We’re talking books this week, hunnies, as what better time of year than to get stuck into some summer reads than holiday szn? From the hottest books of 2024 (think: Butter, Blue Sisters and Brotherless Night) to the all-time faves we're still thinking about years on, these are the titles we suggest adding to your bucket-list immediately. Thank you so much for your reccs so far, we've added the ones we didn't get a chance to talk about today below and will keep on ploughing through, please do send more!

We are so excited to have finally announced our live event with The Trouble Club on 26th September at The Dally in Islington. Get your ticket for £15 with the code STRAIGHTUP50 here: https://www.thetroubleclub.com/events/straight-up-live-podcast-recording

DM us your thoughts on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried, from Maragritas and Negronis, frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://whiteboxcocktails.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://amzn.to/4eY4odu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Books / culture discussed:

• Butter by Asako Yuzuki 
• Slutty Chef column, Vogue 
• Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors
• Banal Nightmare by Halle Butler 
• Brotherless Night by V. V. Ganeshananthan
• A Little Dust on the Eyes by Minoli Salgado 
• Anil’s Ghost by Michael Ondaatje 
• The Island of the Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
• 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak 
• Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart 
• Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart 
• Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagnee 
• Kill Your Friends by John Niven 
• The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
• Reach For the Stars by Michael Cragg
• Educated by Tara Westover
• How Lucky Blue and Nara Aziza Smith Made Viral Internet Fame From Scratch, GQ
• The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
• What Tweens Get from Sephora and What They Get from Us, Jia Tolentino for the New Yorker
• No one is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood 
• The Unwilding by Marina Kemp 
• You Are Here by David Nicholls
• Us by David Nicholls
• The Husbands by Holly Gramazio 
• Sandwich by Catherine Newman 
• A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
• Margot’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
• Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagen 
• Doppelganger by Naomi Klein
• Experience by Kate Young 
• Mrs S by K Patrick

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Everyone’s talking about ‘It Ends With Us’ atm, huns, as some very bizarre things seem to be going down on the film’s press tour, with rumours of a feud between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. We get into it all, from the Colleen Hoover book it’s based on, to the allegations of bad behaviour from both Blake and Justin. And what’s with the way it’s being promoted? Also this week, we recommend a fab new show about a woman who travels to parallel universes when she orgasms, Slip. We review ‘Babes’, a pregnancy comedy that was touted as the ‘new Bridesmaids’ (wtf?). And debrief on Hunter Schafer’s Call Her Daddy Interview. Given her Euphoria update, we dissect the recent Hollywood Reporter investigation into what’s really happening with the show and its controversial creator Sam Levinson.

Head to ⁠pfeffersal.com ⁠for more on the world-leading facials we review in this episode, with packages that save you money on your treatments. Buy 3 treatments, receive the fourth half price. Buy 5 treatments, receive the sixth for free.

See Pfeffer Sal's ⁠FAQ page⁠ for more. Find Pfeffer Sal on Insta ⁠@pfeffersal⁠ and the gorgeous clinic at The Stables, 10B Warren Mews, London W1T 6BY.

DM us your thoughts on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried, from Maragritas and Negronis, frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at⁠⁠ ⁠https://whiteboxcocktails.com/⁠⁠⁠

Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://amzn.to/4eY4odu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Reccos/culture discussed:

• Babes (2024)

• Passages (2023)

• Slip, ITVX 

• The Instigators, Apple TV

• It Ends with Us (in cinemas now)

• It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (book)

• Hunter Schafer on Call Her Daddy 

• How Hunter Schafer Became ‘A Badass Thriller Bad Bitch’, Rolling Stone

• What’s Ailing ‘Euphoria’? Tragedy and Trauma Inside TV’s Buzziest Show, Hollywood Reporter

• Stealing Girlhood: The Legacy of Women's Work Being Stolen, Final Girl Studios YouTube

• Inside The Cult of the Far Right, The Newsagents

• What Do The Riots Say About Britain? Ash Sarkar, Aaron Bastani and Rivkah Brown Discuss, Novara Media YouTube

