Women Are Mad (Women Are Mad)

Kathy Lette IS a superpower. Not only has she penned 20 novels, she's got thee honorary doctorates and has a cocktail named after her.

In this episode, she stuns us with her brilliance, wit, expansive mind and love of other women. She talks being mansplained, condescended to, and bucking expectations.

Kathy's latest novel, The Revenge Club, is described by comedian Jo Brand as 'Fast moving and frothing with the fun kind of female fury'. It tells a joyful tale of women whose careers have been variously destroyed by men, deciding to get even.

We're addicted to Kathy's energy, belief in the sisterhood and wisdom. She brings it all to us here by the bucket load. Get involved!

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Hop aboard for another WAM Agony Aunt Special!

Trigger warning : FEELINGS will be discussed...

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In honour of Carers Week in the UK, we spoke to Penny and Charlotte about their experiences. We have strong feelings about the global care situation, which is why we went to the other side of the world to illustrate the scale of the problem. Penny and Charlotte express their experiences with truth and poignancy.

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This week, Women Are Mad meets Esther Coren, who discusses being unfashionably angry and using pie charts to make a point. Esther is frank and unapologetic and deeply refreshing.

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From Footballers Wives to Walford, Laila Rouass is a stalwart of British screens. We ask how she navigates emotion behind the tabloids flashbulb, and get the lowdown on steering a family through the minefield of celebrity.

Rouass is warm and witty and beautiful on the inside. As well as on the outside. Which, never fear, we do interrogate!

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Margaret Cabourn-Smith is making waves in the podcast world with her exploration of love in the warm and witty Crushed. It was a delight to welcome Margaret, a talented performer in her own right, onto the show this week. And to invite her to explore some of her darker feelings...

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Claire Cohen is one of the foremost voices of this generation on the female experience. She writes on everything from friendship to our physical suffering. Her book BFF: The Truth About Female Friendships explores the reality of maintaining and even sometimes ending friendships, interviewing the likes of Emma Barnett and Pandora Sykes, to form a manifesto on the relationships which get us through.

Claire's award-winning journalism has set the campaigning agenda for women's health, on topics from endometriosis to medical sexism. She writes regularly for The Times, The Guardian and Vogue, winning the British Society of Magazine Editors' Womens' Editor Of The Year Award. Listen in to find yourself a new BFF.

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British comedian and author Shaparak Khorsandi has a rare talent for bringing the unlikely together in a seamless and poignant way. In this episode, she deftly uses the skill to steer us through the reality of romance, and what repressing her rage has meant for her life and career. A must-listen.

Trigger warning: sexual assault

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Though Wendy's analytical mind enabled her to transcend her circumstances as a young woman, sustaining her creativity as an artist requires her to delve into her unconscious. Raised in Brooklyn in a chaotic family and educated at Cambridge, Wendy reckons with internal conflict in a variety of ways. Here, she talks us through the role of race, class and gender in shaping her relationship with anger - how it manifested as an adaptive tool for protecting a tender heart, and how anger evolved through her life. Wendy also shares how motherhood helped her break free from a decade of writer's block.

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Minna Dubin is the author of bestselling Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood. We discuss how Minna’s candid exploration of her own anger during the pandemic resonated with women across the globe. Along the way we dig into the importance of female friendship and how men get scared when we express the full spectrum of our emotions.

Recorded on 20th September 2023

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Our guest this week personifies both resilience and kindness. Through her own struggles, she offers hope to others. From her ambassadorship of mental health and homelessness charities, to her newly forged comedy career, this woman never stops giving. Gail Porter’s anger is directed mostly towards social injustice, and she targets little of it towards those who have wronged her. We were bowled over by this woman, and think you will be too.

Episode recorded: Monday 9th October 2023

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As promised, we've finally got the WAM Agony Aunt service off the ground. Kicking off with a listener's dilemma: namely, constantly comparing herself to others.

Tune in if this feels familiar. Or even if it doesn't. Maybe you'll just feel smug and very evolved. Either way, it's win-win!

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Laura Dockrill could just be our favourite human ever.

Her humanity, intelligence and wisdom shine through in her children's books, but we also love what happens when Laura offers this up to adults. From her performance poetry, to What Have I Done? (which explores Laura's own experience of postpartum psychosis) to her latest book I Love You I Love You I Love You. Where Laura's whip-smart writing captures the pain, highs and nostalgia of adolescent love with heady accuracy.

To speak with Laura is to be transported into this same world of realness and passion. Laura Dockrill knows how to see. And she knows how to live.

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Today, we talk to the powerhouse that is Jennifer Esposito. Actor, writer, producer and director of the summer's most-talked about cinematic debut Fresh Kills, Esposito is an unstoppable force. And we want more more more.

