This week on the Joe and Sherin Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Latifa Jawadi, an Afghan lawyer and human rights advocate whose life changed overnight when the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021. Latifa shares her journey from working as a lawyer and anti-corruption investigator in the Afghan government, to fleeing the country for Ireland with nothing but the clothes on her back — leaving her young son behind in the chaos. She opens up about hiding from the Taliban, the terrifying scramble to Kabul airport, two days sleeping on the floor of a military transport plane, and finally rebuilding her life in Ireland. We talk about her brother's imprisonment by the Taliban, her sister's incredible work running an underground online school for Afghan girls, and what it means to find safety, community, and a new home in Ireland. A powerful, honest, and moving conversation you won't want to miss. 🇦🇫🇮🇪

Timecodes:

00:00 – Intro & episode banter
02:56 – Meet Latifa Jawadi: lawyer, activist, guest
04:52 – Growing up in Afghanistan & Iran
05:47 – Studying law in Kabul & becoming a lawyer
06:38 – Working for the Vice President's office
07:39 – Fighting corruption in the Afghan government
08:56 – Being a woman in a traditional society
11:10 – The day the Taliban took Kabul
14:18 – Escaping the office, abandoning the government car
15:17 – Hiding from the Taliban for a week
16:05 – Sending her young son to safety
17:20 – Forced marriage & the reality for women under Taliban rule
19:19 – Getting the offer of an Irish visa
21:10 – The hardest decision: leaving her son behind
23:20 – The explosion at Kabul airport
25:26 – Two days on the floor of a US military plane
27:03 – Arriving in Qatar with no shoes
27:40 – Landing in Ireland, September 2021
28:32 – Reunited with her son Benjamin
29:21 – Life as an immigrant in Iran vs. Ireland
31:07 – Learning English & starting over
32:07 – Volunteering with Transparency International Ireland
32:42 – Her brother's arrest by the Taliban
35:11 – Finding out he's alive
37:14 – Her sister's secret online school for Afghan girls
39:26 – Will she ever go back to Afghanistan?
40:13 – Women protesting in the streets of Kabul
43:22 – Understanding Taliban culture vs. Islam
48:08 – Reflections on culture, borders & humanity
50:07 – Wrap-up & thanks to Latifa

This week Joe and Sherin are joined by comedian Dan Stevens for an episode that swings from pure chaos to real heart. It kicks off with a new sponsor segment on sober holidays, spirals into one of the wildest DUI-arrest-in-America stories you'll hear (hillbilly house parties, a night in a Florida county jail, and negotiating for meatloaf with a fellow inmate), and then takes a hard turn into something much deeper — Dan opens up for the first time about his brother Dylan's battle with psychosis and schizophrenia, and the devastating loss of Dylan to suicide. It's a raw, honest conversation about mental illness, grief, and how Dan has chosen to frame and carry that loss forward. The episode closes out lighter, talking comedy, solo podcasting, and Dan's own show.

Content warning: this episode contains detailed discussion of mental illness, psychosis, and suicide (from ~28:10 onward).

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open / intro chaos, Joe's birthday banter
02:22 – Welcoming comedian Dan Stevens to the show
03:26 – New sponsor: Connect Travel — sober holidays & travel packages
08:05 – Dan sets up the story: his time doing comedy in Florida
08:46 – Meeting a grieving stranger at a comedy club, heading to a bar
11:01 – The karaoke bar, strong beers, and meeting two women
11:44 – Going back to the women's house — things get weird
13:11 – The "last hillbilly" and the confrontation with her son
13:29 – Driving off, pulling over, police lights in the rear-view
14:07 – Getting pulled over and the sobriety test
15:24 – Arrest, handcuffs, and the ride to county jail
17:14 – Inside Brevard County Jail — the jumpsuit, the shackles, the cell
18:11 – Making "friends" in prison
21:12 – The meatloaf negotiation story
23:11 – Meeting "Shane" — a fellow inmate with a violent past
24:11 – Getting released, court process, and probation in the US
26:07 – The victim impact panel — Dan's real takeaway from the experience
28:10 – Turning to a heavier topic: Dan's brother Dylan
28:36 – Dylan's early signs of mental health issues and psychosis
30:25 – What it was like living alongside someone in psychosis
33:19 – Explaining the reality of psychosis and delusions
34:29 – Dylan's hospitalization and temporary recovery
35:19 – The importance of sleep and routine for mental health
36:38 – The day Dylan went missing
37:22 – Finding Dylan
38:47 – Confirming Dylan died by suicide
39:05 – How Dan chooses to frame his brother's death
41:26 – Dylan's own words: "If it is happening, I'm fucked. If it's not happening, I'm fucked."
42:56 – How Dan has processed and carries the grief today
44:17 – Comedy as a healthy distraction, not an avoidance
46:56 – Talking about Dan's own podcast, "The Dan Stevens Show"
49:04 – What Dan's solo episodes are like
50:15 – Fan warning / callback to an old viral clip
50:51 – Wrap-up, thanks, and sponsor shoutout (Connect Travel)

