Come On Down To BonusTown: Recent Episodes
HeadStuff
A podcast exclusively for HeadStuff+ members. Listen to bonus episodes, live shows, blooper reels, and lots more from all your favourite shows on the HeadStuff Podcast Network
This bonus episode of For Tech’s Sake features our full, uncut interview with Dr Colman Noctor, child and adolescent psychotherapist, about kids and technology. It was a wide-ranging conversation that also touched on our own use of technology and the subject of regulation. If you want to jump to the parts that weren’t already covered in the main episode, head to about 18.55, and then 31.17. You can follow Colman on Twitter @colnoc77 and read more about him and his work at ColmanNoctor.com. You can also find lots of advice, and the latest stats on children and tech in Ireland, at CyberSafeKids.ie. And you can read more about Ireland’s Online Safety Commissioner here: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/niamh-hodnett-online-safety-commissioner-ireland You can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com. For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Hilary Barry for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. As a HeadStuff+ Community member, you get access to bonus content from across the network, so do check out some of our sister shows and give them your support.
Jessica's determined to save AJ from a fate worse than death (selling clams). And so she uses Enid's media connections to get the band's demo on a local radio station which apparently has the power to turn garage bands who've never played a gig into massive stars. Will Jessica join AJ on a world tour or is this the end of their rockin' love song? Meanwhile, in a truly delightful B plot, Winston, Shred and Enid decide to sneak into a concert - and luckily Shred's old surf buddy Wingnut is on the door. Don't be a feisty Wilma, join us in the mosh pit!
Part 2: How did the challenges of this season compare to other seasons, what is the biggest faux pas of any franchise ever, and what is the final verdict for the season? Allez!
It's by far the best episode title of the whole series, but does the episode itself live up to it? Thankfully the answer is yes! Mesquite Pete is still destroying Winston's business (school? What school?) so he decides he needs to make a television ad, with some help from Enid and Liz. But despite the fact that our favourite young diner manager has dressed up in classic film director drag - complete with a riding crop (!) - things don't go smoothly on set. Meanwhile AJ is spending all his time frolicking on the sea front with Jessica, and his bandmates are not happy. All this and a montage!
Part 1: Bonjour, Bonjour, Bonjour, Cian and Melanie Morris are wearing berets and eating baguettes as they discuss Drag Race France season 1, the queens, the fashion, the challenges, the lipsyncs (that they could hear - eek), everything - or should we say - tout!
In our latest episode we spoke to Dr Patricia Scanlon, Ireland’s AI ambassador, about the kind of work that needs to be done to build better AI, and we wondered why that isn’t already the done thing. In this extended cut of the interview, you can also hear Patricia’s thoughts on how every start-up is an AI start-up now, and why “computer says no” just won’t cut it when it comes to explaining your AI. Patricia is also the founder of SoapBox Labs, which uses AI to build speech recognition and voice-tech tailored specifically for kids, so we also spoke to her about kid-tech. She revealed how AI could be used to better protect kids online but, for some reason, this isn’t often deployed. If you want to skip to the stuff you missed, jump in at 21:55 and enjoy the extra chat. You can find Patricia @ScanlonPatricia and see her work @soapboxlabs on Twitter (we’re not calling it X). You can also read more on the role of Ireland’s AI ambassador here: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/ai-ambassador-patricia-scanlon-chatgpt-ethical-ai — The story about nurses being overruled by AI was actually published by The Wall Street Journal, not The Washington Post, and can be found here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-medical-diagnosis-nurses-f881b0fe — The AI bias scandal that brought down the Dutch government can be found here: https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-scandal-serves-as-a-warning-for-europe-over-risks-of-using-algorithms/ — And the mistakes made by AI detectors are covered here: https://www.popsci.com/technology/ai-bias-plagiarism-non-native-english-speakers/ Also, if you want to hear us picking apart the potential of self-driving cars, we covered this in a previous bonus episode, v1.7_bonus: You drive me lazy. You can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com. For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Julie Hassett for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. As a HeadStuff+ Community member, you get access to bonus content from across the network, so do check out some of our sister shows and give them your support. We hope you enjoy this discussion with Dr Patricia Scanlon as much as we did, and be sure to come back next week for an all-new episode.
After watching Thelma and Louise, Enid decides she and Liz need to take more risks. Soon she's dragging Liz down the tattoo parlour, picking fights with hilarious goons, and wildest of all, going to a party that starts at eleven o'clock (Hermann, my pills!). Meanwhile Jessica discovers why AJ has been keeping his distance, and the delightful Winston and Shred end up embroiled in a prank war with a rival burger joint. All this and some of the most preposterous/amazing outfits we've ever seen on this show! Seriously, they have to be seen to be believed.
There’s so much to talk to when it comes to cybersecurity that we could only fit a fraction of our discussion with internationally recognised expert Brian Honan into our main episode. Lucky for you HeadStuff+ Community members, we have the entire episode here for you to listen, learn and rethink your cyber-hygiene. This one is also packed with insights for business leaders and decision-makers when it comes to cybersecurity, because as you will have heard in our main episode, Brian is not into victim-blaming when it comes to cybercrime. He can see a future where we aren’t beset with a preponderance of passwords, authenticators and multi-factor login tools – but this will require vendors making better-designed secure systems.
Find out from Brian how car safety provides a better model for cybersecurity, why paying ransoms makes this problem much worse, how scams have evolved while also staying much the same since the days of writing letters, what impact AI will have on our online safety and much more in this extended interview.
You can of course listen to the whole interview start to finish, but if you want to skip to the bits that weren’t in the main episode, here are the timestamps: — There’s a deeper discussion about the challenges users face when it comes to cyber hygiene and the need for better security standards for products from about 13:21. — Then from about 34:34, we continue our discussion around the need to bring more diverse talent into cybersecurity. — Then, from about 40:35 onwards, we spoke in more detail about wider cybersecurity trends, including scams, artificial intelligence, encryption and backdoors, issues with personal apps on business devices and more top cyber hygiene tips from Brian.
Check out Brian’s cybersecurity company, BH Consulting, and follow the man himself on Twitter @BrianHonan. And keep up to date with the top stories in cybersecurity on SiliconRepublic.com. — BH Consulting have published some advice on what to do if you suspect your phone has been hacked: https://bhconsulting.ie/what-to-do-if-you-suspect-your-personal-mobile-has-been-hacked/ — Brian previously spoke to Silicon Republic about Ireland’s preparedness for cyberattacks: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/ireland-cybersecurity-cyberattacks-resilience-prepared-brian-honan — You can read all about the case of the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone here: https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/14/22383957/fbi-san-bernadino-iphone-hack-shooting-investigation — And learn more about tech-facilitated abuse from our episode on the subject: https://pod.fo/e/1856ea You can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com.
For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Dan Wilcox for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. As a HeadStuff+ Community member, you get access to bonus content from across the network, so do check out some of our sister shows and give them your support. We hope you enjoy this discussion with Brian as much as we did, and be sure to come back next week for an all-new episode.
Padraig joins Cian on a trip to Belgium where they hang out with Rita Baga and a bunch of Belgian queens for the first outing of Drag Race Belgique. But how does this franchise, stack up with the rest?
We are not the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain, at least that’s what expert Brian Honan says. Brian is internationally recognised for his expertise on cybersecurity and has advised Europol’s Cybercrime Centre along with several innovative security companies. He has even been inducted into the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame. And, according to Brian, it’s the tech-makers that need to take more responsibility for the safety of our digital information. While he has some sage advice on passwords and protecting ourselves, he believes in a future where remembering dozens of different complicated sequences of letters and numbers can be a thing of the past. This will take innovative thinking from the tech-makers, resilience from attack victims to avoid paying ransoms that go on to fund more cybercrime, and for the industry to stop limiting who can become a cybersecurity specialist. Because we really do need more Brians and their brains to keep us safe. Brian’s own cybersecurity company is BH Consulting and you can find him on Twitter @BrianHonan. You can find lots of cybersecurity stories on SiliconRepublic.com, and a good place to start is their Cybersecurity Week collection from earlier this year. And here are a few more links you may find interesting: — Brian recently weighed in on Ireland’s preparedness against cyberattacks for Silicon Republic: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/ireland-cybersecurity-cyberattacks-resilience-prepared-brian-honan — If you need a refresher, this is what happened with HSE cyber attack: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/hse-cyberattack-explainer-conti-ransomware — This is how Gmail plans to introduced verification: https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2023/05/expanding-gmail-security-BIMI.html — And here’s some background on Google’s plans to ditch the padlock icon in Chrome: https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/03/google_chrome_padlock/ We’ll release Brians’s interview in its entirety for HeadStuff+ Community members next week, and we’ll be back in a fortnight with an all-new episode. For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Megan Fox for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. If you want to support The HeadStuff Podcast Network, for our sake, for tech’s sake and for many more great podcasts, visit HeadStuffPodcasts.com. And follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, guest hosts, Cillian and Colin chat to Stephen who has a spanner in his ear.
There's a new boy in town, and he's keeping Jessica awake at night. A very loud band have set up in the garage next door, and while Jessica is initially enraged by the noise, she's soon smitten by charming grunge boy AJ - and so, to our surprise, are we! When she discovers the band are looking for backing singers, she decides to audition, with a little help from Lila. Cue the return of the montage! Meanwhile, Todd discovers pride goes before a fall, Liz feels miserable, and we see a truly terrifying Sweet Valley pep rally. Watch out Big Mesa, we're gonna waste ya!
We had this weeks episode already in the can but the Eurovision was a lot to unpack so we decided to do an extra episode this week to discuss it. We Love Sonia! Bonus Material for Episode 83
Gearoid thinks he has yellow fever and Niamh hears that Sonia is performing at the Eurovision. Bonus material for Episode 81
Niamh and Gearoid talk about swearing and Niamh's aversion to one particular Irish swear word. Bonus Material for Episode 71
In this bonus episode we talk to our guest singer/songwriter Erica Cody about her new single “Cry Baby”, opening for En Vogue and “Dancing With The Stars”. Bonus Material for Episode 68
Some more chat about "High Road, Low Road" that didn't go into the main episode. Bonus material for Episode 66
You may have already listened to our episode on online content and social media with journalist and author Aoife Barry, and we had so much more in this chat that we just couldn’t fit in the main feed. Luckily for HeadStuff+ Community members, you can hear the full, uncut interview, going more in-depth on social media pile-ons, online toxicity, content moderation and being a journalist online. Just to refresh your memory, Aoife Barry is a the former assistant news editor of TheJournal.ie and has written the book Social Capital, a non-fiction book that discusses life online in the shadow of Ireland’s tech boom.
