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Woman launches true crime podcast to find her father's killer

21 years ago, Madison McGhee's father was shot in cold blood. Madison was just six years old when her dad, John "JC" Cornelius McGhee, died, and was originally told he had passed away from a heart attack. However, when Madison was in high school, she began to ask questions about what really happened that night. "When I was 16 I had a weird feeling that something else was going on, so I asked my mum about a weird connection between my cousin and the death of my father," Madison told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/ice-cold-case-podcaster-hoping-to-solve-fathers-21-year-murder-mystery/a873da03-0198-4e34-b65c-cc3ced6e8cca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today Extra</a>. "And that's when my mum told me that there was another side of the story and that my dad had actually been murdered and it was a cold case, completely unsolved." Madison's father, who was a recovering drug addict and police informant, was shot in the head in the early hours of July 11th 2002 at his home in Ohio. His 16-year-old daughter and Madison's half-sister, Alyssa, was home at the time and found her father's body on the ground with a bullet hole in a nearby wall. Police investigated his death, but failed to find any evidence that could convict someone of his murder. After Madison discovered the real nature of her father's death, she began digging into the cold case and decided to try and solve the crime herself. In her efforts to find her father's killer, she launched a podcast called Ice Cold Case. "I started asking questions, diving into it and that's when I realised it was much more layered than even I could have imagined," she said. One line of theory by investigators was that JC's death was a home invasion gone wrong, but Madison said things just don't add up to support that. "When you dive into the police files, it's very clear that this is suspicious," she said. "A home invasion to my knowledge is usually very quick and something of value is stolen, but nothing was taken and this home invasion lasted for over 30 minutes. "It just seemed suspicious that someone would feel so comfortable to break into a house and stick around for that long and not steal anything at all - it feels like it was planned and very intentional." Madison admitted that is has been jarring looking into the death of her father, especially when no one has been held accountable, but she has put her own fears aside in the hopes of finding out what really happened. "I do feel a little uneasy putting myself out there in this very public way, but I just feel like justice for my dad is so much more important than worrying about my own safety if his killer is still out there," she said. "But I really want to find out what happened for him and for my own closure, so I have sort of pushed that to the side." Image credits: Today Extra

Legal

Rumours swirl over legitimacy of Meghan Markle’s podcast

One of the guests on Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast has sparked rumours that she wasn’t actually interviewed by the former royal for the episode. Allison Yarrow, who appeared on the episode titled “To ‘B’ or not to ‘B’”, spoke about the history of the “B” word (b***h) in feminist culture and was interviewed along with makeup mogul and medical advocate Victoria Jackson and Mellody Hobson, the co-CEO of Ariel Investments and chairwoman of Starbucks. But, one of Yarrow’s posts about the podcast has resurfaced and seems to imply that the author and journalist was actually interviewed by Markle’s producer. "Excited to be included in the visionary series Archetypes hosted by Meghan the Duchess of Sussex that aims to dissect and subvert the archetypes that hold women back," Yarrow wrote in a post dating back to August. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChpF5BiucGX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChpF5BiucGX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Allison Yarrow (@aliyarrow)</a> </div> </blockquote> "The first episode (out now, link in bio) features a timely interview with another legend Serena Williams. Cheers to producer @farrahsafari (an excellent interviewer) and the folks at @Gimlet @spotify who get it done!" The post prompted some to speculate how much work Markle puts into interviewing her guests. While some podcast guests are clearly interviewed in-person, including actress Mindy Kaling and Serena Williams, others such as Yarrow have their comments and answers weaved into the episode. The podcast also includes audio clips from interviews with other experts, including sociologist Nancy Wang Yuen and Dr Laura Kay. It comes after the latest Archetypes episode featured The Good Place star Jameela Jamil, who defended Markle against the slew of criticism she has received since marrying Prince Harry. "I know you have a very similar dynamic with Harry and actually, when the four of us met that one time, it was a really sweet dynamic of two very like, sort of, similar relationships," Jameel said, referring to her partner, singer James Blake. "It was very nice for me to see that you have that in your home because you need it, because it's just, it's an unfathomable amount of shit that you take, Meghan, I can't believe it. "And I fought back on your behalf for years before I'd ever met you because I was so outraged. I was so outraged with the twisting of this very normal, very kind, very civilised woman. That demonization just shows how afraid they are of you." Jamil said Meghan’s treatment “re-highlighted for us the intense unkindness and bigotry and misogyny of our media and I think and I hope and I feel faith that tides are changing because so many of us are fighting back”. "Well, thank you for fighting back," Markle responded, admitting that “all of that criticism can feel really attacking or uncomfortable or scary”. Images: Instagram

