Good Weekend Talks

Hamish Blake on his surprising lack of skills – and being comfortable in chaos

Hamish Blake has made a career (and a pretty decent fortune) from being a bumbling, nice-guy Mr Everyman – on radio, on podcasts, on TV and, occasionally, in movies. But after more than two decades in the public eye, much of it with his professional brother-in-arms Andy Lee, Blake admits he hasn't developed much by way of skills other than talking for a living. And that's the premise of his new show, Unskilled Adult, in which he sets about learning some proper, grown-up abilities, simply by doing stuff – for real clients, for real money. In this episode, the Lego Masters host talks about the genuine sense of inadequacy that underpins his latest foray into good-natured self-mockery, what he actually learnt along the way, and whether his goofball efforts to master carpentry, welding, cooking and more in the blink of an eye run the risk of alienating his core audience. Today’s conversation is hosted by senior culture writer Karl Quinn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Mark Seymour on a complicated legacy – and not being in the Hunters & Collectors WhatsApp group

Mark Seymour is an artist who has lived many musical lives. He was the founder and frontman of notable Australian rock band Hunters & Collectors, but he started out in his family choir. He’s sung solo acoustic gigs, and inadvertently created one of the great sporting anthems from a song inspired by a Jeanette Winterson novel. Soon Seymour will bring his old hits to life with a full symphony orchestra for a one-off concert in Melbourne. Seymour tells special correspondent Stephen Brook what keeps him writing, what his religious parents thought of his music and whether he is still in touch with his old bandmates. And after he is done talking, as a special treat for Good Weekend Talks listeners, Seymour serenades us with an acoustic version of one of the Hunters’ much loved ballads. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Stoicism is more than discipline, says author Ryan Holiday. It may save the modern world

The 2000-year-old philosophy of stoicism is having a moment – and no one has popularised it for a modern audience more than American author Ryan Holiday. The college dropout turned marketer has written 13 books, including The Obstacle Is the Way and Discipline Is Destiny, and his Daily Stoic email and social media accounts reach millions of people. In this episode, we ask Holiday a few questions, including: What does Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius's book Meditations have to teach us about how to live in the 21st century? And what can we learn from the former slave Epictetus? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Hosting our conversation today is Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bonnie Garmus on why the 'least admired' art – poetry – might end up saving the world

On the cusp of 65, Bonnie Garmus published her debut novel Lessons in Chemistry. It was a global sensation and the copywriter, who had a previous manuscript rejected by publishers 98 times, sold almost 10 million copies and enjoyed being co-executive producer when it was made into an eight-part streaming hit starring Brie Larson. Today, Garmus talks about her new novel Peck & Peck, which explores – through a delightfully-named young man Batter Gray – the themes of art in a time of pragmatism, and empathy in a world driven by technology intended “to make money, not make what is worthwhile”. The US-born, now UK-based Garmus also opens up about the importance of poetry, explaining why she reads a new poem every day and how that ritual has changed her. Plus: her 5am starts, the work of writing and rewriting – and beginning anew when everyone believes your time is done. Today’s conversation is hosted by National Books Editor at The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Melanie Kembrey. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Plants remember and react, but do they mind being eaten? Michael Pollan on sentience in the natural world

It's not too much of an overstatement to say that for over 30 years, Michael Pollan's books have helped reshape conversations about industrial food systems, animal consciousness and our obligations to other living things. His new book, A World Appears, is about plant sentience – an immersive exploration of how plants exhibit thinking and memory-like behaviours, respond to physical threats, favour their own species and supply nutrients to struggling neighbouring plants. In this episode, Pollan discusses compelling new research that argues humans are far from the only living entities exhibiting sentience and indeed, "exquisite" awareness of their environment. Today’s conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Intimacy in the age of porn – and when women are more successful than their partners: playwright Suzie Miller

Melbourne-born Suzie Miller's background as a lawyer has influenced the 40-odd plays she has written, many of which feature strong social-justice themes. Best known among those works are the award-winning Prima Facie, which has been staged in Sydney, Melbourne and London, and Inter Alia, which premiered in London last year and opens on Broadway in November. In Miller's new play, Strong is the New Pretty, she tells the story of the birth of the women's Australian Football League, the AFLW, as it moves from pipe dream to sensation. In this episode, Miller talks to deputy opinion editor Margot Saville about sport, feminism and the manosphere. Further reading: ‘Do we want a world that reflects a kind of tech-bro zone? I don’t think so’: Suzie Miller on raising sons See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Judith Lucy on burnout, chasing wellness and knowing you’re both deeply unhappy and a 'privileged wanker'

