The Truths & Monstrous Myths of PMDD, With Author Emma Hardy

Gen Z’s Horror Obsession, Taylor Swift Does Disney & The Rise Of Phone-Free Concerts

The rise of phone-free shows, Taylor Swift’s new Disney song, and what’s behind Gen Z’s horror movie obsession? You can watch this episode on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@CultureClubPod]. Taylor Swift has written a song for Toy Story 5 –– I Knew It, I Knew You marks Taylor’s return to the country genre and was inspired by the cowgirl, Jessie. Also in music news, Phoebe Bridgers has been playing a string of phone-free pop-up shows across small cities and college towns in America. The $1 gigs mark a return to tech-free shows and has us asking, are we all looking for an excuse to put our phones away? Next, have you noticed that so many TV shows and movies right now have the same villain? In a piece titled “‘Bogeyman of the moment’: Why every TV show seems to have the same villain” [https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/bogeyman-of-the-moment-why-every-tv-show-seems-to-have-the-same-villain-20260527-p601bb.html] for The Age, Michael Lallo makes the claim that AI is the villain we’re seeing everywhere at the moment. It's also sparking a renaissance in human-made art, as seen in a viral tweet by producer Adam Faze [https://x.com/adamfaze/status/2060809634496082022?s=46&t=rRbHvbJT0x5VwtkHrZjorw]. Two Gen Z horror directors are the talk of the internet and film world this month, creating conversations about a new era of filmmaking. Backrooms and Obsession, created by two Gen Z YouTubers, are topping box offices globally. We break down why the films are so popular and why Gen Z is obsessed with the horror genre. We reference an article for The Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jun/01/youtube-gen-z-filmmakers], the ABC [https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-05/why-are-horror-movies-popular-again-schmeitgeist-episode/102419970], and Why YouTubers Are Turning Hollywood Upside Down [https://variety.com/2026/film/features/backrooms-obsession-youtubers-hollywood-kane-parsons-curry-barker-1236764464/] by Marlow Stern for Variety. In Bookmarked, Jas shares the three books she bought for her winter cabin retreat: Yesteryear [https://www.readings.com.au/product/9780008742775/yesteryear--caro-claire-burke--2026--9780008742775] by Caro Claire Burke, Strangers [https://www.penguin.com.au/books/strangers-9781529936124] by Belle Burden, and Tillinghast [https://harpercollins.com.au/products/9780008742553_tillinghast] by Clare Cavenagh. Maggie shares a music recommendation with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers' album, Glory [https://teenjesusandthejeanteasers.bandcamp.com/album/glory-deluxe]. Thank you for listening! We appreciate you so much. Jas & Mags xo ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Dot Cakes, Pattie Gonia & The Demonisation Of Joy

Cynthia Erivo speaks out about Wicked, the Pattie Gonia lawsuit explained, and why are dot cakes creating discourse? Hi friends, We're back in the studio this week, so if you want to watch this podcast, head here [https://www.youtube.com/@CultureClubPod]. In today's episode, Cynthia Erivo speaks out about Wicked, the Pattie Gonia lawsuit explained, & why are dot cakes creating discourse? After a quick chat about Off Campus, we dive into pop culture bites, including Olivia Rodrigo's 90-minute interview [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I_tljaH9Bg&t=4115s] with The New York Times’ Popcast. Cynthia Erivo is also on a new press tour and doesn't want to talk about Wicked. We reference this YouTube video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j32YH2c-uvE] and this Variety interview [https://variety.com/2026/legit/features/cynthia-erivo-surviving-wicked-texting-ariana-grande-1236757557/]. In Culture Shock, American drag queen and activist Pattie Gonia [https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2PWI7hKxh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] is being sued by outdoor clothing brand Patagonia for trademark infringement. We break down the lawsuit and share a clip from fair fashion advocate, Venetia La Manna [https://www.instagram.com/p/DY48EufMKjf/]. Have you seen dot cakes [https://www.eonline.com/news/1432430/whats-a-dot-cake-all-about-the-viral-dessert] on your FYPs lately? The dessert has gotten a lot of people riled up, so we wanted to break down where they came from and how they could intersect with the Diary of a CEO's [https://www.indy100.com/viral/steven-bartlett-wine-diary-of-a-ceo] latest viral gaffe. Are we demonising joy through optimisation culture? We reference content creator Tinx's video [https://www.tiktok.com/@tinx/video/7644214567874071821?lang=en] on the topic. In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends The Grill podcast [https://open.spotify.com/show/6TmUrQOe06KYgE2fF0bXbA?si=56d0e76fc45643c5&nd=1&dlsi=2c648f588fe64da2], and Jas recommends Erika Veurink's Substack, Long Live [https://substack.com/home/post/p-199343239]. Thank you for listening! Jas & Mags xo ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Bad Aura Karma, The Dystopian Enhanced Games & Are Artists “Purging” Fans?

