The Debaters
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
The Debaters is the hit show where comedians go toe-to-toe in a battle of laughs and logic. Hosted by award-winning funnyman Steve Patterson, the program is a combustible combination of sharply crafted comedic rants and hilarious ad libs. The engaging format is part stand-up, part quiz show and part comedy competition, with the live audience picking the winners.
Location:
Canada, ON
Networks:
CBC Podcasts & Radio On-Demand
Description:
The Debaters is the hit show where comedians go toe-to-toe in a battle of laughs and logic. Hosted by award-winning funnyman Steve Patterson, the program is a combustible combination of sharply crafted comedic rants and hilarious ad libs. The engaging format is part stand-up, part quiz show and part comedy competition, with the live audience picking the winners.
Twitter:
@CBCradio
Language:
English
Contact:
The Debaters CBC Radio P.O. Box 4600 Vancouver, BC V6B 4A2 416-205-3700
Email:
cbcinput@cbc.ca
Episodes
Should married couples renew their vows? And is living up North worth it?
9/11/2025
We’re deciding if it makes sense to say “I do” all over again, and whether we should give living in the North the cold shoulder.
Featuring: Charlie Demers, Erica Sigurdson, Gavin Clarkson, and Quincy Thomas.
Duration:00:34:36
Is 20 Years a long time? And do names need to have meaning?
9/4/2025
It’s the premiere of our 20th season! So we’re asking: Is 20 years a long time? Then, what’s in a name? We’re deciding if these signifiers need significance.
Featuring: Derek Seguin, Lara Rae, Ola Dada, and Wes Borg.
Duration:00:35:38
20 Years of Debates: An Anniversary Special!
9/2/2025
For the start of our 20th season, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes interview with our host Steve Patterson and Richard Side, creator of The Debaters! We'll be bringing you some of our most unforgettable debates, hearing from your favourite comedians, and getting the facts behind the funny!
Duration:00:35:21
Are shopping carts better than baskets? And is an invitation to the cottage the secret to summer fun?
6/19/2025
Our season finale episode is a grocery grudge match and a real re-treat!
Featuring: Matt Wright, Jan Caruana, Laurie Elliott, and Tamara Shevon.
Duration:00:37:04
Which is better: Mother’s Day or Father’s Day? And do coaches matter?
6/12/2025
We’re pitting parental holidays against each other, and deciding if coaches are a make or break mentor.
Featuring: Dave Hemstad, Elvira Kurt, Emmanuel Lomuro, and Patrick Dussault.
Duration:00:35:16
Are jeans the best pants? And is food delivery easier than ever?
6/5/2025
We decide if wearing denim is a dream and whether ordering delivery is a breeze.
Featuring: Stacey McGunnigle, Myles Anderson, Graham Clark and Lachlan Patterson.
Duration:00:38:15
Which is better: Plastic or paper? And are you nobody until somebody hates you?
5/22/2025
We decide if plastic beats paper and whether being hated has its benefits.
Featuring: Ivan Decker, Martha Chaves, Nikki Payne, and Bruce Clark.
Duration:00:35:21
Should you raise your family in Winnipeg? And is compromise the best solution?
5/15/2025
When it comes to raising kids, does Winnipeg win? And is compromise a happy ending?
Featuring: Chad Anderson, Lara Rae, Courtney Gilmour, and Jon Dore.
Duration:00:37:42
Does nothing beat a day at the ballpark? And is Toronto the worst city in Canada to commute in?
5/8/2025
It’s a homerun when we talk about a day at the baseball stadium, and whether commuting in Toronto is enough to drive you up the wall.
Featuring: Patrick Dussault, Simon Rakoff, Isabel Zaw-Tun, and Don Kelly.
Duration:00:37:06
Do butter tarts beat Nanaimo bars? And is there no shame in quitting?
4/24/2025
Which Canadian confection are you sweet on: Butter tarts or Nanaimo bars? And do quitters never win?
Featuring: Deborah Kimmett, Jon Steinberg, Graham Chittenden, and Leonard Chan.
Duration:00:35:10
Shh! Is silence golden? Does a smoothie make a meal?
4/17/2025
We decide if quiet is something to treasure, and whether a smoothie is meal-worthy.
Featuring: Yumi Nagashima, Charlie Demers, Katie-Ellen Humphries, and Gavin Clarkson.
Duration:00:36:33
Do billionaires have it harder than millionaires? And is there always something happening in Barrie, Ontario?
4/10/2025
Which wealth bracket has it worse: Billionaires or millionaires? And we decide if Barrie, Ontario is the place to be!
Featuring: Dave Hemstad, Don Kelly, Chris Quigley, Courtney Gilmour.
Duration:00:34:24
Gulp, we're going there - should Canada be the 51st state?
4/3/2025
In a debate that needed its own full episode, the elbows come up and the gloves come off when two of our favourite debaters take on Canada becoming the 51st state.
Duration:00:27:46
Are rings better than bracelets? And is it always great to be a trailblazer?
3/27/2025
Which jewels rule: rings or bracelets? And being a trailblazer is great…right?
Featuring: Graham Clark, Heidi Brander, Faris Hytiaa, and Lara Rae.
Duration:00:35:46
Today's debates! Should Americans move to the Maritimes? And does going to the dentist rule?
3/13/2025
We debate if Americans should relocate to Canada’s East Coast, and whether a trip to the dentist is anything to smile about.
Featuring: Jay Malone, Nikki Payne, Mayce Galoni, and Matt Wright.
(Originally recorded in September 2017)
Duration:00:27:35
Today's debates! Should we all do pottery? And love lineups?
3/6/2025
It’s a throwdown when we decide if everyone should take up pottery. Then, should we all love lining up? We get down to the pros and cons of this social practice.
Featuring: Jacob Samuel, Brittany Lyseng, Abdul Aziz, and Ryan Williams.
Duration:00:34:36
Virtual Meetings vs. In-Person Meetings & Volunteering
2/27/2025
We decide whether meeting on Zoom beats brainstorming in the boardroom, plus we debate the virtues of volunteering. Volunteering — should everyone do it?
Featuring: Peter Brown, Julie Kim, Maddy Kelly, and Charlie Demers.
Duration:00:33:03
Children vs. Parents: Who is Smarter? & Talent Shows
2/20/2025
Are children smarter than their parents? Ivan Decker and Syd Bosel decide who wears the smarty-pants in their households. Then, does nothing beat a talent show? Sean Lecomber and Canada’s Got Talent finalist Sterling Scott bring more than the same old song and dance when they go toe-to-toe on this topic.
Duration:00:35:12
Breakup Songs & Hard Rock Cafe
2/13/2025
Do breakup songs rule? This Valentine’s weekend, Anesti Danelis and Jan Caruana hit all the right notes when it comes to these tragic tunes. Then, are Hard Rock establishments worth a visit? Elvira Kurt and Kyle Brownrigg make memora-believers of their Ottawa audience when they discuss this famed franchise.
Duration:00:35:32
Hawkins Cheezies & Conspiracy Theories
1/30/2025
Are Ontario’s own Hawkins Cheezies king of the chip aisle? It’s crunch time when Deborah Kimmett and Sean Cullen debate this delight. Then, should conspiracy theories be indulged? Don’t miss Nathan Macintosh and Chris Locke’s illuminati-ing takes on this topic.
Duration:00:35:14