It’s 1986 all over again. Shane Hewitt and Ryan O’Donnell take a nostalgic dive into the pop culture, politics, and unforgettable moments that defined the mid-’80s. From the debut of Phantom of the Opera to the rise of Crocodile Dundee and Mr. Dressup, they revisit a year that blended big hair, bold fashion, and even bolder entertainment. Between laughs and memories, they explore how political icons like Brian Mulroney and Ronald Reagan shaped the tone of the time—and how the slang and style of 1986 still echo today. A fun, fast-moving Throwback Thursday filled with warmth, wit, and a wink to the past.

Originally aired on2025-10-09

It&rsquo;s 1986 all over again. Shane Hewitt and Ryan O&rsquo;Donnell take a nostalgic dive into the pop culture, politics, and unforgettable moments that defined the mid-&rsquo;80s. From the debut of Phantom of the Opera to the rise of Crocodile Dundee and Mr. Dressup, they revisit a year that blended big hair, bold fashion, and even bolder entertainment. Between laughs and memories, they explore how political icons like Brian Mulroney and Ronald Reagan shaped the tone of the time&mdash;and how the slang and style of 1986 still echo today. A fun, fast-moving Throwback Thursday filled with warmth, wit, and a wink to the past.
Originally aired on 2025-10-09

Shane Hewitt & The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world—always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.

From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane’s signature style—thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.

If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt &amp; The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world&mdash;always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.
From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane&rsquo;s signature style&mdash;thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.
If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

NEW - Throwback to 1986: Fashion, Film, and Phantom

The US Canada hockey rivalry just landed in uncomfortable territory, and you felt it watching that clip. You saw the laugh. You saw the AI video of Brady Tkachuk appearing to insult Canadians, fake and taken down. But statistically, based on the last election, about half those players probably didn't want to be there either, and that half never makes the highlight reel.

Rob Breakenridge pulls out the Sidney Crosby comparison: 100% proud Canadian, loves Pittsburgh, went to the White House when the Penguins won the Cup during Trump's first term, and nobody had a problem with it. The AI video is where the line is, and that's Trump being boorish and clumsy, not the players being disloyal. Kash Patel was there guzzling beers in the background. That detail got leaked.

Dumping Trump's behavior onto young men who just won gold is the easy move. The boogeyman framing feels righteous. These are still just hockey players, and if they take a stand, they face the consequences.

Topics: US Canada hockey rivalry, Brady Tkachuk White House, American hockey players Trump, Alberta budget deficit, Rob Breakenridge

GUEST: Rob Breakenridge | robbreakenridge.ca

Originally aired on 2026-02-26

The US Canada hockey rivalry just landed in uncomfortable territory, and you felt it watching that clip. You saw the laugh. You saw the AI video of Brady Tkachuk appearing to insult Canadians, fake and taken down. But statistically, based on the last election, about half those players probably didn't want to be there either, and that half never makes the highlight reel.
Rob Breakenridge pulls out the Sidney Crosby comparison: 100% proud Canadian, loves Pittsburgh, went to the White House when the Penguins won the Cup during Trump's first term, and nobody had a problem with it. The AI video is where the line is, and that's Trump being boorish and clumsy, not the players being disloyal. Kash Patel was there guzzling beers in the background. That detail got leaked.
Dumping Trump's behavior onto young men who just won gold is the easy move. The boogeyman framing feels righteous. These are still just hockey players, and if they take a stand, they face the consequences.
Topics: US Canada hockey rivalry, Brady Tkachuk White House, American hockey players Trump, Alberta budget deficit, Rob Breakenridge
GUEST: Rob&nbsp;Breakenridge | robbreakenridge.ca
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-02-26

NEW -  Half of Those Players Probably Didn't Want to Be There

The Pablo Escobar and El Mencho comparison lands differently once you hear the Colombia data. Violence dropped significantly after Escobar was killed in 1993. That is true. Colombia's cocaine exports are now four or five times higher than they were at the time. Also true, and it complicates the whole story.

