This week, enjoy a bonus bumper Bookmarked episode. This is what we've enjoyed watching, reading and listening to this winter. Plus, what we're looking forward to consuming in August.

References:

Famesick by Lena Dunham 

Good Witch by Lucianna Tonti 

Hot History Podcast 

Frances Ha 

Who Is Lily Jay? The Australian influencer Accused of Using AI in Aid Videos

Australian influencer Lily Jay’s tangled web of AI manipulation

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

Whistler by Ann Patchett

My Brilliant Career coming to Netflix August 13

The Invite

Let us know what you've been loving as well! Thank you for listening - Jas & Mags xo

This week, enjoy a bonus bumper Bookmarked episode. This is what we've enjoyed watching, reading and listening to this winter. Plus, what we're looking forward to consuming in August.
References:
<a href="https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781460759431/famesick--lena-dunham--2020--9781460759431">Famesick</a> by Lena Dunham&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Good-Witch/Lucianne-Tonti/9781761634314">Good Witch</a> by Lucianna Tonti&nbsp;
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7sgmeekKERu0jUokTF25uG?si=3862f328bc0649f7">Hot History Podcast</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.hbomax.com/au/en/movies/frances-ha/0de775c1-803b-480e-8926-88a252c494aa">Frances Ha</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4FrYZ44c5RQrMjkZ7239fV?si=ab2f6b5f0c1a4fab">Who Is Lily Jay? The Australian influencer Accused of Using AI in Aid Videos</a>
<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-05/lily-jay-foundation-posts-ai-generated-misleading-videos/106866422">Australian influencer Lily Jay&rsquo;s tangled web of AI manipulation</a>
<a href="https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781787702226/my-brilliant-friend--elena-ferrante--2020--9781787702226">My Brilliant Friend</a> by Elena Ferrante
<a href="https://www.readings.com.au/product/9781037206498/whistler--ann-patchett--2026--9781037206498">Whistler</a> by Ann Patchett
<a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81655060">My Brilliant Career</a> coming to Netflix August 13
<a href="https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/the-invite">The Invite</a>
Let us know what you've been loving as well! Thank you for listening - Jas &amp; Mags xo

Culture Club is a weekly podcast analysing pop culture, the arts, and the internet, hosted by writers and editors Jasmine Wallis and Maggie Zhou.

Culture Club is a weekly podcast analysing pop culture, the arts, and the internet, hosted by writers and editors Jasmine Wallis and Maggie Zhou.

Culture Club

August Curriculum: What We’re Reading, Watching & Listening To

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/393a7893-9a33-4ab0-8bd7-b49b00ac0517/transcript

Amazon is burning rare books, why girls are dressing up for the Dolomites, and the pros and cons of trending pregnancy bumps.

Shoutout to the state of Queensland for our slate of AI updates up top. From Australia banning AI music in the ARIA charts to Brisbane banning "smart glasses" in public pools, it's a good news week. Although, Amazon have been caught shredding rare books, so...

We reference this TikTok by 404 Media and read from Why is Anthropic destroying books?By rare books librarian Kathryn James.  

There’s been an uptick in fashion hiking content recently, with creators showing off their outfits while in the outdoors – most notably, in the Dolomites, a mountain range in Northeastern Italy. It has parts of the fashion algorithm in a tizzy, with some asking if one of the last spaces women have to not perform (when touching grass) is being capitalised on by brands and influencers. We play @_evemmore's TikTok. 

Next, dispatches from Copenhagen Fashion Week catalogued a new trend – the baby bump. We reference the Vogue Adria article Copenhagen’s trendsetters prove maternity style can be every bit as chic as it is practicalby Sonja Knežević and The Tradwife Aesthetic Has Reached Copenhagen Street Style by Steph Saltzman for Fashionista. 

We also read from Baring the Bump: How Celebrities are Leading a Shift in Maternity Fashionby Ellie Violet Bramley andInside The Unregulated World Of Pregnancy Influencersby Australian writer Madison Griffiths.

In Bookmarked, Jas recommends Rose of Nevada and Maggie recommends Nervous Laughter by Rick Morton.

Thank you to Pandora for sponsoring today's episode! You can shop the new Pandora Zodiac Talisman collection here.

