Suggestible - The Queen's Gambit

Episode Date: November 12, 2020

Suggestible things to watch, read and listen to. Hosted by James Clement @mrsundaymovies and Claire Tonti @clairetonti.Support the show, watch what you want, and protect yourself with ExpressVPN at expressvpn.com/suggestible.This week’s Suggestibles:The Queen’s GambitNatalie Walker Twitter VideoLove and Monsters’ Crab FightMen Write Women TwitterMoonbase 8Jamila Rizvi’s Books & WebsiteAunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of FunSend 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.

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It's like, yes. I mean, I guess, Claire. You just don't like happiness. No, I don't like Joe Biden. Anyway, hello, everyone, and welcome to Suggestible Podcast. My name is Claire. James here also. We are married and we recommend you stuff.

All I'm saying, it's not done. Do you know what I mean? It's like there's so many more things that need to happen. I know. I know. But can't we just. And it's not like a staggering victory. All right.

Okay. So just in case you were sleeping under a rock or something, we are talking about the US election and the winning of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the president-elect and the vice president-elect. And I know all of this. I know all the same problems are still exactly there. However, I just feel like it's been a bit of a win for the world

and don't we need some good news? Yeah, I guess we do, Claire. Anyway, here we talk about movies and comics and TV shows. No, what are you talking about? That's the Weekly Planet. No, we suggest things. That's the other podcast. We suggest you things and I just want to suggest that I know life is very difficult

for a lot of people this year. 2020 has bloody been put in the bin. It should be put in the bin. It's a real hard year. And I know people in the UK and you're going back into lockdown and there's a lot of issues in the world and the planet's on fire and all those things. I just want to take, like Stephen Goldbear said on his show,

I just want to take this tiny little minute to celebrate good times. Come on. Anyway, that's it. Neither here nor there. Yeah, I know. But also it's like who knows, you know what I mean? Like there's all these climate goals that are hopefully going to be put in place but then they can be rolled back at any point.

Can we just not? I know, I know. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I think it's easy to be like, look, we've had a couple of days of like happiness or whatever or four minutes if you're someone like me. Do you know what I mean? But this is like an ongoing thing and I know it's like it's only the US

but they set the tone for a lot of the world in general. Here is why I have so much hope now. And this is the major reason, regardless of- This is going to be your greatest failing, all this hope that you have, Claire. Oh my good Lord, you're the worst. Anywho, this is the reason I have hope, because we finally have someone in charge of one of the biggest economies in the world, right? American democracy is something that is looked upon

by the rest of the globe, right? And where they seem to go, particularly in our neck of the woods, is where we seem to follow. And having someone in that position of power who tells the truth that is based on fact and believes in science. Sure, yeah. I completely agree. I completely agree.

So Kamala Harris as the first vice president, as the first anything in the White House in that kind of VP or presidential role who is A, a woman, B, a black woman, C, a Southeast Asian woman. woman, see a Southeast Asian woman. Just I can't even explain to you how I just bawled my eyes out because I know that for you it's not that big a deal. No, it isn't. Of course it is. If you look at that meme, right, that I put up on Instagram,

it's just a sea of white men. Oh, yeah. A sea of white men. Like the same dude like 46 times in a row. And suddenly there are little girls everywhere and I know I sound very twee when I say this but I really mean it from the bottom of my heart. There are little girls everywhere who are growing up right now seeing themselves reflected in this massive position of power.

We've only had one female Prime Minister in Australia and she wasn't voted in by the popular vote either. And that's in the entire history of our country. Yeah. And I just imagine so. Well, she did win the follow-up election. Oh, yeah, she did. Correct.

You're absolutely right. But I just, and I love Julie Gillard. After a draw. Well. Anyway, all I'm saying is how incredible. And aren't we allowed to be hopeful? Yes. I mean, what else is there?

Despair. No, you're absolutely right and that is incredible and I don't mean to take that away from you or anybody else. Yes, James. It genuinely is incredible. Anyway, because if you want to see change, then we have to change the way that things have always been done. Quick question, what if you don't want to see change, then, you know, we have to change the way that things have always been done. Quick question.

What if you don't want to see change? What do I do then? Okay, let's move along. Move along. Let's move along. Let's move this chitter chat. Love to you, however you voted out there and wherever you are in the world. We hope you're doing all right.

Stay safe. Let's stay safe, et cetera. Let's recommend you some cool stuff. Let's do it. What do we got? What do we got? We're going to go with the world at the moment because we all need it. It is, look, it is good news for us in particular.

I mean, obviously depending on. It's huge for you to say that. I mean, unless you could be like the 70 million people that don't. You were walking on a cloud of sunshine on the weekend. Yeah, but I've been reading a bunch of stuff since then, Claire. And just like about like the presidential, like the handover, do you know what I mean? Yeah, there's a lot to go.

I'm in like some group chats that are just like firing off like wild conspiracy theories about lost ballots and all this kind of shit, which is like there's been zero evidence of. And it's not going to be a smooth transition and there's going to be like people who never accept it. All right. But again, celebrate good times. Come on.

Would you want me to recommend something, Claire? Yeah, guys, it's like the, you know who you are? You're Eeyore. You are Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Who did Evo fall for? Your old sad sack. You have been wanting this moment for so long. You've been just like dreaming about it.

