The Polyester Podcast - podcast cover

The Polyester Podcast

The Polyester Podcastplay.acast.com

Is Blake Lively a bitch or being misconstrued? Will Elon ever stop cringing us out? And why is everyone using slurs again? 


Every week Polyester's head girlies Ione Gamble and Gina Tonic take you down a weekly rabbit hole of online discourse and pop culture - from trad wives and surrogacy to porn stars and unhinged press tours. Exploring the intersection of IRL and URL through a feminist lens, the Polyester Podcast is your weekly digest on absolutely everything everyone on the internet is talking about. 


With guests like Tavi Gevinson and Sofia Coppola collaborator Stacey Battat, and special episodes beamed into your ears from cultural centres like London’s Tate Modern and Barbican Centre, every Monday we offer a down-to-earth take from the front lines of the internet, feminism, and the weird world of celebrity it has spawned.


Hosted by Editor in Chief Ione Gamble with Senior Editor Gina Tonic. Edited by Olivia Graham. Have faith in your own bad taste!


Support our work and become a Polyester Podcast member <3


Polyester is a self published, intersectional feminist arts and culture publication aiming to bridge the gap of URL cyberfeminism with the IRL world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes

Summer 2023 Recap: The Tabi Swindler, The Roman Empire, Timothée & Kylie, Barbie, Bottoms and more

Hello! We are back, with an episode that obviously probably feels as strange for us as it is for you (this is ione typing btw). I'm now joined by miss Gina Tonic , who listeners of the podcast will know as someone mentioned frequently. Gina is our senior editor as well as mine and Eden's bestie. We'll be returning on a weekly basis to discuss the discourse through a feminist lens, but to ease us into it, this week we're discussing whats hot or not for 2023. From The Idol, Victorias Secret Relaun...

Sep 25, 202334 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: Strikes, American Horror Story and Season Four

The sisters are back! Before season four of The Kardashians premiers next week, MJ and Marie are sitting down to discuss their new approach to this season; focusing on the Kardashian world as a whole, rather than recapping episode by episode. The pair are picking apart Kim's starring role in American Horror Story; from Ryan Murphy being a scab, to the franchise taking camp mainstream, and whether Kim's moment to transcend the reality genre will be a success. MJ and Marie will also be discussing ...

Sep 21, 202338 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: There Is No Such Thing as an Original Thought When It Comes to the Kardashians

The season finale is here! Whether or not you agree with Kourtney that season three has been exhausting; MJ and Marie are here to guide us through the highs, lows, and media theory hot takes of the final episode. Catch up with the rest of our brand new podcast series if you missed it! We've teamed up with the genius behind Kardashian Kolloquium, MJ Corey, and her sister Marie, to breakdown the new season of The Kardashians episode by episode. We've also introduced a new membership tier for fans ...

Jul 27, 202343 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: The Importance of Being Earnest

Here we are! The penultimate episode of Dispatches From the Kardashian simulacrum. MJ and Marie take us on a tour of cultural cohorts and whether or not we’re ever truly able to understand generations outside of our own. With the time between generations shortening and the differences widening will we ever share basic human realities again? Did we ever even share them in the first place? In an episode filled with storage units, archives and legacy the Kardashian sisters are finally on the subjec...

Jul 20, 202337 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: Is it real or is it not real? Do they care or do they not care?

Episode 8 and the perfect time for our hosts to explore the age old Kardashian questions: Is it real or is it fake? Do they care or do they not care? What part of you stays the same and stays human when you have that much money and that much power? The sisters take us on a journey of balance, active consumption over passive consumption and explore the most anticipated Kardashian move yet . . . is there a Kardashian Christmas album on the horizon? With singing lessons and auto tune in full swing,...

Jul 13, 202340 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: How The Kardashians Have Always Been Modern Mythology

We're on episode seven, and the fight we've all been waiting for has finally taken place: Kourtney and Kim have sat down to discuss their ongoing feud. But what does the confrontation tell us about the sisters? And has one Kardashian come out on top? MJ and Marie sit down to dissect; from how power really is the root of all conflict, to how the family are intent on securing their reputation as an empire. Catch up with the rest of our brand new podcast series if you missed it! We've teamed up wit...

