rick speaks to writer Ashton Applewhite and Dr. Pooja Viswanathan. Ashton is a Brooklyn-based speaker, activist, and author of several best-selling books, including This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism. She’s also also a leading spokesperson for the movement to raise awareness of ageism, and to dismantle it. Pooja is the Toronto-based Co-Founder and CEO of Braze Mobility, a leading developer of smart wheelchair technology in the age-tech space. Oh, and she a PhD in robotics.  Together, they talk about…Being a generalistHow ageing isn’t ickyMobility as a human rightHow binaries are badFailing betterAgeism, ableism and sexismHigh stakes intersectionalityInvolving community in designThe problem with generational labelsWorking grandmothersAnd a game show, with Jane FondaXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractorthischairrocks.comoldschool.infotw, ig: @thischairrocksfb: ThisChairRocksbrazemobility.comtw, ig: @brazemobility

It's Season 2 of XingTheGap! In this 1st episode, Rick speaks to Sabaa Quao and Yara Matta. Sabaa is a career entrepreneur, business strategist, and Chief Creative Officer of Cossette. He's also the founder of Wealthie, an investment and financial literacy platform for young people, which is where Yara as a designer. She is a Lebanese-born, Toronto-based interdisciplinary artist and community organizer. Yara moved to Canada in 2015 to attend the University of Toronto and graduated in 2020 with a BA in New Media and Studio. Together, we tackle…Financial Literacy for FamiliesThe Magic of Compound InterestTalking - or NOT Talking - about MoneyGenX Entrepreneurship Building Resilience to Weather StormsCreativity as an Operating SystemFocusing Deeply vs. Multi-TaskingGetting StuckConstant BrandingFinding Reliable Sources of InformationEpistemology, or How do you Know what you Know?Learning from Each Otherand a Game ShowXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw, ig: @rickmilleractortw: @xsabaaWealthie.worksig: wealthie.workstw: @Wealthyworks

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Rebecca, Rick and Sian-Pierre, click here. Enjoy!This is a Mother’s Day episode, and Rick's gift to you is a conversation with Sian-Pierre Regis and his mom Rebecca Danigelis, the team behind the internationally acclaimed documentary film Duty Free. It has now been seen by over a billion people around the world, and has changed the conversation around ageism. Sian-Pierre is an award-winning journalist, cultural critic, and contributor for CNN, HLN, MTV and CBS. Rebecca, when the film was made, was a 75-year-old housekeeping supervisor at a hotel when she was fired - unfairly - and the film follows their amazing intergenerational journey. Together, they talk aboutCorporate restructuringSuffering in silenceBeing gaslit by your employerConfronting ageismThe POJA Bill: Protect Older Job ApplicantsCollective action to make changeLiving intergenerationallyBucket ListsAnd jumping out of planesXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw: @rickmilleractordutyfreefilm.comig: @rebrexitig: @dutyfreefilmtw: @sianpierrefb: @dutyfreefilm

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Dan, Rick and Sierra, click here. Enjoy!In this episode, Xing the Gap crosses the US border to speak with a couple of extraordinary Americans, Dan Millman and his daughter, Sierra Prasada. Dan’s a giant in the field of personal development. His first book, “Way of the Peaceful Warrior”, was adapted into a film starring Nick Nolte, and has changed countless lives, including mine. Sierra's also an accomplished writer and voice actor, who produces audiobooks with her life partner Serafim, and collaborates on books with her dad, like “The Creative Compass: Writing Your Way from Inspiration to Publication”. As an inter-gen trio, we talk aboutThe creative journey,Collaborating through difference,A Peaceful Heart, and a Warrior Spirit,The theatre of life,The many characters within us,Cultivating a flexible mind,Finding our own path,The influence of Joseph Campbell,The Buddha’s final words,And life-changing trivia.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@rickmilleractor@xingthegappeacefulwarrior.com@pwdan@hisierrafimsierraprasada.comhisierrafim.com

