Megan's Megacan

While one part of the German government tries to decide whether it's against international law to be sending weapons to a country that has started a war while committing genocide, another department is trying to figure out why one in four immigrants wants to leave the country. Meanwhile, we've apparently decided that enough Nazis are dead now so it's ok to have a military veterans'...

The season of Jesus-bothering holidays is upon Germany, so the Megacanners honour the upcoming Pentecost by imbibing an appropriately sacred beverage: A Gordon's G&T. Meanwhile, the AfD begins to see the light about Russia as does Merz about Netanyahu — a bit late to the party, lads, I'm afraid the buffet's all gone — and there's some actually quite good news from the German co...

It's been a funny old fortnight: Friedrich Merz trips over the doorstep to the chancellor's office, Bärbel Bas buggers the Beamtes, Christian clips a canine, and Germany gets its own little Elon to get rid of all of those distracting human rights and climate laws. Luckily, Germany's soldiers remember to tick the correct boxes on the Are-You-A-Nazi questionnaire. Thank God for those can...

New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has picked his cabinet, and filled it with people like him, cos he’s so great: Getting a team of CEOs and lobbyists to run the country is bound to restore people’s faith in democracy. Not only that, Merz has had a brilliant idea: If we shit on immigrants even more it’ll definitely get people to stop voting for the AfD — why didn’t anyone think of that before? S...

It's Easter, which means it's time for fertility rituals, chocolate bunnies and historic peace deals — at least it used to be. Peace seems a long way off, no matter how many Germans go marching for it this weekend, and as for chocolate bunnies, well, they look a bit too Muslim for the AfD. Meanwhile, Friedrich Merz, Markus Söder, and the SPD agree a new coalition contract — no rush, lads —...

Slightly different megacan this week, as writer turned evac medic Howard Hunt joins Megan and Konrad once again for an update from the Ukraine war zone – with tales of impossibly brave men with no legs, skies filled with drones, how to drive an ambulance on hilariously bad roads in the dark, and other scenes from the edge of the precipice. Meanwhile in Germany, it seems some in the CDU think that,...

Friedrich Probably-Next-German-Chancellor Merz has decided that actually, if you think about it, billions in state debts are great after all — and don't worry about anything he might've said before the election — because what if we want to build tanks in Volkswagen factories? Also, who knew Hubert Aiwanger would turn out to be a massive weasel, more evidence that Germany needs more immigra...

It's the end of an era: Scholz, Habeck, and friend of the pod Christian Lindner have all had their last Absacker and stumbled out into the night — you can still hear them arguing in the distance in a cloud of mutual acrimony. Hey, we just let the market regulate itself, Christian! But spare a thought for Megan, who has to learn a whole new set of German politicians' names. At least Merz wi...

This week, German TV producers finally came to their senses and invited Megan's Megacan to make its debut on a politics chat-show. As Megan was providing silent commentary over chief twat Hubert Aiwanger's shoulder, Konrad found out whether football fans can save Germany from fascism. Then they scramble around for good news for our "clutching at straws" section. Yes! Megan's Megacan theme song by...

This week, the German parliament marks Holocaust Memorial Day with a special tribute to the makers of the Holocaust, as Friedrich Merz reneged on his own promise from two months ago and made common cause with fascists to degrade the German constitution. Meanwhile, Megan and Konrad review election campaign posters and cling helplessly to their brand new good news section. Resistance! Megan's Me...

This week, your favourite can-drinking podcasters subjected themselves to an hour of lies and awkward flirting — thanks to top fascist Alice Weidel and billionaire philosopher Elon Musk, who revealed his vulnerable, damaged soul. Speaking of enablers, the bourgeoisie give the fascists a leg-up in Austria, as they do, and democratic society is once again undermined. Woohoo! Happy 1933! Megan's Mega...

Getting one more row done for 2024, Chancellor Scholz confronted the Bundestag this week to confirm that yes, they really didn't think he could run the country anymore. So the members convened to shout at each other one last time and get their Christmas ducks in a row in time for the New Year election campaign. Meanwhile, the AfD is sticking to its anti-European roots, while appealing to the racis...