In this episode, we talk women's compulsive need to apologise, and what that does to us and our self-worth. Esposito discusses what she's done to break that cycle, and to help other women do the same. We talk the realities of being a woman in Hollywood, and what it takes to get a project like Fresh Kills to the screen. In Esposito's case, 15 years and re-mortgaged home.

Fresh Kills is currently in cinemas across the US and is an absolute life-changer. Hurry to watch, our friends across the pond!

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Having Dawn guest on our podcast is a dream come true. No one is fighting the fight for women globally with more passion and dedication. Dawn leads us into battle joyfully, inviting us all to ditch talk of cajones, and instead celebrate our Big Ovaries.

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From toilet cleaning to Ted Lasso... Ambreen shares her story, as well as her rage. Her wisdom and wit are compelling: Ambreen is who women need. 

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DJ Paulette is a legend of the UK's dance music scene. She's one of the nation's first black female DJs, revered for her unmatched charisma behind the decks. Her memoir, Welcome To The Club, launched earlier this year, and lifts the lid on the misogyny and racism of the music industry, whilst honouring the frequently unseen women ensuring the turntable stays spinning.

In this episode, Paulette discusses the need to speak up, and her feelings about the pressure to do so. She talks of the childhood which both equipped and didn't equip her for the fight which lay ahead, the paths not travelled, and the importance of a fabulous lipstick.

DJ Paulette. We salute you.

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Anna Motz is the internationally-acclaimed therapist they make movies about.

For thirty years, she's treated violent women in prisons from London to New York, bringing us her wisdom through her clear-sighted and compassionate writing. Anna's high profile case studies include Baby P, Victoria Climbie and Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, and remind us of the truth behind the headlines.

Anna's warmth and humanity shine through in this conversation, as well as her own anger towards the systems which tell only part of the story. Her latest book, If Love Could Kill, exposes the disturbing truth behind female violence. And how misogyny, abuse and exploitation are knitted into the narrative.

On another note...

Day Retreat Alert

Feeling scorched by the summer? Or needing something to spice up a bleak autumn? Look no further. WAM promised you a workshop day... And we're so excited to now bring you exactly this.

We've teamed up with the gorgeous Ease Retreats to offer you a cosy refuge in the idyll of rural Oxfordshire. Come join us, as we make feelings fashionable with our workshop:

Your Feelings, Your Superpower.

We take an emotional deep-dive for the day, holding each other's hand (metaphorically if you prefer) feeding you cake (if you eat cake) and supporting you to explore it all - from rage to fear to love. And everything in between. This is group therapy with a difference. This is safety, this is sisterhood. This is an opportunity to connect with your emotional apparatus, with your personal life toolkit - and learn just how much power, capability and confidence you possess.

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It was while working for Comedy Central that Cally Beaton had a chance conversation with the late, great Joan Rivers, then 81. Rivers inspired her to ditch the high-powered job as a TV exec and follow her dream. So it was that as a 45 year old single parent, Cally first took to the stage, quickly cementing her position as one of the most exciting and original new stand-ups in the UK.

In this conversation with the deeply authentic Cally we talk about the breakdown she had in her mid forties and how she recovered from it. As she says, 'the coping strategies I'd used for the first 45 of my years weren't working so I had to find new ones.'

We also analyse why she, like many women, finds it so hard to access her anger and the power of actually sitting with your emotions, no matter how hard it is.

Cally's hit podcast show Namaste Motherfuckers brings together the worlds of self-help and business and deftly showcases her talent for connection and empathy. We get bucket loads of that here. If you're looking to bring some wit and wisdom into your life, look no further.

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Alison Spittle is has an eye for the absurd. From her stand-up to her TV work to her play-writing, Alison offers a new angle. Much of her anger focuses on injustice, and she talks to us about the misogyny and harassment she’s faced within her industry. As well as what she’s done about it. 

Voted one of British Comedy Guide’s best reviewed artists of the Edinburgh Fringe, this funny woman has appeared on You’re Dead To Me, Guilty Feminist and The Gargle. She’s the co-host of BBC Sounds’ hugely popular Wheel of Misfortune podcast with Kerry Katona. She's currently on tour around the UK with her ridiculously funny show Soup, centred around her love of this hot liquidy food stuff.

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We've had so many requests to carry on the agony aunt specials post-summer, that we're going to!

This one is about friendship. And more specifically, the end of a friendship.

If you've ever felt the anguished heartbreak of the end of a close platonic relationship, this one's for you...

