The Modern Mann

After witnessing bleak conditions inside a mental health unit, artists Tim A. Shaw and Niamh White decided to take action. Drawing on their background in contemporary art, they set out to transform sterile clinical spaces with bold, thought-provoking artworks, via their charity, Hospital Rooms. Today, they commission over 40 leading artists a year to create immersive, site-specific pieces in psychiatric hospitals across the UK — from sweeping murals to hands-on workshops that put patients at the heart of the creative process. But despite critical acclaim, the battle for funding continues — and every brushstroke must be justified to NHS accountants. In this episode, Tim tells Olly why he won’t let hospitals sell off the valuable artwork he installs; explains why patients should look beyond the ‘recovery tree’; and reveals how his recent experience on pediatric wards has hardened his belief in the healing power of art… Find out more about Hospital Rooms at https://hospital-rooms.com/ _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart tries his hand at ‘smart gardening’: growing vegetables without soil. Is hydroponics a workable alternative to getting an allotment? How much faster is it to grow a tomato indoors? And is the whole trend really just a fig-leaf for at-home cannabis growers? Ollie has the answers… from a ‘smart bench’. _______ Elsewhere, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from attending a provocative menopause seminar - investigates how a Mann-fan can hire sex workers who are into… belching. With the help of VTuber giantess Ana Valens, Alix uncovers a full-blown subculture in which burps are considered not just bodily functions but sensual, often spontaneous, expressions of intimacy. The appeal, it turns out, is both nostalgic and transgressive… Burp! _______ Finally, our Record of the Month is ‘Inland Ocean’ by Matt Berninger, formerly of The National... from his second solo album, Get Sunk - released on May 30. _______ BUY US A BEER Your support keeps this show going! So, if you can afford to, please buy us a beer 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ Meet Other Mann-Fans on the Modern Mann Discord: 🤹➡️ https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US… If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️ https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback … and we’ll see you on June 10th! This episode is supported by Shopify. Dream big, build fast, and grow far with 3 months for just £3 at https://shopify.co.uk/modernmann Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tim A. Shaw, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Matt Berninger. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025 _______ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It began as a threesome, arranged through dating app Feeld. But soon, Maggie and Cody realised their connection to Janie was more than sexual… No longer just an adventurous couple in an open relationship, they had become a ‘thruple’ - whose relationship with Janie (their ‘third’) was as vital and equitable as their marriage to each other. In this interview with Olly, they explain the importance of communication in a three-way relationship, the dangers of jealousy and bigotry - and the complexities of sleeping arrangements and decision-making when you love two people at once. This interview first aired in 2021 - now remastered and with an update from the thruple in question, we're pairing this with our last Foxhole discussion on legal rights for thruples - check it out now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Armin Samii signed up to deliver food for Uber Eats, his intentions were to explore his city, and help pay off his new bike. He soon realised the app was poorly configured for cyclists, and uncovered glitches including a non-existent branch of McDonald’s. But getting support from Uber was frustrating. When he believed they were also underestimating his mileage - and therefore underpaying him - he used his background as a computer coder to create ‘Uber Cheats’, a Chrome extension that got the attention of gig workers around the world. In conversation with Olly, he sheds light on life as a gig worker and considers the future of worker’s rights. The company has not acknowledged any systemic error in how distances are calculated. An Uber spokesperson told us: "More drivers and couriers are choosing to earn on Uber than ever before and we know that the vast majority are satisfied with their experience. "The Uber app reviews real-time information to provide the best price to appeal to the drivers or couriers in the area, helping to minimise waiting times for customers and maximise earnings. Our matching tools follow a process that balances a number of different factors such as time and distance to provide the best possible experience for everyone using the app." —----- Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for gourmet sandwiches. Do they really taste better, or are they just for showing off on Instagram? Olly and Ollie head to award-winning London sandwich shop Sandwich Sandwich to taste for themselves… After studying sandwich influencers Max Halley and Sensational Sandwiches, can Ollie go viral with his own take on a Steak Frites Entrecote sandwich? —----- Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox investigates the legal status of consensual non-monogamy. For example, can a thruple inherit each other’s possessions when they die, as married couples can? What paperwork exists to evidence each part of a polycule? With