Shows
Sweater WeatherHacksNaomi and Aaron discuss the excellent HBO comedy Hacks, starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbender. Also, we chat about Canada geese attacking university students, Ken from Barbie being Canadian because he's played by Ryan Gosling, Hacks as wish fulfillment for creative types, the challenge of making standup comedy funny in fiction, and Calgary's variable air pressure. Sweater Weather podcast website: https://www.aarongiovannone.com/sweater-weather-podcast Naomi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/na.oh.mee Naomi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomiklewis Naomi's website: https://www.naomiklewis.com/
2025-04-3030 min
Sweater WeatherThe Last of UsNaomi and Aaron talk the haunting HBO drama, The Last of Us, which just premiered its second season, starring the terrific Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay. We also have a heart-to-heart about the Canadian Happiness Index, Aaron's pitch to the CBC for a Letterkenny-meets-Red Dawn prestige show, Naomi waiting for news about her novel, fake deadlines in the publishing industry, seeking recognition, our limited experience playing video games, and seeing Banff and Calgary and other Canadian places pop up in The Last of Us. Sweater Weather website: https://www.aarongiovannone.com/sweater-weather-podcast Naomi o...
2025-04-2135 min
Sweater WeatherThis Hour Has 22 MinutesIn this episode of Sweater Weather, we kick things off with jokes about Mark Carney's bestselling book and Mike Myers flaunting a Canadian Tire shirt on SNL, exploring what a truly "made in Canada" store might stock. But the heart of this episode is our revisiting This Hour Has 22 Minutes, the Canadian sketch comedy mainstay that's been running on the CBC since 1993. We reminisce about its edgy allure in our teen years, when it felt like must-see TV. Naomi loved Mary Walsh's fearless Marg Delahunty, who ambushed politicians with Xena-inspired flair. Then we chat about the current cast's antics—es...
2025-04-1434 min
Sweater WeatherAdolescence In this episode, we kick things off talking Amazon's sale of "Canada as a 51st state" merchandise and the strong opinions it has generated among famous Canadians, as well as some questionable examples of Canadian Content available on Amazon Prime. But the main focus of our discussion is the British mini-series, Adolescence, which centers around a 13-year-old boy accused of a serious crime. We'll discuss the series' unique cinematic style, filmed as a single take to create a sense of relentless tension . We will also delve into the challenges parents face in understanding their children's lives in the digital age. Ad...
2025-04-0730 min
Sweater WeatherCanadian BaconIn this episode of Sweater Weather, Aaron starts off by telling some jokes about the Canadian election: Who would fictional Canadian characters vote for? What should you do now that the GST on first homes is gone? Naomi laughs politely. Then we talk about Canadian Bacon, the 1995 film from director Michael Moore, starring John Candy, Rhea Perlman, and Alan Alda, a satire about an American president who declares war on Canada to boost his approval ratings. We liked many of the film's gags poking fun at Canada and Canadian stereotypes, but the real focus of the film is US...
2025-03-3129 min
Sweater WeatherThe BayIn this episode of Sweater Weather, we're chatting about the iconic Hudson's Bay Company. From its astonishing roots in Canadian history to its role as a shopping haven for generations, we're sharing our personal memories about wandering the aisles as teens, breaking up with bad boyfriends in the food court, and scoring those legendary (and somehow, perpetual) 70% off sales. Could this episode be the the very last BAY DAY ever?! Sweater Weather podcast (Video): https://www.youtube.com/@aarongiovannone Sweater Weather podcast (Audio): https://pod.link/1547081850 Naomi's website: https://www.naomiklewis.co...
2025-03-2231 min
Sweater WeatherMad MenIn this episode of Sweater Weather, we chat about the iconic TV series Mad Men, exploring its themes, characters, and why it might just be the "Great American Novel" of television. We kick things off with some personal writing updates—Naomi is deep into ghostwriting and editing, while Aaron has written about 20,000 words of a novel he hopes will end up being very short. But the real focus is on Mad Men, which Naomi recently rewatched and Aaron experienced for the first time. From Don Draper's enigmatic charm to Peggy Olson's groundbreaking journey, we dissect the...
2025-03-1535 min
Sweater WeatherThe Great Canadian NovelIn this week's episode of Sweater Weather, we discuss what constitutes The Great Canadian Novel. After sharing our personal writing updates—Naomi's ghostwriting projects and Aaron's progress on a comedic novel—we tackle the complex question of national identity in literature. We explore how Canadian literature often defines itself in opposition to American culture, and we examine why Canadian writers tend to focus on the "marginalized" (according to one of our sources) rather than the powerful elite. From Margaret Laurence's The Diviners to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, we debate which books might claim the title of the Great Cana...
2025-03-1032 min
Sweater WeatherThe Wild RobotIn this episode of Sweater Weather, Aaron and Naomi kick things off with a chat about their writing projects, genre expectations, and how different types of thrillers evoke distinct emotions. They discuss the balance between entertainment and edification in storytelling and what makes a book emotionally immersive. Then, they shift gears to talk about The Wild Robot, the Oscar-nominated animated film based on the bestselling middle-grade novel. We discuss how Roz, a robot stranded in the wilderness, learns to care for a gosling and forms a cooperative society with the island's animals. Along the way, we tackle big questions: D...
2025-03-0132 min
Sweater WeatherSeveranceAfter an update on our writing — Aaron is trying to choose what novel to write next, Naomi is busy with editing and ghost-writing projects — we discuss the Apple TV thriller Severance, focusing on its intriguing sci-fi premise and character-driven narrative. Severance presents a world where people undergo a procedure to become unaware of their outside lives during their workday, essentially becoming a different person, with "outies" having no memory of their "innies", and vice-versa. We discuss how this concept raises issues about identity and resonates with anyone who dislikes their job. We examine the show's setting, the ominous Lumen comp...
