The Trawl

Trump’s America is getting darker by the day, and in this episode Jemma and Marina are asking precisely how low things can go. From a painfully chaotic first outing for the new White House press secretary (actually hilariously bad) to plans to livestream a military execution, the Trump administration appears determined to turn political life into an increasingly grim spectacle. The Trawl ladies discuss the disturbing normalisation of violence, Trump’s decision to share footage of a fatal tiger attack, and why empathy and basic human decency seem to be in increasingly short supply.Plus, Anthony Scaramucci reflects on the Trump era, they examine the bizarre world of billionaire beauty standards, and the Underrateds deliver everything from a brilliant takedown of a particularly rubbish attempt to explain socialism to some truly toe-curling social media mishaps. Because when the world feels like it’s going to hell in a handcart, sometimes all you can do is laugh. Welcome to The Trawl.Join The Trawl's Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Way to make Vladimir Putin happy. It's been quite the week.Andy Burnham has reignited the debate over Russian interference in Brexit. Marina and Jemma get into the murky world of online influence, bots and the extraordinary power of social media to shape what we think. Plus, Trump's reported Russian diesel deal has the Trawl ladies asking precisely whose interests he's serving.And just when you thought Reform couldn't provide any more material, they turn to its investigation into the Channel 4 undercover sting. An investigation commissioned by Reform, looking into Reform, which concludes that Reform did nothing wrong? Well, what a surprise. Jemma and Marina attempt an apology. It doesn't go brilliantly.Plus, Bridget Jones, a much-needed reminder that being single in your thirties might not have been quite the catastrophe we were led to believe, and the usual dose of political absurdity to see you through the week.Don't forget to switch on automatic downloads wherever you listen, it really does help the pod.Enjoy!Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s our first ever Trawl Drop In! A slightly less structured, more spontaneous outing in which Jemma and Marina tackle the stories that didn’t make the main pod. And blimey, there’s plenty to get stuck into.Has Zack Polanski’s party spectacularly misjudged its controversial conference motion on Zionism? Marina and Jemma get into the fallout, the leadership questions and what it all means for the left, while making clear that supporting Palestinian freedom and opposing antisemitism should never be mutually exclusive.Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Trawl, there are… dare we say it… reasons to be cheerful. Andy Burnham is talking public ownership, electoral reform and a closer relationship with Europe, and suddenly the future doesn't seem quite so bleak. Marina and Jemma revisit the highlights from Labour conference, including plans to bring empty high-street buildings back to life, and ask: could hope actually be making a comeback?Then, things get considerably less wholesome. Suella Braverman finds herself under fire after a very revealing discussion about who gets to call themselves English, while Robert Jenrick's latest shoplifting crusade gives the Trawl ladies yet another reason to reach for the receipts. There's hypocrisy, Reform's apparent run of bad news, tactical voting, wealth taxes, and a reminder of why sometimes the internet is both the problem and the entertainment.Plus, Jürgen Klopp has some words for the people who think Germany's football team isn't German enough, and the episode finishes, as always, with pudding.The highs, the lows, the receipts and just enough hope to keep us going.Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsFor tickets for the super-rich tax match: https://app.fanbaseclub.com/fixture/hashtagunited-co-uk/22374?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaeUwUmUbKoyE7QrgGPnxzY8Gf6AKyqnL__OSHcmsDVSST2QWruUk5QnJkO73A_aem_xWoLWSWXACvrcQbEtFvLZQThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two episodes in two days, because Marina couldn't sleep. Trawlers, this one's a tasting menu of the week's finest nonsense.The Trawl ladies start with GB News being crowned "most trusted news channel" by its own viewers (custard is the favourite custard among people who eat custard), then pay homage to a homegrown delusional wally who lasted 49 days and still gets the odd LBC slot.Then it's over to the White House. Trump rolls out the red carpet and a black-tie state dinner for the leader of China, while Americans can't afford their groceries and the war with Iran drags on. Jemma and Marina discuss the broligarchy banquet, the rebrand of AI as "SI", and why the "communist" jibes don't apply when there's a banquet on offer.Plus this week's best (and most inventive) British insults, the underrated tweets of the week, and a heads-up for tomorrow's much heavier episode.Know any Americans who are despairing? Send them this. The Trawl is conquering the US market one WhatsApp message at a time.Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Columnist, bestselling author, Guardian journalist, broadcaster and one of the most prominent voices on the British left for well over a decade, Owen can always be relied on to say exactly what he thinks, no holds barred. He’s also someone who has never been particularly troubled by the idea of annoying people which, frankly, is one of the reasons Marina and Jemma like him.He’s fiercely critical of the right, deeply unimpressed by Keir Starmer’s Labour, passionate about Gaza and increasingly interested in what the rise of the Greens and Reform means for the future of British politics.Marina and Jemma sit down with him and let him have a proper rant. Let's face it, there's a lot to talk about. Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s another beautifully normal week on Planet Trawl. Europe is quietly preparing for war, we’re being told to stock up on tins and Trump is threatening to annihilate Iran while simultaneously floating a peace deal. So that’s nice.Marina and Jemma discuss Trump’s increasingly bonkers attempts to control the press, a House of Representatives that has essentially buggered off until after the midterms, Fox News unexpectedly standing up for journalism, and JD Vance begging everyone to just give them a little more time. Meanwhile, America’s farmers and truckers are discovering that 'drill, baby, drill' isn’t quite as comforting when the petrol pump starts hurting.But there are rays of light. Trump’s approval rating is tanking, the media are beginning to push back, and Zohran Mamdani appears to have discovered the revolutionary concept of making competent politics look extremely attractive.So stock up on your chickpeas, put the kettle on and join another light, breezy episode of The Trawl. What could possibly go wrong?Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcastPatreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcastYoutubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawlTwitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sydney Sweeney has bosoms, Trump has a $5,000 promise, and somehow the FBI is having a conversation about bestiality. So yes, it’s been another perfectly normal week on Planet Earth.In this Trawl, Marina and Jemma get stuck into Sydney Sweeney’s gambling ad and ask whether “my body, my choice” also means “please don’t criticise my choices”. Trump, meanwhile, is promising Americans $5,000 if Republicans win the midterms, because nothing says sound economic policy like a giant election-shaped cheque.The Trawl ladies also head stateside for Trump’s latest diplomatic contributions, the increasingly bonkers saga around Jimmy Kimmel and the FCC, the FBI’s bizarre new hiring standards, and a few glimmers of hope in the form of politicians who can actually string a sentence together.Plus Mitch McConnell gets the taxidermy treatment, the BBC gets another kicking, and underrated tweets are once again doing considerably more work than most governments.It’s bleak. It’s absurd. Thank God we can take the piss.Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast Patreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Marina and Jem start in America — where Trump calls 18 dead soldiers "small potatoes," posts AI-generated videos of himself beating world leaders with a hockey stick, and explains trade to a room of adults too scared to tell him he's wrong. Rinse, repeat, somehow getting worse.Then they come home to Blighty — where things are going brilliantly. Hundreds of men in matching black balaclavas staged two days of (NOT) spontaneous protests in Dover and Portsmouth, injuring police, blocking ferries, and terrifying British families trying to get into town. Arrests: none. Funny that — almost like if you'd been a blind OAP or a vicar protesting for peace, they'd have found the handcuffs. Also: a coachload of Pakistani cricketers gets surrounded by a brainless mob, the RNLI gets grief for not letting people drown, and Nick Ferrari has some thoughts. All recorded at 9:40pm on empty stomachs, and it shows.Join The Trawl's Facebook BRAND NEW Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590931382660Get your tickets for The Trawl Live from https://thetrawl.tix.to/ticketsThank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast Patreonhttps://patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/@TheTrawl Twitterhttps://twitter.com/TheTrawlPodcastIf you’ve even mildly enjoyed The Trawl, you’ll love the unfiltered, no-holds-barred extras from Jemma & Marina over on Patreon, including:• Exclusive episodes of The Trawl Goss – where Jemma and Marina spill backstage gossip, dive into their personal lives, and often forget the mic is on• Early access to The Trawl Meets…• Glorious ad-free episodesPlus, there’s a bell-free community of over 3,300 legends sparking brilliant chat.And it’s your way to support the pod which the ladies pour their hearts, souls (and occasional anxiety) into. All for your listening pleasure and reassurance that through this geopolitical s**tstorm… you’re not alone.Come join the fun:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheTrawlPodcast?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.