Emsolation
Em Rusciano
Join multi-media maven Em Rusciano—writer, singer, comedian, producer, podcast princess, and disability advocate—and her best friend of 30 years, award-winning screenwriter Michael Lucas (Offspring, Party Tricks, Rosehaven, The Newsreader), each week for an unpredictable mix of deeply personal anecdotes, obsessive pop culture dissections, and truly unhinged movie and TV reviews. If you’re after a show full of humour, heart, and hot takes, we’ve got good news for you!We should also warn you: Emsolation isn’t just a podcast—it’s a community. A place where listeners feel seen, heard, and thoroughly entertained.Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’re here. You’re now an official Emsolator.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 30, 2025 • 37min
Sex Sells, Secretly Ripped Celebs & The Hottest 100
Apparently sex sells, or at least Michael’s gutters are appealing enough to help the pod secure more subscribers. So look out, as Em and Michael ask you to suggest sexy attire for them to wear in an upcoming episode.
Then inspired by Michael’s gutter reveal, it’s onto the celebs revealing they are secretly fit during the week, like Sam Reid’s latest pic as ‘Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat’ for Season 3 of ‘Interview with the Vampire’ and the Men's Fitness cover reveal of Sasha Baron Cohen’s glow-up for Marvel’s ‘Ironheart’.
Then Em reveals everything that happened when she went to the pub with her daughters and their friends for the reveal of Triple J’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, including her favourite moment EVER with The Veronicas.
We also get side quests into Em taking to her extensions with vintage tin cutters, New Zealand’s view of Australia, Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry having dinner, Barbra Streisand dating Justin’s dad, plus Destiny’s Child reforming at Beyonce’s concert.
Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em offers commentary on the World Massage Championships, plus there’s an Elio update, a ‘Big Boys’ TV series review and hot hunks house cleaning chat too.
You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of both episodes back to back via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 23, 2025 • 37min
Swingathon, Gwyneth's Love of Tea Bags & Michael’s Got Gutters For Days!
DO NOT Listen To This Episode with Children Present! But if you just pressed play and ignored the title and this description, it’s officially your fault mmmkay. Within this episode Em (fresh from cutting her own fringe) and Michael (freshly shaved whilst also rocking a gutter revealing crop top) will be discussing a new game Em stumbled on, that apparently happened at an alternative lifestyle festival in the UK called Swingathon. The three-day event featured pole dancing, foam parties, hot tubs, mobile dungeons, and a game called b*tt-plug bingo. There’s also a new biography coming out about Gwyneth Paltrow which apparently reveals Gwyneth’s favourite Ben Affleck bedroom activity. Plus J’Lo has been accused of being a softcore p*rn artist by journalist Megyn Kelly after footage of her Spanish concert appeared online. Em and Michael will watch the video in question and decide if it’s truly worth clutching pearls over or not. Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Michael’s read Em’s full ‘Blood, Sweat & Glitter’ manuscript and has a complete spoiler-free review prepared, plus he’s written the foreword for the book which also needs to be discussed. You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of both episodes back to back via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 16, 2025 • 34min
‘All The Sharks’, Lena Dunham’s ‘Too Much’ & Em’s Eyebrow Fail
After a fit check to start the show Michael reveals he got his first grey chest hair, this ushers in Em’s admission that she’s getting grey eyebrow hairs. Turns out the 90’s obsession with thin eyebrows and her noughties work around of microblading has delivered an annoying outcome, plus we compare and contrast Em and Michael’s beauty routines as well. There’s an update on Em’s book, then it’s onto the new Netflix game show ‘All The Sharks’ and the UK team that has piqued Em’s interest, Sarah and Dan of the aptly named ‘The Great British Bait Off’. After a deep dive on that, Em and Michael compare and contrast their differing reactions to the new Lena Dunham series ‘Too Much’, with a side quest into Em’s admission that she is actually LOVING the new season of ‘And Just Like That’. Then in our Sealed Section on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em gets Michael to give us his full review of the new ‘Superman’ movie, plus they discuss Elon Musk’s political party & MAGA’s meltdown over the Epstein files. You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of both episodes back to back via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 9, 2025 • 55min
In Conversation with Montaigne
Today Em sits down to chat with Aussie singer, songwriter, producer, performer, gamer, activist and former Eurovision contestant, Montaigne, aka Jessica Cerro about their first independent album ‘It’s Hard to Be a Fish’.