2025-02-1520 min
Sweater WeatherWriting Our ReligionAfter progress updates on our writing – Aaron finished his novel manuscript! Naomi had two items of writing-related good news this week! – we get real about the writing process. We reflect on how you have to wait forever for everything in the publishing business, and the frustrations of continually seeking external validation. Then we discuss a pet theory Aaron is working on, which considers the writing life as a faith-based activity, at least occassionally. Does writing, especially when it seems no one else cares, rely on a belief that stories have some kind of transcendental value, that you're writing them in se...
2025-02-1029 min
Sweater WeatherDallasIn this week's episode of Sweater Weather, we open a cultural time capsule: Dallas. We revisit the long-running, prime-time soap opera that captivated our parents and grandparents from 1978 to 1991. As kids, we watched it along with the adults (it was considered sacrosanct "mommy time" in Aaron's house) although we were too young to understand its nefarious characters and wacky plot lines. We were curious to find out, as adults now, if this monumental show of our childhood was actually any good. The short answer: it was! Our conversation begins with updates on our writing journeys, flu recoveries...
2025-01-2730 min
Sweater WeatherNosferatuAaron and Naomi kick off this episode of Sweater Weather reflecting on their creative journeys in 2024. Then they discuss Robert Eggers' visually stunning yet narratively unsatisfying film, Nosferatu (2024), and they explore how primal fears influence the horror genre. Naomi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/na.oh.mee/ Naomi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomiklewis Aaron on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaron.giovannone/ Aaron on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronGiovannoneAuthor/ Aaron on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aarongiovannone Aaron on X: https://x.com/SincerityCity
2024-12-3035 min
Sweater WeatherThe Littlest Hobo Naomi and Aaron discuss the TV show The Littlest Hobo (1979-1985). [This episode was originally paywalled, but here it is in its entirety!] This week on Sweater Weather, we ride the rails of nostalgia with The Littlest Hobo, the classic Canadian TV show about a lone German Shepherd who runs and swims and flies in hot air balloons across the land, bringing joy to everyone he meets (except the bad guys). In 114 episodes from 1979 to 1985, Hobo can't resist solving problems for all the hapless humans he meets along the way. We reminisce about our own m...
2024-12-1859 min
Sweater WeatherBreaker High Naomi and Aaron discuss the TV show Breaker High (1997-98). [This episode was originally paywalled, but here it is in its entirety for free!] Ahoy, Sweater Wearers! This week we sail back to the late 90s and into the Canadian teen sitcom Breaker High, a much requested topic for our show. Airing from 1997 to 1998 on YTV, Breaker High captured the imaginations of young viewers by setting high school on a cruise ship. We explore many of the characters, including the wacky Sean, played by a young Ryan Gosling showing off his comedic chops in the role. Maybe w...
2024-12-1856 min
Sweater WeatherC'est Comme Ça Que Je T'aimeNaomi and Aaron discuss the TV show C'est Comme Ça Que Je T'aime (2020-2024). [If you enjoy Sweater Weather, become a patron of the show on Patreon. Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] In this episode we gush over the Québécois TV series C'est Comme Ça Que Je T'aime, also known by its less interesting English name, Happily Married. (You can watch C'est Comme Ça with English subtitles on CBC Gem for free, but be sure to use its original French title when searching.) Set in 1974, this one-hour dramatic comedy series follows two s...
2024-10-031h 02
Sweater WeatherHard Core LogoNaomi and Aaron discuss the film Hard Core Logo (1996). [If you enjoy Sweater Weather, become a patron of the show on Patreon. Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] In this episode of Sweater Weather, we're diving deep into one of Canada's most iconic cult films, Hard Core Logo (1996). Directed by Bruce McDonald and based on Michael Turner's novel-in-verse, this mockumentary captures the gritty essence of a fictional punk band's reunion tour across Western Canada. Join Aaron and Naomi as they reminisce about their first encounters with the film, chat about the standout...
2024-09-1958 min
Sweater WeatherThe TradesNaomi and Aaron discuss the TV show The Trades (2024). [If you enjoy Sweater Weather, become a patron of the show on Patreon. Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] This week Aaron and Naomi dive into the greasy world of The Trades, a Crave original TV show co-produced by the Trailer Park Boys. The Trades is a blue-collar, workplace comedy starring Rob Wells (aka Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys) as Todd Stool, the mullet-rocking foreman at a fictional oil refinery. Filmed in Hamilton and Nova Scotia, the show has plenty of bathroom humour, weird...
2024-09-0559 min
Sweater WeatherLetterkenny, feat. Marcello Di CintioNaomi and Aaron are joined by author Marcello Di Cintio to discuss the TV show Letterkenny (2016-2023). [If you enjoy Sweater Weather, become a patron of the show on Patreon. Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] How are ya now, Sweater Wearers? In this episode, we're joined by friend and award-winning author Marcello Di Cintio to discuss the Crave original series, Letterkenny, the Canadian small-town comedy that had fans smokin' darts and poppin' Puppers for its twelve seasons. We chat about the show's origins as the creation of Jared Kesso, who plays the alpha...
2024-08-151h 10
Sweater WeatherMr. DressupNaomi and Aaron discuss the documentary Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (2023). [Want more Sweater Weather in your life? Subscribe to Sweater Weather on Patreon for access to our premium episodes. As a patron, you'll receive a brand new Sweater Weather every week! Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] This week we rumage around our Tickle Trunk and pull out this wonderful documentary about the life and career of children's entertainer Ernie Coombs, aka Mr. Dressup. If you don't have your own Tickle Trunk, you'll find the documentary on Amazon Prime. Surprising facts that we...
