PODCAST · society
The Middle
by Andy and Roger
In a world where only the extreme get their voice heard... How do we know where the middle is?Join us on our search for the middle.https://www.instagram.com/the_middle_podcast/
Episodes
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#208 - Butt scrunch
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 208 – Butt scrunch Apparently, the biggest controversy in comedy right now is a pair of gym shorts. In this episode, Andy and Roger tackle the backlash against comedian Shane Gillis and his jokes about women's gym attire, particularly the increasingly popular...
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#207 - Death penalty
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 207 – Death penalty Roger returns from Movie World on the Gold Coast with stories of ageing superheroes, terrified children and stunt shows before Andy brings the mood down considerably with a discussion about the death penalty. Because nothing says light...
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#206 - Changing minds
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 206 – Changing minds Andy returns from Sydney with a new appreciation for public transport and, more surprisingly, the Toyota Camry. From there, Andy and Roger ask a question that sounds simple until you actually try to answer it: when was the last time you…
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#205 - Is it rael?
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 205 – Is it rael? Roger goes to the pub, has a few too many drinks and somehow ends up taking the Israel-Palestine conflict home with him. From there, Andy and Roger unpack what happens when political disagreement stops being about competing interpretations and…
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#204 - Mackle No More
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 204 - Mackle-no-more Apparently the safest way to survive a pop tour in 2026 is to say absolutely nothing — although even that can now get you into trouble. Andy and Roger start by asking whether “peak woke” really is over, looking at the growing profile of the...
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#203 - Armageddon
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 203 – Armageddon Andy and Roger ask the reassuring question of whether humanity might be heading for Armageddon, and whether all those reassuring statistics about the world getting better are missing the bigger picture. Starting with Steven Pinker’s case for human...
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#202 - Bali-ache
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 202 – Bali-ache Roger returns from Bali having finally discovered the appeal of doing absolutely nothing in a five-star resort, before Andy drags him back to the less relaxing world of workplace politics. In this episode, Andy and Roger tackle a listener question...
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#201 - No, we’re not wiser
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 201 – No, we’re not wiser Two hundred (and one) episodes in, Andy and Roger ask the obvious question: are they older and wiser? Older, certainly. The rest remains open to debate. Continuing their trip down memory lane, they revisit two of the biggest and most…
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#200 - Are we any wiser?
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 200 – Are we any wiser? Two hundred episodes in, Andy and Roger are older, slightly more injured, and not obviously wiser. Roger opens proceedings with a mysteriously sprained hip and an aggressive encounter with a physiotherapist, while Andy recounts an equally...
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#199 - Artificial thought
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 199 – Artificial thought In this episode, Andy and Roger ask a fairly modern question: if ChatGPT is writing your messages, planning your holidays and settling your arguments, at what point are you no longer doing much of the thinking yourself? Prompted by a…
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#198 - Enshittified
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 198 – Enshittified Things aren’t what they used to be. Or perhaps Andy and Roger are just getting older. In this episode, Andy and Roger ask whether everyday life really is getting shittier, starting with the faded glory of Pancakes on the Rocks and the…
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#197 - India
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 197 – India Roger went to India for work and returned with an expanded cultural perspective, several questions about infrastructure, and a stomach that had formally resigned. In this episode, Andy and Roger unpack Roger’s first visit to India, beginning with the...
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#196 - Protest vote
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 196 – Protest vote Is voting for One Nation a rational protest vote, or the political equivalent of sending an angry email and accidentally hitting “reply all”? Andy and Roger respond to a listener who’s fed up with the major parties and considering voting for…
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#195 - Wonder drugs
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 195 – Wonder drugs Roger is back in Brisbane, the weather is terrible, and after briefly contemplating the bleakness of bachelor apartment living, Andy and Roger turn their attention to the latest supposed miracle of modern medicine: GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic,...
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#194 - Trump card
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 194 – Trump card Nothing says sporting integrity quite like the leader of the free world phoning FIFA about a red card. In this episode, Andy and Roger discuss Australia’s temporary transformation into a nation of football experts whenever the World Cup rolls…
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#193 - Monoculture
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 193 – Monoculture Pauline Hanson says Australia should be “monocultural”. Predictably, everyone loses their minds—but what does that actually mean? In this episode, Andy and Roger unpack the difference between multiculturalism and a shared Australian identity…
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#192 - Karl Stefanovic
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 192 – Karl Stefanovic In this episode, Andy and Roger take on the curious case of Karl Stefanovic, Tommy Robinson, and whether cancel culture is still alive and well in 2026. Andy opens by mourning the apparent end of Karl's media career before the pair unpack his...
