2026 Kesterton Lecture: Peace, Order, and Good Journalism (with a Side of Comedy) by Stewart “Brittlestar” Reynolds
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Hybrid event
- Atrium (2nd Floor), Richcraft Hall, Carleton University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
- Cost: Free
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
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.”