Suggestible - Short Kings

Episode Date: February 10, 2022

Suggestible things to watch, read and listen to. Hosted by James Clement @mrsundaymovies and Claire Tonti @clairetonti.Complete Season of Suggestible and the City: https://play.acast.com/s/suggestible-and-the-cityThis week’s Suggestibles:01:39 Trigger Point07:10 Gold (2022)16:28 Celebrity Heights Website24:28 Magpie by Elizabeth Day31:55 Love Stories Book and Episode36:52 Batman Begins (Really)Send your recommendations to [e-mail], we’d love to hear them.You can also follow the show on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @suggestiblepod and join our ‘Planet Broadcasting Great Mates OFFICIAL’ Facebook Group. So many things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing Uber Teen Accounts, an Uber account for your teen with enhanced safety features. Your teen can request a ride with top-rated drivers, and you can track every trip on the live map in the Uber app. Uber Teen Accounts. Invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. Bing bong, ba-da-ba-bing bing bong. Well, well. Isn't it just? Isn't it just? Welcome, everybody. This is the Justible Podcast, the podcast where we... Podcast.

The podcast. Howdy. Howdy there. The podcast where we recommend you things to watch, read, and listen to, also known as Suggestibles. That's right. Without the S on the end. There's one S.

No, I just meant as in the things that we read and watch and recommend to people are called Sug suggestibles. So true. They are. And this week, like every week, it's the same show that we normally do, isn't it? We're the same people. I'm Claire Tonti. James Clemish is here also.

We are married. Welcome. And welcome to the year of 2022 where everything still kind of sucks. We already did this. Didn't we do the first one last week? Didn't we? Yeah, we did. I know. I'm just welcoming everyone again. I love? Didn't we? Yeah, we did. I know.

I'm just welcoming everyone again. I love to welcome people. I'm a welcoming gal. A double welcome. Well, I'm equally welcoming because, and I welcome you, Claire. It's not at all. I am, to share your first suggestibles. Is there a word for unwelcoming?

Yes, there is. That's the word. That's the word you said. Unwelcoming. Wow. That was a really roundabout way of saying my brain isn't working properly. I know. Do you know what? My brain really isn't working properly because I listened back to our previous episode of Suggestible in the City. Oh, yes. The final frontier that we

recorded that is now over because the season of Sex and the City is now over. And I said the most awful metaphor that mixed about a million different genres. I remember. Didn't I comment it on the time? And I didn't realize just how ridiculous it was. I can't even remember what it was. It was something I mixed hurdles with something else and it was just awful. Hurdles with girdles. Correct. Exactly.

All right. What do you got then for your first suggestible thing? I'm so excited. I'm excited. I'm excited. Okay. Yes, I am. All right.

So you know my favorite thing? My favorite thing is a thriller. Oh, my God. And I excited. I'm excited. Okay. Yes, I am. All right. So you know my favorite thing? My favorite thing is a thriller. Oh, my God. And I have two to recommend today. One is a book. One is a TV show. Don't fall asleep. One is a book.

One is a? TV show. Okay. Correct. The first one is on stand. It's called Trigger Point. Oh, my God. You can't sleep through this.

Yeah. No. Did you come in while I was watching it? I came in and out. And the lead in it, who's the lead from whatever. Yeah, so it's Vicky McClure who plays Kate Fleming from my favourite of all time, Num Num, Line of Duty. Num Num.

I kept coming into the room like every ten minutes and she was diffusing a different bomb. Well, that's because she's an ex-military bomb disposal operative, James. Oh. Referred to as an expo. An expo. Correct, exactly. And he's part of a team who regularly risk their lives on the job in London

and who become embroiled in investigating a terrorist campaign. Look, I'm not saying they obviously don't risk their lives because they do and it's a very like so specialised. A lot of tension, James. So much tension. I mean and the skill level on that. But how often do you really defuse in bombs, really? I reckon more than you'd think.

Not that I'm saying that, like, you shouldn't. Because if they do their job correctly. Not that I'm saying you shouldn't get paid. No, but what I'm saying is I think more often than you think. And I also think they're probably doing their job very well if we never see the bombs. No, we know. They're always on the news.

It's always like a controlled explosion as well. No, we have a friend who works for ASIO or one of the things. Oh. Just a friend. No names here. And he was saying to me that a lot of times there is so much going on that we just don't hear about because they don't want to publicise it. That is probably true.

But all I'm saying is I think there's probably less bombs than you think or it's just like somebody built a backyard bomb to do a dumb thing yeah well probably yeah anywho well let me tell you this tv show is great uh there's three episodes that are out currently they're doing that thing where they drop an episode a week which kind of annoys me you mean regular television exactly but I kind of annoying thing I forget about them for 20 years, which is a little annoying. I'm not used to it. I'm used to binging a show in its entirety. Absolutely.

