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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‘Heteropessimism’ is all over our feeds right now, so this week we’re asking: where are all the eligible men? Plus, our verdict on the Freaky Friday sequel (Freakier Friday), Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson’s rumoured romance, “recreational argument” families and the recent but inescapable rise of rage-bait, from Sydney Sweeney’s genes and the Skims chin strap, to sex stunts and wedding cake-smashing. Also: why Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne’s Platonic might just be our favourite TV show of the year!

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

Recs/reviews:

• Freakier Friday, in cinemas now
• Freakier Friday is humiliating to everyone involved, Time 
• Cosmetic procedures make Freakier Friday confusing as hell, Allure 
• ‘Generations of women have been disfigured’, Jamie Lee Curtis, Guardian 
• Platonic, AppleTV
• My Oxford Year, Netflix
• The Store, Oxford
• How the Right Shaped the Debate over Sydney Sweeney ads, New York Times 
• From Kim Kardashian’s ‘face shapewear’ to Sydney Sweeney’s jeans controversy, is everything rage bait now? Glamour 
• Heteropessimism and our declining faith in the straight, cis man, Glamour 
• Where Are All The Eligible Men? British Vogue 
• Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson Are Dating: 'It's Clear They're Smitten' People 
• The Emma Guns Show 

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This week we're diving into the pressure female authors face to turn their personal trauma into marketable content. Why is women’s fiction so often mistaken for ‘autofiction’? And why does the publishing world seem to reward pain over imagination when it comes from women? Writer (and returning guest!) Caroline O’Donoghue joins us to unpack her brilliant recent piece in The Bookseller, deep-diving into everything from the first-person industrial complex, stolen time and tweakments, to her current pop culture picks including books, TV and film. Also this week, K has been to see match-making rom-com The Materialists and E has a book rec! 

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

Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠

Recs/reviews:

• I Who Have Never Known Men, Jaqueline Harpman 
• Orlanda, Jaqueline Harpman 
• The Materialists, in cinemas
• Materialists review – Celine Song’s Past Lives follow-up is a mixed bag, Guardian 
• ‘Materialists’ Review: When Dakota Met Pedro (and Chris), New York Times 
• Past Lives, Amazon Prime
• Up close and personal, Caroline O’Donoghue for The Bookseller 
• Skip Shock, Caroline O’Donoghue 
• Where's the 'you'? Naoise Dolan on Substack 
• I felt myself split into before and after’: how giving birth triggered a life-changing illness, Guardian 
• The Terrible Things I Have To Do To Be Me, Philippa Snow
• In Love With Love, Ella Rusbridger 
• 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
• The Cinemile podcast 
• You’re Wrong About podcast 
• Lena Dunham’s C Word podcast
• Ologies podcast

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Is Bonnie Blue a ‘sexual predator’ or an empowered businesswoman? That’s the question driving the controversial new Channel 4 documentary about the porn star’s sex extremism, including sleeping with 1057 men in 12 hours. We went to the doc’s press screening last week, with Bonnie herself in attendance for a post-screening Q&A, so we discuss the its most uncomfortable moments, as well as Bonnie’s motivations, societal responsibility and what she’s really like in person. Also in this ep, a look at the juiciest revelations from the new and unauthorised Gwyneth Paltrow biog, from Goop’s toxic work environment to her fallout with Madonna. Plus a couple of TV reviews for you to get stuck into!

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

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Recs/reviews

• The Assassin, Amazon Prime
• The Secrets of TikTok Shop: UNTOLD, Channel 4
• ONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (our 28 May bonus ep)
• 100 Men and Me: the Bonnie Blue Story, Channel 4 
• Bonnie Blue: 1,000 men and the worrying normalisation of porn, The Times
• Confronting Andrew Tate & Bonnie Blue: World Exclusive: Have Men Lost Their Power & Has Feminism Ruined Society? Disruptors podcast
• Bonnie Blue, Channel four and the problem with commodifying sexual violence, Glamour
• The Affair podcast
• Gwyneth: The Biography, Amy Odell 
• Back Row, Amy Odell’s Substack
• Sorry, you’ll never be Gwyneth Paltrow. Whoever she really is, Washington Post 
• Shakespeare in Love, BBC iPlayer

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The Coldplay KissCam controversy has everyone talking about cheating, so this week we’re weighing in on affairs and internet sleuthing, as well as the scary rise of ‘sextortion’, investigated by Jordan Stephens’s brilliant new doc. Also on the show: Love Island’s toxic masculinity problem, Charli XCX’s wedding, yet more Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni drama and plenty of fab recs, from a fascinating memoir about the News of the World scandal and the new Jurassic World, to Eric Bana’s slick Netflix detective show and the funniest comedy you’ll see all year.

