2026 Kesterton Lecture: Peace, Order, and Good Journalism (with a Side of Comedy) by Stewart “Brittlestar” Reynolds

Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication is excited to host social media star Stewart Reynolds (better known by his stage name Brittlestar) to deliver the 2026 Kesterton Lecture

Wednesday, March 25, 2026
7 p.m.
2nd Floor Atrium
Richcraft Hall

The annual Kesterton Lecture honours the memory of Wilfred Kesterton – one of Carleton’s original journalism professors – and usually touches on some aspect of Canadian journalism and public affairs.

Reynolds’ lecture is called “Peace, Order, and Good Journalism (with a Side of Comedy).”

In this keynote, Reynolds will share the unexpected story of how he stumbled into a digital career at 43, built an online audience through humour, and eventually shifted his focus during the pandemic toward politics, media literacy and civic engagement.

“What happens when a middle-aged dad accidentally becomes a social media star, and then decides to start talking about politics?” Reynolds asks aloud.

With dry comedy, honest storytelling, and the occasional uncomfortable truth, Reynolds will explore why journalism is needed now more than ever, how algorithms shape what we see (and believe), and why getting your news from comedians on the internet (including him) is probably not the best idea.

“It will be a talk about reinvention, responsibility, and finding your voice in a noisy world, with a few jokes along the way,” Reynolds says. “Because if we’re going to survive the news cycle, we might as well laugh a little and still read real journalism.”

About Brittlestar

Through his online persona Brittlestar, Reynolds has built a global following by combining sharp wit, family-friendly humour, and razor-clear observations about the absurdities of modern life. He is also the co-host of the podcast Politics is Broken. As Brittlestar, he has more than 650 million views across platforms and hundreds of thousands tuning in weekly. His videos make people laugh, think, and occasionally wonder if he’s spying on their family group chat.

He’s collaborated with household brands like Disney, Walmart, and Subway, as well as celebrities including Ryan Reynolds, Gordon Ramsay, and The Property Brothers. His work has taken him everywhere from the White House (invited by the Obamas) to meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and his commentary regularly lands him on national broadcasts such as CTV News, Global National, and CHCH Television.

In 2017, his KFC campaign Explaining Canada Day To Americans became Facebook’s top branded video worldwide, and he’s continued to lead innovative campaigns that balance humour with influence. He’s also taken the stage at conferences across North America, hosted shows for DreamWorks TV, and built a reputation as one of Canada’s most engaging comedic voices.

Brittlestar’s success is also a family production. His wife Shannon, sons Owen (an award-winning podcast producer) and Gregor (a popular social media personality and speaker), and even his 76-year-old mom Bette (yes, that was her rapping in a viral music video and charming audiences on The Voice UK) often join in. Together, they’ve turned suburban Ontario into a global stage.

Most recently, Reynolds added “international bestselling author” to his resume with The Subtle Art of Resistance: Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism (Grand Central Publishing), cementing his place not just as a digital creator, but as a sharp, witty voice for our times.

For more about Brittlestar, visit https://www.brittlestar.com or find him on social media as @brittlestar.

The Kesterton Lecture is free to attend and open to the public, but registration is required for in-person attendance. The lecture will also be livestreamed via YouTube.

About Wilfred Kesterton

Wilfred Kesterton was born in Regina in 1914. He was a schoolteacher when he enlisted in the armed forces and served in England and Holland. As a Second World War veteran, he enrolled in Carleton’s fledgling Journalism school and, in 1949, became one of the earliest graduates of the new Bachelor of Journalism program. He was hired on as a journalism lecturer immediately upon graduation, as the School of Journalism’s second full-time faculty member.

In the next four decades, he would help shape the institution. Until his retirement in 1979, he taught virtually every student who went through our program. Through his writing and research, he also helped define Canadian journalism, as he was one of the first to bring serious scholarly attention to the news media in this country. He specialized in media law and journalism history and published important studies in both areas.

Kesterton literally wrote the book on journalism in this country with the 1967 publication of The History of Journalism in Canada. The Kesterton Lecture, Carleton Journalism’s signature event, was established in 2001 to honour his pioneering contribution to journalism education in this country.