Straight Up

Ethical non-monogamy, platonic friendships and TikTok dating coaches: we get into all manner of divisive topics this week, huns, before a big old debate on North West, who has recently reignited the nepo-baby conversation with her controversial performance as Simba in the Lion King. Should adults be critiquing a child on the internet? And how does Kim and Kanye’s parenting approach figure? Speaking of, the Kardashians have returned to Disney for a new season and the elephant in the room is Ozempic. From Kylie and Kims’ shrinking frames, to scenes blatantly showing Wegovy in Scott Dissick’s fridge – are they now knowingly positioning themselves as the poster family for weight loss drugs? And how do we as a society navigate the glamorisation of Ozempic; can the benefits really outweigh the side effects? Next is a look at Will Smith’s upcoming comeback, why Brad Pitt’s daughter is dropping his surname and, finally, a review of the new Netflix series everyone’s talking about, Eric, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent, a puppeteer in 1980s New York whose nine-year-old son goes missing. Is Eric the most divisive show of 2024? DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reccos discussed: Sentimental Garbage, Caroline O’Donoghue  Aubrey Marcus on the dark side of open relationships, Diary of a CEO  Where Have All My Guy Friends Gone? The Cut Gone Girl (the ‘cool girl’ monologue) The Case for Marrying an Older Man by Grazie Sophia Christie, The Cut The Cult of the Provider Man, The Cut  The Kardashians Season Five on Disney + Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs by Johann Hari Our review of Jada Pinkett’s memoir (19 Oct 2023 episode) Eric, Netflix Eric review – Benedict Cumberbatch will win awards for this wildly ambitious drama, The Guardian Eric review: Benedict Cumberbatch excels as a weirdo in dark, misanthropic missing-child drama, The Independent Eric Shows Everything That’s Wrong With Mid TV, The Atlantic  Dark Days (2000 documentary film)  Machinal at The Old Vic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Lopez’s latest film has arrived on Netflix and, phew, do we have thoughts! From its botched messaging around AI, to J.Lo’s absurd (if admirable) commitment to her role as a serious scientist, we review Atlas in all its ridiculousness before debriefing on the latest Bennifer drama. Are the reports suggesting that Jen and Ben are separating after less than a year of marriage really true? And can Ben Affleck possibly be claiming temporary insanity as grounds for divorce? Also this week, we recommend The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, a charming rom-com meets action thriller about a stuntman that promises good vibes and classic Gosling unlikely leading man energy. And finally, an update on Sarah Jessica Parker, whose recent podcast appearances show an intriguingly different side to the ‘cruel’ one we’ve read about amid all the SATC drama.  DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!Thanks so much to our amazing partner London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Things discussed:  MOTH Drinks and Vinca Wine The Mother, Netflix Atlas, Netflix The Fall Guy Babylon starring Margot Robbie  A Quiet Place Glad We Had this Chat, with Caroline Hirons  Ruthie’s Table with Sarah Jessica Parker This Is Not A Pity Memoir, Abi Morgan Eric (Netflix) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophie Turner has given a tell-all interview to Vogue all about her explosive divorce from Joe Jonas, her experience of mum-shaming, her mental health, and becoming friends with Taylor Swift. We have MANY thoughts (and a few hot takes), which prompted a look at how so much mum-shaming online in the UK is linked to classism and slut-shaming. Plus, Ellie has seen Challengers and reveals whether it's up to the hype.DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!Thanks so much to our amazing partner:London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reccs discussed  Sophie Turner Talks Mum-Shaming, Misogyny And Why The Best Is Yet To Come, British Vogue Joan (coming to ITV in Autumn)  "My abortion story went viral - because even though I wanted it, the process was still painful", Cosmopolitan  Nelly London’s reel ‘I joined the childfree movement - and discovered its dark side’, Beth Ashley for Inews  Sluts: The truth about slutshaming and