Not Stupid is the podcast that helps you understand the news of the week and the stories in your social media feed. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories they are obsessed with and the stories you may have missed.
They look at what shapes our politics here in Australia from Anthony Albanese to Peter Dutton. As the Federal Election looms they’ll unpack and explain some of the big issues that might affect your vote.
Jules and Jez also try to explain what’s going on in the world. They both follow US politics closely and will be watching to see what the next Donald Trump presidency means for the US and the world.
But it’s not all about politics. If it is in your Facebook or Instagram feed (or even on X) they will talk about it. They look at the pop culture figures who are shaping our world from Elon Musk to Mr Beast and Ariane Grande.
There’s also a focus on the issues that affect you like the cost-of-living crisis and the duopoly of the Supermarkets Coles and Woolworths. They’ve also looked at microplastics and bushfires, looking at how climate change is affecting us and what impact humans are having on the environment.
The show will also make you laugh or cry. And on a good day, maybe both. They talk about poetry and history, about films and cakes and everything in between. Julia is passionate about grace and forgiveness so they talk a lot about that, but also about resilience and what makes us human.
At the end of each show, Julia and Jeremy talk about their “pick of the week”. It’s something that has made them think or giggle that week from the silliest Guinness World Record attempts to great books and silly Tiktoks.
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Democrats and Republicans voted unanimously today to release the full Epstein files. Now it's up to Trump to sign the bill. He's been under increasing pressure over recent months to release the files and last week had a big falling out with Marjorie Taylor Greene who was previously a huge supporter of Trump and the MAGA movement. Jez and Jules also talk about Victoria's new Liberal leader, Jess Wilson, who is a moderate and a millennial. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories yo...
This week an article in the New York Times set group chats alight everywhere. "Are women ruining the workplace?" it asked. We have thoughts. And what do the resignations at the BBC tell us about the state of the media and power. The BBC's director-general and head of news resigned amid criticism of the broadcaster's editing of a speech Donald Trump delivered before protesters attacked the US Capitol. Julia Baird and guest host Chas Licciardello chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the st...
Could messaging apps be keeping us from REAL connection or do they enable connections we otherwise wouldn't have had...? The truth is it's complicated. Jules and Jez also chat about your stories of cleaners flying under the radar, the disconnect between avoiding news broadcasts and bingeing Mafia content, and the story behind a message in a bottle found on a remote beach in WA. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez talk about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things th...
As Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping meet for the first time since 2019, Jez and guest host Emma Shortis discuss the meeting and what it means for the future of the relationship between the two superpowers. And what can the New York mayoral race tell us about the future of the US Democratic Party? Jeremy Fernandez and Emma Shortis chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Episodes drop every Wednesday afternoon. We want to hear from you! J...
Prince Andrew will no longer be called "the Duke of York" following further revelations about his relationship with US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Jules and Jez chat about what we now know and the lack of transparency in the royal family. And while Barnaby Joyce has led to lots of new speculation about the future of the Coalition, there are calls for the Liberal Party to do more to reconnect with women. A leader of a grassroots movement aimed at boosting female representation in the party says...
Despite not winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Trump has been dominating the headlines (as usual), and the real winner: Venezuelan politician and activist, Maria Corina Machado, even thanked him. As violence erupts in Gaza, the real question is whether Trump’s peace plan will hold. Jules and Jez also preview the Boyer Lectures which focus on democracy, and they talk about why Australia’s ‘democracy experiment’ is an important global benchmark. And stick around for their picks of the week where we fi...
It's no secret that US President Donald Trump wants to win The Nobel Peace Prize. Badly. Barack Obama won it in 2009 and Trump has repeatedly said he deserves the prize. Jules and Jez take a look at previous recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize which include Martin Luther King Jr, Nelsen Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu and the Red Cross. But the Nobel Peace Prize hasn't been without controversy. So could Trump actually make the cut, and is the award still even relevant? Jul...
While there's a lot of hope around Trump's 20-point proposal for peace in Gaza, Jules and Jez look at a crucial piece that's missing from it. And despite LGBTQI+ education modules and an action plan, the end of the AFL season has been marred once again by homophobia. Perhaps men's footy could learn a thing or two from the Matildas. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Episodes drop every Wednesday aftern...