Jean Daudelin's explanation: killing Escobar ended the big Colombian cartels and moved the epicenter of the drug trade to Mexico. The business didn't stop, it relocated. Now Mexico exports synthetic drugs to the largest drug market in the world across a border that processes 90 million car crossings annually. Twenty tons of fentanyl per year feeds the US market. That concentration means it moves invisibly through legal crossings.

Sheinbaum's offensive is serious. A super ministry of security, nearly 100 extraditions, thousands of weapons seized, a police chief who was personally targeted by El Mencho running the operation. Whether it ends the big cartels is plausible. Whether it ends the trade, Colombia already answered that.

Topics: Pablo Escobar El Mencho parallel, Colombia after Escobar cocaine exports, Mexico cartel Sheinbaum crackdown, fentanyl US border volume, Jean Daudelin Carleton

GUEST: Jean Daudelin | Associate Professor, Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University

Originally aired on 2026-02-26

The Pablo Escobar and El Mencho comparison lands differently once you hear the Colombia data. Violence dropped significantly after Escobar was killed in 1993. That is true. Colombia's cocaine exports are now four or five times higher than they were at the time. Also true, and it complicates the whole story.
Jean Daudelin's explanation: killing Escobar ended the big Colombian cartels and moved the epicenter of the drug trade to Mexico. The business didn't stop, it relocated. Now Mexico exports synthetic drugs to the largest drug market in the world across a border that processes 90 million car crossings annually. Twenty tons of fentanyl per year feeds the US market. That concentration means it moves invisibly through legal crossings.
Sheinbaum's offensive is serious. A super ministry of security, nearly 100 extraditions, thousands of weapons seized, a police chief who was personally targeted by El Mencho running the operation. Whether it ends the big cartels is plausible. Whether it ends the trade, Colombia already answered that.
Topics: Pablo Escobar El Mencho parallel, Colombia after Escobar cocaine exports, Mexico cartel Sheinbaum crackdown, fentanyl US border volume, Jean Daudelin Carleton
GUEST:&nbsp;Jean Daudelin | Associate Professor, Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-02-26

Shiftheads - Colombia Got Less Violent After Escobar Died. It Also Now Ships Four Times More Cocaine

Handwritten letters sitting in a drawer right now, you know exactly which ones they are. You have not thrown a single one out. Your inbox from the same period is gone. Ryan's army-enlisted friend couldn't take a phone into five months of training, suggested writing letters instead, and Ryan realized he hadn't sent one in eighteen years. The last time was summer camp.

The Toronto Letter Writers Society co-founder says there is no wrong way to write a letter, treat it like any other conversation. Shane's approach goes a layer deeper: sit with the person in your mind first, identify what you are actually afraid to tell them, and start there. Don't rewrite mistakes, scratch them out and keep going. Timestamp it. "It's late and I had you on my mind" is a sentence that lands differently than anything you have ever typed.

The instinct to delete that and send a text instead is exactly the problem. The letter from someone who took the time is the one you keep.

Topics: handwritten letters, letter writing tips, Toronto Letter Writers Society, army enlistment communication, rediscovering letter writing

Originally aired on 2026-02-26

Handwritten letters sitting in a drawer right now, you know exactly which ones they are. You have not thrown a single one out. Your inbox from the same period is gone. Ryan's army-enlisted friend couldn't take a phone into five months of training, suggested writing letters instead, and Ryan realized he hadn't sent one in eighteen years. The last time was summer camp.
The Toronto Letter Writers Society co-founder says there is no wrong way to write a letter, treat it like any other conversation. Shane's approach goes a layer deeper: sit with the person in your mind first, identify what you are actually afraid to tell them, and start there. Don't rewrite mistakes, scratch them out and keep going. Timestamp it. "It's late and I had you on my mind" is a sentence that lands differently than anything you have ever typed.
The instinct to delete that and send a text instead is exactly the problem. The letter from someone who took the time is the one you keep.
Topics:&nbsp;handwritten letters, letter writing tips, Toronto Letter Writers Society, army enlistment communication, rediscovering letter writing
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-02-26

NEW - Throwback to 1986: Fashion, Film, and Phantom

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