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Laura Smyth is scaling the heights. Whether you've seen her on Jonathan Ross or Baby Reindeer, you'll definitely have seen her. And you'll definitely be seeing much more of her. Of that, we have no doubt. Today, Laura talks us through her thoughts on virtue signalling, class complexity and nerves manifesting as rage. Laura pushes the envelope and we can't wait to see where it takes her next.

patreon.com/WomenAreMad

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Your fave agony pals are back. And today, they're scaling the rigging and frantically bailing. Coz this ship is going down! Or is it? Today, we look into the causes of anxiety, and try to see it a little differently. We also set YOU, dear listener, a September challenge...

patreon.com/WomenAreMad

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Marianne Power breaks and mends our hearts in equally beautiful measure. She's vulnerable, she's generous, she's deeply thoughtful.

Here, Marianne explains how her terror of being a bad person translated into physical illness, and how she's trying her hardest (with the help of Gabor Mate) to shake off those shackles.

Her new book, Love Me, absolutely captures everything WE love about Marianne. It's going to be a huge hit, and you need to be a part of that story.

patreon.com/WomenAreMad

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Women. This one is gonna make you wanna throw some stuff. It just is.

Not all men.

But. Always Men.

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Lisa Moorish knows music. Since she was 16, she's lived and breathed the London music scene, and says now she can't imagine doing anything else. But she's never sold her story, and leaves us tantalised and ever-intrigued.

Today, she shares her feelings on everything from the patriarchy to possession.

Join Club WAM for member benefits including ad-free listening, discounts on sisterhood circles and choosing our next Substack topic.

patreon.com/womenaremad

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Are you being driven nuts by WhatsApp?

What does this mean?

And what does a group mean, anyway? Do humans like them?

All this... You know the drill.

PLUS join Club WAM for ad-free listening and benefits galore!

patreon/womenaremad

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Our guest today is absolutely WAM's kind of woman. She thinks deeply and generously about feminism, fashion and friendship. From her first book, 'What Would The Spice Girls Do', to her latest page-turner, 'Probably Nothing', she's an oracle and an inspiration. Bravo to the brilliant Lauren Bravo!

Join Club WAM on patreon/womenaremad for ad-free listening and benefits galore!

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Forbidden Love

Ever been in love with someone you shouldn't?

Considering embarking on an illicit affair?

Uh-oh, the romance-killers have galloped into town. Don't tune in, if you enjoy deluding yourself you're in some kind of Ephron/Curtis double-bill.

As far as Jen's concerned, love is 9 parts projection, 1 part oxytocin. Salima isn't quite as brutal. But her obsession with Married At First Sight gives her a unique angle on schmaltz.

Hop on, WAMers. We're here for life's every quibble.

Join Club WAM for ad-free listening and MORE!

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Our favourite poet and author Hollie McNish joins us today to talk about how hard she finds it to express her anger IRL, whilst realising that many of her poems are in fact inspired by anger.

Today, we discuss everything from the realities of renting, to class and race prejudice.

Hollie is currently touring, and we urge you to go see her live if you can. This woman really is the voice of the nation.

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'My answer machine must be broken...'

It's another love one, ladies...

Are you sitting by the phone (or the Snap/DM's/Whatsapp?)

STOP!

And listen to what the Aunties have to say...

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Angela Scanlon is pure magic. Both on screen and IRL.

You'll have seen her multiple star turns. But here's where you can find out what makes Angela tick.

We are captivated.

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We're even more excited than usual, because this week we're joined by our great pal, award-winning journalist and podcaster, Emma Guns (AKA Emma Gunavardhana).

As a journalist, Emma has interviewed everyone who's anyone, from Britney to Bette Midler. And today, she's turning her super sleuth skills to help solve YOUR dilemma.

Tune in, as we riddle out the unexpected impact of going sober...

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Daisy Buchanan is a precious flower. She's disarmingly authentic and real, and wears her generous heart on her beautifully stylish sleeve.

She's also an incredibly talented writer.

Today, we see just how much her contact with her feelings really helps shape her craft, and how she weaves experiences of pain and joy so skilfully into her work. Her new novel, Pity Party, is out NOW. And you're very much invited.

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Today, we think through the dilemma of defending your kids vs. being a 'good' feminist.

Buckle up.

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Jayde Adams is REAL, in all of the ways we celebrate and strive for. From her incredible stand-up to her role in BAFTA-winning Alma's Not Normal, her career reflects her authenticity. And we never use that word lightly.

Alma's Not Normal is OUT NOW on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.

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Today, we talk about unlikeable husbands and superpowers.

It's one wild ride...

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Holly Matthews is THE confidence guru of our time.

Today, she talks to us about her own journey with self-belief, and the challenges she's faced at a personal level to find her way to it.

Holly's warmth, wisdom and wit have absolutely stolen our hearts, and we're so happy to share her with you today.

Her book, Find Your Confidence: The No-Nonsense Guide to Self-Belief is available NOW!

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As a seasonal treat, we're spoiling you with a SPECIAL.

Today, we've coaxed friend-of-the-pod Ms Miranda Sawyer back in, to talk that most heady of feelings: NOSTALGIA - just in time to celebrate the publication of her fabulous new book, Uncommon People. If you had a pulse in the 90s, the Britpop era will be etched into your DNA.

Don your bucket hat, pop on some wellies and wade in!

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Cherry Healey: women's health advocate, BBC documentary maker and ambassador for the Eve Appeal.

Above all, a woman's woman.

Here, Cherry talks women's safety, and the need for periods to have a PR overhaul.

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What can women do about the 40% of us living with abortion restriction?

We can talk about it.

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Our guest today is an inspiration. Pure and simple.

She's an author, podcast host, speaker and long-term cancer thriver, and you know her as Limitless Em.

Today, we celebrate the unstoppable hope who is Emma Campbell.

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We are SO excited to bring you the first of our Girls Are Mad series, headed up and hosted by the supremely talented Bea Harmston.

Bea kicks off the inaugural Girls Are Mad WAM offshoot with a very real, very raw convo with mental health advocate, Sophia Carter. Sophia uses her powerful platform to normalise self compassion and self celebration. Above all, she needs us to be kinder. To ourselves. Here at WAM/GAM HQ, we stand in awed celebration of HER.

And we think you will too…

Girls Are Mad is edited and produced by Bea Harmston.

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Jen's caught up with book press for the US drop, so we're thrilled to bring you Heidi Clements as honorary Agony Aunt.

And the question is... Do you feel like everyone hates you?

Tune in for some brilliantly bold responses from our awesomely punk pal.

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How is everyone feeling?

The US election results are in, and WAM HQ has lit up like a furnace. Who better to ask for her views than Constance Zimmer, on the cusp of launching her own Midlife Monologues project, and on hotline from LA.

You'll know Constance from her work in Entourage, House of Cards and Unreal. Meanwhile, in REAL life, you'll soon be getting to know her better through this groundbreaking docu-theatre experience, starring the likes of Elizabeth Banks, Sandra Oh and Eva Longoria and directed by Vagina Monologues' Abby Epstein.

This convo really offered us some light in the darkness. We hope it does the same for you.

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As holiday season looms, how many of us will find ourselves under pressure to spend time with difficult relatives?

On Dear WAM this week, we're honoured to receive expert advice from Sunday Times Bestselling author and host of podcast Motherkind, Zoe Blaskey.

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When you're sunk in despondence and despair, is there anything both more comforting and more motivating than an internationally-lauded author dispensing pearls of gold?

Kate Mosse's practical and sage approach towards the quest for equality is just the antidote for these bleak times. Tune in for robust and dynamic inspiration to galvanise your own sense of activism.

Kate's latest book, The Map of Bones, is the last in her Huguenot quartet, and celebrates courageous women fighting for survival in a hostile land. Perfect role models for the current climate...

WAM is definitely IN.

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In this season finale special, Jen caught up with Jennie Wetter in Washington DC. Jennie has headed up the Repros Fight Back initiative at the Population Institute for over 15 years, where she fights daily for reproductive health and rights. Today, our Jen invites her to share her feelings about where we are now, on the eve of a second Trump administration.

This isn't too cosy, and our Jen does always insist on surfacing the dark side. But if like us, you find ultimate comfort in sisterhood, pull up a chair...

reprosfightback.com

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We're back for Series 6!

And to celebrate, we're joined by the BAFTA nominated documentary film maker and co-host of the award winning podcast Brown Girls Do it Too, Poppy Jay.

We cover a lot in this one, and it's extra specially long. Our season debut treat to you!

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Today, we're thinking about what it feels like when the men in our lives - however 'nice' they are - just can't fully get what it is to have been born into our bodies. And what it's been to navigate the world in these bodies. From childhood, through to steering our way through a sexist universe. Even just a 'benignly' sexist universe. Whatever the hell THAT means...

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Today is all about hidden meanings. And who better to discuss these with than brilliant Woman of Comedy, Jessica Fostekew.

Tune in if you'd like to think more about the significance of a blocked doorway, or learn how to hold three fingers up at the world...

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Solana Lord-Baptiste AKA ssolana is a musician, content creator and activist. From recording TikToks in her bedroom during lockdown, to now interviewing people at protests as well as writing and producing music, she pours love and empathy into everything she does. 

Today, she talks to GAM host Bea about everything from body hair to the pressures of activism. This convo is raw and real and so very GAM.

GAM is produced, edited and hosted by the (extremely gifted) Bea Harmston.

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If your Christmas feels very far from a Richard Curtis movie, Bureau de WAM is here to assist.

We're not addressing the devastating housing crisis here. Nor the way many people in our society are terrified of where their next meal might be coming from, or how to live with the black mould their landlord refuses to tackle. We're also not talking about the climate catastrophe, or the lives lost due to conflict this year.

We're going interpersonal, micro. The shit which - in its own insidiously powerful way - ruins lives, tears families apart and breaks hearts.

If Christmas has done a number on you, or you just need to feel a bit less alone, WAM is your woman.

*** KEY THERAPY TAKEAWAYS NESTLED AT EPISODE WRAP-UP! ***

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It's 2025, and we're back with NO resolutions, other than to help you all as much as we possibly can.

Who better to welcome you joyously into the New Year New WAM fold, than the glorious Maria McErlane, who has just revealed will be restarting her co-hosting with Graham Norton on their brand new podcast... Thank GOD!

Maria is a true WAM icon. You'll know her sultry tones and wise words only too well, thanks to her thirteen years of agony aunting with her dear friend, 'Dame Nellie of Norton'. But you'll also have loved her on The Fast Show, Eurotrash and Have I Got News For You. Her fantastic memoir, Bumps In The Road: Life And Adventure In Bike-Sized Chunks, is as honest, warm and hilarious as she is. We urge you to climb aboard!

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Is anyone here really, really struggling this Jan?

Is anyone finding it difficult to retain perspective, and not spiral?? Judging by our listener DMs, you're certainly not alone if so.

This week, Bureau de WAM attends to the trickiness of comparing yourself to friends on the socials... what that does to our poor blitzed brains. And what we can try to do about it.

WAM. Ever at your service.

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This episode of GAM is one of pure hope.

Noga Levy-Rapoport is a climate activist, organiser and communicator. Beginning her activism career aged only 17, she has since had a leading role in global climate protests, strikes and other events. 

One reason the patriarchy succeeds is because it slices younger and older generations of women apart. This beautiful conversation between Noga and our Bea is a reminder of how vital it is that we all cherish and nurture these vital connections. It's also a moving example of how finding words for our complex emotional experiences fuels connection in general, and becomes the energy we need when times look bleak.

This episode is hosted, produced and edited by the multi-talented Bea Harmston.

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It's not often that we're BOTH rendered tearful.

We are today.

But we're also floored with awe and inspiration. This woman has DONE IT. We're also not exaggerating when we say, her clothes will change your life.

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Here at WAM, we love nothing more than losing ourselves in a big convo about emotion.

And now, we've decided to share some of those chats with you. Throughout the next couple of series, we'll be serving you up our DEEP DIVES into different feelings, joined by some of our fave people.

We're kicking off with JEALOUSY, and we invited fabulous Friend-Of-The-Pod Shaparak Khorsandi to wade in with us. Whether you've always been intrigued by the green-eyed monster, or you prefer not to sully yourself with such grubby ideas, this one's a must-hear!

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Julia Raeside is one of WAM's favourite people. As well as being a print and broadcast journalist of acclaim, she is our in-house translator of male missteps. You may yourself have enjoyed her clarification of statements by the likes of Dave Grohl and Neil Gaiman. Today, we're especially excited to tell you that her incredibly on-point, incredibly funny book, 'Don't Make Me Laugh,' which tells the gruesomely brilliant tale of a Me Too-esque male comic, is out on 13TH FEBRUARY!!

Marian Keyes says 'This is a great book... an important book which will start a discussion that needs to be had. My heart was in my mouth...'

We couldn't agree more, and urge you to gift yourself a copy!!

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It's no exaggeration to say that Suzy Reading will get you through the hellscape that is this UK winter. She's written 9 books and counting, including the magical new Self-Care For Winter. Suzy, a chartered psychologist, weaves her special expertise as a yoga teacher and personal trainer through her approach to REAL self-care. And we at WAM are feverishly hopping aboard!

Next stop SPRING!!

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Mary Mandefield is a presenter, journalist and creative, who holds up a torch for finding your voice, and has never let imposter syndrome hold her back.

Through her community 'Making Moves' (which helps other creatives access the tools to navigate the media industry) Mary embodies the idea that we rise by lifting others.

In this episode, Mary's incredible passion and infectious energy pave the way for hierarchy-busting, challenging unachievable standards, and holding doors open for each other. She absolutely epitomises the GAM spirit, which the world apparently needs now more than ever.

This episode is hosted, produced and edited by the multi-talented Bea Harmston.

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Today, we ride the buses with writer and journalist Emma Forrest, and find out just how healing and creative that experience can be. As well as potentially brutal and alarmingly shaming. Like life, in a nutshell.

No stone is left unturned, as we talk trauma bonding through sex, and what it meant to be a teenage journalist in Cool Britannia.

Emma Forrest is pure magnetism, and her new book Father Figure is on pre-order NOW.

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Do you love Drunk Women Solving Crime?

Do you love WAM?

Then you're gonna love this ep!

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Sarah Pappalardo was named one of Time Magazine's '23 People Who Are Changing What's Funny Right Now' and Rolling Stone's '50 Funniest People Right Now.'

