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Everything In Conversation: Novel Writing, Men Who Won't Grow Up & Sally Rooney with Jem Calder
Happy Wednesday EICrickets!
In today's episode we're joined by writer and novelist Jem Calder, whose debut novel I Want You To Be Happy was released last month. The three of us all separately recommended the book on the pod, and we're in good company as fans. Andrew O'Hagan called Jem his "new favourite writer" and Sally Rooney said it was an "irresistible novel that asks complex questions about contemporary life and refuses easy answers. I couldn't stop reading."
The book follows the unfurling, complicated relationship between Chuck, a 35-year-old copywriter working at a large ad agency, and Joey, a 23-year-old barista living payday to payday who nurtures a quiet ambition of becoming a poet.
We talk to Jem about the themes of his novel- don't worry, no spoilers- plus the writing process, what he thinks about modern dating, dating apps, men who refuse to grow up and being "discovered" by Sally Rooney. Plus plenty of book recs & writing advice. Thanks so much for listening! See you Friday! B, O, R x
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Penguin - Switzy by Emma Cline
Waterstones - I Want You To Be Happy by Jem Calder
Faber & Faber - Reward System by Jem Calder
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169. Hot Girl Trademarks, Anti-Nude Tech & Should EIC Ban Bonnie Blue?
53:59||Season 2, Ep. 169Hello EICrystals! This week on the podcast- shocking sex stunts, digital literary drama, surveillance for safety. Plus: a suspicious vibrating sound, Oenone losing her voice & Ruchira filing paperwork. First up- provocateur and viral adult creator Bonnie Blue is back in the headlines after turning her baby shower into... well, a very different kind of shower. The 27-year-old has begun releasing footage from Saturday's event, where 112 attendees reportedly took part over the course of six hours. Is this an adult entertainer exercising her bodily autonomy or a huge safeguarding concern for her unborn baby? And are we complicit for covering it? Let us know in the comments/ our DMs if you think this should be the last time we say the words Bonnie or Blue on the pod.Next up- we know that hot girls read, but do hot girls also file trademarks for widely used phrases they didn't invent? Last week business owner and BookTok creator Allie Mitrovich announced (in a now-deleted post) that she had officially secured the registration for the phrase "Hot Girls Read". We track the backlash, the outcome and ask why everyone online thinks they have to be a business owner.And finally: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that tech companies must introduce in-built software that stops underage users from taking or sharing nudes. Apple and Google have both been given until September to comply or will face legislation to force them to do so. Is this a major win for child safety or a sly attack on all of our most fundamental privacy rights?We hope you luuuurve today's episode because we luuuurved making it for you. If so, please leave us a rating or a review or share us on social media or in the group chat. O, R, B xRuchira's been loving The Invite (out July 3rd) and Backrooms, Beth's been loving Two Weeks In August on BBC iPlayer and The Comeback on NOW TV and Oenone's been loving Main Characters by Bobby Palmer (out July 2nd!) with special mention to Isaac and the Egg.------------------Lad Bible - Bonnie Blue shares photos from 'disgusting' baby shower stuntYouTube - "I'm not responsible for 13-year-olds...' Bonnie Blue x Shelagh Fogarty LBCPeople - A Content Creator Filed to Trademark 'Hot Girls Read,' Then the BookTok Community Erupted OnlineLit Hub - A content creator tried to trademark "Hot Girls Read." BookTok clapped back.NPR - 'Very demure, very mindful' trademark issue is 'handled,' TikTok influencer saysSubstack - Hot Girls Don't Weaponize Trademarks Against Small Businesses: The Book Community Might Have a Greed ProblemPodcasts - Matilda Djerf on Creator-Led Brands, Secrets Behind 300% Growth and Tough Lessons in Entrepreneurship Good Noticings - Patagonia vs. Pattie GoniaThe Guardian - Starmer gives tech firms ultimatum to block explicit images on children’s phonesThe Times - Tech bosses threatened with prison if they fail to protect childrenBig Brother Watch statement Signal statement GOV UK - New plans to stop children taking, sharing or viewing nude imagesCBS - Musk fires outsourced content moderators who track abuse on TwitterBBC - Australia has banned social media for kids under 16. How does it work?BBC - Porn site traffic plummets as UK age verification rules enforcedBBC - Mandatory digital ID launch called 'a fiasco' by scrutiny committeeLad Bible - Sexual offences lawyer warns of 'explosion' of illegal images as ChatGPT plans adult content
