Meet Joseph Planta.

He is not your everyday Joe.

Joe is, a trendsetter, a raconteur, a storyteller, a memorabilia collector, a book lover.

Everything he does is done with passion, gusto and commitment.

He was first out of the starting gate with a podcast 17 years ago.

Today podcasts are the super hot trend in broadcasting, growing dramatically, fuelled by large listenership and advertising dollars.

He started writing an email opinion column 22 years ago.

Today newsletter opinion columns are the latest major new publishing phenomenon. Top journalists, leaving their news organizations, producing newsletters and making handsome incomes.

He collects busts – mainly of U.S. president’s – a magnificent endeavour for the last seven years. He has 30, including one of former Conservative Prime Minister John Diefenbacker.

The process of buying most busts is simple – visit the various presidential libraries – he has been to seven out of 13 – and then buy.

And that has taken him to Dallas, Austin, Yorba Linda, Boston, Atlanta, Hyde Park, Simi Valley.

His memorabilia collection is vast and far reaching – buttons (thousands), mugs (80) pins (who knows) endless books and even DVD’s.

Joe does his podcast from his basement studio in Vancouver.

He started – Planta On the Line – 17 years ago.

He has done 1,900 interview- many notable and well-known personalities in politics, journalism and the arts.

Two things stand out, he says.

The better known people are, the easier they are to book for an interview and to talk to.

International personalities are easier to book then many from B.C.

His email column started in 1999.

It was wide-ranging and eclectic – covering current affairs, cultural issues, opinion pieces by Joe about politics, theatre reviews and interviews.

He has a wry and ironic sense of humour, describing himself as follows:

“He is a serviceable interviewer and on-air conversationalist.  Off-air, he is often a curmudgeon, and sometimes outright mercurial.  He has vast interests, as evidenced by his varied guests over the years, though he shows no discernable aptitude in one particular subject.”

But aside from his podcast and collecting Joe has another hobby:

It’s all stashed away in his office.

He firmly believes everyone has a story. One just has to ask questions to discover what it is.

Amen to that Joe.

Every Wednesday journalist, George Froehlich, gets personal – sharing with you, his amazing travel destinations, his wonderful recipes, art he loves, music he enjoys.
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