We’re talking about two princesses of pop culture after the release of a new season of With Love, Meghan and Taylor Swift’s engagement photos.  

The Duchess of Sussex is back sharing her kitchen with celebrity cooks and TV stars, sprinkling dried flowers with abandon and dishing up tartines (aka fancy toast). But... why? 

Hannah and guest co-host Clare Rawlinson also unpack how the engagement of TnT (Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) plays into princess fantasies, and the reaction from Taylor’s global fanbase. 

Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to [email protected]

Show notes: 

Daniela Elsa's review of With Love, Meghan: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/meghan-markles-new-big-budget-netflix-show-cant-hide-one-major-issue/news-story/0d23ecbec34e78436e21d29edbc4596c 

Taylor Swift's engaged: https://www.instagram.com/taylorswift/

This week Hannah and Bev are chuffed by the stuff that reminds them of their culture. 

Hannah’s chuffed by Long Story Short, Netflix’s time-jumping animated series about the Jewish-American Schwooper family, and Bev’s chuffed by Left-Handed Girl, a feature about a woman and her two daughters making a living in a Taipei night market, from Taiwanese-American director Shih-Ching Tsou, co-written and edited by Sean Baker. 

Tell us what’s got you chuffed: write to [email protected]

The Stop Everything! celebrity book club is in session for a dissection of Gwyneth: The Biography by author and journalist Amy Odell, who also wrote the New York Times-bestselling biography about Vogue’s Anna Wintour. 

“Confident” and “oblivious” are two words the author uses repeatedly to describe the Oscar-winning actress turned Goop CEO. But what other life experiences propelled Gwyneth’s pivot from movies to wellness influencing? Hannah and Bev have got the goss. 

Get in touch: write to [email protected]

Chuffed is stuffed this week! Hannah and Bev are hosting a potluck feast of recommendations, and everyone's brought something to share — from KPop Demon Hunters to Pedro Pascal and even more real estate reality shows to watch — there's lot of chuffing going on!

Tell us what's got you chuffed. Write to [email protected]

Show notes:

Hannah's chuffed

@shaiie_foeva judges potluck dishes: https://www.tiktok.com/@shaiie_foeva/video/7537804410823380246?_r=1&_t=ZS-8yzn5mib0Vu

Bev's chuffed

Pedro Pascal on Fresh Air: https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/g-s1-82589/fresh-air-for-aug-14-2025-actor-pedro-pascal

Sheng Wang Sweet and Juicy: https://www.netflix.com/search?q=sheng%20wang%20sweet&jbv=81276951

Hetty McKinnon's mushroom miso sausage rolls: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025932-vegetarian-miso-mushroom-sausage-rolls?unlocked_article_code=1.fU8.dmh1.biBlNxRfrij7&smid=share-url

More real estate reality shows

Phil Spencer: Secret Agent: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/phil-spencer-secret-agent/series/1

My Lottery Dream Home: https://www.9now.com.au/my-lottery-dream-home

We’re looking at the evolution of TV therapists, from The Sopranos’ Dr Jennifer Melfi, HBO’s In Treatment, the oddball crew of Apple TV+’s Shrinking and the sci-fi comedy world of Demascus on Tubi. 

How do these fictional portrayals of going to therapy track with the rise of therapy speak? And have they helped open our minds about what it's like to go to therapy? 

And in the sidebar, Bev and Hannah unpack Taylor Swift’s 12th album announcement and farewell film critic David Stratton. 

Get in touch via [email protected] 

Show notes

Demascus on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/series/300016343/demascus 

Aisha Harris on the Black Lady Therapist trope: https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/black-woman-character-actors-are-popping-up-on-your-favorite-shows-as-therapists-to-white-characters-video.html 

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1041882856/black-lady-therapists-ted-lasso-white-lotus-in-treatment 

This week Hannah and Bev are chuffed by the glorious mayhem of the Las Culturistas Culture awards and Mariah Carey's reaction to finding out Katy Perry went to space — four months ago.

Tell us what's got you chuffed? write to [email protected]

Show notes:

Las Culturistas awards on Prime Video: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0N9IMEQ1JTSYUJZEPMBAL0DITZ/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Mariah Carey on the Scott Mills Breakfast Show: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNC-29rsUj4/?igsh=NXhqb2tydjJsaDZ1

Shows about house hunting, renovating, and buying and selling luxury homes are all over our screens.

While there's clearly a market for them — what exactly are they selling us? Is it escapism, envy, voyeurism, or even the opportunity to get a bit judgy that draws us to shows like Selling Sunset, Luxe Listings, House Hunters and Grand Designs?

Get in touch: write to [email protected]

Writer and comedian Jennifer Wong is Stopping Everything with Bev while Hannah is away.  

This week Jen’s chuffed by Moni, a short SBS series about Moni, a gay Samoan man who returns home to Western Sydney for his sister’s wedding. 

Bev’s chuffed by Cannonball, Wesley Morris’ revamped New York Times culture podcast, and particularly his chat with chef and author Samin Nosrat about FX’s The Bear. Show notes:

Moni: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/moni

Cannonball with Wesley Morris and Samin Nosrat on The Bear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2alvm2DC1g&t=1s

The loneliness epidemic has a new solution: AI chatbots are offering companionship and romantic partnership for many people, and a new podcast by Wondery called Flesh & Code is documenting these stories.

Beverley Wang and guest host Jennifer Wong go deep on falling in love with AI chatbots, and then breakdown the outrage over Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad, and the death of And Just Like That…

Show notes

Flesh and Code: https://wondery.com/shows/flesh-and-code/

The banal provocation of Sydney Sweeney's jeans: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/critics-notebook/the-banal-provocation-of-sydney-sweeneys-jeans

And just like that, And Just Like That … is dead: https://www.vulture.com/article/and-just-like-that-ending-season-3-series-finale.html

Sarah Jessica Parker farewells Carrie Bradshaw: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM0bTX3M_sx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

While Hannah's away, comedian and writer Jennifer Wong is Stopping Everything with Bev.

This week Jen and Bev are chuffed by murder mystery comedy the Residence (RIP), and Stanley Tucci in his pasta era.

Get in touch: What's got you chuffed? Write or send a voice note to [email protected]