Stop Everything!

Let’s go to the movies and feel joy again! Jon M. Chu’s Wicked and 86-year-old Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II are going head-to-head at the box office and we’re lapping it up. We haven’t had movies this big since 2023’s back-to-back releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer, aka “Barbenheimer”. Will “Glicked” save the movies and snatch the awards season trophies?     Guest critic Maria Lewis – screenwriter, film geek and pop culture etymologist is in the house. Also, something’s not right: John Krasinski aka Jim from The Office is People magazine’s sexiest man alive?

We’re throwing what we think about celebrity endorsements out the window after the US election results. Endorsements from Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Bad Bunny and Cardi B couldn’t help Kamala Harris in a race where Donald Trump had the likes of Joe Rogan – the world’s biggest podcaster – and Elon Musk – the world’s richest person – in his corner.   Stop Everything! show daddy Benjamin Law and English teacher-turned comedian Urvi Majumdar join BW live on stage from the OzAsia Festival in Adelaide to debrief on the US election, and chat through everything there is to love about hit comedy The English Teacher, created by TikTok singing and dancing star Brian Jordan Alvarez.  Show notes: Brian Jordan Alvarez on Stop Everything! ABC Fresh Blood series: "Urvi went to an all girls school"

Twenty-three years after the original series of The Office debuted, Australia has its own version of the mockumentary workplace comedy, for the first time featuring women in two of the core roles. Felicity Ward, who plays needy bad boss Hannah Howard, and show runners Jackie Van Beek and Julie De Fina talk to BW about how this 13th version of The Office, streaming on Prime Video, adapts itself to the post-pandemic world of work.

Secure your wig, pour yourself a hot cup of tea, and settle in as Kween Kong – Stop Everything! guest critic and RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars finalist – speaks exclusively to BW about the series finale and her experience on the show. We get into the Nehellenia drama, RuPaul saying the 'L' word, fandom backlash, and of course – the final result which saw USA's Alyssa Edwards take home the $200,000 prize and a spot in the International Pavilion at the Drag Race Hall of Fame, located in Daytona Beach, Florida. Show notes: Vanity Vain on Nehellenia Stop Everything! Adelaide live show November 9

James Blunt weirdly got us on board with the 20th anniversary re-release of his debut album, Back to Bedlam, which features the divisive ear worm "You're Beautiful." Then actor Andrew Garfield got vulnerable on Sesame Street talking to Elmo about grief; and went on a chemistry-packed Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg. How did these two celebrities, both on promotional press tours, manage to make us feel real feelings while selling us stuff? Jennifer Wong, writer, comedian and this week's guest critic, is in to discuss. Show notes: James Blunt name change video Andrew Garfield Chicken Shop Date Andrew Garfield Esquire profile

What happened when Simu Liu summoned the Kenergy to address cultural appropriation of Boba, also known as bubble tea and pearl milk tea, on CBC reality show Dragons' Den, and how did the internet react? (spoiler: not well) And what's the secret sauce behind Netflix's hit rom-com series Nobody Wants This, starring Xennial dreamboats Adam Brody and Kristen Bell? Guest critic Patrick Lenton, freelance culture writer and author, joins BW to figure it out. Show notes: Simu Liu on Dragons' Den Bobba apologises

Why is the moist, ungovernable baby pygmy hippo named Moo Deng the aloe vera on our parched souls? What's it like to use Social AI, the social media app where you're the only human interacting with a universe of AI chatbots with different personalities? How is Netflix's Culinary Class Wars refreshing the cooking competition show genre? And what does Zelda do now that she's the star of her own game? BW and guest critic Gianni Di Giovanni meditate on these questions. Show notes: How games are evolving to embrace feminine perspectives Verge cast interview with Social AI creator Michael Sayman

The big Hollywood blockbusters barely feature a kiss anymore, let alone any amorous affairs. So, why are studios so afraid of this core human experience and where do we need to go to get our vicarious fix? This week's host Wenlei Ma is joined by guest critic, Vogues' Hannah-Rose Yee to talk about sex on film. Plus, with the release of the Pitt/ Clooney vehicle Wolfs on streaming, is the movie star dead?

