Hello darling pies!!!! Who we love so much!! Hope you’re having a beautiful, beautiful week.

In today’s Ratfood we unpack the notion of stunt casting and publicity/marketing stunts, particularly in relation to the global search for Dolly Parton in ‘Dolly! The Musical’ taking place primarily on social media and the ethics and pros and cons involved in these kinds of casting processes.

We also chat all about our week at the theatre including our UNMATCHED evening at ‘Beetlejuice The Musical’ (featuring the writer Eddie Perfect) and ‘Storked’ by Myfanwy Hocking down at Theatre Works; a piece about bodily autonomy and the looming choice of whether or not to have kids, and whether that choice is truly ours or not.

We finish the ep by touching on the current social media landscape, unpacking some of our own comment sections and chatting about the prices people are willing to pay for rage bait.

We love you so much, and we’ll see you for another ep on Monday!

Mwa mwa mwa.

xx

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://youtube.com/@themelandsam?si=jzeN-E_-DcE-DGHS

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

Hey there babes! It's time for a pretty femme-4-femme episode as we welcome our next guest, Australia's First Attractive Comedian: Eloise Eftos! If you don't know Eloise, let us tell you all, she is no doubt a rising star in the Australian Comedy scene working mainly in Gadigal Land and Naarm. The chats in this episode are very important ones to us all as women in comedy. We hope you get something out of it too. As always we open up our 'Bring Bring Bitch' Hotline and ask Eloise all of your questions. We play a round of 'pin the job' on Eloise and chat everything Sabrina's Secrets to Witchy Media. We are so grateful to Eloise for joining us this week, and YOU for listening, dear rat!!

See ya on Thursday for 'Ratfood'.

Love ya!

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://bit.ly/MelAndSamYouTube

Follow Eloise here: https://www.instagram.com/weezasqueeza/

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

Hello to all of our treasured rats out there! We hope this episode finds you having a glorious day or night, whenever you may find it!

In today’s wrap-up of our weeks and what’s been on our minds, we tell you alllllll about our INCREDIBLE night at the theatre at the Melbourne opening night of Hadestown the musical, Sam tells us all about a costume party to end all costume parties, we chat about how we used to flex our creativity in our early ages and Tom opens up about how he IS the problem at costume parties (brave!)

The episode then launches in to a really interesting chat about body neutrality and cultural differences in how people across the world talk about ‘fatness’; inspired by a plus size mall in Bangkok that features a number of shops that really tell you on the tin exactly what they sell! Mel also opens up about how she talks about bodies in her relationship, when (in her opinion) it is and isn’t helpful to use certain language and lots lots more.

If you’re in Melbourne, please go check out slayified Daddy Warbucks for us (Hades himself in ‘Hadestown’), and let us know your thoughts in the comments if this sparked episode any thoughts for you!

We love you so much, and we’ll see you for another ep on Monday!

Mwa mwa mwa.

xx

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://youtube.com/@themelandsam?si=jzeN-E_-DcE-DGHS

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

What's up your cuties!!! It's time to add another rat to our rat-guest-wheel... it's Will Gibb! If you don't know Will then you are definitely not on TikTok because this man floooods the FYP. In today's episode we sit down with Will and chat everything from online fame, to Drag Race, heinous blonde box dye and we bring a question to the pod 'why do so many straight men never go to comedy alone?'. As always we open up our 'Bring Bring Bitch' Hotline and ask Will all of your questions, and then we waste no time running our usual 'Kick Ons' where Will takes us on the most diaboligcal mental journey imaginable. We are so grateful to Will for joining us this week, and thank YOU for tuning in!

See ya on Thursday for 'Ratfood'.

Love ya!

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://bit.ly/MelAndSamYouTube

Follow Will Gibb here: https://www.instagram.com/_willgibb_/

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

You guys. This episode is absolutely crazy!!! Coo coo bananas!!! Mel LITERALLY EATS her fidget toy (NOT CLICKBAIT!!! OMG!!) And we definitely say a lot of things in this episode! Things that are worth saying. This one’s absolutely STACKED with facts and stories and things and discussions and unpacking and is definitely NOT a hodge-podge of next to nothing-ness!!

