The Modern Mann

Medically assisted dying is legal in Canada, where over 10,000 people end their lives through euthanasia each year, and over 80% of applications are approved.

Robin Farr, from Calgary, watched as her Dad, Mike, developed a rare lung disease that limited his breathing, massively impacting his quality of life. Then he decided to make use of the MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) laws.

In this honest, unsparing conversation with Olly, Robin explains how it felt to manage the last couple of days of her father’s life - and reveals the flaws in the system that left her and her family unsupported in a time of anticipatory grief...

Robin volunteers with Canadian support groups Bridge4You and Bridgec14, and recommends the resources at dyingwithdignity.ca and the Swiss organisations Pegasos and Dignitas.

This interview first aired in September 2022, in the episode, 'The Countdown.'

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Sarah McCammon’s upbringing was steeped in evangelical culture—raised as a Charismatic Christian in Kansas City, Missouri, she asked God for salvation at just two years old. 

Soon she was ‘street witnessing’, trying to convert strangers to her mega-church; praying at family dinners for the salvation of her atheist grandfather; and crediting Jesus for healing her stubbed toe. 

As a teen, she followed the expected path: wearing a purity ring, committing to abstinence before marriage, attending a Christian university, getting married, and starting a family.

But then, she left it all behind.

In this candid conversation with Olly, Sarah—now a national political correspondent for NPR—unpacks the emotional, social, and political forces that shaped her beliefs, and ultimately led her to walk away from the evangelical world. 

Offering a compelling insider’s view of life within the movement, she delves into the personal cost of leaving her faith, and explains the deep connection between white evangelicals and their unwavering support for Donald Trump.

Sarah’s book, The Exvangelicals, is out now.

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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes on the challenge of preparing for the Government’s infamous ‘Life in the UK’ test.

Although already a British citizen, Ollie has been swotting up to answer a dozen real-life questions from the extensive pool of questions that aspiring citizens must study. Can he correctly respond to the required 75%?

With topics ranging from British history to culture and law—and a £50 fee per attempt—he and Olly soon realise just how tricky and unpredictable these questions can be…

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from a surprisingly intimate moment with the Teletubbies - considers the ethics of hiring a sex worker.

Is it ever truly possible to ensure prostitutes have not been trafficked by criminal gangs? What distinctions exist between the proposed decriminalization and legalisation of sex work? And even if women choose to enter the field due to poverty and desperation - does that necessarily mean they are victims?

With the help of sex worker-turned-author and comedian Kaytlin Bailey and the English Collective of Prostitutes, Alix gives this sticky quandary her very best shot…

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Finally, the music Making Us Happy this month… is Jason Derulo’s Make Me Happy 😊

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CONTACT US

If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:

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… and we’ll see you on November 10th 📅

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Sarah McCammon, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Jason Derulo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024

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Fortune-tellers, offering palm-reading for as little as ten dollars, are a common sight in New York City. But when they swindle their clients out of six-figure sums, it’s ex-NYPD officer Bob on their case…

In this sensational interview with Olly, Bob reveals how the criminals he pursues prey on vulnerable victims, the techniques they use to convince clever professionals to hand-over huge amounts of money, and his fight to convince complacent cops that it’s worth prosecuting and imprisoning these ingenious offenders.

CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide.

This episode first aired in 2019 under the title, "Credit The Con". Now remastered and with an update from Bob from this month, we paired this episode with our most recent: "When People Disappear".

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In a missing persons investigation, the initial hours and days are crucial. 

Establishing a relationship with the missing person’s family, absorbing their behavioural characteristics, and managing media interest in the story are all essential parts of the toolkit for officers charged with finding them alive.

But, 27 years ago, when Charlie Hedges MBE was assigned his first missing persons case, such protocols did not exist. He found institutional inertia and complacency where there should have been dedication and service - and set out to right that wrong.

In this compelling conversation with Olly, Charlie looks back over his career finding missing people - including Dr David Kelly, April Jones and Ashya King - and reveals the techniques and temperament necessary for the job, especially in these days of internet sleuths and social media speculation. 

Charlie’s book, Missing, is out now, published by Hachette.

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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart channels his inner James Martin to kick up a storm in Olly’s kitchen: specifically, a five-course meal made entirely using air fryers.

With the help of AirFryerGirl and ProCook, Ollie impresses with a delicious molten Camembert and honey-mustard pork - but is frankly rather let down by his raw carrot crisps.

Along the way, the boys consider whether the popularity of air fryers will last beyond the cost of living crisis, uncover which tabletop gadgets will become the next kitchen must-haves, and ask why Tiktokers don’t provide recipe PDFs…

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox uncovers the trend for ‘CEI’ humiliation videos, and assists a Mann-fan whose daughter wants to reject the HPV vaccine - because she’s a lesbian.