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch David, Rick and Juveria, click here. Enjoy!Drop in your nickel, folks, because the doctors are IN. Today, Rick speaks with two prominent psychiatrists, Dr. David Goldbloom and Dr. Juveria Zaheer, who both have ties to Canada’s East Coast, but now live and work in Toronto. David’s the Senior Medical Advisor at CAMH (the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health), an arts lover, educator, author, and Officer of the Order of Canada. He also sits on so many boards, it would get boring to list them all here. His colleague Juveria, a geriatric Millennial (her words), works as a Clinician Scientist and Education Administrator at CAMH, and is an Assistant Professor at U of T’s Department of Psychiatry. Together, they riff onThe Oregon Trail generation“People” innovations in mental healthUnderstanding the universe of othersThe promise and peril of AISocial media avoidance and addictionNature, nurture and neuroplasticityProtecting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortexAnd forgetting to put your pants on.David: “In less than 1 second, that entirely social construct of embarrassment translates into an intense psychological and physiological experience."Five cents, please.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@rickmilleractor@xingthegap@juveriazaheer@CAMHnews@UofTPsych

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Colin, Deb & Rick, click here. Enjoy!Improv fans, you’re in for a treat, as Rick speaks to Colin Mochrie and Debra McGrath. Colin’s about a big an improv star as you can get, with over 2 decades on the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, both the UK and US versions. But he’s not “Just for Laughs"... Colin’s also done Shakespearean tragedy, and played a serial killer on Murdoch Mysteries. He’s joined by his life partner Debra McGrath, an award-winning writer, producer and comedian, who co-starred with Colin in the CBC series Getting Along Famously. And as you’ll see, they do get along famously as we talk about being "OK Boomered", making Mulroney: the Opera , master plasterers, life’s twists and turns, laughing through tough times, helping their trans daughter choose a new name, free speech vs. hate speech, punching below your weight, hope in the younger generations, change in older generations, an improv game, and a game show.#BuildBridgesNotWallsBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@rickmilleractor@xingthegap@colinmochriecolinmochrie.com

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Karen, Stephanie, Rick and Griffin, click here. Enjoy!Rick speaks with fellow podcasters Stephanie Wolfe, Karen Johnson-Diamond, and Griffin Cork, the voices behind "The Breakfast Dish", "Scamtime", and "Bridging the Gap Between Generations Who Assume Things About Each Other”, which Rick guested on in 2021. Stephanie and Karen are renowned Albertan actors and improvisers. Steph’s a founding member of the Canadian Comedy Award Winning Live Improvised Soap Opera, Die-Nasty. Karen’s the co-founder of Dirty Laundry, another awesome Albertan improv company. Griffin is Karen’s son, and a fine actor and producer in his own right. As a quad, they cover the art/chaos of podcasting, assuming things about others and being wrong, how teenagers will save the world, how facebook and TikTok split generations, finding meaning in bullshit jobs, how GenX invented the internet, from “Yes But” to “Yes And”, seeing change as opportunity, and why learning people’s pronouns is - to quote Griffin - “less effort than helping them move".#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@rickmilleractor@xingthegapBridging The Gap podcast@dienastyimprov@fraud.broads ( Scamtime )@dirtylaundryyyc@karenjohnsondiamond@stephwolfe101@GriffinCork

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Steve, Rick and Malaika, click here. Enjoy!In this XTG episode, Rick interviews Steve Anthony and Malaika Astorga. For Canadian GenXers, Steve Anthony is a household name, as one of the early stars of MuchMusic. Steve then cut his locks, and spent the next decade hosting CP24 Breakfast, helping it become the #1 Morning TV show in Canada. He’s joined by Malaika Astorga, a Latinx B. Comm graduate from Concordia, and co-founder of Also Cool — an online arts and music platform, plus podcast. She’s also a strategist for an L.A based media company, and a social media consultant for a ton of artists. As 3 generations, they riff on Mexican-Canadians in Quebec, VJs at the dawn of the internet, the Montreal-Toronto gap, how music tethers generations, how Algorithms create niches, how social media changes businesses, dealing with declining relevance, taking TikTok seriously, and trying to stump a pop culture icon in a game show.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@rickmilleractor@xingthegap@steveanthonyonlinesteveanthony.com@_flleur   @flloral_art@alsocoolmagmalaikaastorga.com

