3/1 - The Last British Bullfighter

The Mancunian Matador, at home in Marbella.

Frank Evans is not like other septuagenarian ex-pats. Though he lives in Marbella, and retains his distinctive Salford accent, he is still - despite recent injuries and an earlier retirement - a working bull-fighter.

In this extraordinary interview, he tells Olly how he discovered the controversial sport on holiday in Spain, how a copy of Suit Of Lights by Vincent Charles Hitchcock inspired him to 'give it a bash' - and how, with virtually no training at all, he found himself facing death in the ring in Montpellier...

The 'buspass bull-fighter', Frank Evans, with Olly Mann

Now known as 'El Ingles', Frank sticks out in the sport not only due to his age and English roots, but also because he believes bullfighting needs to adapt to survive.

You can find out more about Frank in his excellent book.

Elsewhere in this episode, we're celebrating our triumphant win* as Podcast of the Year at the Radio Academy Awards:

* we came second.

** they used to be the Sony's, and are now called 'the ARIAs', but this doesn't seem to have caught on, frankly.

Recorded the morning-after-the-night before, in an auspicious hotel room in Leeds, Ollie Peart fills this week's Zeitgeist with a celebration of bow-ties, a review of Adam Curtis' latest film, and a prediction that Kanye West has killed auto-tune.

And, in the first ever instance of The Foxhole actually being recorded in a bed, Alix Fox returns with advice for a listener from Rhode Island who is a 'grower not a shower', and news of why getting older might genuinely mean better sex. 

We have a new sponsor for The Foxhole for this series - the wonderful people at MyCondom.Com, who are offering Modern Mann listeners 15% off their excellent products if you use the code FOXHOLE at Checkout.

And remember, if you have a question of sex for a future episode, you can email Alix here.

Finally, we finish the episode, as ever, with a song. This week, 'Season Two, Episode Three' by the brilliant Glass Animals:

It's good to be back, Mann-Fans! We couldn't do it without those of you who have kindly donated to the show by buying us a beer, and those amazing Mannbassadors who help spread the word by leaving us a review on iTunes. 

We'll see you next Tuesday...

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Three and tagged Stone.

2/10 - The Man Who Lives In The Woods

Hanging out with a 21st Century Hermit

Daniel Pike is, technically, homeless - but he does have a home, which he built himself, in woodland near Watford.

He made it from clay and reclaimed wood, and it's amazing. Now, the landowners want to evict him.

In this extraordinary meeting, Olly travels to Daniel's hut to learn how he came to be living outdoors - and why he doesn't want to forage for mushrooms any more... 

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Elsewhere this week, Ollie Peart investigates giant spider robots, new emoji symbols and SodaStream Beer in The Zeitgeist, and, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox previews the contenders for the Erotic Trade Only Awards, and offers advice to a listener who wants to cheat on his wife - in a tent at Glastonbury.

Finally, our song of the week is the Summeriest track we could find: Shine, by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, out now on Stax Records:

That's it for this season of The Modern Mann - be sure to catch up on our entire twenty-episode archive, and subscribe to receive season three when we return in the Autumn. In the meantime, please click Feedback to leave us a comment, submit a question of sex, or offer to sponsor the show; and click Beer Money to support the show with your, erm, liquidity.

There are plenty of our other shows online to keep your ears busy: Olly presents Answer Me This!, Chips With Everything and The Media Podcast; Ollie Peart has a vlog at youtube.com/mrollieep and Alix has a brand new sex podcast for The Guardian, Close Encounters, kicking off very soon. Producer Matt makes an insane amount of excellent podcasts, including his excellent motorsport comedy show, For F1's Sake. 

Thanks so much for listening this series. See you in the Autumn!

 

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two and tagged Craig homeless.

2/9 - How to Win at Shopping

The men who make you buy stuff. 

What makes you buy a product? The look? The smell? The layout of the shop? In today's cut-throat business world, none of that is left to coincidence: behavioural science is influencing the design of high street stores, supermarkets and online emporiums alike. 

