Much to Discuss

Kelly O'Shea and Steph Swann
  • 4.2 (5)
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Much to Discuss is a weekly conversation between friends covering the topics, content, and culture they’re discussing that week. Hosted by Steph Swann and Kelly O'Shea. muchtodiscuss.substack.com

  1. Episode 18: Crying Online, Mourning Flaco, and the World of Child Influencers

    02/29/2024

    Episode 18: Crying Online, Mourning Flaco, and the World of Child Influencers

    Steph talks through why we’re seeing so many people crying online and how advice from strangers can provide a sense of comfort in tough times. Kelly mourns Flaco the Owl and talks about why his death is hitting people (ahem… her) so hard. We also talk about which of us would be a better cult leader vs. follower (take a wild guess). We discuss the rise of Sephora Tweens and why teenagers are so obsessed with skincare and anti-aging. We also break down the incredible investigative reporting on parent-run child influencer accounts from the NYT. We wrap with a trio of great recommendations: a very giftable book on all kinds of love, an article on the endangered languages living in NYC, and a podcast episode with a stress-expert. Pop Culture: Mourning Flaco, the Owl Who Escaped, by Naaman Zhou for the New Yorker The Internet Has Theories About Kate Middleton’s Whereabouts by Jennifer Zhan for Vulture $1bn donation means students at New York medical school will pay no tuition by Gloria Oladipo for The Guardian News: The Irony of the Sephora Tweens by Elise Hu for The Atlantic 'Sephora kids' and the booming business of beauty products for children by Mia Taylor for the BBC A Marketplace of Girl Influencers Managed by Moms and Stalked by Men by Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller The Influencer Report by The Morning Consult Content:  Conversations on Love, book by Natasha Lunn The World Capital of Endangered Languages by Alex Carp for the NYT Magazine Becoming experts on our own stress with stress expert Dr. Aditi Nerurkar by So Into That with Caro Chambers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    44 min
  2. Episode 17: Are Dating Apps Addictive, Getting to Know Gen Alpha, and a Long Read on a $50K Scam

    02/22/2024

    Episode 17: Are Dating Apps Addictive, Getting to Know Gen Alpha, and a Long Read on a $50K Scam

    Should it be illegal for dating apps to waste our time? We dig into a lawsuit claiming dating apps are fueling addiction and discuss how they’re designed to encourage compulsive use and whether they should be obligated to surface better matches sooner. We also chat on what research is saying about Gen Alpha (iPad kids, grown up), based on the life events they’ve lived through so far. In culture, we gab about Dakota Johnson’s “I love limes” to “The Goblet of Spiderman” press-interview-pipeline and what could possibly be going on in Tom Sandoval’s brain amidst some shocking comments from his profile with the New York Times Magazine. We wrap up with some stellar recs, including a rollercoaster of a long-read in the Cut from their financial-advice columnist on how she got scammed out of $50,000 cash. Pop Culture: Woman’s Divorce From ‘Pathological Liar’ Inspires 50-Part ‘Who TF Did I Marry?’ Series That’s Taking Over TikTok by Tara Mahadevan for Complex Beyoncé Is the First Black Woman to Top the Country Charts by Emily Leibert for The Cut Black Artists Helped Build Country Music—And Then It Left Them Behind by Andrew R. Chow for Time Disney star turned space CEO: Bridgit Mendler launches satellite data startup backed by major VCs by Michael Sheetz for CNBC What is Happening in Tom Sandoval’s Brain? By Tariro Mzezewa for The Cut ‘Madame Web’ at $26 Million Spells Trouble for Sony Superheroes by Thomas Buckley for Bloomberg News: Are dating apps fuelling addiction? Lawsuit against Tinder, Hinge and Match claims so by Rachel Hall for The Guardian The future of work depends on understanding Gen Alpha now by Lucy Maber for Fast Company "A landmark generation": Introducing Gen Alpha by April Rubin for Axios Content:  Jon Stewart on Tucker Carlson’s interview with Putin: ‘An ally to the right’ by The Guardian One Day, Series on Netflix The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger Article by Charlotte Cowles for the Cut Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Series on Prime This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    46 min
  3. Episode 16: Thank you, Valentine’s Day. Love, MTD

