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 20, 2022 • 48min
Hold On To Your Ankles Australia, I’m Coming In Dry
Um, yeah, that title is a LOT! Naturally you’ll get a full explain on how those words were assembled into a sentence and dropped in the middle of this podcast. First up though we need to work our way through the shock and disappointment that was the latest email from J’Lo. Yes the wedding that Em and Michael have been anticipating for ages, and had actual fever dreams about, somehow happened in Vegas without anyone even really knowing! There was no pomp and circumstance on a luxury yacht, no full scale pop diva realness, no J’Lo lyrics inserted into the vowels, no nothing. Just some crappy email with a few behind the scenes videos of pretty much NOTHING, how rude! Once we’ve worked through that disappointment, Em will attempt to update us on her speech writing for her National Press Club address, but Michael helps derail most of that. Then we need to talk through the latest obsessions for Em’s three year old Elio. It turns out it’s equal parts creepy doll Sirenhead with a generous sprinkling of a sassy British piglet called Peppa thrown in. Finally there’s the nickname Em’s daughter Odie chose for herself which is pretty much slang for a wang and is now emblazoned across the back of all her sports gear, such fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 13, 2022 • 56min
Vabs, Abs and Babs
We begin by introducing Michael to the viral trend of ‘vabbing’, if you follow Em on socials and you haven’t been up to your neck in the filming of Season 2 of ‘The Newsreader’ like Michael has, then you’d no doubt be well versed in vabbing. You’ll get to hear Michael learn all about it in real time within this episode, swiftly followed by Em and Michael working through all their thoughts and feels and reactions. There’s also a brand new Marvel film to discuss, Em has seen Taika Waitiki’s new effort ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and she’s totes about it, even if the early reviews are saying it aint all that. Finally we need to update you on all the latest in musical theatre news, as we occasionally do. This time around we’ll be focussing on the news that the problematic former star of ‘Glee’, Lea Michele is about to take over the lead in the Broadway edition of ‘Funny Girl’. It’s the show that helped make Barbra Streisand a star so yes Michael will be singing, plus we may even have a few screaming goat cameos too…that’s fair warning right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 6, 2022 • 48min
Flanter
Are you ready for some flirty banter, or flanter? If you’ve seen the hugely successful reality TV franchise ‘Love Island UK’ or its various spinoffs, you’ll be well acquainted with the term ‘flanter’. Thanks to a hideous head cold and a lack of sleep, Em has found herself bingeing bulk episodes of ‘Love Island UK’, she’s got lots of thoughts and feels and even a series of alternative options that are all guaranteed to be ratings winners. Aside from that erotic deep dive, Em and Michael will talk through the table read of the new season of Michael’s Logie award winning series ‘The Newsreader’, we also need to process the news that Australian Idol is back, but only if you’re under 28. Plus Em takes us through the lengths she went through to get herself front and centre with Ash Barty’s inspirational mindset coach Ben Crowe. He’s now on board to help her break through her writer's block ahead of her National Press Club address. So press play and prepare ye-self for maximum hectic, Em role playing with Michael’s Logie, plus an abundance of wheezy cough laughing and other related hilarity throughout as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 29, 2022 • 59min
Barbie & Yoda - A Love Story
Yeah things are about to get weird, so it’s pretty much situation normal here. This week we’ve got Michael offsite and on Zoom as he’s finally succumbed to Covid, but that won’t stop us from giving you everything you never knew you needed. We start with a check in on how lockdown is going, then there’s Em’s iron deficiency to cover off and her obsession with a brand new beauty routine to delve into. We also need to talk through the shocking news of the overturning of ‘Roe vs Wade’ in America. In much lighter and way more exciting news, there’s also a brand new live action Barbie movie filming right now starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Em and Michael are one hungie percent HERE. FOR. IT. (side note, this is where Yoda marries Barbie and Em also reveals which rather buff kids toy really awakened her sexual desires, you are NOT ready). Finally, we gotta reflect the shows we’ve been bingeing, including gay rom com ‘Fire Island’, the final season of the Umbrella Academy, and the hectic first episode of ‘Drag Race France’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 22, 2022 • 51min
Not Just Here Shaking My Ass
