12/12 - Christmas SPECTACULAR! 2021

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Meeeeeeerrry Christmas, Mannfans!

This year Olly, Alix and Ollie have have headed to Bournemouth for their annual get-together, joined by young troubadour Thomas Headon and surprise special guests.

It’s stuffed full with songs, reminiscences and parlour games - and, of course, the legendary XXXmas Foxhole Christmas Quiz.

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First up, new father Ollie Peart has broken his dietary habits and started eating meat again - and also the habit of a lifetime by finally listening to a ‘How To Be A Dad’ episode. Having abandoned both pescatarianism and bachelorhood, can he be trusted to lifehack a Moses basket?

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Next, there’s some superb live music - in the form of an exclusive acoustic performance from singer-songwriter Thomas Headon, whose poppy earworm, Strawberry Kisses, is our Record of the Month.

Thomas chats to Olly about the weirdest things he’s been sent by his teenage fans; how Aussie Christmas measures up to British Christmas; and why Urban Dictionary may not be the best source to interpret the meaning of ‘Strawberry Kisses’…

A Christmas jumper and a buffet of chocolate foofs: it can only be Alix’s XXXmas Quiz.

You can hear all our music selections from the past five years in this Spotify playlist.

Finally, the year’s sexscapades reach a thrilling climax with Alix Fox digging deep in her box of questionable props for another unforgettable XXXmas Foxhole Quiz.

Olly takes on Ollie in a sex toy-inspired rap battle; there’s a fight to the death in a pelvic pumping challenge; and a Durex advent calendar is plundered for a flying penis. You will squirm, you will learn, you will laugh.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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This episode of The Modern Mann is proudly supported by:

• Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. Claim your FREE case right now at beer52.com/Modern.

• Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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We also need your donations to keep going.

We’re a totally independent podcast - our only income comes from the adverts you hear and the money you give.

If you value what we do, support us to produce more.

Thanks, and happy Christmas!
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We’ll see you with a brand new season of the show on Jan 10.

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12/11 - Don’t Google Me

“If people knew how easy it is to destroy someone online, they would be frightened.”

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Guy Babcock is not paedophile. He is not a sociopath, or a racist, or a ‘deadbeat’. He has not served time in prison.

And yet, if you search his name online, you get a very different impression: hundreds of posts, smearing his reputation, all over the internet.

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In this interview with Olly, Guy explains why - despite a court ruling against the person ruining his reputation - these posts live on.

He recalls the terrifying day he realised his name was being dragged through the mud, and explains how he came to understand that a vengeful ex-employee was behind the damaging slurs…
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This episode is sponsored by:

• Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. For an exclusive FREE trial case of 10 beers, a magazine and a snack, visit beer52.com/modern 

• Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com
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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Alix Fox posits her theory that ‘immersive scent experiences’ are about to be the next big trend.

With the help of scent designer Tasha Marks, Olly and Alix test out some scents currently on show at the Museum of Docklands and the Wellcome Trust; muse on how difficult it is to describe a smell; and anticipate a world of VR smellathons...

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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One of the online smears targeted at Guy - and still searchable on Bing

Guy Babcock and Olly Mann,
October 2021

Olly, Alix and scent designer Tasha Marks having a ‘Sniff-along’ for this month’s Zeitgeist

Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix looks into erectile dysfunction - an issue believed to affect over four million men in Britain, a surprisingly large segment of whom are not yet 40.

As Alix explains, the causes of E.D. can include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, problematic use of pornography, anxiety and depression - and, although there are numerous pills on the market, they’re actually unsuitable for around 40% of sufferers.

This month’s Foxhole is brought to you by MAC Clinical Research, who are conducting two clinical trials to evaluate potential new treatments for those living with Erectile Dysfunction, and are looking for volunteers to take part. Up to £690 and reasonable travel expenses are included. To find out more, click here.

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Finally, our record of the month is the lively and infectious ‘Wake Me Up’ from FOALS. It makes walking through fire sound like a LOT of fun. 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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… And we’ll see you for our ☃️🎄ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR ❄️🎁on December 10th.

Our thanks to NORD VPN for their support of this episode. To access TV shows, news websites, sports and movies from over 59 different countries, head to NordVPN.com/mann and use the code MANN to get 73% off your 2-year plan, plus four bonus months for free.

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12/10 - Military Surplus

“The macho side of me took over. It just said, this isn’t happening.”

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Ken, Kevin and Martin are armed forces veterans.

They were discharged from the military; their comrades never discovering why.

This Remembrance Sunday, for the first time, they’ve been invited to march past the Cenotaph. 

It’s a story of double lives, court payouts and military secrets - and what happened when three men told the truth.

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Until 12th January, 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Army, Royal Navy and RAF.

If they were outed, they could lose their medals, their pensions and their jobs, and sometimes serve a prison sentence.  The British Government finally apologised for the policy in 2020.

Thanks to Fighting With Pride, the LGBT+ military charity, for putting us in touch.

