Straight Up

Get ready for another cultural debrief gang, because this week our guest once again cancelled at the last minute. Celebs, ey? Don’t fear however, hunnies, because to make up for it we have an extra fast-paced and fun one for you all. First up, we chat Industry, the HBO drama about young, ruthless bankers that has arrived on BBC iPlayer for a second season. As big fans of the first season, we  just have to ask: why are the characters suddenly so predictable? Why is Harper so unlikable? And why have they gone so hard on the sex scenes? The New Statesman called it “ porn posing as prestige TV” and we think they’ve got a point (although that’s not to say we didn’t really quite enjoy it).Then, Ellie fills Kathleen in on Triangle of Sadness, the new, absolutely hilarious, pitch-black comedy from celebrated Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund about a yacht that sinks, leaving the super-rich survivors – including a fashion model celebrity couple – trapped on an island. It’s Östlund’s English language feature film debut and El’s is calling it the funniest thing she’s seen this year.Finally, we turn our attention to the murky world of true-crime, as Netflix’s Dahmer, a dramatisation of the life and crimes of serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, continues to stir up controversy. Is the genre as morally indefensible as the journalist Anna Leszkiewicz argues? Recommendations discussed: Industry S2 on BBC iPlayer How my friends struck gold with a TV show about badly behaved city boys by Ed Cumming for The Telegraph Triangle of Sadness Force Majeure Kiss the Ground on Netflix (the Woody Harrrelson climate doc – NOT Mud, sorry guys, ha) Dhamer on Netflix The Staircase on HBO Serial S01 E13: Adnan is Out Abolish True Crime By Anna Leszkiewicz for New Statesman What Makes a Murderer on Channel 4Enjoy, leave us a review, and please do hop into our DMs @straightuppod to let us know what you think!Kathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sorry for the late episode this week hunnies… the kitten ate our homework. Ok, not quite – though Kathleen does have a new kitten – but actually we had our celeb guest reschedule last minute. And, instead of leaving you all in the lurch (because obv you can’t get through the weekend without us), we did recorded a spontaneous deep dive into the topic EVERYONE is talking about this week: Kanye’s disastrous Paris fashion week, in which he wore and presented a White Lives Matter T-Shirt.And then, because Kathleen is actually a Kardashian academic (ok, not really, but almost), we thought we would also  treat you to a thorough dissection of the Kardashian Klan: from Kimye's twisted mythology (ft an excellent The New Yorker piece on why their trajectory is modelled on The Incredibles by @Kardashian_Kolloqium's MJ Corey) to Kourtney’s work ethic and Khloe’s body positivity. Plus, important questions: is Kim a good role model? Is money her main motivator? Are Kanye & her in a secret business partnership? And was her relationship with Pete scripted by Hulu? Dive in! Enjoy, leave us a review, and hop into our DMs @straightuppod to let us know what you think of the whole wild saga. We'd love to know!Kathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey huns! Autumn is finally upon us so we recorded this among plenty of scented candles and some steaming mugs of tea, while sinking our teeth into yet MORE controversy, this time about much-talked about new Marilyn Monroe film, Blonde, which has been accused of 'torture porn' and exploiting Marilyn's life. Ellie went to see the film on Sunday and gives us the DL, while we both give our verdict on Don't Worry Darling, having seen it after our blow-by-blow account of all the drama last week. And guess what... there's yet more drama!! Kathleen also shares her top Manchester tips having just spent a weekend there, from the luxurious but affordable Dakota Hotel two minutes from the main station, to the incredible, ultra-trendy Spanish spot Canto and the rooftop cocktail heaven for sprawling city views.  