In this ep, the girls celebrate the election win, unpack how and why voting feels a tiny bit NQR (not quite right), Sam chats about meeting and filming with Greens leader Adam Bandt, Mel chats her theatrical ventures to the Beep Test musical and Jesus Christ Superstar this week (where audience etiquette reaaaaally comes in to question), the girls chat about the time an audience member tried to shush them, ‘the Saturday effect’ and the story of Sam’s unbelievable feat in managing to secure a red-carpet-ready outfit at the literal AIRPORT.

The girls also announce that they are headlining Sydney Pride Fest! Tickets are on sale now, you can buy them HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/the-platonic-human-centipede

OKAY THAT’S ALL - LOVE YOU!! See you for Ratbag on Monday with theeeeeee amazing WILL GIBB!

xxx

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://youtube.com/@themelandsam?si=jzeN-E_-DcE-DGHS

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

Hey hey darlins!! Stoked you are joining us for another 'Ratbag' today! To kick off the episode Mel is coming in hot with a segment surrounding her dad and a motorbike saga that sent him over the edge. We then riff on some different business ventures that could be in our future for the house of Mel & Sam, including a fashion line, and a business in building physical (not metaphorical) bridges. We then unpack moments when we have 'followed our gut' and finally we end the episode with a 'Hit It Toots!' that follows femimism being sent back 20 years by one singular motorbike... aaaand we've come full circle.

As always thanks for joining and see you on Thursday for another 'Ratfood'.

Love you!

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://bit.ly/MelAndSamYouTube

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

HELLO U RATS!! Now. You better be watching this episode on a 70metre long cinema screen in your house because this is CINEMA, baby. And you deserve it!!

In today’s episode, we chat all things TV and cinema - c’mon rebrand!! Sam introduces a brand new campaign to stop a phenomena that is RUINING movie-going across the nation (#SayNoToPanasonic), the girls unpack their thoughts on White Lotus (over-rated?) and Adolescence and we celebrate the beginning of Tom’s influencer era. We also unpack what the fuuuck has happened to our attention spans and why we think we’re unable to sit and watch movies in the same way we used to and Mel chats about the building of her sapphic dream house and entering her domestic era!

Now go order that sweaty hotdog and watch this ep in Gold Class!! And most importantly, let us know if you’re ever also been Panasonic-ed. We’re so sorry for your loss.

OKAY THAT’S ALL - LOVE YOU!! See you for Ratbag on Monday!

xxx

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://youtube.com/@themelandsam?si=jzeN-E_-DcE-DGHS

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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

Oh heeeeey! Welcome rat to another Guest Ratbag! (Sorry that we have so many friends!!!). This week we are joined by American singer-songwriter, comedian and actor, most widely known for her solo work under the name KAYE: Charlene Kaye!!! In this week's episode we chat with Charlene about everything from her first big tour with 'Starkid', to ranch camps, to her relationship with her mother and much much more. As always we opened the 'Bring Bring Bitch!' so all of your questions could get answered and we of course end the episode with a 'Hit It Toots!' down at a Ranch Camp for celebrities kids. This was such a special ep to record and we hope you enjoy!

See ya on Thursday for another 'Ratfood'! and big thanks to Charlene Kaye for sitting down with us. We are so lucky.

Love ya guts guys

Mel & Sam

—

You can watch the full video form of this episode on YouTube HERE: https://bit.ly/MelAndSamYouTube

Follow Charlene Kaye here: https://www.instagram.com/charlenekaye/

Follow Mel & Sam on Instagram (@themelandsam) to keep up with all things pod, live shows and other nonsense. And remember, our Bring Bring Bitch hotline is always open! You can also send submissions to ratbagpod@gmail.com!

—

Mel & Sam would like to acknowledge that Ratbag is being recorded on Stolen Land.

The original custodians of this land have had a rich history of storytelling for over 65,000 years, and we pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation whose land we are recording Ratbag on.

Treaties were never signed. Sovereignty was never ceded. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

—

A Grouse House Podcast

Recorded at Haven't You Done Well Productions

Produced by Thomas Zahariou & Lucy Bain

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