Jul 06, 202344 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: Why Is Female Power Synonymous With Tragedy?

Its episode six, we're over halfway through season three of The Kardashians, and Marie's back! This week the sisters span everything from filler and filters, to slut shaming, the Kardashians resurfacing ideas from previous seasons, and why keep trying to prove that they are just like us, really. Catch up with the rest of our brand new podcast series if you missed it! We've teamed up with the genius behind Kardashian Kolloquium, MJ Corey, and her sister Marie, to breakdown the new season of The K...

Jun 29, 202337 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: Is The Kim vs Kourtney Rivalry Really All About Mommy Issues?

This week, MJ is joined by Lee - who doesn't watch the Kardashians - to break down episode five of the third season of the show through a fresh, untainted pair of eyes. From whether the Kourtney and Kim rift is really, at the heart of it, all about their deep-rooted mommy issues, to what the data shows us about who's Dolce and Gabbana collaboration was more successful with the public. Sidebars include the sisters' unlikely alignment to traditional masculine societal roles, North becoming residen...

Jun 22, 202336 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: The Show Has More In Common With Succession Than You Think

Katy Perry declared this season of The Kardashians to be the much longed for fifth season of succession. But how alike really are the two dynasties? This week, MJ and Marie are breaking down episode four; from how the sisters are documenting dystopia in realtime, to which NPC deserves their flowers this week. Catch up with the rest of our brand new podcast series if you missed it! We've teamed up with the genius behind Kardashian Kolloquium, MJ Corey, and her sister Marie, to breakdown the new s...

Jun 15, 202338 min

A note from Ione

I love you eden young x x https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-bring-eden-home?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 14, 20233 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: Memeing Through The Existential Dread

In episode 3, season three, of The Kardashians, the sisters are getting existential. From talk of Kris grappling with moral questions around putting her kids through fame, and Kourtney self referencing her own memes, to how the sisters hold up a mirror to wider conversation on we react to and feel about social media in our own lives. MJ and Marie discuss the families commitment to upholding rampant capitalism, and the ongoing reckoning with their own values surrounding success thats being played...

Jun 08, 202345 min

The Sleepover Club: How Taylor Swift & Matty Healy Became The Worlds Most Controversial Couple

The stans are not happy. They're returning gig tickets, creating twitter threads justifying their decision to attend concerts, and rescinding their status as a Swiftie; all because Taylor Swift is dating Matty Healy. But why are the (rumoured) new couple so controversial? And should we deserve better from the celebrities we love? This episode, Ione and Eden are digging into the controversy - from why people hate the 1975 frontman, and if fans project too much onto their faves, to whether Taylor ...

Jun 05, 202330 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: The Sisters That Won't Let Girlboss Culture Die

From Kylie taking a tour across Europe to oversee production of her cosmetics, to Kim negotiating a deal with Dolce and Gabbana; this season is proving that the Kardashian sisters are not about to let girlboss culture die anytime soon. In the second episode of our new podcast, MJ and Marie are delving deeper into the simulacrum that is the show; from to what extent the family is self aware, to Scott's role as an outsider, changing beauty standards and whether we're all just watching one long, dr...

Jun 01, 202335 min

The Sleepover Club: The Torture Of Being Perceived & Whether The 'Like Gap' Is Even Real

Have you ever left a social interaction feeling like you were annoying? That you spoke too much, or too little? That the people you were just hanging out with probably never want to speak to you again? Well, we have good news! Research sweeping TikTok motivational content suggests that 'the like gap' - or, the feeling that people like us less than we like them - is fake! Studies have shown people are like you sizeably more than you think they do. Or do they? This week, Ione and Eden are delving ...

May 29, 202331 min

Dispatches From The Kardashian Simulacrum: The Girls Are (Fake) Fighting Again

The Polyester Podcast universe is expanding! Introducing MJ Corey, the genius behind Kardashian Kolloquium, The Kardashian cultural analysis social media giant. She'll be breaking down the new season of The Kardashians episode by episode with her sister, producer, and collaborator Marie, in our brand new podcast series. Are the girls really fighting? Are we moving away from written culture? And are reality tv storylines being structured around viral moments and TikTok sounds? Listen to the episo...

