Big Small Talk
Big Small Talk
Big Small Talk: 5 PM Tuesdays So you want to know what’s happening in parliament, but you also want to know the latest in pop culture? Good, as you should. From the front page to your newsfeeds, no story is too serious, stale, funny or frivolous. Because, if you haven’t realised, loving pop culture doesn’t mean you don’t understand politics. Knowing all your shit? That’s hot. New Episodes 5pm Tuesday. Small Talk: 6 AM Thursdays It might not be tangible news but each week there’s something in the cultural zeitgeist that gets us all talking. We want to unpack these frivolous conversations, from new trends to relationship theories to life advice. In an age of never-ending small talk, we want to examine how these collective thoughts affect the way we see the world. We may even reach out to a few friends and experts to weigh in. Big Talk: Wednesday 6 AM - Last Two Weeks of Every Month Over the past few decades, there have been news headlines so shocking that we still hear and feel their impact, such as Roe V Wade, Monica Lewinsky, Epstein, Mabo and Hillsong. Don’t you think it’s about time you knew all the important and salacious details about the real stories that have happened that shaped our world today? Come on, I know you’re curious.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 29, 2025 • 45min
SMALL TALK: What Are The Rules For Dating This Summer? With Chantelle Otten
We are joined today by the incredible sexologist, content creator and Bumble's very own dating expert, Chantelle Otten! In this episode we chat through a few tips and tricks for those keen on dipping their toes back in the dating scene this summer. From being silly, setting up profiles to picking your pre-date playlist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 28, 2025 • 28min
BIG TALK: The Petrov Affair PART TWO
In part two of our deep dive into the Petrov Affair, we unpack the political chaos that followed one of Australia’s biggest Cold War scandals. The defection of a Soviet spy didn’t just make headlines, it reshaped an election, launched a Royal Commission, and sent the Labor Party spiralling into accusations of communism. We look at how the opposition leader’s desperate attempt to clear his name became a full-blown witch hunt, how fear shaped the nation’s politics, and what life looked like for the Petrov's after the dust settled, trying to then live quietly in Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 28, 2025 • 49min
Lily Allen New Album, Louvre Heist & ADF Class Action
Lily Allen obliterates her ex husband, actor David Harbour, in her new album called West End Girl. Two suspects have been arrested over the Louvre Heist, spoiling the limited fun we have available in these dark times. Ex Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and pop star Katy Perry are confirmed to be dating. A Melbourne based content creator has died after having a home birth. Women are launching a class action lawsuit against the Commonwealth for sexual harassment, assault and discrimination experienced in the Australian Defence Force. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 22, 2025 • 45min
SMALL TALK: Why Aren't We Talking About Menopause? With Myf Warhurst
You might know Myf Warhurst from Spicks and Specks, her years of Radio or as the voice of Aunt Trixie and Indy’s mum on Bluey - but today, we’re diving into a topic that’s rarely talked about, even though it affects half the population: menopause. It’s something every woman will go through, yet most of us know next to nothing about it until it’s already happening. People write into our Q Box saying they have to do so much research just to know what to even ask their GP - and that’s wild. In this episode, we chat with Myf about what she learned making her documentary 'The Truth About Menopause', how the conversation is finally shifting, and why bringing menopause out of the shadows isn’t just important for women but is something everyone should be part of. Whether you’re going through it, about to, or know someone who will, this is a must-listen. Listen to Myf's podcast Watch 'The Truth About MenoPause' on ABC i-View See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 21, 2025 • 31min
BIG TALK: The Petrov Affair PART ONE
In this Big Talk, we are very excited to be unpacking the world of spies during the Cold War. The Cold War was one nerve-wracking periods in modern history. So in part one, we explore how its paranoia, politics, and power struggles impacted the whole world, but specifically, Australia. We’ll look at how this global rivalry between the Western and Eastern nations sparked the creation of ASIO and how everyday fears of communist infiltration seeped into our politics, our media, and the public’s imagination. But at the centre of this Cold War storm was a truly wild Australian story: the Petrovs. In this episode we begin to tell the story of Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov, Soviet diplomats living a quiet life in Canberra - until it was revealed they were actually Soviet spies leaking information back to the USSR. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 21, 2025 • 51min
Kim Kardashian, Prince Andrew & Trump Hates Rudd
Albanese finally gets his meeting with Donald Trump. Trump insults Kevin Rudd while he sat across from him at the table. Also in Aus Pol this week, Barnaby Joyce defecting to One Nation? Kim Kardashian Is One Of The Latest Celebs On The Call Her Daddy Podcast, Streamed Well Over A Million Times. Prince Andrew has given up his royal titles, and is now being investigated bt the London Metropolitan Police. Victoria Secret Fashion Show is back for 2025. Candace Owens Australian visa case has gone to the High Court, and she lost. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 15, 2025 • 52min
SMALL TALK: Why Do We Yearn So Much For Girlhood? With Sophie Gilbert
This week we’re joined by Sophie Gilbert — writer, critic for The Atlantic, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of Girl on Girl. We dive into the rise of “girlhood” as an online identity — why it resonated so deeply, how it became a brand, and what it says about how women are seen (and see themselves). From the internet’s obsession with returning to girlhood to our protectiveness around Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter’s star power, and the lasting imprint of 90s and 2000s pop culture, we unpack how nostalgia, femininity, hyper sexualisation and marketing collided to shape a generation. Sophie Gilbert appears in Sydney on 16 October presented by Sydney Writers Festival, in Canberra on 17 October presented by Canberra Writers Festival and in Melbourne at The Wheeler Centre on Tuesday 21 October.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 14, 2025 • 56min
Gaza Ceasefire, AI Actress 'Tilly Norwood' & Parliament Sports Club
Israel and Hamas have agreed to Trump’s “peace plan”, with a ceasefire taking effect and the release of hostages. Move Over, Humans !! AI Actress Tilly Norwood Can Cry on Cue, Upload Her Own Headshots, Never Age Out of a Role or Never Needs An Intimacy Co-ordinator! David Pocock is kicked out of the Parliamentary Sports club. Oscar Award Winning Actress Diane Keaton has died, aged 79. An online “wellness” blogger has been found to have influenced her daughter’s death Lorde, Clairo, and Hayley Williams Join ‘No Music for Genocide’ Campaign, Geo-Blocking Their Music in IsraelSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 8, 2025 • 40min
SMALL TALK: Have You Ever Been Called Too Much? With Anisa Nandaula
Anisa is champion slam poet turned successful stand up comedian who has opened for likes of Chelsea Handler. In this Small Talk we chat about what it is like making a name for yourself in the comedy space, navigating Australian culture and humour after moving to Queensland from Uganda at eight years old, handling the love and making light of the awful comments on TikTok. Oh, and considering Anisa is the Gen Z caption on the show 'Talkin About Your Gen', I also ask if she thinks Gen Z is being 'too much' or not. Safe to say we cover a lot of ground!! Follow Anisa on Instagram HERE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 7, 2025 • 39min
The Life Of A Showgirl, Greta Thunberg & Bad Bunny
Greta Thunberg and other members of the Global Sumud Flotilla have been deported, after being abducted and physically abused by Israeli soldiers. Taylor Swift has released her new album, Life Of A Showgirl - we dissect her love with Travis Kelce, her diss track about Charli XCX, her being a 'father figure' in the industry and cultivating loyalty from her 'protege's' and her take on cancel culture. Bad Bunny has been announced as this year's Super Bowl halftime show, and has used his latest gig as the host of SNL to share his excitement. New low reached: the US Government is in shut down. Trump is blaming the 'radical democrats' + an explainer on what this really means for the US. The Murdoch’s are trying to buy Tik Tok, in yet another episode of Succession.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
