Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl has caused quite the storm since it’s release on Friday, so we’re getting into everything from the Charli XCX ‘diss track’ to the recent gear shift around music criticism. Also this week: Nicole Kidman’s divorce drama, the new AI actor touted as a real-life The Substance situation, Diddy’s sentencing, two excellent film recommendations and a review of Amazon’s new rom-com The Threesome.

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Recs/ reviews:

• I Swear, in cinemas now
• I Swear Review, Variety
• Weapons, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Sky Store etc
• Weapons review — gorgeous, terrifying and the best thriller of the year, Times 
• The Life of a Showgirl, Taylor Swift 
• The Life of a Showgirl review, Pitchfork 
• Taylor Swift says diss track is 'love letter to someone who hates me', BBC 
• Taylor Swift’s Charli xcx hit job misses the point – and underscores her tedious obsession with conflict, Guardian 
• Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes
• Nicole, Keith, and Maggie, Lainey Gossip
• The Threesome, Amazon Prime

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Emma Watson’s first longform interview in five years has been making headlines this week, huns, so ofc we had to dive in and dissect the nearly-three hour podcast with Jay Shetty. A bounty of excellent film and TV has also arrived just in time for cosy season, from Dakota Johnson’s dark comedy about open relationships, to Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘era defining’ film One Battle After Another. As well as our five-star review, we discuss why everyone still seems to love Leo despite his controversies. Plus: House of Guinness, Mae Martin’s Netflix thriller Wayward and ITV’s The Hack. Finally, some advice to a hun needing help with a friendship breakup dilemma. Enjoy! 

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We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews:

• Emma Watson, Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast
• From Palestine to JK Rowling, has Emma Watson taken her final form as the millennial people’s princess? Independent 
• Splitsville, AppleTV
• One Battle After Another, in cinemas now
• ‘One Battle After Another,’ With Its Thriller Vision of Authoritarianism, Is the Rare Movie That Could Rule the Cultural Conversation, Variety
• House of Guinness, Netflix
• Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes
• Let There Be Light, why modern TV shows are often too dark to See, Independent 
• The real life Descendants of the Guinness Dynasty to Know Now according to one of the family, Vogue
• The Hack, ITV1
• Wayward, Netflix
• Feel Good, Netflix 
• Wayward is unlike any other thriller – for one unexpectedly inspired reason, Radio Times 
• Stereophonic, Duke of York’s Theatre (tickets via OfficialLondonTheatre.com)

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On the show this week: Reese Witherspoon has teamed up with Harlan Coben to write a thriller, an AI R&B artist has just landed a £2.4 million record deal and Matthew McConaughey’s take on the secret to lasting love has gone viral. Plus, Harry Styles’ marathon run, Charli XCX’s Sicily wedding, the controversial new Kanye West doc In Whose Name and our review of the Bumble founder biopic Swiped. Does Lily James’ portrayal of Whitney Wolfe Herd signal the return of the girl boss, or provide proof that dating apps really are dead? Enjoy hunnies! 

Get 10% off our fave sofa brand Swyft with the code straightup10 at swyfthome.com. Stylish, comfy, flat-packed and no tools required!

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• Reese Witherspoon, The Interview, NYT
• Gone Before Goodbye, Reese Witherspoon
• Gen Z Only Watches TV Through Social Clips. Hollywood is Scrambling, The Ankler
• Matthew McConaughey, Diary of a CEO
• Cornfield Chase, Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar soundtrack 
• In Whose Name 
• Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes, from all good bookshops
• Swiped, Hulu / Disney+ 
• Tell Me Lies, Disney+ 
• Culture Debrief: Are We Witnessing The Second Coming Of The Girlboss? Grazia 
• Black Rabbit, Netflix
• Lily James leads a Girl Boss social network that is half film, half Bumble advert, Independent 
• Lily James: ‘Would I use a dating app? Maybe I don’t need one’, Telegraph

