
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

Mar 11, 2024 • 31min
The Internet Sucks Now: Why Gen Z and Alpha Suffer From Learned Helplessness
Has short form media rotted our brains or is the future one without tech? With generations unable to use a printer, and our social platforms ridden with bots - it seems we're becoming increasingly disenfranchised with our digital lives. This week Ione and Gina are digging into what happens next when the internet and all its apps become unusable.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.

Mar 4, 2024 • 33min
Live: How Priscilla by Sofia Coppola Uses Clothing as a Form Of Power, With Stacey Battat
Why is work that takes aesthetics seriously always considered vapid? This week, joining Ione and Gina live is Priscilla costume designer and frequent collaborator of Sofia Coppola, Stacey Battat. We discuss everything from costuming one of the most fashionable women in history, to working on low budget productions and utilising clothing within feminist films to further push unspoken narratives.Recorded in partnership with MUBI to celebrate the launch of Sofia Coppola's Priscilla on streaming, watch Priscilla with 30 free days of MUBI here!Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3Have 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.

Feb 19, 2024 • 28min
The Taylor Swift Tipping Point
Change is in the air for the start of 2024: Those who used to universally love Taylor Swift suddenly seem to be turning on her. Is it the far right convincing themselves that shes a psyop for the democrat party? Or the fact she’s producing more CO2 emissions in a year than most people would in their entire life? Maybe it’s her too good to be true whirlwind romance with Travis Kelce taking up headlines while war rages worldwide. In this episode, Ione and Gina are picking apart why the tide has finally turned on America’s sweetheart.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.

Feb 12, 2024 • 40min
Why Are 10 Year Olds Engaging in Ten Step Skincare Routines? How The Cult Of Beauty Affects Us All
Have tweens always been this interested in beauty products? And how is ageism affected by classism?In this extra special episode of the podcast, Ione and Gina are joined by writer, editor and brand strategist Funmi Fetto to discuss Wellcome Collection’s exhibition The Cult of Beauty. Tracking how we went from religious obsession with the visuals of virtuousness to generation alpha purchasing retinols, Funmi, Ione and Gina are asking why people have always been obsessed with looking good.The Cult of Beauty is a free exhibition running until the 28th April 2024 at Wellcome Collection, more info here. 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.

Feb 5, 2024 • 28min
The Final Boss Of TikTok Aesthetics: Is Mob Wife Glamour A Psyop?
Another day another seemingly innocuous trend borne from TikTok style videos - this week Ione and Gina are using mob wife glamour to get into the nitty gritty of hyper specific aesthetics. Is mob wife glamour a PR move by HBO for The Soprano's 25th Anniversary? Or a fast fashion ploy to shift some coats during the February sales? And why are we all, after all this time, still aspiring to be someone's wife? Join the two leopard print aficionados on deciding whether or not this resurgence of gaudy glamour is a good or bad thing for the girlies.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3The Eden Young Fellowship for Aspiring Working Class Journalists RaffleOrder 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.

Jan 29, 2024 • 31min
Have Stanley Cups Gone Too Far?
The hosts discuss the Stanley Cup craze, exploring the marketing strategies, overconsumption, and feminization of the trend. They delve into societal class distinctions related to cup ownership, branded items' impact on children, and the influence of materialism and consumerism on environmental sustainability.

Jan 22, 2024 • 30min
Poor Things: Feminist Fable or Just Another Misogynistic Movie?
Poor Things discourse has taken over the internet; with Yorgos Lanthimos latest film being declared a masterpiece in one breath and a misogynistic let down in another. Can a film that traces the consequences of a baby’s brain being implanted into a grown woman’s body ever be called empowering? Or does the story of Bella Baxter - masterfully portrayed by Emma Stone - begin to make more sense when viewed through the lens of disability and privilege? Ione and Gina discuss all.Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3The Eden Young Fellowship for Aspiring Working Class Journalists RaffleOrder 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.

Jan 15, 2024 • 30min
The Problem With The Memeification of Gypsy Rose Blanchard
From Fancams to Lana Del Rey comparisons - she's been the internet fixation for the past fortnight, but what does it mean for the culture that Gypsy Rose Blanchard has exited prison straight into global and meme fame? This week Ione and Gina are discussing the reaction to Gypsy's release, the terror that is the true crime industry, and how women are commodified then dropped in trend cycles that don't consider the real people they revolve around.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.

Jan 8, 2024 • 32min
The Definitive 2024 Ins And Outs List: Bows, Rich People Worship, Saying 2014 Is Back & More
Will 2024 give us hope or apathy? Which cartoon cat is due a comeback? And is the Instagram story a dead artform? To kick off the new year Ione and Gina are taking us through their ins and outs lists while reckoning with the question of if anyone has the authority to make hot or not calls for 2024 anyway.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.

Dec 11, 2023 • 32sec
We'll see you in the new year <3
Hey everyone, for a variety of reasons, mostly that we all need a little break we'll be taking a few weeks off the podcast until the near year. Thank you for your support this year love you all! Have a lovely rest of the year and we'll see you in 2024 xxx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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