Is it ok that "fake German heiress" Anna Delvey has appeared in the current season of Dancing With The Stars (US)? Can a convicted scammer dance her way to reputation rehab – and should she even have the opportunity? Guest critic (and trained dancer!) Rudi Bremer is in to discuss. Show notes: "Maybe She Had So Much Money She Just Lost Track of It" by Jessica Pressler Ziwe interviews Anna Delvey.

After Taylor Swift made her politics clear by endorsing Kamala Harris for president, Donald Trump reacted by posting: I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT! But does he understand how that's activated Swifties? Guest critic Steph Van Schilt is a writer, podcast producer and Taylor Swift specialist, and she shares her take on the situation. Also: is The Bear really a comedy? We recap the Emmys and Steph explains why you should be watching Below Deck.

Raygun, Australia's most famous breaker, is back in the news again – posting photos hanging out with Sir Richard Branson and Boy George – as foreshadowed in her interview with The Project's Waleed Aly. Is this a coda to Raygun's viral moment, or a sign of things to come? Guest critic Tahlea Aualiitia is in to ponder the question, as well as Beyoncé's lack of CMA nominations. And we're also getting into our latest reality TV obsession – The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Show notes: Raygun interview on The Project

Megan Thee Stallion may have originated Hot Girl Summer and WAP, but she's also a self-proclaimed Otaku Hot Girl, ie like millions of people around the world – an anime superfan. If it's good enough for Thee Stallion, maybe you should check it out too? Anime superfan and guest critic Ahmed Yussuf is in to make the argument for why you should get into anime too. We're also weighing up our feelings about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Midwest Princess Chappell Roan is asking you to respect her boundaries, and we wish her good luck, babe! The American singer songwriter is grappling with her meteoric rise to fame and calling out predatory behaviour, unwanted touching and asking "superfans" to stop being weird to her family and friends. Guest critic Wenlei Ma is in to discuss this, J.Lo and Ben's Affleck's breakup, nostalgia for 1999 teen films like Cruel Intentions and 10 things I Hate About You, and a TV recommendation for the week – season 2 of Pachinko on Apple TV+.

It's a very demure, very mindful episode of Stop Everything! in this the cutesy edition: How Chicago TikTok creator Jools LeBron is redefining demure and changing her life in the process!  Guest critic Jared Richards is in to analyse demure, Katy Perry’s comeback album launch missteps and the Olympics of Drag – Rupaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars – whose cast includes Stop Everything! family member, Kween Kong.

We're talking about the moment B-girl Raygun, aka Dr Rachael Gunn, became the world's favourite meme. Raygun's breaking performance at the Paris Olympics was instantly iconic – and divisive: Is this how people really dance in Australia? Was this the best Australia had to offer? Was this a weird academic stunt? Is Raygun an Aussie hero or taking the piss? There's a lot of noise – guest critics Hannah Reich and Rudi Bremer (a trained dancer!) weigh in.

Big feelings are in the air as Stop Everything! co-founding parent Benjamin Law returns to talk about Netflix's gay Japanese dating reality show The Boyfriend, and Beverley tells him about the latest chapter in the Ballerina Farm trad wife mumfluencing saga. Also: Ben recounts his favourite horny moments from The Olympics. Show notes: The Times article "Meet the Queen of the Trad wives and her eight children" The Times follow up article "My day with the Trad wife queen and what I really thought of her"

We're all over the Paris 2024 Olympics. From the booze cruise boats of the opening ceremony to the uniforms, Simone Biles' comeback and becoming armchair experts in obscure sports, guest critic Tahlea Aualiitia is in to talk through all the details of the games that you actually care about. Then stick around as we do our best to explain why US Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance is contending with baseless rumours that he had sex with a couch. And other things.