Yeah, we’re shaking all of our parts in utter excitement that our very own Michael Lucas can now add Logie winner to his list of achievements. Naturally you’ll get the inside word on Em and Michael’s Logie winning efforts on the Gold Coast over the weekend. You’ll also get a full reaction to the news that a footy player is using their ADHD diagnosis as an explainer for his off field transgressions, Em isn’t a fan and she’s keen for someone to step up and educate the masses about it. Finally, Beyonce has dropped a brand new song called ‘Break My Soul’ and ushered in the Beyaissance, plus Em and Michael spent their downtime on the GC watching the J’Lo Netflix doco ‘Halftime’. Safe to say that they are totally here for both of those things and also can’t wait to give you their hot takes as well. So step into another episode and gorge yourself on all of their thoughts and feels ASAP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 16, 2022 • 32min
MELISSA LEONG - THE BEYONCE OF MASTERCHEF
It’s no secret that Em and Michael are HUGE fans of everything Melissa Leong does, so ahead of the 2022 Logie Awards, we got our favourite Gold Logie nominee into the Emsolation studios. Expect a deep dive into all things Melissa Leong, with the requisite level of appreciation and gushing thrown in. Inside you’ll hear how she reacts to the suggestion she’s the Beyonce of Masterchef, how she achieved peak skills for on-camera eating, what she’s planning to wear, plus Em even offers to write her an acceptance speech. It’s everything you didn’t know you needed from two Logie nominees, in Melissa and Michael, and their equally proud emotional support human and all round hype woman, Em. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 15, 2022 • 45min
DIAMOND ENCRUSTED G-STRING
Over the last few days, we’ve all been gifted some of the greatest pop culture moments ever to be dropped into our social media feeds. Obviously the penultimate moment is Britney Spears getting married to Sketchy Sam. Any event that includes Em and Michael’s favourite Divas like Madonna, Paris Hilton, Donatella Versace, Drew Barrymore, Selena Gomez PLUS the one and only Britney is bound to inspire a level of hysteria worth tapping into. So expect a forensic breakdown of ALL the highlights from Britney’s nuptials, including the fact she rocked a diamond encrusted g-string, boy do we have a LOT of thoughts on that. We’ll also go through the backlash and response from Lizzo over her new single ‘Grrrls’ being called out for using ableist language and how the Sydney Morning Herald attempted to try and out Rebel Wilson. So standby because we’ve got all of the things to say and we are certainly gonna say them, huzzah! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 8, 2022 • 18min
PORTY D ELVIS
Yes we are still on break, but that won’t stop us from giving you treats in the form of downloadable delights like this one. Up first, a full update from Em on her holiday adventures with & without her family in Porty D, which is Em’s new suggested moniker for Port Douglas. Probs more chance than fetch we guess. Finally we take you to Michael straight after he attended the premiere of ’Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis’. You’ll get to hear his first thoughts on the movie he’s describing as “Baz on crack” with much Austin Butler gushing and other treats within as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 1, 2022 • 13min
A LITTLE TREAT
While Em takes a little holiday in the sun, she’s arranged a little surprise listening for your ears. This little audio something, something is probably best revealed by having a listen, after all, what’s better than hearing what your treat is, than to hear it revealed by Em herself, so press play and enjoy the ride. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2022 • 48min
DUN DUN DUUUUN!!!
All of the dramatic music stabs you didn’t know you needed are stuffed in this episode, so prepare to be shook by their dramatic inclusion, plus a bunch of other favourite random audio grabs as well…fuggin hell. Obviously Em and Michael are totes keen to let their political nerd flags fly and talk through their version of the AFL Grand Final, the 2022 Federal Election. Em and Michael spent Election night together consuming all of the coverage, on all of the channels, and they’ve got all of the things to say, plus a few delightful mental side quests too. Then we need to work through the collective frenzy of Em’s audience at her ‘Live and Unleashed’ show at Luna Park in Sydney last week. It was hectic and involved a heady mix of tidy (and not so tidy) voms, broken bones and even 2 ambulances! Apparently Em’s Sydney audience like to get a little rowdy when they get a night out and a few adult cordials under their belts. Naturally all that hecticness inspired Em and Michael to try and remember the moment they got equally hectic together. They remember what that moment is at the exact same time and then give us a selection of highlights from Em’s 30th birthday celebrations in Perth. Fingers crossed we’ll hear way more highlights from that night in a future episode. We promise you’ll get enough of a sampler to wanna hear way more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


