Big Small Talk

Hey BSTies! On the show this week – anti-abortion activist Dr Joanna Howe and her husband James have come under fire after he said that he doesn’t “do consent”.

Then, the girls unpack Lena Dunham’s announcement that she has become a mum via surrogacy. Is it ever okay to pay someone to carry your child?

Plus – Labor and One Nation announce migration crackdowns, Channing Tatum allegedly has a burner account (!?), the latest on Macklemore and Ed Sheeran, and how to hold on to hope with the UN General Assembly’s Be Hope campaign.

AUDIENCE SURVEY LINK HERE!!!! THANK YOU ILY: https://forms.gle/dc9iXh7BEwntMuiW9 

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

This ep was produced by Sarah Jane Adams and Justine Landis-Hanley

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The beauty industry is worth more than $450 billion globally. So what actually makes us buy one product over another?

Sarah sits down with Natassia Nicolao, founder and CEO of Conserving Beauty, to unpack what it really takes to build a beauty brand in an industry obsessed with virality, celebrity launches, dupes and the next “must-have” product.

From creating the world’s first dissolving makeup wipe to getting stocked in MECCA, Natassia reveals how science and sustainability became her competitive edge, why 12-year-olds are suddenly using actives, and just how much of a product’s success comes down to clever marketing or genuine innovation.

Plus, she takes us behind the scenes of building a business from scratch, the education that helped her get there, and what she’s learned about taking the leap before you feel completely ready.

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University.

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Donald Trump is promising every American adult $5,000 if Republicans win the midterms - yes, really. Then, NFL star Aaron Rodgers has opened up about his breakup with actress Shailene Woodley and revealed the wild request she made before they got married, which has somehow only made the internet like her more.

We’re also getting into a former Anthropic employee who quit because he believes AI could help kill humanity, and what the people leading these companies are saying about that risk. Plus, Macklemore was asked to leave Ed Sheeran’s tour after saying “Free Palestine” on stage, and somehow Pink is involved too.

And finally, unfortunately, we have another Sydney Sweeney ad to talk about! This time however, the backlash is coming from some of the biggest names in women’s sport.

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in almost three years, your Tuesday episode is running a day late!

A perfect storm of sickness, international travel and terrible timing has thrown us slightly off course — so Sarah is jumping into your feeds with a tiny update.

The good news: we’ll be back TOMORROW (Wednesday) at 5pm with a VERY big Big Small Talk. And trust us, there is a lot to talk about this week.

Thanks for bearing with us xx 

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our friend Chanel Contos is on the podcast, and she’s casually changing Australia again!

Chanel is the activist behind Teach Us Consent, the campaign that helped change consent education in Australian schools. Now, she’s coming for our algorithms with Fix Our Feeds - which, huge news, just got the green light from the Australian Government this week.

We recorded this chat before that happened, on the eve of Chanel’s National Press Club address. We talk about what it was actually like becoming the face of the consent movement. Then of course, we discuss how algorithms have impacted dating in 2026. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nationals leader Matt Canavan is blaming the ‘feminisation’ of schools, consent education, and female teachers for the online radicalisation of young men, and Hannah is… not impressed. 

She unpacks his controversial comments, why we need to stop blaming women for the actions of men, and the latest push to finally regulate social media algorithms + fix our feeds.

Then, Sarah dives into Alix Earle’s new reality tv show, Earle Meets World. She unpacks the BTS drama with Alex Cooper, the Ashley Dupree scandal, and answers the all-important question: do the Earles have what it takes to be the next Kardashians?

Plus, Mamdani bans AI in schools, the Lindsay Clancy mistrial, and why the Met Gala Exhibition has been cancelled for 2027.

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

This ep was produced by Sarah Jane Adams and Justine Landis-Hanley.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At some point, you'll probably face what we on the pod call a Diabolical Quarter -- a time in your life when everything falls apart and you just can't catch a break.

Singer-songwriter Gretta Ray knows about these seasons of life all too well. Just 48 hours after moving to London -- ready to take next big leap in her career -- Gretta ended up in hospital and diagnosed with a life-threatening condition. Then came a break up, a flight home to Australia, and a long recovery process. 

So, we wanted to ask Gretta: what do you do when shit really hits the fan? How do you rebuild from that?

Gretta's album Heartsong is out on October 30.

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guyyssss Olivia Rodrigo threw a festival raising money for women’s health, safety and reproductive rights and THE WORLD IS HEALING. 

Sarah kicks off this episode talking all things Daisy Chain Festival – Stevie Nicks’ appearance, the whopping $20 million donation, and the way a 23-year-old pop star is building a legacy that goes way beyond her music.

Hannah then breaks down Meta’s historic $17 billion legal settlement, and the company’s promise to combat teen social media addiction on Instagram and Facebook. But is this really the public win they are making it out to be???

Plus, the world remembers Dolly Parton, Australia looks to outlaw strangulation porn, and why we should be paying attention to what’s happening in Nepal.

Big Small Talk Instagram

Sarah-Jane's Instagram 

Hannah's Instagram 

This ep was produced by Sarah Jane Adams and Justine Landis-Hanley.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Pussy Riot – the punk band from Russia that has made global headlines for speaking out against Vladimir Putin.

Maria Alyokhina was just 23 years old when she joined the group and, consequently, became Putin's political prisoner. She was arrested and jailed multiple times for her activism over the years. But in 2022, she hatched a plan. She dressed up as a food delivery driver and, with the help of her friends, fled the country.

Maria is one of the bravest people we will ever speak to. So, given the state of the world right now, we asked her: how do you maintain hope in politically dark times? And how do you find the courage to keep fighting back?

Big Small Talk Instagram 

Sarah-Jane Adams Instagram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As whispers of the next federal election swirl, one name keeps coming up: Pauline Hanson. Hanson and her party are rapidly rising in popularity. Polling over the last few weeks suggests that the next election might come down to a race between Labor versus One Nation. 

So – who is Pauline Hanson? And how did we get here? 

In this two-part series, we talk about the rise, the fall, and resurrection of Pauline Hanson. Her days as a fish and chip shop owner, the letter that got her sacked from the Liberal Party, the criminal trial that put her behind bars, her Dancing with the Stars redemption arc, and the messy fights and fallouts that have plagued One Nation.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.