• Death of England: The Plays, Soho Place theatre

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Charli XCX and Billie Eilish’s new collab might just be the hottest song of the summer – and we are here for it! We get into all the discourse surrounding the pop culture-dominating duo: from BRAT and Charli’s birthday party to Billie’s insane charisma and those absurd queer-baiting allegations. Next, we debrief on the Suki Waterhouse Vogue cover and Ryan Reynolds on Chicken Shop Date, before running through some of the best new TV series we’ve seen. My Lady Jane, a hilarious revisionist comedy recommended by lots of you lovely listeners, Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, about the con-man behind the Backstreet Boys and N’Sync, and, of course, a quick debrief on the House of the Dragon finale. Also this week: we return to one of the most inescapable topics of 2024, age gap relationships, as Leonardo DiCaprio appears to have broken his ‘25 and under only’ rule with Vittoria Ceretti, and a 21-year-old British influencer comes under fire for having a 16-year-old boyfriend. 

DM us your thoughts on Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried. We keep drinking our fave classic Margarita on air, but they stock everything from frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at ⁠https://whiteboxcocktails.com/⁠

Incite Nutrition, a UK based supplement company making our favourite Vitamin D spray and biotin (plus marine collagen and lots more). Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at⁠⁠ ⁠https://amzn.to/4eY4odu⁠⁠⁠ 

Culture discussed: 

• May December (see our age gaps ep from Nov ‘23 for more) 
• Glen Powell’s meteoric rise proves audiences don’t actually care about age gaps, Independent 
• Guess (remix) featuring Billie Eilish by Charli xcx 
• Twisters (2024)
• Amelia Dimoldenberg What’s in My Bag, Vogue
• Miranda Kerr, What’s in my Bag, Vogue 
• Phoning It In, Billie Eilish, Elle 
• Suki Waterhouse On Her Wild Ride From London It-Girl To LA Mum, British Vogue
• Chicken Shop Date with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, YouTube
• He’s So Annoying: For years, being “sexy” didn’t work for Ryan Reynolds, Vulture
• Longlegs (2024)
• It Follows (2014)
• Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam, Netflix
• My Lady Jane, Amazon Prime Video
• House of the Dragon, HBO
• How House of the Dragon’s Ewan Mitchell became TV’s most chilling villain, the Times

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How much should a journalist impose their own judgement in an interview? That’s the row raging on social media this week, after the Times published a profile of mega-influencer Hannah Neeleman, better known by her handle and business name ‘Ballerina Farm’. Writer Megan Agnew spent a day at Ballerina Farm in Utah with ‘queen of the tradwives’ Hannah, her eight kids, and husband Daniel, exploring the complexities of her ‘homemaker’ life as a Mormon mother. Is this important journalism exposing the underbelly of the ‘tradwife’ movement and a blatant case of coercive control? Or is it, as some have argued, a ‘hit piece’ with a ‘toxic’ faux-feminist agenda? We examine the many contradictions at the heart of this conversation, along with the rise of the Mormon influencer and the pro-natalist movement (ew, Elon Musk). Also, our verdict on the new Netflix Simone Biles documentary in time for the Olympics, Josh O’Connor’s incredible film La Chinera, which has just landed on streaming, and Apple TV’s Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman.

Ps: Please leave us some recommendations for uplifting books for August! We need happy content!!

DM us your thoughts on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Whitebox Cocktails, who make the tastiest canned cocktails we have ever tried. We were drinking our fave classic Margarita on air but they stock everything from frozen Martinis to Old Fashioneds. GET 20% OFF with our code SU20 at https://whiteboxcocktails.com/

Incite Nutrition, which is a UK based supplement company that makes the best and tiniest biotin which has given Ellie the healthiest nails of her life. Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. GET 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at⁠ ⁠https://amzn.to/4eY4odu⁠⁠ 

Reccs discussed: 

• Simone Biles Rising, Netflix
• Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives’ (and her eight children), the Times
• My day with the trad wife queen and what it taught me, the Times
• Trad Wives: The influencers selling 1950s house-wife life, The Story podcast for the Times
• Meet the influencers repackaging the Mormon dream, Hunger
• La Chimera, Amazon Prime 
• Lady in the Lake, Apple TV
• Land of Women, Apple TV

