Role Model’s break-up, the ethics of auto-fiction, and how has the ‘kinda chic’ trend altered our vocabulary?

Maggie is back from her Europe trip, meaning we're back with a pop culture episode for you!

First up, Role Model and Dakota Johnson have broken up. But wait? Didn't she just feature on a song from his brand new album? Yes. Yes she did. Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen have teamed up to maximise their joint slay with a “10 Things I Hate About You” musical. Plus, Rachel Cusk’s new book is making headlines in the literary world after the main character in Life of M had some striking similarities to a famous actress. We reference this article from The Cut.

According to social media, everything is chic. But what happens when social media trends hit fever pitch and become meaningless? Earlier this month, Berlin-based fashion editor and influencer Brenda Weischer posted a Substack that picked up a lot of heat. We read from the Substack titled oh my god. we're in template slop? and another by type designer Paola Kassa titled How Typography is Making People Famous.  

We also deep dive on the word 'chic' itself and reference RIP “Chic” – The Word Has Finally Lost All Meaning by Lauren O’Neill, for British Vogue from 2025. What Is Chic? Race, Aesthetics, and the Politics of Elegance by India Low for Liverpool Guild of Students and The Slipperyness of Chic by Marie Solis for The New York Times. 

In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the movie The Friend’s House Is Here and Jas recommends The Chronology of Water which is in Australian cinemas now. 

Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Instagram here and our Substack here. 

Jas & Mags xo 

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Why the AI bubble is bound to burst, the influence of Big Tech and the concept of ‘enshittification’ with tech journalist Cory Doctorow.

In today’s episode of Culture Club Chats, we sit down with Canadian-British author, activist, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow.

Cory’s work at the intersection of technology and culture reached new heights following the publication of his 2025 book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.

The term ‘enshittification’ was coined by Cory and describes the degradation of online services and platforms like Facebook, Amazon and X in pursuit of profit. 

In this conversation, Cory unpacks why the AI bubble is bound to burst, how Big Tech has reshaped the internet, and what the future of our increasingly online lives might look like.

Cory is coming to Australia this month. He'll be at Sydney’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas from the 22nd to the 23rd of August, and Melbourne’s Now or Never Festival, presented by The Wheeler Centre, on the 25th of August. 

In Bookmarked, Cory recommends Here Where We Live Is Our Country by Molly Crabapple and Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer.

Thanks for listening - Jas & Mags xo 

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Cosy fantasy, famous fathers, and spinning fact into fiction, with author Naomi Ishiguro. Our guest today is British author Naomi Ishiguro.

She’s the author of the short story collection, Escape Routes, and the novel, Common Ground. If her name rings a bell, it could be because her dad is the Nobel Prize-winning author, Kazuo Ishiguro.

The first book from her new fantasy series, The Rainshadow Series, is now out in the world. Book one, The Rainshadow Orphans, is a cosy fantasy read blending magical whimsy with real-world political stakes.

In Bookmarked, Naomi recommends Nina Mingya Powles’ Tiny Moons: A Year of Eating in Shanghai and Small Bodies of Water.

Enjoy!

Follow Naomi Ishiguro here and Culture Club podcast here. 

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The history of the witch hunts, the devaluation of female power, and how to tap into your witchy side, with Good Witch author and journalist Lucianne Tonti. 

Lucianne Tonti is an Australian-based fashion expert, author, and journalist. She’s the fashion editor of The Saturday Paper, sustainability editor of ELLE Australia and a contributor to The Guardian.

In 2022, Lucianne published her award-winning book Sundressed: Natural Fibres and the Future of Fashion, which explores the garment industry and how regenerative fibre farming can help revolutionise the future of clothing. 

Now, Lucianne has written Good Witch, a brand new non-fiction book that explores how the witch hunts were the catalyst for much of what is wrong with our world today: climate change, our disconnection from nature, and the corrupt patriarchal systems we live under.

Good Witch looks back at the witch hunts that swept Europe and America in the 16, 17 and 18th centuries and explores how ‘witchy’ or ‘women’s work’ like gardening and textiles is regaining popularity in the current moment. 

We hope you enjoy this chat and if you want to see more of Lucianne's work, you can follow her on Instagram.

Watch this episode on YouTube and follow us on Substack. 

