14/12 🎄 Christmas 🥂 Spectacular - 2023! 🎅

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

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!

____________________

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!

____________________

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.

_____________________

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!

————————————

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!

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

13/12 🎄 Christmas 🥂 Spectacular - 2022! 🎅

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

This month, Olly, Alix and Ollie gather round the podcasting chimney for a festive knees-up, with musical guest Ashley Singh and entrepreneur Jules Parker.

There are yuletide songs, holiday films, a ‘Christmas collab’ - and, of course, the LEGENDARY XXXMas Foxhole Christmas Quiz.

Ho ho ho!

____________________

First up, Ollie Peart has bought his one year-old child a skateboard, so can he be trusted to go into business with fabulous start-ups run by Mann-fans?

(Spoiler: yes he can - and you can buy the result NOW at https://modernmann.co.uk/shop)

With the help of Manchester’s Brick Chocolate, beard specialists Runesilk and craft evangelists Knit Slips, Ollie wraps up 2022 with a collab-tastic way to support British artisan producers.

____________________

Ashley Singh, Alix Fox, Olly Mann and Ollie Peart, Dec 2022

Then, there’s some superb live music - in the form of an exclusive acoustic performance from singer-songwriter Ashley Singh, whose heartbreak anthem Autopilot is our Record of the Month 👇

In our chat, Ashley also reveals his disappointing middle name, explains why he has a burner phone, and reveals his soft-spot for Jim Broadbent!

_____________________

Next up, Jules Parker, a metalworker from East Sussex, has come to chat to Olly.

His side-hustle is Moot - a lingerie store for men, offering sensual underwear for people with penises.

Does he see a mainstream future for lacey men’s undies? And what does he wear when he goes to the GP? Jules reveals all… 

_____________________

Finally, Alix Fox has outdone herself with a laugh-out-loud edition of our annual XXXmas Foxhole Quiz.

This year, Olly takes on Ollie in a game of ‘Murder She Scrote’; erotic titles are conjured from thin air; and there’s a harrowing round of ‘Two Ollies, One Cup’.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

(For more Foxhole chaos, check out this teaser video, thanks to PlayWivMe.com)

_____________________

This episode is sponsored by:

• Stitch Fix, the personal styling site that sends you great clothes to try on at home. Get £10 off your first purchase at StitchFix.co.uk/mann

• 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

• Manscaped, now offering their Ultra Smooth Package for sale in Europe. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

• 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!

————————————

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, 2023!

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

12/12 - Christmas SPECTACULAR! 2021

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

Meeeeeeerrry Christmas, Mannfans!

This year Olly, Alix and Ollie have have headed to Bournemouth for their annual get-together, joined by young troubadour Thomas Headon and surprise special guests.

It’s stuffed full with songs, reminiscences and parlour games - and, of course, the legendary XXXmas Foxhole Christmas Quiz.

————————————

First up, new father Ollie Peart has broken his dietary habits and started eating meat again - and also the habit of a lifetime by finally listening to a ‘How To Be A Dad’ episode. Having abandoned both pescatarianism and bachelorhood, can he be trusted to lifehack a Moses basket?

————————————

Next, there’s some superb live music - in the form of an exclusive acoustic performance from singer-songwriter Thomas Headon, whose poppy earworm, Strawberry Kisses, is our Record of the Month.

Thomas chats to Olly about the weirdest things he’s been sent by his teenage fans; how Aussie Christmas measures up to British Christmas; and why Urban Dictionary may not be the best source to interpret the meaning of ‘Strawberry Kisses’…

A Christmas jumper and a buffet of chocolate foofs: it can only be Alix’s XXXmas Quiz.

You can hear all our music selections from the past five years in this Spotify playlist.

Finally, the year’s sexscapades reach a thrilling climax with Alix Fox digging deep in her box of questionable props for another unforgettable XXXmas Foxhole Quiz.

Olly takes on Ollie in a sex toy-inspired rap battle; there’s a fight to the death in a pelvic pumping challenge; and a Durex advent calendar is plundered for a flying penis. You will squirm, you will learn, you will laugh.

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.

————————————

This episode of The Modern Mann is proudly supported by:

• Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. Claim your FREE case right now at beer52.com/Modern.

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

————————————
We also need your donations to keep going.

We’re a totally independent podcast - our only income comes from the adverts you hear and the money you give.

If you value what we do, support us to produce more.

Thanks, and happy Christmas!
————————————

We’ll see you with a brand new season of the show on Jan 10.

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

11/12 - Christmas SPECTACULAR! 2020

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

Ho ho ho!

In this bumper Christmas special, our three households unite (at an appropriate social distance, of course) for a festive mix of songs, reminiscences and parlour games - and, of course, the legendary XXXmas Foxhole Christmas Quiz.

In the Zeitgeist, our one-man matchmaker Ollie Peart explores the unsettling uptick in loneliness wrought by the events of 2020 - and decides to turn the tide with his bespoke Match-A-Mate service.

Can his unique algorithm (‘If there’s one thing you can get on with somebody about, it’s something that you both hate’) unite together Mannfans as diverse as a Vancouver-based priest and a Mancunian theoretical physicist?

Fifty one-on-one Zoom calls later, he provides audio evidence that suggests that, well, just maybe it can…

————————————

Next, as has become traditional, there’s some superb live music - in the form of an exclusive performance from singer-songwriter Griff.

She talks to Olly about her ‘best worst year ever’ - being nominated for an Ivor Novello award whilst still in her teens, yet thwarted from playing to live crowds - and treats us to two stripped-down tracks: a haunting rendition of single 1,000,000 X Better, and our Record of the Month, ‘Love is a Compass’ - as featured in this year’s Disney Christmas ad.

You can hear all our music selections from the past five years in this Spotify playlist.

————————————

Disney are donating 100% of proceeds for every download made before 31 December 2020 to Make-A-Wish, a charity helping bring small gifts of joy to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Finally, the year’s sexscapades reach a thrilling climax with Alix Fox digging deep in her box of questionable props for another truly unforgettable XXXmas Foxhole Christmas Quiz.

Can Olly Mann locate the labia in under two minutes? Can Ollie Peart stomach a squizz of Bijoux Indiscrets ‘Blowjob Spray’? And how will the boys fare as their anatomical knowledge is put to the test, with the aid of a Dick On A Stick cock-waffle? You will squirm, you will learn, you will laugh.

The Foxhole is sponsored by The Condom People, where you can discreetly purchase premium condoms and lubes including vegan-friendly Skyns and German brand On. Get 15% off with the code FOXHOLE at TheCondomPeople.com.

————————————

This episode of The Modern Mann is proudly supported by:

• Virtual Game Night, the fully interactive gameshow experience. To turn your next virtual gathering into a Virtual Game Night, visit virtualgamenight.live/mann for a free demo. Then, take 20% off any package with the code MANN20.

• Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. Claim your FREE case right now at beer52.com/Modern.

————————————
We also need your donations to keep going.

We’re a totally independent podcast - our only income comes from the adverts you hear and the money you give.

Despite everything 2020 has chucked at us, we’ve still cranked out monthly episodes, thanks to YOUR contributions.

We’ve taken you door-to-door on the election trail, exposed injustice in one of our biggest institutions, and brought you an exclusive interview with one of the most unassuming success stories in UK tech history.

No celebs, no-one trying to shift copies of their memoirs... we share these stories with you because they matter. 

If you value what we do, support us to produce more.

Thank you.
————————————

Happy Christmas!

Stay safe, and we’ll see you with a brand new season of the show on Jan 10.

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

10/9 - How To Write A Christmas Hit

Slade. Wizzard. Wham!

When it comes to Christmas songs, we know what we like, and we like what we know.

But is there a magical formula to writing a festive hit? Can a novice, armed with the right chords, instruments and lyrical motifs, unlock the secret to cracking the Christmas charts?

Last year, our very own Ollie Peart attempted to give it a go. This is his story…

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

Including footage never previously broadcast, in this feature-length documentary Olly Mann tracks Ollie’s journey, as he consults music journalist Chris Lochery and songwriter Philippe-Marc Anquetil to discover the role of ‘freewriting’, the significance of writing in a major key, and the importance of ‘finding the line’.

The Sounds Of Christmas was released in December 2018 - but we’ve never announced its final chart position, or revealed how much money it made for charity, until now.

There’s also a BRAND NEW 2019 MIX OF THE SONG for you to buy.

As before, Ollie’s share of the publishing rights, and every penny of artist royalties, go to Samuel’s Charity. Get it HERE.

Samuel's Charity work with underfunded children's wards in the UK to provide support and comfort to families. From supplying decent meals and internet access, to medical kit that makes children's live that much more comfortable, Samuel's Charity makes a positive difference to hundreds of family's lives at a very stressful time.

If, after hearing Olly meet Samuel’s dad, Martin, you’d like to make the charity a festive donation, please do so HERE.

Big thanks to all the podcasters who gave their time and participated in the song, including: The Guilty Feminist, The Two Shot Podcast, Do The Right Thing, Answer Me This!, Wannabe, The Tip Off, The Comedian’s Comedian, The Beef and Dairy Network, Fun Kids Radio, and For F1’s Sake.

Remember, this whole mad enterprise began when Jim Taylor, occasional member of Reverend And The Makers, sent Ollie a challenge by filling in our Feedback form. If YOU have an idea of a trend for Ollie to investigate in our next season of The Modern Mann, contact us now!

Here’s the video Ollie made for the song, featuring Mann-fans from around the world:

We’ll be back with a brand new episode on Wednesday, January 1st 2020. Until then… Happy Christmas!

This episode is supported by Beer52.com - the UK’s No.1 beer club. Mannfans can claim a FREE case of beer, worth £24 at beer52.com/mann.