The Modern Mann

Is your smartphone spying on you? Just how secure is the dark web? And is your 'Private Browsing' time actually, you know... private? Buzzfeed's James Ball was just 23 when Julian Assange thrust a USB stick with nearly 400,000 confidential Iraqi war logs into his hands. In this episode he shares with Olly his top tips for conducting conversations, managing documents and meeting associates whilst avoiding unwanted surveillance. If you'd like to try James' 'Location Services' trick on your iPhone, here's are the menus you need to navigate: Settings → Privacy → Location Services → System Services → Frequent Locations Also this week: in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart ponders the year's hottest BBQ trends, the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest, and the return of Peaky Blinders. And we've a special edition of The Foxhole, for which Alix Fox takes Olly on a tour of her favourite sex boutique, Sh! in Hoxton. She'll be tackling sex questions again next week, though - so if you have one, just submit it using our Feedback

Comedians Stuart Goldsmith and Tom Price reunite with Olly Mann to compare notes, three months after all spawning sons. What has having a baby done to their time management, sleep routines and sense of self-worth? Which gadgets would they recommend to future dads? And is there such a thing as male post-natal depression? Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart learns French via his smartphone, discusses Radiohead's temporary disappearance from the internet, and the trend for 'dentist beards'. And, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox flogs a truck-load of her old sex toys for charidee, and considers whether a listener should be loyal to the coil - if his wife's contraceptive prevents her from achieving orgasm. Our song of the week is, appropriately, from the lullaby archives at rockabyebabymusic.com. If you'd like to leave us some feedback, send us a sex question or buy us a beer, head over to modernmann.co.uk. See You Next Tuesday! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Mus

Imagine designing rollercoasters for a living. That's what Bradley Wynne, lead creative artist at Merlin Magic Making, gets to do. A life-long adrenalin junkie, he's now heading up the team for Thorpe Park's biggest ever launch, Derren Brown's Ghost Train. Find out how sounds, smells and touch can enhance the experience of riding a rollercoaster; how the fallout from the tragedy on The Smiler has affected the theming process, and how Bradley used a very boring interest in planning application data to his advantage to secure his dream job. Also this episode: Ollie Peart debates our 'no spoilers' culture following the return of Game Of Thrones, the declining sales of pasta, and the enduring power of dial-up. Meanwhile, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox considers whether having sexual fantasies about your schooldays makes you a paedophile. (It doesn't). Our record of the week is Damien Jurado's new single, Qachina, out May 6th; and this episode has been sponsored by Fallen London, the brand new text adventure game for iO

How DO you make the perfect cup of coffee? Do you grind? Do you press? Do you froth? One man who knows is 'Coffee Masters' champion Ben Morrow, of Melbourne-based coffee roasters St. Ali. In this episode, Olly meets him at Hackney Coffee Company to discuss how to buy coffee, how to prepare it, and how to capture the essence of a Columbian farm in a cup... Meanwhile, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox suggests what to do when your partner has a latex fetish - but you're highly allergic to it. If you have a question of sex for Alix, just fill out the Feedback form on our website, modernmann.co.uk - you can remain completely anonymous if you wish. And, over in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers name-changing, the surge in vinyl record sales, and his trip to watch Drone Racing at Wembley Stadium. Last but not least, we are ROCKING OUT this week with our Song of the Week. It's by The Amazons, and it's called Stay With Me, out now on Fiction Records. This episode is brought to you by Fallen London, the brand new text adven

Photojournalist Alison Baskerville was serving in Iraq when she began documenting the lives of her fellow soldiers. She now independently produces astonishing images from the front line across the world, including Afghanistan, Mali, Israel/Gaza and the Philippines. In this episode, she tells Olly about the moments on basecamp that embedded journalists never get to see, the best way to pack to prepare yourself for a warzone, and why she needed to leave the armed forces to gain objectivity. Elsewhere in the episode, Ollie Peart talks Disney pet trends, 'Shakespeak', and the Chris Packham wasp controversy in this week's Zeitgeist; and Alix Fox considers the twenty-first century role of the Femidom and a question of cross-dressing in this week's Foxhole. And finally, our Single of the Week is the wonderful 'Walk To The One You Love' by Twin Peaks, out now on Communion Records. If you enjoy the show, please don't hesitate to leave us some feedback or buy us a beer - you can do all that, and submit your question of