In Episode 34 of the Joe Irish and Sherin Podcast, Pat and Sherin sit down with Irish radio DJ and Spin 1038 presenter, Marty Guilfoyle. From his early days ringing up a community radio station as a teenager to becoming one of Ireland's most recognisable DJs, Marty shares how a chance encounter in a late-night club in Lanzarote completely changed the direction of his life. The lads talk friendship groups, growing up, social media comparisons, the perks of working in radio, and why Marty reckons the best part of the ladder might actually be where you're standing right now. There's also a pit stop in a very unexpected hotel in Tenerife, a near-miss with Calvin Harris at Electric Picnic, and a wild swingers hotel story that absolutely nobody saw coming.

Timecodes:

00:00:10 – Welcome & intro to Episode 34 with guest Marty Guilfoyle

00:00:50 – Marty on why being invited on podcasts means so much to him

00:01:34 – Are you a podcast listener? Marty admits he's not really

00:02:35 – Marty's 16 years at Spin 1038 — and the station's full history

00:03:15 – How Joe met Marty through his brother next door (the decks story)

00:03:57 – Living with a stranger during Covid & making a best friend for life

00:04:40 – Friendship groups, growing apart, and the friend group of 15/16

00:07:03 – Football, Liverpool, and the WhatsApp group drama

00:08:25 – Making friends in different circles across different jobs

00:09:42 – Marty's other half's girl gang, London hen surprise & Magic Mike

00:10:31 – Ladies nights in Dubai — how clubs make their money

00:11:37 – How Marty got into DJing: the radio show that started it all

00:12:34 – Ringing a community radio station as a teenager and getting let on air

00:13:50 – Getting a show on Fun Radio, sending a demo to Spin, and landing the job

00:14:41 – Working weekends for Spin and weekdays for Beat — and how they became one group under Bauer Media

00:17:01 – Gigging in Ibiza, Dubai, and Majorca — and the invitation to join as apprentice

00:17:35 – Playing Ultra festival on the same bill as Steve Aoki

00:18:08 – The Iceland trip with the gang and running into MK

00:19:14 – The Lanzarote moment that changed everything: DJ Coco Loco and a life-altering offer

00:20:14 – Ringing his mam from Lanzarote: "You are NOT staying"

00:21:15 – The kindness of strangers and how it shapes your career path

00:22:00 – Playing New York Rocks in the early days

00:23:10 – Upcoming gig at Oceans Beach, Majorca — and why Marty doesn't consider himself a "cool DJ"

00:24:45 – The viral fan comparison to Avicii at a 5,000-person gig in Limerick

00:25:57 – Booking Oceans Beach and hoping they know what they signed up for

00:27:03 – Electric Picnic: clashing with Calvin Harris and Hozier

00:29:23 – Festival lineup clashes and loving artists across all genres (Kylie Minogue, Hana Lang)

00:30:15 – The secret "Absolute Mood" playlist and holiday music chat

00:32:05 – Dubai: why Marty wasn't a huge fan and what felt off

00:33:16 – Favourite gig ever: Pasha in Macao, China, and a spontaneous trip to Hong Kong

00:36:43 – Moving to Roundwood, Wicklow, and learning to love the quiet life

00:38:20 – The M50 red flag test for dating — and gym etiquette

00:41:33 – What's next? Marty reflects on chasing the ladder in his 20s vs enjoying where he is now

00:43:30 – Playing a small bar in Killarney and realising that's the good stuff

00:44:09 – Social media, comparison culture, and finding contentment at 36

00:47:03 – The perks of working in radio: Katie Taylor, David Guetta, Dua Lipa, and more

00:49:05 – Favourite celebrity interviews: Pete Tong, Charlie Puth, MK, and Sean Penn (as an extra on a film!)

00:51:35 – Pete Tong coming straight from the airport to Marty's studio

00:52:13 – Holiday plans: two weeks off, Tenerife & the Canaries

00:53:04 – The accidental swingers hotel story in Tenerife 😂

00:57:17 – Wrap-up, thanks, and "Friends and Lovers" sign-off