House of Crouse

On the Saturday June 13, 2026 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we’ll meet award-winning actor, writer, and director Mark O’Brien. You know him as Des Courtney on Republic of Doyle and ambitious Deputy District Attorney Thomas Milligan on HBO’s Perry Mason. On the big screen he’s delivered standout performances in films like Arrival, Ready or Not, Marriage Story, and Goalie — for which he won a Canadian Screen Award. More recently, he’s been behind the camera with his acclaimed directorial debut The Righteous, and now his chilling new supernatural horror film The Voices of Our Mother, which he wrote, directed, and stars in. Then, we’ll meet Kevin Hardcastle, an award-winning Canadian author whose debut short story collection Debris won the Trillium Book Award and ReLit Award, while his first novel In the Cage established him as a powerful voice in contemporary fiction. In his highly anticipated new novel County Road Six, Hardcastle delivers a taut, propulsive family drama about four O’Hare sisters forced to confront their violent father’s legacy and a long-buried secret on a decaying farmstead in rural Ontario.

On the Saturday January 31, 2026 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet Mark Critch. For twenty-three years he has starred on CBC’s popular political satire show “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.” He adapted his first book, “Son of a Critch,” into a hit TV series, co-staring movie legend Malcolm McDowell, and airing on the CBC in Canada and Netflix in the United States. Today we talk about his latest book, “Sorry, Not Sorry.” In the book, which is available now wherever fine books are sold, Mark delves into the heart of what it means to be Canadian at a time when national pride is on the rise. He examines everything from the historical decision of Newfoundland to join Canada, to the modern-day implications of the Freedom Convoy, the evolving symbolism of the Canadian flag, and of the many reasons Canada is worth fighting for. Then, we have a look at the incredible career of Simon Franglen. His credits include four of the list of top grossing films and six of the list of best-selling albums of all time. He began his career as a synthesizer programmer for Trevor Horn (working with acts like Frankie Goes to Hollywood), moved into composing famous jingles for big products, and became a top LA session musician/producer in the '90s, contributing to massive hits with artists like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Madonna, and more. He won a Grammy for Record of the Year as producer on Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, directed by James Cameron. He worked with the late James Horner as an arranger/producer on films like “Avatar,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and others, before fully scoring “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” Today we talk about his work, from Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s dancefloor anthems to Avatar’s lush, habitable moon, Pandora.

On the Saturday January 17, 2026 edition of The Richard Crouse we’ll meet author Joe Hill. His bestselling novels & short stories have inspired hit adaptations like “Locke & Key,” “Horns,” and “The Black Phone,” as well as “In the Tall Grass” (which he adapted for film and co-wrote the novella of with his father Stephen King.) Today we’ll talk about “King Sorrow,” a genre-bending horror epic that spans 25 years. It follows six college friends who summon a dragon using a book bound in human skin. Each year, they must choose a sacrifice—or become one. Then we spend time with Louise Pitre. Often hailed as Canada’s first lady of musical theatre, she is a Tony-nominated actress renowned for her powerful performances on Broadway and across North America and Europe. Best known for originating the role of Donna Sheridan in “Mamma Mia!,” she has also played Fantine in “Les Misérables” and Edith Piaf in “The Angel & the Sparrow” among many others. Today we talk about herb latest work, “Kimberly Akimbo,” the Tony Award-winning musical about a bright but physically aging teenage girl with a rare genetic condition, similar to progeria, who navigates a dysfunctional family, first love, and the challenges of finding happiness and connection despite her unique circumstances and limited time.

On the January 3, 2026 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet Canadian author, speaker, and productivity consultant Chris Bailey. Over the past decade, he’s built a devoted international following through his newsletter and podcast (~1M downloads) and has delivered hundreds of talks and consultations for clients including Microsoft, Zipcar, IDEO, Intuit, and The New York Times Content Studio. In “Intentional,” he argues that intentionality, not intensity, is the real key to following through. Through this shift, he offers a counterintuitive, refreshing alternative to our culture’s all-or-nothing approach to productivity. Then we get to know Julie Daniluk is a registered holistic nutritionist, TV host, and bestselling author of “Meals That Heal Inflammation” (with a revised edition featuring over 110 recipes). The book focuses on reducing chronic inflammation through diet, exploring its root causes, identifying food triggers, and providing delicious, healing recipes. Then Victoria Hetherington, novelist, nonfiction writer, NPR's The Moth storyteller, educator and author of “The Friend Machine: On the Trail of AI Companionship” stops by. A deeply personal blend of memoir, cultural criticism, and investigative journalism examining loneliness, AI companions (like Replika), commodified intimacy, and the blurring lines between human and machine relationships it’s available now wherever fine books are sold. Finally, historian, award-winning educator, and commentator J.D.M. Stewart drops in to talk about his latest book, “The Prime Ministers: Canada’s Leaders and the Nation They Shaped.” It is the first comprehensive chronicle of all Canadian prime ministers in over 25 years, covering from Sir John A. Macdonald to the current one (Mark Carney in the book's timeline). It emphasizes fresh perspectives on Indigenous relations, environmental policies, U.S. ties, and evolving reputations, while aiming to make history accessible amid concerns about young Canadians' knowledge gaps.