When it happened, you were so ecstatic and now you've sunk into Eeyore land. Well, what I realized is. What's the point? That if I want to be happy, I need to look internally, not externally. There's just a big black hole where your heart should be. I looked in there and I went, oh, this is pretty grim in here. Pretty dreary. Anyway.

Off you pop. Come on, give us something. Queen's Gambit on Netflix. Oh, yeah. Netflixed. Based on the 1983 novel of the same name. It's created by Scott Frank and Alan Scott, who aren't related because they have different last names. But Anya Taylor-Joy.

I just loved you hanging there. Stars as Beth Harmon, a child chess prodigy in the Cold War era where she's taking on chess masters from around the globe to become the best chess player. And if you love chess, you might be like, wow, there's some good chess moves. And if you love somebody like picking up a chess book from the library and being like, oh, my God, look at this.

Look at Wilson's chess manoeuvre or whatever. You know, we're talking about specific chess tactics. You're going to bloody love it, mate. Bishop, queen, horse, pawn. Horse to horse too. Is it knight? It's a knight. Knight to horse.

You don't know. I don't know either. Do you play chess? I know your dad was a big player. My dad was a big player of chess and my brother plays. I just don't really have the brain for it. I think you probably would, wouldn't you? I'd say you wouldn't have the interest in it more than the brain.

Yeah, that's probably it as well. You could Queen's Gambit it. Look, I've got a great brain. I love my brain. But it doesn't really work that way I'm not a visual person You have to be able to kind of visualise Like a whole lot of steps ahead

Well, that's what this is about, isn't it? I'm more of a connect four man myself But listen So Beth Harmon, who's the lead Played by Anya Taylor-Joy She has a reliance on substance to win It helps her kind of visualise Like the situations

And she plays high And practices high Because it's kind of, if you heard about that as well, like if you, apparently there's research to suggest that if you're in a certain state when you learn something and when you get back in that state, you'll be more likely to learn it if you're in the same kind of altered state. Have you heard that before? I remember hearing that in school.

I don't know whether that's true anymore. I don't know either. But, you know, recommend drug taking. Good job. I'm not talking about drugs. I'm talking about anything that's true anymore. I don't know either. But, you know, recommend drug taking. Good job. I'm not talking about drugs. I'm talking about anything. I'm talking about getting bloody blitzed, mate, and bloody alcohol. Do you know what?

There is some really interesting stuff about microdosing with LSD and things like that about expanding your brain and mind. Exactly, exactly. Not that I've tried any of that, but, you know, interesting. You're too old now. You're like, mate, you can't be starting experimenting with drugs. I'm only 35. You told me I was in my 40s today and I am very sick of you gaslighting me

with my age. Not that it matters if you're in your 40s but I am not yet. Exactly. What does it matter, Claire? All right. Anyway, it's interesting and very compelling. I know you've just started it. I've finished it.

I think there's seven episodes. But there's a couple of criticisms that I'm going to throw your way, Claire, one of which I think you'll heavily relate to. You'd be like, James has been listening to me. He knows what's going on. He's changing his ways. He's a man. He's a modern man living in a modern era, right?

I don't know about that. One thing is it's not real. It's not a true story. Like for the start of this, I'm like, this is a very interesting story of this real chess player that exists. No, she didn't exist. Not a real person. Based on a fictional book.

So I'm like, oh, boo, less interesting. I was like, this is what a fascinating historical figure. No, she's not real. Don't worry about it. Don't let that detract from the story itself because it's still very interesting. Cold war era politics in chess, Claire, are you kidding me? What a combination. The second thing is, and I think you'll hate this, like she's one of the best chess players in the world and she keeps beating all these men or whatever. Like you can't play chess as a woman. And she's like, watch how good I am at chess. But then often these people, like, become her mentors and they're like, listen, if you want to play chess, this is how you play chess or whatever.

So there's a lot of men, like, explaining chess to her and how chess works. And I'm like, this is chess and this person plays chess like this, but you could play chess like this. And she's like, maybe I won't play chess like that. So, you know. I see. And it's fictional so they could have written it in any way.

That's what I'm saying, Claire. Also, it kind of annoys me that she takes substances and then plays as well because isn't that kind of being like, well, women can only play if they take substances and get high. That's what they say. There's someone who says in the story, women can only play chess when they take substances and get high. Look, I will say I've only watched kind of the first half

of the first episode. And one thing I will say about it, it's just bloody great to have more women doing interesting stuff. I completely agree. That's what I think. And it's a great performance and she's great. Yeah, and that's what I mean. I just think for so long women's characters have been pretty

one-dimensional and they're always like Reese Witherspoon always has this great quote about how women in film tend to turn to the guys and go, what do we do now? And really in life that very rarely happens. More likely men are laughing about it. You've never asked me what to do. And whenever I do, I'm like, I don't fucking know.

What do I know? I just think that there are a hell of a lot of women who when the shit hits the fan, they make the lasagna. I completely agree. They make the things happen. And look, it's all generalisations and gender. That's true. You know, all those things.

You see it in friendship groups when something happens. No, that's not a great generalisation because men obviously also look out for their mates and everything. Oh, they do, absolutely. But I think women are also. And non-binary people too. Of course. No exclusion here.