2024-08-011h 04
Sweater WeatherLaw & Order Toronto: Criminal IntentNaomi and Aaron discuss the TV show Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent (2023-). [Want more Sweater Weather in your life? Subscribe to Sweater Weather on Patreon for access to our premium episodes. As a patron, you'll receive a brand new Sweater Weather every week! Go to patreon.com/canadiansweater for details.] In this edition of Sweater Weather, we wade into the murky world of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent. In total disregard of the law, in no particular order, we laugh about the unique Canadian spin on the Law & Order franchise, set in Toronto. We e...
2024-07-1845 min
Sweater WeatherBearNaomi and Aaron discuss the novel Bear (1976). Subscribe to Sweater Weather on Patreon. In this episode, we re-visit the controversial and classic Canadian novel Bear (1976) by Marian Engel. The winner of the Governor General's Award for fiction, Bear is known for its scandalous content and has sparked discussions for decades with its unconventional narrative about a woman's romantic relationship with a bear. We explore Engel's life, as well as the broader feminist and nationalist themes that permeate her book. We also touch on the cultural context of the 1970s, the power of ursine symbolism in...
2024-07-111h 00
Sweater WeatherBlackBerryNaomi and Aaron discuss the film BlackBerry (2023). Subscribe to Sweater Weather on Patreon. In this episode, we dive into the movie BlackBerry (2023), starring Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton and Matt Johnson (Johnson also directed the film). The film rides a wave of early 2000s nostalgia and explores a pre-smartphone era. We reminisce about never having a BlackBerry ourselves while people around us did. We especially enjoyed a scene where an obnoxious businessman swizzles whiskey and chomps a cigar while showing off his new BlackBerry. We delve into the contrasting personalities of the Co-CEOs, Mike Lazaridis (played...
2024-07-0450 min
Sweater WeatherI Am: Celine DionNaomi and Aaron discuss the documentary I Am: Celine Dion (2024). Support Sweater Weather on Patreon. In this episode of Sweater Weather, Aaron and Naomi discuss the documentary I Am: Celine Dion (2024), which is available on Amazon Prime. They explore Celine's image, her massive success, and her corny yet undeniably popular style. The documentary itself focuses on Celine's current battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, including an impactful scene of her having a seizure, a symptom of her SPS. However, the documentary steers clear of anything potentially problematic, especially regarding her controversial marriage with Rene Angelil. Aaron a...
2024-06-2756 min
Sweater Weather#34—Ducks, feat. Marc Herman Lynch*TW: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence.* Today we talk Ducks, Kate Beaton's celebrated graphic memoir — winner of Canada Reads, a New York Times Notable Book — about her two years working in the oil sands of Fort McMurray, where men outnumber women fifty to one. Harsh economic realities forced Beaton to leave her Cape Breton home for northern Alberta, where she found strange beauty in a desolate landscape, and human connection in the midst of sexual harassment, danger, and even violence. The book gorgeously and heartrendingly depicts a time, place and culture. For our discussion, we're joined by Marc...
2023-07-141h 15
Sweater WeatherSweater Weather Live! Talks Ducks with Marc Herman Lynch, Sun. Apr. 23 at the Memorial Park LibraryReserve your free tickets at our Eventbrite page. Join Naomi and Aaron of the Sweater Weather podcast for their deep-dive discussion of Ducks, the award-winning graphic memoir by Kate Beaton about life in the Alberta oil sands. They'll be joined by special guest Marc Herman Lynch, a literary scholar, comics enthusiast, and novelist. This event takes place Sunday, April 23, in the Alexander Calhoun Salon at the Memorial Park Library in Calgary, Treaty 7 territory. Recording will begin shortly after 2 pm.
2023-04-1900 min
Writing the Wrong Way with Jonathan Ball, PhDAaron Giovannone on creating poetic tension and The NonnetsJonathan welcomes poet Aaron Giovannone to talk about his second book of poetry The Nonnets, and how he evokes emotion in such short-written works.
Pick up your copy of The Nonnets here: https://www.amazon.ca/Nonnets-Aaron-Giovannone/dp/1771664061
For more of Jonathan's work:
https://twitter.com/jonathanballcom
https://www.instagram.com/jonathanballcom/
https://www.strangerfiction.ca/
2023-04-1252 min
Sweater Weather#33—Ian Tyson, feat. Jeremy KlaszusSaddle up your quarter horse and grab that flask of whiskey for this ride through the life and works of country music legend Ian Tyson. Born in Victoria, BC, in 1933, Tyson's recording career spanned six decades, from his time in the Greenwich Village coffeehouse scene as one half of the folk duo Ian & Sylvia, to his years as a solo country artist working from his ranch in Longview, Alberta. With our guest Jeremy Klaszus, ghostwriter of Ian Tyson's 2010 memoir The Long Trail: My Life in the West, we discuss Tyson's love of horses, his tumultuous romances, and his fascination...
2023-04-071h 34
Sweater WeatherSweater Weather Live! Talks Ian Tyson with Jeremy Klaszus, Sunday Mar. 5 at 2 pmReserve your free tickets at our Eventbrite page: www.eventbrite.ca/e/sweater-weather-live-talks-ian-tyson-with-jeremy-klaszus-tickets-528972780827 Join the audience for Sweater Weather Live! talks the life and music of country legend Ian Tyson. Our special guest will be Jeremy Klaszus, editor-in-chief of The Sprawl and ghostwriter of Ian Tyson's memoir The Long Trail: My Life in the West. This event takes place Sunday, March 5 at 2 pm at the Memorial Park Library in Calgary on Treaty 7 territory.