News

Murder conviction overturned for podcast star

A US judge has overturned the high profile murder conviction of Adnan Syed, who served more that 20 years behind bars for the death of his ex-girlfriend. Th 42-year-old's case shot to fame when he became the subject of the Serial podcast, which went on to gain worldwide notoriety. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn vacated the conviction of Syed, who had been serving a life sentence since 2000 for the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee. Phinn ordered Syed to be immediately released on his own recognisance “in the interests of justice and fairness”. The body of Hae Min Lee was found buried in February 1999 in a shallow grave in the woods of Baltimore, Maryland, with the autopsy revealing the cause of death for the 18-year-old was strangulation. Throughout his multiple appeals of the guilty verdict, Syed maintained his innocence, while his appeals were continuously denied, including by the US Supreme Court which declined in 2019 to hear his case. In a surprising move last week, the Baltimore City state’s attorney, Marilyn Mosby, announced that she had asked a judge to vacate Syed’s conviction while a further investigation is carried out. Assistant state’s attorney Becky Feldman told the judge that the decision was prompted by the discovery of new information regarding two alternative suspects and the unreliability of mobile phone data used to convict Syed. “The state has lost confidence in the integrity of his conviction,” Feldman said. “We need to make sure we hold the correct person accountable. “We will be continuing our investigation,” she said, while promising to “do everything we can to bring justice to the Lee family.” Prosecutors now have 30 days to either bring new charges or dismiss the case. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Meghan Markle dethrones Joe Rogan for top spot on Spotify

Meghan Markle has dethroned Joe Rogan on Spotify following her first episode on her podcast, Archetypes. The Duchess of Sussex released the first episode of Archetypes on August 23 and two days later the podcast had soared to the number one spot on Spotify’s most-listened chart. This subsequently knocked Joe Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience from the top spot where he discusses everything from current events and politics to science and philosophy on his weekly podcast. Meghan and Prince Harry reportedly signed a whopping $18 million, three-year podcast deal with Spotify for the new show. Two years later, The Duchess of Sussex released her first episode with her "dear friend" and tennis champion Serena Williams. Meghan spoke with Serena about her tennis career, before she brought up a terrifying story in which there was a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/meghan-markle-confirms-fire-in-archie-s-nursery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fire in baby Archie's nursery</a> during a royal engagement in Africa in 2019. The Duchess explained how their family had only been in the township of Nyanga for a few hours before the incident took place. She detailed how then four-month-old Archie narrowly avoided a fire in his nursery as his nanny took him to another part of the residence when the heater burst into flames. The Duchess then shared how she was required to attend another formal engagement, rather than stay home with her child. "I'm giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say, 'There's been a fire at the residence. There's been a fire in the baby's room.' What?” Meghan says in the podcast. She went on to explain how Archie's nanny Lauren had taken him downstairs briefly before he was put to bed for a nap, and the heater in the room caught fire. Luckily, no one was injured during the fire, but Meghan said both her and her husband were rattled by the experience and were rushed out to attend another engagement, rather than stay with their son. She said, "And we came back. And of course, as a mother, you go, 'Oh my God, what?' Everyone's in tears, everyone's shaken. And what do we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement?" "I said, 'This doesn't make any sense'. I was like, 'Can you just tell people what happened?' And so much, I think, optically, the focus ends up being on how it looks instead of how it feels." Image: Spotify

