Before Brunch

It’s almost Halloween and so we’re rolling out the scary movies, bingeing on dark series and ultimately viewing our screens from behind blankets with cushions pulled over our eyes. In this week’s episode we talk about the success of The Haunting of Hill House and what it is that keeps us coming back for more and more. Mike Flanagan's re-imagining of Shirley Jackson's 1959 gothic novel pulls the focus away from the house and onto the family. Every family has its own monsters - the real demons lie in unresolved trauma and we discuss the mechanisms Flanagan uses to deliver this message. We also share all the details of our LIVE brunch with Diet Coke taking place next week in Cleaver East. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe,

On this week's Before Brunch podcast with Diet Coke, Lovin Group Deputy Editor Kiara Keane joins us to chat all things royal baby related. Having been a reporter for Harper's Bazaar, we put Kiara's encyclopedic knowledge of the royals to the test - talking timings, body language and name predictions. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or megan@lovin.com

Dublin actress Aisling Breen began performing at age 7 and never surrendered to the pressure to 'get a real job'. That's the kind of sass and confidence we love at Before Brunch, and it's exactly what Diet Coke's #BecauseICan campaign is all about. She currently stars in Tinder The Comedy at The Tivoli theatre, playing Shaz - a Tinderella on a mission to get her mate a plus one to a wedding. We caught up with Aisling to chat Tinder in your 30s, what it's really like to be a Billie Barry kid, and the reality of committing to your passion - it's not all fun and games but for Aisling there was no other way. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy

In this week’s episode we look at our favourite stories from the year and the topics that resonated most with you guys. First up we look at our discussion around shared experience. This chat was prompted by a study from Harvard Decision Science Laboratory first published in 2014. The study relays the impact of shared experience on our feelings of inclusion or exclusion and highlights the effect of groupthink. Next we revisit the Bloggers Unveiled controversy. When Lovin’ became the target of the account, we questioned why we collectively enjoyed BU and our part in the whole saga. Finally, we hear snippets of our consent conversation. This was a tough one to discuss but it was an episode so many people seemed to appreciate. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you li

As Sarah Jessica Parker put it in an Instagram post dedicated to the most recent installment of 'Serial' - what are you willing to "turn over your leisure time to"? In this week's episode, Megan and Cassie chat about what they've been reading, watching and listening to this year, and how the pop culture you consume influences your choices and habits. What are you watching/reading/listening to? Let us know. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or megan@lovin.com

It's the 'last' series of Big Brother - and whether or not ITV saves the OG reality show it got us thinking about the phenomenon of non-celebrities being catapulted to instant fame - a movement that Big Brother is in many ways responsible for kicking off. Do Big Brother cast members have a right to a private self? Was it fair that Ellis was evicted because of something she tweeted when she was 15 years old? Also - we chat about giving and receiving criticism in the workplace, and how re-framing negative feedback can be key to our professional development. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or megan

In 2006, Dove released an advertising campaign that exposed the gratuitous use of Photoshop and kicked off an anti-airbrushing movement . People no longer wanted to accept false representations of beauty, and actresses and models moved to distance themselves from the 'sexist act' of altering a woman's appearance on the cover of a magazine. At the same time, technology that allows 'normal' people, non-celebrities like you and me, to alter their appearances digitally has become widespread and massively popular. For just a couple euros you can download an app and create a digital version of yourself. You 2.0. Actresses and models can't distance themselves from what they share on their own social media accounts, images that we know have been altered thanks to Instagram accounts like Celebface. We share what we think we "should" look like - simulacrums of ourselves that are almost more relevant than our real selves. Digital avatars that not only represent our lives, but determine our lives - our relationships