Jas & Mags xo

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This week, enjoy a bonus bumper Bookmarked episode. This is what we've enjoyed watching, reading and listening to this winter. Plus, what we're looking forward to consuming in August.

References:

Famesick by Lena Dunham 

Good Witch by Lucianna Tonti 

Hot History Podcast 

Frances Ha 

Who Is Lily Jay? The Australian influencer Accused of Using AI in Aid Videos

Australian influencer Lily Jay’s tangled web of AI manipulation

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Whistler by Ann Patchett

My Brilliant Career coming to Netflix August 13

The Invite

Let us know what you've been loving as well! Thank you for listening - Jas & Mags xo

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The rise of cool girl content, Shein’s UK rebrand, and Olivia Rodrigo’s new finance bro.

Olivia Rodrigo reportedly has a new beau and fans are talking about his "fake job". Who is the mystery man? 

In some fashion popcorn bits: Christopher Nolan banned uggs from his set, Zara has created "death" pants, and Shein has launched a brand named Musera to sell its cheap clothes without the tarred reputation. Ick. We reference Rachel Grif, Save the Planet Society and Women's Wear Daily.

In our new segment, 'Off The Record', we discuss the rise of Cool Girl Content that's flooding our algorithms at the moment. We hear from local content creator and stylist Joely Malcolm and read from Nylon's article on the new wave of Coolness titled The New Cool Looks A Lot Like Trying by Zara McIntosh and Sam Tracy. Who determines what's cool, and is it just a homogenous term for 'trend'? 

No Bookmarked this episode as we have an extended episode later this week! Stay tuned. Thanks for listening - Jas & Mags xo

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Hudson Williams’ paparazzi blow-up, Zendaya’s private jet dress and another AI gaffe. 

Hi listeners! A reminder that you can receive a few extra Bookmarked recommendations on our Substack, plus you can watch this episode on YouTube. Lots of pop culture popcorn this episode, so grab your coffee/ tea and settle in.

Heated Rivalry actor Hudson Williams has been accosted by Parisian paparazzi and is fed up. Is this warranted or is it one standard for celebrity women versus men? We reference this post by creator Susan Hyatt.

This past week, Marie Claire Australia was called out on the global stage (including on Saint Hoax) for an AI gaffe. We reference a report on it via Crikey's daily news column The Snoop, and ask if, rather than blaming the writer, it's a symptom of a systemic rot in the media industry worldwide. 

The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan is out now, and Zendaya has been STUNNING on red carpets during its press tour. One showstopping angel-inspired dress we reference is by French label Matières Fécales (aka Fecal Matter). Another was by Schiaparelli and had to be personally private jetted from Paris to London ahead of the premiere. We reference the original video by fashion creator ly.as. 

In Bookmarked, Jas enjoyed First Light, the debut feature from Filipino-Australian James J. Robinson. You can see it in select cinemas now. Maggie recommends The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder. 

Thank you for listening! 

Jas & Mags xo 

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Wasia Project sits down and opens up about sibling dynamics, new music and Heartstopper Forever.

Hi listeners! A reminder that we are on YouTube AND now Substack! 

Consisting of siblings William Gao and Olivia Hardy, Wasia Project was formed in 2019 and grew during the COVID lockdowns when Olivia and Will were just teenagers. After two EPs and a hit track that was picked up by Heartstopper, Wasia Project’s debut album Nocturne is dropping later this year, on September 18.

Described as “turning coming-of-age angst into catharsis”, Nocturne is a ballad-filled, soaring pop album that explores growing up in a fractured digital world, all backed by the siblings’ classical music training.

We sat down with the British band when they were on their small world tour to chat about their first album, Heartstopper's impact, and how to collaborate when you work with your sibling.

In recommendations, Will enjoyed Heretic on the plane over to Australia, while Olivia recently picked up A Philosophy of Walking by Frederic Gros.

Thank you for listening and being a part of the Culture Club world <3 

Jas & Mags xo

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Ashley Tisdale's Toxic Mom TV show, Zoella’s surprising life update, and Lizzo speaks out about the Khia Asylum.

Hi listeners! A reminder that we are on YouTube AND now Substack! More Culture Club, woo hoo!

In this week's episode, we start with Maggie's Zoella update and the TikTok comment that had her bf Tom blushing. We also chit chat about Ashley Tisdale's Toxic Moms TV show (inspired by her public friendship drama earlier this year), as well as the cringe marketing tactics brands posted after the Empire State proposal.