It turns out that serial coalition breakers the FDP were planning to break up the German government weeks ago, much to the surprise of no one except party leader Christian Lindner, who definitely had no idea about the weirdly militaristic D-Day paper — even though his best mate wrote it. Meanwhile, forget about coming to Berlin to make art — the new government here has decided that austerity is a...

There's a Christmas election campaign ahead, and it looks like the SPD is going to let Olaf Scholz deliver their presents one last time. Meanwhile, Robert Habeck is convinced that the path to victory goes via coy, night-time kitchen-table videos. Plus, why Germany's medical system has a language problem, what the CDU is planning for unemployment benefit, and the next way-stage on Megan's road to G...

Reeling from the impending demise of western democracy, Megan put her phone away for half an hour to have a nice glass of wine — but then Chancellor Scholz chooses that very moment to finally sack that annoying wanker who's been ruining everyone's life and blow up the coalition. Konrad tries to piece the gossip together, while the Bundestag decides now is a good time to Germansplain antisemitism t...

We're deep into October, so there's only one thing for it — a trip to Captain Morgan's Mojito island. Elsewhere, in the world of horrors we call reality, Germany has decided it's ok to send weapons to Israel as long as they promise not to do anything bad with them. And there's more advice from Megan on how to navigate the insanity of bureaucracy and getting that all important B1. Avast me hearties...

Yes indeed, we've finally made it through all of this year's German state elections. No more horrible people upending the political landscape until after Christmas. Still, as the Germans say, now we have the salad, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has a lot on his plate — yet seems convinced he can still win next year. Also, there's the strange case of Germany's disappearing arms exports to Israel, and...

Recording live with Radio Spätkauf at Podfest Berlin 2024, Megan handed out free cans so that the audience wouldn't have to get through the news sober — which, frankly, should be part of every media subscription service these days. Then Konrad gets weirdly pedantic about crime stats, Izzy explains why Germany is always losing the energy transition race, and Joel finds some good news about Berl...

Megan's had a lovely, relaxing time on her summer holidays, so obviously she can't wait to hear about all the horrible news in Germany and Konrad's trip to a fascist rally. Two German states have elections this weekend with the AfD leading in the polls, while an Islamist attack in Solingen has made it even easier for them to stir up racism. Hey ho, the wheel of misery and hatred takes...

Recording in front of a live studio audience at Berlin's House of Color , Megan and Konrad unpack Germany's liberal attitude to children and alcohol, a bottleneck at the Berlin citizenship application office, and why it's best not to have a heart attack in Germany. Also, there's audience questions and some fancy IPAs from the Megacan pals at Fuerst Wiacek . Aber hallo! Special than...

Special summer show here - an extraordinary interview with novelist and combat medic Howard Hunt, and how he joined the Hospitallers Medical Battalion in Ukraine. If you'd like to help him buy an ambulance to take back to Kharkhiv, please consider contributing to his fundraiser : ALSO: Come to our special Live Megan's Megacan in Berlin! Tuesday, July 30, at 7pm House of Color , Südstern In partner...

It's a big day for Megan and the 14% of the German population without a German passport — the government has finally deigned to give them basic democratic rights. Woohoo! Unfortunately, the fascist fucks who apparently represent the majority of Germans have already decided to repeal it when they get to power next. Ah well, at least you can get a fairly cheap panic room at Lidl now. Hey ho! Meg...

Megan and Konrad, determined to get through a whole episode without having a nervous breakdown over Germany's political torments, call in top football journalist Kit Holden to deliver an expert preview of the upcoming Euro 2024 football fiesta. That'll surely cheer them up. But bugger us if Kit hasn't gone and written a whole bloody book about how German football actually reflects all...

Megan and Konrad are full of the joys of summer this week because the people of Thuringia went to the polls — and slightly fewer of them voted for SS apologists than normal. Meanwhile, top COVID explainer Karl Lauterbach is overhauling Germany's absurdly expensive healthcare system, and kindly, white-haired President Walter says a rude word. Ahoy! Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottigno...

Displaying their usual tact and charm, Berlin cops have been beating people up at demos, making up rules as they go along about what languages you can speak, and then following people around while they go for pints. Nessa Finnegan of Berlin's Irish Bloc joins Megan and Konrad to talk about the diplomatic incident their conversation circle caused at the pro-Palestinian camp. Sláinte! Support th...