In this episode, Olly meets consumer psychologists Reece Akhtar and Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos from University College, London to uncover how we consumers are manipulated into buying stuff we don't want or need via retailers cleverly appealing to our fear of scarcity, desire to belong or our basest instincts. So, next time you go shopping, you'll know what to look out for - you'll never walk the floor tiles in Tesco the same way again!

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Elsewhere, Ollie Peart considers 'ice cream van wars' and KFC-flavoured nail polish in The Zeitgeist, and Alix Fox discusses animal role-play and sex toy cleaning regimes in The Foxhole. 

Music is provided by The Anchoress and their track 'Doesn't Kill You', out now on Kscope Records:

If you have a question of sex for Alix for a future edition of the show or if you'd like to sponsor the show, just click on our Feedback form. And if you'd be so kind as to buy us a beer then just click Beer Money. Thanks!

See You Next Tuesday...

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two and tagged nicola faces.

2/8 - Top Gear's Rory Reid

Life in the fast lane.

Rory Reid is about to become a household name. He was chosen by the BBC, from thousands of applicants, to present the relaunched Top Gear, alongside the likes of Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc, and spin-off show Extra Gear.

Despite many years as a motoring and tech journalist under his belt, he has had only a few months to adjust to the international celebrity his new job will bring, flying around the world driving supercars for one of the biggest TV shows on Earth.

In this world exclusive interview, he tells Olly how he prepared for his Top Gear screentest, and why a rap video may just have secured him the gig; reacts to his treatment by the British tabloids, and explains why he has some sympathy with Jeremy Clarkson...

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Also this week, Ollie Peart considers the live-action Tetris movie in The Zeitgeist, a new product for night-time snackers and the horrors of drinkable Weetabix, and reveals some lesser-known sports.

Meanwhile, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox sweats the small stuff as she answers a question of pheremones: is it normal to be attracted to your partner's sweat? If you have a question of sex for a future episode of the show, just submit it via our Feedback form now - you can remain anonymous if you wish.

Our song of the week is the lovely Life Itself by Glass Animals, out now:

Thanks to our sponsors of the week, baldheadliberationfront.com - your one-stop shop for all your bald-headed needs! Thanks too to everyone who has bought us a beer this series - we really appreciate it. The average price of a pint of beer in Britain is a mere £3.31, but please do feel free to pledge as much or as little as you can afford on our beer money page. 

See You Next Tuesday!

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two.

2/7 - Strip Club Etiquette

Lap-dancing, extortion - and solidarity.

How should you behave in a 'gentleman's club'? From grinding the stage at super-sized American strip bars to working the pole in humble East End pubs, stripper Edie Licious has played 'em all. 

In this frank and funny interview, she tells Olly how nightclubs milk money from hapless drunk punters who pay 'VIP', explains why erotic dancing can still sometimes be erotic, and considers her future in the industry now that she's fallen in love. You'll never not tip a stripper again!

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To find out more about Edie's work with the East London Stripper Collective, visit their Facebook page. 

Also this episode: Ollie Peart previews the music, fashion and grub on offer at this year's biggest music festivals in The Zeitgeist. Is festival food overpriced? Is monochrome the acceptable face of tie-dye? And will he ever get tickets for Glastonbury?

Meanwhile, over in The Foxhole, Alix Fox promotes her campaign to introduce a condom emoji, and considers a question of BDSM: should a reluctant dom hit and choke his submissive girlfriend when she's specifically requested him to, but he feels uncomfortable so doing? If you have a question of sex for a future episode, just fill in our Feedback form - you can remain completely anonymous if you wish.

Music this week comes courtesy of Matthew and the Atlas, in the form of their new single, Temple, from their album of the same name:

Finally, big thanks to our sponsors this week, the Bald Head Liberation Front - your one-stop shop for blades, oils and potions to keep your bald scalp shiny and sexy and manly and grr. Visit them now at baldheadliberationfront.com

If you too see the value in supporting our show, and independent podcasting in general, then please do buy us a beer - it's only through the support of listeners like you that we can afford to keep producing the show.

See You Next Tuesday!

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Olly Mann and filed under Season Two and tagged seb thruple rosie.