I just binged all of – what's that bloody HBO Max show? Whoever does. No, Claire, I'm doing Batman, not Twilight. Love me. You know, it's got – Euphoria. It's about euphoria. I just binged like the first five or six of this new season.

I'm like, ooh, I'm really in. Oh, no. Week to week now. Oh, they get you. They get you. All right. Well, back to Trigger Point. I would say if you were someone that loved Line of Duty,

this is not quite as good, but the tension is very high and the stakes are also very high. It kind of takes a few twists and turns. So Lana Washington, who is played by Vicky McClure, her partner is played by Adrian Lester, who is Joel Nutkins, and he's obviously a very experienced bomb disposal unit professional who's very charismatic and funny and they have a lovely rapport in the first episode.

Okay. So I think that's one of the highlights actually is their friendship in that episode. Why did you say the first episode? I just said the first episode. Just the first one though. Well, because they start off the episode together. Yeah.

I'm not. So in the first episode they're friends. I'm not spoiling anything. But that's all. That's all. I haven't seen this episode. So I don't know. I'm just throwing it out there.

I don't know what's going on. Anyway, I'm not doing spoilers. So you get attached to them as characters in particular. I am not getting. So annoying.. Anyway, I'm not doing spoilers. So you get attached to them as characters in particular. I am not getting. So annoying. Is that what you're saying? No, no spoilers in this. I'm not spoiling.

I haven't seen it. How can I spoil this thing I have not seen? Anyway, can I just keep saying my own words? I would love to hear it. Okay, so they arrive at a block of flats where a bomb has been, obviously they've been tipped off that there's a bomb there. So they evacuate the entire building and the police are kind of keeping everyone out of an exclusion zone and it's high pressure stakes

as they go in and do their thing and dispose of the bomb and cut all the wires they need to cut. And then they find out that actually it's really like makeshift bomb and isn't really anything. And then they've got warning that there's a car that's got another bomb in it with a man in it with his hands tied behind his back and he's blindfolded and he stumbles out and then Lana has to go in and like defuse that one as well.

Wow. And she takes risks and goes a bit rogue and everyone's like, Lana, you're taking some risks. And she's like, I am, but I'll do it anyway. I'm a maverick. And everyone's like, oh. And I love my best friend, this guy. We have excellent chemistry, but just for episode one.

All right, fine. Can I just spoil it? No, Claire. Don have excellent chemistry, but just for episode one. All right, fine. Can I just spoil it? No, Claire. Don't spoil this show, I haven't said. I'm not spoiling it to everyone. Anyhoo, and then it unfolds from there and it obviously becomes clear that there is a terrorist cell. Now, what is unclear is whether or not it is an ISIS-based terrorist cell

or a white supremacist cell because the flat of the first bomb was actually owned by a white supremacist. Right. And so there's that kind of undertone going on there. It's mainly just about the tension of exploding bombs. No, it sounds like it's also about the socio-political frustrations. But there is a little bit of stuff about that. Of modern Britain.

Yes, there's a bit of both. Anyway, I'm enjoying it. If you feel like something The bomb's a metaphor for Brexit. I was going to say breakfast. Yeah, breakfast maybe. Anyway, if you're in the mood for it, and as always, Vicky McClure is just brilliant.

She's very good. Great haircut, great eyes. She's got that top knot ponytail going on. Correct, exactly. She's also, you know, very troubled, which we always love in a main character in this type of show. I agree. I enjoy it. Who wants to see happy people? Not me. Speaking of, I watched a movie. It's on Stan. It's a Stan exclusive, but you can catch it overseas,

I believe, in cinemas. Stan is our Australian streaming service. It's called Gold. It's directed by Anthony Hayes, who directed Cargo. Did you ever watch the Martin Freeman Australian zombie movie? You know Martin Freeman Australian zombie movie? You know Martin Freeman from The Office? There's gold in them hills. Yes, there are gold in there. That's what this is about. So it starts.

So, yeah, Anthony Hayes, did you see the Martin Freeman Cargo zombie Australian movie? Oh, sorry, you asked me that already, didn't you? Yes. My brain checked out for a minute. I was singing the soundtrack from All About Love. Yeah, we were all here. About time.

About time. All of us heard it. You did it out loud. Golden lamb here. Did you watch that movie? So don't lose faith. Did you watch that movie or not, Claire? Which movie?

I forgot. Cargo. No, I didn't. Oh, it was very good. Anyway, he's done a few movies, but this is his latest. It stars Zachary Ephron. I did see. Okay.

Australia's Iron. Yes, I did see this on the app. They did a very good job of, like, featuring Zach Ephron's face. Oh, his big gold face. Oh, he's dirty, looking like he's been in a gold mine or something. Yeah, well, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he is a gold mine. Let me tell you.

That's true. It also stars Anthony Hayes and also Susie Porter, who has been in heaps of Australian stuff, but she was, when I first saw her, she was in two hands. Excellent. That is such a good movie. I have another question for you. Is it about gold in the hills?

No. Is a rat catcher also in the movie? Oh, yeah. So basically we have rats in our house. Massive ones. And on podcast, it just kept me up all night last night barking and like staring at the floor. So we got a rat dude to come out and we're expecting like, I don't know,

a grizzled old man with like a hooked hand in the net or something. But he's like this super handsome like fucking Zac Efron looking dude except he's like six foot two. like fucking Zac Efron looking dude. Except he's like six foot two. And I came inside. I'm like, you fucking see this guy? I'm like, he looks like Zac Efron. I actually think that you reacted more than I did. I just didn't expect it.

Because I just wasn't really that phased by it. And you were like, oh, my goodness. My panties are in a twist. And you were like, he doesn't look like Zac Efron. I'm like, he looks exactly like, he looks like modern day bearded Zac Efron. If Zac Efron owned a rat catching business. Yeah. Also he does other things.

He does a number of things. He does. Yeah, exactly. But so yeah, no, it didn't start him, but it started a guy who looks like him, that being the actual Zac Efron. So it's filmed in Australia, in the Australian outback. And what you're going to love about this, Claire, and I didn't know this going in, it's post-apocalyptic. Didn't know it going in.

Okay. We are nothing if not extremely consistent. It's true. I'm so sorry. I did not know it was post-apocalyptic going in. Also, it sort of doesn't matter whether it is or isn't. Is this also because Zac Efron is living in Byron Bay currently? He's doing also.

Yeah, it probably is. Yeah, that's definitely, well, actually it was supposed to be Sam Worthington. So he dropped out for whatever reason and Zac Efron took it, which is great. I mean, I like Sam Worthington. He kind of gets a bit of heat, but, you know, I also like Zac Efron. Yeah. You know, because he was in like some, like the most popular movie of all time and then they're like, people are like, look at this famous guy.

And most of the world's like, nah, we don't really want to look at this guy that much actually. But I like him. I actually do like Samuel L. Newton. Anyway, so two men, they're crossing the barren wastelands of central Australia. It might be like, I think it was filmed in South Australia but it's not really clear where it is.

So is it dessert? It's dessert, yes. It's just dust and dry and everybody's dirty and hates each other. Yeah, that's kind of why I couldn't watch it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, you definitely shouldn't watch this. But anyway, on the way through and they find the biggest gold nugget that's ever been discovered, like as big as this table, big, immovable big.

That's very big gold nugget. I agree, even though they're in a car. So they're like, we need to, we can't leave with this now. And these two guys have just met, the Zac Efron guy and Anthony Hayes, who's also the director. So they decide that one of them is going to stay, that being Zac Efron, while the other one goes and gets a digger, right? And so he's going to be five days guarding this gold by himself

while he's like running out of food and water and there's storms and wild dogs and perhaps other people in the area and all these kinds of things so it's mostly Zac Efron sitting in the dirt going insane waiting for this guy to return and you're also like is this guy even coming back what is this what is all of this even for do you know what I mean is this some kind of elaborate ruse where like he's just waiting for Zac Efron to die? Is he like, what's, what's going on here? So it just kind of, and it's just very upsetting and very harrowing. And, uh, you know, in doubt and greed begins to set in and, you know, he kind of has chances to leave and he's like, do I take them? And these kinds of things and how much of this is worth putting up to guard this gold,

you know what I mean? What do you do, you know? Anyway, it was awful. Like it was very good but it was awful. I always find that interesting. How is that kind of gripping because it sounds boring. It's totally not boring. It is.

Is it because of the performance? Yeah, he's very good. Zac Efron's a great actor. Well, they're all, again, all good in it. So is he Tom Hanks-ing it, you know? Yeah, but more like blistered, sunburnt, like just like going mad in the desert kind of. Like seeing mirages?

Yeah, all this kind of stuff and what's real and who's real and all of these different things going on. And so different characters pop into it. Yeah, and it's all like centred around this like this gold. Do they have any Indigenous Australians? There are actually, yeah. In the past? Yeah, there are.

That's interesting. But I should also say not major in any way. So if you went in this going like, oh, wow, there's going to be some Indigenous performances here, no, that is not what this movie is like at all. So it's mainly like white guy, grays. Yep, exactly. And it's also, and what it seems to be in this world,

because Zac Efron is American, this other guy, Anthony Hayes is American, there's a few other people in it who also, there aren't any people, I think, really with Australian accents in this. So what it seems to be from the world, from what I could gather, the very limited information you have, is that something has happened in the world and people have flooded into Australia because things are bad. But Australia is bad but maybe not as bad as everywhere else.

Right. So kind of mirroring what happened during maybe not now but 2020. Yeah, maybe. You know, so it's just, yeah, again, like it's on stand in Australia but it's, I mean, it might be it's on Stan in Australia, but it's, I mean it might be available on other streaming services because it is streaming. So I would recommend it.