Stop Everything! and catch up with Atsuko Okatsuka – stand-up comic, social media star and bowl cut icon – who's coming to Australia with her new show, Full Grown. In 2022, Atsuko's debut HBO comedy special, The Intruder – and her viral "drop challenge" – marked her arrival as a comedy star on the rise. Atsuko talks to BW about how full grown she actually feels, backup career plans and the power of the bowl cut. Show notes: Atsuko Okatsuka's website Atsuko Okatsuka's TikTok Couple breaks up during Atsuko's comedy set

What happens when you say the quiet part out loud? For Tenacious D's Kyle Gass, it means a tour cancellation and possibly the end of the band, with co-founder Jack Black announcing "all future creative plans are on on hold" after Gass shared his birthday wish on stage: "don't miss Trump next time." It's been a wild week of news from an assassination attempts on former US President Donald Trump to rubbernecking at the display of wealth, celebrity, and influence on display at the billionaire Ambani wedding in Mumbai. Guest critic Gianni Di Giovanni is in to talk through it all, and why games journalism in Australia is important!

2024 is a huge year for horror releases with features like The First Omen, A Quiet Place: Day One, Trap and The Moogai luring audiences into theatres for a good jump scare. Guest critic and horror aficionado Maria Lewis talks through what's exciting her in horror right now. And hands (up) if you've got mixed feelings about season three of FX's The Bear.

There are more than one billion smartphone users in China, and the only thing stopping many of us from understanding their social media world is language. Dr Candise Lin is a Chinese-American tutor who has amassed a 1.5m following on TikTok with her quirky content, translating Chinese social media posts for her English-speaking followers. Candise opens a window into Chinese pop culture, WeChat, beauty standards and Gen Z trends in this deep dive episode. Show notes: Candise Lin Instagram account Candise Lin TikTok account

The remix of Charli XCX's The girl, so confusing featuring verses from Lorde has got the internet talking, Justin Timberlake's mugshot goes viral and "realistic" lunch packing mumfluencers are rotting our brains. Stop Everything! for guest critic Yumi Stynes, author, foodie and host of Ladies, We Need To Talk, who's dropping insights on all the above like no one else can. This a fun one! Show notes: I am: Céline Dion review Ladies, We Need To Talk: Horny Women

I am: Céline Dion captures a scene so confronting even its filmmaker didn't know whether Celine would be happy including it in the documentary. BW sits down with director Irene Taylor to discuss the journey with Céline in making this intimate and raw documentary, and what it was like to witness the superstar experiencing Stiff Person Syndrome firsthand. Show notes: I am: Céline Dion review

Now that the second part of Bridgerton season three has dropped, it's time to Stop Everything! for a loving critique of the hit Netflix series' sex scenes. They're hot, but perhaps a bit more time focusing on female pleasure wouldn't hurt? And we're jumping into the TARDIS with journalist, Whovian and guest critic Ahmed Yussuf, who's taking us on a journey through the latest season of Dr Who, a revamped BBC-Disney co-production featuring the joyfully charismatic Ncuti Gatwa. Show notes LA Times: Being a 'Doctor Who' fan means learning how to love and lose and love again Rawdah Mohamed

It's time to Stop Everything! for a chat with Rachel House, who's appeared in acclaimed Aotearoa/New Zealand films like Boy and Whale Rider; Netflix's hit reboot of Heartbreak High; and blockbusters like Moana and Thor: Ragnarok Rachel's celebrating her feature directorial debut, The Mountain, which follows three kids on their quest to climb Mount Taranaki, and is firmly set in the spirit of coming-of-age films like The Goonies, E.T. and Stand By Me. Find out why Rachel thinks Aotearoa humour is such a hit overseas, and why she relishes acting in supporting roles.

That's the dealio when Oscar-nominated Australian auteur Baz Luhrmann gets bailed up by a TikTok street interviewer who's got no idea who she's talking to. Comedian and guest critic Kirsty Webeck is in to dissect that viral moment between TikTok creator god_worthy and the director of Elvis, The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet, Australia and Strictly Ballroom.  Kirsty's also got big thoughts on how social media is changing the game for standup comics. Show notes: god_worthy and Baz Luhrmann Kirsty Webeck's TikTok

Activist, performer and Drag Race royalty Kween Kong is back in the Stop Everything! guest critic chair to talk about the trailer to Celine Dion's new documentary, controversy on the Cannes red carpet and getting political at Drag Con. Show notes: I am: Celine Dion trailer Kelly Rowland on Cannes red carpet incident Kween Kong's TikTok account