May 26, 202338 min

The Sleepover Club: How The Writers Strike Will Shape The Future Of Culture

Screenwriters are striking, celebrities are turning up on picket lines and creating viral moments, and all our fave shows are ceasing production. But the implications of a writers strike are bigger than the next series of Stranger Things being delayed. In this episode, Ione and Eden are diving into how past writers strikes have effected culture; from the dawn of reality tv, to a decline in media literacy, and whether the 2007 strike paved the way for Trump to become president. Support our work a...

May 22, 202333 min

The Sleepover Club: Are They An Industry Plant, Or Do You Just Hate Women?

Discourse surrounding industry plants is seemingly never-ending, with the focus of this months twitter ire being new indie-darlings The Last Dinner Party. But what even is an industry plant? Are our favourite musicians really conceptualised by men sitting in a boardroom? And does it matter if they are? This week ione and eden are discussing whether authenticity matters, how new music marketing techniques are duping us all, and why nearly everyone accused of being an industry plant label is a wom...

May 15, 202330 min

The Sleepover Club: All Your Fave Magazines Are Closing, But Who Killed Digital Media?

Paper Magazine, Gal-dem, and Buzzfeed news have all recently ceased publication, with rumours circulating that Vice and i-D are next on the chopping block. Once again, this has been a tumultuous year for digital publications. But how did we get here, and who is at fault? This week Ione and Eden are digging into why it feels like a new publication closes once a week, from the power hierarchies within media spaces, to selling out, and whether culture journalism is as powerful as it used to be. TW:...

May 08, 202333 min

The Sleepover Club: On Wednesdays We Dox Mean Girls On TikTok

This week, social media decided on a common enemy. After this video went viral, showing two young women mocking another who was taking selfies and filming TikToks at a sports game - the entire internet came together to dox the two perpetrators. But who really was the mean girl in this scenario? Was it the pair, annoyed at being filmed in public? Or the poster for exploiting their experience in exchange for thousands of new followers. Ione and Eden are discussing what it means to be a twenty firs...

May 01, 202330 min

The Sleepover Club: Are Spoilers And Streaming Services Sucking All Enjoyment From Life?

Spoiler warning! The golden age of telly is over. This week, hosts Ione Gamble and Eden Young lay bare the ways that streaming services have decimated the TV watching experience. Is there any good to be gleamed from binge watching? Or do you long for the era of waiting for new episodes to air on the terrestrial television channels' primo spot? And how is anyone meant to enjoy an anticipated episode of their fav show when social media has laid all the best bits bare already? Going head to head, I...

Apr 24, 202332 min

The Sleepover Club: Therapy Speak Is Ruining Our Friendships And Making Us Terrible People

Have you ever received a message along the lines of, "Do you have the emotional/mental capacity for me to vent about something"? Or have you accused your friends of overstepping your boundaries, or not holding space for you to prioritise yourself? Over the past few years, this formalisation language - dubbed 'therapy speak' has infiltrated the way we talk to each other. But is that person really gaslighting you? Or have we become too quick to medicalise our interpersonal issues? This episode, Io...

Apr 17, 202332 min

Confessions: What's The Difference Between Love & Craving Attention? Plus More Of Your Dilemmas Answered By Doechii

For the finale of our Confessions mini series, cover girly Doechii lends us her agony aunt services to solve the problems of Polyester readers across the globe. The musician sits down with Ione and Eden to discuss just how important (or not) sex really is in relationships, what to do about bigoted family members, whether being loud is the best way to bring about social progress, and much more. In Collaboration with Coach, we've created a free limited edition print zine for all UK listeners, rese...

Apr 13, 202331 min

The Sleepover Club: Blokecore, The Legacy Of Ladettes, And Why We Should Be Worried About The Co-option Of Working Class Culture

All of the girlies, from Bella Hadid to Kim Kardashian herself, are dressing like they love the football. Blokecore is the latest microtrend to sweep the internet - and suddenly, going to the pub with a footy scarf round your head (the style itself now christened the 'litty scarf') is a personality type. This week, Ione are examining the history of how we treat working class aesthetics - from the demonisation of ladette culture, and the knowing irony that so often infiltrates blokecore, to wheth...