Technology

Why women make up more than 80 per cent of true crime podcast listeners

It’s been a running joke for a while that most true crime podcast listeners are female. But it has now been revealed that young women make up a whopping 80 per cent of true crime podcast listeners. Dr Julia Shaw, a criminal psychologist and co-host of the true crime and science podcast Bad People, said the simple reason was due to women’s experiences. She explained that growing up, women are told to keep an eye out for any danger such as a man staring at you for too long or following you home. “Women seem particularly interested in the intricacies of the criminal mind,” she told The Daily Mail. “There is a real drive to understand the 'why', not just the 'how' of the crime.” Claire Bord, a publisher at Bookouture concurred with Dr Shaw’s statement explaining how easy it was for women to “resonate” with the situation. “These kind of storylines tap into dark themes that resonate with readers because we can see ourselves in these everyday scenarios and then imagine what could happen,” she said. “I also think there are aspects of the dark themes explored in psychological thrillers, and indeed true crime, that can speak deeply to readers who have experienced difficult times in their own lives.” Image: Shutterstock

Mind

Sink your teeth into Adam Liaw’s new podcast

Masterchef winner, celebrity chef, and writer Adam Liaw has added another string to his bow with the launch of his first podcast, How Taste Changed the World. The seven-part series, launched with Audible, sees Liaw explore the science and history behind our five tastes - salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami - and how they have impacted everything from economics and agriculture to why we pair red wine with meat. “I’m very excited to be launching my first podcast,” Liaw told OverSixty. “Taste has been the driving force behind human civilization since before it even began, and the food we choose to eat has more meaning that we can even imagine.” Each 30-minute episode is an immersive and thought-provoking deep-dive into each of the tastes, as well as what even counts as a taste and what the future looks like. Liaw doesn’t tackle these topics alone either, enlisting the help of experts and sharing his own anecdotes and stories, with snippets from Liaw’s kids thrown in. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/adam-liaw-podcast.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Adam Liaw tackles the five tastes in his new podcast. Image: Supplied In another first for the Malaysian-Australian chef, Liaw will be taking the stage on Wednesday, June 1, for Vivid Sydney’s Ideas Exchange’s 2022 series, Audible Live: Stories Made to be Heard. Liaw’s will be the first in a series of three talks, where he will discuss his podcast, calling upon the interviews featured in each of the episodes to explain how vital salt is to our biology and how it turned food into a commodity that has underpinned the global economy for thousands of years, as well as how our taste buds helped establish democracy and how our hankering for sweet things has been used to sell us soft drinks. “Vivid Sydney’s Idea Exchange is the perfect forum for big ideas, and it doesn’t get much bigger than how our own biology has shaped the world around us!” Liaw said. Tickets for Liaw’s talk are available <a href="https://tickets.vividsydney.com/event/audible-live-adam-liaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K5Prbfh0VnE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Adam Liaw’s Audible Original podcast, How Tastes Changed the World, launches on Tuesday 10 May and is only available on Audible. The podcast is free for Audible members and can be found at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/audible.com.au/taste__;!!CN7PONKNpoI9!-mXF9S_F_DMqMCTDde2SaXD57CpMgwUTRkGnVv1CH7Cm624ZM0--rRnzo7njnX7eT8xFmcpa4foNnTLeBvzisMaawQ$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audible.com.au/taste</a>. On 1 June, Adam will be taking part in Vivid Sydney’s Ideas Exchange with Audible Live: Stories Made to be Heard, during which he’ll discuss the podcast in further detail. Image: Supplied

Technology

Podcast listeners may be more open-minded

Are you a big podcast listener? A <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265806" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new study</a> suggests that you may be more open-minded and intellectually curious than people who don’t listen to podcasts. Podcasts have become increasingly popular in recent years, with a reported 75.9 million podcast listeners in the US and 15.61 million in the UK as of 2020. Yet comparatively little research exists on how and why people listen to this type of on-demand audio content. “I mainly study social media use, but am an avid podcast listener,” explains Stephanie Tobin, a senior lecturer in psychology at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and first author on the new study. Tobin’s own favourite podcasts include <a href="https://www.fourbeers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Two Psychologists Four Beers</a>, <a href="https://www.verybadwizards.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Very Bad Wizards</a>, <a href="https://www.chat10looks3.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chat 10 Looks 3</a>, and <a href="https://myfavoritemurder.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My Favorite Murder</a>. “I was interested in applying the same methods we use to understand why people use social media to understand why people listen to podcasts,” she says. Together with co-author Rosanna Guadagno of Stanford University in the United States, Tobin surveyed a sample of around 300 people from several different countries about their podcast listening habits. The participants also completed the Big Five Inventory, a validated questionnaire designed to measure <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/big-five-personality-traits-4176097" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">key personality traits</a>. “We found that people who were more open to experience, more curious, and who enjoyed thinking more were more likely to have listened to a podcast,” Tobin says. This fits with earlier research showing that these traits are associated with use of new technologies and using online platforms to find information. On the other hand, participants who scored higher on their need to belong were less likely to be podcast listeners. This was surprising to Tobin, who had expected the opposite relationship. Nevertheless, podcast listeners who spent more hours per week listening were more socially engaged with the podcasts they listened to, and experienced stronger parasocial (one-sided) relationships with podcast hosts. “I’d be interested to follow up on the social aspects, perhaps by looking at the online communities that form around specific podcasts,” says Tobin. This article originally appeared in <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/social-sciences/podcast-listener-personality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a>. Image: Getty