Everybody's welcome. We bloody love you all, mate. Correct. Yeah. But oftentimes, and I know with like your friends of so many, like there's a great tragedy, something happens, like it is, it's lasagnas and like long walks and all these kinds of things. And men are like, do you want to have a beer and sit silently together?

Would you like to sit in silence at a bar? Yeah. Even during the pandemic lockdown that we've been doing, I think in general women are sort of like let's go for walks and let's get out and let's try and meet for coffees and let's do Zooms and stuff. I think you're just talking about me specifically because I think there's a lot of men who actually like that.

That's very true. That's very true. Anyway, all I'm saying is it's at least 50% if not more that like in a crisis women generally figure out the shit and know what to do. I agree. Women are better than men is what you're saying. No, they're not at all. No, I'm not saying that at all.

I think feminism is about men and women being treated equally and having equal opportunity and that goes into having equal, you know, rich storytelling and rich and complicated characters and that's why I like this show. You should follow someone on Twitter. She's probably on Instagram. She's called Natalie Walker. She's an actress, actor.

And she does like these monologues of like serial women in film. There's one where she talks about how she's like the southern wife of a husband who's coaching a football team that's going to solve racism. And she like does that one speech in the movie about, you got into this because you're going to do the right thing and you're a good man and all this. You know those speeches? Correct.

It's really great. You should follow it. Yeah, because that is the thing. I know you want to keep going. I just wanted to quickly say this. I'm done. All right. All right.

Okay. Well, I did really enjoy what I saw of The Queen's Gambit. Yeah, it's good. It is really good. Yeah, yeah. Cool. And the other thing I wanted to say, and this is criticism I have of the movie that you were making and recommended last week, Love and Monsters. Yeah, it's good. It is really good. Yeah, yeah. Cool. And the other thing I wanted to say, and this is criticism I have of the movie

that you were making and recommended last week, Love and Monsters. Yeah, yeah. Because I started watching it and immediately I thought, oh, written by dudes. Did you finish Love and Monsters? I did. Okay. Because they have a big crab fight at the end.

Yeah, I know. And you were like, oh, wait till you get to the end. There's a crab fight. Yeah, I know. But it was bullshit. And this is why it was bullshit. Here I go. Here I go.

Because, A, all of the women in it were seen through the lens of the main character who is like a white dude, right? Yeah. And so every woman in that, every female character was either, even the bloody dog, there was a dog in it called Boy and his most interesting female character in it was dead and he just carried around her red dress all the time. But to be fair, the dog was a boy in real life.

So how could they write it? See, this is what I mean. And anyway, in Love and Monsters, right, so there's his mum who he spends the whole time and this is the problem with So Much Young, particularly when it's written by a man, it's because they write women in relation to them. So it's their mother, their girlfriend, and even you're like, oh, wait for the kick-ass.

No, let me continue. There was a big crab fight. Yeah, but I know, but whatever. And I enjoyed it. Like I'm not saying it was a terrible movie, but I couldn't enjoy it enough because I kept getting irritated by the way that the women were portrayed. So also even the character that you're like, oh, wait a minute,

and there's like a girl in it, like a young girl who's got kind of like a father figure. She's lost her family. I do that, yeah. And she, you know, she's still written in this way where she ends up learning from him, from the main character, and also the fatherly kind of figure talks to her a lot as well. And then even when he finally, you know, spoiler alert, you know,

reunites with the girl that he's like done the whole thing for, for the quest and she's ending up being this kind of like perfect woman who's badass and kick-ass and great and also like looks after an entire colony and then, you know. They have a crab fight. They have a crab fight and then there's like a fight between a villainous woman and her and that's gratuitous. It's always the same every time.

It's like two sexy women fighting and then in the end like she initially has been like, well, I'm not really into you because the other guy, the man died and so I couldn't possibly, you know, get with some other man. I'm like, fuck off. It's the end of the world. Of course you would get with another guy. Anyway, and that annoyed me and then they kiss at the end

and she's like, oh, that was amazing. And I just, it really irritated me because I felt like there were no, even the bloody robot, there's a robot in it and that's the other female character and the robot just exists to be a vacuum for his own memories. Like it, and it's like his mum flashes up on the screen and she's like, I'll give you my last charge so you can call the girl that you want and also stare at your mother and now I'm dead.

Seriously, it fucking, I just exploded in a pit of rage and I was like, this is why women need to write their own stories. And if you're a woman out there listening to this or you're a partner of a woman or a friend of a woman who is a writer, she needs to write the thing so we have more representation and more stories by women for women so the women's characters are complicated and flawed and interesting and funny and it's bullshit. And also Parkinson this week said that women aren't funny

and fuck that guy. I used to really like Parkinson. Is he alive? Sorry, I'm really angry. I can tell. Did he really say that? Yes. I didn't even know he was alive.

There's an article this week on Twitter. Fucking hell. Exactly. Exactly. Anyway. All right. Moving on. I thought the crab fight was really good.

Yeah, I can't disagree with any of that. I really, and this is the thing, it was a fun monster movie. And I didn't see a lot of that. Like, you're right. I can't disagree with it. No, because the main dude looked a lot like you. Yeah, come on, Claire. Don't patronize me. I don't look anything it. No, because the main dude looked a lot like you. Yeah, come on, Claire. Don't patronise me.