Apr 10, 202332 min

Confessions: Class Divides In Relationships, Inadequacy, & Hating Your Best Friends Partner - With Piri

Confessions is back! Long time listeners will remember our summer of solving all your issues, lending our agony aunt services to Polyester readers across the globe. Well now, we've returned with the second of three new episodes and a few very special guests. This episode, we're joined by Piri. Best known for dance music that infiltrates every corner of TikTok, as well as her pole routines and OnlyFans career, Ione and Eden sat down with our latest cover girl to tackle your conundrums; from feeli...

Apr 06, 202329 min

The Sleepover Club: The Farce Of #MeToo & Why Abuse Of Power Still Comes As No Surprise

It's been a grim week, month, and year when it comes to abuses of power in Hollywood. As a string of stories in the past few weeks have been published pertaining to the abuse of women on film and tv sets; Ione and Eden are contemplating the effectiveness of Hollywoods activism. From allegations surrounding Sam Levinson's 'The Idol' production to Jonathan Major's assault arrest and women coming forward with accusations towards Emrata's ex and Uncut Gems producer Sebastian Bear-MclCard - the news ...

Apr 03, 202333 min

Confessions: Codependency, Oversharing Online, and How To Stop Being Shy - With Cat Burns

Confessions is back! Long time listeners will remember our summer of solving all your issues, lending our agony aunt services to Polyester readers across the globe. Well now, we've returned with the first of three new episodes and a few very special guests. First up, we're joined by the incredible singer-songwriter and full time legend Cat Burns. Ione and Eden sat down with Cat to tackle your conundrums; from one of you having issues with your partners friends, to another who can't trust her clo...

Mar 30, 202327 min

The Sleepover Club: How Misogynists Are Using Infographics & Pseudoscience To Fuel Anti-Feminism

You've probably seen the thin green line of misogyny - a new wave of infographics peddled by far-right twitter accounts and satirised by practically everyone else, highlighting incel-adjacent theories around gender and feminism. But while these images may be ready made meme material for most of the world; in the manosphere (a term we decode in this episode), these anti-feminist ideologies are growing quickly. But as incels begin using science and pop-psychology to validate their hatred, should w...

Mar 27, 202329 min

The Sleepover Club - Cloutbombing & The Need to Remain Culturally Relevant At Any Cost

Brad Troemel has coined a term to describe the diversity quota meme-laden photoshoots that take over our feeds these days - Cloutbombing. But what does the term actually mean? Are brands referencing digital culture in an attempt to stay culturally relevant? And are we doomed to play into the hands of cloutbombing forever more? This week on the pod Ione and Eden are getting into cloutbombing, consumer theory, the need to prove that The Scene is back!, No Logo by Naomi Klein, hyper niche online su...

Mar 20, 202330 min

The Sleepover Club: How Ozempic Killed Body Positivity And Why We Need Gross Girls More Than Ever

As the remnants of fourth wave feminism cling on for dear life, it's become impossible to ignore the idea that we're now living through a post-feminist era. In the 10 months since the release of our host Ione Gamble's debut Poor Little Sick Girls, body positivity has died, #MeToo is non-existent and the discourse has stripped any semblance of nuance from online life. This week, Ione and Eden discuss where feminism goes from here, why we should all be less scared of being cancelled, and why earne...

Mar 06, 202331 min

The Sleepover Club: Are Sex Scenes In Film and Tv Immoral?

Penn Badgley has managed to single handedly set alight the discord over the past couple of weeks. Revealing that he no longer wants to perform sex scenes out of respect for his marriage, his comments have stoked the flames of a long running Twitter storm. Gen Z supposedly thinks sex scenes should be eliminated from film and tv entirely. Are they all prudes? Or do they have a point? This week; Ione and Eden are diving head first into the discourse, from whether people are having sex less generall...

Feb 27, 202332 min
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