It’s being described as a strange, tender epic - a record about family, survival, disconnection and the slow work of becoming whole. Em described it as looking directly into the sun and one of the most beautiful things she has ever heard.
Together they discuss how the new album successfully brings together the trio of dealing with the mother wound, late-stage capitalism, and environmental catastrophe through the lens of pop music. Covering everything from the impact of intergenerational trauma, particularly from her Filipino heritage, and her decision to go no-contact with her mother, through to microdosing mushrooms, being an independent artist in today’s music industry, their Eurovision experience and so much more.
Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service, Emsolation Extra, Michael comes bearing gifts for Em, they discuss the new ‘Superman’ movie and Michael’s deep love of the franchise, his mum visiting the set of his partner Adrian's new movie and the Mushroom trial.
You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of it via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 8, 2025 • 37min
K-Pop Demon Hunters, Em’s Legging Vendetta & Bezos' 50 Million Dollar Wedding
It’s the Netflix movie that’s taken over Em’s entire personality and you better believe we are gonna be talking about it A LOT - ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’. Michael’s seen it and is ready to give his feedback too.
Then after a full ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ gush, it’s onto Elio’s recent betrayal during a visit to the park and how it also inspired Em’s campaign against whoever created the centre seam on leggings. Plus Michael is keen to discuss the end of times that was the wedding between Amazon owner Jeff Bezos and media personality and astronaut Lauren Sanchez.
The gross display of excessive wealth reportedly cost over 50 million dollars and saw over 90 private jets flying into Venice with guests like Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Oprah and the Kardashians turning up for it too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 25, 2025 • 29min
Our ‘Materialists’ Review, Em’s Dental Drama & Logies Noms
It's an Emsolation episode for the ages! Em and Michael are back in the studio and we're talking all things Rom-Coms with a deep dive (and some spoilers!) into Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans' new movie, ‘Materialists’. What happens when Em, Michael, his husband Adrian, and his mum Jo, rock up to a screening of the 2025 edition of a rom-com?
You’re about to find out as Em and Michael give you their full review, plus Em reveals why one scene in particular absolutely sent her, so much so that she posted about it on her socials. Plus, Em's shocking dental saga is about to come to a glorious conclusion, and we look at who has and hasn’t been nominated for this year's Logies, including our very own Michael.
Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em’s been watching Season 2 of ‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ and Michael’s husband Adrian has started filming his first feature film, a horror movie called ‘Leviticus’.
You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of it via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 18, 2025 • 15min
A Sealed Section Sampler - Elon, Trump, Katy Perry & the ‘Elio’ Premiere
Here’s your exclusive sampler of what’s on offer inside our Sealed Section on our premium service Emsolation Extra this week. There’s MUCH to discuss, in fact there is so much to discuss that Em and Michael have to gloss over some of it, like J’Lo’s very high cut “tuck” for her performance at World Pride.
Then it’s onto Em’s latest obsession, Donald Trump’s military parade for his birthday, from how much it cost, to its lacklustre turnout, and the huge crowds who instead turned up for the “No King” protests on the same day.
Then we have to cut it before we get into chatting about the situation unfolding in Los Angeles, plus Em and Michael discuss Em’s role in the new Pixar film ‘Elio’. They review the movie and talk about the premiere, as well as the realities of Em taking her son Elio to see it with her too.
Finally they discuss Katy Perry’s Melbourne concert with the help of comedian Joel Creasey, plus Emsolator Hayden gives us his review of the concert and reveals what it was like being at the gay club that Katy turned up to after the show as well.