I don't look anything like Dylan O'Brien. Anyway, I like Jessica Henwick who fought the big crab. Yeah, of course you would. She was like sexy and cute and smart. No, she's in other things. She was also in the trope. She's in like a bunch of stuff. Also, she's the trope of the dream girl.

She's the trope of the dream girl which walks the very fine line, listen for a minute, of being girl next door, also sexy but doesn't know it, very smart and great at looking after everybody, and also able to fight a crab sexily with a villainous mind. I can't argue with that. But what I will say is I like the fact that he turned up there being like, we're in love and we'll get together. And she was like, I don't really know you.

I thought that was an interesting like, but then that all like turned around. No, I went're in love and we'll get together. And she was like, I don't really know you. I thought that was an interesting like, but then that all like turned around. No, I went to see her. Yeah, I know. And he kissed her. And he didn't ask her. He left and then he turns around and he's like, actually. And then he walks up to her, grabs the back of her head and kisses her. Doesn't ask her.

Yeah, you shouldn't do that. No wonder blokes think that women just want them to do that. You shouldn't do that. It's in fucking every movie. Look, the first time you want to kiss a woman. Excuse my language. I'm sorry. I'm a little raised.

Now listen, listen. I'm going to solve this. If you ever want to kiss a woman, you get down on one knee and you take them by the hand after you ask them whether you can hold their hand and then you say, may I please have the privilege and honor of giving you a big old smooch. That is the only way to do it. Yeah. All of this is really complicated, right,

because so much of relationships and sex and working out when you can kiss someone or not is based on nonverbal cues. Sure. But I always just think checking consent is always the best way to go forward. If you're unsure, ask. That can be quite cute to be like, can I kiss you now? You know, that's cute. It's quite devastating when they're like, nah.

Yeah. But that would be better also. Correct. Than moving in and getting like a cheek. Oh, my God. Much better. Always ask, always check. That's my golden rule.

All right. Also fight giant crabs. Yeah. That was cool. I like the monsters. The crab fight was good. Yeah. I like the monsters.

I mean, seriously, the girl that was the most interesting character, clearly she'd been surviving on her own with a dog in a bus. And she's not even in the movie. No, she's not even in the fucking movie. She had, like, all these, like, amazing artwork on the wall. She'd been, like, scribbling. She looked totally badass. And I was like, oh, great, there's going to be an interesting.

No, she was dead and she didn't come back for the entire movie. I agree. It was a good movie. Anyway, okay. My turn to recommend something. Yes, please do. Other than exploding in rage. Introducing Uber Teen Accounts,

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One day. Back to the show. All right. Okay. So my first recommendation is just a lovely book called Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton. I've talked about it a little bit before. It's just, it's a joy.

She's the co-host of a podcast called The Hilo, and she's a writer and a journalist and just an all-round lovely human from what I can gather. This is sort of a memoir. It's her first book. She's also released recently a book called Ghosts, which I haven't read yet. But everything I know about love is funny and self-deprecating and heartbreaking and kind of tracks her friendships and explorations of love and relationships from when she's like a really little girl to like as she grows older through her 20s and 30s and the partying that happens and the way she kind

of gets to know herself and she's kind of frolicking through London just being very drunk a lot. I love being drunk in London. I love the way that it's written because it will start with a really funny anecdote about what happened when dial-up first entered into her life and how it changed everything for her and MSN Messenger was like. Oh, I remember.

If you're a millennial, oh, my God, it just like opened up this whole world of boys for her that she hadn't had before. And so she'll tell these really funny stories and then there'll be a great recipe for like hangover mac and cheese. And then there'll be this devastating chapter about her friend and grief and loss. And I just, one of the most beautiful chapters I thought was actually about when she finds a psychologist.

And I've never read something like that before about someone's experience. Oh, what is happening here? In the Sinclair. Whoa, that's really. This has 1.3 million views. Just people our age go, I'm like, oh, I remember MSN Messenger. Simpler time. Yeah.

And then that like dial up internet. Oh, man. I loved MSN Messenger. Yeah. It doesn't exist anymore. No, and when it would just like pop up with little face emojis and love hearts, that was before phones and everything. Before phones.

Oh, mate, back in the dark ages. Anyway, back to Dolly Alderton. There's this chapter about her finding a psychologist and having to confront her demons. And it's written in such a funny sort of honest way about what it's like when you actually find a good psychologist who understands you and how much work goes into and ultimately is so beneficial for you, kind of getting to know yourself through therapy.

And there's this like really amazing line about how she thought she was going to go there so the therapist could affirm for her how everyone else is an idiot and all the terrible things that have happened to her are other people's fault. Right. And then what she really realizes is a very good therapist talks you through and confronts you with your role in everything that's ever happened to you. Right. And how, like in a relationship breakdown, it's never just one person's fault.

Yeah. You know, there's always things that you've played a part in and that the common denominator in your life is you. And she said that's what's so horrible and hard about therapy but also ultimately so wonderful because it's about building a relationship with yourself. Right, okay, yeah. And finding peace in that.

Anyway, it was just – They say you should shop around for a therapist, right? Yeah. Go and see one and be like, no, this one sucks. You want someone you click with or whatever. Yeah, totally. And the other thing she said which I thought was really freeing was her therapist said to her in the very first session,

you don't have to worry about what I think of you. You'll never know what I think about you. You might think I might like you but you're never going to be sure because I'm never going to tell you. So just give up on that now. Stop trying to impress me. And I thought, isn't that a freeing thing? Isn't that like I've been to therapy and the whole time I sit there going,

oh, I better not cry too much. I better not say too many terrible things. I better not, you know, I want to make sure they like me, even if you're doing it subconsciously. And that just takes up so much mental space. But if you can get that out of the way, then you're free to just. That's a hard thing to kind of step over though, isn't it? Oh, yeah.

Yeah. But I guess you don't even really know if anybody really likes you really. No. Because you don't know what other people are thinking. No, it's so true. Really ever. And I think that. I don't know how many people hate me.

I mean, in the world it would be a lot. Probably millions. Yeah, probably. It wouldn't be millions. But it would be like numbers alone, it would be at least 10,000 people hate me, if not more. Like that's being generous. Yeah. It's pretty good.

Yeah, it is pretty good. I don't know. There's one here at least. Oh, it's myself. Oh, yeah. Don't say that. No, anyway, I just really recommend it and it's a beautiful book to gift if you're looking for a gift for.

People have been messaging me about gifts to give their loved ones. Now, if you're going to give a gift to somebody, make sure that you get down on one knee and you say, is it okay if I give you this gift? And if they say yes, you can give them a kiss. I just always think consent. Just check in. How dare you ruin Love and Monsters for me, Claire?

This movie I probably won't watch again now. Yeah. Well, that's because this is what I'm saying, why we need more women writing stuff. I completely agree. And not even just women but people of different backgrounds and experiences and cultures and genders. Who doesn't love watching a thing from different perspectives? Yeah, exactly.

I just think the narrative for so long has been written by white dudes and so what you get is stories from their perspective. You should go on the Twitter account, men writing women. It's really funny. It's a lot about like, it's mostly about breasts. It's like men awkwardly describing breasts i was if i could bring some up uh are you yeah i'm done okay cool all right i'll do that after then um i watched a series speaking of men it's called moon base eight it's on showtime in the

u.s and probably other places on stan in australia it's created written and starring john c reilly tim heidecker and fred armisen and that is an absolutely banging lineup of people, right, of comedic. And also, like, there's some serious actors in there as well. But it's very funny. It follows three subpar astronauts. So they've got to be – on Earth, NASA have, like, a series. If you know, they'll run experiments where they'll set up, like, a moon base in the desert, and you just kind of – it's like you run like training exercises and things like that.

And you're trying to be self-sufficient. So you have to wear like also your space suit outside when you go outside and things like that. You're trying to replicate the environment of space, including the isolation and all the problems that come along with it, right? it, right? And the idea is that they're hoping to be selected by NASA to be the actual crew to go to the moon because there's a moon base which is being constructed there and they want to be part of that, right? So it's all about them running drills and eating freeze dried food and repairing things and they're also fools. So it's like, do you remember there was that Space Force show earlier this year or last year? I don't know when it was, but it was like the Steve Carell one.

Yeah, I stopped watching it. Yeah, it wasn't great, but this was really good. I really enjoyed it. And it's just very like funny and goofy and it kind of walks that fine line between they're astronauts so they're obviously intelligent, but they're also not at the same time. Do you know what I mean? But it never becomes ridiculous where it's like, well, he wouldn't say that because he's an astronaut.

He wouldn't think that. Do you know what I mean? It kind of manages to make that distinction quite well. It's really good. I really liked it. It's eight episodes or six episodes or ten episodes or six episodes, but I would recommend checking it out if you have the opportunity. What is this on?

It's on Stan or Showtime. If you like Tim and Eric, Tim Heidecker's from that. Fred Armisen's from a bunch of things. Recently he was, what was he in? He's in a bunch of shit. He's in bloody The Last Man on Earth. And John C. Reilly is a terrific actor who you probably would have seen in what's that musical where Richard Gere defends somebody

who murdered their wife or whatever? Chicago. He's like the boyfriend who's like a fool and he's got like the curly hair. He's in Step Brothers. Do you know him? Yes, yes, yes. I know him, yeah. He sings that song,

Cellophane, Mr. Cellophane, should it be my name, Mr. Cellophane. Such a good musical. It's all right. I love that. Oh, that movie's not great. Oh, I my name, Mr. Salafane. Such a good musical. It's all right. I love that. Oh, that movie's not great. Oh, I thought it was great. Renee Seliger is incredible in that. She's also amazing in Judy, the movie about Judy Garland.

So good. Oh, I love that. And also, other actress that's also Chicago in that, and she's in Zorro, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Catherine Zeta-Jones, yeah. Zeta-Jones, so good in it. in Zorro, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Catherine Zeta-Jones, yeah. Zeta-Jones, so good in it.

And the best song in Chicago is Pop Six, uh-uh, Cicero Lipschitz. I've totally stuffed that up but it's such a good song. And if you haven't watched the movie, I would just go and YouTube that particular song, a montage. It's so good. I love it. I think I had to do it for some kind of musical theatre idea. Had to do it.

Yeah, I bloody loved it. Here's a piece of writing from Men Writing Women on Twitter. So these are real author's examples. This is apparently the first paragraph of a book. I don't know what the book is. 17 and criminally cute. Nikki Robinson sulks through the sultry afternoon trying to keep from staring at her useless, shocking pink cell phone.

