Entertainment Is Broken

This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon open the mailbag and get into the big questions... and, because this is us, also several deeply specific side quests. Is Canada finally building a real star system? Sarah makes the case that something is shifting, with shows like North of North , Heated Rivalry , and a new wave of Canadian storytelling helping audiences get ove...

Are movie theatres finally back? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon look at the return of audiences to cinemas, the rise of younger moviegoers, and why Canadian films may be benefiting from a renewed love of the big-screen experience. From indie theatres as community hubs to Canadian success stories like Little Lorraine , Blue Heron , Nirvanna: The Band, The Sho...

Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon open the Entertainment Is Broken mailbag to answer listener questions about the strange machinery behind show business. Richard shares what celebrity junkets are really like, from exhausted movie stars answering the same question 40 times in a day to memorable encounters with Meryl Streep, Madonna, and Bill Murray. Sarah breaks down the reality TV machine from her o...

Is late night television dying, or has it just been chopped up into clips, podcasts, TikToks, and celebrity interviews designed for the algorithm? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon look at the past, present, and uncertain future of late night TV. Sparked by conversation around Stephen Colbert, they trace the format from Johnny Carson to David Letterman, Conan,...

Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon take on comedy as an art form… and why it so often gets treated like drama’s unserious cousin. They discuss the craft behind great comedy, from timing and rhythm to improv, physical performance, writing, surprise, and the invisible work that makes a joke land. They also dig into the Kevin Hart roast, modern roast culture, the difference between shock and surprise, a...

Mick Jagger is 82. Paul McCartney is 83. Ringo Starr is still making music. So are we witnessing a creative renaissance... or rock’s most determined refusal to retire? Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon discuss legacy artists, nostalgia, concert ticket prices, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Wings, Billy Preston, and why some performers become heritage acts while others keep creating. Plus, squirrel...

What if the best concert you’ll ever see… only has 50 people in the room? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard and Sarah explore the phenomenon of massive artists going small — from secret shows and fake band names to surprise appearances in tiny venues. Inspired by stories like The Rolling Stones at the El Mocambo and recent pop-up gigs from Olivia Rodrigo, they unpack why these intimat...

A new Michael Jackson biopic raises a familiar question… do audiences actually want the truth, or just a great show? This week, Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon unpack the new film Michael and the growing trend of biopics that trade accuracy for spectacle. When a story as complex as Michael Jackson’s gets streamlined into a crowd-pleasing concert experience, what gets lost… and does it even matter?...

This week, Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon explore the thrill—and fragility—of live performance. From Broadway productions like Rocky Horror and Chicago to the high-wire act of Saturday Night Live , they ask: what makes live entertainment feel so different… and why does it matter now more than ever? Richard shares a surreal night inside SNL during its 90s heyday—featuring Paul McCartney, Chris Far...

What is Angine de Poitrine … and why is everyone suddenly talking about them? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , we break down the viral Quebec band turning heads by doing the exact opposite of what modern fame demands: staying anonymous. With triangle masks, a made-up language, and music that feels intentionally raw and unpredictable, Angine de Poitrine has become an online obsession—racking...

The Junos came and went… but where were Canada’s biggest stars? In this episode of Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon dig into the growing debate around Canadian identity in entertainment… and whether artists like Justin Bieber, Drake, and Tate McRae are still “Canadian” when it counts. Is it about where you’re born… or where your career is built? They break down: Why so man...

Buffy is cancelled… again. After years of development, a filmed pilot, and serious creative talent behind it, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is suddenly dead — and the timing couldn’t be worse. So what happened? This week, we start with Buffy… and zoom out to the bigger question: why does Hollywood keep going back? From The X-Files to a growing list of revivals, reboots and “reimaginings,” th...

Remember when red carpets were about journalism… and not vertical video, viral moments, and whether someone got free cake? This week on Entertainment Is Broken, hosts Richard Crouse and Sarah dive into the growing clash between influencers and traditional entertainment journalism — and ask the uncomfortable question: who actually belongs on the red carpet anymore? From the Oscars red carpet contro...

BTS is back from military service — and their comeback show in Seoul is expected to draw 260,000 fans . Yes. A quarter of a million. Meanwhile, most bands can’t afford gas for the tour van. In this episode of Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon dive into the bizarre economics of live music: Why mega-concerts are getting bigger than ever Why the middle of the music industry is...

Did Jim Carrey really appear at the César Awards… or did the internet just decide he didn’t look like himself anymore? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon dig into the bizarre online conspiracy about Jim Carrey’s face — and why fans feel personally betrayed when celebrities age, change their look, or get a little work done. From Jennifer Grey’s infamous nose job...

Why do we travel just to stand where a movie scene was filmed? This week on Entertainment Is Broken, Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon explore the booming world of film and TV tourism — from Twin Peaks and Ghostbusters to Hollywood landmarks and Ontario’s suddenly famous Heated Rivalry cottage. They unpack the nostalgia, escapism, and surprising economics behind visiting fictional worlds in real lif...

Canadians are proudly buying local, waving the maple leaf, and rallying behind homegrown culture — so why are Canadian movie theaters suddenly empty? This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard and Sarah unpack the surprising 40% drop in Canadian film attendance and ask a big question: if we love Canadian creators, why aren’t we showing up for Canadian movies? From Mike Myers’ cultural rallying...

This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon hold up the “art is a mirror” cliché…then immediately use it to start a small, tasteful blaze. We’re talking art as resistance ...from Picasso’s Guernica energy to pop culture moments that make the internet reveal its whole personality in public. We also take a beat to acknowledge the death of Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der...

This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard and Sarah try to make sense of a glossy new Melania Trump “documentary” that feels less like filmmaking and more like the soft launch of a lifestyle brand. From its eye-watering budget to its suspicious lack of actual substance, the conversation quickly turns to what this project really is…and where it’s likely headed next (hint: streaming platform, b...

Is reality TV trash…or is it secretly one of the most powerful storytelling tools we have? In this episode of Entertainment Is Broken , film critic Richard Crouse and reality-TV scholar and Big Brother Canada winner Sarah Hanlon dive deep into the past, present, and future of reality television — just as Canada Shore lands in Kelowna, BC and The Traitors Canada proves the genre is having a full-bl...

This week on Entertainment Is Broken , Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon break down the freshly announced Oscar nominations , from surprise snubs to horror films finally getting some long-overdue Academy love. The conversation kicks off with a brutal (and oddly fascinating) hate watch of Mercy , a new sci-fi thriller built around an AI judge , a ticking clock, and a future where justice takes 90 min...

In this engaging episode, Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon dive into the evolving landscape of celebrity culture, particularly focusing on the implications of Kevin Hart's recent deal with Authentic Brands Group. This unprecedented move allows Hart to sell his intellectual property while still alive, raising ethical questions about the commodification of celebrity and the transition from performer...

In this engaging conversation, Sarah Hanlon and Richard Crouse explore the potential for Canadian television to create hit shows, particularly focusing on the success of 'Heated Rivalry.' They discuss personal experiences, the unique aspects of Canadian culture, and the importance of risk-taking in storytelling. The dialogue also touches on the impact of location and authenticity in Canadian produ...

This episode of Entertainment Is Broken begins with loss… personal, unexpected, and grounding. Richard Crouse shares an update on recovering from Bell’s palsy and how suddenly losing something you take for granted can shift your perspective on everything that follows. From there, Richard and Sarah Hanlon expand the conversation to legacy, creativity, and what survives when the platforms beneath ou...

In this episode of 'Entertainment is Broken', Richard Crouse and Sarah Hanlon delve into the complexities of award season, discussing the Golden Globe nominations, notable snubs, and the evolving role of hosts. They explore the significance of the Golden Globes in the current entertainment landscape, the impact of streaming on theatrical releases, and the emotional weight of personal stories in mu...