Stop Everything!

Stop Everything! We're stopping … everything. After nearly eight years of unapologetically overthinking pop culture, it's time to say goodbye.Bev shares the Stop Everything! origin story, Hannah has a chuffed to end all chuffeds, and we're sharing messages you've sent in from Stop Everything world.

Beverley's back from her trip and joins Hannah to share some news about the future of Stop Everything!Send us your thoughts about Stop Everything! Or what has you chuffed. Write or leave us a voice mail at stopeverything@abc.net.au

Is it possible to authentically share the reality of being a mum, online?Hannah is joined by comedian and mum of two, Rhiannon Down, to compare algorithms and their fraught relationships with mumfluencer content.Whether it's mums in spotless kitchens showing off their meticulously organised nappy bags or chaotic scenes interspersed with skincare routines and over the top parties, finding accurate and relatable depictions of motherhood online can be a challenge.Hannah and Rhi also delve into their favourite fictional depictions of motherhood that have captured something true about the postpartum experience.Share your thoughts write or leave us a voice mail at stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:A review of season one of The Letdown: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-30/the-letdown-on-abc-is-painfully-real-and-painfully-funny/11156346Kathryn VanArendonk's review of Jane the Virgin: https://www.vulture.com/2015/11/jane-the-virgin-recap-season-2-episode-6.htmlRhiannon Down's instagram: rhi down (@rhidown) • Instagram photos and videos

Hannah's chuffed by a southern gothic vampire horror film now available to stream, while Bec's binging police procedurals.Set in the 1930s and written and directed by Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Sinners stars Coogler's long-time collaborator Michael B Jordan l. Jordan plays identical twins with dreams of setting up a juke joint, who instead face down the supernatural.And comedy writer Bec Shaw has delved into the archives to watch some cosy crime shows, rotating between Bones, Castle and Elementary. Her top pick is Elementary starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu in a modern reimagining of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.au

Hannah and comedy writer Bec Shaw talk about how hard it is for comedians to break through now that the site formerly known as Twitter is objectively wretched.Yet life (comedy) finds a way, so Bec shares her somewhat definitive list of the emerging comedians to watch, and how their work — from the silly to the political — can be a balm in these dark times.And we sidebar on the break-up of Australia's royal couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Bec Shaw's viral article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/16/i-knew-one-day-id-have-to-watch-powerful-men-burn-the-world-down-i-just-didnt-expect-them-to-be-such-losersPaloma Paris's single Good Boy: Paris Paloma — Good Boy [Official Music Video]The New Yorker profile on Jacqueline Novak: The Anxious Precision of Jacqueline Novak's Comedy | The New Yorker

Elizabeth Gilbert's 2006 self-help memoir Eat Pray Love turned the writer into a pop culture phenomenon, championed by Oprah. She became an emblem of white woman spiritual fulfilment/enlightenment/liberation.Almost two decades later, Gilbert is back with a new memoir titled All the Way to the River: Love, Loss, and Liberation. But as she herself admits, the Gilbert we come to know in this latest book is far from the "nice lady who wrote Eat Pray Love". It focuses on 18 turbulent months in Gilbert's life, after she gets together with her best friend Rayya who has a terminal cancer diagnosis. Both women are addicts and Gilbert goes into detail about the love and dysfunction that unfolds between them. Hannah and guest host Jen Wong ask: Where does the book's brutal revelations leave the acolytes living Gilbert's Eat Pray Love lifestyle? Do we now know too much about Elizabeth Gilbert? And why did she publish those poems?Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:The Conversation All the Way to the River review: Wealthy, whiny and wildly tone deaf: Elizabeth Gilbert's new memoir exemplifies 'priv-lit'Jennifer Wong's upcoming events: Events — Jennifer Wong

We're chuffed about a new Australian sequel and a pop culture podcast that delves into the lives of c-grade celebrities.Hannah's sharing a long time listen; Who? Weekly, a pop culture podcast that delves into the celebrities you probably haven't heard of, reality contestants, YouTube stars, the "who?'s" of the world. And writer and film critic Jared Richards is chuffed by Top End Bub, a series sequel to the 2019 rom-com Top End Wedding, starring Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee.Show notes:Who? Weekly podcast: https://www.whoweekly.us/

