Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift

In this fun and unpredictable episode, Shane Hewitt and Ryan O’Donnell explore some of the week’s strangest and most entertaining stories. From a mischievous raccoon in London, Ontario, that captured the city’s heart, to the Illinois governor’s $1.4 million blackjack win, the show blends humor with curiosity. They also dig into the growing intersection of AI and luck — including the viral story of...

Broadcasting from Ottawa with Ryan O’Donnell in Calgary, Shane Hewitt blends reflection and nostalgia in this week’s Throwback Thursday. The episode opens with a tribute to the late Ace Frehley, honoring his legacy as KISS’s iconic guitarist and solo artist. The conversation then shifts gears to celebrate Back to the Future Day — October 21st, the date Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to in the film. Shane...

Rewind to 2015 — a year of politics, scandals, and unforgettable pop culture. The conversation opens with the Keystone XL pipeline debate and a nostalgic laugh at how “boring” politics once seemed compared to today’s intensity. The duo then revisits the Volkswagen emissions scandal and its lasting damage to diesel’s reputation in North America, despite its efficiency and European appeal. Rounding out t...

When international audiences look at Canada’s food economy, they see potential — but also untapped opportunity. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, known as The Food Professor, joins Shane Hewitt to unpack why Canada struggles to scale its food businesses despite global respect for its safety, traceability, and education standards. The conversation explores how policy inefficiencies, bureaucracy, and a lack of cohesive strategy hav...

Take a trip through music history and movie magic in this heartfelt, nostalgic episode. They remember the late Ace Frehley, the electrifying guitarist who helped define KISS’s sound and spirit in the 1970s and 80s. Eric reflects on how Alive turned KISS from cult to cultural phenomenon, while also shedding light on Frehley’s struggles and his enduring connection with fans. The conversation then shifts to Back to the Fut...

Canadian companies are facing a wave of data breaches — but many of the vulnerabilities aren’t inside their own systems. Ritesh Kotak explains how hackers exploit third-party vendors, smart technology, and even basic search engine data to infiltrate major organizations. The conversation explores the balance between innovation and risk, why encryption and audits are critical, and how preparedness has become the new front...

Few films capture the imagination quite like Back to the Future. In this Throwback Thursday special, cultural historian Ed Conroy joins Shane Hewitt to explore how the movie redefined time travel for a generation and sparked an enduring fascination with technology and what the future could hold. The discussion uncovers how its optimistic view of tomorrow contrasts with today’s digital reality — and why teenage dreams, s...

What do James Bond, Stephen King, and Halloween cocktails have in common? According to Richard Crouse, they all reveal how storytelling — whether on screen or in a glass — reflects our culture’s changing tastes. In conversation with Shane Hewitt, Richard unpacks Bond’s evolving identity, why King’s work continues to unsettle readers and censors alike, and how films like Frankenstein endure because they...

Could AI really operate from space? Shane Hewitt and Greg Fish take a grounded look at the futuristic dream of orbital data centers — and the science that makes it far more complicated than it sounds.
Greg explains why cooling in the vacuum of space is nearly impossible without expensive, robotic maintenance systems and how Earth-based locations like Canada already offer natural advantages with cold climates and hydropower...

What do viral Tesla “ghost” videos have in common with ancient folklore? Shane Hewitt and Nathan Radke trace the thread connecting technology, imagination, and humanity’s enduring love of the unexplained.
Nathan dissects how Teslas mistake gravestones for people — and why the internet turns these glitches into modern ghost stories. He reflects on visiting Oradour-sur-Glane, a French village frozen in time...

From the foggy roads of Ontario to the eerie corners of historic landmarks, Shane Hewitt takes listeners on a cross-country reflection filled with beauty, mystery, and the unexplained.
As he shares stories from Ottawa to Calgary, the conversation drifts into the paranormal — with Ryan O’Donnell joining to recount chilling moments at places like Dundurn Castle and Spruce Lane Farm. Together, they explore why certain p...

From ghost stories to the masks we wear every day, Shane Hewitt, Jamie Ellerton, and Lindsay Broadhead take on Halloween from every angle — spooky, social, and psychological. What begins as a playful debate about whether ghosts are real turns into a deeper conversation about ego, authenticity, and how Halloween might reveal who we really are.
Along the way, they dissect why costumes have become more provocative, what it me...

What happens when cutting-edge technology crosses paths with the supernatural? Shane Hewitt and Ashley Greco unpack the eerie phenomenon of Teslas detecting energy in cemeteries — a viral story that’s sparking both skepticism and belief.
Ashley recounts her own Tesla test, revealing what happened when technology met mystery in a graveyard. Together, they dig into what these strange readings might mean, how social med...

Imagine a world where trees light city streets and plants glow naturally in the dark. Shane Hewitt and Dr. Samantha Yammine (Science Sam) explore groundbreaking MIT research that merges nanotechnology with plant biology to create phosphorescent plants.
They unpack how nanoparticles enable plants to store and release light, why this could reduce plastic waste, and what it means for the future of eco-friendly lighting. The discuss...

When markets get noisy, how do you know what to do with your money? Shane Hewitt and Anita Bruinsma break down how to make smart, long-term financial decisions in a world of uncertainty.
They unpack the difference between timing the market and spending time in the market, why inflation quietly erodes cash, and how tools like GICs can offer stability without locking you in. The conversation touches on big decisions — from h...

Ryan O’Donnell joins Shane Hewitt to talk about his lifelong love of heavy metal — and why the genre is seeing a new wave of fans. Ryan shares stories from a recent all-ages show in Calgary packed with teenagers, offering a glimpse into metal’s growing cross-generational appeal. The conversation explores how the community, emotion, and inclusivity of metal concerts create a space for self-expression and connection...

Tech analyst Carmi Levy joins Shane Hewitt to unpack a new Android vulnerability that’s raising eyebrows — “pixnapping.” The exploit allows malicious apps to read a phone’s screen and capture sensitive data such as 2FA codes and messages. Though discovered by white hat hackers, it reveals just how fragile mobile privacy can be. Carmi and Shane dig into what users can do to protect themselves, why downl...

Shane Hewitt brings a mix of humor and heart to “Good News Tuesday,” joined by Ryan O’Donnell and Noah Skanga from across Canada. Shane shares a personal story of a car breakdown on a family trip to Fort McMurray - a reminder of how technology, resourcefulness, and family support can turn frustration into gratitude. Ryan adds his own bright moment, revealing plans to propose to his partner after receiving her pare...

Amid constant headlines of negativity, Shane Hewitt, Ryan O’Donnell, and Noah Skanga invite listeners to refocus on what’s uplifting. This “Good News Tuesday” features two teens in Kansas who saved a man’s life by stopping his runaway truck and a 10-year-old Texan who performed the Heimlich maneuver on her brother. Between the heroism, the team swaps stories about Ryan’s quirky memorabilia &mdash...