At the Bendigo Writers Festival, a new code of conduct sparked debate about free speech, safe spaces, and censorship. We dig into the controversy, and still manage tangents on The Naked Gun reboot, George R.R. Martin’s Sesame Street characters, and why fandoms never stop arguing.

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We tried to stay on topic… but failed spectacularly. Starting with James Gunn’s Superman and a disastrously bad War of the Worlds remake, we somehow end up deep-diving into Iceland’s saucy Dracula, the time Hans Christian Andersen became Dickens’ houseguest from hell, and the bizarre habits of famous authors.

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Welcome back to We’re Not Helpful! In this week’s episode, we dust off the shelves of time and plunge into the strange, shadowy world of lost literary works books that vanished, were never published, or were deliberately destroyed… and the enduring mysteries they left behind.

Find some lost media yourself here: https://lostmediawiki.com/Home

Article mentioned in the show: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/04/and-the-missing-briefcase-the-real-story-behind-harper-lees-lost-true-book

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Join us as we tumble unapologetically into discussions about various book adaptations, both the good and the bad. From Kubrick’s take on The Shining to Flanagan’s atmospheric recreations, and even the chaos of World War Z. We pick apart why some adaptations win our hearts while others leave us in head-scratching bewilderment. Sprinkled with rants on The Hobbit, Frankenstein, and, of course, some unexpected love for Nicholas Cage flicks.

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In this wild ride of an episode, we jump into deep and thoroughly entertaining discussions on literary conspiracies. Did Christopher Marlow fake his own death? What really happened to Agatha Christie during her mysterious disappearance? Could HP Lovecraft have been keyed into actual cosmic horrors? We also humorously debate whether Lewis Carroll was Jack the Ripper and whether Stephen King has more skeletons in his closet than what he writes about. Full of laughs, wild theories, and a touch of horror, we're on our usual tangent-filled journey. Join us for a fun and totally unhelpful dive into the literary world's most intriguing mysteries and conspiracies!

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Another season of Doctor Who is complete, so you you what that means?! Eloise and Brayton are back to recap and ramble about our favourite Time Lord.

WARNING: This episode contains full spoilers for the newest season, so watch then first before listening.

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Jumping into a lively discussion about mums in literature. We dive deep into Carrie's fearsome mother, Molly Weasley's warmth, and other memorable mums. Of course we go of on tangents about bullshit jobs and a less than thrilling reading of The Axolotl Song. As usual, we're not super helpful, but wishing all mums a happy belated Mother’s Day!

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In this episode we dive into the fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) ways language evolves — especially in online spaces, sparked by Eloise's strong feelings about the word “unalived".

We explore the reasons behind these linguistic shifts — from censorship and community guidelines to the power of words and cultural sensitivity. Along the way, we reflect on the importance of clear communication, the role of discomfort in language, and how euphemisms both help and hinder us.

Content Warning:

This episode includes discussions of death and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Please reach out to a support service in your country:

International Helplines & Support Services:

• Australia: Lifeline – 13 11 14 – https://www.lifeline.org.au
• USA: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Dial 988 – https://988lifeline.org
• UK: Samaritans – 116 123 – https://www.samaritans.org
• Canada: Talk Suicide Canada – 1-833-456-4566 – https://talksuicide.ca
• New Zealand: Lifeline – 0800 543 354 – https://www.lifeline.org.nz
• International directory: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

Comments, questions, feedback? Get in touch at:

Email: nothelpfulpod@gmail.com

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.