Thousands turned out for Charlie Kirk's memorial, but there seems to be a disconnect between Christian values and the policies of the Trump administration. While Jimmy Kimmel is back following a huge backlash against the FCC crackdown, journalism and free speech in the United States is still under threat. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Episodes drop every Wednesday afternoon. We want to hear from y...
Tyler Robinson has been charged with the murder of Charlie Kirk, but in the week following the death of the right wing commentator and activist, there have been plenty of claims and conspiracy theories about what happened and who is really responsible. Julia Baird and guest host Chas Licciardello attempt to make sense of the week and wonder if America under this Trump administration really is more divided than ever. Join them every week as they chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the st...
Jules was swimming in the ocean on the weekend when a surfer was killed by a shark at a nearby beach. She got back to the beach okay, but it got her thinking a lot about sharks. Jules and guest host Darren Saunders chat about sharks, shark nets and spending time in the water. And should your kid go to university? There have been plenty of funding cuts, so are our tertiary institutions as good as they once were? Julia Baird and Darren Saunders chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuf...
Jez and Jules debunk the wild “mass-migration” claims spread by far-right anti-immigration protestors and talk about balancing the right to protest with social cohesion. Also the Governor of California is taking the fight to Trump and the results are hilarious social media posts featuring CAPS, kittens and sick burns. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Episodes drop every Wednesday afternoon. We want t...
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have announced their engagement and Jules and Jez have been thinking about celebrity relationships. And the Australian Government says Iran was responsible for several anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil, so what were they trying to achieve? Also, locals in tourism hotspots like Barcelona and Venice have had enough of rowdy tourists, so what does that mean for the future of travel? Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the...
Julia Baird and Chas Licciardello discuss the Trump administration's impact on public discourse and trust, highlighting concerns about the deliberate manipulation of official data, the erasure of historical narratives, and the alarming promotion of extremist views within government. They explore how these actions contribute to a societal regression, making objective truth elusive and fostering a climate of cynicism, while also considering how to maintain hope and engagement in such times.
This episode delves into the complex ethics of public debate and platforming controversial views, particularly focusing on discussions around masculinity and the dangers of 'rage bait' in media. It also critically examines the Productivity Commission's proposal to allow AI models to train on creative works for free, raising concerns about copyright, artist compensation, and the value of human creation. The episode concludes with lighthearted segments on listener-shared joys and a surprising study on dancing cockatoos.
Police say 90, 000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday, calling for peace in Gaza. So do protests make a difference? And on the same day, the TV Logie Awards were held and Jez was there. In a room full of "tv stars" he was amazed by the humility of so many people who spend their life on the television. Also actor Sydney Sweeney has been making headlines for a new ad campaign about genes and would we all feel lighter and calmer if we walked away from our phones?
The latest images out of Gaza are horrific. There are headlines across the globe and lots of people are posting on social media. But what will it mean for people in Gaza? And Jules and Jez talk about Monica Lewinsky, thirty years after the sex scandal with Bill Clinton broke. JULIA'S PICK https://andreagibson.substack.com/p/a-list-of-things-i-love JEREMY'S PICK https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/26/vatican-hot-priests-spread-faith-digital-age/...
With the Independent NSW MP Mark Latham in the headlines once again facing unsavoury allegations, Jez and Bev talk about the boundaries of acceptable behaviour of our politicians. Would you like to know if the music you’re listening to has been AI-generated? Boasting a million listens on Spotify, AI-generated band The Velvet Sundown, has prompted questions around the ethics of AI-generated music and the real people who are using bots to game the system. Jeremy Fernandez and Beverley Wang chat ab...
On this week’s show, Jez and Bev try to untangle what’s been happening with the Epstein files. The Jeffrey Epstein-related conspiracy rumours US President Donald Trump initially helped stoke are now coming back to bite him. He's facing backlash from his MAGA fanbase as he tries to tamp them down. We also look at The Salt Path controversy and the trust between authors and readers. Does anyone actually fact-check memoirs? Jeremy Fernandez and Beverley Wang chat about the stories you're obsessed wi...
Even though the verdict has been handed down, thousands of articles and podcasts are still talking about the mushroom case. Jez and Bev chat about the photos, the memes and why we're obsessed with women who kill. Elon Musk says he's starting a new political party in the US and we look at the Big Beautiful Bill that kicked off the latest Trump-Musk Feud. Jeremy Fernandez and Beverley Wang chat about the stories you're obsessed with, the stuff you've missed and the things that matter. Jules is awa...