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#191 - Cloudy reflections
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 191 – Cloudy reflections In this episode, Andy and Roger discover that nothing captures the state of American politics quite like a mysteriously green reflecting pool outside the White House. From there, things only become more normal. The conversation takes in…
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#190 - One Nation
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 190 – One Nation In this episode, Andy and Roger begin with an unexpected observation about cosmetic surgery, lip filler, hair transplants, and the growing pressure to optimise appearance. What starts as a discussion about cosmetic enhancements quickly turns into a...
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#189 - Make your bed
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 189 – Make your bed Making the bed is apparently the first step towards success, which may explain quite a lot. Andy and Roger compare their tolerance for household discipline, from unmade beds and open drawers to the genuinely hazardous business of leaving the...
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#188 - Friends of Zion
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 188 – Friends of Zion In this episode, Andy and Roger discover that making new friends as adult men may be even harder than expected. After both signing up for Bumble for Friends in the hope of finding a few local mates to share a beer with, they quickly find...
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#187 - Tickle and Giggle
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 187 – Tickle and Giggle In this episode, Andy and Roger wander into the increasingly dangerous territory of modern dating politics, culture wars, and one of Australia’s strangest legal battles. What starts as a conversation about young women navigating dating apps…
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#186 - Negatively geared
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 186 – Negatively geared In this episode, Andy and Roger somehow begin with Rebecca Black and karaoke videos before spiralling into Harrison Ford, Joe Biden, ageing rock stars, and the psychological inability of powerful people to retire gracefully. It only gets more...
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#185 - Rizz
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 185 – Rizz In this episode, Andy and Roger attempt to answer one of the most important questions facing modern civilisation: what actually is “rizz”? The conversation kicks off with the everyday chaos of Australian roads, from overly polite drivers causing near…
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#184 - White Australia
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 184 – White Australia In this episode, Andy and Roger stumble across a 1962 street interview about the White Australia Policy—and things get uncomfortable, quickly. What starts as a curiosity turns into a raw comparison between past and present attitudes, as they...
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#183 - Michael Jackson
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 183 – Michael Jackson In this episode, Andy and Roger wander into the minefield that is Michael Jackson—prompted by a new biopic that disappoints critics and sugarcoats the real MJ. What starts as a chat about movie reviews quickly turns into a broader discussion...
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#182 - Getting changed
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 182 – Getting changed In this episode, Andy and Roger kick things off with a truly unfortunate airport toilet incident—featuring an automatic door, questionable timing, and a poor woman caught in a situation no one wants to imagine, let alone witness. It’s chaotic,...
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#181 - Ceasefail
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 181 – Ceasefail In this episode, Andy and Roger kick things off with a bewildering (and unintentionally comedic) deep dive into ever-expanding acronyms, sparked by a viral clip featuring a truly heroic attempt at inclusivity. From there, they spiral into a broader...
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#180 - Oil and water
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 180 – Oil and water In this episode, Andy and Roger attempt to make sense of the unfolding conflict involving the US and Iran—before promptly disagreeing about almost every aspect of it. Starting with petrol prices (because of course), the conversation quickly...
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#179 - Manosphere
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 179 – Manosphere In this episode, Andy and Roger return to a familiar theme: what happens when the internet decides to raise young men. Kicking off with an update on Australia’s unexpected “porn drought,” the pair reflect on how regulation, workarounds like VPNs…
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#178 - No porn for you
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 178 – No porn for you In this episode, Andy and Roger tackle a topic no one really wants to publicly defend—but plenty of people privately care about. What starts with a stressed-out “acquaintance” unable to access his usual online habits quickly turns into a…
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#177 - Work wives
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 177 – Work wives It starts with a simple question about rental inspections… and quickly spirals into a broader exploration of power, boundaries, and the strange social dynamics of modern workplaces. Andy and Roger kick things off with war stories from the rental...
