Everything In Conversation: The Panic About Fake Fans

Tech Bros At The Met Gala, Devil Wears Prada 2 & Celeb Traitors

Happy Friday EIContrarians! Beautiful Beth is sunning herself on hols, so Ruchira and Oenone are driving the content car through the winding roads of the World Wide Web discourse. First up Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni have settled their lawsuit, Britney Spears finds herself in trouble and Celebrity Traitors is back! Secondly, The Met Gala! One of this year’s biggest themes was Jeff Bezos and wife Lauren Sanchez’ presence at the gala, with rumours the Amazon founder spent $10m to sponsor the event. We get into our fave, and least fave, looks from the evening, and what we made of the event as a whole. And last but by no means least, 20 years after the original film, The Devil Wears Prada is back! The hotly awaited sequel has had everyone's tongues wagging, including ours. We hope you enjoy! As always, please do rate, review, and subscribe. Mwah O,R,B xxx Ruchira's been loving: Asian mothers, bad feelings: notes on an all-conquering stereotype [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/apr/28/asian-mothers-bad-feelings-tiger-mom-stereotype], Tracey Emin [https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23593775937&gbraid=0AAAAA9TfA_vtFj_65QAofD-crVcFQTAMm&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8PDPBhCeARIsAOJwmWX10gVtlvJo-DudTuZRWn5IMkby3z_48w1ePqoiQeqXCKESI3LG1IAaAru-EALw_wcB] A Second Life [https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23593775937&gbraid=0AAAAA9TfA_vtFj_65QAofD-crVcFQTAMm&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8PDPBhCeARIsAOJwmWX10gVtlvJo-DudTuZRWn5IMkby3z_48w1ePqoiQeqXCKESI3LG1IAaAru-EALw_wcB], The Farewell [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8637428/] Oenone's been loving: Dandelion Is Dead, [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/231363394-dandelion-is-dead] The Handmaid's Tale [https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Handmaids-Tale-Season-1/dp/B0CL7CZ396], Surrender (The God Shot) [https://tellthebeees.substack.com/p/surrender-the-god-shot] Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle lawsuit over It Ends With Us film [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c936q7np647o] Britney Spears pleads guilty to reckless driving charge in DUI case [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/04/britney-spears-pleads-guilty-dui] The Celebrity Traitors series 2 line-up confirmed [The Celebrity Traitors series 2 line-up confirmed] The Best-Dressed Stars At The 2026 Met Gala [https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/met-gala-2026-best-dressed] Met Gala 2026: Activists leave nearly 300 ‘bottles of urine’ in protest of Bezos’ involvement [https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/met-gala-2026-jeff-bezos-protest-lauren-sanchez-b2970444.html ] The Devil Wears Prada 2? Groundbreaking. What The Sequel Got Right [https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/devil-wears-prada-2-movie-review] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Everything In Conversation: Tradwife Propaganda, Social Media & Yesteryear With Caro Claire Burke

Happy Wednesday EIChickadees! What a show we have for you today. To celebrate the release of her much-hyped debut novel Yesteryear, we sat down with the brilliant Caro Claire Burke to discuss everything from favourite tradwives to the process of selling the film rights to a novel. As well as being a phenomenally talented writer, Caro is also the co-host of Diabolical Lies- one of Ruchira's most recommended podcasts. A quick synopsis of Yesteryear: Natalie is a trad wife influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers. As far as her audience knows, Natalie loves her farmhouse, her well-behaved children, making sourdough from scratch and her perfect husband Caleb. But behind the scenes of her Instagram content, everything is very, very different.  Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in the 1800s. Her phone, her assistants, they’re all gone. Is it a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie just knows she has to escape. And don't worry- no spoilers! Vanity Fair - Lifestyle Creator Nara Smith... Wants to Clear Up Some Things [https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/story/influencer-nara-smith-reveals-her-first-cookbook-homemade] Spotify - Diabolical Lies [https://open.spotify.com/show/2O1NJgUkaXBfSQHsdss7vA] Waterstones - Yesteryear [https://www.waterstones.com/book/yesteryear/caro-claire-burke/9780008742768] Indie Wire - Anne Hathaway’s Controversial New Horror Movie About a ‘Tradwife’ Is Already Hell Online [https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/anne-hathaway-tradwife-horror-movie-yesteryear-1235190740/] Substack - Matriarchal Blessing [https://celestemdavis.substack.com/] Substack -Matriarchy Report 'What's so scary about a tradwife?' [https://matriarchyreport.substack.com/p/who-is-afraid-of-tradwife-life] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Awkward Engagements, Circumcision Activism & Sheerluxe's AI Influencers