    02/15/2024

    Episode 16: Thank you, Valentine’s Day. Love, MTD

    Today’s episode includes a sweet lil storytime on how Valentine’s Day is the reason why we became friends!  We unpack how important protected nonworking time is for mental health, following Australia’s new legislation protecting workers’ right to disconnect, and are chatting through the trade-offs present in Biden's decision to join TikTok. We also discuss the accouterments and best bits of Super Bowl Sunday: Usher’s roller skates, Beyoncé’s new music, a surprise celeb MARRIAGE after the big game, and more. We wrap up ranking some recent rom-commy content (P.S. are good romcoms finally making the comeback we all deserve??) and continue to unabashedly fawn over Cillian Murphy following his profile in GQ. Pop Culture: Why Don’t We Hang Out Anymore? by Jancee Dunn for the NYT Super Bowl 2024 was most watched US TV broadcast since 1969 Moon landing by Emma Saunders for the BBC Beyoncé releases two new songs during the Super Bowl, teasing more to come by Rachel Treisman for NPR Usher and Jennifer Goicoechea marry in Las Vegas wedding ceremony during Super Bowl weekend by Francesca Bacardi and Desiree Murphy for Page Six News: Australia Introduces Workers’ ‘Right to Disconnect’ by Natasha Frost and Isabella Kwai for the NYT Biden’s First TikTok Post Jokes About Super Bowl Conspiracy Theory by Reid J. Epstein and Sapna Maheshwari for the NYT Joe Biden’s first TikTok, by bidenhq on TikTok Content:  "you didn't read that, you saw it on TikTok" by Luce for shityoushouldcareabout One Day, Series on Netflix Anyone but You, Movie in Theaters Upgraded, Movie on Prime Cillian Murphy Is the Man of the Moment, Profile by Daniel Riley for GQ Instagram: muchtodiscusspodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    44 min
  4. Episode 15: Color Analysis, Royal Announcements, and Sappy Shout Outs

    02/08/2024

    Episode 15: Color Analysis, Royal Announcements, and Sappy Shout Outs

    Steph is moved into her new home (!!!) and Kelly is officially 30 (add-ons of flirty and thriving are TBD). We’re mostly grappling with whether professional color analysis would transform us into the most beautiful girls of our respective continents. If you’ve done it: please report back ASAP. In today’s episode, we talk about thank yous from women to their female friends that pull at our heartstrings: from Taylor Swift at the Grammys to Dolly Alderton in the acknowledgements of her new stunner of a book, Good Material. We also discuss our weariness towards Apple’s IR/VR VisionPro… don’t we all want to be more offline?? In news, we take a dive into 2 topical public announcements: 1. What was included and left out of Buckingham Palace’s announcement that King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer and 2. What the UMG/TikTok feud means - for artists and TikTok users. Pop Culture: My Professional Color Analysis Told Me I Can Still Wear All Black by Hanna Flanagan for The Cut Taylor Swift Makes History, Miley Cyrus and SZA Clean Up: The Grammys Were for the Girls by Jon Blistein for Rolling Stone ‘Bachelor’ Joey Graziadei confuses Gypsy Rose Blanchard for Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Nicki Cox for Page Six The Best Superbowl Ads… So Far by Olivia Craighead for The Cut People Are Doing Some Interesting Things With the Apple Vision Pro by Chas Danner for Intelligencer News: King Charles Has Cancer. Here’s What to Know. by Mark Landler for the NYT What King Charles’ Cancer Diagnosis Means for the Royal Family by Armani Syed for Time Universal Music Group Warns It Will Pull Songs From TikTok After Deal Expiration by Todd Spangler for Variety TikTok’s fallout with Universal Music Group is ruining viral trends and thirsty fancams by Jess Weatherbed for The Verge Content:  Good Material, Book by Dolly Alderton Sentimental Garbage, Podcast by Caroline O’Donogue Seb’s Taylor Swift Crossword for Kelly’s Birthday (find in our IG stories) Instagram: muchtodiscusspodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    35 min
  5. Episode 14: Pookie Looks Fire and News Looks Dire

