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The Inimitable Pinky Agnew has been top of the Showy Ovarian pods ever since it was recorded as the first ever episode back in 2021. Her charm, wit, warmth and sparkle have entertained over 700 of you, so whilst Penny was performing The Tempestuous in Wellington for a month (which runs til December 1st), she decided to drop into Pinky's newly downsized pad to catch up with our Queen of the Downloads.

Pinky discussed the delights of embracing 70, celebrancy, loving her grey power, crazy running with grandchildren, her joy of joining of the empowering Toitū Te Tiriti Hikoi to parliament, and about the release of her new book: This is Farewell: Readings and Meditations on Death and Dying. 

They also discussed some deeply challenging recent events involving assault, mental health and dementia, but despite these confronting times her absolute reveling in what it is to be human and joyous will always shine through. 

CW: Sexual assault, depression, dementia, panic attacks, death, dying. BUT also joy, happiness, family, love, release and humanity. #queen

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With a husband catching the FLiRT variant and subsequent laying low, Penny decided to bust out an ovum with her WOMAD poem all about her Showy Ovaries epiphany.  Listen in as hubby shouts up the stairs from his isolation den for sandwiches, and Penny chats about what happened with HRT, what's coming up in her world and screeching about tampons in a petrol station.  As you do.

Buy Sense and Sensibility tickets here: www.circa.co.nz/package/sense-and-sensibility/

And for The Tempestuous on Tour Here: www.hotpink.co.nz/gigs/

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To coincide with the launch of her new book today; The Everything Guide: Hormones, health and happiness in menopause, midlife and beyond, Niki Bezzant dropped in to Penny's house with almond croissants to talk life, hormones and her prodigious brain.

In her third visit to Showy Ovary Town, Niki told Penny of her mission to educate women about how to feel good in the skin they're in, to be kind to themselves and to look after our bodies like the well oiled machines they can be. She also attempts to squash Penny's proclivities for negative self talk, to discuss her own HRT  journey, and about her proudest achievement in life; which just happens to involve the clitoris. 

Stay tuned for discussions on unscrupulous supplement promotions, on sexual awakenings and on why Penny doesn't like shoelaces. 

https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/the-everything-guide-9781776950829

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Writer, journalist, redhead advocate and PR specialist; Angela Barnett swung by Penny's house to discuss inter generational bodily shizzle in all its complicated glory. From her mother's traumatic birth, to her own struggles with bulimia, to making sure her daughter navigates the world aware of the ridiculous standards placed on women by the patriarchy and the diet industrial complex, they cover it all. 

Angela is a committed body shame banisher and advocate for women and girls. She's interviewed many kick arse ladies like Chelsea Winstanley, Rose Matafeo and Penny Ashton (for a menopause story) and in this interview they cover the excitement of orgasms, being addicted to addicts and how to let go of being concerned about fat fingers. 

CW: Bulimia, Institutionalisation, Disordered Eating, Addiction. 

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Waaaay back in August 2023 Penny dropped in on Amanda Kennedy's house in West Auckland to discuss her body, her dewy complexion and her adult onset epilepsy. One half of the comedy duo The Fan Brigade, the librettist couple behind NZ Opera's The Unruly Tourists, Amanda was dealing with her recent diagnoses of ADHD, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome AND epilepsy. But was still smiling, particularly about her magical pussy.  She regaled Penny with tales of getting nude in Japan, breaking her nose on the floor in her first seizure, her refusal to be committed and how her period was basically The Hoover Dam.

Warning: Explicit pussy and bonus dog content. Not at the same time. 

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The time has come, the research is in, the arse is too sore, the foot annoying, the new upper belly is sticking out too far... it is time for the HRT! Two days after her epic 50th birthday party Penelope Patchstart is slapping on some Estradot in the low dose of 25 somethings and seeing if it is the golden elixir of her dreams. Dreams can flounder on the rocks of reality of course, but how will you know if you don't try? 

In her very first unboxing podcast ovum Penelope describes the experience of being a virgin again after 32 years, then snips up a patch and slaps it on almost as quickly as she once.. slapped it off.  She might even be a grown up now. 

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After her ballet teacher wouldn't let a very young Amy dance purely on on foot, she readjusted her life ambitions to being a pathologist. Inspired by forensic stories from her parents and from novels by Kathy Reichs, (the inspiration for the TV series Bones) she set her sights on dead people and being the last voice for those who can no longer speak.  Penny dropped in on her Palmerston North Dr's office to discuss her journey with her own "meat suit" and how her day job of performing over 2500 autopsies on  has led her to more acceptance of its miraculous abilities. 

Stay tuned for an aural strip tease and showcase of tattoos, discussions of roller derby bad-assery and how beautiful a human brain is when cut into slices. 

CW: Discussions of bodies, decaying flesh and stillbirth. But ultimately an uplifting focus on the positivity in the human existence and a celebration of science and self acceptance. 

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Performer, director, side show starlet, writer and all round showbiz whiz Lizzie Tollemache may have been travelling the world hammering nails into her head and making thousands of people laugh, but underneath all that was a diagnosis lurking that would change her whole perspective on life. Penny visited her carnie friend's Christchurch home to learn all about the realisation she gained in lockdown that led to her ADHD epiphany and whole new lease on life. 

From her ten year old love of theatre, to her crying on the floor like a raccoon, to convincing herself she was a piece of shit, Lizzie is disarmingly honest about her body's journey to feeling good 7/10 times now on average.  She regales Penny with tales of youthful people pleasing,  fleshy pleasing and rebuilding into the person she is happy to be today. 

Promise and Promiscuity is on this week in Palmerston Northshire! https://www.centrepoint.co.nz/promise-and-promiscuity 

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Hello lovely Showy Ovarians, Penny's back with another Showy Ovaries Live! This time with her comedy compatriot, fellow tenacious broad and Bette Midler lover; Justine Smith. 

They rendezvoused onstage at Q Theatre in the 2023 NZ International Comedy Festival to discuss how their bodies have taken them through being a woman in comedy since the late 90's.  Justine had a tattoo-off with a fellow Disney lover in the audience, they then discussed the #metoo movement in NZ Comedy, some other 'movements',  their worst introductions to the stage from MC's and their own insecurities, bra sizes and triumphs within the industry.

It's unfiltered, bawdy and funny AF as they laugh together at society's bullshit and their journey to giving exponentially less f**ks.  

Most Definitely Adult content. 

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Queen of Christchurch's Court Theatre stage, Eilish Moran took some time out of her packed schedule to chat to Penny about her body, her menopause and being in Penny's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility at the Court in February 2023.  Penny was excited to get to know a woman she saw onstage all through her youth and adolescence in such plays as Little Shop of Horrors, The Crucible and so much more.  

Eilish was so generous sharing her parent's dementia journeys, her stories of eating disorders and the roles she has both loved and the ones that got away.   Penny,  Eilish and Poppy the dog, enjoyed scones and a coffee in her 19th Century country cottage as they laughed about boobs, puberty and the fact that one of them kept farting. 
 
Book here for Showy Ovaries Live in Auckland on Sat 20th May: https://www.comedyfestival.co.nz/find-a-show/showy-ovaries-live/

Book here for The Tempestuous from June 13th: https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2023/jun/the-tempestuous 

Book for Eilish's play Appropriate in Christchurch: https://courttheatre.org.nz/whats-on/appropriate/ 

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