Great. If you like The Road, if you like, yeah, Tom Hanks' Cast Away. It's way grimmer than that. But, yeah, survival, I guess. I agree. Did it make you want to go into the desert? No, I fucking hate the desert. It's an awful place.

What, you like the desert? No. You know what, though? I took the GAN, which is like a train that goes from Adelaide all the way Yeah, that's a different way of saying the desert. Yeah, I know. I was sitting in a lovely carriage watching Game of Thrones, actually. Yeah, yeah.

And then looking out the window and watching the beautiful desert kind of pass you by. And look, there is a huge expanse of not very much. There is so much desert in Australia. In the middle of Australia. It's just barren. Australia is desert. For those who don't know, which is probably not a lot of people,

most people, if not all, not all. Live on the edges. Live on like 90%, 95% of people live on the coast. And considering how big Australia is. Yeah, that's one of the reasons why our population is so small is because we've got so much desert and expanse. However, there's a beauty to that too. Oh, there totally is.

I just don't want to get caught in it at all. No, you need your little slippers. I need my little slippers. So you're not going to be digging up my gold. No, and I need moisturiser. Do you know what? Did they address it all, the kind of gold rush era of Australian history and all of that stuff?

Not really. I mean there's those kind of like, you know, there are parallels obviously. But no, not directly. It's not even really clear like what year it is. It's probably like 2035 maybe. Because it's post-apocalyptic. Yeah. Maybe they say it, but it's pretty light on details,

which isn't a problem. And so it's more about Zac Efron's central performance. That is exactly what it is. I will say with Efron that he went from shiny, shiny, shiny in High School Musical. To gross. And really, no, I reckon he's got way better looking over time, as obviously I'm older, he's older.

But it's just he's managed to transition. Yeah. Because he is very talented. Well, I mean, he's older. But it's just he's managed to transition. Yeah. Because he is very talented. Well, I mean, he's always been very talented, you know, and I think I know he like looks back on like his early high school musical stuff and he's like, oh, gross or whatever. But like he's very talented. He's like extremely talented.

He's one of those people that can also do comedy. Yeah, exactly. Which is excellent. What is that movie that he's in with Matthew Perry? Oh, 17 Again. It's a great movie. I always liked 17 Again. I really enjoyed that movie that he's in with Matthew Perry? Oh, 17 Again. It's a great movie. I always liked 17 Again. I really enjoyed that movie.

He's really fun at that. Yeah, I really liked it. It's so interesting. Yeah, so he's just got a really great comedic timing. And he's also in like a couple of rom-coms on Netflix, I think. Yeah, he's done like Bits and Pieces. He's in Neighbours. Have you ever seen that Neighbours movie with Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne?

Yeah, he's clearly, like he's funny. He was in Baywatch with The Rock, which is apparently not a good movie. I wonder if he's like short with big head. I think he's short with big head. Many movie stars are. I don't think he's, let me check. Zac Efron height. Normally the height is exaggerated by a couple of inches,

but it says he's 173 centimetres, so he's shorter than me because I'm 5'9". So he's probably 5'7", maybe. All right, so he's a couple of centimetres. He's like four centimetres taller than me. Oh, you'll probably find that you're taller than Zac Efron. Yeah, I will. I usually think I'm taller than I am. It's my inflated ego.

Yeah. All right, my turn again. It's been rumoured that he wears shoe lifts or elevator shoes. Oh, there you go. Does he do the, who's taller, Zac Efron or Tom Cruise? They'd probably be similar, I reckon. Yeah, that's what I'm wondering because does he have to also play roles with women who are tiny to make him look bigger?

Yeah, maybe. Most people in Hollywood are tiny. It's just the way of the world. It must be the framing of the camera. Who knows? Actually, on the Phantom Menace, the set of the Phantom Menace, they built the Phantom Menace, right, sets. And a lot of the, to a certain extent, like they build, you know,

like six feet or seven feet and then the rest is blue screen or whatever. But the problem is when Liam Neeson came on set, Liam Neeson's like 100 feet tall. So then had to like great expense like extend these sets because Liam Neeson is one of the few people in Hollywood who's like a literal giant. Is that why he's always playing movies where people have to, he beats up everybody?

Yes. Because he's giant? And there's also a rumour about. He's very good in love actually though. He's good. He's 193 centimetres. So, yeah, he's big. Who is?

Liam Neeson. Oh, Liam Neeson. He said Tom Cruise. How big is Tom Cruise? Tom Cruise, I don't know, four foot two. I want to know. Who's taller, Tom Cruise or Zac Efron? Probably like five, six, five, seven.

We can find this out. We can't. We don't know of any definitive information. What do you mean? He's probably about, we don't know. It says 1.7 metres. Yeah, he could be, but he could be shorter. That's like officially, that's his official Google height.