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We prayed for good TV and The Girlfriend more than delivered! We review Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke’s deliciously crazy psychosexual thriller: team Cherry or team Laura? Plus, why millennial women have fallen head over heels for The Summer I Turned Pretty, a look at whether Thailand is as ‘dark’ as Zara McDermott’s new documentary portrays, and our verdict on divorce comedy The Roses starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Also: our thoughts on Yellowface author RF Kuang’s new book Katabasis. Enjoy hunnies!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• The Roses, in cinemas now
• Thailand: the dark side of paradise, BBC
• Antioxidant scanning at BACKSTAGE Salon
• The Girlfriend, Amazon Prime Video
• The Girlfriend: Warning! This sexy oedipal thriller may be too shocking for vanilla viewers, Guardian
• The Summer I Turned Pretty, Prime Video
• Why Are Forty-Something Women Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty?, Vogue
• Why Almost Every Woman You Know Is Obsessed With The Summer I Turned Pretty, Elle
• In ‘The Girlfriend,’ Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke ‘go feral.’ But who’s the real villain?, LA Times
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Problem With RF Kuang's Fiction, Slate
• Katabasis by RF Kuang review – a descent into the hellscape of academia, Guardian

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Saltburn director Emerald Fennell seems to have enraged the internet with the trailer for her new Wuthering Heights adaptation starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, but is this really ‘ragebait cinema’ or just her signature ‘stylised depravity’? We discuss! Also this week: Elordi’s other big trailer for Netflix’s Frankenstein, the Thursday Murder Club adaptation, queen of RichTok Becca Bloom’s wedding and the Etsy witches she credits with banishing bad weather, a viral Wired long-read about surrogacy, the rise and fall of Vice magazine, and what a new ‘nepo baby’ editor means for Vogue.

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• Popbitch, Substack
• Thursday Murder Club, Netflix
• Attack of the Rotten Tomatoes, Puck Magazine
• Atomic, NowTV
• Bland, easy to follow, for fans of everything: what has the Netflix algorithm done to our films? Guardian
• Emerald Fennell’s Hyper-Sexualized ‘Wuthering Heights’ Gets Polarized Reception at First Test Screening, World of Reel
• Is Emerald Fennell the Bonnie Blue of cinema? Dazed
• $3 Million Watches and Caviar for the Cat: How Becca Bloom Became the Queen of RichTok, WSJ
• I hired an Etsy witch to save my wedding day weather. Here's what happened, Glamour
• Vice is Broke, Amazon Prime Video
• The Baby Died. Whose Fault Is It? Wired 
• Can Vogue Go Niche, Business of Fashion 
• The Memification of Nepotism and How Proud Nepo Babies Are Rebranding Inequality, Substack

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Hi hunnies! We had so many messages about Serena Williams’ weight-loss jab ad that we knew we had to dig deeper behind the headlines into the world of GLP-1s for this extra episode. From the shame still clinging to these drugs, to the groundbreaking new research on how they could help treat psychiatric disorders, addiction and even Alzheimer's, we’re weighing up the pros and cons. We also share how a GLP-1 has transformed the life of one listener with PCOS, ask what’s really driving the obesity epidemic and get into the difference between GLP-1s for medical vs. aesthetic use. 

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Reccs:

• How is Ozempic changing the world? Why? With Emma Kennedy podcast
• A GLP-1/obesity expert breaking down Jameela Jamil's post
• How weight-loss wonder drugs are redefining the way our bodies work, Guardian 
• Here’s Why Doctors Are Hopeful That GLP-1s Can Help Treat PCOS Symptoms, Women's Health
• Health and productivity losses from obesity ‘far outstrip weight-loss jab costs’, Guardian
• A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We Are Thinking About Obesity All Wrong, New York Times

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British OnlyFans creator Lily Phillips comes second to Bonnie Blue for her extreme sex stunts, yet she has a very different public image, as a new Stacey Dooley doc makes clear. What does this say about our notions of femininity? And is the criticism around Stacey ‘platforming’ Lily fair? Also on the show: Sydney Sweeney’s new romance, Molly Mae’s nanny furore, our verdict on Sabrina’s new album and another season of With Love, Meghan on Netflix. Enjoy hunnies!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

Get 20% off our favourite ready-to-drink cocktails from Whitebox, including the best spicy margs, espresso martinis and negronis, with our code SU20 at Whiteboxcocktails.com

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews

• Inter Alia, National Theatre (or National Theatre Live)
• Lilo and Stitch, Disney+ 
• Disney's latest unnecessary remake is a monstrosity, Guardian
• Chief of War, Apple TV
• The Inheritance, C4 
• Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over with Lily Phillips, S6 E1, U
• Lily Phillips: I slept with 100 men in a day, YouTube
• ONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (Straight Up ep from May)
• Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
• Sabrina Carpenter to Taylor Swift: Why female pop stars embracing sex is still controversial in 2025, BBC
• With Love, Meghan, Netflix

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Serena Williams has sparked a serious debate with her sponsored content promoting an Ozempic-style weight-loss jab. We get into the pros and cons of these so-called ‘miracle drugs’ and the inevitable media-fuelled fall-out with Jameela Jamil. Also this week, we dive into the Millie Bobby Brown adoption ‘backlash’, give an update on the most divisive film of the year (match-making rom com The Materialists), and review the controversial new Amanda Knox Disney drama, along with Netflix’s number one show Hostage. And, of course, as promised, our verdict on The Real Housewives of London!

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs

• The Materialists, in cinemas now 
• The Logic of the ‘9 to 5’ Is Creeping Into the Rest of the Day, The Atlantic 
• Speculating about Millie Bobby Brown’s adoption is unacceptable, Stylist 
• Op-Ed: I Judged Serena Williams For Using A Weight-Loss Drug — Now, I Get It, Essence
• Fears that sport will be the loser as Serena Williams embraces weight loss jabs, The Observer
• Dua Lipa, #SkinnyTok and the labubu doll craze, Straight Up May episode 
• Why with Emma Kennedy podcast: How is Ozempic changing the world? 
• The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, Disney+
• Why the new Amanda Knox TV drama is misguided, BBC
• ‘It’s a new kind of prison’: Amanda Knox on redemption , rage, and her unlikely friendship with the prosecutor who hounded her, Guardian 
• Hostage, Netflix  
• The Real Housewives of London, Hayu

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Taylor Swift has officially entered her sexy era, announcing a new album in her first-ever podcast interview with Travis Kelce, alongside a showgirl-themed shoot that’s got everyone talking. We debrief on both! Also this week: from Weapons to 28 Years Later, we’re deep in a horror renaissance, Chris Hemsworth drops a wellness doc with an appearance from pal Ed Sheeran, the mind-blowing new science of signs, Netflix’s depressing Biggest Loser doc and of course, yet another Beckham update, this time courtesy of Brooklyn and Nicola’s vow renewal.

Thanks so much to our partner Official London Theatre! Get can up to 50% off theatre tickets with amazing deals on the biggest shows at OfficialLondonTheatre.com.

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs/reviews discussed: 

• 28 Years Later, in cinemas now
• Weapons, in cinemas now
• Together, in cinemas now
•  Limitless: Live Better Now, Disney
• Neuroscientist (Dr. Tara Swart): Evidence We Can Communicate After Death! Diary of a CEO
• The Signs: the New Science of How to Trust Your Instincts, Tara Swart
•  Pillow Talk. What Travis Kelsey does that's made Taylor Swift suddenly so sexy, Daily Mail
•  Taylor Swift’s Sultry, Spangled Next Act, Vogue
• Taylor Swift has gone raunchy for the life of a showgirl. What can it mean? Times 
• Wait, Is Taylor Swift Teasing a Super Bowl Halftime Performance? Vulture
• David and Victoria Beckham face fresh heartache as new details emerge of Brooklyn's vow renewal speech to wife Nicola Peltz, Daily Mail 
• Fit for TV: The reality of the Biggest Loser, Netflix 

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From unqualified therapists planting false memories in vulnerable people and an obsession with labels to ‘therapy boasting’ on Hinge and the weaponisation of ‘therapy speak’, we deep-dive into the dark side of the therapy boom. Plus, what makes a good therapist, and can AI offer an accessible alternative to what has become a luxury? We hope you enjoy this special bonus hunnies, we’ll be back with our usual Thursday pop culture debrief tomorrow!

We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!

Recs:

• Dangerous Memories podcast 
• My therapist told me Mum had abused me. She hadn’t, Times
• The therapist who planted false memories, Pandora Sykes, Substack
• How the language of therapy took over dating, NYT
• Nobody has a personality anymore, Substack
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns users not to trust ChatGPT agent with sensitive or personal data, Decoder 
• Chatbots Can Go Into a Delusional Spiral. Here’s How It Happens, NYT
• He Had a Mental Breakdown Talking to ChatGPT. Then Police Killed Him, Rolling Stone
• What does bad therapy actually look like? Stylist
• Can AI therapists really be an alternative to human help? BBC

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