Pete Davidson’s messy break-up, are Harry Styles and Charli XCX purging fans, and what the hell are the enhanced games? Hi friends! After a quick catch up we jump straight into music news. Olivia Rodrigo has released a brand new single titled ‘The Cure’ and we theorise on whether Harry Styles, Taylor Swift and Charli xcx are trying to purge the fans they gained during their mega world tours.  Comedian Pete Davidson has made headlines recently after his ex-partner and mother of his child, Elsie Hewitt, took to social media to share that she’s a solo parent of their five-month-old child. Yikes. In a Hunger Games turn of events, this weekend sees the inaugural Enhanced Games take place. We recommend and discuss the 7am Podcast’s reporting [https://7ampodcast.com.au/episodes/doped-up-athletes-and-million-dollar-prizes-the-enhanced-games-is-here] on the new billionaire-backed Enhanced Games that allow participants to take “performance-enhancing drugs” including testosterone, anabolic steroids and growth hormone. The art of the grifter persists.  In Bookmarked, we have two cosy recommendations for you: Watching the Detectives [https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0LRMWL9QIUQVULEEZQ02HMWNW3], a rom-com from 2007, and the juicy Rivals Season 2 [https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-97399b9f-964e-444c-91f3-7db9f11efe5d] on Disney+.  Thank you for listening! No video episode this week as we recorded remotely but we’ll be back in the studio next time. Jas & Mags xo ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Moral Panic-ification Of Olivia Rodrigo’s Babydoll Dress, Shein Buys Everlane & The Endless Shilling of AI

Shein buys sustainable brand Everlane, celebrity women are shilling AI, and unpacking the moral panic of Olivia Rodrigo’s babydoll dress. Hi friends! In today's episode, we have a quick chat about Australian Fashion Week and our trip to Rarotonga, Cook Islands with Jetstar. Want to see it for yourself? Jetstar has officially begun direct flights to Rarotonga from Brisbane. Check those and other affordable flights [https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/deals?utm_source=influencer&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=20250505_au_culture-club-rarotonga_podcast_flights&utm_content=tactical] out here! In pop culture, we chit chat about a new celebrity couple in Cannes and a TikTok star who is starting his own fashion label. Also in fashion news, Lauren Sherman of Puck has reported [https://puck.news/everlane-is-selling-out-to-shein/] that Shein has bought sustainable fashion label Everlane. In the US, two university commencement speeches have gone viral after they shilled the future of artificial intelligence. We read from The Cut's article 'The Girlbossification of AI' [https://www.thecut.com/article/ai-girlboss-women-reese-witherspoon-mel-robbins.html]by Angelina Chapin. Next, should adult women wear babydoll dresses? That’s the conversation the internet has been having around Olivia Rodrigo’s recent outfits. We break down the discourse, fashion history, and reference 'The Outrage Over Olivia Rodrigo Was Never Really About A Babydoll Dress' [https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2026/05/11982080/babydoll-dress-olivia-rodrigo-controversy] by Elizabeth Whitehead for Refinery29. In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the novel 'Just Watch Me' [https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781398557963/just-watch-me--lior-torenberg--2026--9781398557963] by Lior Torenberg while Jas recommends 'Perfection' [https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781922790897/perfection--vincenzo-latronico--2025--9781922790897] by Vincenzo Latronico. Thank you so much for listening! There's no YouTube video this week as we recorded remotely. Jas & Mags xo ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Truths & Monstrous Myths of PMDD, With Author Emma Hardy

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, the myths and taboos of menstruation, and what happens when a mood becomes an illness, with author Emma Hardy. A few weeks ago on the podcast, you may have heard Jas' tears as she struggled to cope in the midst of a hard premenstrual dysphoric disorder (or PMDD) week. PMDD is a severe, chronic medical condition similar to PMS, causing debilitating mood and physical symptoms in the 1–2 weeks before menstruation. In perfect timing, Melbourne author Emma Hardy published Periodic B*tch, a narrative memoir exploring the myths and culture surrounding the cyclical mood disorder. In this vulnerable chat, Emma shares her experience with the illness that led her to write the literary memoir and why PMDD is shrouded in cultural stigma. Buy Periodic B*tch here [https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781761473593/periodic-bitch--emma-hardy--2026--9781761473593]. You can follow Emma's work here [https://www.instagram.com/emahrdy/ ]. And, if you are also struggling with PMDD, you're not alone [https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/periods/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd/]. Thank you for listening! Jas & Mags xo ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.