All right, yeah, it's just come up. It's weird. It's a very exact height, 1.7. There's no like little, surely there's like little, so there's no real, you know what I mean? There's usually dot points there. When I say Liam Neeson's really tall, he's 6'4", which is tall. But, like, if you saw a 6' tall guy, you're not like –

From Hollywood. Yeah. That's, like, extraordinary Hollywood tall. Like, real person tall, that's tall. But it's not like, turn your head, my God, this is a giant tall guy. Dustin Hoffman is 1.67. Yeah, he's tiny. So Tom Cruise is taller than Dustin Hoffman.

He might be. But Brad Pitt is 1.8, which is the same height as Nicole Kidman. I'm finding this really fascinating. If Brad Pitt is 1.8 because which is the same height as Nicole Kidman. I'm finding this really fascinating. If Brad Pitt is 1.8 because he's probably not. All right. Also because he's inflated too. They're all inflated. It's so weird.

Celebrities are weird, man. Yeah. God, they're weird. Anyway. Anyway, as a man who is six foot, so it's, you know, whatever. He's totally not. Do you sometimes think I'm taller than you? No. No, you're like half a head shorter than me.

I just love how Maceo, your co-host on your other more successful podcast, makes me cry every time I say it. Everyone thinks that you're regular man height, so Nick Mason is not a short person, except that you're a littler person, so he's littler than you. Because Mason's probably 5'7", maybe. Yeah, yeah. So people think I'm fucking giant, but I'm like 5'9",

maybe 5'10 in shoes. That's the rule of podcasting. Everyone's tiny. Yeah, that's right. You have to be. You have to be truthful about it. This isn't Hollywood. No, this is podcasting, mate.

Everyone gets to the kernels of truth. That's it. So the second thing I have, I promised a book. Is it celebrityheights.com? That's not a book. That's a website that I promised a book and I'm not going to disappoint. Is it celebrityheights.com? That's not a book. That's a website that I like to spend an inordinate amount of time on. We should play a game just who's tall and who. But then obviously, as you say, we don't actually know if there are actually.

There are sites dedicated to like different pictures, different shoes, standing next to different people for references. I literally just brought that up just then trying to find like heights. I just went down this really brief like rabbit hole. Why is that so interesting i have no idea why that's no the most interesting thing to me is that they're lying like the truth is not that interesting you know if they were like tom cruise is like five five or whatever yeah i'll be like okay but if i'm up but now i'm like how tall is he really? Is he taller than me? I hope not. That's so funny.

You know? Yeah, I know. George Clooney, apparently very small as well. Very tiny. Yes, tiny, big head. Tiny, tiny guy. And Jason Statham. Jason Statham, very short. Tiny, big head.

Yeah, tiny, big head. Yeah, interesting. So maybe Nicole Kidman, she's 1.8. That's not that tall. I would say. I think she's giant.8. That's not that tall. I would say. I think she's giant. I'm guessing. I'm guessing she probably is exactly 1.8, you know?

Yeah. If not taller. Yeah. Because I think it's different for women. Yeah, it totally is. Oh, completely. Because she's sort of known as being very tall. But 1.8 is not that tall.

No. For women. I mean, I guess, I don't know. Anyway, let's move on. Anyway. How tall are you? Email in. Tell us. I mean, I guess, I don't know. Anyway, let's move on. Anyway, how tall are you? Email in. Tell us.

We'll arrange our listeners. All 10 of them. You know, what up? Smallest, largest. Come on, Claire. We've got more than 10 listeners. We do. And we value you immensely.

Come on, Claire. Every one of you. You guys are the best. We literally have the best listeners. I always get the best emails. And we love our short kings out there. Have you heard that expression? What does that mean? Short kings if kings if you're small but you're not like it's not a big deal you know what i mean you can be whatever height it's called short king it's all about

confidence would you say this about if you were dating a man say a short man bald thing as well yeah i guess it is but like it's how you so you carry yourself you know right there's an episode of sex in the city on that exactly and just that, let's get off this fucking topic. Okay, my short king, short king of my life. I know. Would I take another couple of inches? Sure. My brother.

Your brother is upset. My brother is like one of the like very intelligent ducks of his class, doctor, just like very smart and incredibly. Very tan. Very tan. There's a butt coming though. You can feel it if you're listening to this. No, but what makes me laugh so much is because like he's very photogenic as well.

Oh, yeah. Just like a human being that people like would photograph and no matter what angle, he just always manages to look good in photos. I look like a ghost in photos. Yeah, I look, oh, my God, the chins that come out in photos of me. I mean, maybe they exist in real life, but honestly, it's just getting worse. My whole face is sliding into my neck and I'm not coping with it. But I am because I'm a feminist and it's not about what I look like,

it's what I do and who I am. And he, moving right along, my brother, of all these things, he has an asthmatic. He has a lot of allergies and he took a lot of like cortisone or whatever as a kid to like help with his asthma and he reckons it stunted his growth. I don't think so. Because he's like quite a good athlete too and he just never grew tall.

