Straight to the Comments

Ever notice how comment sections reveal more than the headlines?

Lisa Williams and Sarah Illingworth dive into the internet's most revealing threads, from the biggest celebrity scandals to niche online subcultures, exploring what our online reactions say about the culture we are living in right now.

Each episode, they decode the psychological motivations and deeper media narratives of online comment culture, all with a good dose of 90s nostalgia and Gen X British humour.

Shortlisted for Best Arts & Culture Podcast by the Independent Podcast Awards and an International Women's Podcast Award.

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Episodes

Thursday Apr 04, 2024

A year on since we did our "Fatshaming" episode featuring Adele, Rebel Wilson, and Lizzo, we find the three women are once again the centre of attention due to discussions about their weight. With Lizzo announcing she is "quitting" due to body-shaming and Rebel claiming in her new memoir "Rebel Rising" that Adele "hates her" because they were both plus-sized women in the entertainment industry, we dive into the online reactions to these unfolding stories.
But first, we start with our comment guessing game, which involves Sons of Anarchy and Angelina Jolie.
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.

Thursday Mar 28, 2024

Since Oprah brought self-help and therapy speak into the mainstream, more and more people have been talking about “speaking my truth” over telling the truth. From Prince Harry to Britney Spears, the celebrity memoir has often been sold as the chance to read their “personal truths”. But what does this really mean? And are there different types of truth? 
When Hasan Minhaj was called out by the New Yorker for lying, he defended himself by claiming “emotional truths” were more important than facts. Then, just last month, The Guardian wrote an exposé, ‘Uncovering the Higher Truth of Jay Shetty,’ about Shetty’s alleged misrepresentation of his backstory in his climb to stardom.
Today we are asking, has the rise of therapy speak brought us all self-awareness, or is it now being weaponised? And can anything be emotionally true if it significantly varies from the actual facts?
Join us as we go straight to the comments to see if we can handle the (many) truths...
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Thursday Mar 21, 2024

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is back with the launch of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Today, we are examining the mixed (putting it mildly) reactions to her launch, particularly the responses to The Cut’s Instagram post, questioning the timing of her launch. Did Meghan really deliberately time her launch to divert attention from Kate Middleton? What exactly is her new brand and who is her target audience?
Also, Sarah tries to guess which company is stalking Lisa online (maybe even you?). Get ready to find out about Temu, supposedly the fastest growing company in the world, which no one seems to know much about.
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Thursday Mar 14, 2024

From her iconic Union Jack dress and Girl Power persona to her current all-white dress code and role as the “devoted wife”, today we are exploring the online reactions to Geri Halliwell’s transformation.
Has she really abandoned her working class roots by “marrying up”, or is this just part of growing up and evolving? And are commenters justified in questioning her authenticity and “girl power” values, based on rumours she may have ‘stolen’ her husband?
We also touch on what Saltburn has to say about class, and discuss the trend of roughing up your “backstory” to tap into mass appeal and acceptance as an artist.
Join us as we go straight to comments and discuss the complicated topic of class in the UK today
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Thursday Mar 07, 2024

Right in time for International Women’s Day and our one year anniversary, the Daily Mail launches a new podcast, called "Straight to the Comments!" - fronted by 2 young male presenters. We go into it in today’s episode.
Plus, we have our comments guessing game about a funny topic and discuss the importance of Women’s Day in 2024. How much has changed in the past year? How much more needs to be done? And does it really make a difference?
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
 

Thursday Feb 29, 2024

Today, we are discussing the internet's relentless speculation surrounding Kate Middleton's recent surgery announcement. From genuine concern to mind-bending conspiracy theories, we explore the reactions to this news.
We also investigate the trend of celebrities, like Selena Gomez, openly discussing their medical issues. On the flip side, we delve into Jamie Foxx's decision to keep his health matters private, leading to significant medical speculation, even claims of cloning.
We ask: Why do some people leap to conspiracy theories when details are kept private? Is it a case of frustration or genuine concern for transparency? Should celebrities feel compelled to share all their health information with the public? 
Let's go Straight to the Comments. 
 
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
 
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Thursday Feb 22, 2024

Welcome back to Season 3's first Mini! We're kicking things off with our comment guessing game, a topic that we believe will stir up strong emotions among Gen Xers (and perhaps even millennials). Then, we'll dive into Justin Timberlake's no-apology stance on the Britney Spears drama and explore the phenomenon of apology tours. Finally, we'll wrap it all up with our crazy celebrity predictions. 
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
 

Thursday Feb 15, 2024

Today, we are exploring the "celebrification" of criminals in the age of social media, particularly that of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Anna Delvey. Gypsy Rose Blanchard, recently released from prison for the murder of her mother, and Anna Delvey, a con-artist currently under house arrest in New York, have become prime examples of how criminals can now capitalise on their notoriety in the digital era.
Whereas historically, a criminal might be jailed, do their time, and disappear from the public radar, now they can brazenly evade the law and even flaunt their lifestyle on social media, like the Tindler Swindler.
So why are we so captivated by certain crimes? And is it ok for people to profit from their conviction? Let’s go straight to the comments to find out.
 
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.

Thursday Dec 28, 2023

Happy New Year! It’s almost the end of 2023, and we are talking today about our predictions for 2024. Will we see a rise in deepfake content? Will Barbie dominate Oppenheimer at the Oscars? Will it be the end of superhero films? What happened to Brie Larson? We also discuss what we cannot wait to see in 2024. Plus, possibly the worst idea for a music festival ever.
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
 

Thursday Dec 21, 2023

We have a jam-packed, tinsel-draped Christmas bonanza episode for you today. We're talking about the cult of Taylor Swift, why Swedish fans were left cold by Beyoncé, and Madonna's big tour comeback. We also have an update on Alice Evans, who recently stated she might have to work at Starbucks to make ends meet after her divorce from Ioan Gruffudd. Plus, we discuss the reactions to Zac Efron getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which were all about his new face. We ask why are good looking men getting cosmetic surgery?
Grab a drink or mince pie as it's tiiiiiiime to go Straight to the Comments!
 
Questions for us or comments you want us to review?
We love answering your questions and analysing stories you have found. Send them to us over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast/
If you enjoyed the show, please give us a 5* review on Spotify and review on Apple.
This series is produced by Emily Crosby Media.
 

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