    02/01/2024

    Episode 14: Pookie Looks Fire and News Looks Dire

    Lots of great convos in today’s episode: the consistent desire to fit in during middle-school (we present: Livestrong bracelets), conflicting opinions on the viral Pookie/Jett videos and when #TradWives-esque content can turn harmful, how deepfakes work and are being used, and why continued layoffs in the news industry give us a sinking feeling. In more “woo-woo” chatter, we explore our astrological compatibility and talk about what our approaches to haunting would be if we were ghosts. Pop Culture: The Stanley Cup: A 40 ounce bully? By Julia Reinstein for The Cut Travis Kelce’s Chiefs (and Likely Taylor Swift) Are Going to the Super Bowl by Althea Legaspi for Rolling Stone Sofia Richie Shares Video of Moment She Learned She Is Expecting a Baby Girl: 'I'm So Excited' by Esme Mazzeo for People Pookie Is Looking Absolutely Fire Today by Alexis Morillo and Sarah Ellis for Bustle #TradWife Life as Self-Annihilation by Anne Helen Petersen for Culture Study News: Explicit Deepfake Images of Taylor Swift Elude Safeguards and Swamp Social Media by Kate Conger and John Yoon for the NYT Making Deepfakes Gets Cheaper and Easier Thanks to A.I. by Stuart A. Thompson for the NYT A look at the wave of layoffs hitting the news industry by David Folkenflik for NPR News industry off to brutal 2024 start as mass layoffs devastate publishers, raising questions about the future of journalism by Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino for CNN Content:  Strife, Series on Apple TV (AU) Ghost Story, Podcast by Tristan Redman for Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios Chicken Shop Date with Paul Mescal, YouTube Series by Amelia Dimoldenberg Past Lives, Movie by A24 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    1 hr
  6. Episode 13: Selfie Rats, Oscar Snubs, and Stories that Stick

    01/25/2024

    Episode 13: Selfie Rats, Oscar Snubs, and Stories that Stick

    In today’s episode, we dote on the new season of Love on the Spectrum, talk about the relatability and unexpected cuteness of some selfie-loving rats (look first, before you have the gall to disagree), and dig into what it means that 4 billion people in the world are eligible to vote in an election this year. We also talk about Margot + Greta’s Oscar snubs, our love/hate relationships with group texts, branching from a great read in the NYT Magazine, and a non-fiction book/podcast/book sandwich of content reccs that have stuck with us: extraordinarily well-told stories around poverty and addiction that have widened our perspective and empathy. Pop Culture: Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves by Emily Anthes for the NYT Greta Gerwig’s Oscar ‘Barbie’ Snub Slammed: “How Is This Even Possible?” by James Hibbard for The Hollywood Reporter Travis Kelce Does Taylor Swift’s Signature Heart Hands After Scoring Touchdown as His Brother Strips Off Shirt by Natasha Dye and Brian Anthony Hernandez for People Jacob Elordi, Renée Rapp, and Rachel McAdams (!) Enliven SNL by Karen Valby for Vanity Fair News: Netflix is turning into cable TV by Alex Cranz for The Verge Uber’s New Math: Increase Prices and Squeeze Driver Pay by Len Sherman for Forbes More than 4 billion people are eligible to vote in an election in 2024. Is this democracy’s biggest test? by Nicholas Reece for The Conversation A Make-or-Break Year for Democracy Worldwide by Astha Rajvanshi and Yasmeen Serhan for Time  Content:  Love on the Spectrum Season 2, Series on Netflix Boy Swallows Universe, Drama on Netflix How Group Chats Run The World, Article by Sophie Haigney for The NYT Magazine The Meth Lunches, Book by Kim Foster The Call, Podcast by This American Life Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City, Book by Andrea Elliot This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    46 min
  7. Episode 12: Ayo Season and Why We Should Talk More About Women's Health

