This week the fellxs talk to Lexi Freiman, author of Inappropriation and The Book of Ayn. They talk NEW YORK vs Sydney vs Hungary, the nature of satire, and the problems besetting Australian literary culture. Lexi tells us about At Large, the reading series she is putting on in Sydney with an unnamed legend of the field, the first session of which is taken place on the 22nd of January at Sean and Dolly’s on the Cross, with Jen Craig, Steve Toltz, Lauren Curtis, Dan Hogan and Mannix Thomson.

Before that, the lxds talk Iran and the Royal Comish, and destroy the Adelaide festival in real time, live. They also talk about the need for a “Star Wogs” production with Nick Giannopoulos.

Thanks as always to Dictator Dan Dare for his loving production. Song is “No Strain” by the Southend Rainbows.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

In this week’s episode, Los Guerreros talk about the precipitous idiocy of a “Royal Commission” into an attitude. As always, things have become six times stupider since the podcast was recorded, so listen here for the talking points you’ll need to use when people bring up the Royal Commission that has actually now been announced. They also talk about the wonderful country of Venezuela and its obscure, evil Northern Neighbour; their beloved bigheaded Pakistani comrade DrewP and his gallant defence of freedom at a protest in Sydney, met with a deplorable act of police aggression (pictured); and chat terminal shit about Jane Austen, Alexis Wright, James Joyce and Ezra Pound as if the mics had been switched off.

Thanks as always to “Dictator” Dan Dare for production.

Song is No Strain by the Southend Rainbows.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

This week The Battlers process the events of the last week, starting with the antisemitic attack in bondi on Sunday. Tim talks about the atmosphere at bondi over the week, they discuss the cynical response by the universe of grifters on the Right. We also chat about it the geopolitical context and the mistakes that our noble fourth estate have made in reporting on the issue. It’s the last episode of the year, and The Battler sends out its secular festive greetings and solidarities to one and all.

May it be a season of comradeship and care.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

The Battlers yarn with author Miriam Webster about her brilliant debut short story collection, The Slip, out now via Aniko Press.

Beyond that, Pat and Tim stake their claim as “Australia’s wokest podcast” and discuss the social media ban, the inevitable BPDification of Barnaby Joyce’s blood pact with Pauline Hanson, Pat’s huge hog…and more!

You can buy Miriam’s book here.

As always, subscribe to Straying for the Morsel and The Yeah Nah Review. thanks to Producer Supremo Dan ‘Da Man’ Dare for making The Battler listenable.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

Tim is back from Nippon, where he destroyed Tokyo in a fight to save Mothra from George “Hands” Christensen. The B*ttlers talk about the Great Land of Wa; kids TV and capitalism in the 1990s; Tony Abbott’s new collab with James Murphy and the glorious reversion of Pauline Hanson to the One True Faith. They also talk about Albo’s great Craft Beer Wedding and the AUKUS aesthetics of its Ben Folds playlist; and the prospects for the Australian–Lebanese Hezbollahbies at the next Rugby World Cup.

Sorry for the late drop on this one; various parts moving autonomously of one another.

Music as always is Southend Rainbows- No Strain.

Thanks as always to “Dictator” Dan Dare for production.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

This week, the fell*s discuss the death of Graham “Richo” Richardson and John “Sponsor” Laws, and what this means for the era of “bloke” politics and aesthetics that they represented. We also chat about the coup of 1975, probably garbling some of the nuanced history that makes it such an interesting event. We chat a little about the Greens and the NSW Socialists Conference, which Tim went to over the weekend.

Song is No Strain by The Southend Rainbows. Thanks as always to “Dictator” Dan Dare for production. Subscribe to Straying for the Morsel and Patrick Marlborough

Well may we say Subscribe to the Battler. Because nobody will subscribe to The Par….

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

The Battlers meet in the flesh again as Pat drifts East-side to look at the back of Andrew G’s head at Blue Mountain Writers Festival. A wild and rambling episode that covers the usual, but most importantly features a lengthy chat about 2025’s must watch TV: Columbo.

Follow Straying for the Morsel and Patrick Marlborough and special thanks to Dan ‘The Man’ Dare for all things behind the scenes.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

This week The Battlers discuss Albo’s scene cred (has he ever listened to Mark E. Latham?), the Trump and Albo craft beer summit, the undeniable wow factor of LNP wunderkind (37) James Paterson, and of course, the dire state of OzLit and Oz culture funding. Thanks as always to producer Dan Dare who makes everything sound decent!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com

It’s 30 episodes of Battlerdom, and the fellas are on a tredecennial tear. They talk Millenial culture, Stitch race science, Barnxit and the collapse of the Coalition, rightwing grifter meme politics, the Radio National top 100 colouring books of the 21st century, Israel’s Blood Meridian (Epstein revelations). And an old friend joins the pod– Wokey Allen.

Song is No Strain by the Southend Rainbows. Thanks as always to “Dictator” Dan Dare.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebattler.substack.com