The second part of our Royal Special. Yesterday we broke down the patterns in the coverage and comments. But today we ask why Meghan Markle remains the lightning rod for public fury, even when the former Prince Andrew is in absolute disgrace?

From the “Duchess of Pork”, to “Princess Pushy” and “Waity Katie” - the media loves a Royal nickname, but what does it say about what we expect from the Royal women?

Join us as we breakdown why we love a royal scandal, question whether princesses are just supposed to look pretty and shut up, and explore whether Disney is to blame. In today’s episode, we also investigate how this latest scandal has reignited the debate about what purpose the British Monarchy plays in a post-Queen 21st Century. 

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References:

Pod Save The King Podcast: Episode - The Prince Andrew Distraction: the unwanted gift that keeps giving.

Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York (2025). By Andrew Lownie

Carlsmith, K. M., Darley, J. M., & Robinson, P. H. (2002). Why do we punish? Deterrence and just deserts as motives for punishment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Article on Electric Literature.com - Cliff Huxtable Stole My Heart, Bill Cosby Broke It. By V.V. Ganeshananthan 

Article on The Conversation - A problematic history of obsessing over royal women’s looks, from Camilla to the ‘ugly’ Elizabeth of Austria. 

Bustle Article - The Complicated, Empowering, Messy History Behind Our Obsession With Princesses. By Lucia Peters

Ms Magazine Article - Megxit and The Death of Fairytale Romance. By Laurie Essig

BBC Article - The strange world of the Royal Family. By Hephzibah Anderson

Al Jazeera Article - Taxpayer ripoff or bargain? The cost of the British royal family. By John Power

The New Statesman Article - Abolish the monarchy. It’s more than Prince Andrew - the whole House of Windsor is rotten to the core. By Will Lloyd

Article on Debunking Myths About Fairytales.com - Myth: Fairy Tales Are Narratives About Passive Heroines. By Anne E. Duggan

Babak Ganjei on Instagram

Megan Markle podcast interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show 

The Evil Queen may have obsessed over who is ‘the fairest of them all’, but today we are looking at the latest Royal scandal and asking - who really is the most hated, and what triggered it?

The former Prince Andrew’s historic downfall has triggered an avalanche of attention-grabbing headlines, but this hasn’t stopped the constant Meghan Markle coverage.

From morally bankrupt avocado toast, to Fergie’s weight watcher’s deal, and Princess Kate’s cancer, today we breakdown the patterns in the comments and delve into the way the media narrative varies for different members of the British Royal Family in part 1 of our 2 part Royal Special.

Clips used in this episode:

Sarah Ferguson on The Oprah Winfrey Show Aired on 11/14/1996

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Frances Farmer and Britney Spears. Two women, decades apart, who found out exactly what happens when you're famous, female, and having a breakdown in public.

Today, from Victorian asylums to Instagram comments, we're talking about how easy it is to brand a woman "hysterical" or "crazy". And what are the consequences?

We explore the treatment of women once labelled difficult - from lobotomies, to hysterectomies and conservatorships and ask: have we really moved on from the days when the mentally ill were seen as entertainment?

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Clips used in this episode:

Lobotomy scene from film - Frances (1982) 

Much Interview with Kurt Cobain (1993)

Britney Spears - Oops I did it again

References:

Kenneth Anger - Hotel Babylon (1972)

William Arnold - Shadowland (1982)

You Must Remember This Podcast: 

Episode 4 - (The printing of) the Legend of Frances Farmer. 

Episode 5 - The Lives, Deaths and Afterlives of Judy Garland.

Janet Frame - An Angel at my Table (1984)

The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears (2021)

New Yorker article: Britney Spears Conservatorship Nightmare by Ronan Farrow & Jia Tolentino

Crime Analyst Podcast: Episode 29 - Who Framed Britney Spears? With Dr Jessica Taylor.

Dr Jessica Taylor - Sexy But Psycho: Uncovering the Psychiatric Labelling of Women and Girls

Kevin Federline - You Thought You Knew (2025)

Britney Spears - The Woman in Me (2023)

Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me documentary (2022)

Dr Jessica Taylor Talks About Stuff Podcast: Ep 2 - Medical and Social Model of Mental Health Part 2

Demi Moore wins her first Golden Globe at 62 for The Substance.

But is this really a renaissance for women over 45?

Because the “forever-young” face has become a status symbol. Agelessness now signals privilege, and when it goes wrong, the comments turn cruel.

We look beneath the celebration to the billion-dollar anti-ageing and longevity industries and ask whether this new visibility for older women is empowerment, or simply the latest luxury good.

And could we even face a future where ageing only happens to the poor?

