There has been a flurry of articles and talk about Heath Ledger this past week, all due to one short sentence, spoken by Michelle WIlliams, Heath's former partner and mother of his daughter. On a recent podcast, Armchair Expert, with Dax Shepard, Michelle was asked about her relationship with Heath. She said he was "so special and thank God they have Matilda'.  It also prompted some media outlets to revisit his tragic death, which was by accidental drug overdose in 2008. He had been filming the Dark Knight and playing the character of the Joker at the time.

*Is the "Good Guy" image unfair?...And has Hugh Jackman lost his?

The Good Guy or the Good Girl image is often great... until it's not. Aussie actor, Hugh Jackman has held the good guy title for decades, but since going through his separation and now divorce with Deborra Lee Furness... is it starting to slip? And does it actually matter for his career? Deborra officially filed for divorce this week and issued a statement which said “My heart and compassion goes out to anyone who has traversed the traumatic journey of betrayal. It is a profound wound that cuts deep".

*Did you also think that pea snack was real? We did!

You might have seen the viral social media rant, where Tiktoker, Nia, discovered that her favourite household snack "Harvest Snaps Baked Pea Crisps"... are not in fact little pea pods at all. That's despite a large picture of a pea pod on the package. She thought it was a dehydrated pea. So how easily are we fooled by food packaging and good marketing?

About the guest:

Paul Michael Ayre is a writer and actor born in Maidstone, Kent and raised in Sydney Australia. Paul wrote the pilot for Channel 10's Drunk History which went on to series, as well as winning over $70,000 worth of writing prizes for his self-produced series The Justice Lease and an extra thousand for his writing on the award winning series The Pet Killer. His online sketches across different platforms and channels have amassed over 36 million views with many Australian collaborators (The Bondi Hipsters, SketchShe and Legally Brown).  Paul has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for 5 years, with several solo stand up shows  His recent credits in television, include most streamers like Netflix's Wellmania, ABC's Barons and Stan's Bali 2002 - the retelling of the 2002 Bali bombings opposite Claudia Jessie.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

Our special guest is Ben Eltham, who is a writer, journalist, researcher and creative producer based in Ararat, VIC. 

Why does the media struggle to report on suicide?

The AFL world and the entire nation has been rocked by the death of Adam Selwood and just months earlier, the death of his twin brother Troy. Tributes are of course flowing for Adam, who played 11 seasons for the West Coast Eagles and friends have described him as kind and caring. Originally a Bendigo boy, he died on the weekend at the age of 41.

We're not going to focus on the circumstances of his death... but more a broader conversation about suicide and men's mental health... especially in such a hyper masculine culture like football.

Viral anger over Victoria's Fire Services Levy

The backlash against Victoria's fire services levy is coming in thick and fast on social media. New laws went through the Victorian parliament... steeply increasing the fire services levy... which for farmers will mean a tens of thousands of dollars more. Farmers and CFA firefighters... who are often one and the same... have also protested outside parliament. So what makes a successful protest?


3. Australia has been in Eurovision for 10 years - is it worth it?

Austria has won Eurovision.. yes Austria, not Australia.  The artist, JJ won with his song "Wasted Love". Unfortunately Australian, Matt Zambotto known by the stage name Go-Jo was knocked out in the semi-finals.

So after 10 years of involvement in Eurovision, what is our track record? And is it all worth it?

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr Ben Eltham is an Australian writer, journalist, researcher, creative producer and social commentator based in Ararat, VIC. 

He is a lecturer in media and communications at Monash University's School of Media, Film and Journalism. He has a PhD in cultural policy and writes for  news website, Crikey.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

1.  Does Australia need its own "Clarkson's Farm"? - Season 4 returns soon!
The sensation that is Clarkson's farm is returning to Prime Video for its fourth season on May 23.  Jeremy has apparently opened a new pub, got a new female farmhand and Richard Hammond from Top Gear makes an appearance. So, WHY this show is so good... and could we make an Aussie version?

2. Hollywood chasing viral "Twinnies"

Looks like Hollywood, Netflix and all the other big names are after Australian viral twins, known as the "Twinnies". Paula and Brigette Powers - who look the same, always dress the same and talk together too, were interviewed on TV news about their mother's carjacking. They have since gone viral, been imitated online countless times. 