She hasn't heard from Pfeiffer in three days and is getting the awful feeling she's already been dumped and just hasn't been told yet. Oh, God. She's been on her pink phone. Oh, my God. That's like that. I just, you know what, Facebook does know what I like to be served and I try and stay away from Facebook as much as I can,

but I do get served a lot of videos of like women just like being asked ridiculous questions by men during press rounds. Oh, I love that. Yeah, so there's like Ariana Grande and there's an interview with her with some radio hosts being like, what do you love more, looking at your phone or like chocolate or something? Oh, my God. Do I have to choose?

Yeah, and she just like takes it and asks. And there's a lot of Scarlett Johansson just like really giving it back to them. There's a great montage of her being asked. I might have even done it in a video where like the other Avengers get last questions about like diet and character, all those kinds of things. But there's like in the Avengers 2012 press conference, every interviewer is literally like, so I heard you didn't wear any underwear under your catsuit.

And this is her getting more and more exasperated. Sometimes Belva simply would be out riding. She'd come in in a gallop with a broad grin on her face. After a couple of hours in the saddle, her thighs and buttocks glowed, radiating from the inside out like a clay pot right out of the fire, a beautiful soreness that would leave her short of breath all evening. Oh, God. See, this is the problem.

This is the problem. No woman would ever write that about themselves. Her breasts were like pillows of dough and her ass was like a mould of gelatin. Jesus Christ. See, because that's all problematic but I think what is more insidious because that's like clearly just bad writing, right? Yes. I think what is more insidious is men writing dialogue for women

in ways that they wouldn't speak. Yeah. Or only writing in one-dimensional ways. So who is that actress who was talking about? She's in Broadchurch and I love her. Yeah, Olivia Colman. Yes, Olivia Colman, thank you. Olivia Colman said some really great stuff about how if you just replace,

you just turn some of the male characters in film to females without actually changing the script. Yeah. How amazing your role suddenly is as a woman. Yeah. But they don't write you as a person, they write you as a woman. Yeah. Whereas men just get to have interesting characters written for them. Can I ask you one more thing?

Tell me if this is accurate because this was posted by Men Writing Women from Robert Schultz. He says, male writers often struggle writing female characters, but luckily I grew up with sisters and I'm able to craft rich realistic dialogue for my female characters such as, leave us alone, you dumb idiot, or fuck off back to your room, you stupid dumb idiot. Yeah, see? Yeah, there you go.

Yeah, I'm not saying that men can't write women's female characters. No, I know that. I just mean that we just need more women doing it because our experiences and the way we write things, that's why Fleabag, for instance, is so brilliant. Like that scene when she's on the subway and the whole world is tilting and then she says, oh, no, I'm just getting my period. There's like moments in that in Fleabag, so many moments where she's like,

there is everything. Yeah, I like that. Or I look like a pencil. Like there's just so many quotes where I just see my own experience reflected back and I am aware that that's a white woman writing a show so of course I would see myself reflected back. So that's why we need diverse people writing diverse characters from all walks of life.

Disagree. Anyway, what's next? Next, so I have got a really awesome picture book written by a friend of mine, Jamila Rizvi. Oh, my goodness. It's called I'm a Hero Too. And if you are someone who has little people and you are currently going back into lockdown or you've been in lockdown,

this book is particularly for you. Which I guess is probably, you know, a lot of people all over the world. So the story follows a little boy called Artie whose mother is actually a scientist and is developing a vaccine to help fighting the virus. She works at Pfizer? Sorry? Pfizer? That company that's developing? Yes, potentially could be.

Anyway. This is a branded book. Sorry, keep going. No, it's just a beautiful story about a child seeing the world through, you know, seeing what's happening with the virus and lockdown through a child's eyes. Yeah. And through his parents' eyes and what's happening in their lives

and then sort of explaining how he can be a hero too and sort of empowering kids to feel like they can also help when he sees his mum helping. And also just kind of talking, it kind of is a good way to open up a conversation about how they're feeling about the whole virus and the lockdown and kind of giving them really accurate information about what's going on because often, you know, particularly when people are working from home as well, kids kind of are getting shushed out of the rooms and their lives have completely changed. And so she does address that, like parents working from home

and not being able to see grandparents and playgrounds being shard and all of that stuff. I didn't realise that's what it was about. That's cool. Yeah, it's really cool. Sorry, I knew it was out but I didn't know that. Yeah, it's really cool and really timely. And you read, so I knew it was out, but I didn't know that. Yeah, it's really cool and really timely. And you read it with our little fella tonight, didn't you?

I did. He was mainly obsessed with the fact that Jamila, who is a friend of ours, wrote it. And he kept being like, but where's her? Where's Rafi, who's his little friend? And so he was just so fascinated and her picture is at the back. And the illustration is done by Peter Cheung. He's never said to me, hey, Dad, 10,000 people in the world hate you and that's cool.

