"Uh-Oh, I'm A Finger Princess"

Feb 13, 2026

A chaotic Friday the 13th chat about the incoming Year of the Fire Horse and the superstition, birth-rate myths and pregnancy jitters that surround it. A wide-ranging AI panic: from deepfakes in class photos to students outsourcing uni work and AI-written novels. Petty grievances get hot takes. Plus a goofy debate on being a 'finger princess' — the friend who asks things they could easily Google.

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ANECDOTE

Roadside Python Rescue

Holly Wainwright encountered a large green python on a road and a local man quickly rescued it by grabbing and moving it to safety.
The episode left her admiring practical country know-how and feeling it was a sign at year-end.

insights

INSIGHT

AI-Fabricated School Photos

Schools increasingly use AI to stitch individual student photos into group shots, creating images of moments that never happened.
Claire Murphy and Holly Wainwright worry this erodes authenticity and consent around children's likenesses.

insights

INSIGHT

AI Outsourcing In Universities

University students are widely outsourcing essays and exams to AI, with conservative estimates around 85% usage.
Hosts fear this may produce graduates who haven't learned core skills, even as it might mirror workplace demands.

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Year of the Fire Horse and zodiac reading

01:07 • 3min

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Superstitions, birth rates and horse babies

03:45 • 2min

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Personal pregnancy energy and snake encounter story

05:51 • 4min

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AI images, deepfakes and children’s class photos

10:00 • 2min

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AI in universities and student outsourcing

12:18 • 3min

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When AI still hallucinates: safety relief

15:31 • 2min

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AI in true crime documentaries

17:38 • 6min

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Ethics, authorship and AI-written books

23:37 • 2min

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The petty hills we'll die on

25:48 • 11min

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What is a Finger Princess?

37:08 • 6min

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Weekend recommendations: Wuthering Heights

43:18 • 4min

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Book picks: The Correspondent and true-crime podcast

Great Big Beautiful Life

Emily Henry

No description available.

#6111

• Mentioned in 8 episodes

• Mentioned in 124 episodes

Wuthering Heights

Emily Brontë

Published in 1847, 'Wuthering Heights' is a novel that tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and the foundling Heathcliff, whom her father brings home to Wuthering Heights. The narrative, framed by the visitor Lockwood and the housekeeper Nelly Dean, explores themes of love, revenge, and the cyclical nature of life. Heathcliff's bitter vengeance against those who wronged him drives the plot, which spans generations and delves into the dark, passionate, and often destructive aspects of human nature. The novel is renowned for its dramatic and poetic presentation, its unique structure, and its vivid depiction of the Yorkshire moors as a reflection of the characters' inner lives.

#1714

• Mentioned in 25 episodes

All Fours

Miranda July

Miranda July's "All Fours" is a poignant and unconventional novel that explores themes of aging, mortality, and the complexities of human connection. The narrative unfolds through the experiences of an unnamed narrator grappling with her changing body and relationships. July's writing style is characterized by its intimate and often humorous approach to profound subjects. The book delves into the challenges of intergenerational friendships and the societal obsession with youth. Ultimately, "All Fours" offers a reflective and empathetic portrayal of the human experience.

Outlouders, it’s Friday the 13th and the vibes are… chaotic. From Wuthering Heights to Finger Princesses to The Year of the Fire Horse and our weekly reccos, today's show is A LOT.

We’re about to enter the Year of the Fire Horse and apparently it’s all action, freedom and breakthrough energy. Unless you’re a Pig (sorry, Holly Wainwright). Jessie Stephens and Clare Stephens are claiming this as their zodiac Super Bowl, but there’s a tiny historical footnote involving superstition, falling birth rates and the suggestion Fire Horses are “too wild.” Rude.

And, the robots have taken over your child’s class photo. And no, we're not 'just' talking fixing gappy smiles. Add in AI-cheating uni students, 200-written-in-a-year AI romance novels by one author and its controversial use in true crime documentaries and suddenly we’re asking: are we outsourcing our brains? Or just evolving?

Plus: the petty hills we will absolutely die on. Quiet carriages. TEABAG OUT. No, Coke Zero isn’t fine. Yes, you must wave. The list is long and, at times, unhinged.

And finally… are you a Finger Princess? The friend who asks questions she could very easily Google. We fear it’s us.

Welcome to Friday, friends. It's a vibe.

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Recommendations

Clare recommends the podcast Adrift.

Jessie recommends The Correspondent by Virginia Evans and True Crime Conversation's, The 15-Minute Trial That Found Courtney Herron's Killer Not Guilty.

Holly recommends Wuthering Heights, (the OG) by Emily Bronte.

What To Listen To Next:

Listen to our latest episode: Jessie and Clare Stephens' Weird Twin Shit Just Got Weirder
Listen: An Affair Confession Live On Air
Listen: The Best (And Worst) Generations Of Parents. A Leaderboard!
Listen: The Most Bizarre Celebrity Profile We’ve Ever Read
Listen: Do I Matter? & The Bathroom Taboo
Listen: The Female Emaciation Era — Holly & Jessie Weigh In
Listen: An Urgent Theory About Kim Kardashian & Lewis Hamilton
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Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here including the very latest episode of Parenting Out Loud, the parenting podcast for people who don't listen to... parenting podcasts.

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Watch Mamamia Out Loud:

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What to read:

Day 15 of the robots telling me what to eat.
'Gen Z knows more about AI than their bosses. It's about to change how we all work.'
'I walk straight into them': 17 women on the petty hill they will die on.
We asked women to share their acts of micro-pettiness. Prepare to take notes.
2025 was dominated by the Let Them Theory. 2026 will be Let Them Be Petty.

THE END BITS:

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CREDITS:

Hosts: Clare Stephens, Jessie Stephens & Holly Wainwright

Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine

Executive Producer: Tina Matolov

Audio Producer: Leah Porges

Video Producer: Josh Green

Junior Content Producer: Tessa Kotowicz

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