piffle pod

Today, we're completing the unofficial trio of books taking the world by storm this year: Famesick by Lena Dunham, Strangers by Belle Burden, and now Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.We discuss our thoughts on Yesteryear's zeitgeisty themes of tradwife culture, mommy bloggers, and the curated world of social media influencing - and what happens when the curtain gets pulled back to reveal what really goes on outside the camera frame.We also dive into the IRL tradwife world of Hannah Neeleman from Ballerina Farm and even the family-vlogger-turned-convicted-criminal world of Ruby Franke, and ask what happens when motherhood, content creation and performance start to blur together, and in some cases sadly lead to child abuse and neglect. So, what ties all three of these books together? On first glance, they don't have all that much in common. Two completely different memoirs and a fictional novel about a time-travelling tradwife. But, each one, at its core, is about a woman (a white woman) unravelling. Which seems to be a popular theme right now but raises the question: who gets to be a bestseller?Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.Music by Michael and Tilly.

Inspired by a recent article in The Cut, we discuss why so many people in their 30s and 40s are feeling lost, stuck or uncertain about the future. Despite having 15-20 years of experience, many are finding themselves unemployed, searching for work for months at a time, or questioning careers and identities they spent decades building.From there, we dive into artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing sense that we're being told to embrace a future that nobody actually signed up to. We talk about leaked comments from Mark Zuckerberg, the increasing pressure from tech leaders and celebrities to "get on board" and a recent New York Times article exploring why college commencement speakers touting AI are being met with boos from graduates. Rather than excitement, many students seem to be responding with skepticism, anxiety and a sense that they're inheriting a job market already being reshaped beneath their feet.But is any of this as inevitable as we're being told? We discuss previous technological revolutions (from crypto to blockchain) that were once presented as world-changing certainties, and whether AI could follow a more complicated path than its biggest advocates predict.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.Music by Michael and Tilly.Articles discussed:Midlife Crisis-ing in the End-timesIt's No Wonder Grads Are Booing Their Commencement SpeakersDigital arson spree by ‘AI Bonnie and Clyde’ raises fears over autonomous techAlso mentioned:Our previous episode on Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams

This week on the piffle pod, we review Strangers by Belle Burden - the wildly discussed memoir about a husband leaving his wife and three children after 20 years of marriage to begin an entirely new life. We dive into the book’s themes of love, betrayal, emotional labour, identity and reinvention, but also the part we couldn’t stop thinking about: the extreme wealth quietly sitting beneath the story. And of course, we talk about that piece from the New Yorker. Did the lack of transparency around money affect how we experienced the memoir? Could we fully connect with the emotional stakes when so much privilege felt unspoken? And does a memoir owe readers that kind of honesty? Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠.Music by Michael and Tilly.

In this episode, we discuss It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley - the music documentary directed by Amy Berg that gives us a rare insight into who Jeff really was, featuring interviews with his mother, bandmates, friends like Ben Harper, and former girlfriends, alongside a treasure trove of archival footage of the late musician.We unpack Jeff Buckley’s remarkable and complicated life: his childhood, his fraught relationship with his famous father Tim Buckley, the role his mother Mary Guibert played in shaping who he became, and his sudden, tragic death in 1997.We also talk about the music - because you can’t talk about Jeff Buckley without talking about the music. Grace, the only studio album released during his lifetime, was once described by David Bowie as the best album he’d ever heard. Three decades later, younger generations are still discovering it and being equally moved by it. Brad Pitt serves as an executive producer after originally wanting to star as Jeff Buckley in a biopic. We’re very glad we got this instead.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at [email protected] by Michael and Tilly.

In this week’s episode, we discuss Famesick, the highly anticipated second memoir from Lena Dunham, and unpack her return to the cultural conversation after years of public backlash and controversy.We get into:​Her long-term chronic health struggles and how they shaped both her career and personal life​The controversies that defined public perception of her throughout the 2010s​Her writing about Jack Antonoff, Adam Driver and Jemima Kirke​Her complicated creative and personal relationship with Jenni Konner​Whether Lena Dunham has gone from “cancelled” to culturally relevant again.We also share our thoughts on The Devil Wears Prada 2, including the choice to cast Patrick Brammall as Anne Hathaway’s new love interest, the fashion and styling direction of the sequel, and why it’s a genuinely fun follow-up to such an iconic film.If you’ve been curious about the reaction to Famesick, or why everyone seems to be talking about Lena Dunham again, this is your deep dive.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠Music by Michael and Tilly.