Plus, why you all need to watch the best-written show of 2022: The Bear, about a f**ed up chef in the hottest white T-shirt you will ever see on a man, and his heart-warming attempts to rescue his late brother's bankrupt Chicago sandwich shop. We may have gone off on a tangent (as always) and ended up discussing a strange chef who once gave Kathleen a VERY inappropriate Secret Santa present. Finally, what is it about women and jealousy? Why do we covet each other's 'lot' so much, and why don't men? These are the questions prompted by Anna Hope's book Expectation, and we get deep into our own personal jealousies and what they mean.Enjoy, leave us a review, and hop into our DMs to let us know what you thought of DWD and Blonde. We'd love to know!Kathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darlings, you won’t believe how juicy this episode is. Tomorrow sees the release of the film the world has been talking about for weeks on end: Don’t Worry Darling, the psychological drama fronted by none other than Harry Styles. But unfortunately for poor Hazza, and the film’s excellent director Olivia Wilde, everyone seems a lot more interested in the behind-the-scenes – from on-set feuds to sex and #spitgate – than what’s actually on screen. So, we’ve put our sleuthing hats on and taken you through every step!Also in this week’s episode, Kathleen recommends Will Storr’s excellent new book The Status Game, and explains why our obsession with status helps us live longer (yep, really), while Ellie dives into the freaky history of the Evening Standard’s Premonitions Bureau, after reading an also excellent book by Sam Knight.Please leave us a review or hop into our DMs to let us know what you think!Kathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re rolling out the red carpet for queen of the internet Amber Rose Gill, the 2019 Love Island winner turned TV personality, podcaster, content creator and now debut author, with romance novel Until I Met You having been published by saucy fiction titans Mills & Boon earlier this summer. We had the best time over at her place drinking Ginger Strawberry Cow cocktails courtesy of our fab partner Black Cow, covering everything from her childhood in Newcastle, choosing beauty over uni and being approached by Love Island, to finding her purpose, navigating the public eye (including *those* Jack Grealish headlines and her recent “coming out” tweet), the importance of representation, reiki, property, owning being an “average” influencer and why women get cancelled more than men. Not to mention, of course, the juiciest behind the scenes look at Love Island, from how it’s actually all filmed and why for Amber it was really just a fun free holiday, to what she spent her prize money on and the therapy provided afterwards. We also dig deep into the problem with the reality TV bimbo stereotype and the quarter life crisis, as well as laughing like loons about red flags, the ick-factor, and why Amber is not a girl boss!Please leave us a little review on Apple or Spotify, and do DM us with any feedback or thoughts on our brand new Insta @straightuppodA huge thank you also to our partners for this episode:Q Acoustics for supporting Straight Up for another season and for being the best in the business when it comes to quality, affordable audio. Q Acoustics’ new product, the M20 HD wireless music system, is the most powerful, immersive and convenient way to enjoy music, movies and gaming sound anywhere at home. We love ours and know you’ll love it too. Snap it up at www.qacoustics.co.ukDame, the world’s first climate positive period brand, making products that are both healthier for you and the planet and which has already saved hundreds of millions of pieces of plastic from going into landfill. This female founded green brand is changing the game with its amazing products including the reusable tampon applicator, tampons and reusable pads – and we are never going back. Enjoy 25 per cent off Dame products with the exclusive code UP25 at wearedame.coBlack Cow, the world's first pure milk vodka that is made by a dairy farmer in West Dorset, which we enjoyed in our extraordinarily delish cocktails with Amber at her place. While chatting we drank tall, refreshing Strawberry Ginger Cows, which use the all-new Black Cow + English Strawberries vodka – made from wonky strawbs, because Black Cow care about sustainability – and all three of us are now obsessed. Get your bottle (and some serious excellent Cheddar cheese) at blackcow.co.uk.Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi angels! We're so happy to be back with another cultural debrief for you all, covering the absolutely wild new doc on controversial Hollywood actor Armie Hammer, House of Hammer; an original debut story collection by 80-year-old Jane Campbell, Cat Brushing; Sharon Horgan's brilliant new Apple TV show, Bad Sisters; the best erotic novel, Insatiable, by Daisy Buchanan; and finally House of Dragon (the Game of Thrones prequel). We also chat about why men don’t find women funny, murderous dreams, polyamory, and what we've been up to recently – from Lost Village festival to a v v special proposal! Please leave us a little review, or DM us on our brand new Insta @straightuppod.Don't forget that you can still redeem your 50% off your first Grubby vegan recipe box with the code STRAIGHTUP . Thank you so much to our amazing partner Grubby for their delicious boxes packed with more than 6 vegetables, we still cannot stop thinking about the onion bhaji burger we made earlier...Thank you also to our longtime sponsor Q Acoustics for supporting Straight Up for another season and for being the best in the business when it comes to quality, affordable audio. Q Acoustics’ new product, the M20 HD wireless music system, is the most powerful, immersive and convenient way to enjoy music, movies and gaming sound anywhere at home. We love ours and know you’ll love it too. Snap it up at www.qacoustics.co.ukStraight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ladies and gents, check your prudery at the door, because we have one hell of a cheeky little episode for you this week, jam-packed with stories about sex, sex and...more sex. First up, a peek behind the curtain of what it's really like to be dating as a Gen Z in London right now, from vows of celibacy to sex positive sex parties and Feeld threesomes, as Ellie reveals alllll the juicy research she recently did for a Vogue article on whether young people are in the grips of a "sex recession".Then Kathleen gives us the lowdown on her favourite racy show right now, Uncoupled, which fans of Sex and the City are going to absolutely love – though does it revisit the same problematic tropes as And Just Like That?Plus, the brilliant book no one is talking about but absolutely should be: Trouble, by Marise Gaughan, who writes viscerally about the sexually destructive behaviour she experienced in the wake of her father's suicide, which included sleeping with older men for money.Ok, then the Netflix J Lo documentary Halftime isn't about sex at all, but it DID prompt a very lively discussion between us about J Lo's motivations: cynical branding or pure hearted sob story?And finally we both vent our ancient millennial bafflement at the "ironic" trends sweeping fashion right now, from Ketamine chic to coastal grandma.Ps: we are now taking a two week break as we go off and record with some amazing new guests, but we'll be back on September 8th, so don't go anywhere!Please leave us a little review, or DM us on our brand new Insta @straightuppod. Don't forget that you can still redeem your 50% off your first Grubby vegan recipe box with the code STRAIGHTUP . Thank you so much to our amazing partner Grubby for their delicious boxes packed with more than 6 vegetables, we still cannot stop thinking about the onion bhaji burger we made earlier...Thank you also to our longtime sponsor Q Acoustics for supporting Straight Up for another season and for being the best in the business when it comes to quality, affordable audio. Q Acoustics’ new product, the M20 HD wireless music system, is the most powerful, immersive and convenient way to enjoy music, movies and gaming sound anywhere at home. We love ours and know you’ll love it too. Snap it up at www.qacoustics.co.ukStraight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes huns, you read that correctly, we have got Aitch, man of the moment and one of the UK’s most adored musicians, on the show!We had Aitch over for some daiquiris (his fave) at our home at BRXTN Studios ahead of his debut album Close to Home coming out next Friday, and had one of our most mad, most chaotic chats yet which reveals a whole new unseen side to Aitch that will have you obsessed with him on a whole new level.It’s not often rappers really talk about how much fame has really affected them, but here Aitch reveals the highs and lows of becoming one of the world’s most recognisable stars, whilst also explaining why he tries hard never to complain about fame (until we made him, soz).We get deep on everything from privacy (his blue eyes give him away every time) and relationships (you won’t believe what some fans send his mum…) to the weirdest things he reads about himself on the internet and the misconceptions he wants to correct.PLUS what does Aitch get up to when he’s not being famous? He talks all about his fave restaurants, his secret nerdy love for one particular film franchise, and why he’s destined for Hollywood.And finally, this week we hit him with one particularly weird Straight Up SOS, which involves Kathleen and her dog’s balls. You'll have to hear it for yourself.Thank you SO much to our two amazing partners for this episode.First, Q Acoustics, where you can get the best quality, affordable speakers that will transform the way you listen to music AND watch films on your TV. Try the super sexy M20s.Second, Grubby, the UK’s first 100% plant-based, vegan recipe boxes, which not only taste banging, but have six portions of veg in every box and take just 30 mins to whip up after work for a super healthy meal. Use the exclusive and mouth-watering discount code STRAIGHTUP for a 50% off on your first box, and 20%  on your next three!Leave us a little review, or DM us on our brand new Insta @straightuppod. We’ll see you same time same place next week!Straight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got another culture fix for you this week gang, from why LSD and magic mushrooms are good for you (they could have even stopped the Vietnam war!) to the novel everyone is talking about, and Hollywood's latest controversy. Have you seen or read Where The Crawdad's Sing? Well hunnies, strap in for a wild ride covering the unfortunate miscasting of Daisy Edgar Jones, the real-life murder allegations surrounding the publication, and, in all honesty, the quite frankly sickening corniness of the tweeting eagle. Also, the novel of 2022, I'm Sorry You Felt That Way, by British author Rebecca Wait and how we much we loved it – despite it being fairly triggering to say the least. We hope you enjoy and please do let us know if you have any recommendations for us, we absolutely love to hear from you and would ask that you please keep the fans art  coming.Leave us a little review, or DM us on our brand new Insta @straightuppod. We’ll see you same time same place next week!Thank you to our longtime sponsor Q Acoustics for supporting Straight Up for another season and for being the best in the business when it comes to quality, affordable audio. Q Acoustics’ new product, the M20 HD wireless music system, is the most powerful, immersive and convenient way to enjoy music, movies and gaming sound anywhere at home. We love ours and know you’ll love it too. Snap it up at www.qacoustics.co.ukStraight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnstonEllie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s guest might just be our most favourite ever, not least because he carried our mics for us after this interview – how cute is that?! You guys are going to LOVE Bradley Simpson, frontman of The Vamps, as much as we do, as we dig deep in this wide-ranging chat covering everything from what it was like to become famous as a teenager in one of the biggest bands in British pop history (fun fact: they were the first band to headline the 02 Arena five nights in a row), to their frustration with female fans getting a bad rep, the wildest thing their fans have ever done and how he really struggled with the band going on a break. The Vamps embark on a 10 year anniversary tour later this year and so we looked back on some of Brad’s fave tour moments:, from the advice they were given by Taylor Swift’s mum when they supported Taylor back in 2014, to how living on the road for the best part of a decade has shaped him and the other boys. Plus Brad revealed why, for all four members, The Vamps will always be “the mothership” — no matter their solo projects. We also talk about his bar, his upcoming gin and the last time he had a little bit too much to drink (let’s just say it was a mortifying model-filled LA gig), having no “Plan B”, how toxic the music industry can be (especially for teenage artists) and why having a manager who was also a guardian was the best thing that ever happened to the band. Plus, what it was like to go on Celebrity First Dates and what he’s currently looking for in a life partner (not to mention the juicy details on his recent house renovation). As you’ll hear here, Brad called this the most interesting interview he’s ever done! Just sayin’, gang... Enjoy!Leave us a little review, or DM us on our brand new Insta @straightuppod. We’ll see you same time same place next week!Thank you to our longtime sponsor Q Acoustics for supporting Straight Up for another season and for being the best in the business when it comes to quality, affordable audio. Q Acoustics’ new product, the M20 HD wireless music system, is the most powerful, immersive and convenient way to enjoy music, movies and gaming sound anywhere at home. We love ours and know you’ll love it too. Snap it up at www.qacoustics.co.ukStraight Up’s music and editing is by Marlon Percy. Find him on Instagram @marlonpercyKathleen’s IG: @kathleen.m.johnston Ellie’s IG: @elliehalls1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.