12/10 - Military Surplus

“The macho side of me took over. It just said, this isn’t happening.”

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Ken, Kevin and Martin are armed forces veterans.

They were discharged from the military; their comrades never discovering why.

This Remembrance Sunday, for the first time, they’ve been invited to march past the Cenotaph. 

It’s a story of double lives, court payouts and military secrets - and what happened when three men told the truth.

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Until 12th January, 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Army, Royal Navy and RAF.

If they were outed, they could lose their medals, their pensions and their jobs, and sometimes serve a prison sentence.  The British Government finally apologised for the policy in 2020.

Thanks to Fighting With Pride, the LGBT+ military charity, for putting us in touch.

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This episode is sponsored by Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. For an exclusive FREE trial case of 10 beers, a magazine and a snack, visit beer52.com/modern 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, expectant father Ollie Peart - fresh from packing off his precious snood to the wilds of Colorado - has been investigating the trend for baby showers.

Have ‘gender reveal’ events taken over from ‘traditional’ showers?

Does anyone REALLY make nappy cakes and go nipple bobbing?

And is there a quieter, more British equivalent, please?

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Kevin Bazeley

Martin Diver

Ken Wright, who now runs the Phoenix Arts Club

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox  takes time off from plugging ‘Sex Education’ to ask: should self-pleasure ever be a guitly pleasure?

Listener ‘Worried Wanker in West Watford’ has begun secretly tossing one out in the shower each morning to satisfy his urges - while his partner’s sex drive has decreased due to anti-depression meds.

But the couple have a ‘no wanking in the house’ rule. Is this sustainable?

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is ‘Moody’ from the fabulous Self Esteem, whose new album drops on 22nd October. Finally, a song about mental health we can dance to! 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on November 10th.

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12/9 - An Abortion

“There’s a huge amount of guilt about the decision that I didn’t feel that I had an option but to make.”

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Pippa spent eight months struggling to conceive her second child. Then, on the brink of beginning IVF, she discovered she was pregnant.

But, at ten weeks, she discovered there was a more than 99% chance that her foetus had Down's Syndrome. She and her husband Joe had already decided that, in this situation, they would have an abortion.

In this brutally honest conversation with Olly, Pippa explains how the experience left her feeling guilty, compromised, and unsupported; and how she still struggles to reconcile the fact that she chose to terminate the baby she had wanted so much…

The NHS has a page offering support for those considering termination for foetal anomaly here.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from accruing sixty (60!) followers on Spotify with his musical pseudonym Captain Spronk - has spent the past month learning to knit.

Is this trend for young men taking up knitting limited to influencers like Tom Daley and Ryan Gosling? Where do hipsters go to discover the latest patterns? And can Ollie make an actual full-length SCARF on his first attempt?

With the help of Mann-fan Tom Adkins, Wool and the Gang, and some ancient episodes of The X Files, Ollie will reveal all…

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Ollie catches up with The X Files

Ollie with his baby beanie AND snood!

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox  is intrigued by the release of a male contraceptive device, the ‘Andro-Switch’ ring - and tackles a listener query from a lady who wants to know how she and her partner should refer to her vagina in bed.

Is there a catch-all term that’s fit for purpose? How should a couple begin an erotic conversation? And is ‘willy’ an acceptable designation for men?

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is the surprise new drop from Biffy Clyro - an epic six minuter! It’s called ‘Unknown Male 01’ 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on October 10th.

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

12/8 - The Knock On The Door

“Everybody I knew was on it. I thought, well, they obviously don't care that much, because every teacher is doing it.”

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Teaching English in Beijing seemed like a great opportunity for Welsh graduate Glen Williams, who had previously spent time studying in China. He could brush up on his Mandarin, work with kids… and earn up to £3k per month, tax free.

The hitch? The agency that placed him told him that every three months, he’d need to spend the weekend in Seoul - a ‘visa trip’ that, he soon discovered, was commonplace amongst ex-pat EFL teachers. 

Then, one day, they changed their tune. “If the Police ask you”, they said, “tell them you sell whiteboards”.

In this interview with Olly, Glen reveals what happened next… 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from mastering ‘the Crow Pose’ on Instagram, attempts to dominate the internet through the medium of keyword spamming. 

Can his well-established musical talent - now masquerading as alter-ego Captain Spronk - stretch to luring in listeners with clickbait titles like ‘Music For Focus’, ‘Music For Meditation’, and, um, ‘Olly Mann’?

Judge for yourself, if you dare 👇  

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Glen and some of the kids he taught in Beijing

The letter banning Glen from China for 5 years

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox (having learnt the ropes of ‘Satanic Feminism’) helps out an anonymous listener with post-coital dysphoria (PCD) - a condition that can cause feelings of sadness, agitation, and crying after intercourse.

Why have we evolved to feel disgust at the things that previously made us horny? How much is chemical, and how much is shame? And what post-sex rituals can you employ to reset your emotions? Alix, as ever, has the answers...

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is ‘Kamali’, the new single by Priya Ragu; part of her mixtape dropping on September 3rd:

This episode of The Modern Mann is sponsored by “the healthcare workers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who want to thank the other workers worldwide that have done such great work - in the spirit of moving on collectively to a better place". Thanks guys!

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on September 10th.

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

12/7 - Why Do I Collapse When I Laugh?

“My body's paralysed, but my mind still works. I can still hear everything being said”

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Living with narcolepsy - a rare condition that can cause you to fall asleep wherever you are, or whatever you’re doing - required Antonia Gentile to surrender her driving license, and step back from performing, cooking and even reading.

As she explains to Olly, narcolepsy and cataplexy are isolating and debilitating ‘hidden disabilities’. But they can be somewhat treated through awareness and good ‘sleep hygiene’.

If you’re struggling with sleep issues, Antonia recommends sleep improvement app Sleepio, and the charity Narcolepsy UK.

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Ollie modelling his home-dyed T-shirt.

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from uncovering rude place names in his new podcast for the BBC, gets down and dirty in his recycling bin.

Can he rise to the challenge of living a waste-free life?

After experimenting with the advice on Trash is for Tossers, and registering for the Too Good To Go app, the culmination of his efforts is… steaming an old T-shirt in banana skins, broadbeans, and sweet potato scraps.

Greta Thunberg will be DEAD impressed…

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox helps out an anonymous listener who enjoys occasional anal sex with his wife - but is now worried he’s pressured her into it.

Is it fair to ask for anal sex when your partner isn’t finding it satisfying? If it’s not traumatising or upsetting her, and she’s consenting to it, should it be abandoned because it doesn’t give her physical pleasure?

It’s all about being ‘GGG’ (Dan Savage’s mantra: ‘good, giving, and game’), advises Alix, in this fascinating conversation.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is the new one from Hampshire trio Drug Store Romeos - it’s called Secret Plan, and it’s from their forthcoming debut album, ‘The world within our bedrooms’":

This episode of The Modern Mann is only possible thanks to the generosity of listeners LIKE YOU.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on August 10 - in the meantime, do check out Olly and Producer Matt’s BRAND NEW, DAILY PODCAST The Retrospectors!

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12/6 - How To Be A Dad, Part 7

“Who cares about the back garden? Rewild it, and go and do some Lego”

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Bedtime stories, ‘social stalking’ and sugar-rationing are on the menu as Olly reunites with comedy podcasters Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith to compare notes on fatherhood. 

Their sons are now five years old, and in this episode our Dads ruminate on ‘world-building’, how to make friends at pick-up time, and the dangers of doing a 'Hot Wheels Hunt'.

To catch up on the story so far, visit modernmann.co.uk/Dads.

And check out Tom and Stu’s podcasts, ‘My Mate Bought A Toaster’ and ‘The Comedian’s Comedian’, wherever you get your podcasts. 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart tries his hand at flying a plane - or, at least, a flight simulator, courtesy of Simulator Adventures in Media City, Salford.

Will he be able to keep a ‘fly by wire’ Airbus A320 airborne and steady, without getting distracted by the on-board horn and windscreen wipers? How much does a box-fresh aeroplane seat cost? And is his dream flight from Southampton to Bournemouth all it’s cracked up to be?

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If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Their Performance Package is the perfect gift for Father’s Day! Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox helps out George - a former sex-worker now experiencing difficulties disassociating from the performative parts of his sex life.

In a world in which webcam platforms and OnlyFans have introduced a ‘WFH’ generation to sex work, is this a problem that’s set to grow?

With help from former sex workers Kitty Stryker and Jason Domino, Alix suggests support groups like SWAI and Umbrella Lane; experiments with sensory changes and blindfolding in the bedroom; and considers the ‘social capital’ of George’s relationship.

 The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month comes from iconic indie popsters James - and the single ‘Beautiful Beaches’ from their new album ‘All The Colours Of You’, out now:

This episode of The Modern Mann is only possible thanks to the generosity of listeners LIKE YOU.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on July 10 - in the meantime, do check out our BRAND NEW, DAILY PODCAST The Retrospectors!

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn