Anna Maria Tremonti has been keeping her past a secret for over 40 years. As one of Canada’s most respected journalists, she has a reputation for being fearless. She’s reported from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones. But there’s one story she’s never made public: when she was 23 years old, she married a man who became physically abusive. This is the first time Anna Maria has told anyone—including family or close friends—the details of what she endured. Working with her therapist, she reveals the intimate details of a past she’s kept to herself for most of her life. If you or someone you know is affected by intimate partner violence, you can find a list of resources at cbc.ca/WTPresources. More episodes are available at: hyperurl.co/welcometoparadise

Malcolm Gladwell is known for turning assumptions on their head, and looking at situations from a different point of view. In this chat recorded before COVID-19, the journalist and podcaster speaks to Anna Maria Tremonti about the importance of changing our minds. The good news is he’s hopeful about our ability to do so. In fact, Gladwell believes closed-minded dogmatists are the real outliers. “Most people are actually open to new interpretations — surprisingly so.” In a season finale that goes down many rabbit holes, Gladwell reveals why he’s rapidly losing interest in print; where he gets his best ideas; why overconfident people may be more dangerous than ignorant ones; and why people reacting with a “huh” is the ultimate compliment.

Margaret Atwood has crafted her fair share of doomsday scenarios. And a lot of those have been inspired by real-life events, from the totalitarian regimes abroad that shaped her world as a child to the suspension of civil liberties at home in Canada, under the War Measures Act. Along the way, she has lost loved ones — including most recently her life partner and fellow writer, Graeme Gibson, who suffered from dementia. But in the face of all that, Margaret Atwood is still standing strong. With a crackling sense of humour and endless curiosity (“it gets me in so much trouble”) the internationally renowned writer seamlessly weaves between realities she’s lived in the last 80 years and possibilities yet to come in this conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti. And while she won’t make official predictions in the face of many possible futures, she will (almost gleefully) read palms. Just wait till you hear what she sees in Anna Maria’s.

It’s pretty easy to spot a Frank Gehry building: all curves and glass and movement. He’ll tell you his designs — from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain to the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles — “speak” to the buildings and environment around them. But to the onlooker, they clearly stand apart. That may be because Gehry views himself as an artist, and his designs as an art. In this conversation with Anna Maria Tremonti, it also becomes clear that Gehry sees his buildings as a way to bring people together — and sees his own role in life as much more than an architect. Plus, we get some key insight into his earliest days.

These are emotional times for Naomi Klein. As an activist, she has fought a lot of big battles. But now she’s waging what may be the fight of her life — against climate change — and many days, the odds seem stacked against her. So what keeps her fighting? Whatever you do, don’t assume it’s because as a mom, she wants to give her kid a better future. And what gives her hope? Turns out she doesn’t really relate to that word. “Our chances aren’t good,” she tells Anna Maria Tremonti. She does, however, see “a pathway out of this crisis.” Listen to their conversation to hear what it’s like to be on the frontlines of the fight for change — and the very emotional place it all started for Naomi Klein.

Elle Mills has what a lot of kids these days aspire to. At 21, she makes a living off YouTube — a really good one. Her channel ElleOfTheMills has almost two million subscribers. She’s got an agent. She makes appearances. And she’s got fans who love her and want to talk to her. Thing is, she has trouble talking to them. In real life, that is. Mills exposes herself on YouTube; opening up about tough subjects like disordered eating, mental health issues and coming out. But when it comes to talking about those things face to face, she struggles, even with her family. She talks to Anna Maria Tremonti about why being vulnerable in front of millions can be easier than being vulnerable with your own mom.

You probably know David Suzuki; the scientist, the broadcaster, the guy who sounded the alarm about climate change long before most knew it was a thing. But there are other things he can speak to with authority — and growing older is one of them. In his early 80s, Suzuki’s moving a little more slowly, but he’s still building treehouses for his grandkids and thinking big thoughts. Like, what would the world look like if we put our seniors on elder councils instead of out to pasture? He gets into it all with Anna Maria Tremonti: his long career, his father’s death, his fear of dementia and how to make peace with mortality.

A young Samantha Bee never imagined a future in political comedy. She discovered her love for showbiz quite accidentally. And she fell for it hard, setting her on a path to becoming a staple on late-night television — first on The Daily Show, and then with her own show, Full Frontal. But that path, Bee tells Anna Maria Tremonti, wasn’t always easy. Listen to their conversation to hear just how close she came to quitting (so close!) — but also how she found her passion, her voice, and her way.

Multi-artist Vivek Shraya has turned out some pretty grim-sounding titles. Her books “Death Threat” and “I’m Afraid of Men” opened a lot of eyes to the trans experience. And her latest work is an autobiographical play called “How to Fail as a Popstar.” All of which, Vivek jokes, make her sound like a “Debbie Downer.” But when it comes to heavy topics like fear and hate — which Vivek has experienced more than most — she manages to infuse the conversation with humour and hope. Listen to her chat with Anna Maria Tremonti, and you may walk away knowing the difference between good fear and bad fear, and how to turn bad fear into something good.

After six years of Schitt’s Creek, Catherine O’Hara is slowly letting go of Moira Rose, her longest-running role. Now the renowned comedy actor says she’s got no idea what’s next. But here’s the thing: she never really has. A true improviser, O’Hara has always taken life one day at a time. Perhaps the one constant: she's always been part of a family. Listen in on her chat with Anna Maria Tremonti, and hear what she’s learned from a life of collaboration and saying “yes, and ...”