We really recommend listening to the full interview uninterrupted because it’s just a really great discussion. But if you are short on time and want to skip to the bits we missed in the main episode, here’s where to go: — There’s more of us discussing our own app addictions from about 3:30 — There’s more on growing up online, how social media has evolved and self-censorship from about 8 minutes in — There’s a look back on a family that received online abuse after appearing in a Lidl ad (more on that story here: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/couple-in-ad-campaign-decide-to-leave-ireland-after-online-abuse-1.4041612) from about 24:45 — A discussion on the ‘selective ignorance’ that leads to moderation challenges starts around 30:55 — A deeper look inside content moderation comes in around 37:30 — And, finally, we have a chat about what it means to be a journalist online in this changing landscape, and some nostalgia for old Irish Twitter and dank memes, from about 56:08 (the meme Elaine references is this one: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/crying-wojak)
You can follow Aoife online @sweetoblivion26 on Twitter and Instagram, and check out these links for more: — Find where you can pick up a copy of Social Capital here: http://linktr.ee/aoifebarry (This book also includes contributions from previous For Tech’s Sake guest Dr Caroline West and upcoming guest Brian Honan) — Some further reading you might like after this episode includes Jon Ronson’s ‘So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed’, Jenny Odell’s ‘How To Do Nothing’ and Laura Bates’s ‘Men Who Hate Women’ — Subscribe to Aoife’s newsletter at https://sweetoblivion.substack.com — Read more about the court case Aoife and other women took against their harasser here: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2023/04/22/it-felt-as-risky-being-a-teenage-girl-on-the-internet-as-it-did-being-a-teenage-girl-in-real-life/ — Find out more about BeReal, the social app we are big fans of, on Silicon Republic: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/what-is-bereal-photos-instagram — And more about the problematic Tattle, here: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/tattle-life-investigation — And a little history of Scunthorpe Problem can be found on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem
You can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com.
For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Megan Fox for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. As a HeadStuff+ Community member, you get access to bonus content from across the network, so do check out some of our sister shows and give them your support. We hope you enjoy this discussion with Aoife as much as we did, and be sure to come back next week for an all-new episode.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Tia, a winner who wants to ditch all the losers who are trying to drag her down.
Our beloved Shred is back this week, and he's got a painful problem. His chocolate addiction means he has loads of cavities, so Enid and Cheryl try to help him kick the habit. Will our fave surfer dude be able to just say no to "chocolatey goodness"? Meanwhile Todd's ludicrous basketball fame has landed him a national TV interview with Peggy Walters, the "piranha of prime time" (who seems pretty toothless to us). Liz offers him to prepare for the on-screen grilling - and Todd responds with typical charm and grace.
Charlie and Cian discuss the loss of their favourite queens in a mixed bag of episodes as the competition heats up.
This bonus episode from For Tech’s Sake features our complete interview with Dr Caroline West a sex educator and host of the Glow West podcast. Caroline has a master’s in sexuality studies and a PhD in feminism and pornography, and is the sex and relationship expert for Bumble Ireland and the UK. In our main episode, we talked about modern dating, cyberpsychology and sex education. In this expanded discussion you can hear about her experience with sex in virtual reality, the kind of goodie bags you get at a sex festival, and diversity in porn (which includes zombie porn… yep, that exists).
If you’ve already heard what she had to say in our sex-tech episode, skip to just over 19 minutes in to pick up the conversation where we left off.
For obvious reasons, this isn’t an episode we would recommend for young, innocent ears, and we also discuss issues such as sexual violence online and offline.
Caroline has a website, IAmCarolineWest.com, and her own podcast, Glow West, where you can find more discussions on sex, sexuality, and the body, through a sexual wellness perspective.
For Tech’s Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Megan Fox for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team.
You can follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com.
As a HeadStuff Podcast Network member, you get access to bonus content from across the network, so do check out some of our sister shows and give them your support.
And tune in next week for an all-new episode!
Elizabeth has finally had too much of Jessica's legendary selfishness, and when her evil twin tells Enid about the surprise birthday party Liz and Cheryl are planning, it's the last straw. Liz decides to finally strike back - with the help of Sweet Valley's nerds! Meanwhile, Todd's winning shot at a basketball match makes him a local celebrity - and his baffling level of fame quickly goes to his head. No Shred in this surprisingly fun ep but we do get some excellent work from our faves the extras, plus a shout out to a major book character...
Two brilliant episodes of Drag Race Espana, a Rusical and a stand-up challenge along with a shock elimination. Join Cian and Charlie as they sink their teeth in .
Jessica is horrified when she opens a designer shoebox to find a mouse lurking inside - and soon the cute little critter is on the loose in the Casa del Wakefield. Liz finally breaks up with Todd - and not before time. He's finding it hard to move on, so Winston and our new fave Shred decide to distract him, including a dude bonding session at the (seriously) Casa de Shred! And you know that means a montage. Meanwhile Liz is more concerned with finding Beethoven, the mouse she and Cheryl were conducting experiments on for what seems like a v dodgy science class...
Part 2 of the chat between contributing editor of Image magazine, Melanie Morris and Cian as they dissect the highs and lows of the Philippines franchise, including their the gorgeous make-over challenge, the too-long Snatch Game and the fun finale format.
Contributing editor of Image magazine, Melanie Morris, joins Cian to dissect the highs and lows of the Philippines franchise, including their love for the host Paolo Ballesteros, their irks towards Brigiding, and whether they thought the winner was deserved.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton reads poems from her best-selling book of poetry "What Day Is It? Who Gives A Fuck" and tells listeners what inspired them. This is a show exclusively for members of Headstuff+.
Liz's night shift internship continues this week - and New Todd is not happy about the amount of time she's spending with Peter. So he hires Winston and Manny (in their delightful P.I. outfits) to investigate. He reaches new heights of charmless surliness this week, but luckily we've also got a Shred-centric caper to enjoy! Jess is having "spicy dreams" about our new fave - and Lila, armed with her guide to dreams and exorcisms, has the solution. Can Jessica bring herself to make the ultimate sacrifice to break the dream cycle?
Erin McGathy comes backstage to the Werkroom to discuss the surprisingly pleasant and successful season of Secret Celebrity Drag Race!
When Lila and Jessica discover Cheryl is making a fitness video, they're determined to get involved despite being more focused on looking good than working out. Cue the return of the montage! As for Liz, she's got an internship at the Sweet Valley Tribune where she meets an alleged fellow teenager called Peter. Their new friendship causes trouble between her and New Todd, who somehow manages to be even more surly than his predecessor. Come back Old Todd, all is forgiven! Meanwhile Shred and Enid continue to be completely adorable, Winston invents some diner slang, and we finally find out what a chia pet is.
Were nuclear devices used in Ancient India? Religious texts and unusual archaeological finds claim to prove this.
It’s the last bonus episode of the season and we are letting you in on an exclusive chat on what we have in mind for season two of For Tech’s Sake, including our dream guest list (Pedro Pascal, hello!) and tech topics not yet tackled. We also reflect on the first 10 episodes and what we learned from the experience so far.
For Tech’s Sake also wants to hear from you, the listener, about what you’d like to hear in season two. Be sure to let us know via fortechssakepod@gmail.com or find us @fortechssakepod on your preferred social network. We’ll be back!
Grab your skateboards, dudettes - it's Shred time. Yes, 2Bruce2 has been dispatched to military school and his cousin Reginald Patman II is coming to take his place. Lila and Jessica can't wait to meet SVH's new eligible bachelor, while Winston fears Reginald will be a tough new boss at the Moon Beach. Cue some outstanding fantasy sequences! Meanwhile, in a stupid subplot, a superstitious Todd badgers Liz into partaking in all his good luck rituals. We had low hopes for the arrival of Shred, but to our surprise, both he and this episode were truly delightful!
We follow up our For Tech’s Sake episode on tech waste with a closer look at what sustainability really means to tech companies, from explaining what a B Corp is to having a rant about the planned obsolescence of devices, which are designed to break down so that we just keep buying!
You can also read more about B Corps here: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/what-is-a-b-corp-company-benefits
We're back in the club house! And things are not as we left them. Lila and Todd have new heads and indeed personalities, Winston's had an unfortunate hair cut, Enid's back from a camp that sounds like something from a horror film and 2Bruce2 is nowhere to be seen. No wonder the new-look gang have fled Sweet Valley! They've gone to a Mexican resort called - seriously - Puerto Paradiso where they're having a great time and charging it to the Fowler account. But will the new Lila be able to pay the bill?
Cian is joined by Stefano from queer publication to get into the highs and lows of DRI 2. From the brilliant roast, to the poor time keeping. The season is definitely worth a watch, but on 1.25x speed.
Stefanie is back with brand new episodes of the podcast from 14th February, but what has she been up to since then? In this bonus episode of Basically, Stefanie talks about her pregnancy journey and the return of the podcast.
We follow up our For Tech’s Sake episode on dark patterns with our musings on the copycat patterns we see across the tech we use, where every app just steals – or buys – from other apps, and then inevitably makes it worse because of advertiser demands for engagement. This is why we can't have nice things!
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "Supermaket Disco" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
We follow up our For Tech’s Sake episode on the power behind our tech, with a teardown of the electric vehicle industry and, in particular, self-driving cars. We’re not saying driverless cars will never be on the roads, but it’s not likely to happen in our lifetime what with the current tech confusing yellow moonlight with traffic lights and suffering from a comical ‘Zoolander problem’.
Grace tries the infamous Slow Carb Diet Breakfast that Conor used to eat (on the dart) every morning for a year.
In this new I Know That Face episode exclusively for HeadStuff+ subscribers, Andrew and Stephen cast their eyes over the movies set to be released in 2023. As well as providing a rundown of all the major cinema offerings slated to come out over the next 12 months, the pair each spotlight the three films that they are most excited for in the year ahead.
For one last time Cian is joined by James as they wrap up Dragula and Canada vs The World's finale amidst lots of Christmas induced coughing.
Listeners, an update to the Microsoft Teams platform since the recording of this episode can only lead us to believe that Satya Nadella has bugged the HeadStuff Podcast Studios. Our prayers for a multiplicity of emoji reactions have been answered – they're still ugly though!
Emojis are essential to communication across distributed workforces but – as we discuss in this episode – just because we have communication tools doesn't mean we are communicating.
In this episode, we also discussed...
Karen Church's emoji research at Intercom: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/search-notifications-emoji-data-research
Jenny's interview with emoji master Jennifer Daniel: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/business/jennifer-daniel-emojis-unicode
And Google's holographic video calling booth: https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/13/23400870/google-project-starline-3d-chat-booth-impressions
Thanks for listening and subscribing!
As we feared, it's a clip show, but despite ourselves we enjoyed this production-budget-saving trip down memory lane. We begin in the not so distant future, where the grown-up twins now have implausibly glittering careers away from Sweet Valley. They've returned to the Casa to sell it for Ned and Alice, who have retired to the unappealing-sounding Palm Desert. Cue reminiscing - and a LOT of montages. They are truly making up for the lack of montages this season. Be careful what you wish for, PBA sisters! But we do get to revisit some favourite moments - and say farewell to one of our fave members of the gang.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "This Time Last Year" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
James is back temporarily to review Dragula Titans Episode 4-7, the highs the lows, the drama and the art and several Twitter spats.
