Share
The School for Dumb Women
INTRODUCING: Sentimental Garbage
•
We're clogging up your podcast box with something a bit different today – a taster of Sentimental Garbage, a new podcast about chick-lit and the "guilty pleasures" you're done feeling guilty about. Created and hosted by certified Dumb Woman Caroline O'Donoghue and produced by Dumb Host Hannah Varrall, Sentimental Garbage celebrates classics of "commercial women's fiction" by authors such as Marian Keyes, Jill Mansell and Helen Fielding.
In this first episode, Caroline chats to journalist and author Lauren Bravo about The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice, a book which contains plenty of spangly dresses, glamorous Americans and female friendship.
If you enjoy Sentimental Garbage, remember to subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes throughout December.
Music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day. Recorded at Acast and produced by Hannah Varrall.
More episodes
View all episodes
78. Do I Have Nits?
50:57It's an International Women's Day (aka Alex's birthday) special! The birthday girl gets all tied up in mummies, and Hannah scratches her heads over nits. Finally Caroline shares her first-hand experience of having a hangover in your 30s. Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
77. Should I Be Norwegian?
53:49Caroline explores Norway this week with an ancient tale and some political truths, and Hannah investigates sunsets, genetics and reindeers in a segment on optimism. Finally Alex thinks about how to have a famous child in the Smart Lesson.Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
BONUS: Lizards with Roddy Shaw
38:40In episode 76, we invited stand-up comedian and animal expert Roddy Shaw to the studio to answer every stupid question we ever had about lizards. In this fully extended bonus episode, Roddy tells us about 'sneaky fucker' lizards, and we have some bat chat for good measure. Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
76. Am I Friends With Lizards?
52:35Alex gets vertigo learning about urban climbers this week, before inviting bubble buddy (and animal expert) Roddy Shaw to answer every question Caroline has ever had about lizards. Lastly Hannah reports back from taking up knitting, and evaluates whether starting a new hobby is the salve that we want it to be.Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
75. Can I Self-Help You?
01:00:04Caroline examines the life-changing* magic** of self-help books in this episode, looking at where the genre came from and what on earth is happening as it evolves. Meanwhile Hannah gets on her high horse about the 1994 film Black Beauty, its creator Anna Sewell and how Alan Cumming became obsessed with delicious oats. Finally Alex leads a Smart Lesson on how we can all pretend we're having a fun, sitcom Christmas with our pals when we're actually stuck at home avoiding boring family members and playing questionable YouTube videos. * ** no promises, guysContact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
74. Have You Got The Rug Bug?
45:25Hannah uncovers the real pandemic silently infecting our homes - The Rug that everybody has and nobody can get rid of. Elsewhere in the house, Caroline examines the rise of conservatories in the late '90s and what it told us about the sex lives of the O'Callaghans down the road. Lastly Alex presents a Smart Lesson on skincare and how to ensure the clearness of your pores remains your healthcare priority right now.Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
73. Why Do We Hate Space?
50:45Alex goes retro this week to investigate the wild successes of teletext (aka Ceefax), the text information service that haunted her youth. Meanwhile Caroline goes to space (again!) to think about how much she doesn't like it, and why many Americans were actually not that interested in it either. Finally Hannah leads a Smart Lesson session on how to have a new feminist icon, when the old one is not dead or cancelled yet. Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
72. Are Beavers Cancelled?
57:35Alex enters the bull ring this week to investigate the whys and wherefores of professional bull riding, while Caroline takes her beaver to visit its namesakes and find out what they're actually doing in those dams. Finally Hannah stokes up some generational divides with a smart lesson on why millennials have it hard and why Gen Z will probably show us all up.Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day.
71. What Is A Pokey Browser?
59:09Saddle up your mule, folks, because this week we're going to North-West Canada to look at the Klondike gold rush of the late 1800s, and Hannah's sickly ancestors are coming with us. Meanwhile Alex is transported to a small metal box in Mumbai to go undercover with the dabbawalas and their lunch delivery system, and Caroline delivers a Smart Lesson on how to shop now that some stores are open again. In other news, Caroline's new novel Scenes of a Graphic Nature is out now on e-book and audiobook! Get it on the link below, or pre-order the hardback (out in August) from your local independent book shop. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WN4QNYN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1Contact: dumbwomenpod@gmail.comProduced by Hannah Varrall, music by Harry Harris, artwork by Gavin Day. Recorded remotely by Soho Radio Studios.