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This episode is sponsored by Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. For an exclusive FREE trial case of 10 beers, a magazine and a snack, visit beer52.com/modern 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, expectant father Ollie Peart - fresh from packing off his precious snood to the wilds of Colorado - has been investigating the trend for baby showers.

Have ‘gender reveal’ events taken over from ‘traditional’ showers?

Does anyone REALLY make nappy cakes and go nipple bobbing?

And is there a quieter, more British equivalent, please?

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Kevin Bazeley

Martin Diver

Ken Wright, who now runs the Phoenix Arts Club

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox  takes time off from plugging ‘Sex Education’ to ask: should self-pleasure ever be a guitly pleasure?

Listener ‘Worried Wanker in West Watford’ has begun secretly tossing one out in the shower each morning to satisfy his urges - while his partner’s sex drive has decreased due to anti-depression meds.

But the couple have a ‘no wanking in the house’ rule. Is this sustainable?

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is ‘Moody’ from the fabulous Self Esteem, whose new album drops on 22nd October. Finally, a song about mental health we can dance to! 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on November 10th.

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12/9 - An Abortion

“There’s a huge amount of guilt about the decision that I didn’t feel that I had an option but to make.”

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Pippa spent eight months struggling to conceive her second child. Then, on the brink of beginning IVF, she discovered she was pregnant.

But, at ten weeks, she discovered there was a more than 99% chance that her foetus had Down's Syndrome. She and her husband Joe had already decided that, in this situation, they would have an abortion.

In this brutally honest conversation with Olly, Pippa explains how the experience left her feeling guilty, compromised, and unsupported; and how she still struggles to reconcile the fact that she chose to terminate the baby she had wanted so much…

The NHS has a page offering support for those considering termination for foetal anomaly here.

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from accruing sixty (60!) followers on Spotify with his musical pseudonym Captain Spronk - has spent the past month learning to knit.

Is this trend for young men taking up knitting limited to influencers like Tom Daley and Ryan Gosling? Where do hipsters go to discover the latest patterns? And can Ollie make an actual full-length SCARF on his first attempt?

With the help of Mann-fan Tom Adkins, Wool and the Gang, and some ancient episodes of The X Files, Ollie will reveal all…

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Ollie catches up with The X Files

Ollie with his baby beanie AND snood!

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox  is intrigued by the release of a male contraceptive device, the ‘Andro-Switch’ ring - and tackles a listener query from a lady who wants to know how she and her partner should refer to her vagina in bed.

Is there a catch-all term that’s fit for purpose? How should a couple begin an erotic conversation? And is ‘willy’ an acceptable designation for men?

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is the surprise new drop from Biffy Clyro - an epic six minuter! It’s called ‘Unknown Male 01’ 👇

This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce.

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on October 10th.

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn

12/8 - The Knock On The Door

“Everybody I knew was on it. I thought, well, they obviously don't care that much, because every teacher is doing it.”

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Teaching English in Beijing seemed like a great opportunity for Welsh graduate Glen Williams, who had previously spent time studying in China. He could brush up on his Mandarin, work with kids… and earn up to £3k per month, tax free.

The hitch? The agency that placed him told him that every three months, he’d need to spend the weekend in Seoul - a ‘visa trip’ that, he soon discovered, was commonplace amongst ex-pat EFL teachers. 

Then, one day, they changed their tune. “If the Police ask you”, they said, “tell them you sell whiteboards”.

In this interview with Olly, Glen reveals what happened next… 

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart, fresh from mastering ‘the Crow Pose’ on Instagram, attempts to dominate the internet through the medium of keyword spamming. 

Can his well-established musical talent - now masquerading as alter-ego Captain Spronk - stretch to luring in listeners with clickbait titles like ‘Music For Focus’, ‘Music For Meditation’, and, um, ‘Olly Mann’?

Judge for yourself, if you dare 👇  

If YOU would like to challenge Ollie to test out a trend on a future edition of the show, submit it via our feedback form.

Glen and some of the kids he taught in Beijing

The letter banning Glen from China for 5 years

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox (having learnt the ropes of ‘Satanic Feminism’) helps out an anonymous listener with post-coital dysphoria (PCD) - a condition that can cause feelings of sadness, agitation, and crying after intercourse.

Why have we evolved to feel disgust at the things that previously made us horny? How much is chemical, and how much is shame? And what post-sex rituals can you employ to reset your emotions? Alix, as ever, has the answers...

If YOU would like to ask Alix a question of sex - you can remain anonymous if you wish - submit it via our feedback form.

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is ‘Kamali’, the new single by Priya Ragu; part of her mixtape dropping on September 3rd:

This episode of The Modern Mann is sponsored by “the healthcare workers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who want to thank the other workers worldwide that have done such great work - in the spirit of moving on collectively to a better place". Thanks guys!

If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form here. Thanks!

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We’ll see you again on September 10th.

LISTEN: Apple // Spotify // Google // MP3 // RSS // TuneIn