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Bruce, Rick and Roxane, click here. Enjoy!XTG is about building bridges, and Rick speaks to 2 building experts (like, literal buildings). Bruce Kuwabara is a founding partner of KPMB Architects, Chair of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and an Officer of the Order of Canada. He’s joined by Roxane Bejjany, an up-and-coming KPMB architect, who brings a Millennial perspective on work, life, and everything in between. Through the lens of architecture (which is what Rick studied in school) they talk about plurality in Canada, the concept of openness, the meaning of buildings, how hard it is to make great architecture, office towers that breathe, designing for mental health, mentoring from boomers, learning from GenZ, and thinking long-term. All that, and the usual game show silliness.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @RickMillerActorig: @kpmbarch

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Asha, Rick and Ravi, click here. Enjoy!Rick speaks with Ravi Jain and his mom Asha, stars of the international hit show Brimful of Asha. Ravi is the co-artistic director and founder of Why Not Theatre, a trailblazing company that celebrates cultural diversity and gives access to a younger generation of Canadian artists. The mother-son pair, with an assist from dad Ramesh and baby Rohan, share stories about arranged marriage, raising kids in immigrant communities, hipsters, gentrification, inter-generational cohabitation, ... and getting by a blank check from the Rolling Stones. Sweet Dreams… are made of this.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.catw: @RickMillerActorig: @RickMillerActorig: @seeravirun, @whynottheatreto

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Bruria, Rick and James, click here. Enjoy!In this special cooking episode, Rick speaks to Bruria Cooperman - “the Rebel Bubbie" - and chef James Mayer, a Millennial who starred on Master Chef Canada. Bruria is an artist, storyteller, and author of “For THIS I Survived? Children of Survivors Beyond the Trauma”. By day, James works for the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, and by night, he’s a classically trained, private chef for friends and family. We talk about family dinners, tradition vs. innovation in cooking, Hellman's vs. Miracle Whip, stomping gefilte fish, remembering Woodstock, cooking with pearls, and other pearls of wisdom. Plus a game show, and Japanese fusion Matzah Balls. Bon appetit!#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.ca@RickMillerActorig: @bruriacooperman2fb: @BruriaLCoopermanig: @chefjamie

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Mary, Rick and Jamie, click here.  Enjoy! Rick's two guests are Mary Walsh and Jamie Pitt, who bring us inter-generational perspectives from Newfoundland. Mary is one of Canada’s most recognized comedians, a founding member of CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and a prolific writer, producer and performer. Jamie was a student of Mary’s, then her executive assistant, and is now a successful casting director, editor and educator. We talk about Newfoundlanders doing things their own way, gender and intersectionality, underrepresentation of older women in culture, looking under the hood of who we are, hurtful words, and heartfelt conversations with family.Plus a Canadian legend gets her butt whooped in a game show.#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw: @rickmilleractorig: @officialmarywalsh

As a bonus to season 1 of Xing The Gap, we're releasing video versions of your favourite episodes. Now you get to see AND hear some of the extraordinary Canadians we spoke to this season, plus live drawings by Rick Miller, and multimedia by Kidoons. To watch Fiona, Rick and Meher, click here.  Enjoy!  Today's guest are Fiona Reid and Meher Pavri, two incredible Canadian performing artists. Fiona’s a legend of stage and screen, member of the Order of Canada, and a mother of  two. Meher's a multidisciplinary Millennial who does it all: opera, musicals, theatre, film and TV. The conversation covers generational misunderstandings, technological transformations, evolving views on policing, institutions and authority, letting go of old ideas, being frightened of social media, acknowledging algorithms, stretching phone cords, and admiring your parents even though they don’t know what LOL means. That, plus a game show!#BuildBridgesNotWallsXingTheGap.comBoomTheShow.comRickMiller.caig: @xingthegaptw: @rickmilleractorig: @MeherPavri