Author Archives: Tom
Felicity Ward’s Abortion Piece on The Mash Report
I got to work on this piece with my heaps pregnant friend Felicity Ward for the BBC’s Mash Report.
She puts earmuffs on her belly! Good stuff.
JFL Sydney 2019
153 – Latika Bourke
Latika Bourke is an award-winning journalist and since 2016 has been the London correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Canberra Times.
Here Latika reflects on covering British politics as the country has tried to deal with the fallout of the Brexit referendum and its ensuing chaos. She tells me about covering the Labour Conference in Brighton over the weekend and the state of the party, Brexit fatigue, the rise of the Liberal Democrats, what might happen next and what covering UK politics has taught her about the Australian political class.
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
I’m on the latest episode of The Bugle
And email me! I’m on [email protected]
Latika’s book From India With Love
Cause of the Week: Pet Rescue (www.petrescue.com.au)
No shows on sale at the moment because I am working on great jokes for you.
152 – Aditi Mittal
CONTENT WARNING: This episode involves discussion of sexual assault
Aditi Mittal is a stand up comedian with a massive following in her native India. She’s outspoken and hilarious about her politics and the plight of women under patriarchy.
In this conversation Aditi tells me why for her “breathing is a political act”, the repression in Indian society, how the caste system works, the country’s recent rightward shift under the leadership of Narendra Modi and what it’s like to live in a country of MORE THAN ONE BILLION PEOPLE.
MAKE SURE YOU STRIKE FOR THE CLIMATE ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH >> globalclimatestrike.net
If you’ve got the means please support this show by becoming a Patron
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
And email me! I’m on [email protected]
ARTICLE: Hindutva on the March
Cause of the Week: Good Samaritans Mumbai (samaritansmumbai.com)
151 – Michael Walker
Michael Walker is the host of TyskySour on Novara Media, an independent media organisation dedicated to covering British politics from the Left.
After a big fat crazy week in British politics – Boris Johnson proroguing parliament, MPs defecting to other parties all over the place, general elections being proposed and voted down – Michael joined me in my London flat’s kitchen to chat about what this moment means. He explains why he moved away from anarchism and why he now identifies as a “class war social democrat”, how the Brexit and the Corbyn moments have affected each other and how he thinks Labour can win the next general election (if it’s actually called this year). We also cover the Podemos example, the anti-Semitism row that Labour has faced and the challenges a Corbyn government might face from those within its own ranks.
MAKE SURE YOU STRIKE FOR THE CLIMATE ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH >> globalclimatestrike.net
You can be a hero in this world and support this show by becoming a Patron now if you like
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
ARTICLE: Hazara asylum seeker in detention uses art to ‘build bridges’ and ‘unite humanity’
I’m on the latest episode of The Bugle
Michael’s show TyskySour on YouTube
Cause of the Week: Novara Media (novaramedia.com)
150 – Dr. Matt Winning
Dr. Matt Winning (yes! Actual name!) is a climate policy researcher, environmental economist and stand up comedian.
I got to see Matt’s show at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, It’s The End of the World As We Know It, and it make me laugh and also made me sad. Here we discuss the depressing reality we’re faced with when it comes to the climate crisis, what is to be done about it (as individuals and collectively), approaching tipping points, apocalyptic predictions, what that IPCC report really means and where to find some hope.
MAKE SURE YOU STRIKE FOR THE CLIMATE ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH >> globalclimatestrike.net
You can be a hero in this world and support this show by becoming a Patron now if you like
ENOUGH is on now at the Soho Theatre until Saturday 7th September
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
Watch Matt’s 2018 show Climate Strange – Part One & Part Two
Matt’s podcast Operation Earth
Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired To Ignore Climate Change by George Marshall
My episode with climate strikers Emma & Anthony
ARTICLE: Yes, Socialism is Infinity Pools for Everyone by Aaron Bastani
Cause of the Week: 10:10 Climate Action (1010uk.org)
149 – Andrew Doyle
Andrew Doyle is a stand up comedian and satirist who’s written for Jonathan Pie, created the parody twitter character Titania McGrath, writes for Spiked Online and runs a “free-thinking” comedy night in London called Comedy Unleashed. But, unlike others who criticise social justice and the “woke movement”, Andrew comes at these issues from a Leftist perspective.
Here we chat about why Andrew is so concerned about “wokeness” and how he sees it affecting society, comedy and free speech. We cover the state of Brexit (and why he thinks voting to Remain isn’t a left-wing position), fascism and his attitude towards how his work is interpreted.
You can be a hero in this world and support this show by becoming a Patron now if you like
ENOUGH is on at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival NOW! 9pm at the Monkey Barrel, pay to reserve a ticket or Pay What You Feel on exit
Then ENOUGH is at the Soho Theatre from Monday September 2nd
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
Woke: A Guide To Social Justice by Titania Mcgrath
Andrew’s writing at Spiked Online
Andrew’s show Exodus at the Edinburgh Fringe
Titania McGrath’s Mxnifesto at the Edinburgh Fringe
Alistair Williams’ twitter account @awilliamscomedy
Oscar Wilde’s The Soul of Man Under Socialism
The Once and Future Liberal by Mark Lilla on Amazon
Inside London’s “free speech” comedy night by Yohann Koshy for Vice
Cause of the Week: Action With Effect (actionwitheffect.org)
148 – Grace Petrie
Grace Petrie is a socialist, feminist, lesbian singer-songwriter whose political songs place a fire in my heart and whose love songs break my heart. She’s brilliant and I feel very lucky to have her on this show.
In this chat I ask Grace about being labelled a “protest singer”, her agenda when it comes to her music, the importance of representation, Hannah Gadsby, trans rights, battling with TERFs and Jeremy Corbyn.
Plus at the end she bloody sings a song for us! It is great!
You can be a hero in this world and support this show by becoming a Patron now if you like
ENOUGH is on at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival NOW! 9pm at the Monkey Barrel, pay to reserve a ticket or Pay What You Feel on exit
Then ENOUGH is at the Soho Theatre from Monday September 2nd
Check out my new podcast with Audible, What’s the Story?
ARTICLE: Protest music: steel in the hour of chaos
Grace’s Facebook post after TERFs disrupted her show
Cause of the Week: UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (uklgig.org.uk)