Best John Alan Miranda Podcasts (2025)

1
Wiz Khalifa found peace in not needing praise 25:29

6h ago25:29

25:29

Wiz Khalifa just dropped his latest album ‘Kush + Orange Juice 2,’ the sequel to his 2010 mixtape that introduced him to the world. Khalifa joins Tom to talk about his early days as a hip-hop artist, why he’s never cared about being a celebrity, and what important lessons he learned from Snoop Dogg.

1
Sister Ray trades rejection for joy on their new album Believer 24:00

6h ago24:00

24:00

The Alberta folk singer-songwriter Sister Ray is known for writing songs about heartbreak and sadness. But they decided to try something different with their new album “Believer”— their latest record is all about love and connection. Ella Coyes of Sister Ray tells Tom Power about how “freeing” it is to write about joy, how growing up around Métis a…

1
Catriona M.M. MacDonald, "The Caledoniad: The Making of Scottish History" (John Donald, 2024) 44:50

6h ago44:50

44:50

Why did Scots in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries know so little about their past and even less about those who controlled their history? Is the historical narrative the only legitimate medium through which the past can be made known? Are novelists and historians as far apart as convention has it? In an age when history grounds any claims to …

1
Why Sook-Yin Lee adapted her ex’s memoir about paying for sex 24:46

1d ago24:46

24:46

In Sook-Yin Lee’s film, “Paying For It,” a couple whose romantic attraction is waning decide to open up their relationship. While Sonny explores dating, her introverted boyfriend, Chester, opts to hire sex workers. The story is based on Sook-Yin’s real-life former relationship with Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown, who released a bestselling graph…

1
Amy Millan realized grief didn’t need to be a secret, so she wrote an album about it 24:57

1d ago24:57

24:57

Amy Millan from the band Stars is back with her first solo record in fifteen years. Millan tells Tom how her album “I Went To Find You” was inspired by the loss of her father at five years old. Plus, she tells the story behind her new song “Make Way for Waves.”

1
Nao Tomabechi, "Supervillains: The Significance of Evil in Superhero Comics" (Rutgers UP, 2025) 43:40

1d ago43:40

43:40

Alongside superheroes, supervillains, too, have become one of today’s most popular and globally recognizable figures. However, it is not merely their popularity that marks their significance. Supervillains are also central to superhero storytelling to the extent that the superhero genre cannot survive without supervillains. Bringing together differ…

1
Justice’s best advice for artists: revel in your mistakes 24:22

2d ago24:22

24:22

You might not remember every song on the radio from 2007, but if you were anywhere near a club or dancefloor, you might remember the electronic duo Justice. Their debut album, with that glowing cross on the front, was impossible to ignore. Justice redefined electronic music for a new generation, and became one of the most influential acts of their …

1
This choreographer thinks of her work as “painting” on dancers 15:16

2d ago15:16

15:16

Jennifer Archibald is one of North America’s busiest and most in-demand choreographers. At the end of May, she’ll debut her first piece for the National Ballet of Canada called “Kings Fall,” one of nine world premieres that she’ll go on this season. Archibald tells Tom Power about the commonality between chess and her journey in choreography and th…

1
“Having the space to fumble" shaped Hanorah’s music 13:09

3d ago13:09

13:09

Hanorah is a singer-songwriter from Montreal who’s opened for Mavis Staples, and grew up listening to Etta James and Joss Stone. On her latest EP “Closer Than Hell,” Hanorah moves beyond her early soul influences and explores a new voice. Hanorah tells Tom about surprising herself when she began songwriting, why she’s happy she didn’t win “La Voix”…

1
From CIA to Ohana: Courtney B. Vance stars as Cobra Bubbles in Lilo & Stitch 29:29

3d ago29:29

29:29

Courtney B. Vance is known for playing men of power and purpose — from Johnnie Cochran in “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” to Uncle George Freeman in “Lovecraft Country,” Vance now takes on Cobra Bubbles in the live action remake of Lilo & Stitch. He joins Tom Power to talk about the emotional depth of Bubbles in the new remake, how growing up as a Bl…

1
Jana Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith, "Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter" (MIT Press, 2025) 45:48

3d ago45:48

45:48

Before the invention of the gummed envelope in the 1830s, how did people secure their private letters? The answer is letterlocking—the ingenious process of securing a letter using a combination of folds, tucks, slits, or adhesives such as sealing wax, so that it becomes its own envelope. This almost entirely forgotten practice, used by historical f…

1
Sarah Levy on finding her voice after Schitt’s Creek 22:17

4d ago22:17

22:17

Sarah Levy comes from a pretty funny family. Her dad is the comedy legend Eugene Levy, her brother is Dan Levy, and all three of them were on the Emmy-winning show “Schitt's Creek.” But Sarah says the funniest one of them all is her mom, who’s also the person in her family who’s had the biggest influence on her comedy. Sarah joins Tom Power to talk…

1
Dan Mangan’s new album was a surprise even to him 16:59

4d ago16:59

16:59

What happens when you let go? Dan Mangan found out when he stopped trying to make the best record of his career — and he ended up with one of the best records of his career. The Juno-winning singer-songwriter says it all goes to show that surrendering control might be the key to making something great. Dan sits down with Tom Power to tell us how a …

1
Look Who's Talking Too with Max Minghella 2:34:02

5d ago2:34:02

2:34:02

The Ubriacco family are back and - can you believe it? - they’re still talking! Actor and filmmaker Max Minghella joins us to talk about Look Who’s Talking Too, the contractually-obligated, quickly produced sequel to Amy Heckerling’s surprise hit. We’re talking about Mr. Toilet Man (he eats your pee pee and poo poo), Elias Koteas’ Mr. Scary Uncle M…