the help of lawyers Rachel Frost-Smith and Lucy Bluck, and phychotherapist DK Green, Alix has the answers… … and, in light of research from BackMarket about the increasing issue of sex toy e-waste, Alix discovers that ‘Vibrators’ are now an official category for ‘Small Electricals’ recycling in the UK! —----- Music this month comes from Mann-favourite Self Esteem. After a few years moonlighting in the West End, she’s back with new track, If Not Now, It’s Soon' BUY US A BEER Your support keep this show going! So, if you can afford to, please buy us a beer 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ Meet Other Mann-Fans on the Modern Mann Discord: 🤹➡️ https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US… If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️ https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on May 10th! This episode is supported by Readly. Get your exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines at readly.com/mann Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Armin Samii, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Self Esteem. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sperm donors are anonymised in British clinics. Recipients don’t even get to see a photo of the man who will father their child. Donor-conceived kids can only discover the identity of their biological father upon reaching adulthood themselves. But Mitch Kennedy is a private donor. His sperm has been used by 23 couples - and he’s met them all. In most cases, he’s slept in their spare room during the conception. He has around 40 children. In this fascinating interview with Olly, Mitch explains the logistics of his bespoke donation process, the legalities of his paternal responsibilities, and the ‘dark cloud’ that deters him from donating to hetrosexual couples... This episode first aired in October 2017 - now remastered and with an update from Mitch, we're replaying this with the news that sperm in the US is now one of their most priciest resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California wildfires ripped through L.A. this year, killing 29 people, destroying more than 18,000 buildings, and putting wildland fires back into the headlines. But what’s it like being one of the poorly-paid workers sent in to risk your life to fight the flames? Wildland firefighter Nathan Bell has ‘held the line’ across the United States: in Elk City, Idaho; on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Utah; and in the desert conditions of Sedona, Arizona. For 16 hour workdays, for weeks away from home, he will hike up a mountainside towards a raging fire with a 40 pound backpack on his shoulders, and a chainsaw over his shoulder. And his starting salary is less than a worker at Burger King... In conversation with Olly, he exposes the back-breaking, exhilarating life of a wildland firefighter - and the unspoken trauma so many of his peers experience ‘between seasons’... _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for A.I. makeovers. From LolaAI, the ‘stylist and shopping copilot’ baked in to Open Wardrobe, to the at-home body scans offered by Bodymapp, can Ollie get himself a fresh Spring look - using only A.I? As ever, frankly, the results are mixed… _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox pops into Kiiroo to see how their teledildonics have adapted to the world of OnlyFans - and answers a listener question from a new Mum struggling with sex after breastfeeding. Once a source of pleasure, her boobs now feel sore, sensitive, and more like functional tools than instruments of intimacy. Will they ever feel sexy again? With the help of breastfeeding peer support worker Emilie Wardle, Frome Birth Talk’s Lucy Plummer and sex and relationship therapist Rhian Kivits, Alix explores considers the under-discussed issues of milk mishaps in the bedroom and babies getting a little too handsy; and proposes new erogenous zones for when ‘boobs are off the table’... _______ Music this month comes from Manchester indie band The Lottery Winners, and their infectious single, ‘Turn Around’. It’s our Record of the Month, and it’s out now. _______ SUPPORT US - every penny counts: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your generous donations - independent shows like ours only exist with your support: 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ WANNA CHAT TO MANN-FANS? JOIN OUR DISCORD! ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on April 10th! CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide. SUPPORT: In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here. CREDITS: Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Nathan Bell, The Lottery Winners. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Falling overboard following a fit of food poisoning, Brett Archibald survived 28 hours alone in the Indian Ocean. In this extraordinary interview with Olly, he re-lives his onslaught of hallucinations, his encounter with a shark and how he contemplated certain death... Read more about Brett's amazing story on his website, and in his book, Alone. This episode first aired in October 2017. Now remastered, we have paired this episode with our latest episode, Naked And Exhausted, for reasons known only to our producer. Watch the moment he's rescued: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOq5g0O9v9s Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine building a brand from scratch, and running your business for fifteen years - only to be told by a global corporation that your name isn’t yours to keep. That’s