Culture Club

Hi pals! For the first time in ten years, the gender pay gap has flipped — at least for Gen Zs. According to a recent report , full-time working Gen Z women between the ages of 16 and 24 are out-earning their male peers. But is everything what it seems? We discuss the findings and our own thoughts on the rhetoric around men being "left behind". Jas references this TikTok . Courtney Palmer ( @...

Hi! After culture quickie bites, including Maggie's matcha TikTok take and the media's response to Bob Vylan's Glastonbury protest, we dive into the P Diddy verdict announced this week. This segment includes a reference to The Cut's article titled Maybe Me Too Is Really Dead by Andrea González-Ramírez . Do you feel the pressure to be always digitally available? It’s a question Sydney writer,...

Hi friends! Welcome to Culture Club. In this week's ep we have pop culture bites that we NEED to discuss with the class. First up, the new Sense and Sensibility adaptation starring Daisy Edgar-Jones has been announced. Plus, author (and Culture Club Chats alumni ) Diana Reid worked on the screenplay! Huge. Next, Olivia Rodrigo had her movie moment as she spotted at Glastonbury singing along with t...

Hi friends! The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have had a pay increase and Jojo Siwa says she felt pressured to come out as a lesbian. We reference the Cosmopolitan article 'Prestige Won’t Pay My Rent' by Cait Emma Burke. Next, actress and advocate Jameela Jamil says she's done being interviewed by women. After an interview with The Times UK , Jameela took to social media and her Substack to share tha...

Maggie shares some field notes from her Europe trip as she chats from Paris! Oui oui. We discuss Choice's SPF findings , which had the country stressing, and a local celebrity sighting. There’s been more Sabrina Carpenter outrage this week after she announced her new album, Man’s Best Friend. From violence against women to puritan culture and using pop stars as a scapegoat for our anger at the wor...

In this special solo episode of Culture Club, Jas gets candid about all things wedding. From planning to the pressures of being a bride thanks to social media, Jas shares the tips that have been helping her and answers your burning wedding questions. Jas references a reel by fitness coach and content creator, Laura Girard . HUD Skincare clinic in Northcote and St Kilda, Melbourne is where Jas is g...

Our live Melbourne Writers Festival recording with debut author Chloe Elisabeth Wilson is here! Chloe Elisabeth Wilson is the author of debut novel, Rytual , a story about aimless 20-something Melburnian Marnie Sellick. She gets swept up into the glamorous world of Rytual Cosmetica, a beauty brand where everything is not what it seems and Friday Night Drinks are very important. Marnie embarks on a...

Hi friends! Lorde has had an interesting first press cycle moment for her forthcoming album, Virgin. We speak about the Rolling Stone comments and whether Lorde's ovulation sentiment is veering into right-wing territory. We reference a Glamour UK article by Chloe Laws. Next, Australian Fashion Week has been... a lot. We break down Maggie's TikTok video and ask who fashion week is actually for? It...

Hi friends!  This week we’re basking in the literary glow of the Melbourne Writers Festival, and feeling the pre-event buzz of AFW (Australian Fashion Week).  After our catch-up, we dive into our chit-chat of the week including the latest Harry Styles’ sighting, and an update on Maggie’s White Boy of The Month.  In our Culture Shock, the partner of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabe...

Spacey Jane doesn’t really need an introduction – this Australian indie rock band has stolen the hearts of fans here locally and globally.  As a result, band members Caleb Harper, Peppa Lane, Ashton Hardman-Le Cornu and Kieran Lama have quickly risen to the heights of Australian music royalty. Spacey Jane scooped up an ARIA for their hit song, Booster Seat, which also made it to number two in...

Who is Maggie's new White Boy of The Month, and why is one of Australia's biggest radio networks using an AI host?? We reference Stephanie Coombes' Substack on the topic.  Next, South Asian clothing has been pulled into the fashion limelight recently, and has once again become the subject of cultural appropriation discourse. We discuss what the new conversation is and why TikTok's 'Scandi Sum...

We have a new home! Yep, we've officially signed to One Daydream Network .  You'll be hearing some fresh segments, fun new voices and seeing more of us. We can't wait to take the pod to new heights!  In our first ep in the studio, we share our thoughts on Coachella, Lorde's new music and Matilda Djerf's latest scandal (yes, there's another one).  Of course, we also had to chat about...

