7/8 - Cloudspotting

‘I just feel like there’s lots of spaces where I don’t belong, and I’m not welcome’

Professional dancer Raquel Meseguer had back surgery at the age of thirty, to treat chronic neuropathic pain. But, it didn’t alleviate her symptoms.

In this insightful interview with Olly, she explains how this bombshell has impacted upon the daily practicalities of her life, why she doesn’t feel welcome in our ‘vertical culture’, and how well-meaning members of the public have repeatedly shamed her for committing the cardinal sin of... lying down.

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* NEW: You can now also listen to the show via our new Alexa Skill on your Alexa-enabled device. Get it here.

If you’d like to find out more about Raquel’s quest to establish a network of public resting spaces, visit uncharteredcollective.com

In this week’s Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart ponders the emergence of trendy ‘microbrands’ on Instagram, reveals a surprising sensitivity to salt, and undertakes a challenge to test the best recipe boxes on the market. (On the list: Hello Fresh, Gousto, Mindful Chef, Born And Bred and Bakedin)

Meanwhile, down the Foxhole, Alix Fox is back on Bumble but avoiding ‘The Tinder Trance’, and ready to advise a listener keen to explore the world of tantric sex.

The Foxhole, as ever, is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - visit their store to get your mitts on an astonishing range of condoms, lubes and toys; and remember to use our code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF.

In this week’s Lifehack, Jenni Gwiazdowski of the London Bike Kitchen offers up her Top 3 tips on keeping your bike happy - pump your tyres, clean your chain, and take your bike into the shower (really). To hear more from Jenni, check out her podcast ‘Wheel Suckers’.

Finally, our record of the week is ‘Glue’, by Toronto-based band Bernice:

If you’d like to offer your services as a sponsor or Mannbassador, or you'd like to propose a trend challenge for Ollie, a question of sex for Alix, or a guest suggestion for Olly, just fill in our feedback form. 

This week’s show is supported by Harrys. Alix Fox uses their razors on her muff. To get started shaving with Harry’s today, claim your Trial Set for £3.95. It includes a razor handle, 5-blade cartridge, foaming shave gel and travel blade cover – all delivered to your door.

See You Next Tuesday!

4/5 - The Quiet Ones

"You're silent on the surface - but you're incredibly noisy in your head"

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From Morrissey to Laurence Olivier, public figures through history have channelled shyness and stage-fright into their work. But is shyness a useful tool - or is uninhibited confidence a better way to navigate the modern world?

In this episode, social and cultural historian Joe Moran talks to Olly about the implicit difficulty of silence, the internal monologues that plague him in social situations, and how shy people can weaponise irony, distance and aloofness to their advantage...

The Lego 'hooliganism set' really did exist, in 1998...

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Joe's book, Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness, is out now. Thanks to the Southbank Centre - the interview was recorded backstage at their annual ‘Being A Man’ festival.

Meanwhile, over in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart explains how your car can interact with your ‘environmental happenings’, previews a forthcoming political bout, and reveals where you can buy a ‘Breaking Bad’ lego set.

And, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox ponders why she is having some difficulty finding the perfect partner, and offers some advice for a listener whose lover suffers from vaginismus. (Some useful resources Alix mentions in the show: Sarah Berry's blog and forum, 'Hey Vaginismus!', and the vaginismus episode of Alix's podcast for The Guardian, Close Encounters.)

Got a question of sex for next week’s show? Just fill in our Feedback form - you can remain anonymous if you like. The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.com - use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ at Checkout to receive an astonishing 15% OFF.

Finally,our song of the week comes from Artificial Pleasure, who you can catch touring in April. It’s called ‘All I Got’, and it’s out now:

Until next week, Mann-fans - do feel free to buy us a beer, write us a review or watch Modern Mann Extra - and we'll See You Next Tuesday!

3/9 - Mr Panto

Hollywood stars, regional theatres and slapstick comedy - how to make the perfect Panto 

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Eric Potts and John Thomson in Aladdin at the Manchester Opera House

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Olly Mann and Eric Potts

Pantomime: the most peculiarly British of festive entertainments.

Each year, we Brits gather the family together to watch the same old stories. To cheer at the hero, hiss at the baddies, and watch a bloke in drag doing the same call-and-response routines that have enraptured crowds since the days of music hall. Why? 

Eric Potts is a maestro of the genre. As head writer for First Family Entertainments, he churns out ten panto scripts per year, and even finds time to play the Dame in one of them (this year, Aladdin in Manchester)

In this insightful interview with Olly, he explains why super-producers have duopolized the industry, how they persuade Hollywood stars to come over and tread the boards (it’s not just the money...), and why the key to panto success is not tradition or nostalgia - but ADVENTURE.

(Oh Yes It Is!)

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Also this week: Ollie Peart uses his Instagram account as an experiment in automation, and, after an extended Super Mario Run session, offers up one-handed gaming to The Zeitgeist. Plus, why the pen-and-paper notebook just might be a thing of the past.

And - jingle your balls! - Alix Fox finishes us off with a festive Foxhole for all the Modern Mann family. You’ll learn about ‘the Smith’s Salt N Shake of condoms’, why you should ‘get lusty with leftovers’, and how ‘sex Bisto’ might change your bedroom in a very special XXXmas edition of Alix’s favourite party game, ‘Tip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!’. The Foxhole is proudly sponsored by our friends at MyCondom.Com - use the discount code ‘FOXHOLE’ to get 15% OFF at Checkout.

Finally, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a good sing-a-long, so do wrap your ears around our song of the week, ‘Honest’, by Martha Gunn. 

And remember, in this time of goodwill to all Mann, that we are always thrilled to receive your monies in exchange for this humble podcast offering. If you’d like to donate, we’d be ever so grateful, guv. Just click Beer Money.

Merry Christmas one and all - we’ll see you straight after the holidays, for our season finale!