Sentient AI is not a thing, but why do some people believe that it is? Following our AI-focused episode of For Tech’s Sake, we look at some of the astoundingly advanced AI released recently that gives the impression computers are starting to think, create and feel, like humans. We’ve got laughing AI, text-to-art image generators, deepfake porn, voice modulators and simulated girlfriends competing for the title of The Worst in AI. (Though the winner might just be Warren from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.)
Well, we finally say goodbye to on-screen Sam this week, but in fairness we'll think of him in future eps every time we see a wooden object. When he's offered a sponsorship deal in Australia, Sam insists he wants to stay by Jessica's side. Will she White Fang him into going? Meanwhile, being voted sexiest boy in school goes to Todd's head, and Liz is horrified to be voted Most Responsible and refuses to organise the Prom. Plus Cheryl, Lila and Enid make a pact, and we find out more about Winston's...distinctive tastes.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "Sufficiently Adeqate" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
Part 2 sees Cian & James go through each of the maxi challenges and runways and discuss the seasons’ highlights and lowlights.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Pauline who wants to surprise her partner on air!
Following our For Tech’s Sake episode on health-tech, we decided it was time to take the temperature of the tech industry itself, as it's not doing so well lately. More specifically, we examine the disease eating away at it: tech bro-itis. Twitter is now infected with a severe dose, Elon Musk, and some are convinced the platform is on its deathbed. Jenny Darmody and Elaine Burke put him under the microscope for a closer look.
Brooke, Brad and Traci were back with a diverse suite of queens. Cian and James go through each queens and discuss how the format will fair in the upcoming vs the World franchise.
The Sweet Valley High alumni weekend is coming up, including a big football match with Big Mesa, and Todd's even more surly than usual. He's organising the half time festivities, and he's hoping to impress a guy who might give him a summer job. But then Jessica kicks off a prank war with Big Mesa - which leads to bandleader Winston getting kidnapped and tied up in a girls' locker room! Meanwhile Lila and Jess wrestle a pig, and we discover Todd's impressive secret skill.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "I Love You Ma" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
Naimee Coleman joins Niamh and Gearoid to chat about her new song "Lost our Way" and her forthcoming album "The Edges". We chat about Angela Lansbury, anxiety and the time she met Patrick Swayze.
You can listen to Naimee's new single here: https://linktr.ee/naimeecoleman
Cian and James review the first 3 episodes of the new Dragula All Stars season. Stay tuned for the rest of the season in the coming weeks.
Following our For Tech’s Sake episode on tech-facilitated abuse, we got chatting about the fact that while humans can be terrible, sometimes the tech itself is the problem. From glasses with hidden cameras to the tech giant that’s watching you sleep, maybe we’ve all gone a little OTT with IoT.
The concert rants continue and we couldn’t have a criticism of Cher on the free-feed. We have a follow up from a letter writer who had a boyfriend that wanted a pet.
In the mailbag we try to help a letter writer who is single and loving it but not too keen on getting back out there.
Thanks to all of our bonus subscribers. You are helping us keep the show going and we love you for it!
We knew Sweet Valley was chaotic, but that town has nothing on the Foxie Jones Show. When Jessica hears her fave exploitative talk show host is looking for twins (to discuss what? Unclear) she volunteers herself and Liz for the seemingly live slot - telling Foxie that they were separated at birth and that Liz was reared in Long Island (Margo shoutout?). A reluctant Liz goes along with the scheme, but then Foxie announces she wants Liz to "visit" Jess in Sweet Valley to see just how alike they really are. Liz agrees - as long as Jessica follows her rules. Will they be found out? Meanwhile Enid is adorable, and Lila meets her match.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "Pretend We Never Met" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
Niamh and Gearóid chat about halloween games and Niamh as ever is prepared for any Halloween eventuality.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Declan who wants the nude yoga on his local beach shut down.
Cian and James catch up on some of the international seasons they missed during the summer, starting with Down Under season 2. They take a high level view of the season, its drama, its queens, its fashion and whether the format worked overall.
Following our For Tech’s Sake episode on digital transformation, we got talking about the things that have just gone too far, from tractors that have become too tech-ified to be easily repairable to the monumentally annoying aspects of the modern printer.
For those who want to enjoy the nerdy long-read we mention, check out “Why paper jams persist” by Joshua Rothman: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/why-paper-jams-persist
Cian and James catch up on some of the international seasons they missed during the summer, starting with Down Under season 2. They take a high level view of the season, its drama, its queens, its fashion and whether the format worked overall.
We're heading back to the dirt bike track this week and the producers sure are getting their money's worth because they spend a LOT of time just showing bikes racing around a track. To Jessica's justifiable annoyance, Liz and Todd are still convinced that Sam is a bad guy despite hearing his tragic backstory. Cue angry (Todd) and wooden (Sam) sniping between the two would-be dirt bike champs! Meanwhile Cheryl persuades Lila to discover her true artistic calling, and Manny goes to extreme measures to charm Enid.
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "What Day Is It" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Fintan who is trying to work out in the weight room of his gym but keeps getting distracted by idiots.
Following our For Tech’s Sake episode on space-tech, we got talking about billionaire space bros, space junk, and the commercialisation of space. Apparently, it’s not enough that we have traffic, pollution and capitalism on one planet, we’re sending it out into the universe too.
We were expecting a parody/homage to Cher and Dionne in this episode, and we didn't get it. Instead we got something so incredible we simply can't spoil it here! No, it's not a convincing Ken Matthews, but it did bring us great joy. We'll let you find out for yourself, but what we can say is that when the Moon Beach hosts a pool tournament with an unconvincingly amazing prize, Jessica and Lila are determined to win. But when their plan to get rid of all the competition fails, they turn to a very special pool shark for help....
Accidental poet Jan Brierton tells the story behind her poem "Carpet Or Tiles" a poem from her book "What Day Is It ? Who gives a Fk".
This episodes is available to subscribers of HeadStuff+. You can support Jan by signing up to HeadStuff+ or adding her to your preferences on https://headstuffpodcasts.com
When one door closes, another one opens, and when one Sam dies in a horrible jeep accident, another one pops up onscreen. Yes, just as we bid farewell to our fave dirt biker in the main feed, he makes his TV debut - and yet again, we wonder what is wrong with the casting director. When Jessica meets newcomer Sam at the dirt bike track (so far so faithful) she's instantly smitten - but then Todd reveals that Sam is a jailbird! WTAF? Meanwhile an abandoned Lila decides Liz and Todd are her best friends - with hilarious results.
It's the most wonderful time of the year - in Sweet Valley, at least. When Jessica and Elizabeth are abandoned by the rest of the Sweet Valley gang at Christmas, they wish they'd never met their so-called friends. Cue the arrival of angel Wegbert, aka Winston in a robe! He grants their wish - and we get to see a twin-less Sweet Valley. To our delight, it looks like everyone here is better off without the twins! Will Wegbert get his wings?
We're still on a break but here is Gearóid hosting a bonus episode of clips that didn't air on the main feed. Agony Rants will return on Monday with a new episode!
Brace yourselves, PBA sisters - our favourite himbo is making his on screen debut this week! But hang on, surely that Seinfeld-dressalike can't be Ken Matthews?! Alas the casting of Karyn's beloved quarterback leaves a lot to be desired, but there's still much to enjoy in this week's ep, as new girl Heather Malone implausibly becomes co-captain of the cheerleaders and Jessica forms a rival team with a little help from "flashy" Lila. Meanwhile Liz is dodging Ken - and not because she shares our horror at this imposter.
In this exclusive for HeadStuff+ subscribers outtake from our recent Richard Jenkins episode, special guest Mark Conroy discusses two of the actor's most acclaimed TV projects - Olive Kitteridge and Six Feet Under.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Wendy who is the foster parent to an unruly teen.
This highly entertaining episode was hilarious - sometimes intentionally, sometimes not! When Jessica accidentally saves Winston's life, he volunteers for duty as her "genie", taking care of her every wish. Jessica's not keen on this (why?!) but she loves her newfound celebrity as a local hero. However, 2Bruce2 discovers what really happens and threatens to expose the truth! Meanwhile Enid falls for a newcomer who proves just how terrible the Sweet Valley educational system really is, and Mr Russo returns to the lab.
2Bruce2 wants to win the heart of sexy Santa Doran - sorry, Brazilian - exchange student Isabel, and Jessica wants to borrow his yacht for a cheerleading retreat. So they strike a deal, with some help from lawyer Lila - Jessica will pretend to be 2Bruce's girlfriend so Bruce can attract the attention of famed boyfriend-stealer Isabel. But real sparks fly between the fake daters on the tennis court! Meanwhile Enid causes chaos wherever she goes - including the Oracle.
In a Fad Camp first, Grace and Conor try a fad diet in studio! Then, surprise guest Niamh Kavanagh joins in to shed some light on the subject.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Barry who feels that people do not respect his beard and treat him differently because of it.
We had high hopes for this episode and we weren't disappointed, as we head back in time to meet Bruno Patman, Miss Lizzie, Loco Jessie and Toddston and see how Sweet Valley became the Wakefield-centric paradise we know and, well, love is a bit strong. Apart from the lack of cans, this episode truly has it all - dancing Winston, rootin' tootin' cowgirls and an impressive Wakefield Saga deep cut. We loved it!
This episode has a Liz/Todd misunderstanding plot BUT it also has lots of fantastic Lila/Winston moments so we loved it anyway! Liz and Todd both want to get back together but neither will make a move despite the fact that both of them keep banging on about their first date at the amazingly named hotdog place Bundoggies, a name that is said so often in this episode we eventually get slightly hysterical. Luckily for all of us Winston and Lila go into matchmaking mode - and we end up shouting "Kiss, kiss, kiss!" at the screen. All this and a preposterous b-plot involving Jessica, Enid, subliminal messaging and Wizard of Oz outfits.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Linda who had a panic room built into her house but wasn't happy with some of the features the builder added to it.
In this episode of BOMA, Cathal joins Stefanie to talk about his love of sweet food, how working relaxes him, and more!
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Well, we spoke to soon when we said Todd had improved - he's back to his usual obnoxious self in yet another chaotic episode. When Liz goes on a bowling date with Noel from Felicity, Todd finds a date of his own to make her jealous - with predictable results. At least we get a bowling montage out of it. In a more entertaining storyline, Bruce installs a fortune telling machine in the Moon Beach, to the delight of most of the gang - apart from "Jessica the Jinx and Lila the luckless", who are immediately beset by bad luck. Luckily they have a delightful plan to ensure Bruce regrets ever installing the machine - cue the scheme theme!
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave is joined by Sophie Shanley, Kate Feeney and Mark Cantan to play an improv game called House Swap, where two couples discuss swapping houses for an upcoming vacation.
In these bonus clips Niamh chats about her dog Ruby and donating her body to science or at least a couple of Eurovision fans.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Devon who recently had a very unpleasant experience in a ball pit.
This episode is pure chaos, though sadly that agent of chaos Miss Kitty doesn’t make a return appearance. It’s the (allegedly) annual Wakefield Slumber Party, but while Enid and Liz are hard at work organising the fun, Jessica accepts an invitation from 2Bruce2 to go for dinner with his cousin and their Harvard pals. Is Jessica as sophisticated as she thinks she is? Meanwhile Winston and Manny plan a military operation, there’s a particularly frantic montage and we learn that the girls of Sweet Valley are very, very bad at Charades.
The final 4 become...the final 4 as the queens make over 4 members of the Foundation of the 26th December, a group dedicated to caring for older LGBTQ members.
In this episode of BOMA, Stefanie answers questions from podcast listeners about her work, friendships and more!
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
It's a roast challenge and despite the language barrier, Cian and James enjoy the performances. They also get into the Gia Gunn in Drag Con drama and a brief Eurovision recap.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave and his guests play an improv game called 'Joining The Circus'.
It's the morning after the Eurovision. Niamh and Gearóid chat about the show and Niamh reveals she was on the Irish jury. Also they chat about Idina Menzel's connection to "In Your Eyes".
There was a slight issues with Gearóid's audio and a backup recording was used for the second half of the episode. Do not adjust your set!
As the pack thins, the queens pair up to write and record promotional videos of Spain, while guest judge Ruth Lorenzo oversees the night of 1000 Rafaella Carra's.
The winter carnival is here! And unlike in the book that bore its name, we actually get to see a lot of it, as the twins, Todd and Winston are all helping out at the fair. Todd's hoping to play on the basketball team again, so when the new basketball coach asks him to show his nephew Jason around the fair, Todd agrees. But Jason just wants to meet some local "babes" - and soon he's dating both the twins, using a fake name! Will Todd be able to convince Liz that her new beau is a sleaze? All this plus some cute Enid/Manny moments, Winston in handcuffs, and we come down with a dose of Spring Fever...
The queens of Drag Race Espana take us through time with their 10th, 20th and 30th Century looks, and it was times up for another queen. Also, Cian & James discuss ITV's plans to dabble in Drag TV!
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Gail who claims to be the victim of 'workplace hijinx'.
This song was written and created by The Late Night Nod, and an excerpt was featured in S01E05: Ashley Skye.
After Enid comforts a grateful Todd about losing his spot on the basketball team, she finds herself smitten by the former gang member (ahem). Maybe it's because he's actually pleasant in this episode, to our huge surprise! When Liz insists she and Todd are now free agents, Enid secretly asks Todd to dinner. She thinks it's a date, and she's even wearing her fanciest baker boy hat for the occasion! Meanwhile, Lila introduces Jessica to the joys of extremely obvious shoplifting, and we get what is genuinely the most unhinged scene in Sweet Valley history.
Snatch game goes mostly over Cian & James' head but a fun doll runway results in one queen becoming a clear front runner.
This song was written and created by The Late Night Nod, and an excerpt was featured in S01E04: Anita Goldman French
The All Winners season is here and Cian & James share their thoughts alongside a fantastic Drag Race Espana rusical.
Learn about how The Bootsy Boys' Michael Flatley's Blackbird was nearly made into a musical. In this short documentary, you'll learn all about how one of the Blackbird writers, Steve Bennett, led a campaign to make the whole project into a musical. Hear the untold story through narration, interviews and clips of the songs. It's like Jodorowsky's Dune (2013), but Steve wasn't a genius so the ideas were quite bad.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Erica who claims she had the worst night of her life when she booked into a hotel in Connemara.
James is back from his holidays and he and Cian get into the dreadful improv challenge and creative runway theme in honour of the movies of Pedro Almodóvar.
The goons are back! And somehow they now go to Sweet Valley High, where they set their sights on a new victim: our beloved Winston. They're demanding money with menaces - but when Winston can't pay, he decides to fight back, with some help from Cheryl and Liz. Cue training montage! Meanwhile, a test result mix up means Jessica finds herself teaming up with hot nerd Mortimer and representing Sweet Valley at the Academic Bowl - but her attempts to cheat backfire.
With James away the cat shall play, and by cat, we mean Kitty Ní Houlihán, Irish drag queen, who joins Cian to talk about arguably one of the best episode of Drag excellence in the show's history.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with Clarissa and Geoff who own a family undertakers, and Mags, one of their recent customers.
This song was written and created by The Late Night Nod, and an excerpt was featured in S01E03: Ken Paisley.
Cian and James are back in Espana and are impressed with the new cast, but thanks to Cian forgetting to turn on his mic, this episode is a day late!
We're back! Yes Karyn has been released from Covid jail in time to head to Sweet Valley, where Liz is attempting to move on from Todd - with a little help from Lila, Jess and Enid. And yes, there is a montage. Meanwhile Winston attempts to get through to Todd, who reaches new heights of obonxious surliness when he starts causing hanging out with some goons and causing the most ridiculous ruckus the Moon Beach has ever seen. All this and Lila on a budget!
It was our first week back after a break so we had a lot to talk about. In this bonus episode for our lovely subscribers on Headstuff+ Gearóid talks about witnessing a crime and Niamh recalls a night-time visitor and further discusses the art of manipulation.
In this BOMA, Stefanie fills us in on her latest developments, discusses why the census is so important, recommends her favourite weighted blanket, and answers some listener questions.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
The Werkroom is back and Cian and James delve into the international franchises and assemble their dream cast for the next iteration of vs the world, They also address Blu Hydrangea's winning single and Ant & Dec in Drag,
Sorry PBA sisters, we won’t have a new ep for you this week. But we’ll be back soon to discuss Todd’s adventures in gangland.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave is joined in the studio by 'The Love Wizard' Hugh Lovett to discuss how this modern-day Cupid uses magic to connect lovelorn losers.
This is a bonus episode with more of our chat about your celebrity encounters. We have a woman determined to get a picture with Chris Brown, a listener whose heart was broken by Niamh beating Sonia in the Eurovision and a scurrilous story about Angela Lansbury which we wouldnt dare put on the free feed.
Thanks so much for subscribing!
What if you could have an affair... with food? Well, the Rock does it once a week, and so have Conor & Grace! Hear all the tawdry details on this bonus episode about Cheat Days.
The Leading Legends series continues exclusively on HeadStuff+ this time focusing on the sunshine-bright career of Kristen Stewart. An actor since the age of eight, Stewart won acclaim for her performances in Panic Room and Speak before going onto mainstream mega-stardom as Bella Swan in the Twilight franchise. In the 2010s, Stewart - much like her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson - opted to use that stardom to make a great many indie films throughout that decade. Andrew will talk about his favourite film, Olivier Assayas' Personal Shopper, while Stephen looks at her co-leading performance opposite Chloe Sevigny in the period slow burn horror Lizzie. Subscribe for as little as €5 a month for access!
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor and Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
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The Moon Beach has a new boss - it's Bruce, because Hank has bought the diner and inexplicably made his teenage schoolboy son the manager! Poor Winston is fired and Jessica, desperate for cash after crashing the jeep, offers her services as promotional event organiser. Her preposterous attempts to attract new customers backfire - but on the plus side, we get the return of the montage! Meanwhile Liz, Enid and Cheryl head to the hills, where Liz tries (not very hard) to forget about Todd. Plus Jessica foreshadows Lucille Bluth in a moment that made us shriek, and Lila is as delightful as ever.
In this BOMA, Cathy Kelly offers some advice for writers aiming to get their first book published, from how to approach your first book to approaching publishers.
For tickets to Stefanie’s upcoming live show on March 23rd 2022, check out the Smock Alley Theatre website.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
An extra bit from the "Minimise The Variables" episode of Agony Rants. Gearóid and Niamh chat about vans and driving when abroad. Realistically neither of them should be allowed to do it.
We had such a big response to our request for stories about your neighbours we made an extra bonus episode for you to enjoy!
It's the first day of term in Sweet Valley High and Jessica and Lila are thrilled by the arrival of a glamorous new girl - supermodel Tatiana Thomas. Tatiana, however, has no time for them - or anyone else in school apart from, inexplicably, Todd. Enraged by Tatiana's contempt, Lila and Jessica are determined to take the new girl down a peg or two - with some help from Lila's ginormous Filofax. Plus Winston is regrettably creepy, Liz moons over surly Todd, one iconic character returns with a new look and we get very excited about the possible appearance of another.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave is joined by Sophie Shanley and FionnFoley to play an improv game called Couples Therapy.
Niamh is sick with covid so this week's show was recorded remotely so there is no video for our bonus subscribers. However this is a bonus episode of some stuff that didn't make the final episode.
A fact or just a flashy title to sell books? Grace & Conor do a deep dive into one of the most famous non-diet diet books.
Cian and James jumped on IG live and shared their thoughts on the 9 international queens in the upcoming UK v The World and answer listener questions.
We're back in the clubhouse with season 2 of the Sweet Valley TV show! And there are some positive changes (the twins' new fringes) and some...well, the less said about the new Bruce the better. It's the last day of the summer holidays, and the Sweet Valley gang are taking part in the Beach Olympics - even Lila's getting in on the action. But Liz gets a shock when Todd returns from Vermont, more charmless than ever. Is this the end of their romance? Fingers crossed!
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave speaks with Mick, a barman who used to be very popular in the pub until the locals all turned on him for his controversial opinions.
In this month’s bonus episode, Stefanie answers listener questions, and Alan joins her to chat about weddings, home ownership and the existence of a higher power.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
As James battles for wifi in the Wesht, Cian and Andrea Cleary review Ru's 14th album, MAmaRu.
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave investigates budget cuts at the fire department.
This week Cian and James review a Netflix documentary "Be Here, Be Queer" on the UK Drag Scene and James has some stats on the depiction and performance of "the big girl" on Drag Race
In this BOMA, Stefanie kicks things off with highlights from her recent holiday to Abu Dhabi. Then, she chats to Mairead Loughman from Love HQ about dating and dating apps, offering her best tips and advice to navigate love in these crazy times.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Trevor, Ed and Dre hop into studio to talk all things green hills, weird puppets and young Nazis in the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune riddled epic the Sound of Music!
A new day and a new year in the werkroom, Cian and James unite to discuss the results of the annual review of Drag Race 2021 in this year's Sissy's and they review the latest Drag Race App Game "Superstar"
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave chats with a monster named Corey whose job is under threat.
Time to wrap up the year with 2 finales to discuss.
Italia eventually finished but what can the series offer the franchise? Plus Dragula came to a triumphant conclusion, but are Cian & James happy with the winner?