From Twilight to the new War of the Worlds offering from Amazon and every bit of slop (AI or human) served up on social media, we're devouring it — but why?Hannah's joined by writer and film critic Jared Richards to try to understand why we can't look away from the unsavoury content being delivered up by our algorithms. Are we seeking it out for the feeling of superiority, the draw of the grotesque or simply the communal bonding experience of viewing and commenting on the obscure?Also, we sidebar on the Emmy Awards winners, snubs and highlights this year.Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Kirbpiemayo mixes chicken with ice cream: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirbpiemayo/video/7463141724605451526?_r=1&_t=ZS-8zd4IG2Z61gThe Princess Ayesha instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DM_WO0cz1Q7/

We're chuffed by two shows that have gone a bit under the radar on the streaming platforms.Hannah can't look away from the Netflix series Sirens: Survive the Island, the Korean reality series that drops teams of women onto a deserted island featuring fortified bases and rugged terrain as they battle to capture their opponent's flag.Guest critic Clare Rawlinson LOL'd nonstop watching In the Know, a stop motion comedy series, set in an American public radio station that feels a little too real.And Hannah and Clare share a couple of their picks for the Radio National top 100 favourite books. Don't miss out on having your say in Australia's favourite books from the 21st Century.Tell us what's got you chuffed. Write to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Radio National 100 favourite books: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/countdown/top100books

The creators of The Office (US) have returned with The Paper: a new series set in a struggling local newspaper. We put it to the test to see if it can match the magic of the original.Hannah and guest critic Clare Rawlinson also share their experiences in a contracting media landscape and local newspapers, and how The Paper taps into the erosion of news coverage occurring worldwide.Plus, we sidebar on the best moments from the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, arguably the least serious yet most fun of all the awards nights.Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Vote in Radio National's 100 favourite books: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/radionational/countdown/top100books

We're chuffed by the expansion of the sci-fi horror franchise Aliens and the relaunch of a popular parenting podcast.Hannah's watching the new Disney + series Alien: Earth which has all the familiar hallmarks of the original; face huggers, dark spaceships and creepy eggs but with an expanded world and moments of chaotic humour. And Clare's chuffed by the funny and smart conversations about parenting dilemmas in the relaunched Mamamia podcast, Parenting Out Loud.Get in touch: What's got you chuffed? Write or send a voice note to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:PARENTING OUT LOUD: The Third Kid Dessert Analogy & FFS, Please Stop With The Texts: PARENTING OUT LOUD: The Third Kid Dessert Analogy & FFS, Please Stop With The Texts

We’re talking about two princesses of pop culture after the release of a new season of With Love, Meghan and Taylor Swift’s engagement photos.  The Duchess of Sussex is back sharing her kitchen with celebrity cooks and TV stars, sprinkling dried flowers with abandon and dishing up tartines (aka fancy toast). But... why? Hannah and guest co-host Clare Rawlinson also unpack how the engagement of TnT (Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) plays into princess fantasies, and the reaction from Taylor’s global fanbase. Get in touch: write or send a voice memo to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes: Daniela Elsa's review of With Love, Meghan: https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/meghan-markles-new-big-budget-netflix-show-cant-hide-one-major-issue/news-story/0d23ecbec34e78436e21d29edbc4596c Taylor Swift's engaged: https://www.instagram.com/taylorswift/

This week Hannah and Bev are chuffed by the stuff that reminds them of their culture. Hannah’s chuffed by Long Story Short, Netflix’s time-jumping animated series about the Jewish-American Schwooper family, and Bev’s chuffed by Left-Handed Girl, a feature about a woman and her two daughters making a living in a Taipei night market, from Taiwanese-American director Shih-Ching Tsou, co-written and edited by Sean Baker. Tell us what’s got you chuffed: write to stopeverything@abc.net.au

The Stop Everything! celebrity book club is in session for a dissection of Gwyneth: The Biography by author and journalist Amy Odell, who also wrote the New York Times-bestselling biography about Vogue’s Anna Wintour. “Confident” and “oblivious” are two words the author uses repeatedly to describe the Oscar-winning actress turned Goop CEO. But what other life experiences propelled Gwyneth’s pivot from movies to wellness influencing? Hannah and Bev have got the goss. Get in touch: write to stopeverything@abc.net.au