Mind

Duchess of Sussex launches podcast

Meghan Markle is launching her podcast Archetypes on Spotify. The Duchess of Sussex will be hosting the “groundbreaking new podcast,” set to be released this summer (Australia’s winter) on the popular streaming app. Meghan will speak with historians about the “subvert” labels women are given and discover how the degrading words shape their narratives. A <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ntRMn5LTlSVBBpZ1hsPK3?si=ed3fe09c293843f3&_branch_match_id=790125097908719124&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=Archetypes&utm_medium=social&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXLy7IL8lMq9TLyczL1jdKqSgKCnYLc81PAgADOfmoIAAAAA%3D%3D&nd=1#login" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sneak peek</a> into the podcast includes multiple male voices using the subvert labels such as: “she’s a sl*t!”, “and a little emotionally unstable”, “I was waiting for you to smile at some of the compliments and you didn’t”, and “they are weaker, smaller, they are less intelligent.” “This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us,” Meghan begins. “But where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives? “I’m Meghan, and this is Archetypes: the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. “I’ll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives. And, I’ll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place. “Archetypes. Coming soon. Listen only on Spotify.” The podcast is the first production from Archewell Audio, the production company that was started by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “Archewell Audio will produce programming that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world,” their <a href="https://archewell.com/audio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> reads. “The Duke and Duchess will produce podcasts and shows that build community through shared experiences, powerful narratives, and universal values.” It's unclear yet whether all future projects will have the name of their son Archie in them somehow. Image: Instagram

Beauty & Style

Harry and Meghan’s $33 million podcast claimed by Spotify after lack of content

The bosses at music streaming giant Spotify have reportedly <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/spotify-takes-back-control-of-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-podcast/d901095a-a9b0-4bf2-870e-7bd6ff9a43c6" target="_blank">taken control</a> of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s podcast, taking “matters into their own hands” due to a lack of content from the couple. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CI1Kyv2HOmt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CI1Kyv2HOmt/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Archewell by Harry and Meghan (@archewell_hm)</a> </div> </blockquote> Spotify is currently recruiting in-house staff to work on a show for Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Audio that features “the voices of high profile women”, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17422252/spotify-meghan-markle-prince-harry-podcast/" target="_blank">The </a><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/17422252/spotify-meghan-markle-prince-harry-podcast/" target="_blank">Sun</a> reports. Despite signing a deal with the streaming company worth an estimated worth of $33 million, the couple have produced just one episode, released as a Christmas special in December 2020. In an earlier announcement, Spotify said it was expecting a full-scale launch of content from the former royals during 2021. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1mDXuFHd3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK1mDXuFHd3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Archewell Audio Podcast (@archewellaudios)</a> </div> </blockquote> With just one 35-minute episode created so far - despite appearances in multiple interviews and other podcasts in 2021 - the couple has been paid around $935,000 per minute. “Spotify has been waiting a long time for some content from Harry and Meghan and now it appears they have finally taken matters into their own hands,” a source close to the project told The Sun. An advertisement for a senior producer at Gimlet Projects, the production arm of Spotify, is looking for candidates with experience with “high-profile talent”. “We’re currently assembling a show team that will build and launch a new original show with Archewell featuring the voices of high profile women,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.lifeatspotify.com/jobs/contract-sr-producer-gimlet-projects" target="_blank">the ad reads</a>. Advertised as a six-month role, the job is called for experienced applicants to “launch an exciting new weekly show based in Los Angeles”. “The ideal candidate has experience working with high-profile talent, and an interest in the intersection of social activism and popular culture.” The wave of recruitment comes after Spotify was rumoured to have given the couple a “gentle nudge” in December to produce content. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Podcast hosts slammed for disgusting remarks about women's postpartum bodies