168. Everything In Conversation: Is Being Straight Great Actually?
29:25||Season 2, Ep. 168Hello EIChihuahuas, happy Pride month! The NYT chose violence this Pride with an op-ed on why being straight is great, actually. They quickly changed the title to "There's Nothing Wrong With Wanting Men" – a possible response to rising criticism. Naturally, we (and you) had a few thoughts on the topic...Thank you for your amazing thoughts and for listening to us <3 love O, R, B xxx------There’s Nothing Wrong With Wanting MenChanté's TikTok
167. Hasan Piker's UK Ban, Euphoria: Over For Good & Mr and Mrs Lipa
52:17||Season 2, Ep. 167Hello EICornettos! It's been a hefty week in the world of pop culture, so grab a lolly and let's get into it.Oenone is away at a wedding... very unusual timing because Mr and Mrs Dua Lipa legally tied the knot last week. But the internet had some choice words about the singer's white suit. EIC Fashion Police LTD. are wading through the mess to share our searing hot takes for you.Ruchira did some on the ground reporting from SXSW, which hit headlines this week after speakers Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur were barred from entering the UK by the Home Office, who said their "presence would not be conducive to the public good". We dive into the difficult debate around free speech, authoritarianism and our fears of rising antisemitism.And finally Euphoria 3: Over For Good. Sam Levinson has done what he did, meaning EIC had to do what it does best. We gave our honest reviews and (of course) didn't hold back. Thank you for listening to us this week <3 love O,R,B --------This week Ruchira shared some thoughts from her time at SXSW. She also read The Lost World. Beth loved the incredible story of Tim Payne's rise to social media superstardom and Fruit Fly.(SXSW Talk) The Authoritarian Creep: How Far Right Rhetoric Impacts CultureFree speech activists condemn UK entry ban for Hasan Piker and Cenk UygurHasan Piker on antisemitism, America's support of Israel & the need for trust in mainstream mediaLabour MP Calls on Home Office to Ban Hasan Piker From the UKWhy ‘Euphoria’ Had to End This Way. For Good.The Mess Was the Point
166. Everything In Conversation: UK Transphobia & Why We Need To Listen To Trans People With Maxine Heron
43:16||Season 2, Ep. 166Hello EIComrades, happy Pride month 🎉In today’s episode we speak to Maxine Heron. Maxine is the online comms officer at Not a phase a registered, trans-led British grassroots charity dedicated strictly to supporting and uplifting transgender and gender-diverse adults across the UK, as well as being a model, creator, writer and public speaker, and friend of the pod.A couple of weeks ago, the The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) ruled that single-sex changing rooms and bathrooms in England, Wales and Scotland must exclude trans people. The guidance issued to public bodies, businesses and other service providers, has been approved by ministers. It’s such a dark time in UK politics, we speak to Maxine about the real world implications on trans people, how we got here, and what we can do to help.Sending lots of love to every trans person out there, we love you & so do all of our mates. O,R,B xoxoxxWrite to your MPMaxine HeronNot A PhaseToilets and changing rooms must be used on basis of biological sex, guidance confirmsTrans lives survey 2021: Enduring the UK’s hostile environmentWhere does the British public stand on transgender rights in 2024/25?
165. Supercharged Tanning, Supreme Wealth's Reality & Souped Up Athletes
01:00:54||Season 2, Ep. 165Happy Friday EICompetitors! This week on the podcast, what lengths will humans not go to, to feel a little bit special?First up, a 2025 survey by the American Academy of Dermatology revealed that half of Gen Z participants got a sunburn in 2024, with 10% getting burns severe enough to cause blisters. They also found that 37% didn’t know the risks of tanning and 57% believed common tanning myths- e.g. that a base tan protects you from sunburn. More than a fifth of Gen Z respondents prioritise getting a tan over protecting their skin, and 25% said that it’s worth looking good now even if it means their skin looks worse down the line. Is this just the naivety of youth? Or does it signal something shifting in culture? We talk everything tanning!Secondly, what does extreme wealth do to the brain? This is the title of a piece for New York magazine by Lane Brown, and the question he tries to answer within it. So Lane Brown you may also remember authored The Feed Is Fake, about stealth marketing online which we discussed in last week’s episode. And for this piece about the ultra-rich, he spent two months interviewing the 0.1 and 0.001% and asking them how money has changed the way they think, how their worldview shifted when they were no longer under the same financial constraints and how becoming mega rich altered their perception of status, friendship, obligation and maybe even reality itself. And lastly, while we were enhancing the UK bank holiday heatwave with picky bits, day drinking and ice lollies, over in Las Vegas, another kind of enhancement was going on at The Enhanced Games. Is this just inevitable in a world of optimisation? We discuss.We hope you enjoy, as always please do rate, review and share the show, it helps others to find it and us to keep making it! LY! O,R,B xxBeth's been loving: I want to go home but I'm already there, Patrick Radden Keefe on Adam Buxton Ruchira's been loving: Two Weeks In August, Oenone's been loving: The Crash, It Ends With UsWhat Will It Take to Get Young People to Stop Tanning (Again)?AAD survey: half of Gen Z got sunburned in 2024 — and many still don’t know the risksRFK Jr. pushes “personal choice” over teen tanning bed banAs influencers spread ‘toxic’ claims, what is the truth about sunscreen?Sam Faiers slammed for pushing ‘dangerous’ suncream conspiracy theoryThe myth of good skin, with Jessica DeFinoBurn notice: Gen Z and the terrifying rise of extreme tanningWhat Does Extreme Wealth Do to the Brain?Enhanced Games devolves into daft, 'high school-level' sporting circusRecord 50m freestyle time at controversial Enhanced GamesThe Enhanced Games fit right in with the rest of 2026’s longevity vibes
