Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

Brett Kissel Responds to Backlash

Country music artist Brett Kissel will release four albums this year, titled The Compass Project. One track in particular, "Line in the Sand," has prompted backlash for its pandemic-related lyrics. The three-time Juno Award winner joins Ryan in studio to respond to his critics, and explain his complicated relationship with social media. 
HEAR THE ALBUM FOR YOURSELF: https://brettkissel.com/
36:23 | This week's edition of #TheLeadingEdge turns the spotlight around to celebrate our friends at Leading Edge Physiotherapy. Their commitment to the Zebra Child Protection Centre really is remarkable. In impossibly difficult circumstances, they're providing supports to children, youth, and their families. 
SUPPORT THE ZEBRA CENTRE: https://www.zebracentre.ca/LIFE SHOULDN'T HURT: https://leadingedgephysio.com/
39:00 | Photojournalist Amber Bracken and independent media outlet The Narwhal are suing the RCMP following what they describe as the arbitrary arrest and detention of Bracken while on assignment in 2021. Amber and Narwhal co-founder Emma Gilchrist tell us what led to the lawsuit, and the message they hope to send about journalism in Canada. 
SUPPORT THE NARWHAL: https://thenarwhal.ca/CHECK OUT AMBER'S WORK: https://www.amberbracken.com/
59:20 | Are you a chocoholic? Are you hoping for a big pile of chocolate this Valentine's Day? Athabasca University chemistry professor Dr. Dietmar Kennepohl says there's something about chocolate that sets it apart from all of life's other luxuries. 
READ ABOUT THE CHEMISTRY OF CHOCOLATE: https://news.athabascau.ca/faculty/faculty-of-science-and-technology/understanding-the-passion-and-chemistry-of-chocolate/
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

How Ice Baths Saved Wes Bauman’s Life

Wes "Ice Weazel" Bauman set two World Records on the roof of an Edmonton fire hall last week: Most Cards Memorized While in an Ice Bath, and Most Rubix Cubes Solved in a 30 Minute Ice Bath. Now that he's thawed out (!), Wes joins Ryan in studio to explain how he does it, and what got him started with cold plunges in the first place. Don't miss the most interesting insights from this fascinating fella, one of five firefighters who camped out on the roof to raise more than $80,000 for Muscular Dystrophy! 
FOLLOW WES ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ice_weazel_wezley/
30:30 | Real Talk producer John Hicks was thiiiiiiis close to winning $20,000 on Sunday. He tells us about the huge parlay he built, and where it fell apart. Plus, Ryan and John review the Super Bowl halftime show everybody's talking about. 
43:10 | Was Chris Stapleton's anthem the best the Super Bowl has ever seen? Charles Adler casts his vote. The Titan of Talk tells us why he's not scared of the spy balloons that keep popping up over North America, and why he thinks Alberta Premier Danielle Smith owes Indigenous communities an apology. 
1:03:45 | Is Mac Savage the Greatest Streaker of All Time? We debate this very important question in a hilarious edition of Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy. 
GET YOUR FREE SOLAR QUOTE: https://kubyenergy.ca/ 
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Trash Talk - Former Oil Patch Worker Tells All!

Larry's sick of sex selling, Patty's got a new definition for MAID, Brad's got his blowtorch ready re: orphan wells, and Marshall's mortified about The Handshake. Presented by our friends at Local Environmental Services, it's a high-octane edition of Trash Talk! 
KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 

Black History Month: Storytellers

Black creators have been underrepresented in the arts throughout history. Filmmaker Nauzanin Knight and author/actor Jesse Lipscombe tell us how they're changing that. But first...we talk handshakes and healthcare with Eric Denhoff.
1:50 | Did Premier Danielle Smith intentionally snub the Prime Minister this week? Eric Denhoff's seen it all as a former chief federal negotiator, and longtime deputy minister in BC and Alberta. He tells us what he makes of The Handshake, and how it landed in different ways across the country. Plus, will $46B from the feds fix healthcare? Eric brings the Real Talk.
36:20 | Nauzanin Knight and Jesse Lipscombe didn't see themselves represented in film, television, or books growing up. The filmmakers and creators form our Real Talk Round Table presented by Urban Timber, in celebration of Black History Month. They didn't know each other before their paths crossed on Real Talk. The bond created over a half hour is truly something to see! 
CHECK OUT NAUZANIN'S WORK: https://www.1844studios.com/ORDER JESSE'S NEW BOOK: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000283142673/Jesse-Lipscombe-JarsCHECK OUT JESSE'S "NOT THAT FUNNY" GAME: https://notthatfunny.store/
1:10:45 | We had SO much fun at last night's Real Talk Bourbon launch! Thanks to all the Real Talk Patreon supporters that joined us at Whisky Drop for an exclusive sit-down tasting. Ryan shows off a few photos from the big night.
ORDER YOUR BOTTLE, DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR: https://www.whiskydrop.ca/products/real-talk-cask-2-broken-barrel?_pos=1&_sid=2ed7b7297&_ss=r
1:12:40 | Larry's sick of sex selling, Patty's got a new definition for MAID, Brad's got his blowtorch ready re: orphan wells, and Marshall's mortified about The Handshake. Presented by our friends at Local Environmental Services, it's a high-octane edition of Trash Talk! 
KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj

Alberta’s Orphans & RStar

Alberta's got a big mess on its hands: a quarter-trillion dollars worth of "orphan" wells. Legal experts and energy economists are slamming a controversial new program - RStar - that would use billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded royalty breaks to subsidize energy companies to fulfil their legal duty and clean up old wells. 
3:35 | Researcher Regan Boychuk, energy critic with the Alberta Green Party, and Mark Dorin, director of the Polluter Pay Federation, dig into how Alberta got into this situation, and the bold moves it'll take to get out of it. 
CHECK OUT "THE BIG CLEANUP": https://www.aldpcoalition.com/thebigcleanup
57:20 | Have you snagged your bottle of Real Talk Cask #2 Maple Bourbon by Broken Barrel yet? Ryan tees up tonight's exclusive tasting event for Real Talk's Patreon supporters.
ORDER YOUR REAL TALK BOURBON: https://www.whiskydrop.ca/products/real-talk-cask-2-broken-barrel?_pos=1&_sid=ddbe97e3e&_ss=rSUPPORT REAL TALK ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
59:22 | A whole bunch of you have been emailing us about the "Just Transition". Ryan reads emails from Mike, who works in oil and gas, and Roger, chiming in from Calgary, about jobs, the environment, and Canada's economic future.
SHOOT US A NOTE: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

The NDP’s Plan to Win Alberta

Alberta's provincial election is less than four months away. The NDP will need to win in Calgary to form government. The UCP will need to win big outside Edmonton to keep government. In this episode of Real Talk, we ask NDP leader Rachel Notley about her party's plan. But first...
0:00 | Did you see Premier Danielle Smith's handshake with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau? Of course you did. What message did it send across the country? How much does a handshake matter? Ryan and Johnny discuss.
9:10 | Heart attacks and strokes are the leading cause of premature death for women in Canada, yet nearly 80% of women are initially misdiagnosed. Bobbi-Jo Green tells us why she found herself wishing for a heart attack for ten years, while Dr. Colleen Norris paints the bigger picture of why women face systemic barriers to health care in Canada.
LEARN ABOUT WEAR RED CANADA DAY ON FEB. 13: https://wearredcanada.ca/
32:10 | Rachel Notley wants to be Premier again. She tells Real Talk how she plans to make that happen, including her plan to "fix" health care, her thoughts on the "Just Transition," whether or not she'll reintroduce caps on tuition, insurance rates, and utilities, and how an NDP government would approach funding an arena build in Calgary.
52:50 | Looking to elevate your Valentine's Day plan this year? Why not head out to the mountains? This week's #MyJasper Memories highlights some of the amazing options waiting for you in Jasper National Park. 
PLAN YOUR PERFECT ROMANTIC WEEKEND: https://www.jasper.travel/
58:10 | What a heartbreaking situation in Syria and Turkey, where thousands have been killed in building collapses following a series of devastating earthquakes. Ryan takes a look at a few silver linings, including remarkable rescues and an infant born under rubble. 
SUPPORT THE WHITE HELMETS: https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/
1:05:40 | We return the rooftop of Station Two in Edmonton, where firefighter Wes Bauman set a Guinness World Record from an ice bath on Tuesday. Incredible! Wes is one of five firefighters camping out on the roof until they raise $80,000 for Muscular Dystrophy.
HELP THE FIREFIGHTERS HIT THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL: https://muscle.akaraisin.com/ui/filltheboot2022/t/EdmontonFire
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Should Indigenous Education Be Mandatory For Lawyers?