I think he's just like. He's got quite big hands and feet. But I think like your family, like my family, is the biggest fucking roll of the dice of how tall you're going to be. Like my two brothers, I'm the shortest. My little brother is like 6'2", 6'3". He's massive, yeah. My other brother's probably 6 foot, you know.

Yeah. And look at me. It's short, Keith. Not really. But, yeah, it is interesting, isn't it? I don't know. And that's like my family too. I mean your grandpa was like one of the tallest people I've ever met.

Yeah, he was the tallest man from his era. He was towering over everyone. It was amazing. But your grandma was so tiny. She was. That's probably where the height thing happened. Yeah, my family, that's true. You could roll the dice.

And I do have some quite short uncles. It's true. So I feel like my brother always thought he was going to be tall. Well, he told me. I remember because I'm like 10 years older than him. He's like, I'm going to be taller than you one day. And I'm like, okay. But he's not.

And it's too late now. He can't catch me. Yeah, because you've known him since he was like 12 or something. We might actually be the same height. I have no idea. Anyway, I just find that it's really funny anyway. Anyway, I hope he hears this. I know.

Poor mate. And gets upset. Poor brother. He's great. You've got everything else. You'll be fine. Oh, my God. He'll be Poor brother. He's great. You've got everything else. You'll be fine. Yeah, he's so, oh my God, he'll be so fine. He's awesome.

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mind. Uber Teen Accounts. Invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. All right. Okay. My recommendation, I'm so excited about this one. It's a book called Magpie by Elizabeth Day. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Elizabeth Day is the host of a podcast I've talked about before called How to Fail. It's, you know, incredibly popular and incredible, amazing. She's one of, known as one of the best podcast interviewers, I think.

She interviews with wit and sensitivity and humour and just great research. A wit and sensitivity and humour, her co-hosts. Okay. Yes, correct. Thank you. She's also an incredible writer. She's written five novels to date which collectively have gained her

a Betty Trask Award, Observer Book of the Year, and a Richard and Judy Summer Book Club pick, which is a big deal in the UK. Right. Now, she also writes for, you know, The Guardian, The New York Times, lots of different publications, and she's very well read. She went to Cambridge. She's just an incredibly intelligent woman. And this particular book is her latest offering. It's a psychological thriller about jealousy, infertility, and motherhood. And the lead character is a woman called Marissa,

jealousy, infertility and motherhood. And the lead character is a woman called Marissa who just meets a guy on a dating app like I know a lot of people have called Jake. And just after a few months they move in together and things start to escalate very quickly when they start trying for a baby. Oh, lovely. So Marissa feels like she's finally found the steadfast love and support that she's been looking for her whole life. She had quite a troubled childhood, which you find out a bit about.

But then their relationship in their flat is tested when they take in a lodger, Kate, who has little regard for personal boundaries and seems to have taken an uncomfortable interest in Marissa's boyfriend, Jake. Oh, I don't like this. Why did they take in a lodger? Interesting. For money?

For clout? Well, Jake says because, yeah, for money because it will help with, you know, supporting the baby because Marissa falls pregnant. Okay, okay. Yeah, and Kate seems to take a really big interest in the baby that Marissa has and things start to go kind of awry from there. Oh, she's looking just like a magpie swoop in and steal the eggs or something. Is that what magpies do?

Yeah, that is what they, I don't know, maybe. They do swoop a lot. Do they knock people out of their nests or whatever? I feel like that would be a magpie energy thing to do. There is a magpie at the beginning of the book too that swoops in and knocks Marissa in the head. So it's a metaphor and it's a literal magpie. Correct.

So questions. Why is Kate so obsessed with the couple? So what's going on there? And why doesn't Jake kind of heed Marissa's concerns? And then there kind of spirals out of there and it becomes a tense, twisting, brilliantly written novel about mothers and children and envy and possession and the dangers of getting everything you've ever dreamed of.

Oh, my goodness. Be careful what you wish for. What's interesting about it is Elizabeth Day suffered a miscarriage while she was writing the second part of the book. And so it does, and she is very open about her battle with infertility. So does that like affect the story or is it more like the tone? It's more the tone of the story. I guess it does become quite dark.

Yeah. And she does explore because it was her third miscarriage. So it does kind of. It's brutal. Yeah, it's really brutal. And it does kind of explore that world of what it means to want to be a mother and not be able to and what that does psychologically. She's spoken in podcast interviews about how in writing this kind of psychological thriller

based in motherhood, she could feel herself during her infertility journey that's really still going on. She could feel that there were points where she could have entered into the kind of head spaces that her characters enter into. Yeah, right. And she stopped herself, one of which, one of the things that stopped her were obviously a really supportive partner and friends and also her work because she could throw herself into that.

