'More with Anna Maria Tremonti' feels like an evening with smart friends

Anna Maria Tremonti has spent years interviewing people about the news of the day, but lately she's been much more curious about how they make sense of the world. 

In May of 2019, the veteran journalist stepped down as the host of The Current, Canada's most listened-to radio show, to follow this curiosity. In a move the Globe and Mail described as a "significant vote of confidence" in podcasting, Tremonti has spent months exploring a more casual approach to chatting with high-profile guests. 

The result is More with Anna Maria Tremonti, a new podcast that takes you deep into conversation, and to some unexpected places, with culture shapers like Margaret Atwood, David Suzuki, Malcolm Gladwell and Samantha Bee.

The aim of each episode is to leave the listener feeling like they've spent an evening with smart friends who make you think differently about the world, and maybe even yourself.

Hear all of Season 1 here:

More with Anna Maria Tremonti1:44Introducing More with Anna Maria Tremonti (Trailer)

Anna Maria Tremonti gives you a taste of More, a new podcast that will take you inside the lives and minds of people you think you know — from Catherine O’Hara to Vivek Shraya to David Suzuki. Conversations for curious minds.

Each episode of More is inspired by a central theme but also allows space for interesting asides and memorable anecdotes. Note: the dates and running order are subject to change.

Jan. 28: Catherine O'Hara never expected such love for Moira Rose

More with Anna Maria Tremonti49:16Catherine O’Hara has never had a plan

After six years of Schitt’s Creek, Catherine O’Hara is slowly letting go of Moira Rose, her longest-running role. Now the renowned comedy actor says she’s got no idea what’s next. But here’s the thing: she never really has. A true improviser, O’Hara has always taken life one day at a time. Perhaps the one constant: she's always been part of a family. Listen in on her chat with Anna Maria Tremonti, and hear what she’s learned from a life of collaboration and saying “yes, and ...”

Feb. 4: So what if it's a phase? Vivek Shraya stands up for queer uncertainty

More with Anna Maria Tremonti53:57Vivek Shraya is a Debbie Downer

Multi-artist Vivek Shraya has turned out some pretty grim-sounding titles. Her books “Death Threat” and “I’m Afraid of Men” opened a lot of eyes to the trans experience. And her latest work is an autobiographical play called “How to Fail as a Popstar.” All of which, Vivek jokes, make her sound like a “Debbie Downer.” But when it comes to heavy topics like fear and hate — which Vivek has experienced more than most — she manages to infuse the conversation with humour and hope. Listen to her chat with Anna Maria Tremonti, and you may walk away knowing the difference between good fear and bad fear, and how to turn bad fear into something good.

Feb. 11: Samantha Bee planned to quit comedy in a blaze of glory

More with Anna Maria Tremonti58:29Samantha Bee was ready to walk away

A young Samantha Bee never imagined a future in political comedy. She discovered her love for showbiz quite accidentally. And she fell for it hard, setting her on a path to becoming a staple on late-night television — first on The Daily Show, and then with her own show, Full Frontal. But that path, Bee tells Anna Maria Tremonti, wasn’t always easy. Listen to their conversation to hear just how close she came to quitting (so close!) — but also how she found her passion, her voice, and her way.

Feb. 18: David Suzuki doesn't want to live forever

More with Anna Maria Tremonti59:23David Suzuki doesn't want to live forever

You probably know David Suzuki; the scientist, the broadcaster, the guy who sounded the alarm about climate change long before most knew it was a thing. But there are other things he can speak to with authority — and growing older is one of them. In his early 80s, Suzuki’s moving a little more slowly, but he’s still building treehouses for his grandkids and thinking big thoughts. Like, what would the world look like if we put our seniors on elder councils instead of out to pasture? He gets into it all with Anna Maria Tremonti: his long career, his father’s death, his fear of dementia and how to make peace with mortality.

Feb. 25: Elle Mills finds it easier to open up to millions online than to her mom

More with Anna Maria Tremonti45:57Elle Mills won’t cry to her mother

Elle Mills has what a lot of kids these days aspire to. At 21, she makes a living off YouTube — a really good one. Her channel ElleOfTheMills has almost two million subscribers. She’s got an agent. She makes appearances. And she’s got fans who love her and want to talk to her. Thing is, she has trouble talking to them. In real life, that is. Mills exposes herself on YouTube; opening up about tough subjects like disordered eating, mental health issues and coming out. But when it comes to talking about those things face to face, she struggles, even with her family. She talks to Anna Maria Tremonti about why being vulnerable in front of millions can be easier than being vulnerable with your own mom.

March 3: Naomi Klein says the Montreal Massacre made her a feminist 

More with Anna Maria Tremonti1:02:50Naomi Klein doesn’t like the word “hope”

These are emotional times for Naomi Klein. As an activist, she has fought a lot of big battles. But now she’s waging what may be the fight of her life — against climate change — and many days, the odds seem stacked against her. So what keeps her fighting? Whatever you do, don’t assume it’s because as a mom, she wants to give her kid a better future. And what gives her hope? Turns out she doesn’t really relate to that word. “Our chances aren’t good,” she tells Anna Maria Tremonti. She does, however, see “a pathway out of this crisis.” Listen to their conversation to hear what it’s like to be on the frontlines of the fight for change — and the very emotional place it all started for Naomi Klein.

March 10: Frank Gehry started off building cities with his grandma

More with Anna Maria Tremonti54:27Frank Gehry is a stand-out guy

It’s pretty easy to spot a Frank Gehry building: all curves and glass and movement. He’ll tell you his designs — from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles — “speak” to the buildings and environment around them. But to the onlooker, they clearly stand apart. That may be because Gehry views himself as an artist, and his designs as an art. In this conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti, it also becomes clear that Gehry sees his buildings as a way to bring people together — and sees his own role in life as much more than an architect. Plus, we get some key insight into his earliest days.

March 17: Margaret Atwood says the future depends on what we do now

More with Anna Maria Tremonti1:02:14Margaret Atwood sees many possible futures

Margaret Atwood has crafted her fair share of doomsday scenarios. And a lot of those have been inspired by real-life events, from the totalitarian regimes abroad that shaped her world as a child to the suspension of civil liberties at home in Canada, under the War Measures Act. Along the way, she has lost loved ones — including most recently her life partner and fellow writer, Graeme Gibson, who suffered from dementia. But in the face of all that, Margaret Atwood is still standing strong. With a crackling sense of humour and endless curiosity (“it gets me in so much trouble”) the internationally renowned writer seamlessly weaves between realities she’s lived in the last 80 years and possibilities yet to come in this conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti. And while she won’t make official predictions in the face of many possible futures, she will (almost gleefully) read palms. Just wait till you hear what she sees in Anna Maria’s.

March 24: Sure you're sure? Malcolm Gladwell says overconfidence can be more dangerous than ignorance

More with Anna Maria Tremonti1:04:03Malcolm Gladwell won’t make up his mind

Malcolm Gladwell is known for turning assumptions on their head, and looking at situations from a different point of view. In this chat recorded before COVID-19, the journalist and podcaster speaks to Anna Maria Tremonti about the importance of changing our minds. The good news is he’s hopeful about our ability to do so. In fact, Gladwell believes closed-minded dogmatists are the real outliers. “Most people are actually open to new interpretations — surprisingly so.” In a season finale that goes down many rabbit holes, Gladwell reveals why he’s rapidly losing interest in print; where he gets his best ideas; why overconfident people may be more dangerous than ignorant ones; and why people reacting with a “huh” is the ultimate compliment.

How to listen 

Listen for free on CBC Listen or on your favourite podcast app — including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. And if you're new to podcasts entirely, start here.