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Maya Jama and Stormzy’s sad but beautiful breakup statement had to be the first port of call today, huns, as obviously we have been trying desperately to reconcile ourselves with their shock separation. Why are we still surprised that social media doesn’t paint a full picture of relationships? Next, we review The Jetty, Jenna Coleman’s new BBC police thriller, before recommending two recent Netflix shows we have absolutely loved, albeit in very different ways. First, the incredible superhero drama Supacell by Rapman, which has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. And second, the compelling but creepy four-part documentary The Man With 1000 Kids, about the world’s most prolific sperm donor. Also this week: Adidas has apologised to Bella Hadid after putting her in an unbelievably negligent campaign for its new ‘it-shoe’. How can an ad this ill-advised and damaging possibly have slipped through the net? We examine why on earth this keeps happening, reflecting on other recent horrifying brand missteps from Bumble to Balenciaga. 

Reccs discussed: 

• The Dakota hotel Manchester
• Erst Manchester
• Bar Levan and Levan Peckham
• The Jetty, BBC One
• Wilderness, Amazon Prime Video
• Supacell, Netflix 
• Delaney Rowe on TikTok 
• Attack The Block, Netflix 
• Shiro’s Story, YouTube/LinkUpTV
• Blue Story, BBC iPlayer
• The Man With 1000 kids, Netflix 
• The Lady in the Lake, Apple TV

DM us your thoughts on Instagram⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email us at [email protected] and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Incite Nutrition, which is a UK based supplement company that makes the best and tiniest biotin which has given Ellie the healthiest nails of her life. Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. Get 15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at ⁠https://amzn.to/4eY4odu⁠

London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What was Katy Perry thinking making a female empowerment anthem with one of music’s most problematic men, Dr Luke? We discuss the absolute flop that is the pop star’s comeback song Woman’s World. Much more inspiring is Zara McDermott’s courageous statement following the shocking abuse she endured on last year’s Strictly from her dance partner Graziano di Prima. Why does the performing arts world normalise extreme behaviour? Also this week: a snappy but hilarious tangent on the rumours that profesh celebrity BFF Derek Blasberg had an accident in Gwyneth Paltrow’s bed. Apparently, their friendship may never recover. And finally, we investigate the ‘cheating’ slash ‘PR relationship’ drama between rapper Central Cee, TIkToker Madeline Argy and rapper Ice Spice: is it the best marketing ploy the music industry has seen in years? 

Reccos discussed:

• Katy Perry, Woman’s World review, Guardian 
• Katy Perry, Woman’s World review, Pitchfork 
• Scat’s Out the Bag, Popbitch 
• TAR 
• Whiplash
• Black Swan 
• Did it First by Central Cee and Ice Spice 
• Madeleine Argy on Call Her Daddy podcast 
• 14 Celebs Who Admitted To Fake Relationships And Other Publicity Stunts For Attention, Buzzfeed
• The Jetty, BBC One 

DM us your thoughts on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠, and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partners:  

Incite Nutrition, which is a UK based supplement company that makes the best and tiniest biotin which has given Ellie the healthiest nails of her life. Incredibly reasonably priced and amazing quality. Get  15% OFF via Amazon with the code STRAIGHTUP at https://amzn.to/4eY4odu

London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why have we normalised celebrities abusing their power? This week we are joined by fellow journo and fab friend Olivia Petter to talk about celebrity narcissism, manipulation, power trips and industry open secrets. It's right on theme with her excellent debut novel Gold Rush, which explores the dark consequences of when Rose, a 20-something single woman working in the press office for a magazine publisher in London, spends the night with the most famous man on the planet. It's a gripping exploration of power, consent and celebrity, add it to your summer reading list right now!