Amazon is burning rare books, why girls are dressing up for the Dolomites, and the pros and cons of trending pregnancy bumps.
Shoutout to the state of Queensland for our slate of AI updates up top. From Australia banning AI music in the ARIA charts to Brisbane banning "smart glasses" in public pools, it's a good news week. Although, Amazon have been caught shredding rare books, so...
We reference this TikTok by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@404.media/video/7675005112477158670?q=404%20media%20amazon%20book&amp;t=1787722111170">404 Media</a> and read from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/05/anthropic-ai-destroying-books">Why is Anthropic destroying books?</a> By rare books librarian Kathryn James.&nbsp;&nbsp;
There&rsquo;s been an uptick in fashion hiking content recently, with creators showing off their outfits while in the outdoors &ndash; most notably, in the Dolomites, a mountain range in Northeastern Italy. It has parts of the fashion algorithm in a tizzy, with some asking if one of the last spaces women have to not perform (when touching grass) is being capitalised on by brands and influencers. We play <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@_evemmore/video/7665755435248651522?q=_evemmore%20hiking&amp;t=1787715387596">@_evemmore's</a> TikTok.&nbsp;
Next, dispatches from Copenhagen Fashion Week catalogued a new trend &ndash; the baby bump. We reference the Vogue Adria article <a href="https://vogueadria.com/copenhagen-fashion-week-maternity-style/">Copenhagen&rsquo;s trendsetters prove maternity style can be every bit as chic as it is practical</a> by Sonja Knežević and <a href="https://fashionista.com/2026/08/copenhagen-fashion-week-spring-2027-street-style-tradwife">The Tradwife Aesthetic Has Reached Copenhagen Street Style</a> by Steph Saltzman for Fashionista.&nbsp;
We also read from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/article/2024/jul/12/baring-the-bump-celebrities-are-helping-to-force-a-shift-in-maternity-fashion">Baring the Bump: How Celebrities are Leading a Shift in Maternity Fashion</a> by Ellie Violet Bramley and <a href="https://www.marieclaire.com.au/news/bumpfluencers/">Inside The Unregulated World Of Pregnancy Influencers</a> by Australian writer Madison Griffiths.
In Bookmarked, Jas recommends <a href="https://miff.com.au/program/film/rose-of-nevada">Rose of Nevada</a> and Maggie recommends <a href="https://rick-morton.ghost.io/">Nervous Laughter</a> by Rick Morton.
Thank you to Pandora for sponsoring today's episode! You can shop the new&nbsp;<a href="https://au.pandora.net/en/charms/zodiac-charms/?srsltid=AfmBOor_8N_MUp5At3i84q42R8_WIJXsETXdBhK-B0ETl_Ol6gQQm-n2">Pandora Zodiac Talisman collection here</a>.

Are Baby Bumps An Accessory? Plus, Dolomites Style & Amazon’s Book Shredding

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/7c6d486f-afb8-431a-9115-b4b700b9f28b/transcript

Role Model’s break-up, the ethics of auto-fiction, and how has the ‘kinda chic’ trend altered our vocabulary?

Maggie is back from her Europe trip, meaning we're back with a pop culture episode for you!

First up, Role Model and Dakota Johnson have broken up. But wait? Didn't she just feature on a song from his brand new album? Yes. Yes she did. Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen have teamed up to maximise their joint slay with a “10 Things I Hate About You” musical. Plus, Rachel Cusk’s new book is making headlines in the literary world after the main character in Life of M had some striking similarities to a famous actress. We reference this article from The Cut.

According to social media, everything is chic. But what happens when social media trends hit fever pitch and become meaningless? Earlier this month, Berlin-based fashion editor and influencer Brenda Weischer posted a Substack that picked up a lot of heat. We read from the Substack titled oh my god. we're in template slop? and another by type designer Paola Kassa titledHow Typography is Making People Famous.  

We also deep dive on the word 'chic' itself and reference RIP “Chic” – The Word Has Finally Lost All Meaning by Lauren O’Neill, for British Vogue from 2025. What Is Chic? Race, Aesthetics, and the Politics of Elegance by India Low for Liverpool Guild of Students and The Slipperyness of Chicby Marie Solis for The New York Times. 

In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the movieThe Friend’s House Is Here and Jas recommends The Chronology of Water which is in Australian cinemas now. 

Thank you for listening! You can follow us on Instagram here and our Substack here. 