Australians know Judith Lucy as the comedian with a sardonic wit and no-fear attitude to mining her personal life, from her unconventional upbringing and numerous disastrous relationships, to drinking too much and the indignities of ageing. For over three decades, life was work for Lucy – until it wasn't. In 2023, she had a burnout, and she's turned her discoveries from that experience into a book about deep exhaustion. In today's episode, Judith Lucy opens up about what fulfilment means for her, and the special guilt associated with burning out when you are middle-class and middle-aged. She talks to Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn about everything from ayahuasca ceremonies and faecal transplants to finally asking herself, in her 50s, what she wants her life to look like. And just a heads-up, this episode contains some strong language. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Alexa Leary on surviving tragedy and living a ‘second life’

At just 19, Alexa Leary was a champion triathlete when she suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in an horrific cycling accident. She wasn't expected to survive the crash, but she beat the odds, learning to walk, talk and live again – even jumping back in the pool with renewed purpose, winning two gold medals and one silver at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. In this episode of Good Weekend Talks, Leary talks to Konrad Marshall about living with traumatic brain injury and dealing with acute memory loss, and also reflects on her life before the accident. Now 25, Leary has released a song, Closer, and a biography – Sink or Swim: Defying the Odds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Dodging the Taliban, camel spiders and becoming 'impervious to shock': Former special forces soldier Bram Connolly 

Bram Connolly is the type of person you want as a neighbour if there's ever a crisis or an emergency on your street. Connolly spent 20 years in the Australian special forces navigating the world's most dangerous landscapes, from Afghanistan to Somalia, so he knows how to stay cool in the heat of battle – and in unplanned moments in daily civilian life. The founder of Hindsight Leadership and Resilience says preparedness begins with situational awareness and controlling emotions like stress and anxiety. In this episode, Connolly discusses his new book, 100 Ways I Almost Died, which features compelling stories of survival during his years as a special forces commander, while also providing life lessons for these increasingly unstable times. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Up close with the Donald Trump ‘regime’ – New York Times reporter and Australian Jonathan Swan

Australian journalist Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times, is perhaps best known for his hard-hitting interviews with US President Donald Trump. Most famous was his August 2020 exchange with Trump, in which Swan's real-time fact-checking (and incredulous facial expressions) while listening to the president's muddled assertions earned the then 35-year-old reporter an Emmy award. Now Swan has teamed up with fellow Times journalist and Trump expert Maggie Haberman to write "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump". It's a withering behind-the-scenes look at how Trump has consolidated executive power in his second term, stripping away institutional checks and balances while padding the bank accounts of his family. Swan, who is the son of ABC broadcaster Dr Norman Swan and a former reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald, speaks with Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan about what like to be face-to-face with, as Swan describes, the most consequential US president of a lifetime. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Comedian Myf Warhurst turns serious – about everything

Think of Myf Warhurst and the word “bubbly” might spring to mind. With everything the radio and TV personality does – from Spicks and Specks to the Eurovision Song Contest or her documentary, The Truth about Menopause – Warhurst is known as the ray of sunshine, the nice one (she’s even the voice of Aunt Trixie, and Indy’s Mum, on Bluey). But she’s no longer playing nice. In a new book, she’s taken on the patriarchy. And she’s angry. In this episode of Good Weekend Talks, Warhurst talks about everything from creepy men to Karens, from Gen X to coercive control, as well as the enviable matriarchal society of bonobo monkeys. This conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Melissa Fyfe. If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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George Megalogenis on immigration, instability and the 'three shocks' shifting modern society

George Megalogenis is known as a big thinker about Australian politics and culture, searching beyond the noise for what’s really going on in our country. He has four decades' experience in the media, including time in the parliamentary press gallery. In his new book, Three Shocks: Who We Are Becoming in the 21st Century, he looks at the seismic changes underway that will influence all of us in the coming decades. He joins Good Weekend Talks today for a chat about immigration – long an interest of his, as the son of Greek migrants – along with the feminisation of the workforce, and the unreliability of both our great ally in the United States, and our great trading partner in China. Hosting this conversation is Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Maria Ressa on journalism, the new internet, and AI ‘strip-mining our humanity’

Maria Ressa is one of the most celebrated journalists in the world. Born in Manila in 1963, she moved with her family to the US, studying at Princeton University before returning to the Philippines to forge a career covering the growth of terrorism in South East Asia. In 2012, she co-founded online news site Rappler, distinguishing herself as a fearless defender of freedom of expression while standing up to an authoritarian regime infamous for, among other things, its campaign against journalists. Ressa’s bravery earned her the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for journalism, and she’s visiting Australia to speak on August 23 at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney. She joins us for a chat about the threat to democracy from disinformation, and the responsibility we all share to tease fact from fiction in the age of AI – a conversation hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Tim Elliott. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Anthony LaPaglia on therapy, chasing zen – and realising 'there's nothing to be afraid of'

