We start with the least controversial opinions to begin this week's show, namely, the return of the mullet is not a good idea. After dispensing with that we hit the news from the last week: the FBI raids Mar-a-Lago, Salman Rushdie is attacked in New York State, actress Ann Heche's fatal accident and the cancellation of comedian Jerry Sadowitz.

In Culture Corner the show returns to its roots with talk about the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon (HBO in the US on August 21, the next day in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW.) James delves into A Hero of Our Time (Герой нашего времени) by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (1814-41).