British broadcaster Piers Morgan has become a main character in the aftermath of the Internet sleuthing around Netflix's Baby Reindeer. What the heck is going on? Guest critic and ABC entertainment reporter Jared Richards is in to help us figure it out. And we're also talking about TikTok content – from the cringe to the heartwarming. Show notes: Piers Morgan interview with Fiona Harvey Baby Reindeer: Truth or Fiction, BBC's The Media Show Rose and Anzai Country Life

Dearest Gentle Listeners, the third season of Netflix's Bridgerton is upon us and it's heaving with bosoms, babes and romantic intrigue. Series leads Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) are glowed up and loved up, but *spoiler alert* major twists are on the horizon. Stop Everything! romance correspondent Rudi Bremer is in to guide you through it all.

Deborah Frances-White host of the hit podcast The Guilty Feminist unpacks unattainable perfection, ageing and spills the tea on the Netflix series Baby Reindeer. Plus Barbara Streisand's Ozempic post and the algorithms that are serving up outrage.

Vietnamese-Australian actor Hoa Xuande is breaking into Hollywood's big league as the star of HBO's The Sympathizer, a limited series based on Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer-prize winning novel. Hoa is Stop Everything's special guest, and he's taking us behind the scenes of this A24-produced series, telling us about how he landed this huge role, and what it was like to act opposite heavyweights like Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh.

How do Star Trek: The Next Generation and all the other Star Trek spin off series give us hope for the future? Guest Critic Steven Oliver shares how pop culture passions for sci fi and superheroes have helped sustain him through tough times. BW also shares a glimpse into her nerdy teenage past; and stick around to the end of the episode for Steven's surprise spoken word performance.

New ABC comedy series White Fever follows Jane Thomas, a woman trying to cure her fetish for hairy white men while simultaneously processing the emotional and psychological impact of being a Korean transracial adoptee. Ra Chapman, White Fever's creator and star, is this episode's guest critic and she's in to talk about everything from growing up Asian in a white family to … sex dolls.

Jojo Siwa's ditched her giant bow for a glam rock makeover, celebrity chef David Chang's chili crunch trademark grab is flaring nostrils, and a viral essay making the case for marrying an older man — have left us wondering 'What the hell are they thinking?!' Guest critic Hannah Reich is back to update us on her addiction to mumfluencers and how she's spending her TikTok Time.

Well, a good chunk of them at least. Guest critic and elite Beyhive member Maria Lewis is in to help decode the layers of meaning in Beyoncé's latest album, Act II: Cowboy Carter, a country album that transcends the country genre. Also, a review of Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel's directorial debut, Monkey Man.

We're talking about SBS' hit survival show Alone Australia, because season two has just kicked off, with 10 Aussies dropped into the wilderness of Te Waipounamu, the South Island of Aotearoa/New Zealand. This ep's guest critic is comedian, actor and broadcaster Annie Louey, who's sharing how her stint working in the funeral industry led to comedic inspiration for her ABC Fresh Blood web series, I'm So Sorry For Your Loss; her appreciation for ripped Korean torsos on Netflix's Physical 100; and the special name bond she shares with her sister.

RuPaul's Drag Race royalty is in The House of Stop Everything! Michelle Visage, Drag Race judge and incoming host of Drag Race Down Under, is this episode's guest critic. Ever the straight talker, Michelle gets candid about her friendship with RuPaul, giving critiques, career longevity, dealing with ageism and her favourite non-Drag Race pop culture.

It's the Oscars episode and Stop Everything! alum Benjamin Law is back to debrief on everything from John Cena's modesty shield to Oppenheimer's Best Picture win. And Catherine, Princess of Wales, aka Kate Middleton, has had to apologise after a doctored family photo was retracted by news agencies around the world. We're digging into the Royal Photoshop fail.

Director Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part 2, starring the youthful and attractive foursome of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, is riding a high-speed sandworm of success at the box office. Guest critic Wenlei Ma is in to share her Dune review and ponder the psychological horror of the viral sandworm popcorn bucket. Also: closing the loop on J.Lo, BW reports back on The Greatest Love Story Never Told, which is the making-of documentary of the superstar's chaotic musical feature, This is Me … Now.

