The Conversationalist with Ryan MacDougall & Richard Lubin

The full crew is back — plus two dogs in studio — for Episode 54 of The Conversationalist, filmed at Spare Bedroom Studios. This week, the guys recap Ryan’s interview with Edmonton mayoral candidate Andrew Knack, dig into local bike lane and transit debates, and then take a hard left into Vegas proposal stories, sports hot takes, and a few very questionable movie reviews. Expect chaos, comedy, and...

We celebrate a Jays run, unpack an Oilers opener, and argue whether McDavid’s pay move equals leadership. Then: when media’s “first take” hurts real lives, whether true-crime teaches the wrong lessons, and who should get paid when AI clones a face or voice. We close with a ruthless AITA. 👉 Follow The Conversationalist & Solo Spotlight by Ryan MacDougall. New: Prime Joe Time (Spare Bedroom Stu...

This one’s a full plate, Edmonton—the whole meal deal. We’re digging into the issues that actually shape your week: city politics, taxes, infill versus sprawl, the playoffs, and even the eternal battle over airplane armrests. —just real talk about what it all means for your street, your wallet, and your Sunday. Ryan and Richard, with producer Mark, break it all down with their signature mix of ins...

Uncle Hack @DangerCats69 pulls up to Solo Spotlight and we get into the whole arc—oil patch shifts → sketch grind → “Rules of the Patch” blowing up → sobriety reset → first open mic → building Danger Cats → and the infamous 3-venue fail-safe for canceled shows. If you’re chasing stage time (or just love good chaos), this one’s for you. Guest: Uncle Hack — Comedian, Danger Cats 🎟 Tickets/Merch: dan...

Solo Spotlight 61 — A real conversation with my friend Anthony (aka @tangled.anglerr). We get into why process beats the catch, the unwritten rules around sharing fishing spots (without being “that guy”), and plain-English conservation so our rivers actually have fish tomorrow. We also talk resilience, headspace, and knowing when not to post. About Solo Spotlight Long-form, human conversations. Ju...

Podcaster. Stand-up. Nick Von Wackerbarth built The VonDubCast on long-form, real talk—then used that muscle to step on stage and make strangers laugh. We get into the jump from podcasting to comedy, the ugly/funny truth about bombing, how rooms actually work, beating podfade, and making creativity pay without selling your soul. Follow Nick / Get tickets Guest IG: https://www.instagram.com/nickvon...

Joey Vyvanse joins Solo Spotlight to unpack the stove-story name, the Blue Door set, writing Scorpion , and why “Clean Hands” & “Spaceship” connected. We talk ADD vs consistency, ads vs shows (what actually grows fans), Invermere’s capacity night, collabs, and what’s next. Subscribe , comment your favorite line, and stream Joey via the links. Hit subscribe, drop your favorite bar in the commen...

Solo Spotlight with Ryan. Today’s guest: Mark Hillman—PACE candidate for Ward papastew (Garneau, Strathcona, Queen Alexandra, Belgravia, Windsor Park, Ritchie, Allendale, Pleasantview and more). We keep it human and practical: fewer slogans, more “show your work.” In this episode: Value for money: where he’d start on spending, and how residents would actually feel it this year. Transit & safet...

We break down the viral “Baseball Karen” saga (yes, there’s a $5,000 apology offer), argue WNBA watchability, drop a bold Oilers “we don’t lose if we’re back” prophecy, and explain why Albania’s “AI minister” would start with public procurement. We even cap it with a 60-second Conjuring: Last Rites review. 🎧 Full audio feed: https://media.rss.com/the-conversationalists-with-ryan-and-rich/feed.xml...

In Solo Spotlight Ep. 57, we sit down with Jen Tomski—the creator behind That’s Really Jen and the 2025 Edmonton Tourism Awards – Tourism Influencer winner. We talk content craft (from ideation to edits), working with brands without losing your voice, and the real-life moments behind the reels. If you’re building on social, this one’s a mini-masterclass wrapped in a candid conversation. 🎧 Listen...

Note: I missay the episode number in the intro—this is Solo Spotlight Ep 56. Divorce isn’t a personality; it’s a plot point. Coach/author Matina Singh joins me to talk about rebuilding identity after a breakup, co-parenting without chaos, and the daily routines that actually move you from survival to “okay, I’ve got this.” In this episode: Turning heartbreak into a new identity (without pretending...

Episode 50—half a hundred and fully caffeinated. Ryan, Lubin, Mark, and Kelvin go straight at the week’s biggest fan-pain points: NFL RedZone sneaking in ads, the death of free streams and the messy new reality of sports rights (ABC/Peacock/Prime… pick a lane), the Kai x Kevin Hart x Druski mega-stream and what it says about “TV vs. creators,” plus the Clippers/Kawhi under-the-table allegations an...