With a phone in your pocket and the news cycle rolling at a frantic speed, it can be so hard to slow down. Jules and Jez have been thinking about how to look at things more slowly and if it is even possible. Plus a couple of weeks ago we asked a really weird question: "have you seen a colour that you've just never seen anywhere else?" We got so many emails about colour, from Monet's dining room to Samoan delicacies and puce lollipops. Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez have chat about the stories ...
So much has happened over the past week. Despite US President Donald Trump’s attack and intervention, will the ceasefire between Israel and Iran hold? How do the Iranian people feel about the regime? Jules has been watching The Pitt and thinking about “moral injury” the idea of having to betray your own moral beliefs because of lack of staff or lack of supplies. Join the conversation and email the show at notstupid@abc.net.au SHOW NOTES: Jule’s pick: www.orrca.org.au/census Jez: https://medium.c...
The situation in the Middle East got a lot more precarious this week, with Israel attacking Iran. It says it is trying to halt Iran's nuclear plans, but what does it mean for the region and what will Donald Trump do next? And you had such great thoughts about the best thing you've seen in a museum. We go down a rabbit hole about cane toad dioramas, family blankets and everything in between. SHOW NOTES Jules' pick: https://harvardartmuseums.org/article/pigment-collection-colors-all-aspects-of-the...
We've seen cars on fire and riot squads on the streets, so what is going on in California? We take a closer look at the fight between Donald Trump and the Governor of California. And if you could order an object from a museum, what would you want to see or touch? The V&A in London has just opened a new museum where you can do just that. PICKS Jeremy's Pick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APyn8Otui_w Jules' Pick: https://www.vam.ac.uk/east/storehouse/visit?srsltid=AfmBOorh7m_NcTjeHFxFhgxISlh...
Greens Senator Dorinda Cox has switched from the Greens to the Labor Party, so is it okay for a politician to change their mind? Is switching parties ok? Or what about changing you mind on issues? And Jules has been fascinated with the case of Lucy Letby, the British nurse convicted of killing babies while working in a neonatal ward. It is also our birthday, so we celebrate Not Stupid turning one...with cake.
News out of Gaza has gone from bad to worse with acute food shortages and growing concern of a famine. So are attitudes from Israel's Western allies starting to change? And will a change in attitude lead to concrete action? And last week we were talking about poison pen letters and we've heard lots of great stories. We go through our favourites. Plus a little treat from our Sydney live show. SHOW NOTES Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova profile https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/interactive/...
Joe Biden is back in the news with a cancer diagnosis, but there’s also a new book out looking at his alleged cognitive decline. So what do you need to disclose and why, if you are in public office? And in Australia the Coalition is consciously uncoupling, so Jules and Jez take a look at the messy split. Buy tickets to our Sydney live show here: https://www.swf.org.au/program/season-2025/not-stupid-live-with-julia-baird-and-jeremy-fernandez PICKS Jez's pick: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-1...
Jules and Jez are talking reinvention this week because there are new leaders everywhere. There's a new Pope in the Vatican and he is American, so what does he make of Donald Trump? And the Australian Liberal Party has its first female leader in Sussan Ley. Also the recipes you share, the ones you keep to yourselves and the ones you can't quite decipher. PICKS https://www.aco.com.au/whats-on/2025/bach-beach-boys-beyond...
There's a copyright stoush over caramel slice and Jeremy and Julia have thoughts. Can you own a recipe? And is "Julia Baird's caramel slice" also just "Nagi's Caramel slice"? And you might have noticed an election on the weekend, it was hard to miss. Labor won in a landslide, so how does the Coalition rebuild and how many women will be involved? JEREMY'S PICK https://interestingengineering.com/culture/2000-year-old-rice-brought-to-life JULIA'S PICK https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/04/s...
"Welcome to Country" ceremonies are the latest culture war as we reach the pointy end of the Federal Election campaign, so Jules and Jez look at why it has become such a hot button issue this week. And we had so much feedback about using Chat GPT for relationship advice, so Jules and Jez have been asking it their deepest, darkest secrets with mixed results. JEZ'S PICK https://www.theguardian.com/media/ng-interactive/2025/apr/27/strange-case-writer-landing-a-lister-interviews-local-magazines JULE...
