Hi friends!

We're back from a little wedding break as Jas got hitched. After a quick debrief, we're straight into Culture Quickies.

Charli XCX has published her first two Substack posts: one on creativity and one about being a pop star. We chat about Charli's emergence on the newsletter platform and break down her musings. Next, Sydney Sweeney has been having a tough year after her indie biopic flopped at the box office this month. We discuss Sydney's 2025 controversies (including recent comments with GQ) and why she's being portrayed as a right wing celebrity.

Wicked: For Good the second part of the Wicked franchise, was released earlier this month. But it's not the movie musical that has people talking. Main actresses Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh all looked noticeably thinner at press junkets and premieres. But should we even be discussing women's bodies in the post-body positivity movement era? In this segment, we discuss the eating disorder allegations and reference a piece for The Free Press titled 'In ‘Wicked,’ There’s a Very Thin Elephant in the Room' by Kara Kennedy. This segment references disordered eating and body image. If you need help with this, you're not alone. There are resources available on the Butterfly Foundation.

In Bookmarked, Jas recommends a short romance novel by debut author and Substack writer, Erika Veurink titled Exit Lane while Maggie shares her love for Apple TV sci-fi series, Pluribus.

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