Chuffed is stuffed this week! Hannah and Bev are hosting a potluck feast of recommendations, and everyone's brought something to share — from KPop Demon Hunters to Pedro Pascal and even more real estate reality shows to watch — there's lot of chuffing going on!Tell us what's got you chuffed. Write to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Hannah's chuffed@shaiie_foeva judges potluck dishes: https://www.tiktok.com/@shaiie_foeva/video/7537804410823380246?_r=1&_t=ZS-8yzn5mib0VuBev's chuffedPedro Pascal on Fresh Air: https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/g-s1-82589/fresh-air-for-aug-14-2025-actor-pedro-pascalSheng Wang Sweet and Juicy: https://www.netflix.com/search?q=sheng%20wang%20sweet&jbv=81276951Hetty McKinnon's mushroom miso sausage rolls: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025932-vegetarian-miso-mushroom-sausage-rolls?unlocked_article_code=1.fU8.dmh1.biBlNxRfrij7&smid=share-urlMore real estate reality showsPhil Spencer: Secret Agent: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/phil-spencer-secret-agent/series/1My Lottery Dream Home: https://www.9now.com.au/my-lottery-dream-home

We’re looking at the evolution of TV therapists, from The Sopranos’ Dr Jennifer Melfi, HBO’s In Treatment, the oddball crew of Apple TV+’s Shrinking and the sci-fi comedy world of Demascus on Tubi. How do these fictional portrayals of going to therapy track with the rise of therapy speak? And have they helped open our minds about what it's like to go to therapy? And in the sidebar, Bev and Hannah unpack Taylor Swift’s 12th album announcement and farewell film critic David Stratton. Get in touch via stopeverything@abc.net.au Show notesDemascus on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/series/300016343/demascus Aisha Harris on the Black Lady Therapist trope: https://slate.com/culture/2018/03/black-woman-character-actors-are-popping-up-on-your-favorite-shows-as-therapists-to-white-characters-video.html https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1041882856/black-lady-therapists-ted-lasso-white-lotus-in-treatment 

This week Hannah and Bev are chuffed by the glorious mayhem of the Las Culturistas Culture awards and Mariah Carey's reaction to finding out Katy Perry went to space — four months ago.Tell us what's got you chuffed? write to stopeverything@abc.net.auShow notes:Las Culturistas awards on Prime Video: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0N9IMEQ1JTSYUJZEPMBAL0DITZ/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_rMariah Carey on the Scott Mills Breakfast Show: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNC-29rsUj4/?igsh=NXhqb2tydjJsaDZ1

Shows about house hunting, renovating, and buying and selling luxury homes are all over our screens.While there's clearly a market for them — what exactly are they selling us? Is it escapism, envy, voyeurism, or even the opportunity to get a bit judgy that draws us to shows like Selling Sunset, Luxe Listings, House Hunters and Grand Designs?Get in touch: write to stopeverything@abc.net.au

Writer and comedian Jennifer Wong is Stopping Everything with Bev while Hannah is away.  This week Jen’s chuffed by Moni, a short SBS series about Moni, a gay Samoan man who returns home to Western Sydney for his sister’s wedding. Bev’s chuffed by Cannonball, Wesley Morris’ revamped New York Times culture podcast, and particularly his chat with chef and author Samin Nosrat about FX’s The Bear. Show notes:Moni: https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/moniCannonball with Wesley Morris and Samin Nosrat on The Bear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2alvm2DC1g&t=1s

The loneliness epidemic has a new solution: AI chatbots are offering companionship and romantic partnership for many people, and a new podcast by Wondery called Flesh & Code is documenting these stories.Beverley Wang and guest host Jennifer Wong go deep on falling in love with AI chatbots, and then breakdown the outrage over Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad, and the death of And Just Like That…Show notesFlesh and Code: https://wondery.com/shows/flesh-and-code/The banal provocation of Sydney Sweeney's jeans: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/critics-notebook/the-banal-provocation-of-sydney-sweeneys-jeansAnd just like that, And Just Like That … is dead: https://www.vulture.com/article/and-just-like-that-ending-season-3-series-finale.htmlSarah Jessica Parker farewells Carrie Bradshaw: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM0bTX3M_sx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link