We're obsessed with TikTok user Reesa Teesa's 50-part TikTok series, Who TF Did I Marry?!? Guest critic Tahlea Aualiitia is in to help explain, analyse and marvel over Reesa Teesa's storytelling prowess and the wild details of her marriage to a pathological liar.

Remember this moment: when Taylor Swift played the biggest shows of her career on the Melbourne stop of her Eras tour. As Sydney gears up for its own weekend of Taylor Swift mania, we're getting deep into Swiftology with Brittany Spanos, a senior writer for Rolling Stone who's followed Swift's career and teaches a course about her at NYU. And Stop Everything! resident Swiftie Sarah Mashman shares her concert review.

The Super Bowl feels the Taylor Swift effect, with record high viewership around the world.   We’re talking Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wish fulfilment, Usher’s half-time show and Beyonce’s new music announcement with guest critic Maria Lewis!  And Jennifer Lopez’s This is Me ... Now feature musical is out. Is it as chaotic as the trailer led us to believe?

Millennial dream couple Maya Erskine and Donald Glover star in a reimagined Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the 2005 assassin action film that launched Brangelina (rip) into the strastosphere, and we are bathing in the new series' moody, gig economy, sexy misfit vibes. Also, a Grammys wrap with this ep's guest critic, Jack Evans, BTN reporter, Beyoncé aficionado and new dog daddy.

This ep guest critic Hannah Reich opens up about how she spends her TikTok Time, introducing us to the accounts of famous mumfluencers, Indy Clinton and Nara Smith. Are mumfluencers purveyors of wholesome, relatable content, like a healthy, homemade snack? Or are they flaunting their curated, unattainable privilege during a cost of living crisis?! How are regular mums supposed to read these online performances of motherhood? Also: a look at The Brothers Sun, Netflix's new series about a Taiwanese organised crime family, starring Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh.

Justice for Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig, who were left out of the Oscar nominations for best actress and director. Meanwhile Ryan Gosling, who played Ken, scored a best actor nod. Is this the patriarchy, and horses, at work? Kween Kong of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under (season 2) is the first Stop Everything! guest critic of 2024. Also in this ep: JLo's trailer for This Is Me … Now, the Emmys, Disney's Wish, Singles Inferno season 3 and detoxing from MAFS

We're ushering in Drag royalty and their champions. Local legend Kween Kong stops by to talk about how life has changed since being a finalist on the second [and best] season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under. And Fenton Bailey was a queer kid coming of age in the UK in the seventies. Television changed his life, inspiring him to move to New York and start a production company with co-founder Randy Barbato: World of Wonder. From there, World of Wonder worked with Britney Spears, Carrie Fisher and Tammy Faye Bakker but their most enduring collaboration is of course with RuPaul Charles. In 1993 they shot the film clip for RuPaul's 1993 hit, Supermodel (you better work) which became a staple on MTV, and in 2008 they produced season one of RuPaul's Drag Race.

We're getting the inside story on a new documentary about legendary YA author Judy Blume and spending time with disability inclusion advocate Sinéad Burke How did Sinéad Burke go from teen fashion blogger to two-time British Vogue cover model with over 200,000 instagram followers? Sinéad shares her story with Stop Everything! and talks about why inclusive design is important to everyone. And at 85, global bestselling author Judy Blume is a living legend who's long overdue for celebration. Filmmakers Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok are directors of the feature documentary 'Judy Blume Forever' that takes stock of the life and legacy of the beloved groundbreaking author.

We're learning about managing fame, making mistakes and the art of forgiveness. Celebrity chef, cookbook author and millennial influencer Alison Roman takes BW + BL behind the scenes of her YouTube Home Movies and shares her biggest regret of 2020. And Ronald Gladden, star of Jury Duty answers all our burning questions about his experience on the mockumentary series and how his life has changed since its release.

We're talking happily-ever-after with Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton romance novels. With its multiracial (and hot) casting and steamy sex scenes, Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series found new and enthusiastic audiences via Shondalands's hit screen adaptations for Netflix. BW and romance correspondent Rudi Bremer talk to Julia about collaborating with Shonda Rhimes on the new Queen Charlotte series and novels, and what she's learned about writing non white and queer characters. And BL and BW hear from the director and cast of Rye Lane, a British romcom that sends its leads on a colour-saturated caper through the landmarks of South London.