Half A Star Podcast

Kiss me. Just kidding! This episode is where Justin and Ben send us off into the Summer sunset by telling us some of the things they are passionate about outside of their work lives. It's weird AND revealing! Thanks to everyone who joined us for our comeback seasons! Bad ideas never felt so good.

SEX! Now that we have your attention, this episode is about chasing a dream in theatre. Where has this wacky journey lead our boys? Find out on this episode of Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good.

Are you a picky eater? One of our boys might be... or maybe both! Take your bets now as to who doesn't eat their veggies and who has a self-proclaimed diet of a raccoon. It's all in this damn dirty episode of Half a Star. Bad ideas never felt so good.

ARE YOU READY TO ROCK! I CANT HEAR YOU! Oh sorry you said "yes"? Sorry, it's loud in here, that's good that you're ready to rock. Thanks for coming. We actually have an episode about concerts that you might enjoy. It features chats about our favourite band Two Hours Traffic. You should check them out! Have a nice day! (PS Bad ideas never felt so good)

Ohhhhhh what do we have here! hehehe guilty pleasures? Are they... nasty? Only one way to find out! Hoooohooo this is going to be wild I bet! Bad ideas have never felt so good.

Can the boys handle themselves when it comes to sports ball? We find out the boys athletic history (or lack thereof) on this episode of Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good.

ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY INTERNET! This week, the boys reveal some of the strangest ads they've encountered that, according to their algorithm, they apparently would REALLY like. How weird does it get? It has a dash of TMI and spoonful of "don't go there, girlfriend!" Bad ideas never felt so good.

Justin and Benton are BACK with Season 3 of Half a Star - their first episode back, they tackle a big question that has persisted throughout their friendship: is it cool to plan your own birthday party? Find out where the discussion goes on this first episode of the rebooted Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good.

Get ready for more Half a Star! We are back every Friday in July & August for more fun with hosts Justin Shaw & Benton Hartley. Plus! Our theme song was rerecorded by Two Hour's Traffic's Liam Corcoran! Subscribe today for more Half a Star goodness. Bad ideas never felt so good.

Our very last guest on our very last episode (we promise!) is none other than ROB MACDONALD! Rob has been a wonderful supporter of Justin and Ben's work throughout the years, and if anyone is to blame for nurturing their comedic interests, it would be him. Rob is an improviser, sketch comedian, and whether he likes it or not, an actor. You may have seen him in Popalopalots, Sketch-22, Meanwhile in Ward 16 - but you've definitely heard him singing the Half a Star theme song which he lovingly wrote and donated to the series, and denies accepting any credit for contribution. We love you Rob!

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by writer Dave Stewart! Dave Stewart is a long-time friend and talented writer based in Prince Edward Island. He’s got a long list of accomplishments under his belt, including DARK|Sanctuary, a horror comic created in collaboration with Sandy Carruthers for Sandstone Comics, Monster Man (collection of short horror stories), Fear from a Small Place (multi-author anthology), Before Grindr (six-part online interview series exploring the secret gay and lesbian social history of Prince Edward Island), The Satan Show (The Island Fringe Festival) just to name a few! Dave gives us a rundown about what he believes makes a great horror film, and sheds some light on a project he’s working on with Benton at Kings Playhouse in Georgetown, Prince Edward Island! All this, and maybe a little more, on Half a Star - where bad ideas make great stories.

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by musician Nikkie Gallant! Nikkie is a long-time friend of our hosts, and an awesome musician based on Prince Edward Island. Nikkie Gallant writes and performs heart-aching music featuring lush vocals and tremolo-laced guitar sounds. Her songs have been called emotionally smart, earning her multiple Music PEI Award nominations, including Songwriter of the Year. Her recent single Free (I Remember) was nominated for Music PEI's Song of the Year award. Nikkie's third album Subtle Motions dives into the complexities of relationships and life. Nikkie shares stories of her musical inspirations as well as her very own half a star story! All this, and maybe a little more, on the latest episode of Half a Star. Bad ideas never felt so good!