Anthony LaPaglia is best known to audiences for a host of big- and small-screen roles, including films such as Looking for Alibrandi, Lantana and Balibo and US TV shows including Without a Trace. But the 67-year-old is also no stranger to the stage, having once won a Tony for his performance in the Arthur Miller play, A View from the Bridge. He’s back in Australia right now to front another Miller play – one the great works in the American canon – playing Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. A limited two-week season kicks off Tuesday, August 11 at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne, before moving on to Brisbane. LaPaglia joins us for a chat about acting and art, family and football – and what he wished he'd known 20 years ago. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Introducing Virginia

Virginia Giuffre was fearless in taking down some of the world’s most powerful people. As Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent victim, she helped expose his crimes and hold his friends to account, including the man formerly known as Prince Andrew. But despite her heroic battle in the most notorious sex trafficking case of the 21st century, few knew about one of her toughest fights. It was one she fought privately at home in Australia. Follow The Age and SMH Investigates to be first to listen to new episodes of Virginia from Walkley-award winning journalist Melissa Fyfe and WA Today reporter Carla Hildebrandt. Read the Good Weekend feature or our visual story which chronicles the harrowing final months of Virginia Giuffre's life as her marriage unravelled. Visit our websites at smh.com.au, theage.com.au and watoday.com.au, and send questions, information and feedback to virginiapodcast@nine.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Neil Mercer and the true stories of wrongful convictions in Australia

Nothing exposes the flaws of a justice system more than the wrongful conviction of an innocent person for murder. Adelaide man Henry Keogh languished in prison for two decades after being wrongfully convicted of his fiancée’s drowning, while Andrew Mallard – a vulnerable, troubled outsider – had his life irrevocably shattered when he was wrongly convicted of the 1994 murder of Pamela Lawrence in Perth. Neil Mercer, one of Australia’s most respected print and TV journalists, has written a new book, 'Falsely Convicted: True Stories of Injustice in Australia', in which he exposes just how easily professional hubris, police tunnel vision and flawed forensic practices can put innocent people behind bars. Today's episode is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Greg Callaghan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Comedian Arj Barker on Letterman, the Conchords, and 'babygate'

Arj Barker has been a fixture on the local comedy scene for decades, headlining our comedy festivals and turning up on shows including Thank God You’re Here and Spicks and Specks. But the San Francisco-born stand-up began telling jokes at open mic nights in 1989, before appearances on American late night TV for Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, and David Letterman - not to mention a memorable turn on the hit sitcom Flight of the Conchords. Barker joins us to talk about consciousness, comedy, and the furore that erupted two years ago after he asked a breastfeeding mother and baby to leave his show. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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‘I know enough to be dangerous’: Boost Juice founder Janine Allis on failure and success

Starting a business is one thing, running it successfully is another – but doing it with your spouse and four kids is a different kettle of fish. Janine Allis has done all of the above, after founding Boost Juice as a single store in the 2000s and growing it into a global empire. She’s since become one of the most sought-after entrepreneurs in the country and a regular on small screens, both as a judge on Shark Tank and as a competitor on Australian Survivor - twice. She also owns one of Australia’s fastest-growing dessert chains, Yochi. Allis joins Good Weekend Talks to chat about the challenges and delights of building a family business, how she finds time to surf, and what she learned about leadership as a stewardess on David Bowie’s boat. Today’s episode is hosted by business reporter Jessica Yun. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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‘I’ve mellowed a little bit’: Peter Singer on the limit of free speech and his guidance for giving

Peter Singer, often called the world's most influential philosopher, is turning 80, and he's returned home to Melbourne too, after almost 25 years as a professor of bioethics at Princeton University. Singer's practical ethics has had a huge impact and caused controversy across issues as diverse as the rights of animals, voluntary euthanasia and abortion, freedom of speech, and our moral obligation to help those living in extreme poverty. Given all that's happened in Singer's world and in the wider world, it seemed like a good time to ask him to reflect on his life and work, and about the issues of today, from Trump to anti-Semitism and the limits of free speech. Today's conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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'Accomplishment flows into courage': Rob de Castella on the Indigenous Marathon Project

Rob de Castella, otherwise known as “Deeks” - or, to his opponents, “Tree”, due to his sturdy limbs and unshiftable calm - is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and Australian running royalty. He joins Good Weekend Talks to chat about his Indigenous Marathon Project, in which he takes a group of Indigenous people from around the country every year and signs them up for a rigorous training and education program before each of them runs the famed New York City Marathon. De Castella likes to say that the finishing line in Central Park has be their starting line - encouraging them to go home after the race and use the lessons and strength built throughout the program to be a ripple of change. A new documentary celebrating the project - The Long Run - follows a group of graduates as they’re mentored by former AFL superstar Buddy Franklin and NRL legend Johnathan Thurston. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor - and avid runner - Konrad Marshall. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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