Straight Up

• Caroline O’Donoghue, stolen time and the problem with selling trauma

  This week we're diving into the pressure female authors face to turn their personal trauma into marketable content. Why is women’s fiction so often mistaken for ‘autofiction’? And why does the publishing world seem to reward pain over imagination when it comes from women? Writer (and returning guest!) Caroline O’Donoghue joins us to unpack her brilliant recent piece in The Bookseller, deep-diving into everything from the first-person industrial complex, stolen time and tweakments, to her current pop culture picks including books, TV and film. Also this week, K has been to see match-making rom-com The Materialists and E has a book rec! We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Recs/reviews:I Who Have Never Known Men, Jaqueline Harpman Orlanda, Jaqueline Harpman The Materialists, in cinemasMaterialists review – Celine Song’s Past Lives follow-up is a mixed bag, Guardian ‘Materialists’ Review: When Dakota Met Pedro (and Chris), New York Times Past Lives, Amazon PrimeUp close and personal, Caroline O’Donoghue for The Bookseller Skip Shock, Caroline O’Donoghue Where's the 'you'? Naoise Dolan on Substack I felt myself split into before and after’: how giving birth triggered a life-changing illness, Guardian  The Terrible Things I Have To Do To Be Me, Philippa SnowIn Love With Love, Ella Rusbridger 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene HanffThe Cinemile podcast You’re Wrong About podcast Lena Dunham’s C Word podcastOlogies podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Bonnie Blue’s shocking new doc and the ‘real’ Gwyneth Paltrow

  Is Bonnie Blue a ‘sexual predator’ or an empowered businesswoman? That’s the question driving the controversial new Channel 4 documentary about the porn star’s sex extremism, including sleeping with 1057 men in 12 hours. We went to the doc’s press screening last week, with Bonnie herself in attendance for a post-screening Q&A, so we discuss the its most uncomfortable moments, as well as Bonnie’s motivations, societal responsibility and what she’s really like in person. Also in this ep, a look at the juiciest revelations from the new and unauthorised Gwyneth Paltrow biog, from Goop’s toxic work environment to her fallout with Madonna. Plus a couple of TV reviews for you to get stuck into!We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Recs/reviewsThe Assassin, Amazon PrimeThe Secrets of TikTok Shop: UNTOLD, Channel 4ONLYFANS: Bonnie Blue, sex stunts and the rise of the porn 'influencer' (our 28 May bonus ep)100 Men and Me: the Bonnie Blue Story, Channel 4 Bonnie Blue: 1,000 men and the worrying normalisation of porn, The TimesConfronting Andrew Tate & Bonnie Blue: World Exclusive: Have Men Lost Their Power & Has Feminism Ruined Society? Disruptors podcastBonnie Blue, Channel four and the problem with commodifying sexual violence, GlamourThe Affair podcastGwyneth: The Biography, Amy Odell Back Row, Amy Odell’s SubstackSorry, you’ll never be Gwyneth Paltrow. Whoever she really is, Washington Post Shakespeare in Love, BBC iPlayer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Cheating ethics, sextortion scammers and Love Island’s manosphere

  The Coldplay KissCam controversy has everyone talking about cheating, so this week we’re weighing in on affairs and internet sleuthing, as well as the scary rise of ‘sextortion’, investigated by Jordan Stephens’s brilliant new doc. Also on the show: Love Island’s toxic masculinity problem, Charli XCX’s wedding, yet more Blake Lively vs Justin Baldoni drama and plenty of fab recs, from a fascinating memoir about the News of the World scandal and the new Jurassic World, to Eric Bana’s slick Netflix detective show and the funniest comedy you’ll see all year.We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuppod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Get 20% off the adaptogenic coffee that changed our lives, London Nootropics, using our code straightup at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠londonnootropics.com⁠⁠⁠Recs/reviewsJurassic World:Rebirth, in cinemas nowPulp Kitchen, Jurassic World Rebirth Could we make a real Jurassic Park? Why? with Emma KennedyThe Return of the Dire Wolf, Time MagazineHeads of State, Amazon Prime Lion, Amazon PrimeLove Island 2025, brought to you by the manosphere, GlamourHunting My Sextortion Scammer, Channel 4Don’t Let it Break You Honey, Jenny EvansUntamed, NetflixSuch Brave Girls, BBC iPlayerSweet Bobby, Tortoise Media Why does Gen Z smell like sugar? VoxYuka appWeleda Skin Food. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Surgery, celeb gossip, dating and babies: your questions answered!

  Today’s topics have all been chosen by you, huns, in our first ever ask us anything Q&A ep! From tweakments and our most embarrassing celeb encounters to dating, the apps and planning for children, nothing is off limits as we dive into your nosiest questions. We also weigh in on the Tattle Life debate and get into whether the influencer gossip forum is toxic or necessary, as well as advice for a listener going through it and the myth of having it all. Thank you sooo much to the hunnies who sent in questions, we’ll be answering some more in another ep v soon xWe love hearing from you, so please DM us questions, recs or bonus ideas ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod on Insta⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or email at ⁠⁠[email protected].⁠ Plus follow us on TikTok @straightuppod! And please do leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify – it really does help keep us going!Recs“Trolls on Tattle Life mercilessly tore me apart. The police told me there was nothing they could do” Grace Victory, StylistThe Big Kids Question: does anyone want to be a parent anymoreChoosing love over IVF, with Camille Charrière, Conversations on Love with Natasha Lunn, Substack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Lena Dunham's Too Much, the Salt Path controversy and a Beckham prenup

  Lena Dunham remains one of the most controversial people in pop culture, but that hasn’t stopped a glittering roster of A Listers from appearing in her fun new London-based Netflix romcom Too Much. We assess some of her biggest online scandals, while looking at how autobiographical the show really is. Plus, an explainer of the Salt Path: the latest furore to rock the publishing industry. Are readers right to feel betrayed by writer Raynor Winn’s alleged lies and does publishing have a fact-checking problem? We’ve also got yet another juicy little Beckham family feud update for you, hunnies, plus a debate on whether prenups are feminist and two fab book recs! We love hearing from you, DM us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@straightuppod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, email at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠ and follow us on TikTok @straightuupod too!Huge thanks to our sponsor⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yonder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, the incredible lifestyle rewards credit card packed with rewards you’ll actually *want* to use. Find out more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yonder.com/straightup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Borrow responsibly. £15 a month. 18+ and UK only. Rep 66.0% APR var. T&Cs apply.Try BookBeat for free for 60 days (w 40 hrs of listening) and stream millions of audiobooks using our code straightup at bookbeat.comRecs/reviewsMy Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout The Tenant by Freida McFadden Too Much, Netflix Too Much: what film and TV get wrong about London, BBCDid the Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff Relationship Lore Inspire Too Much?, Marie Claire Will Sharpe went too hard on himself in the Too Much finale, Vulture Lena Dunham’s change of pace, New Yorker Too Much Is Full of Lena Dunham Lore, VultureTALA founder: ‘We weren’t going to make payroll — so I sold my car’, Financial Times The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were spun from lies, deceit and desperation, The Observer The Salt Path revelations should be no surprise to anyone in publishing, The Observer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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