what we can do to fight it, Beth Ashley  Nicholas Galitzine interview, GQ Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, Netflix  All anyone wants is a hot rodent boyfriend, Dazed  Eudelo inaugural facial, Eudelo Sloane Avenue London Mr Bao and Daddy Bao, Peckham and Tooting  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiona Harvey, the woman unearthed as 'the real-life Martha' by internet sleuths following the wild success of Baby Reindeer, gave a highly controversial interview to Piers Morgan on his YouTube channel last week, so of course we had to debrief. Was she lying? Was Piers wrong to interview her? What are the ethics of all this? Plus, since we love an age gap, we discuss Kate Moss holding hands with a 27-year-old Skip Marley, while Ellie has read a brilliant memoir on living a single life and has many wise nuggets to share with us all. DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!Thanks so much to our amazing partner:London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reccs this week: This Is Not A Pity Memoir by Abi Morgan  The Split, BBC Dark Matter, Apple TV Arrangements in Blue by Amy Key Sex and the City Season 6, Episode 9: A Woman's Right to Shoes Dear Dolly: ‘My boyfriend of 12 years doesn’t want to get married’, The Times One Pot, One Portion by @good_food_mood__ on TikTok Piers Morgan Uncensored interview with Fiona Harvey  New Moth cocktails – Paloma and Cosmopolitan, www.mothdrinks.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dua Lipa’s third album came out last week, huns, and we had such high hopes. So why has Radical Optimism fallen a little flat for us? This got us discussing the general ‘mood’ around the superstar: is she reaching her potential? And how authentic is her media empire, Service95, At Your Service podcast and her new production company Radical22? Plus, we’ve both watched the much-hyped new Anne Hathaway rom-com, The Idea of You, which explores the relationship between a 40-year-old divorcee and the 24-year-old frontman of a superstar boyband (Nicholas Galitzine), based on the hit 2017 novel of the same name. And finally, Kathers gives us the lowdown on the new season of Pandora Sykes’s new podcast, How Do We Know If We’re Doing it Right.Thanks so much to our amazing partners:London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AMBL, the London reservations app that finds you incredible restaurants and bars in real time, tailored to you, from vibe to cuisine to cocktails and live music! Search Ambl in the App store;⁠ ambl.coRecs discussed Dua Lipa, Radical Optimism (album) Dua Lipa, Service95 (newsletter) Dua Lipa, At Your Service (podcast) Dua Lipa Manifested All of This, Time magazine Dua Lipa on pop, psychedelics and proving her haters wrong, The Guardian The Idea of You by Robinne Lee (book) The Idea of You, Amazon Prime Anne Hathaway Is Too Hot for 'The Idea of You', The Cut The Mother (2003), Amazon Prime Anne Hathaway on Tuning Out the Haters and Embracing Her True Self, Vanity Fair How Do We Know If We’re Doing it Right podcast, Pandora Sykes Decolonising My Body, Afua Hirsch Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging, Afua Hirsch  Omnilux contour face mask Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bridge will soon be back on our screens with a new love interest we are VERY excited to see: young Leo Woodall. Do we like this 28 year age gap for our fave clumsy hun? We discuss! Plus, why everyone is talking about the steamy new psychosexual film Challengers, and why its star Zendaya is becoming one of the most powerful people in Hollywood. Also: our thoughts on Billie Eilish’s highly candid Rolling Stone interview, why J Lo’s is having some personal PR problems, and a debrief on Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper’s wedding.Thanks so much to our incredible partners:Innermost Nutrition, our favourite new plant protein that's actually really good for you, full of immune-boosting ingredients, a whopping 31g of plant protein and no nasty additives. It's stocked in Ocado, John Lewis, and Soho House, or visit⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LiveInnermost.