The D'Ascenzo Zone

Jocelyn Claybourne, better known online as Degrassi Kid, turned their lifelong passion for the iconic Canadian series Degrassi into a full-time career as a content creator. What began as being one of the show's biggest superfans evolved into becoming a recognized voice in the Degrassi community and eventually a professional connection with the franchise itself. Jocelyn hosts The Degrassi Kid P...

Dan Williams is a prolific TV writer & producer, most known for co-creating The Guava Juice Show for YouTube and Wishfart for Cartoon Network, but also working on shows like George of the Jungle, Franklin, Ollie's Pack and many more. In this episode, we talk about: • His journey to becoming a writer/producer. • ideas around creativity, writing and collaboration • Some behind the scenes sto...

In this TDZ Podcast, Mike speaks with veteran screenwriter Sean Jara about his journey through television writing, animation, and building original worlds for screen. Sean shares how he got his first break writing for Gene Roddenberry’s Earth: Final Conflict, and later wrote for shows like Degrassi: The Next Generation. He also dives into his experience creating Mysticons for Nickelodeon, a series...

In this TDZ Podcast, I speak with Katie Lai -- an actor and former Degrassi star Kendra Mason, about growing up as child actors, the hidden realities of working in television at a young age, and the shocking reason she ultimately walked away from Degrassi. Katie opens up about starting her career at just 3 years old after performing in Miss Saigon, landing roles on shows like Super Rupert and Degr...

Steve Scaini is an Emmy Award winning director who has directed hundreds of hours of television, including The Beachcombers, Anne of Green Gables, Degrassi, Super Rupert, Odd Squad, and many more. He has worked with notable talent such as Jennifer Lopez, Drake, Ryan Reynolds, and Ryan Gosling, to name a few. He also worked with me on Super Rupert and Naturally Sadie. With over 50 years in the indu...

Stoicism. It’s not about being emotionless, detached, or suppressing how you feel. That version, sometimes called, “Broicism”, is everywhere online, but real Stoicism is about understanding your emotions, not letting them overtake you, and focusing on what you can control. In this episode, I break down:• The Stoic dichotomy of control (what you can vs can’t control)• Why your thoughts—not events—c...

Did you watch Yu-Gi-Oh! when you were younger?! My guest today is an Emmy Award-Winning Head Writer, Producer & Showrunner with 25 years experience in the kids and family space. He's worked on hit series like Super Why's Comic Book Adventures, Get Rolling with Otis, Welcome to the Wayne and most notably, multiple seasons, spinoffs and movies of Yu-Gi-Oh! In this episode, we talk about:...

Feeling stuck in life? This conversation explores how to find purpose, break destructive patterns, and reinvent your identity using the Hero’s Journey framework. In this episode of the TDZ Podcast, I speak with Adam Jablin -- an author, keynote speaker, life coach and creator of "The Hero Project" which is a framework to help people break destructive patterns, rebuild identity and redisc...

In this episode of The D’Ascenzo Zone Podcast, I speak with Antoinette Ellis, CEO and Co-Founder of ACE and Co. who shares her journey from event management to leading a business that empowers women and youth through leadership, confidence building and career exploration. We talk about: • Finding your passion & career • The power of networking and best practices • Strategies for building confi...

How do you go viral on TikTok in 2026? And can content creation actually become a full-time career? In this episode of the TDZ Podcast, Mike sits down with a viral TikTok snack influencer Dre Pao, who has built an audience of over 200,000 followers by reinventing everyday foods into creative, scroll-stopping content. We talk about the real strategy behind viral TikTok videos, how consistency and o...

Dr. Robb Kelly is has a double PHD and is an addiction and recovery expert who has spent over 20 years helping people beat addictions and rebuild their lives. His approach focuses on beating the root cause of addiction, combining neuroscience, behavioural research and his lived experience, recovering from alcoholism himself. In this episode, we talk about: • His journey from homeless alcoholic to...

Charles Johnston is an Emmy Award winning screenwriter, co-creator of the cult hit Detentionaire, filmmaker, critic, licensed private investigator and the author of the psychological thriller "Sleep Walk". In this episode, we talk about: • His journey & the craft of screenwriting• Co-Creating Detentionaire• Writing his debut novel and more_____________________________________________...