Clips used in this episode:

Straight to the Comments Episode - “I’m not sorry: The case of Madonna and Women Ageing”

Nikki Glaser hosting the 82nd Annual Golden Globes

Demi Moore’s acceptance speech at the 82nd Annual Golden Globes

Pamela Anderson on The Drew Barrymore Show: Season 3, Episode 193

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True Blood, Twilight, Buffy… so many of us can’t get enough of vampires and werewolves. But lately, our feeds have been flooded with full-on “Alpha” werewolf erotica — a darker, hungrier kind of fantasy.

In this episode, we dig into how paranormal romance has shifted from seductive Draculas to dominant werewolves. Why is it everywhere now? Who’s creating it? And is this just Beauty and the Beast on steroids or something more unsettling?

Join us as we indulge our love of all things supernatural, just in time for Halloween month.

Clips featured in this episode:

Gary Oldman in “Bram Stoker's Dracula” (1992 film)

Matt Bourne in “Interview With the Vampire, Anne Rice, & 150 Years of Gay Vampires”

Craig Thomson in the TED-Ed video “The dark history of werewolves”

Frans de Waal in his TED talk “The surprising science of alpha males”

“Claimed By The Mega Size Alpha King No She-Wolf Dared To Mate” by Wattpad Dark Romance Fantasy Stories

Reference to ContaPoints YouTube video on Twilight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqloPw5wp48

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An alleged $9 million smear campaign. Text messages bragging they could “bury” Blake in hours. And the same team behind Johnny Depp’s media assassination of Amber Heard.

In Part Two, the Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni feud moves from smear campaigns to legal spectacle. With millions spent on crisis PR, celebrity countersuits, and Mummy sleuths treating the case like true crime, the courtroom has become content. We explore why big trials grip us, what happens when outrage is monetised, and whether justice can survive when it doubles as entertainment in the post-truth era.

Clips featured in this episode:

When Jimmy Carr interviewed by Stuart Goldsmith for “Before & Laughter”

Matt Murphy talking on the panel “Are You Not Entertained? Unraveling the Legal Complexities of Reality Crime Shows”

Nina Marino talking on the panel “Are You Not Entertained? Unraveling the Legal Complexities of Reality Crime Shows”

Megyn Kelly on the Megyn Kelly Show Ep 28th Aug 2025

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Blake Lively says she was harassed and then “buried” with a sophisticated smear campaign. Justin Baldoni says he’s actually the victim. But the fiercest battle isn’t unfolding in court - it’s playing out in the comments. In this episode, we explore how online narratives can flip from #MeToo solidarity to “victim fatigue,” how smear campaigns are manufactured and spread, and why figures like Candace Owens seize on moments like this to stoke the rage economy. From astroturfing to viral edits, we ask what these culture wars reveal about power, gender, and the precarious value of reputation in the internet age.

Clips featured in this episode:

Candace Owens on her YouTube channel, Ep 137

Sara Pascoe on High Performance Podcast, Ep 335

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In the last episode of Season 3, we bring back Reddit Roulette (from Season 1, episode 10) - our mashup of all things Reddit and Chatroulette . We spin the wheel to discuss who the a****** is in a relationship conflict, as well as discussing trauma dumping, how to navigate financial disparity in relationships, and the big topic of boundaries. Are they always healthy, or are they sometimes misused to manipulate and control?

We also review this season, and cover some of the topics we’ve been asked about, but not managed to include so far, including Kate Beckinsale, and crystal baths.

Questions for us or comments you want us to review?

We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. 

Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/

If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.

When Damian Hurley released his debut film, "Strictly Confidential," people were shocked that he directed raunchy scenes starring his own mother, Elizabeth Hurley. From critics labelling their relationship as "disturbing" to others dismissing them as mere "publicity hounds," we dissect some of the fierce responses to this erotic thriller and reflect on the discomfort it evokes.

In our guessing game, we go into the wild comments around boundaries.

Questions for us or comments you want us to review?

We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. 

Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/

If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.

Cougar, MILF, or even a tragic singleton like 'Bridget Jones', today, we are looking at all the comments used to describe older women when it comes to love and dating.

Sam Taylor-Johnson, in the promotion of her new Amy Winehouse film, is facing renewed scrutiny over her marriage to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is 23 years her junior. We talk about the internet's intense fascination with their relationship.

We also examine the concept of 'unlucky in love Kylie,' even as she is riding a career high. We wonder why this label of romantic misfortune persists and if it is part of the idea of the female 'Oscar Love Curse'?

Lastly, we explore the stories of women like Drew Barrymore, Linda Evangelista and Enya, who have all said they have 'had it' with romantic relationships.

Join us as we discuss why older women often face so much scrutiny in their search for love or their choice to live without it. And are we ready to move past labels such as 'cougar' and 'spinster'?

Questions for us or comments you want us to review?

We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. 

Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/

If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.