In this episode, we break down the full evolution of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival - from its 1999 indie and alternative roots to the global, brand-heavy, influencer-driven event it’s become in 2026.We get into:How Pearl Jam boycotting Ticketmaster inspired the first ever Coachella, and how the festival continued to evolve into a cultural forceThe shift from music-first festival to celebrity and influencer hotspotThe rise of brand activations, outpost parties and eventsWeekend 1 vs Weekend 2 differences What Coachella looks like today and whether it’s lost its edge.We also unpack this year’s festival, including Justin Bieber’s standout performance, the comparisons made to Sabrina Carpenter's production efforts, and our first-hand experience of the biggest moments that defined both weekends.If you’ve ever wondered how Coachella became Coachella, this is your deep dive.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠Music by Michael and Tilly.

This week we kick off with our thoughts on The Drama, the new film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. Note: we do discuss some spoilers, but we tell you exactly where to skip ahead if you'd prefer to watch it first.Then we diving into pile on culture (also known as dogpiling) and ask whether online outrage is ever actually justified. We explore the psychology behind why people join in the pile on, the role platforms play in amplifying them, and what the real world consequences are for the people on the receiving end.We look at two recent examples: the internet's reaction to Amanda Batula from Summer House following her rumoured connection with co-star West, and the pile on directed at Chappell Roan over an incident in Brazil that she denied any involvement in. In both cases, the punishment felt wildly disproportionate to the crime... and tellingly, the men involved escaped largely unscathed.Update: since recording this episode, Jorginho Frello has acknowledged there was a misunderstanding in his accusation against Chappell Roan. Elo added a post-production voice note with her thoughts.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠TikTok⁠ @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] by Michael and Tilly.

There are two types of people in this world: people who love pranks and people who have trust issues because of them.This week on the piffle pod, we’re diving into everything April Fools’ Day: where it came from, the best pranks of all time and the ones that went very wrong. We’re joined by a very special guest (and certified prankster), Maffa, to break down what actually makes a prank funny.From viral brand stunts (Duolingo, BMW) to chaotic fails (yes, Elon Musk’s Tesla tweet), we’re unpacking the psychology behind pranks, including the concept of schadenfreude and why we sometimes enjoy watching other people suffer.So… what’s the difference between a good prank and a bad one? And why do some leave us laughing while others just feel cruel?Listen now for:The history of April Fools’ DayThe best (and worst) pranks ever pulledPranks that backfired spectacularlyThe ethics of pranking your friends, coworkers… or the entire internetLeave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ or ⁠TikTok⁠ @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] by Michael and Tilly.

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams goes beyond Facebook’s internal culture to reveal the platform’s global impact, from political influence to real-world harm.In Part 2, we dive into how Facebook shaped events around the world in the 2010s, including its role in the genocide against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, its attempts to negotiate entry into China, and its influence on the 2016 US election. We also unpack the backlash to Careless People, discuss Mark Zuckerberg toying with the idea of running for US President, and share an update on the ongoing social media addiction trial against Meta in Los Angeles.This episode wraps up our two-part series on Careless People, connecting the dots between what was happening inside Facebook and the real-world consequences still felt today.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams exposes the reality of working at Facebook - from toxic workplace culture to power, hypocrisy, and private jets.In this week’s episode, we revisit the bestselling memoir Careless People in the context of the ongoing social media addiction trial against Meta in Los Angeles. We break down key insights from the book, alongside what it was really like working with Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg at Facebook in the 2010s.There are too many shocking stories to cover in one episode, so this is Part 1 of 2. Next week, we’ll dive into the global impact of Facebook and social media, and share updates from the Meta trial.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend! To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠

365 party girls unite! We’re talking all things Charli xcx and her new mockumentary The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri.In the film, Charli xcx plays a satirical version of herself alongside Alexander Skarsgård as the self-serious 'creative' commercial director hired to commandeer her Brat tour movie. Featuring cameos from Kylie Jenner and Rachel Sennott, The Moment blurs the line between pop spectacle and industry satire.We unpack why Charli made this project, the tension between commercialism and creative control in the music industry, our favourite scenes, and the inevitable comparisons to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.Leave a comment, like and subscribe, or share this episode with a friend!To stay up to date with all things Piffle, follow us on Instagram or TikTok @piffleproductions, or email us at [email protected].

Tighten your corsets! In our first ever episode we're talking piffle about "Wuthering Heights", director Emerald Fennell's modern adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 literary classic, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.We break down the controversial whitewashing of Heathcliff, analyse the costume and production design, explore the character development choices, unpack the critical backlash following the film’s release, and discuss the headline-making press tour.Follow us on Instagram @piffleproductions for more film analysis, book reviews, pop culture commentary and anything else we feel like talking piffle about.