You can get access and listen to all of that and MORE for just $1.87 a week, or watch the full video of it via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 5, 2025 • 38min
In Conversation with Cynthia Erivo
It’s the reunion we’ve all been waiting for since they connected and cried together during the ‘Wicked’ press tour. Now, with her brand new album ‘I Forgive You’ finally available to download and stream, Em reunites with one of her personal heroes, the one and only Cynthia Erivo.
Together they revisit the tears that somehow had the whole world crying (or weirdly in some cases seething with anger). There’s also chat about Cynthia’s recent Coachella performance, the elite level of her attire on the day and why the ‘Waiting to Exhale’ soundtrack is the best movie soundtrack EVER!
Then it’s on to reviewing and discussing her new album ‘I Forgive You’, which Em has had an advance copy of that she’s been playing on repeat. Naturally Em’s gone deep in her analysis and review of it, MUCH to Cynthia’s utter joy, so prepare to discover layers to the album you might have missed, and hear about the inspiration and difficulty of writing and recording it.
Finally Em also manages to squeeze in a quick chat about Cynthia hosting the upcoming Tony Awards and also how not ready she is to witness Cynthia and Ariana Grande take on ‘For Good’ in Wicked 2, with Cynthia offering some VERY useful advice about seeing the movie.
Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em and her bestie Michael talk baby goats, Lady Gaga’s Tudum appearance, new season ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Hacks’, plus they dive into the controversy over Patti Lupone’s latest interview.
You can sign up and listen for $1.87 a week, or watch weekly video episodes via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 28, 2025 • 39min
J’Lo, the AMAs & Theo James' Dolce & Gabbana Ad: An Emsolation Deep Dive
We begin this deep dive by analysing the recent American Music Awards hosted by Jennifer Lopez, aka J’Lo. There’s the sniff of MAGA about the entire show plus the obsession for famous women of a certain age, like J’Lo, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani & Janet Jackson, to not actually age. There’s a side quest into Lindsay Lohan’s restorative juicing routine, plus all the other AMA “moments” worth reflecting.
The ageless divas obsession also brings up how much women are expected to do, with a side quest into the Human Rights lawyer who recently ran and won an ultramarathon, whilst breast feeding her 6 month old baby along the route, because of course she did.
Then it’s onto the problematic history of Dolce and Gabbana before we ‘Okay, Stop!’ the new D&G fragrance commercial with Theo James. Then Em gives us her one page TED talk on why it’s okay to be ogling Theo James. In our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em hilariously details how she shot her own nude photo shoot alone in her office after hours to launch her new book cover.
You can sign up and listen for $1.87 a week, or listen and watch the video of our main episode via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 21, 2025 • 28min
The Weeknd's Ego Trip, Perth Bears Confusion & Em's Ballroom Bliss!
The whirlwind US tour won and done, Em and Michael are back on home turf at Down the Hill Studios and getting up close and personal whilst comparing bicep bulges…wait is this real life? Has this become a toxic bro podcast without us even realising it?
Speaking of toxic, the Weeknd has a new movie out called ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’, he wrote it, produced it and stars in it with Jenna Ortega. The Daily Beast called it a “feature length ego stroke of monumental hubris and the worst film of the year” so naturally Em and Michael are mad keen to discuss it and watch it.
Then we’re talking sport…wait, what? Yep, only because Em is living for the fact a gay men’s group called the Bears Perth have been inundated with interstate membership requests after the NRL announced WA’s very first NRL team, the Perth Bears, perfect.
There’s also side quests into Susan Boyle, Em’s upcoming book release and her residency singing with her band and friends every Monday in July at the Brunswick Ballroom, tickets are on sale NOW!
Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em and Michael discuss the Netflix comedy series ‘The Four Seasons’, the shock breakup of the Liberal-National Coalition, Chris Jenner’s face, Amy Poehler’s podcast and so much MORE!
You can sign up and listen for $1.87 a week, or listen and watch the video of our main episode via the Supercast website for $2.50 a week at emsolation.supercast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices