Emsolation

Emsolation

Join multi-media maven Em Rusciano—writer, singer, comedian, producer, podcast princess, and disability advocate—and her best friend of 30 years, award-winning screenwriter Michael Lucas (Offspring, Party Tricks, Rosehaven, The Newsreader), each week for an unpredictable mix of deeply personal anecdotes, obsessive pop culture dissections, and truly unhinged movie and TV reviews. If you’re after a show full of humour, heart, and hot takes, we’ve got good news for you! We should also warn you: Emsolation isn’t just a podcast—it’s a community. A place where listeners feel seen, heard, and thoroughly entertained. Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’re here. You’re now an official Emsolator.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    In Conversation with Sam Reid Part 1

    All this week we’re celebrating the arrival of the final season of ‘The Newsreader’ having dropped in Australia, by getting the show’s creator, writer, producer AND Em’s best friend since they were 11, Michael Lucas to chat about it. In an Emsolation exclusive, on Tuesday we gave you our chat with Anna Torv, who plays Helen Norville, today we give you the other half of the ‘The Newsreader’s' dynamic duo, Dale Jennings, aka Sam Reid. Inside Em and Michael chat with Sam about the final season and ask him your questions, covering everything from if Sam realised how beloved the character of Dale would become, right thru to how difficult is it to switch between playing Dale in ‘The Newsreader’ and Lestat in ‘Interview with the Vampire’. Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra Sam gives us the one piece of advice he’d give Dale if he could, plus he answers a stack of your questions about his role on ‘Interview with the Vampire’ too. You can sign up to our 7-day FREE trial and listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for $2.30 a week at emsolation.supercast.com and don’t forget you can watch both of these special ‘The Newsreader’ episodes in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel atwww.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast & you can catch the entire 6 episode final season of ‘The Newsreader’ now streaming on ABC iView. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min
  2. 29 JAN

    The Razzie & Oscar Noms, Elio’s Off to School & Lady Gaga’s Mayhem

    This episode is utter chaos, Michael joins us from Queensland, so of course he stuffed up the time difference, then we had a bajillion and 7 technical issues. You’ll hear what Michael was doing instead of joining us, and experience the full chaos of Em and Michael trying to hear each other and right their technical wrongs together. Once all that’s sorted, it is onto the nominees for the Razzies for worst movies of the year, from ‘Madame Web’ and’ Joker: Folie a Deux’, all the way through to’ Borderland’ and ‘Megalopolis’. There’s a quick visit into the Oscar noms and much chat around why ‘Wicked’ deserves more accolades than the 13 nominations that ‘Emilia Perez’ has secured. We also get a full update on Elio’s birthday celebrations, plus Elio’s first day at primary school is next week, so Em is naturally deep in her feels about what the future holds for him. Finally, Lady Gaga dropped her teaser for a brand new album called ‘Mayhem’ so naturally we need chats around that too. Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em grills Michael about what is happening in the final season of his critically acclaimed TV series ‘The Newsreader’. We also delve into the latest in the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuits, plus Em reviews the must see Oscar nominated animated film ‘Wild Robot’ and what is up with Madonna’s whiteboard insta share? You can sign up to our 7-day FREE trial and listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for $2.30 a week at emsolation.supercast.com and don’t forget you can watch this episode in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel athttps://www.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
  3. 22 JAN

    Hormonal, Horrified & Hang on…What?!

    This episode begins with an update on Em’s hormones as well as a full explain on why they’ve been out of control lately. Then it’s on to chastising the 3 gay men Em works with for NOT noticing she had her Gucci necklace on backwards during last week's episode. We also come bearing gifts, in the form of giving props to an Emsolator who actually gifted Em that saucy 2025 calendar that Chad Michael Murray stripped off for, huzzah! After that we need to hand over to Michael for all the “highlights” from the Inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the USA on Tuesday. There’s Melania’s outfit and hat ensemble to reflect, Carrie Underwood’s music not working, Hillary laughing at Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico and so much more. Finally, Em and Michael are back at the gym and they’ve noticed a HUGE change in the clientele since they first started doing gym visits in the late 90’s that needs to be talked about. Then in our Sealed Section on our premium service, Emsolation Extra, Em & Michaell talk Cher’s autobiography, try to name the dragons from the ‘Fourth Wing’ book series & discuss if the Oscars will even happen this year after the LA fires. You can sign up to our 7-day FREE trial and listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for $2.30 a week at https://emsolation.supercast.com/ & don’t forget you can watch this episode in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
  4. 11/12/2024

    Last Episode of the Year!

    In this episode the part of Em Rusciano will be played by a hollow shell of a woman on the verge of collapse, mmmkay? Once we’ve acknowledged that and the end of Em’s Outgrown tour, we need to move on to the disturbing reaction to the murder of Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His alleged killer, Luigi Mangione is being lusted over & celebrated with glowing comments & deep dives into his thirst trap pics, especially in the gay community. This all sits uneasily in Em’s ethics place so we’ll discuss the reaction and what it all means. After that it’s onto the Golden Globe noms, ‘The Bear’ is once again nominated for best comedy, Jon M Chu didn’t get a nomination as best director for ‘Wicked’ and there’s a bunch of other weird stuff to discuss too. Then after a quick visit to Beyonce’s mum Tina Knowles saying she was hacked after double tapping posts about those Jay-Z allegations, we need to step through Michael’s choice of the Top Ten Diva Moments of 2024. Well, we do number 10 in this episode, but if you wanna hear who made it in at number 9, all the way through to the ultimate Number 1, you’ll need to be a member of our premium service, Emsolation Extra. You can sign up to our 7-day FREE trial and listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for $2.30 a week at emsolation.supercast.com and don’t forget you can watch this episode in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  5. 04/12/2024

    Hectic Life Updates & Extra Elio

    Em and Michael have a special guest on the pod this week, Em’s youngest Elio is making an appearance to give us his review of Moana 2 and also to give his Mum the right to swear as much as she likes. Then we get an update on Michael’s whirlwind visit to New York for his International Emmy nomination, followed by Em and Michael’s night out together once he returned at Rob Mills Jon Bon Jovi (don’t call it a tribute show) concert.Then we need to deal with the hellscape that is going on inside Em’s mouth and the total lack of interest her dental surgery has for her infected wisdom teeth and unfinished root canal. Fold that into the fact that Em is also counting down the final days till her final Outgrown arena spectacular, you’ll understand why Em is focussing on everyone that’s coming and not sweating the bajillion small things going on behind the scenes. Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em and Michael answer your Ask Me Anything questions, including casting queer roles with queer actors, memory wipes to revisit their fave movies, and much needed advice on hooking up with the former high school crush who’s now an award winning adult movie star. Sign up to our 7-day FREE trial and listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for $2.30 a week at emsolation.supercast.com and don’t forget you can watch highlights from this episode in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min
  6. 27/11/2024

    In Conversation with Santilla Chingaipe

    This week Em and Michael are sitting down with one of Em’s besties, Zambian-born Australian journalist, historian, author and filmmaker Santilla Chingaipe, for an eye opening chat about her new book that is rewriting the history of this country. Recognised by the United Nations in 2019 as one of the most influential people of African descent in the world, Santilla has spent the last 7 years researching and writing her debut non fiction book ‘Black Convicts’ which is in stores now. ‘Black Convicts’ builds on the research Santilla did for her critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary ‘Our African Roots’which is still streaming on SBS On Demand. It is fascinating to hear how colonial record keepers white washed parts of our history, silencing the lives of people like David Stuurman, a revered South African chief transported for anti-colonial insurrection; John Caesar, who became Australia’s first bushranger; Billy Blue, the stylishly dressed ferryman who gave his name to Sydney’s Blues Point; and William Cuffay, a prominent London Chartist who led the development of Australia’s labour movement. ‘Black Convicts’ is bound to change the way we think about who we are, buy your copy here https://shorturl.at/Jjk2V. Then in our Sealed Section, on our premium service Emsolation Extra, Em and her eldest Marchella review the new Netflix Christmas offering ‘Hot Frosty’ and answer your AMA questions. Sign up to listen for $1.73 a week, or watch it for under $3 a week at emsolation.supercast.com and don’t forget you can watch highlights from this episode in full maximalist colour on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@emsolationpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
4.9
out of 5
488 Ratings

About

Join multi-media maven Em Rusciano—writer, singer, comedian, producer, podcast princess, and disability advocate—and her best friend of 30 years, award-winning screenwriter Michael Lucas (Offspring, Party Tricks, Rosehaven, The Newsreader), each week for an unpredictable mix of deeply personal anecdotes, obsessive pop culture dissections, and truly unhinged movie and TV reviews. If you’re after a show full of humour, heart, and hot takes, we’ve got good news for you! We should also warn you: Emsolation isn’t just a podcast—it’s a community. A place where listeners feel seen, heard, and thoroughly entertained. Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’re here. You’re now an official Emsolator.

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