In collaboration with gynaecological cancer charity The Eve Appeal, Alix discovers why the HPV vaccine is important for all young people, regardless of orientation; explains how the virus can be transmitted; and reveals the efficacy of the vaccine and the common myths surrounding it.

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Finally, we’re going hip-hop for our Record of the Month, ‘Passion’, from LL COOL J’s first album in 11 years, THE FORCE 🔥

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SUPPORT THE SHOW:

We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. 

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JOIN OUR DISCORD! 

100+ Mannfans are there already. At least two of them are jugglers.

➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72

_______

CONTACT US

If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:

✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback

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… and we’ll see you on October 10th 📅

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Charlie Hedges, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, LL COOL J. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024

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CONTENT WARNING: Suicide, child abduction.

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Nine years ago, comedians Stuart Goldsmith and Tom Price joined Olly to discuss their impending fatherhood. 

What impact will it have on their respective relationships? Why does society appear to offer such a lack of support to men embarking upon their first baby? Do men need to know about the mucus plug?

They discuss all this, plus some bad taste jokes, with little understanding of what was in store for them over the next nine years... which makes this the perfect accompaniment to our latest episode, How To Be A Dad, Part 10.

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Playing with knives, navigating the ‘Dad Race’ at Sports Day, and getting a ‘backstreet assessment’ for dyslexia are on the conversational menu as comedians Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith reunite with fellow father Olly Mann to discuss the pleasures and pains of parenthood.

Now aged 8, their boys are dealing with TikTok addiction, grappling with the instant gratification of Amazon deliveries, and trying to hack the marble jar. 

Meanwhile, our trio of Dads are learning how to transition from ‘performative parenting’, moderating the YouTube content on their smart TVs, and facing the inevitable spectre of turning into their own fathers...

This is the tenth instalment of our annual ‘How To Be A Dad’ series. Catch up with all previous episodes HERE. 

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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is off to Harley Street to investigate the trend for hair transplants. What do they cost, how do they work, and do they last?

Also, how can you tell if you’ve got decent ‘donor hair’ in your ‘harvest area’? Why do a million men per year travel to Turkey to look like Wayne Rooney? And can you ever regain the hair you had as a teenager? 

With the help of The Wimpole Clinic’s Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Ismail Ughratdar, Ollie investigates…

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a Mann-fan who can’t explain why - each time he reaches climax in bed with his wife, and only then - he visualises a HOUSE 🏠.

Could it be… repressed trauma? A Freudian sense of self coming to the fore, in an unguarded moment? Or, er, a supernatural glimpse of his future?

With input from behavioural optometrist Bhavin Shah, longevity mental health coach Susie Masterson, and spiritual psychotherapist Melissa Amos, Alix is on the case…

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Meanwhile, our Record of the Month marks a hands-in-the-air return for The Offspring, whose new track Make It All Right comes from their 11th studio album, Supercharged, out this October.

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SUPPORT THE SHOW:

We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU. 

🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer

_______

JOIN OUR DISCORD! 

100+ Mannfans are there already. Go on:

➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72

_______

CONTACT US

If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:

✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback

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… and we’ll see you on September 10th 📅

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tom Price, Stuart Goldsmith, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, The Offspring. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024

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🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann

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Paul Watson realised he would never play football for England - so attempted, instead, to be recruited by the worst international team in the world. His quest lead him to Pohnpei, Micronesia; and, although he never realised his dream of becoming an international soccer star, he ended up coaching them instead... 

What's it like training a team 9000 miles away from home, in a country with no football culture? What is the beautiful game's secret at bringing communities together? And how can one recover after a defeat against the Guam Crushers?

This interview first aired in 2017 - hear the full episode here - now remastered with new sound design, we've paired with our latest episode, I ₿ought A Football Club.

Paul wrote a brilliant book about his adventures, Up Pohnpei, which you can buy here. Thanks to Mannfan Tom Cotton for suggesting Paul as a guest - if you have an idea for a future edition of the show, just get in touch using our Feedback form.

Paul's two podcasts are:

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Peter McCormack, Bedford’s ‘budget Ryan Reynolds’, is on a mission to take his local team all the way to the Premier League ⚽️

When he bought Bedford FC in 2021, they were in the tenth tier, and unknown outside the town. 

After rebranding them as Real Bedford, securing investment from the Winklevoss twins, and internationalising his business model, the Bitcoin guru has achieved back-to-back promotions for his club - despite having zero experience in professional football.

How has he done it? With a mix of chutzpah, arrogance, planning and perseverance… as he explains to Olly in this compelling, funny and insightful interview.