You'll know them best as the co-founder of satirical women's magazine Reductress. As well as for co-authoring 'How To Win At Feminism' and 'How To Stay Positive When The World is Ending.'

Today, we talk political disagreements, general disagreements, high school, and being hit in the face at the swimming pool. Jen decides she wants to be Sarah's friend, and that doesn't happen often.

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Stylist magazine stands out in a market saturated by media which plays on women's insecurities to, basically, get them to buy stuff. We have forever loved it for its unwaveringly feminist bedrock, and determination to bring us what we actually need to see.

Visionary editor-in-chief, Lisa Smosarski, has been steering the Stylist ship since its very first issue. Lisa wanted the magazine to sound like 'an intelligent conversation between friends.' She's certainly achieved that. And so much more besides. Today, Lisa brings even more of that brilliant trademark conversation to WAM...

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Join Bea for Ep 5 of GAM, as she brings you her utterly inspirational convo with award-winning feminist photographer, educator and speaker Eliza Hatch.

Eliza heads up the ground breaking Cheer Up Luv project, which confronts taboos around sexual assault, foregrounds the voices of sexual assault survivors, and fuels awareness of society's chronic misogyny problem.

This episode is hosted, produced and edited by the multi-talented Bea Harmston.

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The problem with Elif Shafak is that she is too acclaimed, her work too numerous and celebrated, and her personal cause too elevated to begin to capture in one limited introduction. You will no doubt own at least one of her 13 books, in at least one of the 57 languages they've been translated into. You may also be eagerly awaiting the April paperback of There Are Rivers In The Sky. But you might not have heard her talk about the vast range of emotional topics this convo covers; from grief to otherness to sisterhood. So here's your chance.

We are so excited to bring you the woman who is quite simply a walking wonder, and we can't wait for you to benefit from her words of infinite wisdom...

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Roll up for the London Rage Room you've been waiting for, women of the UK!

For one evening only, brought to you by Rage Her USA, World Experience Organisation, London Experience Week... and your very own Jen!

DM @womenaremad on Insta, email team@womenaremad.org or head to rageher.com to buy tickets using womenaremad to bag your 20% discount!

NUMBERS EXTREMELY LIMITED!

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This episode is a Women's Health Special. Our guest has brought the menopause into public conversation. Now, she's bringing it to ours. Her tireless work and dedication to women's health is awe-inspiring. But this wouldn't be Women Are Mad without asking Dr Louise Newson what makes HER angry. From medical gaslighting, to the shutdown she faces within the profession, Dr Newson shares all. As well as some great tips to listeners for managing their own hormonal health. 

Recorded in September 2023

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Does any of the following ring true:

You could have been PM, if you didn't have to sort out so many nits and asthmas inhalers.

You need your female friends possibly more than you need your own lungs.

Guilt is much more available to you than anger.

Without your sense of humour, you'd be dead.

If so, listen up!

PS If naked men suddenly walking into your conversation scare you, this is a trigger warning.

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Soraya Chemaly is the feminist voice of our time. Her extraordinary capacity to see the whole picture with unrivalled clarity serves as an inspiration to us all. Soraya's authenticity and bravery are beacons of light in a turbulent global situation, and her book Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger, is our bible at WAM HQ. 

This conversation was recorded on 6th October 2023 and covers a range of topics from how men react to women's anger and the power that anger has to drive change.

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We are like two kids in a sweet shop today. Nina Stibbe has been our long-time girl crush, and this is our TayTay moment. Nina's new book, Went To London, Took The Dog: The Diary of a 60-Year-Old Runaway is out in paperback this week, and we urge you all to get ye to a copy ASAP.

Nina brings her special blend of wit and warmth to this convo, which roams across such diverse topics as having a mental age of 11, her prudishness around sex and the response of certain men to her success as a writer. Nina's work was recently adapted by Nick Hornby into the hit BBC1 show Love, Nina starring Helena Bonham Carter, and feels in general like a deep and hilarious heart-to-heart with your dearest gal pal. Nina Stibbe is the absolute bomb.

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Clover Stroud is all about big landscapes and big feelings. Through her writing, she consistently and poignantly captures the smallness and largeness of life - from The Wild Other to this year's The Giant On The Skyline. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss everything from pulling dirty clothes from under beds to how we live alongside tragedy.

Clover's new book is out now!

The Giant on the Skyline: A stunning memoir about the meaning of home from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Red of my Blood.

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If school successfully killed your love of poetry, Donna Ashworth is the woman to resurrect it. Donna's ability to absolutely capture the joy and pain of daily life has in turn captured the nation's hearts, as evidenced by her bestselling anthologies. Here, Donna talks us through what makes her mad, from family role-casting to women tearing each other down. We absolutely fell in love with Donna's clarity of thought and passion, and we're sure you will too.

