Ep87: Ally Dent: From Open Mics to Owning the Room

Ep92: So Anyway... We Nuked Space!

In 1962, at the height of the Cold War, the United States launched a nuclear weapon into space and detonated it 400 kilometres above the Earth. No, seriously. What started as a military experiment became one of the strangest moments in human history. The explosion lit up the Pacific sky, created artificial auroras, disrupted electronics in Hawaii, damaged satellites, and left scientists scrambling to understand what they'd unleashed. In this episode, Oldmate and Josh dive into the incredible story of Operation Starfish Prime—the nuclear test that proved humanity was willing to detonate an atomic bomb in space just to see what would happen. From Cold War paranoia and missile races to electromagnetic pulses, secret military planning, and the long-term consequences for modern technology, this is a story that sounds completely made up... except it actually happened.

Ep92: Glory, Greed and the Premier League

From Pubs to Private Jets, It started in crowded pubs, pints in hands,, smoke-filled terraces and working-class towns. Today it's a global empire worth billions, watched by hundreds of millions and owned by some of the richest people on Earth. How did English football become the Premier League? What was gained? What was lost? And is the world's most popular football competition still the beautiful game, or has it become something else entirely? This week, Oldmate and Josh trace the rise of the Premier League, from local passion to global obsession, and ask whether the world's most popular league is football's greatest achievement or its biggest contradiction.

Ep91: The '3 Kim' Problem

North Korea is often treated like a punchline — strange haircuts, military parades, and impossible propaganda. But behind the spectacle is one of the most controlled societies on Earth. In this episode, Oldmate & Josh dig into Without You, There Is No Us by Suki Kim, a rare inside account of teaching the sons of North Korea’s elite. What begins as a story about a classroom becomes something much bigger: truth, loyalty, fear, hunger, surveillance, and what happens when the state doesn’t just control what you do — it tries to control what you are. It’s bizarre. It’s disturbing. It’s human. And it raises one massive question: what happens to a person when the outside world is treated like a crime? Music by: Pity lips

Ep90: The Port Arthur Massacre

Australia remembers Port Arthur as the massacre that shocked the country and changed gun laws almost overnight. But around that horror grew something else too: a whole ecosystem of rumours, contradictions, “just asking questions” theories, and full-blown conspiracy lore. In this episode, Oldmate & Josh step into the mess carefully — respecting the victims and survivors while also digging into the bizarre, uncomfortable, and sometimes darkly absurd stories that have clung to Port Arthur for decades. What’s verified? What’s misunderstood? What’s been warped by internet detectives, pub logic, and national trauma? It’s a serious episode with a dangerous amount of comedy oxygen: part tragedy, part myth-busting, part “how did that become a theory?” — and a look at why this event still grips Australia’s imagination. Content warning: discussion of mass murder, trauma, firearms, conspiracy claims, and suicide-related themes. Music by: Pity Lips

Ep 89: Stephen Lockwood - The Weight of the Job

What does a lifetime around conflict, chaos, and the unexplained do to a person? This week on Oldmate & Josh, we sit down with Stephen Lockwood for a raw, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation about his career, the moments that shaped him, and the stories that still stay with him long after the job ended. From high-pressure situations to the strange side of human nature, Stephen shares the kinds of experiences most people only ever hear about second-hand. The episode moves between heavy moments, dark humour, behind-the-scenes career insight, and the kind of honest conversation that happens when the microphones stop feeling real. It’s part life story, part reflection on resilience, and part “how on earth did that actually happen?” Expect laughs, uncomfortable truths, wild stories, and a genuine look at the cost — and meaning — of a life lived in extraordinary situations.