But it is a really interesting examination, I think, of jealousy. Yeah, okay. And the kind of paths that women take and the kind of dreams that we have about our lives and the societal pressure that comes with that as well and trying to juggle career as well as wanting to have a baby and dealing with the failure of that. So it does deal with a similar theme to her podcast in a way because How to Fail was born out of, which is her podcast, was born out of her failures really. She got divorced very early on in her marriage

and then had struggled with infertility, even though she is incredibly high achieving. I think she got a double honours in Cambridge and in history. Oh, me too. And obviously even her podcast, How to Fail, is a rip-roaring success as are her novels. So she's like this really high-achieving person who is then grappling with the fact that this is one thing that she can't just sort

of work her way out of. You can't strive and work your way through it. Correct. Yeah, exactly. And what it feels like to not be able to do that. And I know she makes a lot of women feel seen in that struggle. Yeah. Anyway.

She sounds amazing. Yeah, she is. She's incredible. Do you know who she's really good friends with? Me. Our mate Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Oh, that makes sense. Yeah, and actually, interestingly, the start of Fleabag,

the second season, opens with a miscarriage and that scene is directly related to the first miscarriage that Elizabeth Day had. Oh, really? Yeah, so she was out to brunch with a friend and went to the bathrooms and her miscarriage started happening. And this was the first one that happened to her. But she felt like she didn't want to upset her friend or like bring the mood down or anything.

So she just kind of continued with the brunch and then left. Oh, God. And never said anything. And that kind of is what happens in the first, the second season. So I think Phoebe rang her after she'd written it and said, I accidentally think I've written your story kind of into the show. And Elizabeth Day said, I trust her so implicitly. She's just brilliant.

Of course you can have my story. So anywho, there you go. I really recommend it, Magpie. That sounds harrowing AF, Claire. Look, it is but it's not as, it's dark but it's also got some uplifting things too. And it's, yeah, I don't want to spoil it because it does have lots of twists and turns.

Ooh. I bet there was an affair involved somewhere amongst it. I'm not sure where. But you know what else? There's definitely a very significant plot twist. Okay. You know what's interesting? Because a lot of people maybe they would like the thrill of an affair

but they don't want to ruin the relationship that they're in, which I completely understand. You shouldn't do that. Miranda. Miranda. Yeah, go listen to all the episodes of Suggestible in the City. But I find also that people have written in and said that leaving a review on this show actually gives you a rush like no other, just like this person has. And you can do it in

apps. It's Briobri, B-R-I. 10 out of 10, amazing and genuine. New listener and absolutely love it. Cannot recommend enough or to enough people. So sweet and casual, conversational, and I want them to adopt me. A-S-A-P. I'm sorry, the door is shut on adoption. We just took inational, and I want them to adopt me ASAP. I'm sorry, the door is shut on adoption. We just took in a dog and I'm at my wit's end. So look, if there is an opening, we'll let you know. We'll let you know. We'll advertise it on the show.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's how we like to get all of our family members. Yeah, a listener competition. Correct. We also have Mason. We adopted him too. That's right. There's too many already in this house.

Too many people. Too many bloody people in this house, I tell you that much. All right. What's next, Claire? Oh, well, if you would like to write in with your very own suggestible. I do actually. A movie, TV show, a recipe, what have you, or just appreciation for the wonderful hosts, you can at suggestivemod.gmail.com, just like Jenny Congdon has. And what a legend is Jenny.

Hi, Claire and James. I was listening to your podcast Suggestible today and Claire mentioned something about enjoying hearing from your listeners. You bet your bottom dollar I do, Jenny. It's true. Give us your bottom dollar. Bet it on the show.

No, keep your dollars. Keep it. We've decided. Just write us. Give us your words. I thought you might be surprised to know I'm a 58-year-old woman farming in the Riverina, New South Wales. Awesome.

Maybe not your expected demographic. My daughter suggested I might like it and I listen most weeks. What I really wanted to say was, as I listened today, tears well when you read from love stories, Claire. I've read the book and loved it, but today that story brought to mind walking with my father on a rare visit to the city from the farm. He held out his big rough hand and we walked together down the street. I remember thinking I too was a bit old to hold

hands but as Trent said who was going to see us anyway. Dad died suddenly when I was in my early 20s and I'm very grateful for this memory. Trent Dalton is an amazing writer and I loved this book as much as his others. Like you say, it is so uplifting and we should all read it. You sound like great parents and I hope your little ones as well. Thanks for your podcast. Kind regards, Jenny. That's beautiful. That's really nice. We got a few people who were like, that was really moving. That thing that you read out, you ruined a lot of people's days, Claire. I know, I did. I know.

I got a bit teary reading that. Yeah. Thank you, Jenny. Yeah, I know. We've got another one from Julie. That's so awesome though. I know. 58, farmer, recommended by a kid.

