Podcast episode 315ish: Mark Leiren-Young

I had a great time with author/journalist/playwright/comedian/bon vivant Mark Leiren-Young a few weeks back. The Leacock Award-winner for Never Shoot a Stampede Queen talked about crime in Williams Lake, the art of writing quickly, taking cheap shots in reviews, and his undying love of Doug Henning. It's no wonder his latest book is called Free Magic Secrets Revealed, although he revealed none in this episode.
I guess we'll just have to buy the book. Oh, and we get to hear the classically-trained singer warble his anthem to pale heterosexuality, I'm White, I'm Straight, I'm Sorry with his comedy troupe Local Anxiety.

Enjoy! Click the gizmo below or go download it at iTunes and listen on your commute or while you're walking the dog or working out or painting the fence, etc.

May 12: Mark Leiren-Young

Happy Mother's Day! To commemorate the day, we've got journalist/author/playwright/performer Mark Leiren-Young!... Wait, I'll come up with a connection... I'm sure he's been called a mother on a few occasions. Okay, that's all I got. When we booked this date months ago, who knew it would be Mother's Day? Not I.

But we're glad to have him any day of the year. I do believe he's our first Leacock Medal Award winner. He won it in 2009 for his memoir Never Shoot a Stampede Queen, about his life as a cub reporter in the wilds of Williams Lake. If reading ain't your bag, you can get the Coles Notes version at the Granville Island Stage where it's been mounted as a one-man play starring Zachary Stevenson and directed by TJ Dawe.

The guy also has a new book out called Free Magic Secrets Revealed. And he still finds time to write about the arts in newspapers. Damn go-getter.

Anyway, tune in tonight at 11 pm PST on CFRO, 100.5 FM and we'll get the low-down on all things Leiren-Young.