In this bonus episode of Phoning It In, Dave welcomes Stephen Bradley to the studio to play an improv game called The Interrogation: A sex worker, who also runs a food truck selling bangers and mash, has been arrested for a crime he claims to be innocent of.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS! It's Christmas Morning and in a special bonus episode Gearóid and Niamh introduce some extended clips from our Christmas episode.
In the mailbag we have a question about the role the pandemic played in the Christmas rota and a Yule Log touches a nerve for Gearóid. As always our email is agonyrants@gmail.com and for more you can follow Niamh and Gearóid on instagram.
Merry Christmas, Pi Beta sisters! We're breaking out the jingle bells one last time in 2021 to share what we - and you listeners - have learned from almost a year of watching Sweet Valley High on screen. A year ago, who could have predicted that we'd become such fans? We salute the cast's comedy chops and dance moves, rage against the Patman Canning erasure and of course celebrate our favourite montages. Plus we discuss our hopes and fears for the upcoming new TV series. Thanks for listening to Season 1 - see you all in the new year for Season 2!
[00:00] A new queen has entered the 2021 winner's circle, it's time to critique the Canadian finale.
[25:50] The Last Supper was spicy but also a lovefest, was it the perfect balance, time to talk Dragula.
[43:40] Our favorite shit show of a season trundles on with it's best episode and worst look yet.
We've one episode left of the year, next Wednesday!
[00:00] The boys kick things off with a reflection on the reunion of Season 2 of Drag Race Canada, when that night, was the night, when 4 became 3. [16:50] Drag Race Italia had the neeeeeeck to give us a 90 minute episode and Cian & James are not remotely impressed. [42:30] Ending on a high, a killer clown episode of Dragula sees throw backs to previous cast members and a particularly amazing guest judge.
The Young Hot Guyz - Tony Cantwell, Shane Dan Byrne and Killian Sundermann return for another call featuring a man who is concerned that his bank account has been emptied.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a Fernandina giant tortoise who was previously thought to be extinct. Enjoy!
You know and love them as Enid and Winston on the Sweet Valley High TV series, and now Amy Danles and Michael Perl join us for a very special interview! Find out what iconic character almost made it to the screen, what special gifts Francine Pascal gave the cast, how a pair of borrowed glasses helped Michael get the part of Winston, and much much more. We absolutely loved chatting to these two very sound people - enjoy! This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.
A bumper edition of the show this week.
00:00 Cian and James have a quick chat about Queens Of The Universe and why they found it disappointing (contains spoilers)
09:35 Italia gave us 2 80 minute episodes when they really didn't need to...REALLY! With drama about to kick off in episode 4, it's time to catch up with episode 2 and 3.
49:30 Youtuber Too Much Michael joins to discuss episode 7 & 8 of Drag Race Canada, two fun episodes, a roast and a make-over challenge, and Michael shares who he thinks is pulling ahead of the pack.
Back next week with 1 Dragula, 1 Italy and 1 Canada.
Stefanie talks about her autism diagnosis, why and how she went about seeking a diagnosis, the questions she was asked and some of the answers. She talks about the steps she took and the post-diagnosis assessment.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
The boys are on a high after their live show and are serving up a double dose of Dragula, episode 6 and 7, Hairy Monsters and the Exorcisters.
Next week will be double Canada and Double Italia.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a golden retriever pup named Appu, who got saved around 150 people. Enjoy!
It's the Season 1 finale! And Todd is going to Vermont - in a departure from the canon, he's got a basketball scholarship to some fancy school. Liz is determined to make their relationship work long distance - but when a typically surly Todd shows more interest in hanging with his pals than spending time with his girlfriend, things sour between them. Meanwhile Nicholas sails in on the SS Implication, Jessica schemes, and Lila steals the show with a large bag of crisps. Thanks for joining us on this wild ride - here's to Season 2!
A busy schedule this week [00:00] James and Cian recap the fantastic Sinners' Ball over in Drag Race Canada. [20:05] Irish Drag Monster Lavender joins to discuss the ghost ship glamour of this week's Dragula [52:19] It's time to say Ciao Italia to the 8 New queens of Drag Race Italia, Cian and James talk about the first episode and whether it met their expectations.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animals of the week are a golden retriever and a black labrador who got medical help for their owner. Enjoy!
Earlier this week, Stefanie spoke with Michael Thomas and Adam Harris about all things autism. In this BOMA, we give you Stefanie’s full, unedited conversation with Michael Thomas. Together, they talk about his experiences with Aspergers, why he loves Germany, Thomas the Tank Engine and more! Michael shares some helpful advice and insights on relationships and dating.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Over in Drag Race Canada's the 2 girl groups are saying Bye Flop and we say an overdue goodbye, in Dragula, it's the iconic Monsters of Rock challenge, and yes, another overdue goodbye. We want to hear from you, Drag Race Canada, Italy, Dragula and Queens Of The Universe are gonna overlap, what do you want us to cover? Let us know! sissythatpod@gmail.com
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is bear, a rescue dog who saved over 100 Koala's during the summer bushfires in Australia. Enjoy!
What's better than one kidnapped Wakefield? Two kidnapped Wakefields of course! Yes, in the original book only Liz fell into Karl the orderly's clutches, but the TV series improves on a classic by having Karl escape during his psychiatric evaluation (given the shoddy standards of Sweet Valley public services, is anyone surprised?) and snatch Jessica, believing her to be Liz. When he realises he's got the wrong twin, he makes Liz an offer she can't refuse. Join us as we head to Karl's second shack (fancy!) in the Spahn Ranch, where the unhinged orderly cooks up a convoluted scheme, and the SVH gang end up in a race against time as they attempt to save Jessica. Plus we see Frankly Speaking in action!
Another 2 good episodes to discuss this week, first up the second Canada Snatch Game which was judged very bizarrely but has one of the greatest perfromances. Over in Dragula things got Weird and Wild with the western meets sci-fi floor show and Merrie Cherri avoids the chop, once again.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animals of the week are the
Amur tigers in China, who could be making a comeback. Enjoy!
In this BOMA, Stefanie is joined by Alan to chat about the books their reading at the moment, time travel and what TV shows they’ve been watching, including how Stefanie accidentally started watching Midnight Mass from episode 3 and the severity of Lego Masters.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Cian and James are joined by the winner of Glow Up Ireland, Glen Edward McGuinness, who shares their love of Dragula and helps dissect episode 2 of the series. Also, Cian & James recap a pretty brilliant Canadian acting challenge.
A 2004 clip of the UK talent show has recently gone viral for one reason - fatphobia. Grace & Conor discuss!
After the big build up in the last episode, we finally get a kidnapping! Yes, Karl the orderly (we just can't call him Peter) finally captures poor Liz, which isn't very difficult given that the hospital where they both work is entirely dark and deserted by about 5pm. We finally see his shack! Meanwhile our beloved Winston is accused of a crime he didn't commit, Todd is enraged (no surprise there) Jess makes some macadamia nut fudge and we meet an iconic - and much-hated - book character. Plus the Sweet Valley High police are as amateurish as ever, and Ned and Alice are nowhere to be seen despite the fact that their daughter has been abducted. And remember, there's another episode of Kidnapped to go - the kidnapping isn't over yet!
Cian and James talk through the second episode of Season 2 of Drag Race Canada and the premier episode of Dragula season 4.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a bull Elk who was finally set free from a rubber tire that had been stuck around its neck for two years. Enjoy!
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is Alfie, a missing cat who found his way home after being gone for 12 years. Enjoy!
The lambs might be silent in Jodie Foster's most iconic role, but we'll never be silent on her career. For this episode of our Leading Legends bonus series, we'll be talking about Foster's Oscar-winning turn in Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs and her role as Ellie Arroway in Robert Zemeckis' 1997 blank cheque sci-fi epic Contact. An established actress of nearly 50 years, Foster's characters have often displayed a combined mix of toughness, intelligence and vulnerability that's made them more human and real no matter the setting they're placed in.
Andrew Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor: Stephen Porzio
Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
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The TV show tackles another classic book and we were not disappointed! Well, apart from the fact that they inexplicably changed Karl the Orderly's name to Peter (why?). Kidnapped has Liz as a candy striper, it's got the legendary Frankly Speaking, it's got a chaotic hospital where all the medical staff seem to clock off around 5pm, it's got the infamous bed bath scene AND it's got Winston and Liz doing adorable dances while making cakes! Plus we get to see Jess in full scheming mode again, as she attempts to get a job on Frankly Speaking with a little help from our beloved Lila.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week are three critically endangered whales with the potential of saving the species from the brink of extinction. Enjoy!
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a herd of 25 goats being used to prevent wildfires in Ireland. Enjoy!
We had high hopes for this episode and not only did it not disappoint, it frankly surpassed our wildest dreams! Lila and Jessica are both determined to win the Pacific Freestyle Dance Contest - Lila's flown in a mambo champion from Argentina called Rico to dance with her, while Jessica plans to team up with her usual partner Franco (who?). But when Franco bails to go on tour with Madonna, Jessica holds auditions for her new partner - with surprising results. This episode has it all - Koichi and Liz being totally adorable, proof of our Lila/Winston romance theory, a truly spectacular Enid scene and not one, but two montages! Could it be the best episode ever? As Rico would say, si! Time to dance!
With James on holidays, Cian opens the guest slot to the listeners and listener Rosie calls in and shares her thoughts on the finale and whole season.
The Werkroom will be on a 2 week break until Canada Season 2 airs on the 14th October.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a group of therapy dogs helping those with needle anxiety at vaccination centres. Enjoy!
In this BOMA, Stefanie catches up with her good friend Jack Hickey. They reminisce over their hectic behaviour in acting school, Stefanie shows off her football knowledge and explains her love of Christian Rock.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
James and Cian have lost their patience with the riggery in Drag Race Holland and they are not holding back. Also, there is a new batch of Canadian queens to be met, and predictions to be made and ultimately prove incorrect.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a cat who saved the life of his owner.
The Sweet Valley gang are all doing work placements - which somehow means Lila ends up working at the Moon Beach while Jess becomes the "apprentice" of pug-carrying fashion designer Dante. Our beloved Lila finds true romance with charming delivery guy Heath - but will he still love her when he finds out she's not really a sassy yet sensitive waitress? Meanwhile Dante (and Virgil the pug) are exploiting Jess's alleged design skills. All this and a heroic appearance from the dream team Koichi and Winston!
Cian and James unpack episode 5 and 6 of Drag Race Holland including Vanessa Van Cartier's redemption and demise and the Vivaldi rule break. They also summarise the recent Canada Reunion and Jade Jolie's return.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is a pod of dolphins who located a missing swimmer! Enjoy!
For this episode of our bonus series Leading Legends, it's a Tony Scott double bill as well as a Denzel Washington double bill. Well known as a collaborator of Spike Lee and Antoine Fuqua, Denzel has worked the most with British director Tony Scott, a champion of the mid-budget adult-oriented thriller. Both Washington and Scott found common ground here with the likes of the two films we'll be covering: Crimson Tide and Man on Fire. Stephen talks up the joy of seeing Denzel Washington go toe-to-toe with Gene Hackman while Andrew describes the religious experience that is watching Denzel shoot people.
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor and Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
Editor: Stephen Porzio
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco. Licence
Cian and James are joined by YouTuber Jamie O'Herlihy to breakdown the original queer documentary about the Brooklyn Ballroom scene, Paris Is Burning.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for Headstuff+ subscribers! This week’s awesome animal of the week is the fossil of a now-extinct whale found in Egypt! Enjoy!
Hooray, it's an Enid-centric episode! Our fave 90s teen is volunteering at a teen helpline that bears a strong resemblance to Project Youth, where she gets chatting to a hunky stranger called Mike. When she and Mike decide to meet up IRL, Enid foolishly asks Jess to help her look cool - only for Jess to take her place by Mike's side! But Enid's not giving up without a (complicated) fight. Meanwhile, we finally fornally meet and are totally charmed by hot Japanese exchange student Koichi, who forms a Sweet Valley dream team with Winston. All this and a hot air balloon!
It’s a new day in The Werkroom and in this episode, Cian and James take a look at episode 4 of Drag Race Holland which gives us what might be one of the best Rusicals ever to see the main stage.
The boys also give us one final look back and round up of All-Stars 6 before we find out who will be the next queen to join the Drag Race Hall of Fame in the upcoming finale.
Karyn and Anna have a special announcement about Double Love merch and members of Pi Beta Alpha are hearing about it first!
Check out the beautiful Double Love swag over at the Headstuff shop.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week's awesome animal of the week is a group of lifeguard dogs who saved 14 people off the coast of Italy! Enjoy!
Drag Race Espana star The Macarena joins Cian & James to talk through Episode 2 and 3 of Drag Race Holland including one of the lewdest Snatch Games in the franchise's history.
Many countries are now easing restrictions and the diet industry is ready to pounce. Grace reads out an email she received from a weight loss program offering a free consultation as many people have put on the pandemic pounds or how it's commonly known - the Covid Stone.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week's awesome animal of the week is Jess, the stray cat that offers love and healing and inspired an amazing charity cycle! Enjoy!
In this BOMA, Stefanie is joined by her new husband Noel while they chat about all things wedding, honeymoon, and more. Stefanie and Noel reflect on the day, they chat about the overwhelming response they received on Instagram and Stefanie teases Noel over the fact he’s never going to bike to work.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
For this episode of I Know That Face: Redux for HPN+ we're trying something a little different. We've covered plenty of lead performances by character actors but never a lead performance by a grade-A Hollywood hunk. In our first episode of our bonus series Leading Legends, we've decided to highlight Brad Pitt's best work. Andrew will talk about The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford while Stephen expresses his admiration for Ad Astra. Along the way, we'll hopefully get to the bottom of what has made Brad Pitt such a draw for moviegoers over the years aside from the dreamy eyes and rock-hard abs of course.
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor: Stephen Porzio
Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
Licence
This episode is another example of why TV Jessica, despite her scheme theme, isn't as much of a sociopath as the book version. Feeling neglected by Liz, Jessica manages to set her up with a random dude called Kris (yet another alleged Sweet Valley student who looks and dresses like one of their dads). But when a spurned Kris finds Liz's diary, in which she wrote about all the gang's most embarrassing secrets, he manages to turn her friends against her! Has the girl Jess calls "Mother Teresa in a miniskirt" lost their trust forever?! It's another episode based on a book - and it was a lot of fun, not least because the jenga chips were back.
A slight deviation from our usual format, today Cian & James are joined by editor of Entertainment.ie to discuss the cult classic Death becomes Her and they try get to the essence of why it has had such a huge cultural impact on the queer community.
Let us know your thoughts on Drag Race Holland episode 2 and we can discuss in the next episode.
Also, if you have other movies you'd like us to discuss, hit us up on Instagram (@sissythatpod)
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week's awesome animal of the week is actually a group of animals, a flock to be specific. These amazing sheep are employed to mow the lawn in parks around Montreal in Canada! Enjoy!
It's our birthday! And what better way to celebrate than to answer the excellent questions sent in by you, our beloved listeners? Join us to find out how the podcast got started, which Wakefield is our least favourite, which moments sum up ultimate Sweet Valley for us, what book we find most ridiculous, what Lila's Olympic sport would be and much, much more. And thanks for listening! Here's to the next four years....
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week’s Awesome Animal of the Week is the Iberian Lynx, a Spanish breed of lynx that has clawed its way back from the brink of extinction! Enjoy!
We all know that the Sweet Valley High staff have boundary issues, but the deeply inappropriate Adam (no surname) takes it to a whole new level. Thanks to his influence, the gang are now all hanging out at his poetry readings at the Blue Iguana - and Jessica decides that reinventing herself as a poetry lover is the way to capture her teacher's heart! This episode is a little bit The New Jessica, a little bit Teacher Crush - and a whole lot of nonsense. Plus Winston tries to grow a goatee, Liz gets a leather folder for all the poems she's writing and Lila treats us to a truly magnificent stage performance in one of the funniest montages so far.
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week’s Awesome Animal of the Week is Truffles, an adorable little cat who helps children with eye problems by wearing glasses and eye patches to help the children feel more confident.! Enjoy!
In this BOMA, Stefanie continues her conversation with Claire Fullam to talk about her break from Instagram. internet trolls and the unexpected fan reaction to her first live show announcement.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Welcome back to the bonus feed of The Happy Broadcast exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week’s Awesome Animal of the Week is Fransisco, a giant 20 stone pig living in Edinburgh after being falsely sold as a micropig! Enjoy!
On this exclusive episode for HeadStuff+ members, the boys go through bizarre jobs listed in England's 1881 census.
In this BOMA, Stefanie continues her chat with Luke O'Neill where they discuss weddings, antigen testing and travelling to London during the pandemic. We even get a taster of a song from Luke's band, The Metabollix.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Get ready to spin the wheel of misfortune, Pi Beta Alpha members - It's another episode based on an actual book! Club X is a gang of mischief makers led by Bruce who are causing a sensation at Sweet Valley High. Jessica wants in on the action - but she faces oppositon from Bruce, wearing his trademark tiny shorts. Meanwhile Todd's success as a street basketball hustler goes to his head, and Liz and Winston are determined to teach him a lesson with the help of an extremely tall basketball player. There's also an appearance from 1Bruce1, and we learn that when it comes to skydiving in Sweet Valley, normal rules don't apply.
Welcome back to our brand new segment exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! This week's Awesome Animal of the Week is Kovu, a dog from Allentown in Pennsylvania with a rather unique story. Enjoy!
Dubland discuss the new Netflix reality TV dating show "Sexy Beasts" on this week's bonus episode. They also discuss what Suzanne would think of a half Stretch Armstrong version of her husband Joey.
Thanks for being members yis bunch of legends!
In a bonus episode exclusively for HeadStuff+ supporters, Kevin reads and discusses some of the magnificent, depraved and epic mythic poetry of The godfather of Irish mythology - W.B. Yeats
Welcome to the brand new segment exclusively available for HeadStuff+ subscribers! Introducing Awesome Animal of the Week! To kick things off we have a very special dog from France who is using its specific set of skills to help calm those in need. Enjoy!
Fascinated is a podcast where comedian Gearoid tracks down people he was a big fan of as a teenager.
In this bonus episode he continues his chat with musician, artist and songwriter Rod Thomas AKA Bright Light, Bright Light. In this bonus content, you can hear Rod talk about remixing Dannii Minogue's iconic "All I Wanna Do" and we chat about our mutual love of Gayle and Gillian.
You can listen to Bright Light Bright Light's Music on Spotify, download on Apple or buy gorgeous physicals on brightlightx2.com
Follow Gearoid
Twitter: @gearoidfarrelly
Instagram: gearoidfarrelly
Facebook: /gearoidfarrelly
Follow Bright Light Bright Light
Twitter: @brightlightx2
Instagram: brightlightx2
Facebook: /brightlightx2
In a delightful coincidence, this week's episode of the Sweet Valley TV show is based on Regina's Legacy, which we discussed in our last main ep - and to our surprise, it's MUCH more entertaining than the original! Yes, the story of Liz accidentally documenting a criminal gang on film is pared down to the basics and is all the better for it. It's got lakeside frolics, an evil hunk, Enid being a horndog, the most ridiculous use of technology we've seen so far and of course Lila being magnificent. Okay, it doesn't have Prince Albert, but we can't have everything. Enjoy!
It's been a long time (nearly four years!) since we first discussed Enid getting hopped up on bennies and speeding down the highway, but now we get to see it with our own eyes! Or rather, we get to see Enid having some beers while wearing a plaid shirt and smoking a single joint before getting in a car. But we'll take it! Yes, this episode is based on the classic SVH book Secrets, and it's a wild ride. Thanks to Ronnie, who's just as much of a judgemental douchebag in this ep as he was in the book, Enid is given the job of anti-drugs spokesperson (a job which insanely includes going on tour with Aerosmith). But when Jessica discovers Enid's scandalous past, she's determined to take her place. All this and Lila channeling Deee-lite's Lady Miss Kier at a very Sweet Valley rave!
In this BOMA, we find out why washing your walls can become a traumatic event. They talk about Cathal’s love for walking alone at night in New York City, his upcoming move and Stefanie opens a gift from a fan!
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Gearoid joins Suzanne and PJ to talk about his podcast, music, celebrity crushes and all sorts of random madness.
We hope you enjoy these bonus episodes, let us know! And if you'd like anything else from the Cider/Champagne Room, please get in touch!
In this BOMA, Cathal teaches Stefanie about photic sneezing which reminds her about that time she sneezed on an army man. They talk about the HSE hack, growing up in Mallow, the price of houses and much more!
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
Brace yourselves, Pi Beta Alpha members - this is by far the most entertaining episode of the series so far. Enraged by the lads' negative views of women in action movies, Liz decides to create her own action heroine - superspy Platinum Blonde, aka Jess in a terrible wig. But we're more interested in Blonde's enemies - Goldfowler and her partner in crime, Pecs Galore! What follows is a crazed fever dream featuring Lila in gold lamé, Enid as an OTG, Manny as secretary/nightclub singer Mannypenny and Patty as a...hooved octopus? And we loved every deranged second!
In this BOMA, Alan asks Stefanie some first date questions. While asking the hard-hitting questions, he discovers things like Stefanie’s favourite food, her aspirations to become president of Ireland and why she should never look after your pet!
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
This is an extended version of the episode on the free feed. Drag Race Spain is here and joining the boys on the first rucap of the season is Season 1 runner-up and the OG Miss Congeniality, Nina Flowers. They talk about the episode, the moment Nina walked through the Season 1 door and whether she would ever do All Stars.
At last, an episode of the TV series that (sort of) resembles one of the books! Yes, Dangerous Love and Dear Sister have been crammed into twenty action packed minutes in which Liz, having been abandoned by Jessica at the Moon Beach, gets a lift on Todd's motorbike that ends in disaster. The gang are thrilled when she wakes from her coma - but surprise surprise, she's acting and, more importantly, dressing like Jessica. Oh no! Though no one in this episode dresses as stylishly as Lila - bowler hat and bandana, anyone?
Fascinated is a podcast where comedian Gearoid tracks down people he was a big fan of as a teenager.
In this bonus episode he continues his chat with Irish Singer Una Gibney.
Julie discusses the case of Sofia Juarez following a recent Tik Tok viral video which has shone a spotlight once more on her baffling disappearance in Washington state 19 years ago
Thanks again for being a big pile of legends. On this bonus episode Suzanne pitches an 'odd couple' TV show, but the conversation ends up descending further and further down through controlled environments, phone calls, craft beer until we end up right at the bottom of the barrel with straight up (pun intended) flute measuring.
We hope you enjoy these bonus episodes, let us know! And if you'd like anything else from the Cider/Champagne Room, please get in touch!
In the original book, it might be our beloved Dana who's in love with a prince, but sadly she doesn't exist in the TV universe so of course when Liz's penpal Prince Arthur of Santa Dora comes to town, he only has eyes for a Wakefield. And that Wakefield is Jessica! For some inexplicable reason Arthur is on his way to address Congress in Washington DC, but luckily he's got time to escape his bodyguard Pablo and head to the actual seaside (not a lake this time) for a montage of frolicking. But will she live happily ever after? Not if Lila has anything to do with it... All this and we get to see a Jessica fantasy sequence!
Hey HeadStuff+ members! If you've listened to the Gothic Forests episode and want to find out the one, somewhat obscure, book that you have to read if you love this area, then have a listen.... Thanks for all your support!
We're back with some questions we have posed our guests to get to know them. Includes whether James Patrice likes Rollercoasters? Who would Jasper Rischen's bff be? What books have changed Rodrigo Ternevoy's life? What Sederginne has for breakfast? Who inspires Veda and what was Viola Gayvis' hardest goodbye?
It's Steve's bed time. Cuddle up, as Richie lulls his friend to sleep with the true tale of a secret decades old war.
Do we get a definitive answers on whether dressing gowns should be called dressing gowns or house coats? Hint, the answer is in the question. The answer is dressing gown. Also, at what level of wealth is it ok to marry your cousin? And which level of cousin, first, second, third? Look, it’s a Dubland bonus episode, it’s only for you lovely members, thanks so much for keeping the show on the road!
It may be spring in the real world, but it's Halloween in Sweet Valley - and that means a super spooky episode! Get ready for some truly superb Halloween costumes (we were very pleasantly surprised by Todd and Liz), some top panto villain scheming from Bruce, some excellent Lila/Jess bitchery and a montage that's even more unhinged than usual. It's Sweet Valley High meets Scooby Doo and we loved it!
On this BOMA, Stefanie holds an open Zoom call with some of her listeners to get to know them a bit better. They talk about their favourite episodes of the podcast and what they’ve been getting up to over lockdown.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
For this month's bonus episode X Factor Finalist and one half of Same Difference Sean Smith returns to talk about his new solo album "Swing For The 90s" track by track. You can order CD and Vinyl copies of the "Swing For The 90s" here
You can listen to "Swing For The 90s" and Sean's debut album here
Follow Gearoid
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gearoidfarrelly">@gearoidfarrelly
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gearoidfarrelly">gearoidfarrelly
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gearoidfarrelly">;/gearoidfarrelly
Follow Sean Smith
Twitter: @seansmithsolo
Instagram: seansmithsolo
Facebook: /SeanSmithSolo
Ned and Alice are away (how does anyone notice?) and that means one thing: free gaff at the Wakefields! Liz and Todd decide to spend some alone time - but Todd turns out to be a terrible houseguest (and cook). Meanwhile, Jess schemes to bag herself some Soundgarden (or Noisy Trees) tickets AND a hunk called Morgan (who?). But will love rival Lila turn the tables on the devious Wakefield twin? Watch out for Jess's wildly inappropriate Soundgarden gig outfit and a montage that will make you grateful you've never been in the same supermarket as Todd and Liz.
Cian and James release a few segments of conversations with their guests that never made the cut but tell you more about who they are and what they like. Including cats with Conor Behan, Danny Beard, Louise McSharry & William Lee Adams. Exclusive to Headstuff+
In this Easter themed episode of Dubland, just for you glorious members, we learn that Suzanne's son was traumatised the Jesus's friends didn't help him when he was being crucified and exiled to a cave to watch Netflix for three days. We also go in depth into the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene and the sitcom life that nobody knows they lived together, and it's all true! (Probably?), anyway, have a great Easter and thanks again so much for help to keep the Dubland show on the road - you're the best of the best, go and eat all the chocolate eggs.
Jessica is in trouble - her chemistry grade means she's risking academic probation, which means no cheerleading. So of course the Jessica scheme theme kicks in, as she enlists Winston and his amazing hacking skills to steal the exam paper. Join us in the frankly unhinged Sweet Valley chemistry lab (so much dry ice and bubbling test tubes!) as we discover that the production team can make a montage out of anything and Karyn spots some amazing set decor. This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.
New York City, December 22nd 1984. A 45-year-old white male, shoots four young black men on a downtown subway train after they surround him and ask for $5. A two week manhunt ensues, with many citizens championing this ‘Subway Vigilante’ for fighting back against what was at the time a crime epidemic. However as details of the incident emerge, a city is divided as to whether or not this was a man acting in self-defence, or whether this was in fact a racially motivated attempted slaughter.
Julie Jay (@juliejaycomedy) chats to Padraig Williams (@podgewills) . If you have enjoyed this episode we would really appreciate if you could rate or review us on iTunes, and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts.
RuPaul is well used to judging Queens on the runway and in the dressing room but how used to being judged is he? This week on HPN+ Sissy That Pod and I Know That Face team up to give RuPaul Andre Charles a taste of his own medicine. Discussing everything from his supporting roles in Sister, Sister; the Brady Bunch films, But I'm A Cheerleader and his starring roles in Starrbooty and the 2020 series AJ and the Queen Andrew, Stephen, Cian and James decide whether it'll be "Shantay you stay" or if RuPaul should "Sashay away".
This is an episode for subscribers to Headstuff +. If you are listening please make sure you support the show as part of your headstuff+ subscription.
Shane Byrne has worked on some of the biggest entertainment shows. But I caught up with him to chat about a The Big Reunion. The series ran for two season and reunited some of the biggest groups from 90s pop. If you enjoy listening to Fascinated you will LOVE The Big Reunion and it is on youtube!
Welcome to all the new members, thanks so much for signing up!
In this bonus episode you will hear all about Budgie the prisoner who used to write letters to a teenage, pirate, Suzanne. You'll hear about who won the t-shirt for the member competition (keep sending us your sign up pics and we might do another prize!) And you'll hear about PJ the grandad talking to gards (Irish police), and more, it's Dubland and it's the Cider Room.
Thanks again for supporting the show, it really means a lot and helps to keep us going! Tell your friends!
Can computers be racist? Listen to find out!
An exclusive bonus episode for HeadStuff+ members.
On this BOMA, Stefanie talks to her former housemate, the famous Cathal (famous from falling on her Instagram), about how he doesn't miss her. They talk about their dentist, the pop-music-loving Scientologist. They talk about their new living arrangements, press drops, mascara, and loads and loads more!
Thanks again to all out wonderful members, you are keeping the show on the road!
Spider Sabichs was a major skiiing hotshot in the 1960s and 1970s - his golden boy looks providing Robert Redford with inspiration for his breakout film 'Downhill Racer'. Known for playing as hard as he worked, he was also quite the ladies man, eventually embarking on a relationship with Andy Williams ex wife French-born singer Claudine Longet. Their dynamic had always been tumultuous but few would have predicted how grisly things would turn on a March evening in 1976.
Julie Jay chats to Tom Bear O'Mahony @tomahonycomedy of 'Buckshot' Podcast and 'Harden Up' with Owen Colgan fame.
If you have enjoyed this podcast please don't forget to rate and review us on iTunes and download as this helps the podcast HUGELY
We weren’t able to put in our full interviews with Gaby, Brizaida, and Jeeny. But you lucky ones will be able to listen to these spectacular women here.
Sean Vickers from Unflopped joins Cian and James for a review of the Finale of Drag Race UK Season 2, that shock winner and the queens performances of "A Little Bit Of Love". This episode was recorded on a live Zoom. This is the full version with extra Q&A and extra Bop or Flops. @sissythatpod.
PI BETA ALPHA 4: CRITICAL MESS Well, it's a mess all right - but we enjoyed it. Bruce's uncle, TV commercials director Andy Patman, is coming to town, and within literal seconds the SVH gang have convinced themselves that he's actually a hot shot film director making an action movie with Keanu Reeves and Christian Slater. Jessica, who has inexplicably got the part of Lady Macbeth in the school play, thinks this is her chance to shine - and a truly deranged montage ensues. Seriously, it makes the newsroom montage look like gritty realism. All this and lots of very 90s outfits, which may be why Anna reverts to her teenage self to a worrying degree, getting snotty about Pearl Jam and refusing to believe that Jessica would be a fan of Sassy magazine. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.
Absolute scenes were had in the UK when an Irish man named Mick Meaney decided he wanted to be buried alive. It's a story of hope, pride and one husband's lack of respect towards his wife.
We've also got some bonus material from WWYDI You Were Buried Alive? this week!
Instagram: @whatwouldyoudoifpodcast
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Email: whatwouldyoudoifpodcast@gmail.com
Thanks for supporting HeadStuff+! You can catch the regular episodes of What Would You Do If? on HeadStuffPodcasts.com.
A bonus episode of Fireside especially the HeadStuff+ Community of supporters. Kevin lays out all things St. Patrick, he sorts the history from the myth, the leprechauns from the snakes. And he does it all with a few songs and traditional Irish tunes to boot. Kevin likes to describe it as “If the Muppet Show did a Ted Talk.”
A Sunday School teacher and resident high flyer, John List couldn’t admit to his family that they were facing foreclosure on their 19 room Victorian mansion in Westfield, New Jersey. Instead, he chose the most gruesome of solutions....
Julie Jay talks to comedian Fred Cooke.
If you have enjoyed this podcast please don’t forget to rate and review us on iTunes.
Being the know-it-all he is, Callum has decided that he can be the definitive voice in deciding if Ross cheated on Rachel when they were on break. For the first time, he's sat down and properly watched an episode of Friends. Actually, 'studied' is the word he used. For someone who 'doesn't like' Friends, he took the whole thing very seriously.
You can give us a shout to say if you agree or disagree with his decision at whatwouldyoudoifpodcast@gmail.com or on our social.
Social
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Twitter: @whatwouldyoupod
Thanks for supporting HeadStuff+! You can catch the regular episodes of What Would You Do If? on HeadStuffPodcasts.com.
How did PJ get on with his 10 Meal Sunday? Well, you'll hear all about it here in hilarious and disgusting fashion. It's absolutely no problem to eat 10 meals in a day, but there were problems. There are also some lovely listener reviews and a nasty one which upsets Suzanne. Don't be upsetting Suzanne people!
We know it wasn't you though, you're the great ones, the members, and we love you for it, thanks again!
Hold on to your culottes, Pi Beta Alpha members: it's time to meet Dakota Dancer, the hottest artist in Sweet Valley (allegedly). He's chosen Enid as his muse, but of course Jessica can't stand that and takes her place to model at the beach (WHICH IS CLEARLY A LAKE). Her scheme backfires, however, when Dakota turns out to be quite the sleaze. Meanwhile Winston lets us down, Liz stands up for freedom of speech and Todd expresses murderous urges. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.
In this bonus episode Suzanne and PJ first talk about whether or not they are sociopaths, and then respond to Would You Rather questions involving accents, Kerry or Belfast, and eating. This is where the 10 Meal Sunday saga began, and it is a saga now. More bonus episodes coming next week with updates on 10 Meal Sunday, and much more.
Thanks again for supporting the show!
We talked about our experiences with getting trapped in elevators this week in 'What Would You Do If You Were Stuck In A Lift?' But turns out, absolutely tons of people have been stuck in lifts so we got a few of our fave stories and put them together here.
Plus if you're new to our podcast, all of our episodes are here
In the latest I Know That Face: Redux episode, two new movies are reviewed. Following up on Lakeith Stanfield’s career, Stephen discusses Oscar favourite Judas and the Black Messiah, which hopefully will get an Irish release soon. Then, Andrew covers A Nightmare Wakes, a psychological horror about Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein, which is streaming on Shudder now.
Andrew Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0 Stephen Twitter: @StephenPorzio Editor: Stephen Porzio Community Manager: Charline Fernandez Instagram: @charline_frnndz I Know That Face Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 /
Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod Intro and Outro Music: No
Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
Cian and James have been choosing the songs they want to see lipsynced on the show and you have been voting for the best on Instagram. The two reveal the winners and shout out the suggestions from the listeners they think would be good...and not.
Fair City and Dancing with the Stars star Clelia Murphy joins Stefanie on this week's bonus episode to discuss Stefanie's life before she became the Stefanie Preissner we all know and love, and to coax a song out of her. Stefanie can also sing, it turns out. Also she hates Clelia's dog. They also talk about Stefanie's 'F', German car manufacturer taglines, soap operas, favourite hymns and plenty of other stuff, it's a bit of a roller coaster, but it's like joining them on one of their Covid walks and that's what BOMA is all about!
Thanks again to all out wonderful members, you are keeping the show on the road!
'I know smoking will kill you but it shouldn't be that fast'
Martin Peyerl was a German student who, on 1st November 1999, from his bedroom window, killed four people and wounded seven others before committing suicide.
In this episode we look at Nazi leanings and Columbine copycatting.
For your ears only, PJ talks about brain farts, carrots, darts (arrows?) and Suzanne has watched the Tiger Woods documentary so they talk at length about the kinds of things he was getting up to!
Also TV licence detector vans.
Thanks for being members of HeadStuff+ and supporting Dubland!
More bonus stuff coming soon!
We had a look at what to do if you saw someone stealing and turns out, Jess stole too many things for us to fit all the stories in! We didn't want you to miss out though so here are the good bits that didn't make the podcast. If you haven't heard 'What Would You Do If You Saw Someone Stealing?' yet, it might make sense to give that a listen and come back to this later (but you do you). All episodes can be found here: https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/what-would-you-do-if
Have you ever wondered which US President Steve and Richie most closely resemble? You haven't? Oh, well here they are doing a presidential personality quiz anyway.
Here is an extended interview with Dimitar Dimitrov, exclusively for HeadStuff+ members
Something very strange is happening to us. Maybe it's the lockdown messing with our heads but we're actually...enjoying the Sweet Valley TV show! And that's despite the appearance of a very un-Robert Redford Mr Collins. In episode 2, some typical Jess scheming leads to her taking Liz's rightful place as the anchor of SVH's TV news show, and our new fave Winston tries to get revenge of Bruce - with satisfying and genuinely amusing success. All this and some amazing 90s outfits AND the first appearance of 1BRUCE1!
This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com, where you can also become a member of HeadStuff+ and get exclusive access to bonus material and lots more.
Fresh off the farm and still glamorous Cheryl Hole chats to the boys about her time on Celebs On The Farm, now airing on MTV, what Kerry Katona is like in real life, her favourite Irish pop divas and why she is enjoying watching teh Queens in UK season 2 squirm.
In this lovely bonus episode only for the finely attuned, well-trodden ears of the discerning Dubland supporter, Suzanne and PJ get nasty again. It's a follow up from Suzanne's revelation last week that there is porn on the internet as she realises this information can reach her husband's ears in unexpected ways. There's talk of News of the World, novelty knockers, Readers' Wives, flutes (of course) and more than enough for you to lord it over the non-supporting Dubland listener!
For the day that's in it, (Pancake Tuesday) Alan asks Suzanne if she would rather have Pancake Tuesday without pancakes or Christmas Day without Christmas Dinner, and PJ would he rather Pancake Tuesday without pancakes or Halloween without sweets. They find these questions very easy to answer, so Alan also poses the question, would you rather have no hair whatsoever, or have way more hair than average.
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 6 of 6
In this BOMA (Bonus Material) Stefanie and Alan read some of your emails (sent to Basically@headstuff.org) and plan future episodes. There's also reference to bespoke furniture, MBGA (Make Boma Great Again), and some other behind the scenes podcast planning and production meeting parlance. We'll do more of these and Alan promises to improve over time.
Thank you again for being a member of HeadStuff+ and supporting us!
The classic Dubland story, PJ's Boxing Story, retold with added flourishes for the discerning Dubland fan. Relive the story, witness Suzanne's reaction as she hears one of her favourite PJ stories one more time, and all now remastered, retold and really feckin' funny.
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 5 of 6
Welcome to Pi Beta Alpha, the bonus show for Headstuff+ members! We're going to be working our way through the Sweet Valley TV series, and there is a LOT going on in the first episode, including some wonky acting, some extraordinary dancing, and a lot of people who look at least 35. Don your babydoll dress and cardigan and head to this oh-so-90s Sweet Valley High, where Liz becomes homecoming queen and celebrates in quite astonishing style, Jess encounters the one and only Scott Daniels (without his moustache! Sacrilege!) and Winston is somehow the hottest boy in school. And it's all on YouTube, so feel free to watch the ep before listening to our recap! Seriously, you need to see that dance scene. It is more ridiculous than you can imagine.
This show is part of the HeadStuff Podcast Network. For more, go to HeadStuffPodcasts.com
In the latest I Know That Face: Redux episode, Andrew talks about cult sitcom Community and why it has been such a joy to binge in lockdown. Then, Stephen quizzes his co-host on A-list leading men and the B-movie action flicks they have appeared in.
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor: Stephen Porzio
Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
Licence
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 4 of 6
Extra content from the interview with Ahmed Dede on the Spice Bags episode "Talking Turkey with Ahmed Dede"
This week on I Know That Face: Redux, hosts Andrew and Stephen give listeners some recommendations on things to check out in the world of film and TV. Andrew revisits Alfred Hitchcock's Oscar-winning take on Daphne du Maurier's novel Rebecca. Meanwhile, Stephen reviews Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Francois Ozon's Summer of 85. The episode was recorded a few months ago so please excuse any dated references. Our next Patreon episodes will be more current.
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor: Stephen Porzio
Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
Licence
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 3 of 6
PJ comes up with a revolutionary way to avoid an embarrassing situation in science class.
Stefanie lets her consciousness stream out for all members to hear. There are tangents, hedgehogs, thoughts on writing and whatever else pops into her mind in a given moment. It's the bonus content we're all here for!
Thanks again for the support!
A traditional Victorian Christmas ghost tale. But you can listen any time of year, as long as it's late at night and you're in front of an open fire with a stiff drink.
The girls go green and explore vegetarianism and veganism here and abroad. Is it possible to be a locavore vegan in this country? What’s up with tofu? And Blanca gets the pulse (pun intended!) of her favorite vegan staple, the humble legume.
Is there a long-hidden race of people living in the centre of the earth? Well, probably not, but there's been a lot of fascinating speculation...
On this month's bonus episode, Julie chats about the last woman to be hanged in the state of New York - axe-wielding Roxalana Druse.
Stefanie reads something she wrote about a room she goes to each week to help make sense of the world around her.
Please let us know what bonus material you would like because we are so grateful for your contribution.
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 2 of 6
Pffft, pandemics are sooooooo 2020. Coups are that new shit. Come learn about the hottest trend in modern fascist government with Steve and Richie in this special bonus episode.
Imagine to the ballot to cast your vote for World President and trying to decide between Ash Ketchum, Indiana Jones and Homer Simpson. 'Ridiculous!', you may cry. 'Great idea for a bonus episode!', we yell in return
A very special bonus episode exclusively for supporters of the show. WTTE teamed up with the Dave Coffey's fantastic show, Phoning It In, for a improv comedy literary panel discussion. It got weird. Featuring Laura O'Leary and Mark Cantan.
Just for you HeadStuff+ members the Pints of Malt guys have a bonus edition of their Sticky Situations episodes. Enjoy.
Just for you HeadStuff+ members a special episode of Fail Harder with the brilliant Romana Testasecca
Exclusively for the HeadStuff+ members, Sissy That Pod recap Drag Race Vegas Revue. This is Episode 1 of 6
In the first episode of I Know That Face: Redux, featuring bonus podcast content for HeadStuff+ subscribers, hosts Andrew and Stephen give listeners some recommendations on things to check out in the world of film and TV. The pair spotlight streaming service Mubi’s horror offerings. Then, Stephen talks about shows The Third Day and Evil, while Andrew discusses TV horror modern classic The Terror streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The episode was recorded a few months ago so please excuse any dated references.
Mubi Horror
Andrew
Twitter: @Andrew_Carroll0
Stephen
Twitter: @StephenPorzio
Editor: Stephen Porzio
Community Manager: Charline Fernandez
Instagram: @charline_frnndz
I Know That Face
Twitter: @IKnowThatFaceP1 / Instagram: @iknowthatface / Facebook: @iknowthatfacepod
Intro and Outro Music: No Boundaries (motorik groove) by Keshco.
Licence
For all you HeadStuff+ members Reviewables have a bonus episode just for you as they welcome back the OG host with the most, the now Kilkenny bound Cian McGarrigle.