This week an inquest found that Cranberries lead singer Dolores O' Riordan died by drowning as a result of alcohol intoxication. The coroner, Dr Shirley Radcliffe, said: “There’s no evidence that this was anything other than an accident. There was no intention, this seems to be solely a tragic accident.” The findings prompted us to discuss the media coverage of Dolores' death at the time, and celebrity deaths in general. Although death is an inevitable part of life, we still don't have the language to discuss it meaningfully - and struggle to both report on it and talk about it in daily life. At this point we'd love to encourage you to listen to "About Death" - a recent episode of Racheal Bland's "You, Me and the Big C" podcast. Racheal died this week after a cancer battle, and the episode will truly change how you think and talk about death. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meanin

Sustainability is big business right now. This week, it was announced that the traditional pear-shaped lightbulb was giving way to LED bulbs that are more environmentally friendly. Sustainable fashion has been 'cool' for months, and everyone now has a keep cup... unless they're a 'D*ck'. On this week's episode we chat about Gen Z and their propensity to make change through what they buy rather than politics. It means industries are forced to listen up, because at the end of the day - sustainability is good for the bottom line. We talk about how social media influences and charges these social movements and laugh at how the best way to influence an Irish person is to make them feel guilty. Hey, it works! Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, ple

This month, Lauren Conrad experienced the moment she's been waiting for for ten years. The chance to turn down a reunion of The Hills. The chance to prove to everyone who wronged her that SHE MADE IT. She can say no. But what about everyone who is going back? Whitney Port, Audrina Patridge, JEN BUNNY?! What does this mean for them? If The Hills was aspirational reality TV ten years ago, what is it now? On this week's podcast we chat about the seminal reality show, what's happened in between, and why it's best to be as dumb as Heidi Montag in this scenario. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or

On the eve of another Rose of Tralee, we chat about the competition's place in modern Irish society. Is it harmless to celebrate 'niceness'? Or is it time to move on from the lovely ladies format and try something more relevant? Also - we're not paranoid, our phones are listening to us. But what does that actually mean? Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or megan@lovin.com

We've talked about pain as entertainment countless times before. From gruesome True Crime podcasts to watching poor Laura get continuously dumped on Love Island, the public's appetite for pain with their popcorn is endless. Sometimes it can feel exploitative, and the line between 'raising awareness' and pure voyeurism gets blurry. Thirteen Reasons Why is a great example of this. To The Bone with Lily Collins is another. HBO's Sharp Objects feels different. The 8-episode mini-series is based on the book by the same name, authored by Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl. It is relentless and slow-paced. It's consistently dark. But its treatment of female trauma doesn't feel icky. For once, female trauma isn't used as a plot tool to aid a male storyline. It's an exploration of violence among women - both physical and emotional - and the female body. How our inner lives reflect what we present to the world. How trauma doesn't always mean victim. If you haven't watched it yet - do! And let us know what you thought.

We’ve made a millionaire out of Gwyneth Paltrow and her vagina crystals. Last week, The New York Times Magazine published a piece in which writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner spent time with the proclaimed woman of wellness. The result? Paltrow is perfect. He ex-husband and current fiancé eat clams together. Her kids practice their musical instruments without being told to. She can tipple with tobacco and not become addicted. She is flawless and you can be too thanks to Goop. Therein lies the problem - Paltrow’s life is her brand and she is selling it to all of us. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or

Last week, Demi Lovato was hospitalised after a heroin overdose. Demi's mental health issues and battles with addiction have always been a part of her story - she has always spoken candidly about her struggles and brought her audience on the journey with her. In March, she celebrated six years sober - but maintaining sobriety is hard work and a continuous battle. In this episode we chat about battling addiction in the public eye and the importance of candid conversation about substance abuse and mental health issues. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovindublin @lovindotie or megan@lovin.com

Eleanor Oliphant and Keiko Furukura are misfits. By all means, the two protagonists live mundane lives on the outskirts of society. Eleanor is more than peculiar. She skirts social norms and convention, she seemingly lacks empathy and connection and she appears rude and judgemental. But we all fell in love with her when Gaily Honeymoon introduced her into her lives. Eleanor is the all-too-relatable character we needed. Gail Honeymoon gave us the antithesis of a hero. Eleanor is boring and safe and we want her to stay that way. In this week’s podcast we examine why we feel so strongly for peculiar protagonists and why it’s more important than ever to celebrate them. That leads us to a discussion on shared experience and a study from Harvard Decision Science Laboratory first published in 2014. The study relays the impact of shared experience on our feelings of inclusion or exclusion and highlights the effect of groupthink. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Ca