what happened to Rebecca Dowdesdell, founder of waxing business NKD, when she received a legal letter from cosmetics giant L’Oréal, opposing her application to renew her trademark. In this compelling conversation with Olly, Rebecca takes us inside her David vs. Goliath battle against one of the world’s biggest corporations; a tale of perseverance, justice, and the high price of standing your ground. Support Rebecca’s small business, and find out more about her story, here: https://nkdproducts.shop/pages/because-were-worth-it-too-loreal-vs-nkd Thanks to Private Eye for their help sourcing this story. _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart dives deep into his DNA, to discover whether companies like Color can detect predispositions to serious diseases. After talking to journalist Molly Guinness, who was diagnosed with colon cancer at 38, Ollie investigates the growing trend for people proactively checking their health beyond the tests offered by the NHS, and - thanks to UK-based company Selph - discovers he has a hitherto undetected genetic condition, Lp(a). _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox uncovers the truth about a kinky MRI incident that’s taken the internet by storm, and advises a listener whose partner is not in-sync with his peccadillos. How can he balance a fulfilling monogamous relationship, while staying true to his most extreme desires? Might understanding the emotions behind his kinks lead to creative compromises? Or could attending a workshop, or even opening up his relationship, provide the right solution? With the help of Psychosexual and Relationship therapist Shae Harmon and Lola Phoenix’s new book The Non-Monogamy Journal, Alix reveals all… _______ Down in music corner, our record of the month is the brilliantly arresting ‘Angie’s Wedding’ from Manchester-based poet, writer and producer Antony Szmierek. His album, ‘Service Station At The End Of The Universe’, comes out February 28th. _______ SUPPORT US: THANK YOU SO MUCH for your generous donations - independent shows like ours only exist with your support: 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ JOIN OUR DISCORD! ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on March 10th! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Rebecca Dowdeswell, Antony Szmierek. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With zero experience running a professional kitchen, home cook Robert Maxwell poured his life savings into his passion project: a gastropub-inspired Toronto restaurant. It became a crash-course in coping with stress, managing his cashflow, and curbing his ego. "I was Don Quixote. I was chasing a windmill. I didn’t see the obstacles in my way." In this funny, forthright interview with Olly, Robert reveals how chasing a dream led to him selling his house, hitting the bottle and falling out of love with the thing he loved the most... cooking. This interview first aired in June 2018 - now remastered and with an update from Robert in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are so many restaurants closing down? Across Britain, the hospitality industry is facing unprecedented challenges. Twelve months ago, it was the turn of chef Tony Rodd. His passion for food saw him progress from hosting dinner parties for friends, to being a Masterchef runner-up, to eventually opening his dream London restaurant - Copper & Ink, in affluent Blackheath. But the dream unravelled. Crippled by Covid, increasing energy costs, VAT bills and ‘no-shows’, he shut up shop in 2024. One year later, he’s back, with an intimate new restaurant in Broadstairs. In this engaging interview with Olly, he explains how he’s making it work… this time, on his own terms. _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart steps out into the cold night air to investigate the trend for smart telescopes, which combine automated star alignment and wireless connectivity to capture incredible images of the night sky. How easy is it to find stars and take photos of them? What is driving the interest in astrophotography? And are they a worthy upgrade to an old-fashioned eye-piece? With a Vaonis Hestia by his side, Ollie reveals all... _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox discovers how sound effects are created for erotic audiobooks, and tackles a question from a listener who wants to know about anal botox. Can bum injections reduce pain during anal play, heal fissures, and relax muscles for easier intercourse? Dr. Evan Goldstein, aka “The Bottom Whisperer,” certainly thinks so… … Alix considers the potential downsides, and investigates other aesthetic trends for 2025, from anal bleaching to skin tag removal, ‘scrotox’ and ‘showtox’. _______ Music-wise, our record of the month comes from The Lumineers, whose new single Same Old Song spearheads their fantastic new album, Automatic._______ SUPPORT US: We’re a completely independent podcast. We’re professionals. We only exist thanks to your financial contributions. THANK YOU. https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ JOIN OUR DISCORD! https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on February 10th! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Tony Rodd, The Lumineers. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Olly Mann and the gang for our bumper festive extravaganza… Featuring: 🎶 Live music from Sons of Town Hall – the Victorian-inspired duo from the Madmen Cross The Water podcast join us to serenade the season with their folksy harmonies - and test their Anglophiliac credentials with a Mannfan-made ‘citizenship test’… 💸 To Tip or Not to Tip? – Wondering how much to tip your postie, milkman, or the plumber who saved your pipes? Ollie Peart dives into the age-old debate on festive gratuities - and launches his new JUST THE TIP service! 