2023-02-2500 min
Sweater Weather#32—Anne of Green Gables, feat. Cheryl FoggoIn 1908, thirty-four-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery published a novel set in the fictional Prince Edward Island town of Avonlea. Her heroine: a loveable and drama-prone red-headed orphan, adopted by an elderly brother and sister who turn out to need her as much as she needs them. The book is Anne of Green Gables, of course, a novel that made its author famous and helped turn PEI into an international tourist attraction. With our guest, writer and filmmaker Cheryl Foggo, we learn how much of Maud's life resembled Anne's, and how much it didn't—from scorned admirers to kindred spirits to bo...
2023-02-181h 37
Sweater WeatherSweater Weather Live! in Calgary, Sunday Feb. 12 at 2 pmJoin Naomi and Aaron for this live recording of the Sweater Weather podcast as they discuss the enduring appeal of the classic novel Anne of Green Gables. They'll be joined by writer and documentary filmmaker Cheryl Foggo. This event takes place Sunday, February 12 at 2pm in the salon of the Memorial Park Library in Calgary, on Treaty 7 territory. Book your free tickets on our Eventbrite page to reserve your spot! : https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sweater-weather-live-talks-anne-of-green-gables-with-guest-cheryl-foggo-tickets-512155700487
2023-02-0900 min
Sweater Weather#31—The Other Side of NickelbackIn this audio documentary special, Aaron dives deep into the history of Nickelback, the most commercially successful and critically despised Canadian band of their generation. In the aughts when Nickelback dominated the air waves and sold out stadiums, bashing them publicly became a competitive sport for tastemakers and social media users. What spurred this unprecedented love/ hate relationship with Nickelback, and how did this band from Hanna, Alberta, find themselves at the centre of a cultural, class and political conflict? If you enjoy Sweater Weather, consider supporting the show on Patreon. Patrons get early access to new...
2023-01-1537 min
Sweater WeatherSweater Weather Live! in Calgary, Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2pmJoin us for our next live recording of Sweater Weather as we talk Anne of Green Gables with our special guest, writer and documentary filmmaker Cheryl Foggo. We'll be downstairs at the Memorial Park Library in Calgary, Sunday, Jan. 22 at 2pm. Book your free tickets here to reserve your spot. An after party will be held at the Civic Tavern (one block from the library) immediately following the recording. Hope to see you there!
2023-01-1100 min
Sweater Weather#21—The Kids in the Hall (Full Episode)In the spirit of the season, we've brought out from behind the paywall our full episode on The Kids in the Hall. Happy holidays, everyone! Support us on Patreon ~~ Inspired by the recently released sixth season of The Kids in the Hall, Naomi and Aaron discuss this legendary sketch comedy show. We follow the Kids' paths to becoming comic actors, and how the show was too dark to enjoy when we were kids ourselves. We breakdown some of their most notorious sketches, including Cabbage Head and The Chicken Lady, and pay special attention...
2022-12-241h 17
Sweater Weather#30—The Hockey Sweater, feat. Maxime Raymond BockOne fateful day in the winter of 1946, a boy in the village of Sainte-Justine, Quebec, opened his Eaton's package to find, instead of a coveted Montreal Canadiens jersey, the dreaded blue of the Toronto Maple Leafs. That despised hockey sweater was destined for literary, if not sports, fame. That boy became author Roch Carrier, who has published some thirty books, run for political office, and headed numerous government agencies, including the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Library of Canada. But it was the NFB's 1980 film adaptation The Sweater, lushly and wittily animated by Sheldon...
2022-12-161h 31
Sweater Weather#29—Sarah McLachlan, feat. Kris Demeanor (Live)You will remember her—singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan was born in Halifax, studied music from the age of four, started winning singing awards not much later, and was offered her first major record deal at seventeen. Throughout the nineties, she won a boatload of Grammys and Junos for her work on the albums Solace, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, and Surfacing, and she founded and headlined the all-female music festival Lilith Fair. In 2006, she starred in the SPCA's iconic commercial that broke all our hearts and raised millions, and soon after founded a music school for under-served children. Musician,actor an...
2022-11-261h 01
Sweater WeatherSweater Weather Live! in Calgary, Tues. Nov. 22The first ever live recording of Sweater Weather is happening Tuesday, November 22 at the Rose & Crown Pub in Calgary at 7 pm. Reserve your free tickets here at Eventbrite. We'll be fumbling towards the ecstasy that is the life and music of singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. And if you're not already swooning in the arms of an angel, we'll be joined in our discussion by musician, actor and writer Kris Demeanor. The Rose and Crown (1503 4th St. SW) will be offering food and drink service during the show. Recording begins shortly after 7 pm, so please...
2022-11-1402 min
Sweater Weather#28—The Tom Green ShowIn episode 28, we revisit the antics of shock comic Tom Green. In the early nineties, Green rose to local Ottawa fame with a rap album, a radio show, and a program on public-access television. In 1998, The Tom Green Show gained a national following on the Canadian Comedy Network, and in 1999 it jumped to the American big time on MTV. Green was the network's golden/meat-covered boy, a box office success in the films Road Trip (2000) and Charlie's Angels (2000)—before being waylaid by testicular cancer, a short-lived marriage to actress Drew Barrymore, and the critical lambasting of his directorial debut, Fr...
2022-11-121h 18
Sweater Weather#27—The Sweet Hereafter, feat. Abdul MalikScreenwriter Abdul Malik (Peace by Chocolate, CTV's Transplant) joins us to talk about Atom Egoyan's 1997 film, The Sweet Hereafter, one of Canada's most celebrated movies and the pinnacle of the Toronto New Wave moment. We revisit the melancholic, majestic, and morally compromised town of Sam Dent, a fictional community in BC's interior that has lost almost all its children to a school-bus crash. Ian Holm plays a carpet-bagging lawyer with his own emotional baggage, while Sarah Polley portrays a young girl who survives both the bus accident and her father's abuse. In this stark winter landscape, we warm to...
