Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National

Podcast partners begin new season

On Air: Laura Jackel and Alana Nixon's Oversubscribed podcast has a solid audience. Picture: Bec Essery

Do you wash your bed sheets enough? Are you tired of cancel culture? Do you celebrate the joy of older sex?

If so, you might want to listen to the Oversubscribed podcast, which is made in Newcastle.

Co-hosts Laura Jackel and Alana Nixon, who have now recorded 100 episodes, just kicked off season seven.

Episode one of the new season is about "half-arsed parenting".

"We both believe in lowering the bar and cutting yourself some slack as parents," Laura quipped.

"We love and adore our kids but, as Alana says, parenting them is a 24/7 job for 18-plus years, so it is hard to be enthusiastic about any job for that long."

Laura is all about half-arsed dinners.

"Let's face it, we all have to eat EVERY single night until we die - so beans on toast or chicken nuggets are totally fine options," she said.

"Our guest on this episode, Dr Susie O'Brien, has some great tips as she is the author of the half-arsed parenting bible, The Secret of Half-arsed Parenting."

We must say, this sounds like just the tonic in the age of helicopter parents and tiger mums.

The plague of cancel culture has been a popular topic of discussion for the pair.

"We have actually chatted quite a bit about cancel culture and public shaming across previous episodes," Laura said.

"In season four, in mid-2020, we discussed how algorithms on social media feed our collective sense of outrage and how this has bolstered cancel culture.

"It seems like there is a new celebrity being cancelled daily - from Chrissy Teigen to Billie Eilish. It seems to especially affect female celebrities."

As for bed-sheet washing, the duo recently discussed this on one of their weekly "Off the Cuff" episodes.

It came from ABC's Australia Talks survey.

"We chatted about the various aspects of the survey that resonated with us, but the sheet washing thing got people talking," she said.

Laura was mildly horrified to discover she doesn't wash her sheets enough, according to the survey.

"Laura confessed that the sheets get washed about every three weeks, but apparently this is less often than the majority of Aussies who wash their sheets 'several times per month' - or at least that's what they wrote in the survey anyway."

They also recently discussed whether marriage is bad for women in this day and age.

"Weddings cost a bomb, are historically about ownership of women and the average Aussie marriage lasts just 12 years," she said.

"As two married women we spoke to happily divorced writer and mum, Nama Winston, for her insights."

The duo - both Newcastle-based mums - are sponsored by Charlestown Square.

"We do all the reading, scripting, social media and recording outside of our usual work and family commitments," Laura said.

"We do it from our own separate home offices, which is key as we can put the kids to bed, pour a wine and then go and record an episode."

There's been quite a few late nights.

"We feel like we are quite literally living our brand as being 'oversubscribed'. Thankfully our husbands are supportive."

But do their husbands wash the sheets?

Joke of the Day

What do groups of whales listen to on long journeys? Podcasts.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.