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AMBL, the London reservations app that finds you incredible restaurants and bars in real time, tailored to you, from vibe to cuisine to cocktails and live music! Search Ambl in the App store; ambl.coReccs discussedBridget Jones Diary 4: Spoilers, cast, trailer and plot, elle.comZendaya talks Challengers, talks to Serena Williams and considers her future, VogueJimmy Carr: "There's A Crisis Going On With Men!", Diary of a CEO Challengers, in cinemas nowDune: Part Two, Netflix'Challengers' Star Josh O'Connor Is Filthy in Every Movie, Vulture 3 Body Problem, Netflix The Last of Us, HBOBlue Lights, BBCBillie Eilish Would Like to Reintroduce Herself, Rolling StoneHack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut, NetflixMeet Emily English, the nutritionist everyone’s talking about, The Times The Truth About Nutrition With Em The Nutritionist, Working Hard, Hardly Working podcast Yuka app The Call Her Daddy breakup, Shameless podcast Inside Alex Cooper And Matt Kaplan’s Intimate Beachside Wedding In Riviera Maya, Vogue  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baby Reindeer is of course our main talking point this week, huns, as we debate the deeply ironic investigation undertaken by internet sleuths trying to uncover Martha and Darrien’s real identities. Sure, to uncover the ‘truth’ behind the chilling story of stalking is tempting, but is it fair to speculate when Richard Gadd has asked us not to? Ellie has also watched Nicola Peltz Beckham’s toe-curlingly vain attempt at filmmaking, Lola, and we mull over whether it could ever be OK for a billionaire’s daughter to write a screenplay from the perspective of a working class stripper. And of course we had to give our verdict on Taylor Swift’s new record, including an inside look at the power moves of her longtime publicist Tree Paine. Please do send us a DM @straightuppod or email hello@straightuppod.co.uk. We absolutely LOVE hearing from you and so appreciate it. LYSM! Thanks so much to our amazing podcast partners:Innermost Nutrition, our favourite new plant protein that's actually really good for you, full of immune-boosting ingredients, a whopping 31g of plant protein and no nasty additives. It's stocked in Ocado, John Lewis, and Soho House, or visit⁠⁠ ⁠⁠LiveInnermost.com⁠⁠⁠⁠London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reccos discussed this week:  Baby Reindeer, Netflix ‘I was severely stalked and severely abused’: Richard Gadd on the true story behind Baby Reindeer, the Guardian Baby Reindeer review – Richard Gadd's solo theatre debut is a haunting hour, the Guardian  Richard Gadd: how I turned my stalking nightmare into a Netflix drama, The Times Nicola Peltz Beckham, a billionaire’s daughter, made a movie about abject poverty. It’s as bad as you think, the Guardian  Memmo Alfama terrace bar, Lisbon  Magnolia restaurant, Lisbon  Mama Shelter rooftop, Lisbon  Praia da Adraga beach (one hour from Lisbon)  Nat's nourishments harissa potatoes There Are Plenty of Power Publicists. But Only One Works for Taylor Swift, Wall Street Journal Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Amy Winehouse biopic is finally out, but Back to Black has bitterly divided critics and fans. Some are disgusted by the ‘sanitisation’ of key figures such as her dad Mitch Winehouse and former husband Blake Fielder-Civil, while others are delighted to see a film that doesn’t revel in the sordid details of her drug addiction. We get into the thorny debate around the Sam Taylor-Johnson directed ‘love story’, starring Marisa Abela and Jack O’Connell, as well as the wild recent reporting on how Mitch is currently suing two of Amy’s best friends for auctioning off items she gave them. First, though, we give our verdicts on Netflix’s Scoop, the thrilling dramatisation of Prince Andrew’s car-crash Newsnight interview from 2019, told from the perspective of BBC celebrity booker Sam McAllister, played by an excellent Billie Piper. How accurate is the show when spotlighting the inner workings of celebrity booking? DM us your thoughts on Instagram @straightuppod, and let us know what you’d like us to cover next week! And as ever please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, lysm!Reccos discussed: Scoop, Netflix Prince Andrew would 'scream and shout' if his 72 teddies were not put back properly, Express Wendy Ide on Scoop for The Guardian Clarisse Loughgrey on Scoop for The Independent Peter Bradshaw on Scoop for The Observer Off the Fence newsletter on Scoop, Substack (9 April edition) Sam McAlister, Emily Maitlis and the drama behind Netflix’s Scoop, Telegraph Civil War (in cinemas now) My Amy by Tyler James A Private War (film and book) Back To Black (in cinemas now) Sam Taylor-Johnson on art, age gaps and Amy Winehouse, The Guardian It’s a grotesque insult for Back to Black to suggest Amy Winehouse died of heartache over her childlessness, Laura Snapes for The Guardian   The Amy Winehouse I knew — by our critic, Will Hodkingson for The Times  The row raging between Amy Winehouse’s father and her best friends, The Times Emily The Criminal, Netflix Thanks so much to our amazing podcast partners:Innermost Nutrition, our favourite new plant protein that's actually really good for you, full of immune-boosting ingredients, a whopping 31g of plant protein and no nasty additives. It's stocked in Ocado, John Lewis, and Soho House, or visit⁠ ⁠⁠LiveInnermost.com⁠⁠⁠London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s yet another headline-grabbing ‘feminist’ debate raging on the internet, angels, so we give you the lowdown on The Cut’s viral piece The Case for Marrying an Older Man, from the intellectualization of gold digging (lol) to the persistent cultural misinterpretations of Lolita. Next, we debrief on the exposé on Andrew Huberman, the world’s biggest pop scientist and host of the third biggest podcast globally. How did the self-styled Mr Perfect manipulate six different women into believing they were his only partner? And should his questionable personal choices have bearing on his work? Very fittingly, we also cover the allegations detailed in Rebel Wilson’s book against Sacha Baron Cohen, including a look back at his highly questionable output, and he and Isla Fisher’s announcement last week that they are going through divorce. Finally, we recommend Lily Allen’s new podcast Miss Me, and chat all things Cowboy Carter and virginity. Please do leave a review on Apple, and send us love, feedback and gossip on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠, our DMS are always open and we love chatting with you!Thanks so much to our partners:Innermost Nutrition, our favourite new plant protein that's actually really good for you, full of immune-boosting ingredients, a whopping 31g of plant protein and no nasty additives. It's stocked in Ocado, John Lewis, and Soho House, or visit ⁠⁠LiveInnermost.com⁠⁠London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reccs discussed: The Case for Marrying an Older Man by Grazie Sophia Christie, The Cut  Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Andrew Huberman’s Mechanisms of Control, The Cut My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie The Exes Who Froze Embryos and Regret It, The Cut Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke The Molecule of More by Dr Daniel Z Lieberman  Uncovering the Higher Truth about Jay Shetty, Guardian  Miss Me with Lily Allen and Miquita Oliver (podcast) The Hunks Du Jour Need to Start Having Fun on Instagram Again, Vulture  All of You (film) Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do the tabloids write about Katie Price nearly every day? The former glamour model better known as Jordan has said in a recent interview that her relationship with the media has changed from a ‘game’ to ‘mental health abuse’, so we get into what has prompted such a media frenzy. And, is it hypocritical of Price to say women in their 20s shouldn’t get cosmetic surgery? We also give our brutally honest thoughts on Channel 4’s much hyped new millennial comedy about mental illness, Big Mood, while Kathleen’s review of The Gentlemen, starring Kaya Scodelario (aka Effy from Skins) prompts a trip down memory lane…Vote in our Spotify poll, leave a review on Apple, and send us love, feedback and gossip on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod, our DMS are always open and we love chatting with you! Thanks so much to our partners:Innermost Nutrition, our favourite new plant protein that's actually really good for you, full of immune-boosting ingredients, a whopping 31g of plant protein and no nasty additives. It's stocked in Ocado, John Lewis, and Soho House, or visit ⁠LiveInnermost.com⁠London Nootropics, our fave adaptogenic coffee that naturally actually boosts mental clarity and physical energy, while also easing anxiety, all without any of coffee's usual jitters. We are obsessed and you will be too! Get 20% OFF YOUR BOX with the DISCOUNT CODE straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.