The Firecracker Department with Naomi Snieckus

Hey firecrackers! We're back after a small hiatus and I have plenty to catch you up on! In this weeks episode I'm telling you all about an incident I had with a gentlemen whose car I accidentally backed into. He was quite angry with me but I was able to diffuse the situation with snacks and a hug, which I have to say might be the answer to all of life's problems, haha! It occurred on my father's e...

Hey firecrackers! I'm back in Halifax shooting the next season of 'Mr. D' and I want to give a huge shout out to my amazing cast and crew out here! If you haven't been to the east coast, you should get out here, it's absolutely beautiful. Our guest this week is Rachel Wilson, an incredibly talented actress from shows such as 'Republic of Doyle', 'Total Drama', and (throwback) 'Breaker High'. Most...

Quiet on set, mosquitos! Hey Firecrackers, I'm up north in the Kawartha's Lakes area this week and feeling inspired by my environment. Yet, I'm also thinking about what's happening in the city since The Toronto Fringe Festival is currently on. Firecrackers, if you are in Toronto, I recommend getting out there and seeing a show. There's nothing like live theatre and as you all know, I love it! I'll...

Happy birthday Canada! This weekend we celebrated our countries 150th and many Canadians, including myself, escaped the city and spent some time with our beautiful landscapes. I spent my time by the lake and I have to say, there's nothing like watching a lake in the those early hours of the morning, it's really a sight to see. What did you guys do for your long weekend? Let me know on social media...

Hey firecrackers! As we gear up for Canada Day, our big 150, I want to know what kind of music you're listening to? Which Canadian musicians really resinate with you? Let me know on social media! Next, we have our guest, Tracy Dawson, who you might remember from 'Call Me Fitz' or 'The Gavin Crawford Show'. Well, Tracy just sold her first sitcom to TBS and has another one in the works with another...

This week at the department, we have an exciting giveaway for passes to the advance screening of 'The House'! Listen to the podcast and head to the "contest" tab on our website to find out how to enter! Next we have Carla Gallo as our guest! Her and I met through her husband, Mark, and you may know her from 'Bones', 'Undeclared', or 'Carnivale'. We talked about motherhood, writing for film and tel...

This week we're starting off talking about that one magical person in your life, the person who's always believed in you. For me, that was my Aunty Marie, always trusting me to take on these small but important tasks, which made me think "oh ya, I can do this". This kind of respect definitely helped shape my personality and my confidence. Our guest this week is the lovely Marypat Farrell! We're bo...

Laura Hall is one talented musician, one of the (many) things that makes her unique is her incredible influence on the comedy world. From being a pianist for ' The Second City'  to the band leader on ' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'  her music has accompanied some of the most iconic comedic shows. You'd think this meant she came from a musically driven house hold, but that's not the case. As Laura ment...

Colleen Murray Peyton studied improv and sketch comedy at the infamous Second City in Chicago, from there she went on to do a variety of shows on the stage. While building her career, Colleen also dealt with the death of her mother, a topic that we dove into. Even though this was devastating, she went on to create and star in the comedic music video, "Shark Week: Attack of the Menses" and the come...

During this interview, Jenn recounts that at a young age she would listen to her father call into a radio station and do comedy bits for a morning show - according to her, he did a pretty bang-on impression of Queen Elizabeth! This was Jennifer Robertson's "norm" growing up and probably one of the (many) reasons I think she's absolutely hilarious, and without a doubt, a comedy queen. We really dov...

Sitting down with Zoie Palmer was more than a treat, this firecracker has had an incredible career thus far and it's only getting better! We talked about her iconic character, Dr. Lauren Lewis, on Lost Girl and what it was like to see such an incredible response to the show. We dove into her newest role as the Android on Dark Matter,  being born in England, and her family. She's bold, smart, funny...

This firecracker is currently lighting up the world with her new series Baroness Von Sketch Show but her journey to this point has been anything by easy. Having started at the Second City Toronto to being the head writer on This Hour Has 22 Minutes,  Jennifer has a long list of comedy credits. I got to sit down with her and dive into what it takes to be a such a kick-ass firecracker! Enjoy!

Grace Lynn Kung, what can I say? This firecracker has been lighting up the stage and the screen for sometime now, and I'm truly in awe of her. From her roles in The Strain and Away From Her to her incredible advice: " Nothing can replace the belief that YOU can do it " we chatted about the challenges we face as well as everything that inspires us about the film and television industry. Enjoy!

From theatre, to radio, to television, to feature films, Diane Flacks does it all, literally. Her writing credits include ' Kids In The Hall', 'Baroness Von Sketch Show' , and four one-woman shows for the stage. Her acting credits include ' Being Erica'  and Sarah Polley's ' Take This Waltz'.  This wasn't an easy journey though, Diane takes me back to what it was like writing for women in a time w...

I've know Jessie for quite some time now, this firecracker has been influential in the writers room for a few series I've been been a part of, including the show I'm currently on, ' Mr. D'.  I've always admired the way she's been able to capture such unique characters, and how great she is at writing for my voice, especially. I love her style of comedy and I can't get enough of it! From growing up...

You probably remember her from Bruce MacDonald's Highway 61   and Roadkill,  but Valerie Buhagiar is hard at work behind the camera now. She wrote and directed the feature comedy The Anniversary,  starring my good friend Colin Mochrie, and is currently working on a new web series Life Coach.  From being born in Malta, doing the one-woman show 9 Parts of Desire on stage, and being a professional Pu...

Writing, Directing, and Producing, this firecracker does it all! Mackenzie Donaldson has been behind some of the most creative and well done shows we've seen in the past few years. From ' Orphan Black ' to ' Whatever Linda ', she's taken the reigns on creating roles for women that we normally wouldn't see them in. This week, we sit down and dive into her career thus far, the challenges she's faces...

Deb McGrath, what can I say? This firecracker has had an incredible career and it just keeps getting better. From starting out at "The Second City", Toronto in 1983 where she was a writer, actress, and a director, to her work on "Little Mosque on the Prairie" and "The Ron James Show", she truly is a queen of comedy. Deb and her husband, Colin Mochrie (another comedic genius, by the way!), are dear...

As an actress, sometimes you get very lucky and you get to work with other incredibly talented people. It allows you to not only improve upon your own skills, but grow as a person. I have been very lucky to work alongside the legendary Bette MacDonald for the past few years on CBC's ' Mr. D' and I can't tell you how in awe I am of this comedic genius. From choosing to stay in Cape Breton early on...

Being brave and taking the reigns on your own path in life is not an easy task. It definitely takes a certain kind of firecracker to push through the obstacles and stick to following your passion. In this weeks episode I'm talking to Tommie Amber Pirie, someone who does this every day and we should all take note from her book. From her role in the film "What If" and her kick-ass character on "Bitt...

Talking with Annie Murphy is like hanging out with an old highschool buddy. From a quiet life amongst the tulips of Ottawa to starring in "Schitt's Creek" and married to a rock star we're gonna talk about her journey. She chose acting, over being a lawyer, and I am so glad she did because she is a delight as Alexis Rose on "Schitt's Creek". We had a really fun, honest conversation about the fear o...

Jayne Eastwood has built herself an illustrious acting career that has spanned almost 50 years.  She left high school with no intentions of being and actress, and every intention of being a fine artist. Acting is what has been "keeping the wolves from the door" and painting is what keeps her grounded. And speaking of grounded if you ever need some advice on how to handle a career in show business...