Love it. What a legend. I just really, really appreciate it and that's why. Maybe she can adopt us. Maybe she sounds like a really great mum actually. And the Riverina I've heard is spectacular. We could do the show. You could sit in on it. And that's why. Maybe she can adopt us. Maybe she sounds like a really great mom actually. And the Riverina I've heard is spectacular. We could do the show. You could sit in on it.

You could sit in on the show. Think about it. Yeah. Yeah. True. Exactly. Anyway, it's just this is why I love hearing from listeners. So really, write in.

I'd love to hear from you. Just based on that Trent Dalton excerpt that I read last week that I ruin people's days, Julie Reynolds wrote in with a picture of her partner from the most recent episode and I thought I'd show you. Let's see it. And it doesn't have any words. It's just like she hadn't listened to the episode yet and he just walked in and this is the photo of him.

Do you want to explain? So he looks asleep standing up for one, but he's also, no, it looks like he's in a warm embrace with a two to three-year-old kid. I can't really tell from that particular angle. He's just giving his child a really big cuddle. That's really nice. Which I think sums up really that whole passage about fatherhood.

So did he listen to it, did she say? Yeah, he listened to it but she hadn't caught up yet and he just walked in holding the child. Yeah. Super cute. That's really nice. Anyway, thank you, Jenny, and thank you, Julie. You should bring in something else that just really tears people apart.

You know what I mean? You know what's my favourite? I love to feel it, James. It's true. And I love being like, here's a harrowing thing I watched. Claire's like, here's something that will emotionally traumatise you. No, it wasn't. Is it? No, will emotionally traumatise you. No, it wasn't. Is it?

No, it's not traumatising. No, it's not. It's, for me anyway, because I've lost my dad too, I love that stuff because it makes you feel human and alive and makes you remember what it's all about. And I think we can forget that in all of the, I don't know, messy nonsense of the internet I don't know, messy nonsense of the internet, you know?

Yeah. I think we just have to ground ourselves in those experiences and they might make you feel upset or sad for a moment but they also, that's what grief does. It reminds you of how fragile it all is, how beautiful it all is and that you need to sort of lean into the juiciness of it. Absolutely. I know.

And to be fair, I should have waited till the end of the show to read it to you. You really did it. Anyway, it was beautiful. So, yeah, that was Love Stories by Trent Dalton, if you'd like to read the book. And I just thought I'd quickly, before we leave, let's just summarise everything that we recommended today.

I think it's something we should do each week. Well, that's a great idea. Yeah. And it's always linked below. Calling to edits, this always does. Correct. But I recommended the movie Gold by Anthony Hayes, directed by. It's on Stan.

It's on probably other streaming services. Claire, what did you recommend? I recommended Trigger Point, which is also on Stan, by Jed Mercurio. Oh, this is such a good idea. It is, isn't it? And I also recommended Magpie by Elizabeth Day, which is a psychological thriller about motherhood. You recommended one more thing.

What was it? Oh, no, just one. I did have one more thing. The height of Tom Cruise. The height thing. That counts as my second recommendation. The Celebrity Height website. CelebrityHeight.com, whatever it was.

Okay, and we've been to Jess's podcast. Thank you to Colleen for editing this week's episode. Wonderful stuff. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel because currently we are going through the Christopher Nolan Batman movies, Aren't We Claire? Do you mean? Aren't We Claire? You are.

You certainly are. Just not me. Thank God for that. That would emotionally traumatise me. Thank God for that. That would emotionally traumatise me. I'm not watching a weird franchise about diamond-filled vampires and werewolf boys who fall in love with babies. It's the other thing. It's the strangest thing. Every time I walk in, there's another white, like very white.

I mean, I know, you know, we watch some things with white people in it, but this is like white, white, like the color of the walls. Well, Batman doesn't get a lot of sun. That's probably what you're referring to. Yes, correct. But you know what? It must be Batman and definitely exists. What I do like about Batman is his sparkling personality.

Thank you. This is all you're doing for the next few weeks. It's just puns on Twilight. What? No, Batman. Sorry, on Batman? You're confused. That's right. The next few weeks is just puns on Twilight. What? No, Batman. Sorry, on Batman? You're confused.

All right, excellent. Okay, till next week. Adieu. Adieu to you and you and you. Yes. It's supposed to be it. Is your battery dying on your computer?

It is, I'm so sorry. Okay, bye. Bye. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want.

It's up to you. Hi, I'm Jessie Cruikshank from the number one comedy podcast, Phone a Friend, which I strongly advise you listen to. You know what else I suggest you look into? Becoming a host on Airbnb. Did you like that segue? Thank you. I recently started putting my guest house on Airbnb. Did you like that segue? Thank you. I recently started putting my guest house on Airbnb when I'm out of town,

and I didn't realize how easy it would be until I did it. If you have a spare room, you could Airbnb it. Or your whole place could be an Airbnb. It's a great way to make a little extra money by doing not a lot. Which, frankly, is my mantra in 2024. To learn more, go to Airbnb.ca slash host.