Should lawyers be required to participate in Indigenous cultural training to avoid suspension? More than 850 lawyers said "no" in a vote conducted by the Law Society of Alberta, but more than 2600 voted "yes". 
5:50 | Koren Lightning-Earle and Brooks Arcand-Paul are Indigenous lawyers practicing in Alberta. They explain why they support the requirement, and respond to critics calling it "wokeness" and "political indoctrination". 
44:10 | Our Real Talk Cask #2 Maple Bourbon is now available! We're thrilled with how it turned out. If you like Old Fashioneds, you'll LOVE this bourbon. Order yours today (for pickup or shipment) here: https://www.whiskydrop.ca/products/real-talk-cask-2-broken-barrel?_pos=1&_sid=83f2d890c&_ss=r
46:30 | Firefighter Court Polson is up on the roof of a fire hall for the tenth year in a row. He and his colleagues are staying up there until they raise $80,000 for Muscular Dystrophy. Court lets us know why he's done this for a decade, and why Muscular Dystrophy is a cause embraced by firefighters across the country. 
DONATE TO THE ROOFTOP CAMPOUT: www.edmontonrooftopcampout.ca
54:10 | Imagine if your pets could talk to you? What would yours say? FluentPet Connect took the Consumer Electronics Show 2023 by storm, and it's on The Leading Edge this week, presented by Leading Edge Physiotherapy. 
LIFE SHOULDN'T HURT: https://leadingedgephysio.com/
58:20 | We love hearing from you! Ryan dives into the Real Talk email inbox for Sean's take on supervised consumption sites, Raelynn's thoughts on the future of journalism, and Kaila's response to "conditional compassion". 
EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com 
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Living Well with Schizophrenia

1:50 | Like 1.5 million other Canadians, Lauren Kennedy West lives with Schizophrenia. What makes her especially unique is her YouTube channel, where literally millions of viewers learn about warning signs of psychosis, complicated relationships with prescription meds, tackling mental health stigma, and more. Lauren shares her personal journey toward diagnosis, therapy, and work still to be done.
SUBSCRIBE TO LAUREN'S CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingWellwithSchizophreniaLEARN MORE ABOUT LAUREN'S WORK: https://www.laurenkennedywest.com/
45:00 | Once a legend, always a legend? Charles Adler wished Don Cherry a "happy birthday" on Twitter over the weekend, and (of course) it turned into a thing. During his regular Monday appearance, Chuck explains his thoughts on Cherry's legacy (legend vs. louse). Plus, is Canada truly "broken" like some politicians say it is? 
1:12:30 | Real Talk Cask #2 is here! Ryan introduces our new maple bourbon, distilled by Broken Barrel Whisky Co. Don't forget: Real Talk Patreon supporters have exclusive access to a special tasting event Thursday, February 9 at Whisky Drop! 
ORDER YOUR BOTTLE OF REAL TALK CASK #2 MAPLE BOURBON: https://www.whiskydrop.ca/products/real-talk-cask-2-broken-barrel
SUPPORT REAL TALK ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
1:16:50 | The Real Talk Pond Hockey Classic was a smashing success! Ryan and Johnny recap Saturday's event, including a video tour of the grounds and our fundraising total. Thank you to everybody who participated! 
1:25:45 | An elderly woman falls, and thousands of people step up to help. This week's Positive Reflections presented by Kuby Energy highlights everything good about humanity, as experienced by a Dominos delivery driver. 
GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE TODAY: https://kubyenergy.ca/
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

Cyclist to Cars: ”BACK OFF!”

Kris Cromwell is fed up with bike v. car confrontations. She becomes our first-ever first-person Trash Talker, presented by our friends at Local Environmental Services. Stick around for Colleen's clap back at critics of the beef industry! 
SHOOT US YOUR RANT: talk@ryanjespersen.com KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/

Can You Be You in The Boardroom?

A recent survey shows fewer than 5% of women feel comfortable expressing their ideas, perspectives, and opinions (IPOs), particularly in the workplace. Maggie is the world's first unlearning platform for women. We welcome founders Jen Von Berendt and Dani Strang, along with inclusion strategist Erin Davis, to the Real Talk Round Table presented by Urban Timber. What unfolds is a candid, enlightening hour examining how magazine journalism can be used as a catalyst for change, and an introduction to a powerful new docuseries.
MEET MAGGIE: https://www.joinmaggie.org/
CHECK OUT URBAN TIMBER'S BOXCAR COLLECTION: https://www.urbantimber.ca/
1:11:40 | Kris Cromwell is fed up with bike v. car confrontations. She becomes our first-ever first-person Trash Talker, presented by our friends at Local Environmental Services. Stick around for Colleen's clap back at critics of the beef industry! 
SHOOT US YOUR RANT: talk@ryanjespersen.com KEEP IT LOCAL: https://localenvironmental.ca/
WEBSITE: https://ryanjespersen.com/TWITTER: https://twitter.com/RealTalkRJINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/RealTalkRJ/TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@realtalkrj
PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/ryanjespersen
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors
The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.