This week Meghan Markle made headlines for getting political during her brief Irish visit with Prince Harry. Both Una Mulally and Senator Catherine Noone reported that Meghan was pleased about the Eighth Referendum result - a move that is in direct opposition to the Royal Family rules which say that expressing a political opinion is forbidden. Thus far, the criticism leveled at Markle has largely been about the aesthetics of protocol - the colour of her tights, the way she crosses her legs, which side of the car she gets into. This is the first time we've seen an attempt to suppress Meghan's voice since she joined the RF - a voice that has been prominent in areas of philanthropy, feminism and human rights thus far. This is where it gets really interesting. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just

Where were you when you found out Cheryl and Liam were a couple? What first seemed implausible fast became the fascination of many. After eight years of friendship and mentorship, Cheryl and Liam were outed as a couple by The Sun. For more than two years we watched as they navigated the twist and trysts of an 11-year age gap, a secret pregnancy and an overactive rumor mill. Now we weigh in with our, er, expertise analysis of the situation. From Cheryl’s love of privacy, to Liam’s dirty socks - we’re pretty sure we’ve left no stone unturned on our endeavour to figure it all out. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do subscribe, rate and review to help other brunchers find us! Get in touch on twitter @meganmcassidy @cassielorraine @lovind

We've all been there. Your friend gets a massive promotion. You feel happy for her - but there's also a *sinking feeling*. A feeling of 'where am I at? Why not me?'. Then what about this. You follow Love Island religiously. You have a favourite character and want them to win. But then producers deliberately stir things up, make life difficult, instigate breakups. Are you upset? Or are you more likely than ever to press record on the telly because... 'it just got good'. Why do we innately like watching bad things happen to people? Does it mean that WE'RE bad people? This week, Lovin was the target of Bloggers Unveiled, even though there was no substance to the claims. What we witnessed was an overwhelming eagerness to hop on board the bandwagon and bring us down. It happens every week on the Instagram channel. The mob wants to bring down the target. There's an addictive, obsessive, need to see someone destroyed before we can move on. It's mirrored in our obsession with Love Island. Why aren't we happy unt

We refer to Love Island as our 'guilty pleasure' - a throwaway phrase, but one that insinuates we are disregarding some aspect of our perceived 'values and morals' in order to enjoy it. We've already scoffed at how hetero-normative the show is, how there is only one body-type celebrated and a very specific beauty ideal pursued. We've set all that aside to watch the show, but this week there were conversations that transgressed the 'shrug and eye-roll' territory. Issues around casual racism and signs of domestic abuse have made headlines, so we get into the nitty gritty of why these conversations are important in how we consume reality TV. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning hangover cure, brought to you by Diet Coke and the #BecauseICan campaign. Megan and Cassie chew over all the biggest stories of the week, from the frivolous to the meaningful and everything in between. It's the same dirt you talk about at Brunch, we're just digging a little deeper. If you like the podcast, please do sub

Do you make your bed every morning? Laura Whitmore is adamant that the simple act has a massive impact on the rest of your day... and therefore life. It's all about small changes having massive effects in our conversation about goal-setting and early morning rituals. We also chat about the recent crisis of confidence around influencer marketing, and the power of a meaningful partnership. Lastly, of course - we delve into this year's Love Island. Predictions, favourites, and the strange obsession with the reality show. Oh, and Cassie Delaney joined us at some stage, too. This week, Forbes released a list of the world’s 100 highest paid sports people. The problem? Not one woman was included. This week, we unpack the issue of the gender pay gap in sport and other industries and try make sense of the glaring omission. We also welcome the return of Love Island, our collective favourite trash reality TV addiction. Prepare for unsolicited weekly opinions. Before Brunch Podcast is the perfect Sunday morning