Image: Getty The male hosts of a concerning new podcast have received major backlash over comments made claiming they’d leave their future wife if she didn’t lose weight after giving birth. Brothers Anthony Casasanta and Nick Casasanta launched “The No Filter Pod” earlier this month with friend Jason Girratano – describing it as “the most blunt podcast in the world”. While their show is deliberately “controversial”, many are condemning the show over comments made by Anthony about a potential future wife’s body after she gives birth to his child. The comments have been quickly gone viral, with women branding them “disgusting”, “horrendous” and “God awful”. In a statement issued to news.com.au, “The No Filter Pod” said the comments had been taken “out of context” but doubled down on the controversial remarks. “We just don’t want our wives to be obese. We feel as if society promotes obesity which is a very unhealthy and uncomfortable way of living. “We promote healthy lifestyles here at NoFilterPod. It’s also not only about weight gain after childbirth, it’s also about mental health as well as the physical health. We feel like it’s very important to hold spouses both men and women to a high standard.” The backlash was sparked by the men themselves, who all play NFL in the US, after they shared the clip on TikTok, asking: “Is this too much?” “If my wife lets herself go after I have kids with her, I’m going to tell her once,” Anthony tells Nick and Jason. “‘If you don’t get your sh*t together, because I still want to be sexually attracted to my wife, my spouse, but if you can’t do that, I’m out’.” The guys said they were prepared a negative reaction but received an avalanche of a response, predominantly condemning the view and labelling it “misogynistic”. “We really feel as the video was taken out of context,” the trio said in a statement. “We will not be apologising.” Women have fought back in droves, with many creating videos in response to the clip, while others flooded the guys social media feeds with their thoughts forcing the podcast hosts to turn off comments. “Where is the respect, the love, the admiration for his partner. I actually feel sorry for him. Clearly he has no idea what love is,” one woman said. As one simply stated: “I can’t even comment on this cus the outrage is just UNREAL.” Comments on the guys’ personal Instagram accounts, which haven’t yet been disabled, displayed a similar response. “You’ve made a fool of yourself and you’ve made an already foolish world more worrisome,” one raged. “Why are you turning off your comments? yallll are a joke and can’t take the heat,” another lamented. Anthony, Nick and Jason have claimed they are receiving death threats over the outcry but have continued to post clips on TikTok on topics surrounding cheating, “fitness chicks” and female vs male value. According to the boys, girls who workout are “superior to all women”, calling them “top of the line”. They also reckon “girls cheat more than guys” and women seek “financial security from their husbands” citing that all they ask for in return is that “you don’t sleep around with like 50 other dudes”. These statements have obviously not gone down well, with words such as “repulsive”, “vile” and “red flag” being used to describe them in the comments.

Body

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's podcast has cute surprise visitor

Any sighting of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's son Archie is a blessing for royal fans. However, sightings are far and few in between as the pair moved to Canada to start a new life. However, fans were delighted to hear Archie's first words spoken to the public in a new podcast run by his mum and dad. The former Duke and Duchess of Sussex teamed up with Spotify to launch Archewell Audio, a platform that aims to highlight a range of different voices and perspectives. The very first episode had 19-month-old Archie stealing the show. Doting dad Harry urged Archie to speak into the microphone. "You can speak into it" before Meghan asked: "Archie, is it fun?" And in one simple response, our hearts burst under the surmounting cuteness as Archie responded: "Fun." <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJYxFYPhPZJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJYxFYPhPZJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Meghan & Harry ♔ (@dukeandduchessofsussexdaily)</a> </div> </blockquote> The happy couple also coaxed baby Archie into wishing everyone a Happy New Year. "After me, ready? Happy..." Harry begins before Archie follows with "Happy." Chiming in together the parents then say "New" before Archie adorably jumps the gun and responds: "New Year!" Fans loved the video, saying it was Archie's laugh that they enjoyed most. "It's the happy little giggles for me!" one fan commented. Another agreed. "That was precious. Was there a slight British accent from Archie?"

Family & Pets

The Teacher's Pet podcast: Lyn Dawson allegedly spotted at royal tour

An elderly blind woman has told the court she swore she saw missing person Lynette Dawson a year after she disappeared from her home in 1982. Elva McBay, 101, gave evidence at a committal hearing in Sydney that aims to see if Chris Dawson will stand trial for the alleged murder of his wife. The 71-year-old father who shared two children with Lynette has pleaded not guilty to killing Ms Dawson, and says he believes his first wife ran away to join a cult deep in the Blue Mountains region. Her body has never been found. Ms McBay became friends with the twin brother of Chris Dawson, Paul, while on a research course for the education department at Kogarah High School. She eventually met Chris Dawson while he played rugby league for Newtown Jets and as a result went on to meet his wife Lynette. In March 1983, Prince Charles and Princess Diana toured Australia and made an appearance outside the Sydney Hospital on Macquarie Street where they greeted and met with fans. It was there, Ms McBay said appearing via video link from Wyong Court to Downing Centre, that she remembered seeing a woman who looked eerily like Ms Dawson. "She was hurrying, she was running, she pushed in and ducked under the barricade ... I saw her face for a few seconds ... I turned to my husband and said 'I think that was Lyn Dawson'," she said. However Ms McBay said her husband was not able to say whether it was Ms Dawson because it happened "so quickly". Before Lynette disappeared, Ms McBay told the court she had seen Ms Dawson in a "distressed state" at her daughter's fourth birthday party. "She was distraught, she was crying, she was trembling — I had never seen her in such a state ever." Chris Dawson has also been charged with one count of carnal knowledge relating to when he was a sports teacher at Cromer High School in 1980. The court heard that one of his students moved into the family home, which Ms McBay described as "very strange". "She [Lynette] said 'I had the most dreadful row with [the girl]' this morning and she said she wanted to get rid of me'," Ms McBay told the court. "I said 'you should get her out of the house before there is any more trouble'," she said. Defence barrister Philip Boulton SC went on to ask Ms McBay whether she had ever seen any violent behaviour from Chris Dawson. "No ... Chris was very quiet, placid, easy-going ... I never saw him bad-tempered ... he was an absolutely wonderful husband and he adored his wife Lyn," she told the court. "They were one of the happiest families I had ever seen." Ms McBay told the court she was left shocked when someone told her Mr Dawson had been charged with his wife's murder just before Christmas in 2018. Three more witnesses are due to give their own evidence over the next week.

Travel Trouble

Why you should be listening to podcasts

Whether you know what they are or not, chances are you’ve heard of podcasts. But what exactly are they and why should you care? Let’s find out. What are they? Think back to when you were a kid. Before computers, video games and even TV, the main source of entertainment was a good old-fashioned radio play, right? Well, think of podcasts as the 21st century equivalent. Podcasts are free audio programs that can be downloaded and listened to on demand. You can listen to them in the car, at the gym, at home, on a plane… even in bed to lull you to sleep. There are literally thousands of podcasts out there (anyone can make one), all covering different topics, so it’s hard to find a program you won’t love. Comedy, drama, politics, true crime… you name it, it probably exists. How do I listen to them? You can listen to podcasts online through your computer (with iTunes or a desktop program like <a href="https://gpodder.github.io/" target="_blank">gPodder</a>, but the best and easiest way is through your smartphone. If you’ve got an iPhone, the best app is Apple’s preloaded “Podcasts” app. Go ahead and see if you can find it on your home screen. It’s easy to use, free, and even has charts so you can see what programs are currently popular. If you’ve got an Android phone, unfortunately it’s likely you won’t have one preloaded onto your phone. But never fear – there are plenty of free apps to choose from in the Google Play store. Give “<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bambuna.podcastaddict&hl=en" target="_blank">Podcast Addict</a>” a go. What ones should I start with? Most of your favourite radio shows will already probably be available as podcasts, which is great if you miss an episode. Otherwise, a good place to start is to browse the popular podcasts within whatever app you’re using. If you want to get started right away, though, here are some of the best around: 1. <a href="https://serialpodcast.org/" target="_blank">Serial</a> – An investigative “whodunnit” true crime program that will leave you guessing till the very end – and beyond. 2. <a href="http://revisionisthistory.com/" target="_blank">Revisionist History</a> – Each week, journalist Malcolm Gladwell scours the history books for the overlooked events, people and ideas that could have changed the world. 3. <a href="http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts" target="_blank">Stuff You Should Know</a> – Ever wondered how landfills work? Or what’s the deal with accents? Whatever weird question you’ve had, these guys have the answer. 4. <a href="http://qi.com/podcast" target="_blank">No Such Thing as a Fish</a> – Researchers for the hit show QI gather round each week to share the weirdest, funniest facts they’ve recently discovered. 5. <a href="https://stownpodcast.org/" target="_blank">S-Town</a> – Like a Southern Gothic novel come to life, this non-fiction program begins as a crime story and quickly morphs into something else entirely. 6. <a href="http://www.sleepwithmepodcast.com/" target="_blank">Sleep with Me</a> – A must-download for any insomnia sufferer, this podcast will put you to sleep with long, boring bedtime stories to distract your racing mind. Are you a fan of podcasts? Share your recommendations with us in the comments below.