1
Richard D. Oram, "A Land Won from Waste: Scotland AD 400-1400" (Birlinn, 2025) 1:01:12

6d ago1:01:12

1:01:12

Drawing together the evidence of archaeology, palaeoecology, climate history and the historical record, this first environmental history of Scotland explores the interaction of human populations with land, waters, forests and wildlife. A Land Won From Waste: Scotland AD 400–1400 (John Donald/Birlinn, 2025) by Professor Richard Oram takes the reader…

1
Janine Schipper, "Conservation Is Not Enough: Rethinking Relationships with Water in the Arid Southwest" ((U Wyoming Press, 2025) 41:40

6d ago41:40

41:40

Conservation Is Not Enough: Rethinking Relationships with Water in the Arid Southwest (University of Wyoming Press, 2025) by Dr. Janine Schipper reconsiders the most basic assumptions about water issues in the Southwest, revealing why conservation alone will not lead to a sustainable water future. The book undertakes a thorough examination of the p…

1
Michelle Zauner isn’t afraid to say no anymore 36:29

7d ago36:29

36:29

In 2021, Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner got everything she’d ever wanted: her memoir “Crying in H Mart” became a surprise New York Times bestseller, and her band’s breakthrough album “Jubilee” received multiple Grammy nominations. But all of that success came at the cost of her mental and physical health, so she moved to Seoul to regroup. Now…

1
How Crystal Shawanda found her peace through song 14:09

7d ago14:09

14:09

What do you do when the world around you is anything but calm? For the Juno-winning Indigenous blues artist Crystal Shawanda, the answer was to go inward. She joins Tom Power to talk about her powerful and deeply personal new track “This Peace,” which channels her family’s strength, her culture and her own journey of self-discovery to find calm in …

1
Yanic Truesdale was told he spoke too quickly after Gilmore Girls 31:29

8d ago31:29

31:29

When Yanic Truesdale was growing up in Quebec, he used to watch American TV with his grandmother — but he didn't speak any English, so she had to translate the whole show to him line by line. When he started getting cast in TV roles, no one was prouder of him than his grandmother. Since then, Yanic has become a beloved actor all over the world, par…

1
The Last of Us star Noah Lamanna on their breakthrough role 19:28

8d ago19:28

19:28

Canadian actor Noah Lamanna stars as Kat in the new season of the hit HBO show “The Last of Us.” Noah joins Tom Power to talk about the moment they found out they’d be on one of the biggest shows on TV, what it’s like working with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, and how the film and TV industry has evolved for non-binary actors.…

1
Dan Sperrin, "State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature" (Princeton UP, 2025) 53:06

8d ago53:06

53:06

Satire is a funny, aggressive, and largely oppositional literature which is typically created by people who refuse to participate in a given regime’s perception of itself. Although satire has always been a primary literature of state affairs, and although it has always been used to intervene in ongoing discussions about political theory and practic…

1
Benito Skinner’s life changed when he dropped the golden boy act 23:10

9d ago23:10

23:10

Comedian Benito Skinner grew up attending Catholic school in Idaho, where he didn’t feel safe being an out gay man. Instead, he concealed his sexuality and threw himself into football. Now, Benito is mining that awkward and uncomfortable time in his life for his art. He’s the creator and star of “Overcompensating,” a new comedy show from A24 and Am…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

John Alan Miranda Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
This-n-That

John Alan Miranda

1
New Books with Miranda Melcher

New Books Network

1
Q with Tom Power

CBC

1
Blank Check with Griffin & David

Blank Check Productions

1
Wiz Khalifa found peace in not needing praise 25:29

1
Sister Ray trades rejection for joy on their new album Believer 24:00

1
Catriona M.M. MacDonald, "The Caledoniad: The Making of Scottish History" (John Donald, 2024) 44:50

1
Why Sook-Yin Lee adapted her ex’s memoir about paying for sex 24:46

1
Amy Millan realized grief didn’t need to be a secret, so she wrote an album about it 24:57

1
Nao Tomabechi, "Supervillains: The Significance of Evil in Superhero Comics" (Rutgers UP, 2025) 43:40

1
Justice’s best advice for artists: revel in your mistakes 24:22

1
This choreographer thinks of her work as “painting” on dancers 15:16

1
“Having the space to fumble" shaped Hanorah’s music 13:09

1
From CIA to Ohana: Courtney B. Vance stars as Cobra Bubbles in Lilo & Stitch 29:29

1
Jana Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith, "Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter" (MIT Press, 2025) 45:48

1
Sarah Levy on finding her voice after Schitt’s Creek 22:17

1
Dan Mangan’s new album was a surprise even to him 16:59

1
Look Who's Talking Too with Max Minghella 2:34:02

1
Richard D. Oram, "A Land Won from Waste: Scotland AD 400-1400" (Birlinn, 2025) 1:01:12

1
Janine Schipper, "Conservation Is Not Enough: Rethinking Relationships with Water in the Arid Southwest" ((U Wyoming Press, 2025) 41:40

1
Michelle Zauner isn’t afraid to say no anymore 36:29

1
How Crystal Shawanda found her peace through song 14:09

1
Yanic Truesdale was told he spoke too quickly after Gilmore Girls 31:29

1
The Last of Us star Noah Lamanna on their breakthrough role 19:28

1
Dan Sperrin, "State of Ridicule: A History of Satire in English Literature" (Princeton UP, 2025) 53:06

1
Benito Skinner’s life changed when he dropped the golden boy act 23:10

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