    01/18/2024

    Episode 12: Ayo Season and Why We Should Talk More About Women's Health

    In our first episode of 2024, we discuss the Emmy Awards and why Ayo Edebiri rocks (...style, talent, and her/her dad’s Letterboxd reviews). We talk about recent research that could improve women’s health and longevity and how shamefully little we know, learn, and talk about fertility and menopause as women. We also chat on population decline in China and how and why Sweden, in contrast, has a growing population. We wrap up with a movie force-ranking from Kelly that no one asked for: Mean Girls vs. Oppenheimer vs. Saltburn; and Steph provides some stellar audiobook recos from Brené Brown. Pop Culture: ‘That show deserved to be encased in gold!’ The biggest shocks from the Emmy awards by Stuart Heritage for The Guardian It’s Ayo Season by Emily Leibert for The Cut Letterboxd, App Opinion: Nudity isn’t the same as objectification by Jill Filipovic for CNN Kirk Douglas Award - Steve Carrell Speech for Ryan Gosling Santa Barbara Film Festival on Youtube News: The Secret to Living Longer Starts With Menopause by Kristen V. Brown for the BBC Demographics and Foreign Trade: What Are the Effects of an Aging Population on the Current Account Balance of an Economy? by Thieß Petersen, Lizarazo López for GED Can China Reverse Its Population Decline? Just Ask Sweden. by Andrew Jacobs and Francesca Paris for the NYT Content:  Saltburn, Movie on Prime Mean Girls (2024), Movie Oppenheimer, Movie on Prime Fool Me Once, Series on Netflix ‘People judge me all the time’: Corrie’s Michelle Keegan on swapping soaps for hard-hitting dramas by Eva Wiseman for The Guardian Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen Will Bring the Swagger This Spring by Ariana Romero for Netflix Brooklyn 99, Series on Peacock Daring Greatly & Dare to Lead, Books by Brene Brown Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    49 min
  8. Episode 11: A Jolly Close to 2023

    12/23/2023

    Episode 11: A Jolly Close to 2023

    Happy Holidays Friends! What a year! We hope you’re already horizontal on your couch shoveling holiday treats and binging your favorite seasonal content. In our final episode of the year, we reflect on 2023 and present our very best, unhinged predictions for 2024 (ie. Will Taylor Swift release a video game? Will the “bump” come back into hairstyle trends? *cue internal screams*).  We have a sweeping talk about Ozempic and the obesity crisis more broadly, following Oprah’s announcement that she uses weight loss drugs, and chat on the role of purpose in feeling happier, according to science. Plus! We present a potpourri of topics: An Aussie woman stealing a truckload of donuts, George Santos’s bizarre and questionable transition to Cameo, finding your perfect brow shape, and a prankster of a seal, aptly named Neil. Bits: Neil the seal goes viral on TikTok after disturbing residents in Tasmanian town of Dunalley by Taylor Renouf for Perth Now Neil the Seal, TikTok Pop Culture: Australian woman charged with stealing van carrying 10,000 doughnuts by Kelly Ng for BBC News, Singapore A Guide to George Santos’s Pivot From Politics to Celebrity by Matt Stieb for Intelligencer Google Year in Search, 2023 News: How Ozempic could affect the health of the global economy in more ways than one by Ian Verrender for ABC AU Ozempic Can’t Fix America’s Obesity Crisis by Fatima Cody Stanford and Simar Bajaj for Time Gen Z and millennials powered a massive live-events comeback that will carry into more concerts and travel next year by Juliana Kaplan and Noah Sheidlower for Business Insider Content:  Perfect Brows Filter, TikTok Ozark, Series on Netflix American Symphony, Documentary on Netflix The Happiness Lab, Podcast by Dr. Laurie Santos for Pushkin Industries Stories by Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit muchtodiscuss.substack.com

    41 min
See All (18)

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Much to Discuss is a weekly conversation between friends covering the topics, content, and culture they’re discussing that week. Hosted by Steph Swann and Kelly O'Shea. muchtodiscuss.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Kelly O'Shea and Steph Swann
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kelly
  • Show Website
    Much to Discuss