It's ridiculous. One day he will. Anyway, the illustrations are really gorgeous too. There's a little, Peter's drawn his cat into every page and it's just bright and colourful and ultimately has a really wonderful message and a great way to enter into a conversation. Picture books are such a great way to open up a conversation with kids that can otherwise be pretty tricky. Yeah. So I think, anyway, really great book I recommend. And she's written some other really good books too. The Motherhood I've talked about before, that's sort of a collection of essays from, or letters from prominent women in Australia who've become mothers. of essays or letters from prominent women in Australia who've become mothers. And it's really great as a gift for someone who's about to become a mum or is a mum, a new mum, particularly with a

new baby. So that's awesome. She's written Not Just Lucky as well, which is about women's experience, I guess, in the workplace and with careers. And then also, I don't know how she's done this in lockdown. The other book that she's recently released, which I don't know how she's done this in lockdown. The other book that she's recently released, which I haven't got to yet but I'm really excited to read, I've ordered it, is called Untold Resilience, Stories of Courage, Resilience and Love from Women Who Have Gone Before. So she's interviewed a whole lot of elderly women who've lived

through world wars and, you know, refugees and all kinds of things and has compiled their stories into a book. Terrific. Yes, terrific. I had a few more things but I think we're out of time. We're out of time, Claire. So let's just read some reviews. Now, listen, I can't stress this enough.

Reviews help the show. If you're listening to this, you could write a review right now. You could do it in our and you should do it. If you don't do it, you're on the list of 10,000 people that I hate. So just bear that in mind. This is from 2717 Sebastian 2004. It says it's pretty good five stars. It's a really excellent podcast. It's really interesting and funny. Both co-hosts are funny and amazing together. Most of the stuff they recommend is spot on and good. You may not agree with them politically, but sometimes we can all agree on this. Something we can all agree on is this podcast is, in fact, less successful.

I think we can all agree on that. Overall, worth a listen and a five-star rating. Thank you so much, Sebastian, 27-17-2004. What about you, Claire, in terms of letters that you have? All right. So you can contact the show at suggestibleproductgmail.com. You specifically, James, you can write to all the people that hate you. I can write to all the people that hate me?

I don't know. I don't know. It's late. I'm tired. Anyway, so you can write to the show and we would love to do that with your recommendations just like Simon France. Oh my God, Simon. I know.

Hello. Hello, Claire and James. Hoping you are enjoying your new freedom in Victoria. I am. We certainly are. We're going to the zoo. Woohoo. Yes, we are going your new freedom in Victoria. I am. We certainly are. We're going to the zoo. Yes, we are going to go to the zoo. I know.

I'm writing you're from Colorado where things are just about to shut down again. Sorry, mate. At least one of my last outings was to a park for a socially distanced dance party to celebrate the election results. How amazing were the footage of all the dancing over this weekend? Oh, crazy. And it also made me incredibly anxious because of the social distancing thing. All right.

Okay. Sad sack. But, yeah. I know. There were masks and distancing, but also I'm like, oh, my God, there's 100,000 cases a day. But, no, I understand. Hey, man, look, I understand.

Just spontaneous dance parties. That's the joy that was just kind of amazing. Anyway, back to Simon's letter. I know there is still so much work to do, but right now I'm feeling a bit better. One thing I recently heard from a political commentator that I've been repeating to myself is truth from the top will be truly cleansing. Yeah, I think it's also the thing where it's like any organization or specifically schools that I've worked for, the person at the top, the culture really does filter down from there.

It doesn't matter who you've got underneath. If that person up top is a fucking lunatic, then that is reflected in everything all the way down. Because you spend your whole time going like, am I insane? Like is there something wrong with me? Do you know what I mean? Am I reading this situation wrong? Because this person's in charge so they must to some extent

know what they're doing. No, but that's like Michelle Obama said. She's been with, you know, at the very top tables of all these leaders, and she's like, the first thing I've realized is they're not that smart. No. Sometimes I don't even know why they got there. So. I could point to 10,000 people who.

Correct. I feel similarly about. Oh, goodness me. Exactly. Anyway, back to Simon's great letter. Sorry, Simon's great letter. Here's his recommendations. Number one, Bananas, the podcast where comedians,, back to Simon's great letter. Sorry, Simon's great letter. Here's his recommendations. Number one, Bananas, the podcast where comedians Kurt Braunohler,

oh, goodness, I've really butchered that, and Scotty Landis discuss the strange, fascinating, and just plain bananas news around the world. A great and funny escape from the terrible news at the moment. Cool. That sounds good. Yeah. Eve Ewing is the number second, second, number two. Remember what? I don't know. What time is it? Anyway, Eve sounds good. Yeah. Eve Ewing is the number second, second number two.

Remember what? I don't know. What time is it? Anyway, Eve Ewing, a writer and sociologist who I think you'll both enjoy following. Claire, she had a great essay featured in the Vanity Fair issue guest edited by Ta Nehesi Coates about police unions and an Instagram that features her beautiful poetry and stress baking. Oh, cool. Oh, mate, I did a lot of stress baking over the weekend.

Gosh, that was a long time to hear the results. It was so weird. I was in a world of hurt. I did a lot of cooking. Anyway, and James, she wrote the Ironheart run as well as the current Champions run for Marvel. I have not read the Champions run, but that's cool, yes. Both of which I recommend reading.

She also frequently posts about playing Ghost of Tsushima. I fucking love Ghost of Tsushima. Yeah, you do. That's that beautiful one with all the grass and horses. It's all the grass and horses one, yeah, yeah. Isn't it? You showed me. Do you know what's out this week?

What? It's actually out today when this goes out. Spider-Man Miles Morales, the video game. Oh, Lord. It can be Spider-Man again, finally. Oh, man. All right. Cool. Do I have to buy a PlayStation 5 finally. Oh, man. All right. Cool.

Do I have to buy a PlayStation 5, Claire? Should I? I have zero opinion. I have zero opinion. Remember that time you were going to buy me a new PlayStation but then I'd snuck out and bought one already for myself? Yeah, I remember. And you were more mad that I would get a birthday present.

Yes, because they're the only things you actually find joy in. You're such a sad sack. The joy that you felt on Sunday has already dissipated with your whinging and your moaning. I watched too much. You were like, I've never seen you so happy as on Sunday. I'm in too many groups. You are.

I've just shut all that off. I'm just hopeful. And here, all my best, Simon. Thanks, mate. All I'm saying is a lot of the institutional things that happen that led to a Trump-reddiced presidency are a result of people and sometimes directly characters like Joe Biden. And, look, it is a step in, I feel, in a direction to normalcy

and acceptance because it was really nice in his speech and her speech where they talked about this a week ago, like inclusivity and naming specifically, you know, like people from all walks of life, which is really important and being recognised, you know what I mean? Having walks of life, which is really important and being recognised, you know what I mean, having somebody up top say that matters. Yes, it does. It matters.

But I'm just more worried about the complacency. I think people kind of shut down and go, it's solved, everything's fixed. No, I don't think so. There's 70 million people who don't think this is a good thing. Yeah, I know, I know. But the fact that Joe Biden stands up there and says he wants to be a president for everyone. I completely agree. I think he's the man of the moment. I think he's been through a lot of trauma in his life. And I think that experiencing that depth of pain and working somewhere for that long where you have to try and get agreement across the

aisle, I'm really hopeful. And plus Kamala Harris is badass and great and I just think that there's hope there. But I do also agree that what I think is the most hopeful thing for me is that people have seen that democracy really does still work and that what... Sort of. Oh, God, can you just be a little bit positive? No, it does work. All of those people counting all of those ballots, it's the same in Australia.

And I just think there's a movement now where people see that they do still have power and that if you organise and you rally and you talk and you get people registered, I mean Stacey Abrams, for instance, in Georgia. She took a loss. Turn that around. She did, absolutely. She took a loss and she turned it around into active

grassroots campaigning to get more people registered to vote and it now looks like Georgia will flip from red to blue. And I just think that kind of activism and people seeing that work on the ground, it's hopeful. It gives you hope. It kind of shows you that often what it takes for the status quo to stay the status quo is for good people

to do nothing. That is what I'm saying. That is what I'm saying in terms of like, it's like when Obama got in and it's like, it's fine. There's a black president. Yeah, you can't just like. That is what I'm saying. I'm not saying none of those things are good.

I'm not trying to take away from any of that. All that is very good. But I'm saying like, these things are ongoing. Yeah. They don't stop ever. Yeah, I know. You've got to be vigilant because people will, if they, there are people out there who will kind of etch away at your rights.

Do you know what I mean? Yes, exactly. If you give them the opportunity. I know, exactly right. And we've seen that throughout history. Even things like, do you remember he put through the executive order about the trans people banned in the military, which can be reversed luckily because it's a reverse executive order.

But it's like, why even do this? Like, do you know what I mean? Like, what the fuck is wrong with you? Yeah. I know, James, but I know. But it's a fucking mosquito in here. God, guys, he can't even be happy for one minute. I'm happy, Claire.

This is me happy. I'm very confused. All I'm saying is, James, it feels like a win for the world and I think that's a good thing and it's the start. It's like I heard some commentators saying absolutely that you can't get caught up in representation. Representation absolutely matters and having leaders who are willing to read science and state the fact rather

than spinning confusion and lies and misinformation is so vital at this point in our history. But you can't get caught up in just the fact, like, and there was sort of commentary around that with Obama that, yes, it's amazing that he, you know, is the first black American president. And that's so fantastic. But yeah, it's not the only thing. No.

There also has to be us, the people, changing the world in the way we want it to be. And I think for so many of us we don't do anything. We just complain about our leaders. Agreed. And we don't do anything. I agree. And I think that's what's shown us in this election in the US,

even though it's not here, that when people actually mobilize, that's when change happens and that's what democracy is. And so we can't be complacent. I totally agree. But I also think can't we just bloody sing that Mariah Carey song, all I want for Christmas is you. Did you see that footage? I did see that footage, yeah.

Yeah, and just bloody enjoy the moment for a minute and then get to work. Roll up your sleeves and get to work. By reviewing this show. Yeah. In app. In app. And we've been to Justible Pod. Anyway, sorry for getting political again in a very political week.

Oh, goodness. Look at it this way. Very rambly. Look at it this way. You don't have to listen. It's a completely optional podcast. All right, we'll be back next week. And who knows what crazy shows we'll watch on Netflix.

Maybe Aunty Donna's new show, which is now out on Netflix, which people can watch, which I've already seen. I love that. Oh, you lucky ducky. Fantastic. That South African skit. Man, I keep watching it. I love it so much.

All right. Well, no one else has seen it yet. They would have now. All right. Excellent. Yes. Watch that. Okay.

We've introduced a pod. Goodbye. I'm going to kill that mosquito. They would have now. All right. Excellent. Yes. Watch that. Okay. We've been stressful pod. Goodbye. I'm going to kill that mosquito. See you later. You dead mosquito. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want.

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