This weekend’s NOW What is covering a lot of ground, so we got backup to mull through it all. Culture writer Stephanie Hinds – a repeat offender on the podcast, particularly when we’re covering all tings West Indian – joins to discuss the latest local and pop culture news. That includes Freshii installing digital cashiers connecting Canadian customers to a low-wage employee in Nicaragua and Jason Sudeikis employing lawyers who serve custody papers to Olivia Wilde in one of the wildest ways imaginable.
Plus, we have feature interviews with The Wire creator David Simon discussing his new series We Own This City, and Quebec filmmaker Miryam Charles, whose showing her haunting and beautiful debut feature This House at the Hot Docs Film Festival.
Have a listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or playable directly below. Jump ahead for all topics and chapter breakdowns.
(1:20) Elon Musk and Twitter
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is tired of being owned on Twitter, so instead he’s about to own Twitter.
(7:50) Freshii and Nicaragua
Canadian salad chain Freshii introduces “Percy,” a digital cashier at its restaurants connecting customers to an employee in Nicaragua who makes about $3.75 an hour.
(13:05) Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis
Actor and director Olivia Wilde was served custody papers from her ex, Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, while on stage in front of movie exhibitors and press. Wilde was previewing her new movie Don’t Worry Darling, which stars current boyfriend Harry Styles, when a woman appeared on stage and handed her a mysterious manila envelope containing what sources say were the custody papers.
(19:15) Justin Lin hits the brakes on Fast X and Vin Diesel
From custody battles to breakups. Director Justin Lin who has directed more than half the Fast and Furious movies (the best ones really) has quit his duties on Fast X after 10 days in production.
(27:52) From social bubbles to bubble wine at Toronto Carnival
Steph picked her costume and, like so many others who are done with coronavirus, is ready to play mas. But many of those yet to catch COVID-19 aren’t ready to jab jab, even if they got their jab jab.
(39:50) Spotlight Interview
The Wire creator David Simon discusses his new series We Own This City, what changed since #BlackLivesMatters, where he stands on defund the police and how crime stats are manipulated to push political agendas.
(1:05:45) Hot Docs Interview
Quebec filmmaker Miryam Charles tells us how she found her voice and works through pain, loss and tenuous relationship to home in her stunning debut feature This House.