Charlie Gilmour dangled from the Cenotaph during the student protests of 2010, and became tabloid enemy #1. Now he's a writer and, since being scouted at a Xmas party, a male model. In this episode, he reveals to Olly what it takes to make Paris Fashion Week in 2016, how to work on your 'walk', and where models hide their drugs... Elsewhere in what would, if only we were American, be our 'season premiere', Ollie Peart returns with The Zeitgeist - and considers the politics of fear, The West Cornwall Pasty position on #Brexit, and the glorious failure of Microsoft's chat-bot experiment, Tay. Meanwhile, Alix Fox returns from Rabbit Island for another series of The Foxhole. This week: the prickly issue of foreskin regeneration, the disputed medical benefits of circumcision, and how the American predilection for penis-cutting originates in the wacky beliefs of Dr Lewis Sayre. And our single of the week is 'Bermuda' by GIVERS, out now on Glassnote. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Produce

Shaun Attwood survived a 9½ year sentence in America's deadliest prison. He tells Olly Mann his sensational story, from Liverpool to Phoenix, from his initial career playing the stock market to the millions he earned trading ecstasy for the fledgling 90's rave scene in Arizona, in competition with the Mafia mass murderer Sammy the Bull Gravano. In The Zeitgeist this week, Ollie Peart looks forward to the trends of 2016 - from the release of Oculus Rift to the return of silent film - and, in The Foxhole, Alix Fox helps a gay gent who seeks a more reliable hard-on. Music comes courtesy of Mystery Jets - it's their new single Telomere, from their album Curve of the Earth - out Jan 15th on Caroline International. And... that's it for the current series of The Modern Mann. If you've enjoyed it, please do buy us a beer at modernmann.co.uk, leave us a review on iTunes - and we'll return in the Spring. Thanks to everyone who has supported the show so far. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Pro

What's it like being Santa Claus? In our Christmas Spectacular episode, Olly meets actor Nigel Harvey, who makes a living playing Father Christmas all year round, and hears about the highs and lows of life in that iconic red-and-white outfit. Meanwhile, at the invitation of listener Paul from ice cream cafe Cloud 9, the rest of the team have decamped to Brighton, where Ollie Peart considers Tim Peake's Christmas in space, and Alix Fox presents us with her Christmas-wrapped selection of the year's best sex toys. Ding dong! Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Robertshaw. Thanks to: Cloud 9, Brighton. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2015 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if your first bet kickstarted a cycle of addiction that saw you flutter away over £10,000 in the bookies before your 20th birthday? Olly Mann meets Matt Zarb-Cousins to find out. Matt frankly confronts the nature of addiction, the changing face of the British high street and how a life can fall apart when the stakes are raised. Meanwhile, Ollie Peart is, like everyone else, contemplating the return of 'Serial'. Can the new season possibly compete with the first; the most successful podcast of all time? Also in The Zeitgeist this week, the Disneyfication of The BFG, the 'science' of full stops, and the ever-decreasing age of the computer hacker. And, in our weekly trip down The Foxhole, Alix Fox investigates the world of 'forniture' (that's furniture you can sleep with, folks), and assists a listener who wants to climax at the same time as his partner, with the aid of a new masturbator for men who suffer from premature ejaculation. If you've got a question of sex for Alix, you’d like to send us some feedb

Dating guru Hayley Quinn reveals her 5 principles of approaching a partner, and her thoughts on the industry of 'pick-up artists'. Olly Mann asks: in this age of Tinder, Grindr, no-strings sex and fourth-wave feminism... How do you find someone you want to be with, what do you say to them once you meet them, and where do you take them for a drink? Also this week, Ollie Peart delves into The Zeitgeist to consider Mark Zuckerberg's financial planning, Bill Murray's Netflix special, and whether you'd buy your granddad a PornHub giftcard for Christmas. And, down The Foxhole, Alix Fox brings us news of a testicular beauty pageant (really), and has advice for a listener who gets a kick out of looking at ladies' feet - especially in nylon stockings. If you've got a question of sex for Alix, you’d like to send us some feedback or buy us a beer, just head to modernmann.co.uk. Our musical pick this week is 'Sneakers' by Franky Flowers, out now on Turnstile Records. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix

How do you get work as a film extra, how much do you get paid - and how do you kill time when you have to spend all day with Britney Spears? Olly Mann meets Dr Chay Allen - an art historian who paid his way through his phD by working as an extra on shows including 24 and Downton Abbey, and films including The Dark Shadows and Skyfall, to answer these questions, and more. Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart - himself struck down with S.A.D - applauds a novel approach to Black Friday, loses yet more of his hard-earned cash in Bux, and gets COMPLETELY SUCKED IN by Amazon's drone PR campaign. And, down The Foxhole, our resident love guru Alix Fox has some advice for a horny young dude who is boning so frequently he's resorted to faking his own orgasms. Poor love. If you'd like to send in a question for Alix, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk. Our song of the week is 'Let Me Hold You' by Plaitum, out 4th Dec on Wolf Tone. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix

Comedians Stuart Goldsmith and Tom Price join Olly Mann to discuss their impending fatherhood, from the impact it will have on their respective relationships, to the pitfalls of NCT classes and the lack of support society appears to offer men embarking upon their first baby. They also make some bad taste jokes. Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart spends big bucks on Bux, suggests some inventive new names for David Cameron's plane, and reflects upon the death of FHM. And, down The Foxhole, our resident love guru Alix Fox showcases the work of bi-curious adventurers Skirt Club, and advises a listener who'd like his wife to stick it to him, ever so gently, but a bit more deeply. You'll never think of your bumhole in the same way again. If you'd like to send in a question for Alix, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk. Our song of the week is 'Agape' by Bear's Den, out 10th December on Communion Records. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt

Why put your money in a bank when you could buy a barrel of whisky?! Olly Mann meets Leo Scott-Francis, who offers private investors the opportunity to buy first-fill sherry casks. Leo gives Olly a crash-course in the market, and a taste of his own-brand of whisky, currently maturing underground in Scotland. But will Olly sign up us a client? Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers the drugs-on-demand business in which Snoop has invested his doggy dosh; spends longer than is healthy looking at GIFs of Shia LaBeouf; and reveals that, as a child, he was a contender to be CHOCOLATE SUPERSTAR the Milkybar Kid. In our weekly trip down The Foxhole, our resident love guru Alix Fox advises a couple who are struggling to keep the fizz in their long-distance relationship. It's nothing that a lubricated sleeve and a Bluetooth connection can't fix, apparently. If you'd like to send in a question for Alix, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk. Our song of the week is 'Double Visi

Imagine playing Brixton Academy when you're still a teenager... Conor McGloin was 10 years old when he decided he wanted to be an international rock superstar. It didn't quite turn out the way he'd expected, as he reveals in this interview with Olly Mann. Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers the anti-theft protection services of Serena Williams; the man who wants to raise £33k to build a bag that looks like a scrotum; and, with grim inevitably, this year's John Lewis Christmas ad. And, in our weekly trip down the Fox Hole, Alix assists a gent who wants his partner to wee on him. Or to let him wee on her. It isn't entirely clear. It's probably off-yellow... If you'd like to send in a question for Alix Fox, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk. Our song of the week is 'S.O.B.' by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, out now on Stax records. Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Dja

What makes THE perfect burger? Olly travels to San Francisco to meet Thrillist's Kevin Alexander, and sample two of the best burgers in California. Along the way, he learns how a combination of shredded lettuce, a careful choice of condiments and a fatwa on side orders can help you achieve the ultimate burger experience. In The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers the growing fad for beard transplants and reveals 'the science' behind why we're attracted to fireworks. And, in The Fox Hole, Alix advises a listener who's lost that loving feeling. If you'd like to send in a question for Alix Fox, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk Our song of the week is 'So They Say' by Rukhsana Merrise - from her debut EP, September Songs Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Robertshaw. Copyright: Olly Mann 2015. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more abo

IMAX's Andrew Cripps and Brian Bonnick, creators of the world's largest movie screens, join Olly to explore whether bigger really is better, and what they can tech us about home entertainment. In The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart talks hoverboards, autonomous Tesla cars and crocodile palms. And in the slot we are currently calling The Fox Hole (alternative ideas on a postcard to @themodernmann), our resident love guru Alix Fox teaches Olly about sex with mermaids. Our song of the week, appropriately enough, is 'Trials of a Modern Man' by Vangoffey, out November 9th on Distiller Records. If you'd like to send in a question for Alix Fox, leave us some feedback or buy us a beer, just visit modernmann.co.uk Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: 'Skies Over Cairo' by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Robertshaw. Copyright: Olly Mann 2015. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices