14/12 🎄 Christmas 🥂 Spectacular - 2023! 🎅

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This month, Olly, Alix and Ollie gather under the mistletoe for our annual festive ding-dong, with sensational live music, a feelgood Christmas task, and a bucketload of obscene toys.

Deck the Halls!

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First up, Ollie Peart reports back on his mission to unite to match up the world’s Mann-fans via the metric of skills and needs in his philanthrotainment-bashing charity concept, The Modern Mann 2023 Skill-a-thon.

Jingle your bells as he unites mountain climbers and copywriters, graphic designers and charity campaigners, and young farmers with energy consultants. Ho ho ho!

Intrigued? Be the first to join our brand new Discord server!

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Ollie Peart, Olly Mann and Alix Fox, with Dirty Blonde’s Ailis Mackay and Hayley Tait, Dec 2023.

Next up, there’s some superb live music - in the form of an exclusive acoustic performance from duo Ailis Mackay and Hayley Tait, aka Dirty Blonde, whose breakup anthem Favourite Record is, indeed, our favourite record this month👇

What is THIS? We’d like to say that listening to the show will answer that question, but simply cannot make that promise.

Finally, Alix Fox ups the ante yet again with an outrageous edition of her annual XXXmas Foxhole Quiz. 

Faced with a bowl of jelly, a marble run and a devious range of flavoured condoms, can Peart and Mann survive ‘Feet And Sour’, ‘Jellied Eel or No Jellied Eel’ and ‘Kentucky Fried Dickin’?

You’ll have to make it to the end of the show to find out. Which may be a challenge at times.

The Foxhole is sponsored by The Handy, a high-end toy for men that bridges the gap between fantasy and reality.

Get 10% OFF when you use the code FOXHOLE10 on their website.

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This episode is sponsored by:

• Wine52, the wine discovery club that sends delicious wine to your door from a different country each month. Claim your FREE case now - just pay the postage at wine52.com/MANN

• BBC Maestro. Use the code MANN to get your 40% off your favourite video course or 40% off a subscription at https://bbcmaestro.com. Let the greatest be your teacher!

• LISTENERS LIKE YOU. If you can afford to buy us a beer each month to say thank you for making you a free 1hr+ magazine show each month - please do. We rely on your support!

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Thanks for being a Mann-fan - have a very happy Christmas, and we’ll see you with a brand new season of the show on Jan 10th, 2024!

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14/11 - Hearts And Minds

“Seeing a police officer crying in the forest is a beautiful thing for me, because I know how important it is.”

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Caz Jaine faced danger, isolation and even assault when she took a foreign office role in Basra during the ‘reconstruction’ phase of the Iraq war. 

But she thrived on the adrenalin of conflict zones - and was later diagnosed with ‘post-traumatic development’...

As she explains to Olly in this wide-ranging conversation, her subsequent experiences as a Police emergency call handler led her to broaden her self-care and resilience.

Now a meditation teacher, Caz takes police officers on forest retreats, and advocates passionately for culture change and emotional support within blue light professions.

CONTENT WARNING: suicide, self harm, animal harm.

BONUS CONTENT: In this extra bit of audio, Caz shows Olly some breathing techniques and explains how, whatever you do for a living, you can integrate meditation into your daily routine 🎧👇 

Caz Jaine and Olly Mann, Nov 2023

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Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart checks out the trend for ‘philanthrotainment’ - influencers leveraging their platforms to raise money for charity. 

Is the technique - evidenced by the likes of Youtuber Mr Beast and Instagram’s King of Chemo - a more direct, straightforward way of supporting charitable causes than the corruption-prone supply chains of larger organisations?

Or do household name organisations remain the best places to donate, given the administrative struggles of smaller charities? 

With the help of Lucinda Rouse from Third Sector, Ollie navigates the best way to help out this Winter - and establishes his own side-hustle to support Mann-fans in need 👇

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Elsewhere, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox, fresh from discovering the etymological roots of orchids and testicles, advises a widowed Mann-fan about post-bereavement dating.

When is the best time to disclose that your wife has died? Is it best to blurt the information out early, and risk ruining the conversation, or better to wait until you’ve established a deeper connection? And what are the stigmas around desire when you’re recently bereaved? 

With the help of WAY (Widowed And Young) and Lets Talk About Loss, Alix reveals all.

The Foxhole is sponsored by The Handy, a high-end toy for men that bridges the gap between fantasy and reality. Get 10% OFF when you use the code FOXHOLE10 on their website.

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Finally, our record of the month comes from an artist described as one of the most original voices in UK rap - Jelani Blackman - and his current single, Clear👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

If you enjoy listening, please please SUPPORT US! We need your help to continue producing our independent monthly podcast, so buy us a beer via our secure payment page - you can contribute as little and often as you like. Cheers!

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This episode is supported by…

BetterHelp 👇

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

Readly 👇

Readly are offering Mann fans an exclusive, three month FREE trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines. To get yours, go to readly.com/mann

BBC Maestro 👇

Use the code MANN to get your 40% off your favourite video course or 40% off a subscription at https://bbcmaestro.com. Let the greatest be your teacher!

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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.

14/10 - Return To Sender: The Post Office Scandal Revisited

“I am still trying to hold down a job, a day job, while I'm doing all of this. "

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After twenty years, Kamran Ashraf is still seeking justice.

Wrongfully sent to prison by the Post Office, he and his family are one of 700 subpostmasters and sub postmistresses convicted on false evidence - provided by a broken computer system known as Horizon.

Three years after our original interview, we discover what happened next - was his appeal successful? And what will it take to see justice for the hundreds of people affected?

The ‘Horizon scandal’ has since been described as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in recent British legal history. You can discover more at postofficetrial.com.

Our thanks to journalist Nick Wallis for connecting us with Siema and Kam. In the original story, we changed their names to protect their appeal for justice.

Want to support their cause? Consider writing to your MP.

Kamran Ashraf, with wife Siema Kamran

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart has spent the month avoiding Ultra Processed Foods, using The Nova Scale.

Some of Ollie’s experiments with a ‘Mediterranean diet’ in Portugal. Yep.

From sausages to cornichons, Ollie takes us through the things some experts think we should remove from our diet - and reveals a few surprising omissions along the way.

But is the science all it’s cracked up to be, when compared to a liberal dash of salt on a home-cooked meal? And how much of a trend is it really? The Zeitgeist investigates.

The Zeitgeist is supported by DIRTEA, super blends derived from potent functional mushrooms. Get 10% off your first order with promo code MANN at dirteaworld.com/mann

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox conquers her very specific fear of diving near an airport - and then in our listener question of the month, advises a Mann-fan who has vestibulodynia, a condition that leads to chronic pain around the vagina. So how can she and her partner conceive a baby in the old-fashioned way?

With the help of The Vulva Pain Society, Alix discusses the fun of playing with insemination kits, and conception-friendly lubes like Conceive Plus and Pre Seed.

If you have a sex or relationship question you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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For our record of the month, we welcome British indie pop artist flowerovlove and her energetic new single, ‘Next Best Exit’ 👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

If you enjoy listening, please please SUPPORT US! We need your help to continue producing our independent monthly podcast, so buy us a beer via our secure payment page - you can contribute as little and often as you like. Cheers!

_____________________

This episode is supported by…

BetterHelp 👇

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

Readly 👇

Readly are offering Mann fans an exclusive, three month FREE trial of unlimited newspapers and magazines. To get yours, go to readly.com/mann

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14/9 - The Private Prosecutor

“Accept nothing. Believe no one. Check everything."

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Britain’s shoplifters fear David McKelvey. His companies, TM Eye and My Local Bobby, have brought over 1,200 private prosecutions - and never lost a case. 

Commandeering a commercial force of savvy ex-coppers, David pursues thieves the Police usually let go with a caution - guys who steal steaks from Waitrose and flog them to restaurants, and housewives hawking fake handbags on Facebook. 

In this wide-ranging and illuminating conversation with Olly, David explains how private individuals can make arrests and bring court cases; answers the criticisms of the system thrown up by the Post Office scandal; and explains why buying counterfeit designer labels from car boot sales is not simply a crime of copyright theft - but the tip of a large-scale operation that can involve child labour, toxic materials, and terrorist gangs…

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David McKelvey and Olly Mann, August 2023.

Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart enlists the help of former Top Gear presenter Rory Reid to investigate just how environmentally-friendly electric vehicles truly are. 

Does the intensive production process, and consequences of battery manufacture, have an adverse effect on an EV’s eco-credentials?

Is the higher upfront cost of going electric justified by the lower running cost compared to petrol? And to what extent does it matter what country you’re in, and what their energy mix is? Ollie finds out…

The Zeitgeist is supported by DIRTEA, super blends derived from potent functional mushrooms. Get 10% off your first order with promo code MANN at dirteaworld.com/mann

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox takes to the skies in a ‘very forgiving’ Microlight, returning just in time to discuss a letter from an anonymous Mannfan experiencing insecurity about his small penis, and intense jealousy about his partner's past sexual experiences.

What societal pressures or personal triggers lay behind this sudden self-doubt? How best to communicate his feelings with his apparently blameless wife? And just how important is penis size when it comes to sexual satisfaction in a straight relationship?

With the help of psychosexual and relationship therapist Silva Neves, and Lynsey Murray, of Relationship Matters, Texas, Alix has the answers…

If you have a sex or relationship question you’d like Alix to answer, fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Finally, our record of the month sees the triumphant return of Modern Mann favourite Griff, with her ‘heartbreak’ choon, Vertigo, out now.’ 👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

If you enjoy listening, please please SUPPORT US! We need your help to continue producing our independent monthly podcast, so buy us a beer via our secure payment page - you can contribute as little and often as you like. Cheers!

_____________________

This episode is supported by BetterHelp.

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

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14/8 - How To Be A Dad, Part 9

“What Santa means to people - that’s definitely real. After that: who can say?”

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Tom Price and Stuart Goldsmith return to the show to compare notes with Olly on raising their now seven-and-a-half year-old boys.

Can they now swear freely in front of their kids? How best to deal with ‘8pm extension negotiations’ at bedtime? And how should one answer the ‘Is Santa real?’ question?

Plus, how to use Frozen 2 as a teaching device, the pitfalls of monitoring WhatsApp messages, and the foolproof way to extract young children from softplay…

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

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 is investigating the trend for Looksmaxing.

Stu, Olly and Tom - July 2023

‘How LooksMaxxing Can Improve Your Appearance in 30 Days’… will Ollie Peart rise to the challenge?

After a month of ‘mewing’, jaw-stretching, lip-brushing, face-cleansing, drinking more water, vitamin D, trimming his beard and working out… does Ollie feel any different?

Or, more to the point, in a world where your desirability is numerically ranked on Reddit, and superkeen lookmaxxers even resort to cosmetic surgery, is how you feel even relevant?

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by DIRTEA. Find your favorite mushroom powder and get 10% off your first order with promo code MANN at dirteaworld.com/mann

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox has news of not one but TWO new treatments for erectile dysfunction: topical gel Eroxon and some EMS patches from IN2 Patch. Could they provide an answer for ED sufferers who can’t or won’t take pills?

Batman (1966). Did watching this classic show inspire Chris’ smoking fetish?

In our listener question of the month, Alix advises Mann-fan Chris, who wants to know if the roots of his smokish fetish lie in the 1966 TV version of Batman. To what extent does the telly we watch as children inspire our desires later?

With the help of Calandra Balfour, fetish expert from dating and social app WeAreX, Alix explains that many members of the WAM (Wet and Messy fetishism) community can also trace their interests directly to the gunge-drenched TV of their youth… and asks whether smoking fetish will soon be replaced - by vaping…

CONTENT WARNING: reference to child sexual abuse.

If you have a question of sex you’d like Alix to answer (or a trend you’d like to challenge Ollie to try), fill in the Feedback form. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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For our record of the month, get your sitars out because Kula Shaker are BACK! Their super-Summery single ‘Waves’ is out now 👇

Love the show? Help us make it! 💰

We rely on listeners like you to fund our independent podcast and bring you these stories. DONATE HERE

… And we’ll see you again on September 10th.

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This episode is supported by BetterHelp.

Get started today and enjoy 10% off your first month of convenient and affordable therapy when you visit https://betterhelp.com/mann

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