Most people think creativity is about finding the perfect idea. But what if the real secret is producing a lot of bad ones first? In this TDZ Solocast, I do a deep dive into the psychology of creativity and explain why quantity often leads to quality. Drawing on research, real-world examples, and my own experience, we explore why iteration beats perfection and how producing more work is the fastes...

Jacob Kraemer is an award-winning actor who starred in Family / Disney Channel shows like Naturally Sadie and Overruled, as well as guest starring in a number of other shows like What We Do in the Shadows and Designated Survivor. He's also a longtime acting coach at the esteemed Lewis Baumander Acting Studio in Toronto. In this episode, we talk about: • His journey into becoming an actor• The...

David Miles is a top financial planner and insurance specialist, who has helped hundreds of families plan and build wealth for over a decade. He manages tens of millions of dollars for his clients, and gives back to his community via charity. In this episode, we talk about: • The psychology of money • The practical foundations of personal finance • The emotional role money plays in our lives and m...

Kevin Lepine is America’s Favorite Hypnotist and winner of the 2026 Stage Hypnotist of the Year at the prestigious Performing Hypnosis Summit. His show, Hypnosis Unleashed, is the longest-running comedy hypnosis show in Las Vegas, entertaining audiences for over 15 years. In this episode, we talk about: • His path into becoming a world class hypnotist• The truth, craft and ethics of hypnosis• How...

Flavia Abadia is a trilingual DJ, MC, and recording artist who broke barriers on some of the biggest stages in sports, making history as the first woman to DJ a Toronto Raptors game and going on to rock the Blue Jays’ World Series. Alongside releasing multiple acclaimed albums with millions of streams, she’s performed all around the world. In this episode, we talk about: • How a traumatic brain in...

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Zack Bosanac is a 4 time Ironman triathalon finisher, who lost 100 pounds, quit his stable job in finance, and risked everything to be an entrepreneur and open his own gym, Fitt Forge. He started the business in his garage and has since grown it into a 4000 square foot facility, hustling, making sacrifices, and taking on significant risk to make his dream come true. In this episode we talk about:...

My guest today is Elizabeth Szczepan, a top real estate professional serving the greater Toronto Hamilton Area and Niagara here in Ontario. In this episode we talk about: • Her path into real estate • What separates great realtors from average ones • How commissions really work • We break down the home buying process with practical advice for buyers, sellers and investors and more. TDZ Podcast Epi...

My guest today is professional voice actress, Natalie Hitzel. You've heard her across commercials, cartoons, video games and talking toys for brands like Disney, Lego, Pixar and Coca-cola. In this episode we talk about: • Her journey into the industry and experience working for these big brands•The craft of voice work •The Audition Grind •The realities of freelancing •How Ai could impact voice...

Alex Ganetakos is a prolific, award-winning TV writer and producer who's worked across almost every TV genre. Her credits include 6Teen, Paw Patrol, Hotel Transylvania: The Series, Total Drama Island, Dylan's Playtime Adventures and many, many more. In this episode we talk about: • Her journey into the TV and film industry • The Craft of writing and pitching • What it was like working on s...

Nitish Sakhuja (Nitty Sak) is a Toronto-born comedian now living in Los Angeles who has been featured on Just For Laughs, The Winnipeg Comedy festival and more. He recently dropped a new comedy special, "High, I'm Nitty" (link below) and in March 2026 he'll be opening for Russel Peters on tour in India. In today's episode we talk about: • Nitty's journey from growing up i...

My guest today is director and producer Melanie Orr. Her work spans comedy, drama, and mystery... from Mistletoe Murders and The Hardy Boys to Children Ruin Everything and the new Netflix series Ripple. We talk about: • Her journey from script supervisor to award-winning director • The importance collaboration •Facing imposter syndrome • The craft of directing • Why persistence, empathy, and relat...

Chris Meneses went from immigrating to Canada with nothing to becoming a top performer in luxury car sales — and later building systems that scaled entire dealerships. In this episode, we dive into the mindset, strategies, and hard lessons behind his rise. In this podcast we talk about: • How Chris became the #1 salesperson in just 3 months using video and CRM systems • His transition from acting...