Big Small Talk
MIK MADE
This is the podcast where we try to cover the entirety of the news cycle, the serious and the frivolous, all in one place.
- 1 hour 5 minutesIran, Carolyn Bessette & Albo Calls Grace Tame 'Difficult'
This episode is a big one. We unpack everything going on in Iran and Australia's response. Hannah breaks down Anthony Albanese's "difficult" week - from the bomb scare to commenting on David Pocock on Karl Stefanovic podcast to calling Grace Tame 'difficult'. Sarah takes us into the world of the Kennedy Family and if Ryan Murphy's new show on JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette is ethical. Plus, everything we need to know about the Paramount Warner merger and the biggest moments from The BRIT Awards. For the Q+A Hannah explains the recent Four Corners damning investigation into the handling of Endometriosis.
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3 March 2026, 6:38 am - 57 minutes 19 secondsDid I Overshare… Or Is This a Vulnerability Hangover? With Josh Van Cylenburg
This week on Small Talk we’re joined by Josh Van Cuylenburg from The Imperfects!!
Josh is a producer-turned-host and the architect of the Vulnerabilitea House. To test the theory on the 'hangover', Josh has kindly let me host a special Small Talk edition of the Vulnerabitea house with him.
If you're wondering what the Vulnerability Hangover is - it's that wave of shame, regret and “why did I say that?” that hits after you take an emotional risk. We unpack why being vulnerable feels so much worse from the inside than it looks from the outside, why men in particular are often taught to shut it down, and whether in the age of TikTok tell-alls and authenticity, vulnerability has become expected content.
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25 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 37 minutes 12 secondsBIG TALK: The Iraq War PART TWO
Picking up where we left off in Part One, we now deep dive into the sectarian violence that unfolded in Iraq and layout a timeline on how they attempted to implement democratic processes as well as Saddam Hussein's trial. We also look at the collapse of the America's central justification for the war: no weapons of mass destruction found. We then jump into Bush's re-election and changing public opinion internationally.
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24 February 2026, 7:50 pm - 44 minutes 24 secondsBIG TALK: The Iraq War PART ONE
Big Talk is back for 2026!
The Iraq War was one of the most consequential political decisions of the 21st century. In this episode of Big Talk, we trace the road from 9/11 to the invasion of Iraq, unpacking how the trauma of that moment reshaped American and Australian foreign policy overnight and how George W. Bush framed the world in binaries of “good versus evil”. This episode takes us from Bush's election all the way through to the fateful, pre-emptive 'mission accomplished' speech delivered after the initial invasion.
Video Grab Sources: The Age & SBS
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24 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 1 hour 2 minutesEx-Prince Andrew Arrest, Tyra Banks & 'ISIS Brides'
In this episode we explain the grounds of Andrew Mountbatten Windsors arrest. We then reminisce our Disney Channel days in the wake of Hillary Duff's crazy ticket sales for her Australian shows and the announcement that Hannah Montana will return. Hannah explains the abhorrent comments by Pauline Hanson and the discussion around 'ISIS Brides'. Sarah talks us through the explosive America's Next Top Models docu-series and why Winter Olympic star Eileen Gu went viral this week.
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24 February 2026, 5:45 am - 41 minutes 11 secondsCan You Keep A Secret (& Should You)? With Annabelle Lee
Senior Producer and professional on-mic giggler from Shameless Media and host of Everybody Has a Secret, Annabelle Lee, is in the studio with us.
We dive into the ethics of secrets — why we’re so drawn to them, what makes them powerful, and what really goes on behind the scenes of Everybody Has a Secret. Then, with the help of some very juicy listener submissions, we put our moral compasses to the test: which secrets should you keep… and which ones absolutely need to be told?
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18 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 1 hour 9 minutesZayn Malik, Lib Spill & The Unfaithful Olympian
We unpack the fallout from Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia and why police are now being investigated over their handling of the protests. Then how Zayn Malik claims he was never in love with Gigi Hadid (partner of six yers and mother to his child??). A Norwegian Winter Olympian publicly begs for his ex back, all while the Olympic Village somehow runs out of condoms. Back home, the Liberals spill, Angus Taylor steps up and Sussan Ley leaves politics entirely. We get an update on the Epstein Files, including Pam Bondi’s very tense responses under questioning. Then, Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes split again.
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17 February 2026, 5:55 am - 44 minutes 32 secondsDo You Need A Personal Rebrand? With Mitch Churi
This week on Small Talk, we’re joined by comeback king Mitch Churi. From starting in commercial radio at 19 to hosting national shows - and then being unexpectedly let go - Mitch knows what it means to publicly rebuild and rebrand. We giggle over it being the year of the horse and the insane amount of content encouraging our 2026 personal rebrands.
Thankfully Mitch is also well up to date with pop culture, so we also get to evaluate a few of our favourite celeb comebacks - from Zara Larsson to Addison Rae. We ask, what separates a reinvention that sticks from one that feels forced?
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11 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 1 hour 18 minutesThe Super Bowl, The Protests & Wuthering Heights
This week we’re unpacking the Super Bowl and Bad Bunny's joyful and perfect performance. Then to the major protests around the Israeli president’s visit to Australia and the police response. We dive into why the internet absolutely melting down over "Wuthering Heights" discourse (yes, justice to the English lit majors). We also break down the latest developments in the Epstein files and why Elon Musk’s Grok AI is under fresh scrutiny. In the Q+A we squeeze in a chat about Taylor Swifts new Opalite music video.
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10 February 2026, 6:26 am - 49 minutes 24 secondsIf Pretty Privilege Exists, Is it Wrong To Use it? With Elouise Eftos
This week on Small Talk, we’re joined by comedian Elouise Eftos, aka “Australia’s first attractive comedian.”
Fresh off five-star reviews, major comedy festival wins and an upcoming New York debut, Eloise joins us to unpack the very online, very uncomfortable concept of pretty privilege. Is it real? Is it choice feminism? Is it survival? And why are women punished less for being pretty than for knowing they’re pretty?
We talk beauty standards, comedy, confidence, sexual empowerment, online hate, and why leveraging attractiveness gets framed as smart for men but suspect for women.
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4 February 2026, 7:45 pm - 1 hour 20 minutesGrammys, Epstein Files & MAGA Barbie
We dive into the Grammy Awards - the big winners, the performances, the political moments, and the red carpet. We then unpack the bomb attack at Perth on Invasion Day and how reporting was minimised. We explain the updates to the Jeffrey Epstein files - what new evidence has surfaced and the DOJs response. Plus, Sydney Sweeney's Cosmopolitan cover story, which she talks about her 'MAGA Barbie' label and her new lingerie line. We use that to segue into talking about Nicki Minaj becoming Trumps #1 fan and Melania's new documentary. We break down the increasingly messy Nationals–Liberals situationship, and finally, actress Katherine O'Hara's death.
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3 February 2026, 7:10 am - More Episodes? Get the App