Former broadcaster Jack Bennest talked with Joseph Planta about his radio days, from taking night courses at BCIT, to CKOK in the Okanagan, to CJOR and CKNW in Vancouver. As well, he shared some stories about knowing and working with Pat Burns, Jack Webster, Erwin Swangard, and more. Bennest is also the proprietor of http://www.bcradiohistory.com, a remarkable repository of radio’s past. Former broadcaster Jack Bennest talked with Joseph Planta about his radio days, from taking night courses at BCIT, to CKOK in the Okanagan, to CJOR and CKNW in Vancouver. As well, he shared some stories about knowing and working with Pat Burns, Jack Webster, Erwin Swangard, and more. Bennest is also the proprietor of http://www.bcradiohistory.com, a remarkable repository of radio’s past.

Television producer Michael Levitt talked with Joseph Planta about trends in television, namely the proliferation of reality television, and whether it’s here to stay. Having produced the Dallas, Happy Days, and currently producing the Knots Landing reunion shows, as well as award shows such as the Billboard Music Awards, the TV Land Awards, and the Teen Choice Awards, Levitt offered his advice to award shows like the Oscars and Emmys, who’ve seen ratings decline in the last number of years.

One Day/One Life is the latest production from the folks at The Broadway Chorus. They’re director Ashley Lambert-Maberly talked to Joseph Planta about what to expect when the show runs from Wednesday, June 29th to Saturday, July 2nd at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island; as well as the state of Broadway musicals in New York and beyond. For tickets and information visit http://www.onceupon.org, or call 778.322.7182.

Independent journalist John Twigg from BCPOLITICS.COM joined Joseph Planta again to look at politics in British Columbia and federally as we head into the summer season. Topics discussed include: the future of electoral reform, Gordon Campbell’s cabinet, the NDP caucus, the appointment of Jessica McDonald as head of the provincial civil service, and Stephen Harper and his leadership of the Conservative Party.

Dennis Brown, former fishery policy advisor to the premier of BC, and the author of a new book, Salmon Wars: The Battle for the West Coast Fishery (Harbour, 2005), gives Joseph Planta a terrifically informative overview of the industry’s history in this province, discussion about the resource, and the political management, or mismanagement, as Brown charges.

Co-creator, producer, and head writer of the new CTV series Robson Arms, Susin Nielsen talked with Joseph Planta, about the locally set and shot series with a remarkable cast of Canadian talent, including such stars as John Cassini, William B. Davis, Shirley Douglas, Alisen Down, Fred Ewanuick, Perry Finnbogason, Megan Follows, Colin Foo, Margot Kidder, Mark McKinney, Kevin McNulty, Jane McGregor, Tobias Mehler, Gabrielle Miller, David Richmond-Peck, Zak Santiago, and more.

Steven Wong was a gangster who walked the streets of Vancouver’s Chinatown with impunity, and throughout Asia even after he supposedly died in 1992. Bestselling author Terry Gould tells Joseph Planta the fascinating story of how he befriended Wong, and how for the past decade or so he’s tried to find Wong in a hunt that’s stretched from Canada to Macau, to Cambodia, to The Philippines, where Wong staged his death. Gould’s remarkable book is Paper Fan: The Hunt for Triad Gangster Steven Wong (Vintage, 2005).

Author Hugo Bonjean talked with Joseph Planta about his book, In the Eyes of Anahita (Eagle Vision, 2004), a thought-provoking book looking at the condition of the developing world in South America, and how North Americans and others are part of the problems there. The book is fictionalised novel, but it’s a very thoughtful book about the condition of the world today.

Theatre in the Raw’s Artistic Director Jay Hamburger talks to Joseph Planta about their latest production, The Inspector General. Listen to Jay talk about the show, which opens June 15th to the 18th, and the 22nd to the 26th at the Ukrainian Hall, as well as his thoughts on the local theatre scene. (For more information call: 604.708.5448.)

Christopher Gaze, the Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach, talked with Joseph Planta about William Shakespeare, and the forthcoming 16th season which bows under the tents at Vanier Park in Vancouver, June 2nd to September 25th, 2005.

The comedian Dustin Diamond talked with Joseph Planta about being a stand up comedian, what to expect when he’s in town this weekend, and of course, his decade-long run as Screech Powers on the television series, Saved By the Bell. As well, he says whether he’s ever been to the Neverland Ranch.

Bestselling author and television personality Steve Paikin has written a new book, Public Triumph, Private Tragedy: The Double Life of John P. Robarts (Viking, 2005), a fascinating look at the life and times of the former Ontario premier. He joined Joseph Planta to talk about Robarts’s successful career, as well as his tragic private life.

Does Canada nurture and export terrorism around the world? Stewart Bell, Chief Reporter for the National Post and the author of Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism Around the World (Wiley, 2005) talked with Joseph Planta about Canadian terrorism past and present. His is often a shocking, but recommended and prescient book.

Vancouver comedian and performer Tom Chin talked with Joseph Planta about the Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre’s 3rd Annual Asian Sketch Comedy Competition, Sketchoff!#$!!, which is on at the Roundhouse this Friday and Saturday night. The performers include three of North America’s finest ‘hyphenated-Asian’ comedy teams: LA OPM, The Kupps, and Assaulted Fish. Call 604.713.1800 for more information; or check out http://www.vact.ca.

The independent filmmaker Ali Kazimi talked with Joseph Planta about his new film, Continuous Journey, a documentary about the Komagata Maru incident in Vancouver’s harbour in 1914. It debuts the DOXA Documentary Film and Video Festival in Vancouver on Tuesday, 24 May 2005. It’s a fascinating moment in Canadian history, and a fascinating conversation that’s split into two segments.