🤪 The XXX-Mas Foxhole Quiz – Things take a turn for the risqué with Alix Fox’s annual laugh-out-loud Q&A… this time involving scented underwear, rubber chickens, and some out-of-context audio erotica… So, pour yourself a wine (courtesy of our sponsors, Wine52, of course), sit back, and enjoy our modern, mad, magical Christmas celebration! 🎄 We’ll be back with a brand new series on 10th January, 2025. In the meantime… why not buy us a beer, and help us keep our independent show running into its TENTH anniversary year? https://modernmann.co.uk/beer Join us on the Modern Mann Discord ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Sons of Town Hall, Charlie Hedges, Lucy Fennell, Sue Beere, Sarah McCammon, Sam Shepherd. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a landlord means trusting strangers to live in your house. Try as you might, you can't know everything about them. Sometimes, you just have to rely on an instinct that your tenants are good people. Until, that is, you get a knock on the door from the police... That's what happened to listener Ian from Dublin. In this interview with Olly, he re-lives the moment he became involved in an armed Police sting - and began to regret renting out his property. This interview first aired in July 2017, in the episode, 'The Accidental Pimp' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trashed rooms. Plastic sheeting. Dodgy ductwork. When Mike Senior returned to his rental property in Cambridge, he uncovered a scene straight out of a crime drama. In this interview with Olly, he reveals how some tenants from Gumtree turned his Dream Home into a landlord’s nightmare… _______ Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trend for A.I.-assisted recruitment. Employers, he discovers, are using machine learning to whittle down candidates, read CVs and reduce biases. Applicants are hacking their jobsearch with “prompt engineering”, hidden fonts, and generative interview prep. … Is it still possible to get a job with inter-personal skills and chutzpah? And can he uncover a recipe to beat the bots? _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from the ‘You Me Bum Bum Train’ building site - has advice for a fifty-something Mannfan whose libido has reduced dramatically. Though physically capable, his emotional and mental energy are drained by health issues, caregiving, and stress. Could counselling, lifestyle changes, and a change of scene help him get his mojo back? And why do so many people seem to believe that if a man can get hard, there’s nothing to worry about? _______ Finally, our record of the month is ‘She’s Got A Problem’ from Hastings rock-trio HotWax 🤘 _______ SUPPORT THE SHOW: We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer JOIN OUR DISCORD! And help our Mannbassadors make a Mannfan meet-up! ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you for our annual Christmas spectacular on December 10th 🎅 _______ This episode is supported by Readly. Get your exclusive, three month trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines at readly.com/mann Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Mike Senior, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, HotWax. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Medically assisted dying is legal in Canada, where over 10,000 people end their lives through euthanasia each year, and over 80% of applications are approved. Robin Farr, from Calgary, watched as her Dad, Mike, developed a rare lung disease that limited his breathing, massively impacting his quality of life. Then he decided to make use of the MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) laws. In this honest, unsparing conversation with Olly, Robin explains how it felt to manage the last couple of days of her father’s life - and reveals the flaws in the system that left her and her family unsupported in a time of anticipatory grief... Robin volunteers with Canadian support groups Bridge4You and Bridgec14, and recommends the resources at dyingwithdignity.ca and the Swiss organisations Pegasos and Dignitas. This interview first aired in September 2022, in the episode, 'The Countdown.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah McCammon’s upbringing was steeped in evangelical culture—raised as a Charismatic Christian in Kansas City, Missouri, she asked God for salvation at just two years old. Soon she was ‘street witnessing’, trying to convert strangers to her mega-church; praying at family dinners for the salvation of her atheist grandfather; and crediting Jesus for healing her stubbed toe. As a teen, she followed the expected path: wearing a purity ring, committing to abstinence before marriage, attending a Christian university, getting married, and starting a family. But then, she left it all behind. In this candid conversation with Olly, Sarah—now a national political correspondent for NPR—unpacks the emotional, social, and political forces that shaped her beliefs, and ultimately led her to walk away from the evangelical world. Offering a compelling insider’s view of life within the movement, she delves into the personal cost of leaving her faith, and explains the deep connection between white evangelicals and their unwavering support for Donald Trump. Sarah’s book, The Exvangelicals, is out now. _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart takes on the challenge of preparing for the Government’s infamous ‘Life in the UK’ test. Although already a British citizen, Ollie has been swotting up to answer a dozen real-life questions from the extensive pool of questions that aspiring citizens must study. Can he correctly respond to the required 75%? With topics ranging from British history to culture and law—and a £50 fee per attempt—he and Olly soon realise just how tricky and unpredictable these questions can be… _______ Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox - fresh from a surprisingly intimate moment with the Teletubbies - considers the ethics of hiring a sex worker. Is it ever truly possible to ensure prostitutes have not been trafficked by criminal gangs? What distinctions exist between the proposed decriminalization and legalisation of sex work? And even if women choose to enter the field due to poverty and desperation - does that necessarily mean they are victims? With the help of sex worker-turned-author and comedian Kaytlin Bailey and the English Collective of Prostitutes, Alix gives this sticky quandary her very best shot… _______ Finally, the music Making Us Happy this month… is Jason Derulo’s Make Me Happy 😊 SUPPORT THE SHOW: We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer JOIN OUR DISCORD! 100+ Mannfans are there already. At least two of them are jugglers. ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on November 10th 📅 Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Sarah McCammon, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Jason Derulo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private Investigator Bob Nygaard specialises in bringing psychics to justice. Fortune-tellers, offering palm-reading for as little as ten dollars, are a common sight in New York City. But when they swindle their clients out of six-figure sums, it’s ex-NYPD officer Bob on their case… In this sensational interview with Olly, Bob reveals how the criminals he pursues prey on vulnerable victims, the techniques they use to convince clever professionals to hand-over huge amounts of money, and his fight to convince complacent cops that it’s worth prosecuting and imprisoning these ingenious offenders. CONTENT WARNING: references to suicide. This episode first aired in 2019 under the title, "Credit The Con". Now remastered and with an update from Bob from this month, we paired this episode with our most recent: "When People Disappear". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scratch mittens, strained relationships and GP-sanctioned fingering Nine years ago, comedians Stuart Goldsmith and Tom Price joined Olly to discuss their impending fatherhood. What impact will it have on their respective relationships? Why does society appear to offer such a lack of support to men embarking upon their first baby? Do men need to know about the mucus plug? They discuss all this, plus some bad taste jokes, with little understanding of what was in store for them over the next nine years... which makes this the perfect accompaniment to our latest episode, How To Be A Dad, Part 10. 🍷 This episode is sponsored by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playing with knives, navigating the ‘Dad Race’ at Sports Day, and getting a ‘backstreet assessment’ for dyslexia are on the conversational menu as comedians Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith reunite with fellow father Olly Mann to discuss the pleasures and pains of parenthood. Now aged 8, their boys are dealing with TikTok addiction, grappling with the instant gratification of Amazon deliveries, and trying to hack the marble jar. Meanwhile, our trio of Dads are learning how to transition from ‘performative parenting’, moderating the YouTube content on their smart TVs, and facing the inevitable spectre of turning into their own fathers... This is the tenth instalment of our annual ‘How To Be A Dad’ series. Catch up with all previous episodes HERE. 🎧Tom’s podcast is My Mate Bought A Toaster; and Stuart’s is The Comedian’s Comedian. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. _______ Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart is off to Harley Street to investigate the trend for hair transplants. What do they cost, how do they work, and do they last? Also, how can you tell if you’ve got decent ‘donor hair’ in your ‘harvest area’? Why do a million men per year travel to Turkey to look like Wayne Rooney? And can you ever regain the hair you had as a teenager? With the help of The Wimpole Clinic’s Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr. Ismail Ughratdar, Ollie investigates… _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox assists a Mann-fan who can’t explain why - each time he reaches climax in bed with his wife, and only then - he visualises a HOUSE 🏠. Could it be… repressed trauma? A Freudian sense of self coming to the fore, in an unguarded moment? Or, er, a supernatural glimpse of his future? With input from behavioural optometrist Bhavin Shah, longevity mental health coach Susie Masterson, and spiritual psychotherapist Melissa Amos, Alix is on the case… _______ Meanwhile, our Record of the Month marks a hands-in-the-air return for The Offspring, whose new track Make It All Right comes from their 11th studio album, Supercharged, out this October. _______ SUPPORT THE SHOW: We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU. 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ JOIN OUR DISCORD! 