What's next for the sisters? Is this a flash in the pan moment, or the beginning of something bigger?

3. Will the Minecraft Movie be a success on streaming services?

The Minecraft movie is being released this week on streaming services, but will it perform well?  Many didn't like the movie... but at $900 million at the Box Office it is the most successful Hollywood film for 2025 to date at the worldwide Box Office.So will it pull the money in via the streaming services too?

NOTE: There's no special guest this week! (Due to a blonde moment)... although a future guest, Paul Ayre, does make a cameo appearance. It's all very funny really.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

•  Trump threatens a 100% tariff on movies made outside the US

First it was China, now all movies made outside the US are likely to be hit by the latest round of tariffs announced by the US President, Donald Trump. Trump says he wants to put a stop to other countries luring movies away from the US. So what does this mean for Australia, which offers big incentives for US film productions to be made here?

•  Did all those bloody spam election texts work?

According to my phone messages, someone called "Trumpet" is one of my top friends. Now I have never messaged him back... but my goodness Clive Palmer loved to spam us all with messages this federal election campaign. So did it actually work? Well Trumpet of Patriots... didn't win a single seat in the lower house. For the millions of dollars spent on advertising and spamming us all. Nothing. Clive wasn't the only one on the text... seems a lot of the independents were too. So how do we feel about the election text?

• Prince Harry's entitled BBC interview

Prince Harry, wants to reconcile with his family now... and get them to pay for security as he and Meghan travel around the US. He recently did a TV interview with the BBC, saying that his father, King Charles isn't speaking to him at the moment due to a legal battle over his security protection. Is Harry the only one, who can't see just how ridiculously entitled this comes off as?

•  American actors are FINALLY getting better at Aussie accents. Why?

We used to be able to pick the Yankee playing an Aussie in a movie a mile away. There'd often be a slight cocknee twang... a Kiwi vowel mix up ... or they simply couldn't fully shake the "r" sound at the end of words. But there have been some seriously good accents lately... for instance, the actor playing Belle Gibson in Apple Cider Vinegar, nailed the an Aussie accent.  So how come foreigners are finally able to do it? 

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

* The legacy of Virginia Giuffre, for women in entertainment

The tragic news of the death of Virgina Giuffre last week at her WA home, has caused an outpouring of emotion from around the world. Virginia, will be remembered for her bravery... and blowing open the lid on Jeffrey Epstein. She stood up to a culture across the entertainment industry, that said it was ok to use and abuse women for sex.

* Has Trump killed blockbuster movies? Beijing strikes back at US tariffs

China has announced it will curb the imports of Hollywood movies, in response to Donald Trump's 125% tariffs on imports from China. So will this ruin Hollywood? Probably not...but it is likely to hurt blockbuster movies, many of which are created with the large Chinese film market in mind. And if the blockbuster movie industry suffers, there are likely to be knock on effects for those struggling to make a living in film.

More about Tara Iwamoto:

Tara's career has spanned publishing, entertainment, and digital media, leading development deals with top celebrities and producing unscripted TV pilots alongside major studios and platforms. She's originally from California, in the US but now calls Sydney home.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

• Farmer Wants a Wife Returns... And there's already spoilers

Most of us know that most reality TV is often filmed months and months before it goes to air. So keeping everything under wraps is incredibly hard for producers in this day and age. And apparently there are a few of the contestants... who have loved up pictures on their social media... but not with the farmer they are meant to be vying for. 

• Space-Cringe...Katy Perry has regrets over her 11 minutes in space

It's been dubbed "Mission, Tone Deaf" ...  where Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos' flew an all-women crew into space for 11 minutes- leading passenger Katy Perry to dramatically kiss the ground after she touched down, and then speak emotionally about feeling "connected to love" . The celebrities say the aim was to promote female empowerment...but it has been widely criticised due to its environmental impact and overall rich-person ridiculousness.

• "Country is cool" right now...but is it Americanising our Aussie 'country' culture?

The 'country curious' trend is taking over pop culture; from music, fashion to film and TV, it seems that 'country' is influencing every genre. And we're totally here for it. But a lof of it is coming from the US. So, is this leading to an Americanisation of our own 'country' traditions here in Australia? Have terms like 'cowboy' started to replace the Aussie terms of 'ringer' or 'stockman'?
 