Jas & Mags xo 

Role Model&rsquo;s break-up, the ethics of auto-fiction, and how has the &lsquo;kinda chic&rsquo; trend altered our vocabulary?
Maggie is back from her Europe trip, meaning we're back with a pop culture episode for you!
First up, Role Model and Dakota Johnson have broken up. But wait? Didn't she just feature on a song from his brand new album? Yes. Yes she did. Lena Dunham and Carly Rae Jepsen have teamed up to maximise their joint slay with a &ldquo;10 Things I Hate About You&rdquo; musical. Plus, Rachel Cusk&rsquo;s new book is making headlines in the literary world after the main character in Life of M&nbsp;had some striking similarities to a famous actress. We reference <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/is-rachel-cusk-new-book-really-about-natalie-portman.html">this article</a> from The Cut.
According to social media, everything is chic. But what happens when social media trends hit fever pitch and become meaningless?&nbsp;Earlier this month, Berlin-based fashion editor and influencer Brenda Weischer posted a Substack that picked up a lot of heat. We read from the Substack titled <a href="https://brendahashtag.substack.com/p/oh-my-god-were-in-template-slop">oh my god. we're in template slop?</a> and another by type designer Paola Kassa titled <a href="https://paolakassa.substack.com/p/how-typography-is-making-people-famous">How Typography is Making People Famous</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
We also deep dive on the word 'chic' itself and reference <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/rip-chic-the-word-has-finally-lost-all-meaning">RIP &ldquo;Chic&rdquo; &ndash; The Word Has Finally Lost All Meaning</a> by Lauren O&rsquo;Neill, for British Vogue from 2025.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liverpoolguildstudentmedia.co.uk/2026/02/14/what-is-chic-race-aesthetics-and-the-politics-of-elegance/">What Is Chic? Race, Aesthetics, and the Politics of Elegance</a> by India Low for Liverpool Guild of Students and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/style/chic-kinda-tiktok-trend.html">The Slipperyness of Chic</a> by Marie Solis for The New York Times.&nbsp;
In Bookmarked, Maggie recommends the movie <a href="https://miff.com.au/program/film/the-friends-house-is-here">The Friend&rsquo;s House Is Here</a> and Jas recommends <a href="https://www.cinemanova.com.au/films/chronology-of-water-the">The Chronology of Water</a> which is in Australian cinemas now.&nbsp;
Thank you for listening! You can follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cultureclubpod/">Instagram here</a> and our <a href="https://substack.com/@cultureclubpodcast">Substack here</a>.&nbsp; Jas &amp; Mags xo&nbsp;

The “Kinda Chic” & Yellow Font Epidemic, Plus Role Model’s Break-Up & Auto-Fiction Ethics

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/a7f96bd4-bece-4a6e-a63f-b4b000bc2756/transcript

Why the AI bubble is bound to burst, the influence of Big Tech and the concept of ‘enshittification’ with tech journalist Cory Doctorow.

In today’s episode of Culture Club Chats, we sit down with Canadian-British author, activist, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow.

Cory’s work at the intersection of technology and culture reached new heights following the publication of his 2025 book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.

The term ‘enshittification’ was coined by Cory and describes the degradation of online services and platforms like Facebook, Amazon and X in pursuit of profit. 

In this conversation, Cory unpacks why the AI bubble is bound to burst, how Big Tech has reshaped the internet, and what the future of our increasingly online lives might look like.

Cory is coming to Australia this month. He'll be at Sydney’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas from the 22nd to the 23rd of August, and Melbourne’s Now or Never Festival, presented by The Wheeler Centre, on the 25th of August. 

In Bookmarked, Cory recommends Here Where We Live Is Our Country by Molly Crabapple and Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer.

Thanks for listening - Jas & Mags xo 

Why the AI bubble is bound to burst, the influence of Big Tech and the concept of &lsquo;enshittification&rsquo; with tech journalist Cory Doctorow.
In today&rsquo;s episode of Culture Club Chats, we sit down with Canadian-British author, activist, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow.
Cory&rsquo;s work at the intersection of technology and culture reached new heights following the publication of his 2025 book, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/222376640-enshittification">Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It</a>.
The term &lsquo;enshittification&rsquo; was coined by Cory and describes the degradation of online services and platforms like Facebook, Amazon and X in pursuit of profit.&nbsp;
In this conversation, Cory unpacks why the AI bubble is bound to burst, how Big Tech has reshaped the internet, and what the future of our increasingly online lives might look like.
Cory is coming to Australia this month. He'll be at Sydney&rsquo;s <a href="https://festivalofdangerousideas.com/program/enshittification/">Festival of Dangerous Ideas</a> from the 22nd to the 23rd of August, and Melbourne&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/events-tickets/season-2026/cory-doctorow-enshittification">Now or Never Festival</a>, presented by The Wheeler Centre, on the 25th of August.&nbsp;
In Bookmarked, Cory recommends <a href="https://www.readings.com.au/product/9780593229453/here-where-we-live-is-our-country--molly-crabapple--2026--9780593229453">Here Where We Live Is Our Country</a> by Molly Crabapple and <a href="https://www.dymocks.com.au/inventing-the-renaissance-by-ada-palmer-9781035910120">Inventing the Renaissance</a> by Ada Palmer.
Thanks for listening - Jas &amp; Mags xo&nbsp;

Big Tech, Enshittification & Why AI Isn’t Inevitable, With Tech Journalist Cory Doctorow

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/d5c53632-9fa8-40cc-bdff-b4a900d8a022/transcript

August Curriculum: What We’re Reading, Watching & Listening To

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