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

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Recs/reviews

• Jurassic World:Rebirth, in cinemas now
• Pulp Kitchen, Jurassic World Rebirth 
• Could we make a real Jurassic Park? Why? with Emma Kennedy
• The Return of the Dire Wolf, Time Magazine
• Heads of State, Amazon Prime 
• Lion, Amazon Prime
• Love Island 2025, brought to you by the manosphere, Glamour
• Hunting My Sextortion Scammer, Channel 4
• Don’t Let it Break You Honey, Jenny Evans
• Untamed, Netflix
• Such Brave Girls, BBC iPlayer
• Sweet Bobby, Tortoise Media 
• Why does Gen Z smell like sugar? Vox
• Yuka app
• Weleda Skin Food

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Today’s topics have all been chosen by you, huns, in our first ever ask us anything Q&A ep! From tweakments and our most embarrassing celeb encounters to dating, the apps and planning for children, nothing is off limits as we dive into your nosiest questions. We also weigh in on the Tattle Life debate and get into whether the influencer gossip forum is toxic or necessary, as well as advice for a listener going through it and the myth of having it all. Thank you sooo much to the hunnies who sent in questions, we’ll be answering some more in another ep v soon x

We love hearing from you, so please DM us questions, recs or bonus ideas ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod on Insta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email at ⁠⁠[email protected].⁠ Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuppod! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going!

Recs

• “Trolls on Tattle Life mercilessly tore me apart. The police told me there was nothing they could do” Grace Victory, Stylist
• The Big Kids Question: does anyone want to be a parent anymore
• Choosing love over IVF, with Camille Charrière, Conversations on Love with Natasha Lunn, Substack

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Lena Dunham remains one of the most controversial people in pop culture, but that hasn’t stopped a glittering roster of A Listers from appearing in her fun new London-based Netflix romcom Too Much. We assess some of her biggest online scandals, while looking at how autobiographical the show really is. Plus, an explainer of the Salt Path: the latest furore to rock the publishing industry. Are readers right to feel betrayed by writer Raynor Winn’s alleged lies and does publishing have a fact-checking problem? We’ve also got yet another juicy little Beckham family feud update for you, hunnies, plus a debate on whether prenups are feminist and two fab book recs! 

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

Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Recs/reviews

• My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout 
• The Tenant by Freida McFadden 
• Too Much, Netflix 
• Too Much: what film and TV get wrong about London, BBC
• Did the Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff Relationship Lore Inspire Too Much?, Marie Claire 
• Will Sharpe went too hard on himself in the Too Much finale, Vulture 
• Lena Dunham’s change of pace, New Yorker  
• Too Much Is Full of Lena Dunham Lore, Vulture
• TALA founder: ‘We weren’t going to make payroll — so I sold my car’, Financial Times 
• The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were spun from lies, deceit and desperation, The Observer 
• The Salt Path revelations should be no surprise to anyone in publishing, The Observer

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Brad Pitt’s carefully crafted F1: The Movie promo run has us thinking about how celebrities script their own stories and how easily we buy into them. From Brad’s quiet erasure of abuse allegations by Angelina Jolie to Chris Brown packing stadiums despite a long history of violence, we’re diving into the messy, age-old question: can you really separate the art from the artist? Also this week: a gorgeously candid Charlize Theron interview, Tim Key’s rom-com of the summer The Ballad of Wallis Island and Netflix’s jaw-dropping exposé on the cult of American Apparel and the toxic founder Dov Charney. 

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

Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Recs/ reviews:

• Birnam Wood, Eleanor Catton
• Charlize Theron, Call Her Daddy 
•  Brad Pitt is Fooling You, Vulture 
• A Complete Timeline of Chris Brown’s Controversies, People
• Scooter Braun, Diary of a CEO
• Brad Pitt, GQ interview by Otessa Mosfegh, 2022
• I think I'm done with being interviewed by women. Jameela Jamil Substack 
• Millie Bobby Brown, ageing and Lucy Boynton on domestic violence, our March 6 episode 
• Trainwreck:The Cult of American Apparel, Netflix
• The Ballad of Wallis Island, in cinemas now

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Billionaires, botox, and a newly single Orlando Bloom – this week we’re diving into Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s ultra-extravagant Venice wedding, a spectacle that’s reminded the internet that money definitely can’t buy taste. From the Hollywood attendees that made headlines like Sydney Sweeney and Leonardo DiCaprio to the inevitable backlash to the whole thing, we’re getting into it all. Also, as Khloe Kardashian follows in Kylie Jenner’s footsteps and comes clean about her plastic surgery, we’re asking just how much we should applaud the KarJenners for their new transparency. And Ellie reports back from Glastonbury!

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

Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audiobooks using our code straightup at bookbeat.com

Recs/ reviews:

• The Affair with Anna Williamson 
• Story Time with Kayla Jade
• Waterfront, Netflix 
• The Shark Whisperer, Netflix 
• The Shallows
• 47 Metres Down
• House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J Maas (Crescent City series) 
• Deep Cover, Amazon Prime 
• The Dark Poetry of the Bezos Wedding, Atlantic
• Vogue's Confidently Oblivious Lauren Sánchez Cover Story, Back Row, Substack 
• Khloé Kardashian Is Talking About Her Plastic Surgery Too, The Cut

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We’re on hols this week, hunnies, but ofc we weren’t going to leave you without an ep! So, we’ve dug into the archives and stitched together one of our very first specials: a *very* juicy two-parter on the iconic Noughties ‘It Girls’ Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Nicole Richie, which feels extremely relevant right now thanks to the publication of the amazing new book Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves. In this deep-dive, we cover everything from the toxic rise of tabloid culture and the paparazzi, to how this era ended up shaping celebrity and pop culture as we recognise it today. We know most of you haven’t heard this one yet and so we want to rectify that, bc we’re very proud of it!

We hope you enjoy and we’ll be back to usual business next week! We would love to hear your thoughts, pop culture recs and future special ideas so DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going x

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