2022-10-151h 19
Sweater Weather#26—Are You Afraid of the Dark? feat. Tasnuva HaydenWe've got one question for you, Sweater Wearers: Are You Afraid of the Dark? This Montreal-produced kids' horror series aired on YTV in Canada, on Nickelodeon in the US, and on networks around the world—including in Norway where our special guest, poet Tasnuva Hayden, watched eagerly every Saturday night circa 1992. We light the proverbial campfire and toss some metaphorical magic powder on the flames before discussing some stand-out episodes. There's one about dead Aunt Dora, an elegant equestrian from the 1950s who possesses her 16-year-old niece and makes her speak with a mid-Atlantic accent; another about a clown na...
2022-09-271h 08
Sweater Weather#25—The RehearsalFrom high school improv with Seth Rogen in Vancouver, to a spot on the CBC classic This Hour Has 22 Minutes, to his Comedy Central series Nathan For You, Nathan Fielder's comedic vision has expanded from silly, semi-cruel satire to mirror-funhouse meta-reality TV. We discuss his latest, the HBO docu-comedy The Rehearsal, and ask whether it's "reality" and whether it's comedy, whether his methods are immoral or merely show us our own dark, TV-shaped hearts, and whether Fielder, a former magician, has just pulled off a brilliant sleight of hand. If you enjoy Sweater Weather, consider supporting the...
2022-09-071h 04
Sweater Weather#24—Generation XToday we're talking about the novel that named a generation. In 1991, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture by Vancouver author and visual artist Douglas Coupland became a sleeper hit, an objet d'art that no student living room could do without. How, exactly, did this weird book manage to capture the zeitgeist of twenty-somethings struggling to find meaning in the shadow of the Boomers? What were its influences and what cultural floodgates did it open? Is it a good novel? Also, Aaron remembers an unfortunate youthful encounter with Douglas Coupland at the Canadian embassy in Paris. If...
2022-08-241h 09
Sweater Weather#20—Degrassi Junior High (Full Episode)We'll be back with a new episode next week, but in the meantime enjoy this content from behind the paywall, our FULL episode on Degrassi from earlier this summer. --- Aaron and Naomi talk about the classic teen drama Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989) and its immediate sequel, Degrassi High (1989-1991). We discuss the show's fascinating production history, our vivid memories of watching it as kids, and the labour conditions for the actors. We also dig into the details of one of our favourite episodes, "All Nighter," and even re-enact a scene. You won't want to...
2022-08-171h 34
Sweater Weather#23—Alanis MorissetteIsn't it ironic that we finally decided to cover this essential Canadian artist? Alanis Morissette was one of the most successful musicians of the 1990s, selling 33 million copies of her album Jagged Little Pill. We trace her career from child actor to international rock superstar to Instagram mom. We consider the mass appeal of her music, with its cathartic rage, ear-wormy melodies, and therapeutic confessions. What does Morissette's popularity say about Generation X and the older Millenials who make up her fan base, past and present? Wait a minute...how is any of this "ironic"? If you...
2022-08-021h 07
Sweater Weather#22—Danger BayNaomi and Aaron speedboat through the CBC family adventure show Danger Bay (1984-1990). We discuss the show's infinite animal menagerie, its 1980s environmentalism, and the protagonist, Dr. Grant Roberts, who is both a Professional-Class Hero and Dad of the Year. We also rehearse our favourite lines of dialogue from Danger Bay, including Doc Roberts shouting: "We need a lactating otter!" This is the free 31-minute version of the episode. To access the full 73-minute version, subscribe to the show on Patreon. Subscribers gain access to all full-length episodes of Sweater Weather—that's about twice the content! ...
2022-07-1930 min
Sweater Weather#21—The Kids in the HallInspired by the recently released sixth season of The Kids in the Hall, Naomi and Aaron talk about this legendary sketch comedy show (1988-1995). We discuss the Kids' paths to becoming comic actors, and how the show was too dark for us to appreciate when we were kids ourselves. We breakdown some of their most notorious sketches, including Cabbage Head and The Chicken Lady, and pay special attention to their unfairly maligned feature film, Brain Candy (1996), which is actually very good! Finally, we consider the dangers of cultural nostalgia and decide that we'll do it anyway. This...
2022-07-0533 min
Sweater Weather#20—Degrassi Junior HighAaron and Naomi talk about the classic teen drama Degrassi Junior High (1987-1989) and its immediate sequel, Degrassi High (1989-1991). We discuss the show's fascinating production history, our vivid memories of watching it as kids, and the labour conditions for the actors. We also dig into the details of one of our favourite episodes, "All Nighter," and even re-enact a scene. You won't want to miss Naomi's uncanny Melanie impression! This is the free 46-minute version of the episode. To access the full 94-minute version, subscribe to the show on Patreon. Subscribers gain access to all full-length...
2022-06-2146 min
Sweater WeatherLeonard Cohen & the Cold WarHow Leonard Cohen's life and art was shaped by the Cold War-- and the political uses of his most famous song, "Hallelujah." This episode is based on an article I wrote for The Breach titled "Leonard Cohen, Cold War Troubadour": https://breachmedia.ca/leonard-cohen-cold-war-troubadour/ Support Sweater Weather: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=7353597 Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t-AC7Gvx7HU Visit our website: https://www.sweaterweatherpod.com Follow the podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/canadiansweater Follow Aaron on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SincerityCity...
2022-02-0231 min
Harbinger ShowcaseHarbinger Telethon vol.3 w/ Alberta Advantage, Paris Marx, News You Can Use, Sweater Weather, The Hoser, The Maple and Darts & LettersCelebrate Harbinger's first anniversary w/ a stacked deck of incredible guests to lament the hopeless and harrowing 2021 Federal Election on part 3 of an absolutely epic 12 hour-long Twitchstream telethon featuring The Alberta Advantage, Tech Won't Save Us host Paris Marx, the 30-months-in-the-making News You Can Use reunion with Drew Brown, Tannara Yelland and James Wilt, Sweater Weather's Aaron Giovannone, Darts & Letters' Gordon Katic, The Maple managing editor Alex Cosh, The Hoser co-founder Kevin Taghabon, Gender Troubles' Eve Espenshade and Emma Austin, Andre Goulet and the Harbinger Board of Directors' Kai Nagata.Hear the Alberta Advantage: https://albertaadvantagepod.com/...
2021-09-202h 53Harbinger ShowcaseHarbinger Telethon vol.3 w/ Alberta Advantage, Paris Marx, News You Can Use, Sweater Weather, The Hoser, The Maple and Darts & LettersCelebrate Harbinger's first anniversary w/ a stacked deck of incredible guests to lament the hopeless and harrowing 2021 Federal Election on part 3 of an absolutely epic 12 hour-long Twitchstream telethon featuring The Alberta Advantage, Tech Won't Save Us host Paris Marx, the 30-months-in-the-making News You Can Use reunion with Drew Brown, Tannara Yelland and James Wilt, Sweater Weather's Aaron Giovannone, Darts & Letters' Gordon Katic, The Maple managing editor Alex Cosh, The Hoser co-founder Kevin Taghabon, Gender Troubles' Eve Espenshade and Emma Austin, Andre Goulet and the Harbinger Board of Directors' Kai Nagata.Hear the Alberta Advantage: https://albertaadvantagepod.com/...
2021-09-202h 53
Sweater WeatherCottages, Cabins & Class, feat. Tonya DavidsonSupport this podcast. Cabins and cottages have come to represent summer in Canada-- even though most Canadians spend the summer in hot cities. What does the fascination with cabins and cottages reveal about class, inequality and colonization in Canada? This episode we welcome Tonya Davidson, a sociologist at Carleton University and co-editor of the essay collection Seasonal Sociology (University of Toronto Press, 2020). We discuss her essay in that collection, "Summer in Cottage Country." Visit Sweater Weather's website | Follow Aaron Giovannone and Sweater Weather on Twitter.
2021-07-3141 min
Harbinger ShowcaseCanada, Global Capitalism & Socialist Possibilities w/ Sam Gindin (Sweater Weather ep1)On an early episode of Sweater Weather host Aaron Giovannone speaks with Sam Gindin, co-author of modern classic The Making of Global Capitalism (2012), as well as the more recent but no less essential The Socialist Challenge Today (2020) both co-written with his long-time friend and colleague Leo Panitch. From 1974-2000, Sam was the director of research at the Canadian Auto Workers union, now Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada.Sam is an internationally recognized authority on political economy and social movements, and he frequently writes and speaks about socialism in a global context—but he’s Canadian, so I...
2021-07-241h 10Harbinger ShowcaseCanada, Global Capitalism & Socialist Possibilities w/ Sam Gindin (Sweater Weather ep1)On an early episode of Sweater Weather host Aaron Giovannone speaks with Sam Gindin, co-author of modern classic The Making of Global Capitalism (2012), as well as the more recent but no less essential The Socialist Challenge Today (2020) both co-written with his long-time friend and colleague Leo Panitch. From 1974-2000, Sam was the director of research at the Canadian Auto Workers union, now Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada.Sam is an internationally recognized authority on political economy and social movements, and he frequently writes and speaks about socialism in a global context—but he’s Canadian, so I...
2021-07-241h 10
Sweater WeatherFUBAR II & FUBAR: Age of Computer, feat. the Alberta AdvantageSupport Sweater Weather! I'm joined once again by my friends from the Alberta Advantage podcast: Clinton, Karen and Joel. We conclude our epic discussion of FUBAR, the classic Canadian and Calgarian comedy franchise, by discussing FUBAR II: Balls to the Wall (2010) in which our protagonists, Terry and Dean, head up to Fort McMurray to work in the oil sands, as well as the TV Series, FUBAR: Age of Computer (2017), when the boys try to make a go of it in the online economy. The struggles of Terry and Dean as working class men really come to the...
2021-07-2351 min
Sweater WeatherFUBAR, feat. The Alberta AdvantageSupport the show. This week I'm joined by my podcast comrades from the Alberta Advantage: Clinton, Joël and Karen, for a deep dive into the classic Canadian and Calgarian comedy franchise FUBAR. It's been nearly 20 years since the first FUBAR film brought us the endearing headbangers Terry and Dean. In our discussion we appreciate FUBAR's depiction of working-class life and its wicked humour. And of course, we ponder what it really means to giv'er. This is the first of two episodes dedicated to the FUBAR franchise. Keep your eyes peeled for our next release w...
2021-07-1548 min
Sweater WeatherThe Secret Lives of Drivers, feat. Marcello Di CintioI talk to author and journalist Marcello Di Cintio about the lives of people who drive taxis for a living. He tells their stories in his fascinating new book, Driven: The Secret Lives of Drivers. This is episode 15 of Sweater Weather with Aaron Giovannone. Visit the Sweater Weather website: https://www.sweaterweatherpod.com/ Donate on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=7353597 Donate on PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/canadiansweater?locale.x=en_US Subscribe to the newsletter: https://aarongiovannone.substack.com/welcome Follow on YouTube: h...
2021-06-2648 min
Sweater WeatherThe Communist's Daughter, ft. Leah CameronOn today's episode, I talk to Leah Cameron, a television writer in Toronto. She is creator, director and co-writer of The Communist's Daughter, a comedy series loosely based on her left-wing family in Toronto in 1989, now available on CBC Gem. This is episode 14 of Sweater Weather with Aaron Giovannone. Watch The Communist's Daughter: https://gem.cbc.ca/season/the-communists-daughter/season-1/38ebdd8f-20ad-4d8f-a86c-c1d121cb0d3f Visit the Sweater Weather website: https://www.sweaterweatherpod.com/ Donate on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=7353597 Donate on...
2021-06-1230 min
Sweater WeatherLiterature & Social Change, ft. Tom WaymanWhy do we need an honest portrayal of work and employment in literature? What is the point of poetry? How has postmodernism affected arts and education? Today we are visited by Tom Wayman, the author of more than 20 books of poetry and prose, as well as a professor emeritus at the University of Calgary. Today we talk about his collection of essays, If You're Not Free at Work, Where Are You Free?: Literature and Social Change (Guernica, 2018). Tom also treats us to a reading of a couple of his beautiful poems. Read Tom Wayman's book...
2021-05-251h 20
Sweater WeatherCapitalism & Geopolitics, ft. Radhika DesaiThis episode we're visited by Radhika Desai, professor of political science at the University of Manitoba. She is the author and editor of several works on political economy, including Geopolitical Economy: After US Hegemony, Globalization and Empire (Pluto Press, 2013) as well as Revolutions: A Twenty-First Century Perspective, which was a special issue of Third World Quarterly in 2020, co-edited with her colleague Henry Heller. How have neoliberal economies fared during the Coronavirus crisis, compared to planned economies? How does capitalism structure the geopolitics between states? What is the role of the US dollar? And we discuss the relationship...
2021-04-141h 49
Sweater WeatherNorman Bethune & China-Canada Relations, ft. Paul JayThe early years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War produced a new consensus among western elites that it was now a good thing to do business with China and develop cultural relations. A fascinating film from 1990 illustrates this moment of history, Bethune: The Making of A Hero, starring Donald Sutherland as Norman Bethune, the real-life Canadian communist doctor who died in China in 1939 providing medical aid to Mao's 8th Army as it battled the invading Japanese. Bethune was a swash-buckling humanitarian who became a revered figure of the Chinese R...
2021-03-1658 min
Sweater WeatherNorman Bethune & China-Canada Relations, ft. Paul JayThe early years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War produced a new consensus among western elites that it was now a good thing to do business with China and develop cultural relations. A fascinating film from 1990 illustrates this moment of history, Bethune: The Making of A Hero, starring Donald Sutherland as Norman Bethune, the real-life Canadian communist doctor who died in China in 1939 providing medical aid to Mao’s 8th Army as it battled the invading Japanese. Bethune was a swash-buckling humanitarian who became a revered figure of the Chi...
2021-03-1658 min
Sweater WeatherAnti-Unionism in Canada, Part 2, ft. Stephanie RossDonate to the show: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=7353597 This is part 2 of my discussion with Dr. Stephanie Ross, associate professor and director of the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. She is author, co-author and co-editor of several works on Canadian labour and unions, including Building a Better World: An Introduction to the Labour Movement in Canada (Fernwood, 2015) and Labour Under Attack Anti-Unionism in Canada (Fernwood, 2018). In this second part of the interview, we talk about life within unions in more detail, especially about the inequalities that unions sometimes reproduce while trying...
2021-03-1346 min
Sweater WeatherAnti-Unionism in Canada, Part 2, ft. Stephanie RossDonate to the show: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=7353597 This is part 2 of my discussion with Dr. Stephanie Ross, associate professor and director of the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. She is author, co-author and co-editor of several works on Canadian labour and unions, including Building a Better World: An Introduction to the Labour Movement in Canada (Fernwood, 2015) and Labour Under Attack Anti-Unionism in Canada (Fernwood, 2018). In this second part of the interview, we talk about life within unions in more detail, especially about the inequalities that unions sometimes reproduce while trying...
2021-03-1346 min
Sweater Weather/9/ Anti-Unionism in Canada, Part 1, ft. Stephanie RossThis week I talk to Dr. Stephanie Ross, associate professor and director of the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. She is author, co-author and co-editor of several works on Canadian labour and unions, including Building a Better World: An Introduction to the Labour Movement in Canada (Fernwood, 2015) and the book we primarily discuss today, Labour Under Attack: Anti-Unionism in Canada (Fernwood, 2018). Do Canadians and workers support unions? What are the sources of influential anti-union ideas? What do labour organizations themselves do that sometimes fosters anti-union sentiment? We address these thorny but important topics today.
2021-03-0250 min
Sweater Weather/9/ Anti-Unionism in Canada, Part 1, ft. Stephanie RossThis week I talk to Dr. Stephanie Ross, associate professor and director of the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University. She is author, co-author and co-editor of several works on Canadian labour and unions, including Building a Better World: An Introduction to the Labour Movement in Canada (Fernwood, 2015) and the book we primarily discuss today, Labour Under Attack: Anti-Unionism in Canada (Fernwood, 2018). Do Canadians and workers support unions? What are the sources of influential anti-union ideas? What do labour organizations themselves do that sometimes fosters anti-union sentiment? We address these thorny but important topics today.
2021-03-0250 min
Sweater WeatherA Century of Canadian Socialism, feat. Ian McKayIn episode 8 of Sweater Weather, I talk to Ian McKay, professor of history at McMaster University and director of the L.R. Wilson Institute for Canadian History. He is the author and co-author of numerous books and articles about the Canadian left, including Reasoning Otherwise: Leftists and the People’s Enlightenment in Canada, 1890-1920, as well as Rebels, Reds, Radicals: Rethinking Canada’s Left History. This is an absolute gem of an episode, a must watch for every Canadian leftist craving a comprehensive historical perspective on socialism and social movements in this country. We begin our discussion, howe...