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by CELIA OWEN! Celia is an actor who you may recognize as Eleanor from CBC’s newest comedy-drama MOONSHINE! Celia and the lads discuss the new show, as well as her bonafide half a star story which is laced with all the joys and terrors of high school musicals! All this, and maybe a little more, on the latest episode of Half a Star. Bad ideas never felt so good!

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben fall in love! Well… sort of. They decide to take a love test! “36 Questions That Lead To Love” was a New York Times article from 2015 that offered the reader 36 questions to ask someone - and after answering, the pair should feel a deeper sense of intimacy! Ooh la la! Will the intimacy be ridiculous? Or will it lead to prolonged eye-contact hubba hubba style? Buckle up, this episode dives into some personal stuff! TMI alert! All this, and a little bit more, on this episode of Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good.

On this very special (repeat!) episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by PEI filmmaker Adam Perry! Adam shares with the lads what is perhaps the most haunting half a star story they had ever heard - hence why it was originally released on Halloween 2020! This episode deserves another moment in the spotlight not just because of how funny it is, but because Adam’s film A Small Fortune is having a WORLD PREMIERE on September 18 in Halifax! This is exciting news and we want to celebrate by reflecting upon the painfully true story from the storyteller himself. All this and maybe a little more on this episode of Half a Star: where bad ideas make great stories.

On this episode of Half a Star, Justin and Benton are joined by the super funny Elspeth Wright! Elspeth had an exciting year shifting her comedy debate show Battle of Wits onto on an online format AND getting featured on JFL’s Zoofest AND getting to be featured on JFL Originals! WOW! Elspeth sheds some light on her experiences as a Montreal comic while unearthing a wild half a star story of her own. All this, and maybe a li’l more, on this episode of Half a Star - where bad ideas make great stories.

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by Hamilton entrepreneur Emily O’Brien! Emily is the owner and operator of a snack company called Comeback Snacks, and they distribute delicious popcorn across Canada. Why is it called “Comeback Snacks” you maybe wondering? Because wow, wow, wow - Emily’s tale is less of a half a star story, and more of a comeback story. Listeners, this episode explores some heavy topics including eating disorders, substance abuse, and Canada’s criminal justice system - but through these challenging subjects, Emily shares an incredibly uplifting and empowering story of perseverance and ultimately - forgiveness. All this, and maybe a little more, on this episode of Half a Star! Presented in partnership with Hub of the Hammer Event Planning!

On this very special episode of Half a Star - Justin and Ben ENTER THE SPIDERVERSE! The lads are joined by hero of Charlottetown (by way of Toronto) it’s Island Spider-Man! Spidey shares his tales on the road bringing joy to countless folks, young and old - and along the way, you can bet he picked up more than his share of half a star stories. PLUS! We get the scoop on his origin story! Watch out J. Jonah Jamison - Half a Star is on the case! All this, and a little bit more on this episode of Half a Star!

On this very special episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by the hilarious Jess Salomon and Eman El-Husseini - otherwise known as The El-Salomons! The El-Salomons are a married Jewish-Palestinian lesbian comedy couple who after years of performing solo decided to add yet another challenge to their relationship: A duo act! Now they tell jokes about one another, in front each other. A sacrifice they make for the fans. Both Jess (The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon) and Eman (Just For Laughs) are awesome individual acts in their own right, and have combined their comedic forces to make an awesome duo performance. They tell us all about it, as well as a tale of a vacation gone awry, on this episode of Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good!

On the latest episode of Half a Star, Justin and Ben are joined by the band BABY GOD! Baby God is the alternative-folk songwriting collaboration between Andrew Murray and Nathan Gill. Both hail from Prince Edward Island, and they bring the pop and indie rock sensibilities of previous music projects to the group’s stripped back sound. Baby God’s song-first approach and laid back production style keep their recordings candid and direct. Their latest release, Another Suffer, is a breezy, homespun Sunday listen. It was recorded in a half-moved apartment in February of 2020. It sits in the isolation between the place you left behind and where you might be headed; a feeling that is bittersweet and immersive. This awesome band shares with Justin and Ben stories of how their latest album came together, some of their other works as musicians, and, of course, the half a star story. All this, and maybe a little bit more, on the latest episode of Half a Star! Bad ideas never felt so good.