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Meanwhile, in a French-flavoured edition of The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trends taking Paris by storm, including Loop earbuds, androgynous fashion, and, erm, a giant croissant 🥐

Can French chef Philippe Conticini’s coffee shops conquer Britain? Will London’s trend for hipster Pétanque spread across the country? And what does the French election tell us about the City hosting the Olympics? Ollie reveals all…   

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox chomps down on an English culinary classic, and asks if, in the age of the hook-up app, casual sex can transcend perceptions of being transactional and meaningless 🏩 

Is it possible to find a ‘vanilla’, non-kinky partner, who isn’t seeking a long-term relationship? And might seemingly niche apps like Feeld and Fab Swingers provide the answer? Alix investigates…

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Meanwhile, music this month comes from lo-fi American popstress Clairo, and her 70s-influenced Summer single, ‘Sexy To Someone’ 📀

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SUPPORT THE SHOW:

We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU. 

🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer

_______

JOIN OUR DISCORD! 

100 Mannfans and counting! Sign up:

➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72

_______

CONTACT US

If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:

✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback

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… and we’ll see you on August 10th 📅

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Peter McCormack, Clairo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024

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🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann

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In the wake of the Brexit referendum in 2017, Wes Streeting had only been an MP for two years... and had won two elections in as many years. In this month's Playback, we take you back to that time - away from the election spin of 2024 - to understand the man most likely to be Britain's new health secretary.

Would you be an MP, at a time when public trust in politicians has fallen to the lowest level in living memory? Could you dedicate yourself to your constituents, yet also make time for your family, fighting fires on social media and keeping the media on-side? 

Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North since 2015, entered the fray in time to experience the Brexit vote, the murder of his colleague Jo Cox, and the Palace of Westminster coming under terrorist attack. 

In this candid interview with Olly, he lifts the lid on day-to-day life as a young MP in the House of Commons, from his experiences adapting to the weird traditions of voting and speaking in the House, to the perils of navigating Westminster’s gossipy backstairs bars and their modern-day digital equivalents on WhatsApp...

Like politics beyond the headlines? Then discover what it's like on the campaign trail, as Olly spends a month with Lib Dem candidate Layla Moran for the 2019 election: https://www.modernmann.co.uk/new/candidate

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Sex scenes are a feature of modern filmmaking, yet require meticulous planning and sensitive handling in a post-#MeToo world. 

Enter intimacy coordinator Lucy Fennell - whose credits include True Detective, All Of Us Strangers, and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Navigating Hollywood power dynamics, she assists storytellers, whilst also protecting performers in their vulnerable moments. 

In this eye-opening conversation with Olly, she reveals the techniques that prevent unwanted physical contact during simulated sex, explains how male and female directors sometimes react differently to her presence on-set, and considers what happens if and when an actor gets an erection…

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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates BookTok, the TikTok subculture where users share book recommendations and reviews. 

How significant has its impact been on the publishing industry? How has BookTok revived interest in older books? And can it be manipulated?

With the help of Literary Death Match’s Suzanne Azzopardi and creative consultant Miriam Robertson, Ollie reveals all… and puts their advice to the test. 

Armed with a Ladybird classic, can Ollie establish a BookTok presence, self-publish his own opus (generated by AI, of course), and become the next Colleen Hoover?

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox fails to find out why comedian Sofie Hagen hasn’t had sex for eight years, but comprehensively answers a complex listener question: How does one train to become a sex therapist?

With the help of Jo Coker, Director of Therapy and Training Standards at COSRT, sex educator Gigi Engle, sex and relationship coach Lucy Rowett, and therapist Chantal Gautier, Alix unpicks the demanding training process psychosexual therapists undergo; discovers the broad range of issues their clients can present with; and explains why therapists must manage their own biases and emotional reactions to provide effective support.

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Finally, our Record of the Month showcases the soulful vibes of Jaz Karis, with her sultry Summer single ‘Tequila’, feat. Reekado Banks.  

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SUPPORT THE SHOW:

We’re an independent podcast. We’re professionals. We only exist thanks to your financial contributions. THANK YOU. 

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JOIN OUR DISCORD! 

Olly is going to be answering your questions this month over on our Discord server. Sign up and join the MannFan community:

➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72

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CONTACT US

If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form:

✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback

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… and we’ll see you on July 10th!

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Lucy Fennell, Jaz Karis. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024.

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THIS EPISODE IS SUPPORTED BY READLY, the UK’s largest digital newsstand. 

• Discover thousands of top magazines, alongside Olly's favourites, with an exclusive THREE MONTH free trial, at https://readly.com/mann

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