Note: The intro to this episode was recorded December 2023. The interview with Donna was recorded in October 2023.

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Rebecca Reid's journalistic truth-telling and infamous debates with Piers Morgan are the stuff of legend. Her book, The Power of Rude, is a WAM must-read.

When journalist Rebecca Reid sushed a man who was speaking over her on Good Morning Britain the tabloids labelled her as ‘Rude Rebecca’. Tarred with this label, she got to wondering if the fear of being rude is actually holding women back?

In her brilliant book, The Power of Rude, Rebecca discusses the way women are constantly worrying about being polite. And how the fear of being rude leads us to uncomfortable and even self-destructive situations. For example, the woman who let her cousin practice kissing on her (because she didn't want to be rude!) and the vegan woman who ate an entire pork chop (because she didn't want to be rude!).

Join us as we discuss how this inability to be ‘rude’ results in pent up anger. And we explore how refreshing and releasing it can be to say what you actually think.

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Pro-ageing storyteller and Hollywood screenwriter Heidi Clements is an oracle of wisdom and honesty. She uses social media to dispense her incredible learnings on life and love whilst getting dressed in fashion-forward accoutrements. There's something powerful about this intimate act; the creation of a safe, shared, feminine space. She has so much to teach about understanding, compassion and not standing for bullsh*t. To Women Are Mad, this woman is an icon. If you haven't yet heard what she has to say, you're going to want to.

Recorded in February 2024

TW: Sexual abuse

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Nell Hudson: actor, writer, jazz singer, feminist.

You've loved watching her in Outlander, Victoria and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. You've loved listening to her at Ronnie Scott's and on tour with Jools Holland. You've adored her writing in Just For Today. Now you can enjoy her mini seminar on what makes her furious. Nell is truly the voice of her generation, on everything from the pleasure gap to sexual staring, to men pretending they fancy her dog when they actually fancy her.

Her points are compellingly articulate and productive. And we want more more more.

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Join us as we discuss Sarah’s movie A Mouthful Of Air, gun violence, and the power of activism. Sarah Wynter shares insights from her impactful movie which sheds light on post-partum psychosis. Tune in for a captivating episode, as we explore the transformative potential of activism.

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This week, we explore Sophia's relationship with repressed rage. She reveals how a traditionally English upbringing makes expressing emotion problematic. And the impact of this on her romantic life. Dive in for a frank episode, as we move from the safe bubble of Sophia's car to the dicey depths of the local swimming pool.

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Join us in our debut episode, as we explore the captivating life of Jessica Anya Blau. We discuss Jessica Anya's unconventional childhood, and coping mechanisms like dissociation and selective mutism. We listen to how she navigates relationships and being gaslit, and understand how her keen observational skills have contributed to her exceptional writing.

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Emma Gannon is a prodigy. From her Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction titles The Success Myth and Multi-Hyphen Method to her award-winning podcast CtrlAltDelete, she easily secured her Forbes' 30 under 30 ranking. Emma's new book 'A Year of Nothing' gives a moving account of why she had no choice but to switch off, go underground, and find joy and wisdom in mundane pleasures. Described as the 'voice of a generation' by Eat Pray Love's Elizabeth Gilbert, she enchants her audience with wisdom and insight. Which she brought to this episode by the bucketload. We adored hearing about why she loves crying, how she doesn't let anger burn her out and how she's still working on her boundaries.

SHOW NOTES:

A bit more about Emma Gannon...

Emma Gannon is a Sunday Times bestselling and award-winning author of non-fiction (The Success Myth) and novels (OLIVE) published by HarperCollins & Penguin. Her new book A Year of Nothing is OUT NOW. A former columnist for The Sunday Times, Emma has written for Vanity Fair, ELLE, Vogue, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Stylist and Harper’s Bazaar.

Her newsletter The Hyphen is the #5th most popular literature Substack globally. It is one of the first newsletters in the UK to have thousands of paid subscribers. Alongside writing, she hosts creativity retreats in the UK and globally.

Emma's new book 'A Year of Nothing' is a moving account of why she had no choice but to switch off, go underground, and find joy and wisdom in mundane pleasures. Split over two books and four seasons, Emma writes with warmth about dog borrowing, dopamine dressing, learning how to swim (again), choosing to be child free, tuning into nature and much more. https://www.poundproject.co.uk/shop/a-year-of-nothing

Presenters: Jennifer Cox & Salima Saxton

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Anniki's stories speak to scores of women daily. From her hilariously spot-on Instagram reels detailing the realities of menopausal mothering, to her bittersweet written work, Anniki recognises and reflects our needs. In this episode, we cover everything from being the breadwinner to throwing socks out of the window. Not to be missed.

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Do you adore RHONY? And do you adore Carole Radziwill? Then you'd better get yourselves here.

