BFG Podcast #120: 'One Piece,' the cancellation of 'Winning Time,' and censorship in Canada

In this week's episode of the BFG podcast, Jamie Mason joins host Neal Pollack for a segment on Canadian politics. Yes, that's right, Canadian politics! In particular, the actions of one school district in Ontario to clear library shelves of any book published prior to 2008 to meet amorphous "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" standards. Jamie is a closer watcher of the leftward authoritarian creep in the Canadian government. He says this isn't just some sort of random occurrence from a provincial school district; the district is following federal guidelines, and this could be a harbinger of things to come. Aren't you glad you live in a free country like the U.S.A. or wherever you live, and not in a fascist country like Canada? Stay tuned for continuing coverage of Canadian censorship.Meanwhile, Max has cancelled 'Winning Time,' their docudrama about the L.A. Lakers's 1980s NBA dynasty. This has some observers upset, but not former NBA 12th man and current BFG contributor Paul Shirley. From experience, he knows how hard it is to make good TV about professional basketball. The players are so superhuman in size and ability that it's hard to make any simulated game seem really. You can't hide them under helmets or in baggy uniforms like in productions about football and baseball. It's really hard to fake hoops. Come for the discussion of 'Winning Time,' stay for Neal's Phoenix Suns fanboy slavishness.William Schwartz is back on the show to discuss 'One Piece,' a fun pirate comedy-drama on Netflix, based on an extremely popular anime. Unlike previous anime adaptations, this one captures the spirit of the original production without over-lapsing into cartoonishness. William says that's because by contract, the producers must consult with the original creator of the IP, and he's got a winning laid-back spirit that translates to the characters in the show. 'One Piece' is fun for most of the family, and Neal and William recommend it highly.Enjoy our podcast!