Canadian Bacon

Canadian Bacon

Author: Aaron Giovannone March 31, 2025 Duration: 29:17

In this episode of Sweater Weather, Aaron starts off by telling some jokes about the Canadian election: Who would fictional Canadian characters vote for? What should you do now that the GST on first homes is gone? Naomi laughs politely. Then we talk about Canadian Bacon, the 1995 film from director Michael Moore, starring John Candy, Rhea Perlman, and Alan Alda, a satire about an American president who declares war on Canada to boost his approval ratings. We liked many of the film's gags poking fun at Canada and Canadian stereotypes, but the real focus of the film is US culture and politics, using Canada as kind of liberal fun house mirror to reflect back to itself a more conservative America. Of course, it's what you'd expect from the famously liberal documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, who only ever made one fictional film, this one. Whether you like the movie or not, the satire turned out to be shockingly prescient, given what's going on in 2025, with a Trump-led trade war against Canada that has inflamed nationalistic sentiment on both sides of the border. Despite all the goofs and gaffs, Aaron found the film oddly disturbing for the dark picture it paints in which everyone is either evil or an idiot, while Naomi didn't seem so put off by that. To be fair, Aaron also napped through the middle third of the film, so he couldn't have been that disturbed. We hope this episode of Sweater Weather doesn't put you to sleep--unless you listen to podcasts in bed while trying to drift off to dreamland. In that case, bon nuit, and enjoy!

Sweater Weather podcast (Video): https://www.youtube.com/@aarongiovannone 
Sweater Weather podcast (Audio): https://pod.link/1547081850 

Naomi's website: https://www.naomiklewis.com/ 
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Aaron on X: https://x.com/SincerityCity


There's a particular warmth to the conversations on Sweater Weather, hosted by Canadian writers Aaron Giovannone and Naomi K. Lewis. Think of it as the audio equivalent of a long, thoughtful chat on a comfortable couch, where the topic just happens to be the shows, films, and books that shape a national identity. This husband-and-wife duo moves beyond simple reviews, weaving personal reflection with cultural analysis to explore both the iconic and the overlooked in Canadian storytelling. Their discussions are smart and often very funny, finding the cozy heart in everything from beloved CBC classics to under-the-radar indie films and literary gems. Listening feels like being included in a great conversation between two people who genuinely love this stuff, dissecting what makes Canadian pop culture distinct without taking it all too seriously. Whether you have a deep nostalgia for CanCon or are just curious about the stories from north of the 49th parallel, this podcast offers a welcoming, insightful space to reconsider what we watch and read. You'll find yourself noticing new layers in familiar favorites and discovering hidden treasures, all through the lens of two writers who know how to talk about art with both expertise and affection. It’s that specific blend of casual and clever that makes Sweater Weather such a consistent listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 61

Sweater Weather
Podcast Episodes
Hacks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:12
Naomi and Aaron discuss the excellent HBO comedy Hacks, starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbender. Also, we chat about Canada geese attacking university students, Ken from Barbie being Canadian because he's played by Ryan…
The Last of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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In this episode of Sweater Weather, we kick things off with jokes about Mark Carney's bestselling book and Mike Myers flaunting a Canadian Tire shirt on SNL, exploring what a truly "made in Canada" store might stock. But…
Adolescence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:33
In this episode, we kick things off talking Amazon's sale of "Canada as a 51st state" merchandise and the strong opinions it has generated among famous Canadians, as well as some questionable examples of Canadian Content…
The Bay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:45
In this episode of Sweater Weather, we're chatting about the iconic Hudson's Bay Company. From its astonishing roots in Canadian history to its role as a shopping haven for generations, we're sharing our personal memorie…
Mad Men [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
In this episode of Sweater Weather, we chat about the iconic TV series Mad Men, exploring its themes, characters, and why it might just be the "Great American Novel" of television. We kick things off with some personal w…
The Great Canadian Novel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:36
In this week's episode of Sweater Weather, we discuss what constitutes The Great Canadian Novel. After sharing our personal writing updates—Naomi's ghostwriting projects and Aaron's progress on a comedic novel—we tackle…
The Wild Robot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:44
In this episode of Sweater Weather, Aaron and Naomi kick things off with a chat about their writing projects, genre expectations, and how different types of thrillers evoke distinct emotions. They discuss the balance bet…
Severance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
After an update on our writing — Aaron is trying to choose what novel to write next, Naomi is busy with editing and ghost-writing projects — we discuss the Apple TV thriller Severance, focusing on its intriguing sci-fi p…
Writing Our Religion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:56
After progress updates on our writing – Aaron finished his novel manuscript! Naomi had two items of writing-related good news this week! – we get real about the writing process. We reflect on how you have to wait forever…