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#176 - Eye rarn
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 176 – Eye rarn In this episode, Andy and Roger attempt to make sense of a week where the news cycle decided to sprint rather than jog. With the United States striking Iran and Israel already deeply involved in the region, the conversation turns to whether this…
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#175 - What’s worse
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 175 – What’s worse In this episode, Andy and Roger kick things off in the only way they know how: with an entirely unnecessary but oddly philosophical discussion about men, locker rooms, and the fine line between natural behaviour and public indecency. From gym…
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#174 - Ragebait
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 174 – Ragebait Ever found yourself furious at a stranger on the internet… only to realise you’ve been expertly played by the algorithm? In this episode, Andy and Roger unpack the modern art form of rage bait — from missing TV remotes (and why black ones were…
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#173 - Shit lunches
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 173 – Shit lunches In this episode, Andy and Roger start with the most romantic of corporate obligations: Valentine’s Day. Is it a heartfelt celebration of love… or a Hallmark-engineered public signalling exercise designed to shame mediocre boyfriends? The boys…
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#172 - Millhouse wanted
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 172 – Millhouse wanted Andy and Roger kick things off with talk of health kicks, ageing bodies, and the fantasy of suddenly becoming disciplined in your late thirties without changing any of the conditions that made it impossible in the first place. From Joe...
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#171 - Speed dating
🎵 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 171 – Speed dating Roger opens this week’s episode by detailing his perilous descent into the underground world of rare collectible toys—specifically, an oversized La Boo Boo. From Facebook marketplace meetups that feel like drug deals to AI-powered authentication...
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#170 - Trump chokes
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 170 – Trump chokes In an unavoidably morbid and uniquely American turn of events, Andy and Roger process the death of Donald Trump—reportedly from choking on a Big Mac aboard Air Force One—and its implications for U.S. and global politics. While most media is still…
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#169 - Nanny state
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 169 – Nanny state Roger returns from a chaotic family trip to Malaysia with war stories from airport border security, forgotten backpacks, and a renewed appreciation for Australian food safety standards. Andy and Roger reflect on the nanny state versus the wild…
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#168 - Make friends
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 168 – Make friends In this episode, Andy and Roger wrestle with the timeless advice of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, asking the important question: does any of this still work in 2026? Roger recounts a conversation with a new migrant…
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#167 - Goodbye 2025
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 167 – Goodbye 2025 Another year older, another unwanted barbecue. In this special New Year’s wrap-up, Andy and Roger reflect on the curious psychology of Facebook Marketplace, from bookcase bartering and sick-son sob stories to ash-spewing barbecue disasters. What...
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#166 - Antisemitism
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 166 – Antisemitism This week, Andy and Roger kick off the episode with a Christmas debrief and a rant about Sydney’s failed curbside waste collection—complete with an altercation involving a taxi driver, a mosque, and a van full of rubbish. Naturally, it gets...
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#165 - Bondi
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 165 – Bondi A sombre one this week, as Andy and Roger respond to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack—an act of anti-Semitic violence that left 15 dead and many injured. With hesitation but resolve, they unpack the political and cultural fallout: the risk of ideological...
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#164 - We’re fried
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 164 – We’re fried If you’ve ever been so exhausted you considered sleeping through Christmas, this one’s for you. Andy and Roger limp toward the end of the year reflecting on burnout, endless life admin, and the fantasy of doing absolutely nothing. The pair swap war...
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#163 - Learn to care
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 163 – Learn to care The Christmas lights are up, the elves are getting freaky, and Andy and Roger are back—armed with Spotify Wrapped and existential dread. Kicking off with a discussion of Santa, chocolate poo, and Barbie pole dancers, this episode spirals into one...
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#162 - Burkas of Tokyo
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 162 – Burkas of Tokyo Fresh from a stint in Tokyo, Roger returns to the pod—culturally cleansed and slightly jet-lagged—to join Andy in unpacking the latest stunt from perennial provocateur Pauline Hanson. From grilling Wagyu on a sandwich press to donning a burka…
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#161 - Off limits
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 161 - Off limits Andy and Roger return this week with what can only be described as a descent into the gutter—and a surprisingly philosophical one at that. What begins with a meme-fuelled riff on the Epstein email leaks spirals rapidly into a gloriously…
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#160 - Christian nationalism
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 160 – Christian nationalism Andy and Roger take a theological detour in this week’s episode, tackling the unlikely marriage of atheism and Christian nationalism—because nothing says "God is dead" like two agnostics discussing the Holy Spirit on a podcast. It begins...
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#159 - Oasis
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 159 – Oasis Andy and Roger gear up (and grumble) ahead of the much-hyped Oasis reunion tour, navigating the emotional spectrum from teenage giddiness to middle-aged back pain. With general admission tickets in sweaty hands, they debate the wisdom of attending a...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Middle have?
The Middle currently has 214 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Middle about?
In a world where only the extreme get their voice heard... How do we know where the middle is?Join us on our search for the middle.https://www.instagram.com/the_middle_podcast/
How often does The Middle release new episodes?
The Middle publishes regularly with 214 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Middle?
You can listen to The Middle on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Middle?
The Middle is created and hosted by Andy and Roger.
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