piffle pod

Piffle Productions

Welcome to the piffle pod, where we talk piffle about the books, documentaries and pop culture moments everyone's talking about — and dig into the bigger ideas hiding underneath them. Not experts. Just enthused. Follow us here and on socials @piffleproductions New episodes fortnightly! Have a question or thought you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you. Email Piffle Productions at piffleprod@gmail.com

  1. Does the Sun Need Defending?

    3 days ago

    Does the Sun Need Defending?

    A new book argues that we've become too afraid of sunlight. But is the sun really misunderstood or are public health experts right to keep the message simple? In this episode, we discuss In Defense of Sunlight by science journalist Rowan Jacobsen and the growing conversation around sunlight, sunscreen, vitamin D and skin cancer. After seeing Jacobsen's arguments featured in Allure and across the podcast circuit, we wanted to dig into the claims for ourselves. As two Australians who grew up with Slip, Slop, Slap campaigns and some of the highest melanoma rates in the world, we explore why sun safety messaging exists, whether public health advice has been fairly represented in the debate around sunlight, and why some of Jacobsen's most controversial arguments may be less controversial than they first appear. We discuss: The key themes in Jacobson's bookOur experience with sun safety growing up in AustraliaWhat the sun safety guidelines in Australia and the US actually recommend (hint: it's not reapplying sunscreen every two hours while sitting indoors in winter)Jacobsen's claim that people with darker skin tones may experience negative health effects from following sun safety guidelines designed primarily for lighter-skinned populations.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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Music by Michael and Tilly.

    27 min
  2. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, Tradwives & Women Unravelling

    17 Jun

    Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, Tradwives & Women Unravelling

    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 ⁠⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠. Music by Michael and Tilly.

    43 min

  3. 10 Jun

    Are Millennials Really Having a Midlife Crisis?

    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 ⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠⁠. 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

    37 min

  4. 27 May

    Strangers by Belle Burden, The New Yorker & Our Take

    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 ⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠. Music by Michael and Tilly.

    43 min

  5. 20 May

    Jeff Buckley's Life & Legacy: It's Never Over

    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 piffleprod@gmail.com. Music by Michael and Tilly.

    35 min

  6. 13 May

    Famesick by Lena Dunham: From Cancelled to Cool Again?

    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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠⁠ Music by Michael and Tilly.

    35 min

  7. 29 Apr

    The Evolution of Coachella: From Indie Roots to Corporate Giant + What It’s Really Like in 2026

    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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com⁠ Music by Michael and Tilly.

    38 min

  8. 15 Apr

    Summer House, Jorginho Frello's apology to Chappell Roan & the psychology behind pile on culture

    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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠piffleprod@gmail.com Music by Michael and Tilly.

    47 min
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About

Welcome to the piffle pod, where we talk piffle about the books, documentaries and pop culture moments everyone's talking about — and dig into the bigger ideas hiding underneath them. Not experts. Just enthused. Follow us here and on socials @piffleproductions New episodes fortnightly! Have a question or thought you'd like to share? We'd love to hear from you. Email Piffle Productions at piffleprod@gmail.com

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  • Creator
    Piffle Productions
  • Years Active
    2k
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Piffle Productions
  • Show Website
    piffle pod

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