100+ Mannfans are there already. Go on: ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on September 10th 📅 Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Tom Price, Stuart Goldsmith, Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, The Offspring. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024 _______ 🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Watson realised he would never play football for England - so attempted, instead, to be recruited by the worst international team in the world. His quest lead him to Pohnpei, Micronesia; and, although he never realised his dream of becoming an international soccer star, he ended up coaching them instead... What's it like training a team 9000 miles away from home, in a country with no football culture? What is the beautiful game's secret at bringing communities together? And how can one recover after a defeat against the Guam Crushers? This interview first aired in 2017 - hear the full episode here - now remastered with new sound design, we've paired with our latest episode, I ₿ought A Football Club. Paul wrote a brilliant book about his adventures, Up Pohnpei, which you can buy here. Thanks to Mannfan Tom Cotton for suggesting Paul as a guest - if you have an idea for a future edition of the show, just get in touch using our Feedback form. Paul's two podcasts are: The Sweeper: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sweeper-a-world-football-podcast/id1557926870 False Economy: https://shows.acast.com/false-economy PLUS get your free case of wine NOW: https://wine52.com/mann Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter McCormack, Bedford’s ‘budget Ryan Reynolds’, is on a mission to take his local team all the way to the Premier League ⚽️ When he bought Bedford FC in 2021, they were in the tenth tier, and unknown outside the town. After rebranding them as Real Bedford, securing investment from the Winklevoss twins, and internationalising his business model, the Bitcoin guru has achieved back-to-back promotions for his club - despite having zero experience in professional football. How has he done it? With a mix of chutzpah, arrogance, planning and perseverance… as he explains to Olly in this compelling, funny and insightful interview. _______ Meanwhile, in a French-flavoured edition of The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart investigates the trends taking Paris by storm, including Loop earbuds, androgynous fashion, and, erm, a giant croissant 🥐 Can French chef Philippe Conticini’s coffee shops conquer Britain? Will London’s trend for hipster Pétanque spread across the country? And what does the French election tell us about the City hosting the Olympics? Ollie reveals all… _______ Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox chomps down on an English culinary classic, and asks if, in the age of the hook-up app, casual sex can transcend perceptions of being transactional and meaningless 🏩 Is it possible to find a ‘vanilla’, non-kinky partner, who isn’t seeking a long-term relationship? And might seemingly niche apps like Feeld and Fab Swingers provide the answer? Alix investigates… _______ Meanwhile, music this month comes from lo-fi American popstress Clairo, and her 70s-influenced Summer single, ‘Sexy To Someone’ 📀 _______ SUPPORT THE SHOW: We’re an independent podcast and only exist thanks to your donations. THANK YOU. 🍺💰👉https://www.modernmann.co.uk/beer _______ JOIN OUR DISCORD! 100 Mannfans and counting! Sign up: ➡️https://discord.gg/SKHnY6ZB72 _______ CONTACT US If you have a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix, or some feedback for Olly; if you’d like to nominate yourself as a Mannbassador, or have a suggestion of a future interview for the show, just fill out our Feedback form: ✍️https://www.modernmann.co.uk/feedback _______ … and we’ll see you on August 10th 📅 Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Alix Fox, Ollie Peart, Peter McCormack, Clairo. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’ by Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2024 _______ 🍷This episode is supported by Wine52, bringing beautiful wines from around the world to your door. Get your free case now and support the show at https://wine52.com/mann Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of the Brexit referendum in 2017, Wes Streeting had only been an MP for two years... and had won two elections in as many years. In this month's Playback, we take you back to that time - away from the election spin of 2024 - to understand the man most likely to be Britain's new health secretary. Would you be an MP, at a time when public trust in politicians has fallen to the lowest level in living memory? Could you dedicate yourself to your constituents, yet also make time for your family, fighting fires on social media and keeping the media on-side? Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North since 2015, entered the fray in time to experience the Brexit vote, the murder of his colleague Jo Cox, and the Palace of Westminster coming under terrorist attack. In this candid interview with Olly, he lifts the lid on day-to-day life as a young MP in the House of Commons, from his experiences adapting to the weird traditions of voting and speaking in the House, to the perils of navigating Westminster’s gossipy backstairs bars and their modern-day digital equivalents on WhatsApp... Like politics beyond the headlines? Then discover what it's like on the campaign trail, as Olly spends a month with Lib Dem candidate Layla Moran for the 2019 election: https://www.modernmann.co.uk/new/candidate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices