Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

We go behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics with photojournalists Leah Hennel and Candice Ward!  2:15 | Leah's still in Paris. Candice just returned home to Las Vegas. The award-winning photographers tell us what it was like to shoot the world's best athletes on the world's biggest stage.  FOLLOW LEAH: https://www.instagram.com/leahhennelphoto FOLLOW CANDICE: https://www.instagram.com/candicewar...

Alberta's government plans to knock down the former Royal Alberta Museum, replacing the magnificent Manitoba Tyndall stone structure with (more) green space. Many prominent Albertans are speaking out against the plan, including architect Vivian Manasc, who says the UCP is about to make a huge mistake.  3:00 | Vivian explains what makes the former RAM so special, and how it might be reimagined. Plu...

Alberta will allow hunters to target "problem" Grizzly bears that have shown aggression to humans or livestock. The controversial changes to the Wildlife Act have prompted loud public outcry, but is everybody with an opinion truly informed?  3:15 | Mark Hall says the Alberta government is making the right move with "problem" bears. The Blood Origins Canada director and podcast host makes his argum...

UCP MLA Eric Bouchard says he's working to have the COVID vaccine banned in Alberta. In a recent podcast interview, the Calgary-based politician claims to have had "multiple lengthy conversations" with Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, and that his "win would be having the shots removed." We dig into what continues to fuel the anti-vaxx movement, and why so few people got their COVID shot this yea...

C'est fini! With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the books, we take a look at the athletes and stories that captured our attention and won our hearts.  1:00 | But before we talk Olympics, Ryan and Johnny debrief after a late night at NOFX's final tour stop in Edmonton.  6:10 | What was your most memorable moment from the Paris Games? Who's your new favourite athlete? What should be the next new Ol...

It's an Alberta politics version of The Flamethrower! Travis says Jespo needs to "stop carrying water," Sheryl's calling for "voices of sanity," and Gerald's sick of all the fear mongering. The Flamethrower is presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park (Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, and Baseline Road). FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com When you visit the...

2:10 | Royalty in the house! Miss Universe Canada Ashley Callingbull joins us in studio to talk about why her big win means so much. The first Indigenous woman ever to be crowned, Ashley takes us through the many challenges she's overcome through the years. Plus, we learn about her new film and book projects, and go behind the scenes of her training for the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico in Novem...

Scammers are more active now than ever before. Opportunists are trying to steal donations after natural disasters like the Jasper wildfire, romance and "hitman" scams are targeting people of all ages...and then there are those spam calls that are a daily occurrence for most smartphone users.  4:10 | Consumer protection expert Julie Matthews has been busting scams for twenty years. The longtime TV...

Natural disasters like wildfires impact us in many different ways. On top of the obvious physical devastation, communities typically experience increased rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This Real Talk episode with Dr. Jody Carrington is dedicated to Jasper evacuees and the people helping them, first responders, and the countless Canadians impacted by the Jasper wildfire. Later in the show,...

We go behind the scenes of the Jasper wildfire: how did it start, why did it grow so quickly, and how did crews manage to save 60% of the town, including most of the Jasper Park Lodge? Plus, we fact check the role the mountain pine beetle played in the blaze, and learn what communities across the country need to do to prevent future disasters. 3:20 | His childhood home is gone. The church he was b...

How do you feel about Canada's Olympic women's soccer team's cheating scandal? Surprised? Embarrassed? Or, did the team get busted doing what every competitor does: whatever it takes to win? In this episode, we ask Charles Adler where he draws the line.  4:00 | But first...Chuck tells us what he thinks about Premier Danielle Smith's emotional news conference and subsequent comments to us about Jas...

Martin says it's time to politicize wildfires, while Brad says that's "incredibly poor taste". Two different takes responding to the Jasper wildfire in this week's edition of (sorry) The Flamethrower presented by our good friends at the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park. FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com When you visit the DQs in Palisades, Namao, Newcastle, Westmount, an...

One of Canada's crown jewels sustained devastating damage on July 24, as wildfire tore though the beloved mountain town of Jasper. In this episode, with firefighters still battling the blaze, we speak with evacuees, an extreme weather expert, a veteran fire chief, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.  2:37 | Jasper town councillor Wendy Hall joins us from a cabin near Valemount just hours after los...

It's a whole new ball game now that Joe Biden's out. Does Kamala Harris have what it takes to knock off Donald Trump and keep the Democrats in charge? Closer to home, could Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's goose be cooked with this hockey ticket controversy?  4:30 | Charles Adler tells us how he thinks the presidential race changes with Biden pulling out, what a Harris candidacy means for the Demo...

The Sco's at odds with Adler, Paul cracks on our coverage, Kyle's angry at the liberals and "so-called centrists," and Merrick the Red Headed Prick says moral decay isn't limited to lefties. Real Talkers are alllllll fired up in this all-Trump edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park! FIRE UP YOUR FLAMETHROWER: talk@ryanjespersen.com When you beat th...

Before she became a Canadian Senator, Paula Simons was an investigative journalist and National Newspaper Award-winning columnist. It's clear she approaches accountability around her role in the Red Chamber differently than most of her colleagues. Right out of the gates in this must-watch episode, Senator Simons opens up her own expense reports, talks about her Senate salary, and confronts her cri...

Has someone close to you chosen a medically-assisted death? The total number of Canadians requesting MAID rises 30% or so every year, accounting for just over 4% of all deaths in Canada in 2022. While concerns remain - including implications for people living with mental health challenges, severe disabilities, or in extreme poverty - MAID appears to be accepted by the general public as a relativel...

Good luck finding a family doctor if you live in Alberta, let alone getting an MRI, surgery, or cancer care right when you need it. Health care professionals are leaving in droves, thousands of patients are stuck on waitlists, and some rural communities are declaring a state of local health care crisis. In this episode of Real Talk, we find out how Alberta wound up in this mess, and whether or not...

We get you up to speed on the FBI investigation into the attempt on Donald Trump's life, buzz from Republicans and Democrats days removed from the attack, and growing focus on "Project 2025".  4:40 | The Republican National Convention is underway, and Trump is front and centre (and trying to stay awake). We check out a compelling cross-aisle message from U.S. Representative Jeff Jackson (D), and c...

"I'm supposed to be dead." Not only did Donald Trump survive an attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania over the weekend...he appears to be more motivated than ever to retake the White House. In this episode of Real Talk, we explore the many different angles of the Trump assassination attempt, including what it means for the Republican National Convention, Joe Biden, and the Secret...

If you're going to publicly challenge healthcare delivery in Canada, approach with caution. Ryan's July 9 remarks about waitlists and other barriers to care enraged more than a few folks. Many took to Twitter to throw a grenade. In this edition of The Flamethrower presented by the DQs of Northwest Edmonton and Sherwood Park, we get into a few of those tweets before Ryan responds. CHECK OUT RYAN'S...

Animals die every year at rodeos around the world. And, stands are packed every year at rodeos around the world. As protests against animal exploitation increase, many circuses and zoos have been shut down. Is it time to ban rodeo?  2:45 | Prompted by their Dialogue feature in the summer issue of Alberta Views, animal rights attorney Camille Labchuk and author Aritha van Herk debate the future of...

Should Joe Biden accept Donald Trump's challenge to play 18 holes of golf? Is it important for Justin Trudeau to attend the Calgary Stampede? What'll Naheed Nenshi's first big move be as leader of the Alberta NDP? 2:14 | We talk about the presidential race (2:40), Trudeau v. Poilievre (13:45), our "Naheed Nenshi: Fact Checked" episode (28:30), making sense of utility bills (48:00), Nenshi's plan f...

They're one of the most magnificent animals on the planet. For years, they've been a threatened species in Alberta. But grizzly bears will soon be hunted again after the UCP government quietly lifted a 20 year ban. In this episode, we investigate changes to the Wildlife Act allowing "problem" bears to be targeted by sport hunters, and learn what wildlife biologists and other experts think about Al...

Was Naheed Nenshi accurate and fair in his criticism of Danielle Smith's government when he joined us on June 24? In this episode, we task two UCP supporters with "fact checking" the Alberta NDP leader's comments and providing alternative perspectives.  2:25 | Former UCP president Cynthia Moore and Alberta Institute's Peter McCaffrey respond to Naheed Nenshi's comments on infrastructure, schools,...