It's such a thrill to have Carole with us, and she doesn't disappoint. She talks being part of an aristocratic dynasty, how she navigated the greatest tragedy of her life, and the tear-down of women by the patriarchy.

This ep of WAM lifts the lid on life behind the scenes of the huge reality TV show, including the envy and desire for destruction which haven't changed much since the days of Austen or Wharton. The tragedy in Carole's own life is beautifully documented in her book, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love, of which Oprah writes, 'Radziwill gets at the essence of what matters - friendship, compassion, destiny.' We explore the emotional impact of Carole's experiences, and hear about what makes her mad...

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Do you love Motherland? Then you're going to love our convo with show writer Helen Serafinowicz! Helen shares what makes her mad, from ghosts to kitchen extensions to the sound of people eating. To the realities of campaigning to amend abortion laws. Helen is wry, sharp and, much like her hit TV show, highly relatable.

Recorded on 25th September 2023

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Miranda Sawyer should definitely be Prime Minister. She is erudite to her core, and her thoughts flow with astonishing ease and agility. Miranda's ideas are razor-sharp, and absolutely nail the absurdity of the version of life we're all scraping ourselves through at this point.  

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Jessica Knappett is a comedian, actress and writer, who’s wowed us in some of the best British comedy of this century, from Avoidance to Taskmaster to the Inbetweeners movie to her own long-running sitcom Drifters. In this episode the extremely talented Jessica Knappett talks about having it all (or not) and passive aggression from people and furniture.

Knappett is the creator, writer, executive producer, and star of the E4 sitcom Drifters, in which she played Meg. She has described the show as a semi-autobiographical and therapeutic re-writing of her own history.

Knappett played Lisa in The Inbetweeners Movie and appeared in the Alan Partridge Movie Alpha Papa and the TV film Irreversible. Jessica's appearances on panel shows include 8 Out of 10 Cats, Hypothetical, and The Last Leg. She was a contestant on the seventh season of Dave's comedy gameshow Taskmaster, falling off the stage during a task in one episode. The stage extension was later named The Knappett in her honour.

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This week, we are privileged to share in Esther Manito's rage. From harassment on public transport to assumptions about her domestic duties, Esther perfectly captures a frighteningly familiar narrative.

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Stacey Duguid speaks her mind. And we love it. She’s a wise and welcome voice in the notoriously fickle world of fashion. Here, she shares her feelings on everything from parenting to Instagram oversteps.

In 2004, Stacey joined British ELLE as Fashion Editor and during this time, she wrote the award-winning column, Mademoiselle, Confessions of an ELLE girl. Featuring on the back cover of ELLE for half a decade, the column was a fictionalised version of her life as a single woman living in London. She was the Fashion Editor of British ELLE magazine for 10 years. Stacey is regularly commissioned to write for the Sunday Times Style, where she trials fashion trends with her signature humour.

Stacey’s debut book, In Pursuit of Happiness, is an honest and often humorous journey of divorce and dating, or, of mating, motherhood, marriage, money and mayhem.

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Join us for a vibrant discussion about justice and womanhood with woman of the hour Kelechi Okafor. Kelechi Okafor is an actor, writer and social commentator. Her book Edge of Here explores with limitless scope the experience of contemporary Black womanhood. Whilst her children's book Strong Like Me encourages children to celebrate all forms of strength. In this episode, Kelechi Okafor brings her unrivalled insight and laser-sharp thinking to issues of race, justice and womanhood.

It's not often you hear women carving out a space to dig deep into race politics. Especially with warmth, love and humour. Kelechi Okafor sets a high but exceptionally inclusive bar.

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Poorna Bell is a gladiator.

In her real life, and also in the way she courageously handles her most painful and confronting emotions.

In this conversation, we explore Poorna's experience of her own rage, from the smallest transgressions related to parking spaces and the crush to exit planes, to the heartbreaking anguish of losing her partner to addiction. Poorna shares how her relationship with exercise, and particularly wrestling, challenges conditioned bonds of femininity, and offers her psychological release.

About our guest:

Poorna ia an award-winning journalist, author and former UK Executive Editor and Global Lifestyle Head for HuffPost. Poorna has published three non-fiction books, and her second novel, This Is Fine, is out this month! We were lucky enough to be sent early copies, and absolutely devoured it. We know that you will love this woman and her work as much as we do.

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The winter gets a bad rap. But here at WAM, we know what's what. We know the cruel kick the summer can deliver. It's long, it's lonely, it's emotionally fraught. While we're all allegedly having such a damn good time.

Today, we extend a helping hand 'cross the wildfires of the season, and bring you another special ep to ease the load. WAM hunkers down beside you, offers you some raspberry ripple, and holds your hand while you dip a toe in that probably quite icy water.

Coz WAMsters, we're in this together.

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