After our Kylie Jenner Meta glasses post popped off, in this week's episode, we chat about the rise of celebrity Finstas. In The Finsta Renaissance Is Here for Nylon, the writer Sam Tracy shares some examples of the finstas and asks why people are creating second (yet public) accounts. Lizzo is back in the headlines after her latest album Bitch failed to chart after dropping on June 5. 

During an interview with "Swiftologist" last week, Lizzo reflected on the poor sales and discussed the phenomenon of the Khia Asylum. We break down the internet space and read from Sending Women To The ‘Khia Asylum’ Is Music’s Latest Cruel Trend. But It Reflects An Old Historical Bias by James Hall for The Conversation, as well as The Guardian's 2/5 star review of Bitch. We also hear from PhD candidate Sascha Samlal, whose research focuses on fan culture and shame and had a differing perspective on the Khia Asylum than James/ The Conversation did. You can hear her full take in our Substack this week.

In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the Chinese family drama film, Dear You, while Jas recommends the new Australian history podcast from the ABC, The Dead Can't Sue.

Thank you for being a part of the Culture Club world <3 We appreciate you!

Jas & Mags xo

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Hi friends,

Olivia Rodrigo launches an all-women festival, A24’s AI deal, and the rebranding of the surveillance state is here.

Reminder: you can join the Culture Club world on YouTube and Substack!

First up – we have some pop culture popcorn bits for you, including another nostalgic adaptation and more rumours about Taylor Swift's imminent wedding. Olivia Rodrigo is adding festival organiser to her resume with the announcement of the all-female festival, Daisy Chain Fields.

In film news, A24 and Google have struck an AI research partnership deal that will see the independent studio work to develop new AI-powered technologies for filmmakers. Cinephiles and Letterboxd-heads the globe over are not happy with the decision. Is this a step backward for the indie studio or a needed tool for research?

Meta has partnered with Kylie Jenner to release a line of AI-powered glasses. Named the Meta Starfire Glasses, Kylie Edition, the sunglasses can take photos and videos, play music, take calls and offer voice controls for you to go about your day hands-free. The accompanying marketing has been praised for its style and fashion, proving that all the surveillance state needed was a little rebrand. We discuss the ethical implications of these AI-powered sunglasses and the rise of Ring camera content online, including this Instagram post from style icon Alex Chung herself.

In recommendations, we have two TV series for you. Maggie recommends The Four Seasons, season 2 on Netflix, while Jas enjoyed Margo's Got Money Troubles on Apple TV.

Thank you for being here and for listening!!! We <3 you.

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The Grammys' new controversial category, Girl Math hits the retail sector, and the problem with aestheticised loneliness influencers.

Reminder, we're on YouTube and SUBSTACK.

Hi friends! In this episode, we kick off with some celebrity pop culture bits, including a revelation from TikTok user Jessmess69 regarding Sarah Pidgeon and one former Culture Club Chats guest!

The Grammy Awards is adding five new categories: R&B collaboration or duo/group performance, best traditional pop vocal performance and best traditional folk album. But, the categories causing concern include best Asian pop music performance and best Latin song. Is this progress or a form of musical segregation?

Australian fashion brand, Lioness, has come under fire this week after its graphic tees were accused of sexist language. A t-shirt, which is being sold in Myer as well as in their online store for $29 features a slogan on the front that reads: “I’m too pretty to do math”. We break down our thoughts, including the new wave of bimbo-fication that's now being sold to women. We reference this opinion piece for the Sydney Morning Herald titled What a Degrading T-shirt: Girls Told They’re ‘Too Pretty To Do Math’ by educator Allan Dougan.

Next, have you noticed a certain type of social media content that’s focused on loneliness? Writer Rachel Pick wrote a piece for The Cut titled, “The Loneliness Influencers Inside The Luxurious Tedium Of “I Have No Friends” TikTok”. We discuss the influence of this type of content and if it's perpetuating or helping the loneliness crisis. We also read from Milk Fed by Caitlyn Richardson and her piece called Heidegger And The Illusion Of Aestheticized Loneliness.

In recommendations, Maggie watched the Australian horror movie, Leviticus, while Jas read and loved Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden.

Thank you for being here! Jas & Mags xo

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