Anjali Sharma was just 15 years old when, in 2021, she launched a landmark federal court case against the Australian Government. As one of the lead plaintiffs, Anjali argued that the then-Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley actually had a duty of care to protect young Australians from the impacts of climate change, particularly when approving new fossil fuel projects.   While the court o...

Hi friends!  Elon Musk's estranged daughter Vivian Jenna Wilson covers Teen Vogue , the dangers of male fitness influencers, and do you need a nemesis?  On this week's ep we dive into a chat about 2025's cover star of the moment, Elon Musk's estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson. The 20-year-old spoke to Teen Vogue about the “cartoonishly evil” Trump administration and bein...

Why are people calling New York City influencers boring? Are we in a party deficit? And should we be compartmentalising all of our different selves? A TikTok by @martinifeeny has garnered millions of views after she declared: “I hate all of the New York influencers. I think that they're boring as fuck and they're all carbon copies of each other.”  This has sparked a week of TikTok...

A Tumblr blast from the past, Millie Bobby Brown's call out, and is food now an aspirational status symbol? After a quick recap about Melbourne Fashion Festival and Jas' Adelaide trip, we get into some pop culture tidbits and discourse .  Fila has dropped a new collection with Hailey Bieber this week and while it's giving Sporty Spice, the campaign images have us asking whether we've reached...

In the last few years, Nawal Sari has become one of Australia's most notable influencers. As a modest fashion influencer, she's worked with the likes of Gucci, Valentino and Fendi and was the first Muslim hijabi bride in Vogue Australia .  Aside from social media creation, Nawal also hosts her podcast Just Delusional and has a Substack called Nawal's Diary . She was a contributing editor for...

After a quick Laneway recap, we dive into this week's episode.  Firstly, The Cut has published an article interviewing five Reddit "snarkers" who love to hate online personalities. This comes after anonymous gossip site, Tattle Life , announced it was shutting down (although the site is still live at the time of recording). We ask why these sites exist and even dissect Maggie's very own anony...

Hi friends!  We have a bumper episode today so strap in.  Firstly, what was with those Ryan Reynolds paparazzi photos last week? Amidst the It Ends With Us lawsuits between his wife, Blake Lively and her co-star Justin Baldoni, TikTok users wonder if Ryan's PR team set him up with staged fans. We also briefly recount where the lawsuits are at as of this week.  Next, Gracie Abrams fa...

It's awards season and we have a bone to pick with the Academy.  Rugby star Ilona Maher has sparked a conversation this week around imposter syndrome . We share our own experience with the phenomenon that feels increasingly common amongst women (for better or for worse?). During this chat we also reference the Mel Robbins Podcast and the 'Let Them' theory . Next, we've been read to filth by M...

After some positive feedback from last year's ep, we've brought back our yearly book reviews.  We debrief about the best, worst and most unexpected books we've read in 2024. Huuuuge disclaimer that these are just our own opinions and we hope this doesn't deter you from any titles or authors! Katie Zhou created our fab cover art and India Raine is our wonderful editor and composer of our jingl...

Concetta Caristo is one of Australia's most exciting media stars.  From hosting the coveted Triple J Breakfast slot with co-host Luka Muller to her impressive comedy chops and work on TV screens across the country, we sat down with Concetta in the DM Sydney studio to learn more about her journey.  In this chat, we take a behind-the-scenes look at the world of comedy (plus the graft it to...

In our last pop culture episode for 2024, we debrief on the Internet's new hyperfixation: Luigi Mangione. Is the alleged murderer a flash-in-the-pan meme? Or will this American antihero spark meaningful change in the US social systems?  We reference a piece in the New Yorker titled Luigi Mangione And The Making Of A Modern Antihero by Jessica Winter.  Next, Matilda Djerf, founder of fash...

There’s no denying that Shameless Media has been taking over our podcast apps and socials since 2018. After years of growing the business, Shameless has recently launched Inherited , an open and honest interview show that asks guests about their recipes, rituals, relics and rules for life.  Described as an "anti-small talk" podcast, the show is hosted by Everybody Has A Secret's producer, Ruby Hal...

Hi friends,  Maggie went to a naked dinner party and we saw the Wicked film at the Melbourne premiere.  Next, what the hell happened on night two of the Melbourne Dolly Alderton show? Hugh van Cuylenburg, known for his work on healthy masculinity, vulnerability and motivational speaking through The Resilience Project, apparently “ hijacked ” the conversation with Dolly sparking disappointment from...