Straight Up

Lena Dunham remains one of the most controversial people in pop culture, but that hasn’t stopped a glittering roster of A Listers from appearing in her fun new London-based Netflix romcom Too Much. We assess some of her biggest online scandals, while looking at how autobiographical the show really is. Plus, an explainer of the Salt Path: the latest furore to rock the publishing industry. Are readers right to feel betrayed by writer Raynor Winn’s alleged lies and does publishing have a fact-checking problem? We’ve also got yet another juicy little Beckham family feud update for you, hunnies, plus a debate on whether prenups are feminist and two fab book recs! We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audiobooks using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/reviewsMy Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout The Tenant by Freida McFadden Too Much, Netflix Too Much: what film and TV get wrong about London, BBCDid the Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff Relationship Lore Inspire Too Much?, Marie Claire Will Sharpe went too hard on himself in the Too Much finale, Vulture Lena Dunham’s change of pace, New Yorker  Too Much Is Full of Lena Dunham Lore, VultureTALA founder: ‘We weren’t going to make payroll — so I sold my car’, Financial Times The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were spun from lies, deceit and desperation, The Observer The Salt Path revelations should be no surprise to anyone in publishing, The Observer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brad Pitt’s carefully crafted F1: The Movie promo run has us thinking about how celebrities script their own stories and how easily we buy into them. From Brad’s quiet erasure of abuse allegations by Angelina Jolie to Chris Brown packing stadiums despite a long history of violence, we’re diving into the messy, age-old question: can you really separate the art from the artist? Also this week: a gorgeously candid Charlize Theron interview, Tim Key’s rom-com of the summer The Ballad of Wallis Island and Netflix’s jaw-dropping exposé on the cult of American Apparel and the toxic founder Dov Charney. We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audiobooks using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/ reviews:Birnam Wood, Eleanor CattonCharlize Theron, Call Her Daddy  Brad Pitt is Fooling You, Vulture A Complete Timeline of Chris Brown’s Controversies, PeopleScooter Braun, Diary of a CEOBrad Pitt, GQ interview by Otessa Mosfegh, 2022I think I'm done with being interviewed by women. Jameela Jamil Substack Millie Bobby Brown, ageing and Lucy Boynton on domestic violence, our March 6 episode Trainwreck:The Cult of American Apparel, NetflixThe Ballad of Wallis Island, in cinemas now . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Billionaires, botox, and a newly single Orlando Bloom – this week we’re diving into Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s ultra-extravagant Venice wedding, a spectacle that’s reminded the internet that money definitely can’t buy taste. From the Hollywood attendees that made headlines like Sydney Sweeney and Leonardo DiCaprio to the inevitable backlash to the whole thing, we’re getting into it all. Also, as Khloe Kardashian follows in Kylie Jenner’s footsteps and comes clean about her plastic surgery, we’re asking just how much we should applaud the KarJenners for their new transparency. And Ellie reports back from Glastonbury!We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audiobooks using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/ reviews:The Affair with Anna Williamson Story Time with Kayla JadeWaterfront, Netflix The Shark Whisperer, Netflix The Shallows47 Metres DownHouse of Earth and Blood, Sarah J Maas (Crescent City series) Deep Cover, Amazon Prime The Dark Poetry of the Bezos Wedding, AtlanticVogue's Confidently Oblivious Lauren Sánchez Cover Story, Back Row, Substack Khloé Kardashian Is Talking About Her Plastic Surgery Too, The Cut. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re on hols this week, hunnies, but ofc we weren’t going to leave you without an ep! So, we’ve dug into the archives and stitched together one of our very first specials: a *very* juicy two-parter on the iconic Noughties ‘It Girls’ Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and Nicole Richie, which feels extremely relevant right now thanks to the publication of the amazing new book Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves. In this deep-dive, we cover everything from the toxic rise of tabloid culture and the paparazzi, to how this era ended up shaping celebrity and pop culture as we recognise it today. We know most of you haven’t heard this one yet and so we want to rectify that, bc we’re very proud of it! We hope you enjoy and we’ll be back to usual business next week! We would love to hear your thoughts, pop culture recs and future special ideas so DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going x. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s wedding szn hunnies so we get into the bonkers and wonderful world of weddings, from the most absurd and insufferable wedding tropes to our favourite wedding pop culture, including two excellent book recs. Plus, a few top tips from recent bride Kathleen!We really hope you love this bonus special! We would love to hear your thoughts on all things weddings or ideas for future bonus eps, so DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xRecs/reviewsThe FenceThe Wedding People, Alison EspachYou’re Cordially Invited, Amazon PrimeThe Materialists, in cinemas August  The Ballad of Wallis IslandFather of the BrideBridesmaids The Bachelorette An Attempt to Make Sense of the Jennifer Lopez Wedding Industrial-Complex Canon, VultureFour Weddings and FuneralShotgun WeddingTicket to Paradise Crazy Rich AsiansThe Princess DiariesAll Hail the New York Influencer Who Posted TikToks Throughout Her Wedding, The Cut The Happy Couple, Naoise DolanDear Dolly, Should we let a pet dog come to our wedding?. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The backlash against Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover supposedly satirising the male gaze has left us grappling with difficult questions, from how much moral responsibility Sabrina owes her young fans to whether this satire serves any greater purpose. Tying in with the release of Laura Bates’s brilliant new book The New Age of Sexism, we debate everything from how messy female ‘empowerment’ has become and what misogyny actually looks like in our terrifying age of AI. On theme, too, is our review of Alex Cooper’s new documentary about her meteoric Call Her Daddy fame: how does her sexual agency compare to Sabrina’s? And on a lighter note we start off with a juicy debrief on Dua Lipa’s new British Vogue cover. Enjoy hunnies!We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠Recs/reviewDua Lipa, British Vogue Dua Lipa, SkinnyTok and the Labubu doll crazePop Culture Takes Up Smoking Again, New York TimesWhy Are People Mad at Sabrina Carpenter Again, The CutHow Sabrina Carpenter Dream-Come-True'd Her Whole Life, Rolling StoneThe New Age of Sexism: how the AI Revolution is reinventing misogyny, Laura Bates Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Conversation With Lana Del Rey, PitchforkGirl on Girl, Sophie Gilbert Call Her Alex, Disney+ There's more to Alex Cooper than the 'Call Her Daddy' documentary suggests, Washington Post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a big week for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, with the judge dismissing Baldoni’s $400m countersuit against Lively and his $200m defamation suit against the New York Times. Who is now winning and where does that leave the trial in March? We bring you up to speed with all the latest developments, as well as news of another legal drama: nine women have accused Jared Leto of sexual impropriety. Now his ‘Mars Island cult’ feels very disturbing indeed. First up, though, we’re talking babies: from Nara Smith’s fourth pregnancy announcement to Jamie Laing’s podcast rebrand. Plus, a primer on Billie Eilish’s new boyfriend, as well as a much overdue debrief on Maya Jama’s adorable hard launch with Ruben Dias. And is the fallout from Bonnie Blue's now cancelled sex stunt valid? Finally we review BBC’s What It Feels Like for a Girl, which might just be the best show of 2025!Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comReviews/ recs:Chicken tarragon lasagne, So Good by Emily English Pearl, Netflix Sinners, AppleTVNewlyparents podcast What It Feels Like For a Girl, BBC iPlayer 'All of us felt like we had touched gold': What It Feels Like for a Girl, the BBC’s electric coming-of-age tale, Guardian Jake Dunn Is Fiercely Protective of BBC Trans Drama ‘What It Feels Like for a Girl’, Hollywood Reporter What It Feels Like for a Girl star Ellis Howard on frank sex scenes, that toilet brush moment, and the emotional finale, British GQParis Lees and What It Feels Like For An Icon, Polyester Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's $400m defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively, BBCHow Many Times Will Blake Lively Have to Beat Justin Baldoni in Court for It to Matter?, Slate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A friendship ‘breakup’ is an experience more than 80% of women have been through and it can be even more gut-wrenching than ending a romantic relationship. Yet in our society that prioritises romantic over platonic love, there’s no social script for dealing with it. We dive into a topic that still feels like a taboo despite its clear universality, with the help of many of your deeply honest and moving DMs, which proved to us just how devastating – and common – friendship break-ups can be. We cover everything from ghostings and estrangement to boundaries and therapy-speak, as well as how politics, exes and different life stages can lead to rifts and resentment. Hopefully, if you’ve been through something similar, then this ep will help you feel less alone! We really hope you love this bonus special! We would love to hear your thoughts on all things friendship, so DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠. Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xRecsBad Friend, Michelle ElmanBride Wars We Need to Talk about Our Ex Best Friends, ElleBad Friend, Tiffany Watt SmithThe Lingering Wounds of Friendship Breakups, Elle The White Lotus S3 E8, HBO Will Our Friendship Survive Your Baby, New York Magazine  . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s show: BookTok is engulfed in controversy after an Australian rugby star was seemingly handed a book deal after just a month of posting on BookTok and with no former writing experience or manuscript to his name. We discuss the accusations of white male privilege, the inner workings of influencer publishing and whether we need more ‘literary men’ in our age of incel culture. Plus, is Sydney Sweeney selling droplets of her used bath water to male fans genius marketing or normalising objectification? And, following the news of Bella and Gigi Hadid’s secret sister, how wise is genealogical testing? Finally our usual film and TV recs (including a very honest And Just Like That review), and a highly revealing update on the Beckham feud. Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/reviewsSydney Sweeney, Dr Squatch ad The Elysian, Elle Griffin, Substack The disappearance of literary men should worry everyone, New York Times  Demon Copperhead, Barbara KingsolverThe Principle of Moments, Esmie Jikiemi-PearsonEvenings and Weekends, Oisín McKenna (audiobook on BookBeat)The Gift, BBC Radio 4 podcast You’ve found a lost relative. Now what? VoxThe Better Sister, Prime Video Long Bright River, c4Overcompensating, Netflix And Just Like That, NOWTVThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Disney +Mormon wives on swinging scandals, friendship fallouts and religious backlash, BBC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa’s *very* hard launch and rumours of multiple joint TV projects has got us wondering: is this a rare example of a PR relationship? We dive in! Plus, an explainer of TikTok’s Odd Muse drama: can founders get called out without it being bullying? Also, a little look at Kris Jenner’s face lift and how one surgeon seems to be becoming the most popular man in Hollywood. And of course we had to debrief on the Netflix show starring Julianne Moore and Meghann Fahy that everyone is talking about: Sirens. Why are we so obsessed with eat the rich satire and gorgeous cult leaders? Please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going xWe love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠hello@straightuppodcast.co.uk⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audio using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/ reviews Pure flourish sleep tapeMy brain finally broke, New YorkerHow to fix your focus and stop procrastinating, Johann Hari  Aimee Smale on Working Hard, Hardy Working podcast Nine Perfect Strangers, Prime Video Sirens, Netflix Maid, NetflixNetflix’s Sirens will leave you with questions, Hollywood Reporter ‘Sirens’ Creator on the Power of Lilly Pulitzer, Michaela’s Bird Obsession and Turning Greek Myth Into New England Nightmare, VarietyIt must be nice to be a West Village girl, The Cut . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.