Whiskey & Cream: Episode XII

Whiskey & Cream Podcast with Ari Shapiro

Whiskey & Cream for March 15th, 2021.
Host: Ari Shapiro
0:44-9:01: "A different kind of Kryptonian"
Once upon a time there was a civil servant who lived in Canada who dared to question what his government stood for and believed in. An organic on-line crusader of the old school who took a half dozen followers and turned them into tens of thousands of admirers; he unexpectedly began to grow into a national social media celebrity of sorts when it became abundantly obvious that a love of thinly-veiled sarcasm and delicious irony would serve him well in skewering a country's elites who insisted on manipulating the masses during a pandemic with their corporate doubletalk and penchant for dark and dirty lies.
Neil Waytowich (@WaytowichNeil) is better known as Neil before Zod, a powerful social influencer in Canada on all things related to ideological politics and humanistic philosophy. When it comes to dissecting the truth and exposing hypocrisy in all forms, Neil is a throwback to an era where you were called out for bullshit and forced to pay the piper. He's a true empiricist living in an era where superstition and conspiracies may run amok like galactic villains, but if they happen to cross the path of this pseudo-Kryptonian while he's delivering his gospel of truth and fairness, they simply won't stand a chance.
9:02-19:31: "Introducing the 3HL Tour"
Imagine going to an arena and watching a 3-on-3 hockey tournament. Think about that that for a moment as I'll let it ferment in hockey-crazed minds across North America and allow you to savour what has been arguably the most important advancement in hockey since Jacques Plante and his revolutionary idea of wearing a protective hockey mask. The NHL turned a page in their history by endorsing a newly proposed format in June of 2015 that heralded a paradigmatic shift in the way the game is enjoyed. It instantly created more space on the ice, more goals scored during overtime, and more thrills and chills in way that's brought the faithful out of their seats and often to their knees.
Justin Fox (@itsJustinFox) is the CEO and Founder of the 3HL Tour - Ontario's first ever professional three-on-three hockey league that exists to bring small-town Ontarian communities together through their shard love of Canada's national sport. Be it in Collingwood or Sarnia, Orangeville or Georgina, Wasaga or Grimsby; this is a form of escapism not seen in many years and one that's meant to inspire young and old alike in their love of grass roots hockey.
19:32-28:29: "The guardians and destroyers of Dr. Seuss'
As the toxic winds of our cancel culture and penchant for historical literary revisionism grows, who knew that it was time for Dr. Seuss to become the latest victim of our collective existential angst. Who knew that a writer and illustrator of children's books, someone who identified as a Democrat his entire political life and fought endlessly against the forces of fascism - could also be found guilty of imperfections in his work. And while Theodor Geisel was always heralded as a champion of our collective childhood sensibilities in his prodigious works of cartoon satire and fable story-telling, it's sad to see how easily his reputation is being politicized between the forces of the offended left and the righteous right.
Brian Bradley (@brianjbradley) is a digital content publisher and podcaster with the Toronto Star. He's a pleasure to interview; not just because of his intelligent perspectives on freedom of speech and the daunting reality that is modern day racism, but because he genuinely offers reverence where it's warranted and not because it's been superimposed by the digital forces of the day.
28:30-33:59: "Rolling with the punches, jabbing with your words"
The pandemic has devastated an industry that once gave hope to many young writers and ambitious university grads looking for a career in sports journalism. But in an era where resiliency and perseverance will become their hammer and sickle, it's nice to hear about success stories in the form of a former athlete who embraced sports journalism on all fronts; as an accomplished writer, an engaging host and a bona fide media personality.
Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) is the co-host of Hockey Central on the FAN 590 and writes hockey for Sportsnet. For him, the city of Toronto is essentially right on the cusp of a golden era with their hockey, baseball and basketball teams. Never has it become more important to believe in the spirit of their accomplishments, and that has him excited about what the post-pandemic future has in store.
“Whiskey & Cream Theme” written and performed by Chris Henderson.