Awkward Engagements, Circumcision Activism & Sheerluxe's AI Influencers

Hello EICabbages!Strap in because today we're taking you on a tour of the most salacious, strange and shocking stories in the news. Russell Brand running for mayor, TERF nonsense in the running space, Hannah Spencer calling out Westminster's drinking culture and a murder used for sexist click bait.From there we're taking on a topic that depressed us way back in 2024 after UK fashion and lifestyle magazine Sheerluxe introduced yet more AI influencers to its roster, with Brooke, Gigi, and Eden joining their OG AI-fluencer Reem. Comments on their socials are uniformly negative, but Sheerluxe seem undeterred. We discuss.And last (but not least) we're talking circumcision after The Cut published a piece titled ‘‘The Men Who Want Their Foreskins Back". The story centres on a 30-year-old man who was circumcised as a baby and recently underwent reconstructive penis surgery- plus the thriving online community of men going to lengths to manually "restore" their own foreskins. Not a topic we know much about, but we share what we learned from the piece and how it's shaped our current opinions.This week Oenone has been loving The Testaments on Disney+, Beef on Netflix, I Just Want You To Be Happy by Jem Calder (out 21st May) and The Cage on BBC iPlayer, Beth has been loving Expectation by Anna Hope and Ruchira has been loving Ex Machina, Search Party on YouTube and (secretly) Temptation Island on Netflix.Links: BBC - Influencer dies days after being hit by car in Soho Hannah Spencer Instagram Feminegra - Daily Mail's BBL Influencer Headline Sparks BacklashThe Standard - Russell Brand announced plan to run for London MayorPolitics Joe - What it's REALLY like in Westminster | Hannah Spencer interviewBBC - Sheerluxe defends use of AI influencer The Cut - The Men Who Want Their Foreskins Back Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.