Not Stupid
Not Stupid is the podcast that helps you understand the news of the week and the stories in your social media feed. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fenandez chat about the stories they are obsessed with and the stories you may have missed.
They look at what shapes our politics here in Australia from Anthony Albanese to Peter Dutton. As the Federal Election looms they’ll unpack and explain some of the big issues that might affect your vote.
Jules and Jez also try to explain what’s going on in the world. They both follow US politics closely and will be watching to see what the next Donald Trump presidency means for the US and the world.
But it’s not all about politics. If it is in your Facebook or Instagram feed (or even on X) they will talk about it. They look at the pop culture figures who are shaping our world from Elon Musk to Mr Beast and Ariane Grande.
There’s also a focus on the issues that affect you like the cost-of-living crisis and the duopoly of the Supermarkets Coles and Woolworths. They’ve also looked at microplastics and bushfires, looking at how climate change is affecting us and what impact humans are having on the environment.
The show will also make you laugh or cry. And on a good day, maybe both. They talk about poetry and history, about films and cakes and everything in between. Julia is passionate about grace and forgiveness so they talk a lot about that, but also about resilience and what makes us human.
At the end of each show, Julia and Jeremy talk about their “pick of the week”. It’s something that has made them think or giggle that week from the silliest Guinness World Record attempts to great books and silly Tiktoks.
Latest episodes
Aug 18, 2024 • 7min
Extra Stupid: Jez "Sat Nav" Fernandez
Jeremy would really like to be a "sat nav" voice and when he spoke about it on the show, many of you agreed. Jules and Jez go through the Not Stupid inbox and discuss plans for voiceover world-domination.
Aug 14, 2024 • 32min
Did Raygun break the Olympics?
The Australian female breaking contestant made headlines at the Olympics and everyone has thoughts. Was it larrikinism or inappropriate cultural appropriation? And we know Australia has a gambling problem, but can the Government really tackle gambling ads? SHOW NOTESJULIA'S PICKNick Cave with Leigh SalesJEREMY'S PICKMichigan Lake Swim
Aug 7, 2024 • 32min
We need a better way to deal with gender in sport
We try to unpack the gender fiasco at the Olympic boxing this week. Is there a better way to deal with gender? Also Kamala Harris has a new VP pick and imagine discovering at age 11 that your parents are Russian spies and you've been living a lie.SHOW NOTESTweety the cockatooSat Nav risks
Aug 4, 2024 • 9min
Extra Stupid: How do they make a gold medal anyway?
In this short bonus episode, Jules and Jez try to answer some of the questions we are all googling while sitting on the couch. How do they make an Olympic medal? What else do you win with your medal? And when should commentators just stop talking?
Jul 31, 2024 • 31min
The highs and lows of a very... French Olympics
The Olympics is underway and Jules and Jez are glued to the couch. So what does the Olympics tell us about winning, losing and politics? And in a plot twist that could be straight out of the tv drama Succession, Rupert Murdoch is locked in a legal dispute with his kids.
Jul 24, 2024 • 33min
Kamala won the nomination but what's with the coconuts?
Kamala Harris won the US Democratic nomination this week but the internet is full of memes about coconut trees. So what's that all about and can she win the Presidency? Also Jules and Jeremy were stuck on air with no computers or autocue last Friday when the CrowdStrike tech outage happened. So how did it happen?SHOW NOTESJeremy's pick: I was actually thereJulia's pick: All Fours
Jul 17, 2024 • 32min
Trump got shot but has it made him unbeatable?
The images of Donald Trump's assassination attempt have been everywhere this week, but has it made him unbeatable at the upcoming election? Also, comedian Ellen DeGeneres says she’s leaving showbiz for good and there’s a lot to learn from her career about generational change in the workplace.SHOW NOTESSome of Jeremy's favourite "Letters Live" Olivia Colman reads a novelist's (rather funny) complaint letter to a funeral parlourSara Pascoe reads a hilarious letter asking for clarity on God's Law Sir Ben Kingsley reads a letter written by Gandhi to Hitler
Jul 10, 2024 • 37min
UK votes Labour: Goodbye chaos, hello boring
After 14 years of Conservative government, people in the UK have voted for Labour in a landslide. Given the last few years of global turmoil, do voters just want a little bit of boredom? Also: what key seats there tell us about the Fatima Payman saga here in Australia, and the ability of party politicians to represent a diversity of views in their constituencies. And whether the protection we get from shark nets are worth the harm they cause.
Jul 3, 2024 • 40min
Donald Trump lies, Joe Biden needs the truth
After appearing frail and mixing up words in the US presidential debate, the big question is whether Joe Biden should step down as the Democratic nominee. His family has encouraged him to stay in the race, but is it sometimes kinder to tell someone the hard truth? Also the big banks say they're under attack from scammers 24/7, and Japan gets its first LGBTQI reality show.
Jun 26, 2024 • 36min
Is that a Picasso in the toilet?
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is free, and heading back to Australia, after years of fighting extradition to the United States. How have our thoughts on him changed over the years, and will the way it wrapped up change journalism? Also, the Tories placing bets on their own government's election date, and why Mona is hanging Picassos in the toilets.