Parents, teachers, coaches—this one’s for you. Kathryne Imabayashi (Parents-of-Boys coach; early-years educator; author of Raising Boys Who Become Remarkable Men) lays out the “bias you can’t unsee,” how the Boy Code pressures boys to hide their feelings, and simple everyday scripts to raise boys who are strong and kind. About our guest: Kathryne is a Canadian-born educator with four decades acros...

Canadian 400m sprinter Austin Cole sits down to break the myth that sprinting is “just 44 seconds.” We cover the full grind: training blocks, travel and acclimation, funding/sponsorship reality, selection windows, and the mindset it takes to keep winning when you’re “only as fast as your last race.” If you’re an athlete, coach, parent—or just sprint-curious—this episode is a blueprint, not a highl...

This week we’re poolside (literally) with Kelvin dodging monkeys in Grenada, arguing about Taylor & Travis, celebrating UBC boys hitting the NFL, and telling an all-timer airline saga. Zero fluff, just real talk and dumb jokes. Tap in. 👍 Like, 💬 comment your favorite moment, and 🔔 subscribe if you’re new. HOSTS & CREW Ryan • Lubin • Mark • Kelvin (remote from Grenada) FOLLOW SPARE BEDRO...

Singer–songwriter Eric Kane walks through the rebrand from Cane Incognito to his own name, the personal events behind the new material, and how DIY touring across Western Canada helped him build momentum. We also cover the single “Water My Soul.” Listen to “Water My Soul”: https://lnk.to/EKwater Follow Eric: https://www.instagram.com/erickane_/ • https://www.tiktok.com/@erickane_ • https://linktr....

First batch gone in 48 hours. ~400 jars in ~3 months. Then AHS reached out—so Steven paused home production, moved into a commercial kitchen, and kept building. Drunken Phở’s founder Steven Nguyen breaks down how a family Vietnamese satế (lemongrass chili oil) became a real brand: a 12-jar retail test that sold out in ~3 days and expanded to five stores, scrappy pop-ups (30 jars in 30 minutes; 45...

When Braden Burym left Saskatchewan for steady money in Alberta oil and construction, it felt like a one‑way road to a decent life. Years later, on May 31st, a routine basket move whipped the wrong way and ripped his bicep tendon. Overnight he was injured, medicated, and expendable. HR said there was no work. Bills stacked. Friends went silent. The gym—the last outlet holding the darkness back—was...

Local grind meets sports soap opera. We kick off with a killer Edmonton founder story—how Drunken Foe went from mom’s recipe to navigating AHS rules, pH tests, and razor-thin margins—then pivot into the week’s sports drama: Ryan’s Austin Cole debrief, a Canadian teen shaking up tennis, MLB history behind the plate, Jays reality check, the WNBA’s money/growth tension (yes, Caitlin comes up), and th...

Chef/owner Levi Biddlecombe joins Solo Spotlight to break down the founder grind behind Backstairs Burger: from $13 in the account to lines out the door. We get into the food-truck sprint, the Breakfast TV pop, and how to scale fine-dining technique without losing soul. Real ops, real numbers, real craft—house American cheese, house pickles, “bacon glass,” and the blueprint that actually holds. IN...

Real-time captions aren’t a magic button—they’re a human sprint. Court reporter & close captioner Elise Eichmüller joins me to demystify how captions actually get to your screen, why humans are the gold standard, and what strong training programs (like NAIT’s) mean for accuracy, accessibility, and justice. IN THIS EPISODE: • How live captions work (pre-hookup, modem checks, ~3s delay buffer, r...

Dr. Farhan Chak joins Solo Spotlight to trace his path from global activism and the book “Nuclear Flashpoint” to teaching and, now, serving his community at the city level. We dig into prevention over performance, why language and dignity matter in public life, and how participation (not posturing) actually fixes things. IN THIS EPISODE: • Global → local: lessons that translate to safer streets an...

A brutally honest hang with Ryan, Lewis, and Mark: drive-thru war crimes, the eternal green-bubble debate, QR menus that hate you, and a quick autopsy of that Area 51 documentary. Also: festival talk, “bubbles” culture, and a viral relationship mess that had us yelling at our screens. If you’ve ever ordered for a small nation at a drive-thru…this one’s for you. Watch next: More hot takes, fewer na...

In this deep and honest conversation, Ryan Macdougall sits down with Daniel Brimblecombe, an Australian entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience scaling businesses, navigating near bankruptcy, and mastering the mindset required to thrive in the face of adversity. Daniel shares candid stories from his early days — from struggling with cash flow and leadership challenges to the emotional toll o...

In this Solo Spotlight episode, Ryan sits down with comedian, producer, and instructor Alex Jocko for a hilarious and raw conversation about the comedy grind, motherhood, and the art of hosting shows that keep Edmonton laughing. From her theatre roots to co-running Canada’s longest-running free comedy show, Alex shares the unfiltered truth about building a career in stand-up while juggling family...