
The Polyester Podcast
Is Blake Lively a bitch or being misconstrued? Will Elon ever stop cringing us out? And why is everyone using slurs again? Every week Polyester's head girlies Ione Gamble and Gina Tonic take you down a weekly rabbit hole of online discourse and pop culture - from trad wives and surrogacy to porn stars and unhinged press tours. Exploring the intersection of IRL and URL through a feminist lens, the Polyester Podcast is your weekly digest on absolutely everything everyone on the internet is talking about. With guests like Tavi Gevinson and Sofia Coppola collaborator Stacey Battat, and special episodes beamed into your ears from cultural centres like London’s Tate Modern and Barbican Centre, every Monday we offer a down-to-earth take from the front lines of the internet, feminism, and the weird world of celebrity it has spawned.Hosted by Editor in Chief Ione Gamble with Senior Editor Gina Tonic. Edited by Olivia Graham. Have faith in your own bad taste!Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Polyester is a self published, intersectional feminist arts and culture publication aiming to bridge the gap of URL cyberfeminism with the IRL world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Latest episodes

Oct 6, 2024 • 32min
Celebrity Culture Is Dead and Fandom Killed It
This episode dives into the recent turmoil surrounding The Last Dinner Party and the complex safety issues at live shows. It explores the unchecked behavior of fandoms, highlighted by Billie Eilish's team facing abuse over her new music video. The hosts discuss the shift from idolization to criticism in celebrity culture, particularly affecting marginalized groups. They also reflect on how social media blurs the line between passionate support and harmful trolling, revealing the darker side of modern fandom.

Sep 28, 2024 • 33min
Sally Rooney, Post Individualism and How Marketing Became a Part of Culture
Has the internet killed our sense of self? Why are the advertising campaigns for films, albums and books lauded more than the art itself? And can everyone leave Sally Rooney alone already? This week Ione and Gina are dissecting how creativity and marketing became so intertwined - as well as how social media made Mad Men of us all.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 22, 2024 • 43min
Body Horror, Beauty Standards, & The Substance as a Feminist Masterpiece
This week we've partnered with MUBI to bring you an extra special live episode from HOME Manchester to dig into The Substance - Coralie Fargeat’s flamboyant body horror that provocatively lambasts beauty standards with killer performances from legends Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. Ione and Gina look at the film's use of the male gaze, the meta commentary of the casting as well as the inherent value of embracing being a gross girl.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 15, 2024 • 32min
Summer Catch Up: Chappell Roan, Nikocado Avocado, Harry Potter Castings And Taylor Swift's Politics
The Polyester Podcast is back after a couple of episodes break so our hosts could go on holidays and for this extra special episode Ione and Gina are digging into all of the discourse we missed in the past month.We're giving our two cents on the burning topics that have plagued our feeds recently, like is Taylor Swift supporting Kamala Harris genuinely? Why won't the Harry Potter franchise die already? Who the hell is Nikocado Avocado and can everyone please be normal about Chappell Roan for once?Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 18, 2024 • 30min
The Dark Chaos Of The 'It Ends With Us' Press Tour
Our feeds have been overrun with a new celeb squabble as the press rollout for the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's 'It Ends With Us' goes absolutely tits up. Both TikTok and X users have spent the last week picking apart the behind the scenes drama between producer and star Blake Lively and producer, director and star Justin Baldoni.Is Blake giving feminism a bad name? Was Justin's vision steamrollered by Ryan Reynolds? And why has Justin hired Johnny Depp’s crisis PR? In this week's episode, Ione and Gina get stuck into the nuances (or lack thereof) of the latest Hollywood spat to captivate our feeds. Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 11, 2024 • 34min
The Spirituality Girly To Alt Right Pipeline
The hosts explore the alarming shift from liberal spirituality to extreme ideologies among female hippies. They dissect the concept of divine femininity and its contradictions with societal expectations. The discussion also highlights the controversial links between influencers like Grimes and far-right ideologies, including the unsettling resurgence of eugenics. Additionally, they analyze how online personas interact with conspiracy theories, showcasing the absurdity and complexity of modern feminism.

Aug 4, 2024 • 28min
So… We Got Cancelled
The hosts tackle the backlash faced by independent journalism, sharing personal stories of online bullying. They delve into the balance between passion and profit in writing, exploring how capitalist influences can stifle creativity. The discussion shifts to media industry challenges, including accountability and wage transparency, highlighting the need for diverse voices. They also humorously dissect inflation tactics and societal challenges, emphasizing the importance of creative fulfillment over financial success.

Jul 29, 2024 • 26min
Is Kamala Brat? How The Politician Memed Herself Into A Presidential Candidate
The Kamalanomenon is here. You think you just fell out of the coconut tree? This week, hosts Ione and Gina break down how brat summer, among other Kamala memes, morphed from gen z nihilistic irony into millennial girlboss earnestness - and how the memeification of politics affects us all.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 snips
Jul 21, 2024 • 28min
Underconsumption Core, Recession Pop & Projecting Meaning Onto Poverty
Exploring underconsumption core and recession pop, the hosts discuss the projection of meaning onto poverty. They question whether society should romanticize frugality and delve into how social media shapes our self-narratives. The podcast touches on music reflecting economic climates and the influence of cultural shifts on our consumption patterns.

Jul 14, 2024 • 31min
Hawk Tuah Girl, Mixed Weight Relationships and The Rise In Dehumanising Women Online
It seems as though its never been worse to be a woman participating in the discourse. The Hawk Tuah girl has used her blowjob technique to become a star; cashing in on the viral moment with a merch line, a manager and a possible documentary. But while she makes bank, the alt right have commodified her into a figurehead - once again proclaiming any woman with blonde hair and big tits as their own. Across the pond, the the left seems to be just as pitiful - as indie fashion brands release ironic 'I <3 Ozempic' t-shirts, and seemingly feminist articles ascribe individual actions political buzzwords, resulting in the death of any kind of progressive discourse. Add 'mixed weight' relationship discourse into the mix, and our hosts have had enough. Will we ever stop reducing women to their bodies? Tune in to find out! Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!A statement by journalists: We condemn Israel's killing of journalists in Gaza and urge integrity in Western media coverage of Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.