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

This week we dive into?

 Is it possible to have an election without the NASTY attack ads?

The election race has officially begun ... and the political attack ads started even earlier. And they're not just mean... they can often be misleading. It's actually legal to lie in a political advertisement in Australia, at least it is before the official election race is called. So what can we expect on the campaign trail this Federal election, in terms of the ads?

 Parents are talking about the Emoji's in Netflix's drama series 'Adolescence"

There's a new Netflix series that has parents talking about social media and toxic masculinity. The crime drama is about a 13 year old boy, accused of murdering a female classmate. It has been described as "a portrait of modern boyhood in profound crisis"

Could Gout Gout  revitalise Athletics as a TV spectator sport?

More than 1 million people tuned in to watch Gout Gout races in the 200 metres in Melbourne. So could a 17 year old runner from Ipswich, bring back Athletics to prime time TV?

Loving this podcast? You might also like Ducks on the Pond - a podcast for rural women.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

1.   AI "Fat" Filter is trending on Tik Tok. Is it just silly... or dangerous?

It can seem innocent enough.. we've all played around with filters, that make our face look weird or look like a unicorn ...and had a laugh. But there's a trend on Tik Tok, where people...mainly young people... are using an AI filter that makes them look fat and then posting pictures of themselves, often laughing at the results. Is this silly fun, or something more harmful?

2. Mirror, mirror on the wall, will Snow White cause Disney’s fall?”

Disney's live-action re-make of Snow White has finally been released into cinemas... with lacklustre sales... and brutal reviews. There have been multiple issues plaguing the re-make, including a blown-out budget. But the main problem seemed to be in the awkwardness of trying to update a film made in 1937.

3. MAFS has topped TV ratings again...but why?

Three million Aussies tuned into Channel Nine the other day to watch the MAFS commitment ceremony. And can you believe the show has now been going for 10 years? It's a bit trashy... and there are certainly better ways to find love... so why do Australians love MAFS?

About the guest:

Shanna Whan (AM) is the rural woman, founder, CEO, and face behind Sober in the Country. She's an Australian of the Year recipient who decided to “do what she could to be part of the change” after almost losing her own life to alcohol addiction in 2015. Today, through her tireless advocacy, Sober in the Country has grown from an online blog into a nationally respected charity, shifting the entire conversation around booze in the bush and saving and changing lives. She lives in rural northwest New South Wales with her husband, 'Timbo' and her beloved dogs.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

•  Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is owning her past

In her own words, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is both victim and perpetrator. She was jailed for 10 years in the United States for murdering her own mother, with the help of her then, boyfriend. However, it was revealed Blanchard had been isolated and abused her entire life; with her mother telling her she had multiple illnesses. Gypsy-Rose is now out of jail and seems to be owning her story and the strange 'celebrity status' that has come with it. 

• Should Hollywood stars and overseas artists comment on what's going on here in Australia?

From Northern Irish rapper "Kneecap" making a statement on stage (with the missing head of a Melbourne statue of Kind George V), to Leonardo DiCaprio weighing in on a mine expansion in rural Western Australia... are these celebrities over stepping? Or are there global issues at play, with a global mindset needed?

OUR GUEST: 

Tracey Kruger  is an author and rural photographer
Tracey is rarely seen without a camera in her hand. However, her real love is the farm, especially shearing. She spent her childhood on a sheep farm, and married a farming husband as well.  She started photographing woolsheds in action, and to then document their details in her book, “Shearing in Victoria’s Western District.”

Tracey has continued on to produce her popular collection of children's books and shares high quality prints for others to enjoy her work.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

•  Can an Oscar be 'bought?'

 It's now been revealed that Oscar winning movie,  "Anora"  spent three times the amount of money on the marketing of the film..than they did making it. The marketing included selling g-strings as merch and having sex workers at the first screening. But, does winning an Oscar mean more money at the box office?

•  Is Meghan Markle the next Martha Stewart?

Meghan Markle's new Netflix show "With Love, Meghan" has been ridiculed and mocked... as she shares tips and tricks about hosting and everyday living.