164. Everything In Conversation: Ozempic, The Death of Body Positivity & The Price Of Pretty With Alex Light
38:50||Season 2, Ep. 164Happy Wednesday EICreations!In today's episode we sit down with bestselling author and former host of the brilliant Should I Delete That Alex Light to discuss everything from weight loss jabs to bikini bodies. She also offers invaluable advice on how to limit the impact of social media on kids, raise body positive sons and get through to older generations about their toxic relationship to food and thinness. Alex's new non-fiction book The Price of Pretty is out now, and deftly examines the unbearable and unattainable beauty standards that women are subjected to while also exploring the relationship between a waning body positive movement and the rise of Ozempic and AI. Other topics include motherhood and body image, eating disorder recovery, tweakments, filters and social media.We loved chatting to Alex and you can follow her on Instagram here!Links:NICE Guidance on Semaglutide Body Happy Kids by Molly ForbesWaterstones - The Price of Pretty by Alex Light
163. MAFS Allegations, Harry Styles' Tour Critique & Elon vs. The Odyssey
57:43||Season 2, Ep. 163Hello EICorroborators! Happy Friday and welcome back to Everything Is Content- your one stop podcast shop for everything pop culture and beyond.This week- and trigger warning for discussion of sexual violence and abuse- we're discussing BBC Panorama's harrowing new documentary ‘The Dark Side of Married at First Sight' in which former MAFs UK contestant Shona Manderson alleges that her on-screen partner had sex with her without a condom against her wishes. She alleges the team took her to get the morning after pill, but that nothing else was done. The show has pulled all of its episodes from the internet while discussions continue to rage on about how reality TV can't seem to stop failing its subjects. We share our takes as (former) fans of the show.Next up we're talking about Harry Styles' new tour- which has been criticised after some attendees reported having little to no visibility of their fav as he happily scampered around his enormous walkway stage set-up. Has the singer prioritised his Strava over his set design? We investigate.Then we mull over Jacob Elordi's love life after the actor was spotted out and about with model and the inventor of tequila, Kendall Jenner. The internet has separated into two camps in response to the possible pairing- people saying "huh??" and people saying "duh...". Plus: Everything In Conversation with... Kylie?Also (and we're sorry) we chat about Elon Musk's latest MORONIC OUTBURST after the friendless loser suggested that Oscar winning actress and generational beauty Lupita Nyong'o was somehow badly cast as the fictional generational beauty Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan's upcoming adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. We insult Elon Musk's pathetic existence discuss with consideration for all sides.And finally we revisit the topic of internet fakery and advertising creep after a new piece in Vulture by Lane Brown suggested that just about everything we see online nowadays has been placed there to sell us something. From the piece: "On social media, popular opinion is being formed, measured, and manipulated all at once, and every signal the platforms produce... can now be fabricated by unseen actors with hidden agendas." In other words... is it time to log off?This week Ruchira was loving Legends on Netflix and Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, Oenone was loving Sister Europe by Nell Zink and Beth was loving SNL UK and London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Thank you SO much for listening, commenting, agreeing, disagreeing, sharing us on socials or leaving us a review. It means the world and really does help us keep making the show. See you Wednesday! O, R, B x----------BBC iPlayer - The Dark Side of Married at First Sight / PanoramaVanity Fair - Why Can’t Elon Musk Shut Up About Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey?Forbes - Musk Boosts Misinformation About ‘The Odyssey’ In Days-Long Crusade Against Christopher Nolan MovieVulture - The Feed Is Fake by Lane Brown Waterstones - The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
162. Everything In Conversation: Is Emma Grede Bringing Back The Girlboss?
24:26||Season 2, Ep. 162Hello EICeo's, lean in for a second – we're talking about the return of the girlboss.Emma Grede is the entrepreneur and business partner of a handful of Kardashian businesses. She's recently entered the media circus promoting her debut book, Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life, and in the process started a few conversations around work, motherhood and WFH culture.Thank you for all of your incredible thoughts for this one <3 love O,R,B xoxoEmma Grede: the real mastermind of the Kardashian empire