Ps: we are taking a one week break next week as Kathleen is getting married! Normal service resumes 18 July :)

DM us your thoughts on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠, and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Reccos:

• One Taste, Bloomberg
• One Taste, Netflix
• American Nightmare, Netflix 
• Baby Reindeer, Netflix
• Painful Lessons podcast (Armie Hammer)
• Spacey Unmasked, Channel 4
• Jeanne du Barry (Depp film)
• Who Trolled Amber? Podcast, Tortoise Media
• Unbelievable, Netflix
• Freedom, and Corrections, both by Jonathan Franzen 
• Joe Alwyn profile The Sunday Times

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House of the Dragon is the biggest show on TV right now huns, but how does it compare to Game of Thrones? Kathleen is a huge fan of both so gives us her verdict. And hot on the heels of The Idea of You, we now have Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron playing out a hefty on-screen age gap in a new Netflix rom-com A Family Affair. Are critics right to say Hollywood has entered its cougar era, and what’s driving it if so? Plus, Ellie debriefs on whether Disney’s new Karl Lagerfeld drama goes too easy on the highly problematic late designer. Finally, we pick apart Tom Bower’s new book attacking brand Beckham: assessing his motivations for writing such a snide book, and whether these ‘explosive’ revelations offer anything new.

DM us your thoughts on Instagram ⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠, and as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Reccos discussed:

• IF (2024 film)
• House of the Dragon, HBO Max
• The Last of Us, HBO Max
• A Family Affair, Netflix
• The Cougar Bites Back, Financial Times
• The Mother (2003), Amazon Prime Video
• Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, Disney Plus
• America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Netflix
• Business Barbie: Margot Robbie on how she built an empire, The Times
• House of Beckham, Tom Bower

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taylor Swift’s tour has hit the UK and so of course we’re kicking things off with a debate on the queen of pop herself, most notably the recent suggestions that she is employing a calculated release strategy that keeps other artists like Billie Eilish and Charli XCX off the top spot. Is her Ed Sheeran-style obsession with having the best numbers admirable, or annoying? Next, we drill into Miley Cyrus’ interview with David Letterman last week, covering everything from her only celeb friendship (with Beyoncé no less) and her mum Tish Cyrus’ potent weed, to how she’s navigated fame since the age of 13. Plus, Kristen Stewart’s incredible new film Love Lies Bleeding, with a look back at her 2012 ‘affair’ scandal and public apology to Robert Pattinson, as well as her hilarious recent interviews and quite frankly iconic quotes. Finally, a recap of Kevin Spacey’s car crash interview with Piers Morgan, where the actor, despite having been found not guilty of sexual assault, seemed to incriminate himself, turning his previous supporters against him. 

DM us your thoughts on Instagram ⁠@straightuppod⁠. And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Reccos discussed:

• Miley Cyrus on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman
• Miley Cyrus Finally Gets Her “Flowers”, W Magazine
• Love Lies Bleeding (film)
• Kristen Stewart, Rolling Stone (May)
• Personal Shopper (film)
• Kevin Spacey on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter’s relationship is top of our hit-list today hunnies, since the singer released a music video all about an embarrassing boyfriend with a cameo from none other than… her 'embarrassing' boyfriend, Barry. Is he a secret scumbag, or is this all a PR ploy? Next, we revisit Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver’s podcast, Miss Me?, specifically the episode on sabotage and the Billie Eilish interview, followed by a review of the eagerly-anticipated TV adaptation of Candice Carty Williams’ book Queenie, which has divided critics and audiences. Plus, an ode to Clarkson’s Farm, which has returned to Amazon for a third season. How does a man with an unsavoury reputation as Jeremy Clarkson manage to make such charming, hilarious TV? And finally, a fascinating interview with the founders of London Nootropics, longtime partner of the pod and makers of the best adaptogenic coffee on the market. With Shez and Zain, we cover everything from medicinal mushrooms and coffee to biohacking trends like barefoot shoes and life-extending supplements. 

DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!

Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. Get 20% OFF with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Reccos discussed: 

• Sabrina Carpenter, Please Please Please 
• Dua Lipa Has No Lore, LA Times 
• Miss Me? Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver’s podcast
• Hit Man, Netflix 
• Hit Man by Skip Hollingsworth, Texas Monthly
• Kiss The Ground, Netflix
• Queenie, Channel 4
• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (novel)
• Rye Lane, Disney +
• Queenie review – so half-baked it could have been made by AI, Guardian
• Queenie Reminds Us That Black Women Have A “Right To Exist Messily”, Refinery 29
• Clarkson’s Farm, Amazon Prime Video (season 3) 
• Vivobarefoot shoes 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.