She extracts honey from beehives... prepares home made bath salts and freezes ice cubes with flowers in them. And the stunning 14 million dollar mansion in which the series is made - is not even hers.  And yet, Netflix has renewed it for another season. 

• Cyclone Alfred brought out the most stupid amongst us.

Every time there is a cyclone, we see people do really dumb stuff - only now it goes viral on social media. From surfers catching the big waves, to locals getting trapped on lookouts... why do people run towards a storm?

OUR GUEST: 

Alice Fraser is an award winning comedy writer, Broadcaster, and performer.
Listed in the Telegraph’s 50 Funniest Comedians of the 21st Century, her solo comedy shows have been commissioned as TV specials on Amazon Prime, NextUp and the ABC. 

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

We discuss: 

• "Footy is back" - but are we allowed to say that anymore? Does it de-value the NRLW and the AFLW? The media has been very focused on the way we speak about women's sport.
• The Oscars were full of surprises this year - but one thing remains true... Horror and Comedy rarely go well.
• Will cheap tickets for young people, save music festivals? The Australia Institute found 80% of young Australians would attend more live music events if a $200 government-funded voucher were available.

See David Rose at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival!

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

We discuss:

• Re-evaluating Monica Lewinsky. She has a bold new podcast "Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky," where she revisits the scandal that once defined her public image—and we wonder would she be treated differently today?
• Pamela Anderson is back - yes, without makeup - but there is so much more to talk about.
• Neighbours has been cancelled... again. And Territory won't be coming back either - What does this mean for Australian productions?

Andrew Whitelaw is an agriculture market analyst, co-founder of Episode 3, podcaster on AgWatchers, and the man behind many ‘Woffal’ conversations. Known for breaking down the complexities of agriculture with sharp insights (and an even sharper wit), Andrew is as passionate about commodity markets as he is about his deep, unfulfilled desire to play the villain in a film. Someone cast this man as a baddie already!

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

* Is generative AI destroying our ability to think critically? New research suggests that artificial intelligence can inhibit us from developing critical thinking skills.

*The REAL reason why Taylor Swift was booed at the Super Bowl -  We discuss multiple theories, from the cynical to political... to the plain silly.

* The BAFTAs  versus the AACTAs - 'Conclave' took out the big awards at this year's BAFTAs. But what even is a "papal thriller", is it a new genre?

Danny McGinlay,  has been a touring headliner comedian for over two decades. He's performed for royalty, prime ministers and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has been seen on Fisk, The Front Bar and Utopia but he is best known for writing funny messages on footy banners.
 
 

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

We dive into the ACCTA Awards, in which Leila’s film Just A Farmer was nominated, so we have a boots on the ground witness! Is there a divide between the famous and the non-famous? What was Robbie Williams like? And why Leila was nearly refused entry to the AACTA awards for what she chose to wear.

We also discuss:

• Are we obsessed with glorifying criminal behaviour on TV? With the release of the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar, it raises the question: why do we love to watch bad people on our screens? Can you tell these stories without glorifying the bad behaviour?
• Is the traditional rom-com dead? Bridget Jones is back on our screens! We loved her 20 years ago…but do we still love romantic comedies? Do they work in our modern era?

Kate Atkinson is best known for her roles on television series Sea Change as police officer Karen Miller. She also played Renee in Offspring and Vera Bennnett in Wentworth. Kate recently played the character of Melissa Caddick in the Underbelly Series. Kate lives in country Victoria… living the dream with her horse and 12 acres!

We’re a brand new weekly podcast, released on Wednesdays. You can follow us on Instagram. 

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This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com

Leila McDougall and Kirsten Diprose are here to get you up to speed on the latest in film, TV and celebrity shenanigans!

Each week, we're joined by a well-known guest from the world of media and pop culture to discuss what's really going on behind some of the most bizarre and intriguing headlines of the week.

Leila is film producer and actor, best known for "Just a Farmer" Kirsten is a journalist and podcaster ( Ducks on the Pond and Town Criers).

As two blonde farmers, we also bring a little rural flair to the media circus!

The first episode is released on Wed 12 February, 2025. Make sure you hit follow.

This is a Rural Podcasting Co. in collaboration with VAM paddock productions

Would you like to get in touch? Email us here: Kirsten@ruralpodcastingco.com