2021-02-131h 27
Sweater WeatherA Century of Canadian Socialism, feat. Ian McKayIn episode 8 of Sweater Weather, I talk to Ian McKay, professor of history at McMaster University and director of the L.R. Wilson Institute for Canadian History. He is the author and co-author of numerous books and articles about the Canadian left, including Reasoning Otherwise: Leftists and the People's Enlightenment in Canada, 1890-1920, as well as Rebels, Reds, Radicals: Rethinking Canada's Left History. This is an absolute gem of an episode, a must watch for every Canadian leftist craving a comprehensive historical perspective on socialism and social movements in this country. We begin our discussion, however, talking...
2021-02-131h 27
Sweater WeatherTrailer Park Boys: Great Show or Greatest Show? feat. Clinton, Rory and Tyler from The Alberta AdvantageThe boys from The Alberta Advantage—Clinton, Rory, Tyler—visit Sweater Weather to gab about the boys from the trailer park—Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. That’s right, we’re talking Trailer Park Boys! It's one of the best Canadian television shows ever, and one of the few to find an international audience. And while its heyday was 2001-2007, Trailer Park Boys has an enduring appeal to leftists because of its depictions of class, community, and for just being so damn funny. Rory is our resident East Coaster and he shares his deep knowledge of Nova Scoti...
2021-01-171h 41
Sweater WeatherTrailer Park Boys: Great Show or Greatest Show? feat. Clinton, Rory and Tyler from The Alberta AdvantageThe boys from The Alberta Advantage—Clinton, Rory, Tyler—visit Sweater Weather to gab about the boys from the trailer park—Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. That's right, we're talking Trailer Park Boys! It's one of the best Canadian television shows ever, and one of the few to find an international audience. And while its heyday was 2001-2007, Trailer Park Boys has an enduring appeal to leftists because of its depictions of class, community, and for just being so funny. Rory is our resident East Coaster and he shares his deep knowledge of Nova Scotia political econom...
2021-01-171h 41
Sweater WeatherCould the Conservatives Wipe Out the NDP? feat. Steven C. HighWill the next federal election spell doom for the NDP, out maneuvered by the Conservatives for working-class voters? I talk to Steven C. High, professor of history at Concordia University and author of the recent article for Canadian Dimension, "Right-wing populism and the realignment of working-class politics in Canada." See the full interview here: https://youtu.be/Pj2N4vMOoYk Steven High's article: https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/right-wing-populism-and-the-realignment-of-working-class-politics-in-canada Support Sweater Weather on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=73... Sweater Weather’s website: https://www.sweaterweatherpod.com/ ...
2021-01-1614 min
Sweater WeatherCould the Conservatives Wipe Out the NDP? feat. Steven C. HighWill the next federal election spell doom for the NDP, out maneuvered by the Conservatives for working-class voters? I talk to Steven C. High, professor of history at Concordia University and author of the recent article for Canadian Dimension, "Right-wing populism and the realignment of working-class politics in Canada." See the full interview here: https://youtu.be/Pj2N4vMOoYk Steven High's article: https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/right-wing-populism-and-the-realignment-of-working-class-politics-in-canada Support Sweater Weather on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=73... Sweater Weather's website: https://www.sweaterweatherpod.com/ ...
2021-01-1614 min
Sweater WeatherDeindustrialization in Canada and Beyond, feat. Steven C. HighHow has deindustrialization impacted the working class in Canada and around the world? In what ways is deindustrialization, a side effect of global capital constantly seeking cheaper labour, shaping the politics of our time? Will the next federal election spell doom for the NDP, out maneuvered by the Conservatives for working class voters? This week I talk to Steven C. High, professor of history at Concordia University, who has published extensively on deindustrialization and the post-industrial transformation of North American cities. His books include Industrial Sunset: The Making of North America’s Rust Belt (U of...
2021-01-1349 min
Sweater WeatherDeindustrialization in Canada and Beyond, feat. Steven C. HighHow has deindustrialization impacted the working class in Canada and around the world? In what ways is deindustrialization, a side effect of global capital constantly seeking cheaper labour, shaping the politics of our time? Will the next federal election spell doom for the NDP, out maneuvered by the Conservatives for working class voters? This week I talk to Steven C. High, professor of history at Concordia University, who has published extensively on deindustrialization and the post-industrial transformation of North American cities. His books include Industrial Sunset: The Making of North America's Rust Belt (U of...
2021-01-1349 min
Sweater WeatherCanada, Global Capitalism & Socialist Possibilities, feat. Sam GindinI’m delighted to talk to Sam Gindin, co-author of The Making of Global Capitalism (2012) a modern classic, as well as the more recent but no less essential The Socialist Challenge Today (2020) both co-written with his long-time friend and colleague Leo Panitch. From 1974-2000, Sam was the director of research at the Canadian Auto Workers union, now Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada. Sam is an internationally recognized authority on political economy and social movements, and he frequently writes and speaks about socialism in a global context—but he’s Canadian, so I was keen to hear...
2021-01-011h 10
Sweater WeatherCanada, Global Capitalism & Socialist Possibilities, feat. Sam GindinI'm delighted to talk to Sam Gindin, co-author of The Making of Global Capitalism (2012) a modern classic, as well as the more recent but no less essential The Socialist Challenge Today (2020) both co-written with his long-time friend and colleague Leo Panitch. From 1974-2000, Sam was the director of research at the Canadian Auto Workers union, now Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada. Sam is an internationally recognized authority on political economy and social movements, and he frequently writes and speaks about socialism in a global context—but he's Canadian, so I was keen to hear wha...
2021-01-011h 10