On the show this week, Sophie meets bestselling author, Marian Keyes, to discuss her cultural moment, her love of painting and the difficulty of being creative in a pandemic. Also, Jen and Sophie cover Matt Damon's Spin 103 appearance and attempt to settle an important debate about what is a DIY shop with homewares for sale vs what is a homewares shop with DIY items for sale! Also discussed: Taffy Brodesser-Akner's Val Kilmer profile for the New York Times.

This week we have a special episode diving into our guest, author Louise O'Neill's on-going cultural obsession: Britney Spears' abs. With low rise jeans threatening a comeback, we travel back to the dark days of the late 90s and unpack just what growing up in the shadow of that vast flat abdomen did to young women. We discuss toxic messaging around food and exercise and how we as a culture often feel a sense of ownership over the bodies of our female stars. Also in bet in or bin it, we chat Mindy Kaling's new series Never Have I Ever and the disturbing comeback of the chainletter.

We're joined this week by journalist, podcaster and author, Liadán Hynes to discuss the week in culture from Joe Duffy rants to deranged tantrums online. We also ruin avocados and dish on our favourite things to watch including the mesmerising adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People.

Pre-order Liadán's forthcoming book, How To Fall Apart here https://www.easons.com/how-to-fall-apart-liadan-hynes-9781529381214

On the show this week, we delve into Netflix's Love Island rip off, re-live Trinny's Facebook Live fail and share all our culture recommendations, plus state our case for putting pandemic positivity in the bin. We're also joined by rogue co-founder and broadcaster, Nadine Reid to discuss her series on identity.

This week, The Vulture Club gives the side eye to the week that's been including a Dalkey Facebook page torturing a hard-working NYT journo, Insta mishaps and the mooted One Direction reunion. We're also joined by Fionnuala Jones to delve deeper into 10 years of the iconic boyband. Plus in Bet In Or Bin It, we deep dive into our new reality TV obsession, Making the Cut; break down Bombshell the true story of MeToo in Fox News and recommend our favourite writer to listen to.

Links to recommendations:

Film & TV

Bombshell : Rent on YouTube

Making the Cut : Amazon Prime

The Morning Show : Apple TV

Books:

Calypso by David Sedaris

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calypso/dp/B07BZNPPRP/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Articles:

Tom Lamont interviews One Direction for The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/15/one-direction-boy-band-exclusive-interview-

Jen and Sophie deep dive into the wannabe controversial, newly released film, The Hunt; discuss what's replaced banana bread as the innocuous object of national hate this week and talk to theatre-maker and arts activist, Lian Bell about the government's proposed one million euro stimulus package for the arts sector.

Links to things discussed:

Rent the Hunt here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95hSWFJMbyw

Pre-order Naoise Dolan's book, Exciting Times here: https://gutterbookshop.com/product/exciting-times-by-naoise-dolan/

Check out the national campaign for the arts here: http://ncfa.ie/

And for more on Lian Bell's work and activism, check out her website here: http://lianbell.com/

It's week 3 of lockdown and the global mood has gone from "alone together" to "leave me the fuck alone!" Join Jen and Sophie as they pick over the carcass of the week that's been with guests Cassie Delaney and Louise Bruton. ALSO PLEASE EXCUSE... our slight audio issues in this week's episode.

On this week's Vulture Club, we wonder once again 'are the celebs okay?' as Madonna takes to Instagram to share some words of dubious wisdom about Covid "the great equaliser" from a petal-strewn bath. We also unpack the hillbilly opera that is Netflix's Tiger King and lament the day our parent's generation got a hold of memes. In our new series 'I still think about...', we invite a guest to come and tell us about the pop culture icon or moment they're still obsessed with. This week: Aisling Keenan talks Princess Diana.

This week, The Vulture Club delves into how celebland is coping in crisis, debates the questionable ethics of keeping Big Brother contestants in the dark about the pandemic and Fiona Apple's New Yorker profile. We're also joined by Cassie Delaney to discuss her monthly rogue column "D. I. Why are we all here?" on how crafting helps her cope with anxiety and times of uncertainty.

Links to things we chat about:

Books

Handiwork by Sara Baume OUT THIS WEDNESDAY https://www.kennys.ie/tramp-press-pre-order/handiwork.htm

Slow At Work by Aoife McELwain https://www.kennys.ie/shop/slow-at-work-how-to-work-less-achieve-more-and-regain-your-balance-in-an-always-on-world-2.htm

Station Eleven by https://www.easons.com/station-eleven-emily-st-john-mandel-9781447268970

Articles

Fiona Apple profile https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/23/fiona-apples-art-of-radical-sensitivity

TV/Films

Pandemic https://www.netflix.com/title/81026143

I Am Not Okay With This https://www.netflix.com/title/80244781?so=su

This week, in a special bumper show, The Vulture Club gives the side eye to the week that's been including Weinstein's sentencing, covid 19 claiming its first celebrity victims and Prince Harry being catfished by the Russians. We also chat to photographer, Ruth Medjber about her beautiful photo essay featured in this issue of rogue (go to 14:00) and Sophie is joined by Liadan Hynes to recommend some comfort-reads in these strange times (41:00). Plus in Bet In Or Bin It, Jen and Soph recommend some TV shows you might have missed as a project for the period of self isolation.

Links to recommendations:

Film & TV

Parasite – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasite_(2019_film)

Six Feet Under – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot/dp/B00FZKY04C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZL6N2LX4ERUD&keywords=six+feet+under&qid=1584266393&s=instant-video&sprefix=six+fee%2Caps%2C136&sr=1-1

The Capture – https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00085sx/episodes/guide

Breaking bad – https://www.netflix.com/title/70143836

The Pharmacist – https://www.netflix.com/watch/81016260?trackId=200257859

Books & Authors

Agatha Christie – https://www.easons.com/the-secret-of-chimneys-agatha-christie-9780008196219

John Mortimer – https://www.easons.com/the-collected-stories-of-rumpole-john-mortimer-9780141198293

PG Wodehouse – https://www.easons.com/very-good-jeeves-p-g-wodehouse-9780099513728

White Teeth by Zadie Smith – https://www.easons.com/white-teeth-zadie-smith-9780140276336

On Beauty by Zadie Smith – https://www.easons.com/on-beauty-zadie-smith-9780141019451

What I Loved by Siri Husvedt – https://www.easons.com/what-i-loved-siri-hustvedt-9780340682388

The Secret History  by Donna Tartt – https://www.easons.com/the-secret-history-donna-tartt-9780140167771

The goldfinch by Donna Tartt –  https://www.easons.com/the-goldfinch-donna-tartt-9780349139630

Marian Keyes – Just anything by her!!!