Alex VS Alix, Tween Culture Revived, Clavicular & Looksmaxxing Go Mainstream

Sally Rooney’s book ban, the unconscious bias in Traitors, and does your friendship have a wellness gap? Hi friends! After a quick catch-up, we get into pop culture news, including the HBO Max reunion of the CENTURY. We play a Reel from Girls Rewatch Podcast. Books by Sally Rooney will no longer be sold in the UK because of the Irish novelist's support for Palestine Action, an organisation that has been banned in the country. What does this mean for one of the most famous writers of our time? Season 2 of the UK Celebrity Traitors is currently airing but in the second elimination of the game a “faithful” contestant, American Industry actress Myha’la Herrold who is Black was eliminated, sparking an interesting conversation about the role that unconscious racial and cultural bias plays in the game. We reference The Times and Sunday Times data journalist Yennah Smart's report on this from January and We Need To Talk About The Traitors And Unconscious Bias by Nicole Vassell for British Vogue. Next, are you losing friends to the “Wellness Gap”? It’s a question that Gen Z led media company, Impact, asked recently. We break down what it means and if we're feeling it in our friendships as well. In Bookmarked, we hear from Culture Club listener Kahlia who recommends two books: The World Beneath Her Feet by Holly Ringland and Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Maggie recommends The Farm by Jessica Mansour-Nahra, and Jas recommends the drama series The Affair on Prime Video. Thanks for listening! And if you want to share your own Bookmarked recommendation just email us a 90 second or under voice memo to [email protected]. Jas & Mags xo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alix Earle and the literary crisis, Olivia Rodrigo speaks out about invasive paparazzi, and the privilege of being off social media. Hi friends! We kick things off with a chat about our weeks including Jas' experience at Reading Party Melbourne and Maggie's Olivia Dean concert. In other Olivia news, Olivia Rodrigo has spoken out about the paparazzi caring about her love life in a Hollywood Reporter cover story. Vanity Fair has posted an interview featuring playwright Jeremy O. Harris and VF global editorial director Mark Guiducci and sparked a debate about legacy media platforming tech bros including Sam Altman. We reference Sam Altman's recent Vanity Fair cover by Annie Leibovitz and its reference Wanderer Above The Sea Fog by Caspar David Friedrich. Mikey Madison is currently doing press for The Social Reckoning, a sequel to the Social Network film. Mikey, who is 27, shared insight into her decision to step away from having an online presence in comments to E! News and Entertainment Tonight. It sparks a conversation around the necessity for artists to have an online platform. We reference a recent post by ELLE UK and their new slate of content creators. Valentino did fashion week differently this year, choosing to show at the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris for its spring 2027 show, Antibiblioteca: Catalogue of the Unread. Meanwhile, one of the US' most famous influencers, Alix Earle, admitted she has "never read a book". So, where are we at with the literacy crisis? We reference Impact's post on the subject as well as a TikTok from user Yagmur, and hear from journalist Noni Reginato who wrote a piece titled, Alix Earle Not Reading Isn’t As Cute As She Thinks It Is for ELLE Australia. In Bookmarked, we hear from The Grill co-host, Izzy Wight who recommends the book of essays, Matthew by Matthew Goldin. Maggie was also a guest on The Grill recently and you can listen to her episode here. And remember, if you want to share your own community Bookmarked recommendation, email us a voice memo <90 seconds to [email protected] and tell us what you've loved watching, reading or listening to recently! Jas recommended Sense and Sensibility and referenced our own interview (lol) with the film's screenwriter Diana Reid back in 2022. Maggie recommended the 2000 film, Hanging Up. Thank you so much for listening! You can watch and follow us on YouTube, Substack, Instagram and TikTok. Jas & Mags xo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neighbours is being re-released for vertical video, Taylor Swift and the cult of fandom, and the Cornell 7 case. In today's episode, we begin with the news that the Australian soap, Neighbours, is returning to our screens. Our vertical screens, that is. Pete Davidson is being dragged for not understanding the influencer economy in our big year of 2026. Does he have a point? A trigger warning for sexual assault and rape in our first major segment as we discuss the Cornell 7 case. We reference a piece in the Women's Agenda titled, Cornell asked for essays from 7 students who allegedly raped a woman. Women are asking for accountability by Rita Nasr and the important student journalism work by Cornell's own paper, The Cornell Daily Sun. If you'd prefer to skip ahead, the segment starts and ends at 14:40–25:07. Next, Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl Encore tracks are officially out in the world. The internet has been ablaze with conversations surrounding it, including in our own comments section. We break down the criticism and discuss why fan culture has reached dizzying heights. In this segment we hear from writer and musician Bianca Davino, who reads from her 2025 Refinery29 Australia piece titled Stan Expectation & The Allure Of Cultural Clout: Why Has The Reaction To The Life Of A Showgirl Been So Heated? and we hear her thoughts on the Encore discourse. We also play a TikTok from user Fa2Chainz who theorises why fans are becoming the industry experts online. In Bookmarked, we hear from Holly, our first listener recommendation! Thanks for the idea, Holly. If you'd like to share your own Bookmarked recommendation, simply record a voice memo <90 seconds with something you've loved watching, reading or listening to to [email protected] to potentially be featured in an ep! Jas recommends The Housemaid film while Maggie enjoyed The Ruiners by Ellena Savage. Thank you SO much for listening! And remember, you can find us on Substack and YouTube. Jas & Mags xo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The generational interview debate, celeb burner accounts, and why are robots infiltrating fashion shows? We kick off with popcorn celeb bits: Taylor Swift is back, Channing Tatum could be running a burner account, and Mary Beth Barone & Joe Awlyn are starring in a rom-com. At both Vogue World in Milan and London Fashion Week, we saw robots take centre stage, so what does this say about where the fashion world is? We reference Why Were There Robots at Vogue World? in The Cut by Olivia Craighead and The Story Behind the Runway Robots at Vogue World 2026: Milano by Emma Specter for Vogue US. In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the series, Furious while Jas is loving Matilda Mann's new album Kismet. Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Substack, Instagram and TikTok. Jas & Mags See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring is here, and these are our seasonal favourites: from books and music to hobbies and beauty. Let us know in the comments what you're loving as well! Forest Therapy Brat by Gabriel Smith The Ruiners by Ellena Savage Rebecca Daphne du Maurier Pool House by Mary K. Choi Alien Minority Report Sense and Sensibility Industry Widow's Bay Fiona Apple Triple Seven Wishy Kath and Arun – Let Them Cook Glutenberg Bible The Ordinary’s Soothing and Barrier Support Serum Go-To Soft and Creamy Hydrating Cleanser Nars Soft Matte Concealer Pot Katie Jane Hughes YSL LoveNude Lip Thank you for listening and you can follow us on Substack and YouTube. Mags and Jas xo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.