Music

A guide to podcasts: What are they and where should I start?

In recent years, podcasts have had a surge in popularity, and there are now more available than ever. For those of you who don’t know exactly what all the fuss is about, or how to even join in the fun, we’re here to help. What are podcasts? A podcast is very much like a radio program with their format can varying from talk shows, audiobooks or news to comedy shows, television show discussion groups or call-in shows… the list goes on and on. The main difference between a podcast and a radio show is that you download the podcast directly from the internet and listen to it whenever you want to. One of the great things about podcasts is that you can subscribe to whichever ones you like and never miss an episode. Just like subscribing to a magazine, you’ll receive the latest episode of the podcast as soon as it’s available to download, ready for you to listen when you’re ready. How do I listen? iTunes: One of the easiest ways to podcasts is via <a href="http://www.apple.com/nz/itunes/" target="_blank">iTunes</a>. If you already have it installed on your computer, or portable device, just open the iTunes store and select the “podcast” option near the top. This will take you to the podcast homepage where you can search for podcasts by genre, category, providers, and popularity. If you have a specific podcast you want to find, you can type its name in the search bar. You can download individual episodes, or just hit the subscribe button to have iTunes automatically download them for you when they’re available. You can then sync them with your portable device (iPod, iPhone, etc) and listen on the go. Others: If you don’t have iTunes, and would prefer to use a different program, there are many available to choose from. For people with a PC, <a href="http://www.windowsphone.com/en-AU/How-to/wp7/zune-software" target="_blank">Zune</a> is a great option. People with Android devices might want to check out <a href="https://www.doubletwist.com/" target="_blank">doubleTwist</a>. Where do I start? There are so many different kinds of podcasts available that it’s sometimes difficult to figure out where you should dive in. We’ve chosen some great starting points that are sure to have you addicted to podcasts in no time. Serial – This non-fiction podcast is the exploration of a story told over multiple episodes. It ran for 12 episodes in 2014, and grew from having a small cult following to a zealous viral phenomenon. The show investigates the facts of the murder of a high school girl in Baltimore in the 1990s, and whether the right man went to prison for murdering her. And good news, there is a second season planned for this incredibly addictive show. This American Life – It’s hard to define exactly what This American Life is, because it is so many things at once. Broadcast as an hour-long radio program since 1995, it is primarily a journalistic non-fiction program (in fact, Serial was a spin-off show). You might also hear essays, memoirs, field recordings, found footage or short fiction. Hardcore History – This history-made-real series is astounding. Host Dan Carlin has a gift for braiding together strands of history to create a narrative that will have you on the edge of your seat. The Memory Place – This wonderful podcast tells stories from the past that you might not have heard before. Each episode is written beautifully and is read in a relaxing voice, which is fun when you’re listening to a podcast about the riots that started in America in 1964. Subjects are incredibly varied, so pick one that interests you and start there. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/10/gmail-little-known-tricks/">7 Gmail tricks you don’t know but should</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/12/ways-to-make-facebook-safer/">4 tips to make your Facebook safer</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/11/free-upgrades-to-gadgets/">5 ways to upgrade your gadgets for free</a>

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Why you should be listening to podcasts

A guide to podcasts: What are they and where should I start?