Hello EICabbages! Strap in because today we're taking you on a tour of the most salacious, strange and shocking stories in the news. Russell Brand running for mayor, TERF nonsense in the running space, Hannah Spencer calling out Westminster's drinking culture and a murder used for sexist click bait. From there we're taking on a topic that depressed us way back in 2024 after UK fashion and lifestyle magazine Sheerluxe introduced yet more AI influencers to its roster, with Brooke, Gigi, and Eden joining their OG AI-fluencer Reem. Comments on their socials are uniformly negative, but Sheerluxe seem undeterred. We discuss. And last (but not least) we're talking circumcision after The Cut published a piece titled ‘‘The Men Who Want Their Foreskins Back". The story centres on a 30-year-old man who was circumcised as a baby and recently underwent reconstructive penis surgery- plus the thriving online community of men going to lengths to manually "restore" their own foreskins. Not a topic we know much about, but we share what we learned from the piece and how it's shaped our current opinions. This week Oenone has been loving The Testaments on Disney+, Beef on Netflix, I Just Want You To Be Happy by Jem Calder [https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571387458-i-want-you-to-be-happy/?srsltid=AfmBOoo6PvLUz56m1Pm1JGt-uD56SiCfsQRM1gvWmoiuCYve6lxvlQhV] (out 21st May) and The Cage on BBC iPlayer, Beth has been loving Expectation by Anna Hope [https://www.waterstones.com/book/expectation/anna-hope/9781784162801] and Ruchira has been loving Ex Machina, Search Party on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@SearchParty] and (secretly) Temptation Island on Netflix. Links: BBC - Influencer dies days after being hit by car in Soho [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx29w1z1lkzo] Hannah Spencer Instagram [https://open.acast.com/networks/655ce0ace1850a001299dc15/shows/655ce147a2b4520012ffdbe8/episodes/instagram.com/reel/DXqsqq6DXvj/?igsh=MWlheXA4cWQ1aW1jcg==] Feminegra - Daily Mail's BBL Influencer Headline Sparks Backlash [https://feminegra.com/daily-mails-bbl-influencer-headline-sparks-backlash-after-klaudia-zakrzewskas-death/] The Standard - Russell Brand announced plan to run for London Mayor [https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/russell-brand-london-mayor-b1279709.html] Politics Joe - What it's REALLY like in Westminster | Hannah Spencer interview [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffpDGH1-5tY] BBC - Sheerluxe defends use of AI influencer [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3gw720vz3lo] The Cut - The Men Who Want Their Foreskins Back [https://www.thecut.com/article/the-men-who-want-to-reverse-their-circumcisions.html] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Everything In Conversation: The Panic About Fake Fans

Happy extra episode day EICulture critics, this week we're diving into the panic around bots, fake fans and inauthentic musicians. US rock band Geese were dragged into a PR nightmare when eagle-eyed people noticed Chaotic Good, a digital marketing agency, claimed they were behind the recent meteoric rise of the band thanks to an orchestrated social media campaign. Just how manipualtive are these carefully-crafted popularity pushes, and do they detract from the artists' talent? We dive into all of it with your help <3 love O,R,B xoxox ----- Fake Fans [https://www.wordsfromeliza.com/p/fake-fans] The wild Geese chase [https://www.garbageday.email/p/the-wild-geese-chase] The Fanfare Around the Band Geese Actually Was a Psyop [https://www.wired.com/story/geese-chaotic-good-marketing-industry-plant/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Lena Dunham: A Voice of a Generation?

Hello EICupcakes, Moustache fingers up because we're diving into one hell of a millennial memoir this week. Lena Dunham is back into the zeitgeist with Famesick, her second memoir, detailing her unique experience of fame and chronic illness during her 20s and 30s. We dive into the lore, the controversies and the legend of Lena, including our wonderful experience at Intelligence Squared's event with her in convo with Monica Heisey and Dolly Alderton. A reminder we're chatting to the incredible Caro Claire Burke, author of Yesteryear, next week so get your questions IN for this one. We are an ambitious independent podcast and would love if you could give us a review on Apple/Spotify, as it helps push us to other people and keep us going <3 love O,R,B xxx ------ This week, Oenone has been watching Euphoria episode 2 and reading Yesteryear. [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/apr/16/yesteryear-by-caro-claire-burke-review-the-downfall-of-an-allamerican-tradwife]Beth has been enthralled by the reception to Losing My Friend Over Wegovy [https://www.thecut.com/article/wegovy-friendship-breakup.html], while Ruchira has been intrigued by Zoe Kravitz' suspected engagement ring. Lena Dunham has apologised for disbelieving a rape allegation – and made matters worse [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/07/lena-dunham-has-apologised-for-disbelieving-a-allegation-and-made-matters-worse] Lena Dunham: My Apology to Aurora [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/lena-dunham-my-apology-aurora-perrineau-1165614/] "Life Is Just So" w/ Lena Dunham (Las Cultaristas) [https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/life-is-just-so-w-lena-dunham/id1092361338?i=1000761509517] The Interview (Lena Dunham) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interview-lena-dunham-is-still-trying-to-figure/id1200361736?i=1000760805338] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.