The 1st Half Culture Show

This week on One-Man Midfield , Paul Desbaillets dives into some wild headlines that hit deeper than just the pitch: 💰 Cristiano Ronaldo becomes football’s first billionaire player — $1.4B net worth and counting 🏟️ Manchester United may be changing hands… again. Rumors suggest a Saudi sale in the works 🐐 World Cup mascots unveiled: Maple the Moose (Canada), Zazú the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch t...

What happens when a football-loving, Tottenham-supporting local runs for city council in one of Montreal’s most dynamic boroughs? We sat down with Shane Thompson , candidate for city councillor in the Sud-Ouest (Little Burgundy, St-Henri, Griffintown & Pointe-St-Charles), to talk about the intersection of football and politics — and why he believes the beautiful game builds better communities....

The First Half Culture Show is back, now with two drops every week.🎙️ Wednesdays: Football Culture with Paul Desbaillets🎤 Thursdays: Special Guest ConversationsThis week’s solo drop? Paul’s sounding off on the biggest stories in the game right now:FC Supra shaking up Quebec footballEA’s $55 billion takeover 💰$6,730 World Cup Final tickets — yep, that’s real 🎟️Canada’s historic FIFA ranking 🏆Ear...

From early-morning training to late-night recovery, CFL pro Tyrell Richards ( Alouettes de Montreal ) opens up about the realities of life as a professional athlete—how sleep, food, mindset, and community shape everything from performance to personal growth. Presented by Birckenstock in support of the GOAL Initiatives Foundation, this special episode is about more than just football, it’s about bu...

6’7” forward Abdul Mohamed of the Montréal Alliance joins The 1st Half Culture Show to talk hoops, heritage, and how football culture shaped him off the court. From growing up in a Somali-Canadian household to playing pro basketball across Germany, England, and Norway, Abdul unpacks how sport built his identity, and why football has always been part of his story. We dig into African influence in t...

Canadian media icon and cultural connector George Stroumboulopoulos joins The 1st Half Culture Show presented by Breville, in collaboration with evenko and CULTMTL, for a no-holds-barred conversation about football, music, media, and community. We talk Spurs heartbreak and Bob Marley, why football supporters aren’t just “fans,” how stadiums tell stories, and what it means to live out your values i...

Canadian alt-pop artist Emi Jean joins The 1st Half Culture Show to talk about her journey from singing opera at age 7 in Quebec bars to touring Asia, going solo, and performing on the grid at the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix. We dive into her love of football, her Osheaga 2025 stage debut, why storytelling is at the heart of her music, and how discipline and teamwork connect athletes and musicia...

In this week’s episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, we sit down with Italian-Canadian independent artist Gion, a rising voice in North America’s alt-pop and R&B scene. From charting with “Je Ne Veux Personne” to consulting for major brands, Gion shares how football culture shaped his creative outlook, why identity matters in his music, and what it means to tell authentic stories through art....

Fabio & Dan of Bossa MTL join The 1st Half Culture Show to share how their modern Italian café and market became a cultural landmark in Montreal. From their fresh take on Italian street food to building a warm, vibrant community hub, they talk about staying authentic while creating something truly their own. We get into what Italian culture means today, why football and family go hand in hand,...

From Romania to Montreal, Robert Rositoiu has dedicated his career to developing young football talent and shaping the future of the game in Canada. As head coach of the Montreal Roses FC, Robert talks about winning in Ligue1 Québec, his time at CF Montréal, and what it takes to build players who can compete on the international stage. ⚽ “Coaching is more than tactics — it’s building people, not...

From the markets of Haiti to the kitchens of Montreal, Chef Paul Toussaint has never stopped bringing culture, community, and soul to the table. In this week's episode, Paul opens up about why he chose food over football, his deep love for the Haitian community, and how he built a BBQ concept inspired by Texas smokehouses and Caribbean soul.🔥 “When you cook, you should do it with the same lov...

🎭⚽ From house league heroics to Netflix screen time — Montreal-based actor, writer, and sketch comic Nir Guzinski joins The 1st Half Culture Show to talk football, acting, and how the city shaped his creative hustle. He opens up about:Getting his start in football with the NDG PanthersDealing with setbacks, including the team not making Triple-AHis dad secretly watching games after being asked n...

From university parties to Paris Fashion Week, Schuyler Mota has helped shape Canada’s experiential marketing scene. As President and Co-Founder of CRUEL, he’s led cultural campaigns and branded activations that stretch across Canada and beyond. In this episode of The 1st Half on TSN690, Schuyler sits down with Paul Desbaillets to talk about building CRUEL from the ground up, launching Sports Illu...

🇨🇦⚽ From Wigan to CF Montréal, Tom Pearce shares the ride: growing up near Liverpool, switching academies, getting capped for England, and embracing the poutine life. In this exclusive sit-down, Tom reflects on culture shock, surviving relegation, and how Montreal is reshaping his game. From Full English breakfasts to playing in the Toulon Tournament, this convo runs deep. Plus, we hit him with t...

Rocco Placentino’s story is a journey through passion, grit, and grassroots football power. From playing professionally in Italy to becoming Technical Director at CS Saint-Laurent, Rocco is now helping rewrite Canadian soccer's trajectory—one player, one pitch at a time. In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show with Paul Desbaillets on TSN 690, Rocco shares what it was like playing in truf...

This week, Paul Desbaillets sits down with Fred and Marco — the beloved faces behind Montreal’s Satay Brothers. From slinging Southeast Asian street food at the Atwater Market to becoming culinary legends on Notre-Dame Street, the boys dish out their origin stories and how football has been a constant thread in their journey. They talk about the multicultural roots of their football passion, the I...

This week, Paul Desbaillets sits down with Emilio Zaga Mendez, the Senior Branding Manager at evenko and the creative force behind Canada's premier Latin music festival, Fuego Fuego. From his Peruvian roots and football heritage to shaping the visual identity of major festivals like OSHEAGA, Emilio shares his journey of blending culture, sport, and music into unforgettable experiences. Discove...

In this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, comedian and reality TV alum Kevin Lapierre shares how his path from Occupation Double South Africa and Big Brother Célébrités led him to a growing stand-up comedy career. Kevin opens up about his early days working bars, his influences, and how his time in South Africa wasn’t just about reality TV—it also included an unforgettable football experience...

From the Streets of Paris to Football Glory & Mental Health AdvocacyThis week on The 1st Half Culture Show, we sit down with Hassoun Camara, former CF Montréal defender turned speaker, entrepreneur, and TV personality. In this raw and revealing conversation, Hassoun talks about the hustle of trying to make it in Europe, the emotional highs of playing in the CONCACAF Final at Azteca, and the lo...

Chef Antonio Park returns to The 1st Half Culture Show to talk food, football, and feeding the world’s elite athletes. From cooking for the X-Men to AC Milan players, Washington Capitals, Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Checo Perez, PK Suban, Thierry Henry, Gabriel Diallo, Alexis Galarneau, Nick Suzuki , Alex Albon and international A-List Celebrities to his love for Tottenham Hotspur and his Argentin...

This week on The 1st Half Culture Show , former CF Montréal fan favorite and current Columbus Crew veteran Evan Bush joins Paul Desbaillets via call-in for an honest look at life during and after MLS. A 17-year professional, Evan shares deeply personal reflections on overcoming multiple injuries, his transition into front-office roles, and what football has taught him about resilience, identity, a...

"If I did well, I was supposed to. If I played bad… how could you be this bad? When your dad's that guy and your brother's this guy." — Bradley Wright-PhillipsIn this exclusive Breville-featured episode of The 1st Half Culture Show, Paul Desbaillets sits down with MLS legend and football royalty Bradley Wright-Phillips. Presented by Breville in collaboration with evenko and CULTM...

This week on The 1st Half Culture Show , host Paul Desbaillets sits down with Danny Marinelli—co-owner of the beloved Marinelli Brothers Café and the face behind Montreal’s official AS Roma supporters hub. From a legendary family-run business rooted in Italian hospitality to unforgettable moments like seeing Chiellini and Bonucci walk into his restaurant during Grand Prix weekend, Danny opens up a...

On this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show , Massimo Lecas shares his journey from launching Buonanotte in 1991 to shaping Montreal’s food and nightlife scene for over 30 years . We dive into his vision of blending food, entertainment, and football culture —hosting football legends like Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba , and more. "We feed you, but we also entertain you. It’s abou...

On this episode of The 1st Half Culture Show , we sit down with the Darby Magazine crew , the team behind Canada’s leading independent football publication. They share their mission to capture the untold stories of Canadian soccer, celebrate its culture, and document the sport’s evolution through high-quality storytelling and print media. Key Topics We Cover: 0:00 – The Origins of Darby Magazine &...