Ep 294 - I Just Want A Schnitty
The host recounts a chaotic yet joyful journey to Wagga Wagga, where a delayed flight forced a last-minute road trip with co-host Annabel Crabbe and guest Lee Sales. Amid the logistical chaos—nose prints on shop windows, a missed schnitty at Mechanico, and a near-embarrassing seafood mishap—the episode becomes a celebration of serendipity, local culture, and unexpected connections. A deep dive into the life of Dame Mary Gilmore, Australia’s radical socialist poet and great-aunt of Scott Morrison, reveals a surprising historical footnote: Morrison’s former boss, Donald Trump, once honored her poetry at a state dinner. The conversation then pivots to the power of narrative in nonfiction, with the host praising Patrick Radden Keefe’s immersive storytelling in *Say Nothing* and *London Falling*, which weave personal tragedy into broader social histories. The emotional core emerges in the discussion of Lena Dunham’s memoir *Fame Sick*, where the host grapples with the discomfort of compulsive disclosure—her relentless honesty that feels both liberating and invasive. Ultimately, the episode argues that vulnerability, when paired with narrative mastery, can create profound connection, even as it challenges our boundaries of privacy and empathy.
Dame Mary Gilmore, a radical socialist poet and feminist, was the great-aunt of Scott Morrison, and her poetry was honored by Donald Trump at a White House state dinner.
You can get seasick in the ocean, not just on boats—your body’s sense of balance shifts when you’re horizontal underwater and then suddenly upright.
Compulsive disclosure in memoirs like Lena Dunham’s *Fame Sick* creates emotional intimacy but can also make readers feel exposed or uncomfortable.
Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction writing turns true crime into literary storytelling, using deep research to make history feel urgent and personal.
The best nonfiction doesn’t just inform—it immerses you in a story so compelling you forget it’s real.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Flight Delay Chaos and the Great Schnitty Hunt
“I'm like, yes, we can because I made it all right by talking to them and saying we're just like, we'll be back. And here we are.”
Wagga Wagga Adventures: Shops, Snacks, and the Missing Schnitty
The group explores local shops including Middlemost and Paper Pear, with the host leaving a greasy nose print on the glass. The quest for a schnitty at Mechanico fails, but they find delicious tinned razor clams instead, turning a disappointment into a culinary win.
The Wagga Library Giveaway and Local Heroes
The host celebrates the four winners of the Wagga Library giveaway and thanks Christine Bolton for her support. The episode highlights the community spirit of Wagga, where everyone knows everyone by first name.
Dame Mary Gilmore: Australia’s Radical Poet and Scott Morrison’s Great-Aunt
“She was a member of the Communist Party. She was like the editor of the Communist newspaper. She was like, oh my God.”
The Trump-Morrison-Gilmore Connection
“When Scott Morrison went to the Trump White House in the first term and there was a state dinner there, Trump honoured him by reading a couple of stanzas from her famous work.”
“When Scott Morrison went to the Trump White House in the first term and there was a state dinner there, Trump honoured him by reading a couple of stanzas from her famous work.”
“She was a member of the Communist Party. She was like the editor of the Communist newspaper. She was like, oh my God.”
“And all five of us, you know, mother, father and children were like, you could actually just jump on that train because like it's going really slowly. And luckily we were sort of... relatively sober but I could just really, I can imagine that if you were an idiot piss head you'd be like, I reckon I could pull that off”
Host
Guest
Lee Sales
person
Dame Mary Gilmore
person
Lena Dunham
person
Patrick Radden Keefe
person
Annabel Crabbe
person
Hanoi Train Street
place
Scott Morrison
person
Say Nothing
book
Benicio Del Toro
person
Leonardo DiCaprio
person
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