Theroux’s Manosphere AKA Bunch of Wet Wipes

The Trawl

Jemma Forte & Marina Purkiss

News, Politics, Government

4.7 • 867 Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Off the back of Louis Theroux’s latest documentary, Marina and Jemma unpack the men building huge online audiences by selling a version of masculinity that feels equal parts contradictory and deeply revealing. From the obsession with status, money and 'high value' women, to the glaring emotional vulnerability sitting just beneath the surface it’s a conversation about what’s really going on here, and why it’s resonating.

They dig into the damage, the loneliness, and the logic (or lack of it) behind it all, including the men who seem so close to self-awareness, yet never quite get there. There’s also a look at the role other men play in challenging (or enabling) this behaviour, and why calling it out still feels so rare. They also lose it laughing at points because as ever the internet has delivered...

When they're not laughing there are reminders too that, actually, confidence, kindness and emotional intelligence remain infinitely more attractive than whatever’s being peddled online.

A brilliant pudding from Russell Kane rounds it off.

Thank you for sharing and please do follow us @MarinaPurkiss @jemmaforte @TheTrawlPodcast

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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.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Maybe like I could go and marry one of these men with all of their like stocks and shares and like their porches that they definitely own.
0:10.2	But anyway, I can't cook. So.
0:34.5	Hello and welcome to The Trawl, where we troll through what's trending and try and filter what you will and won't be interested in, so you don't have to scroll yourself into a mild existential crisis.
0:37.7	I'm Marina Perkis. And I'm Gemma Forte.
0:45.0	And the Oscar, for the punchiest line in the opening monologue of the Oscars goes to Conan O'Brien.
0:56.2	It's the first time since 2012, first time since 2012 that there are no British actors nominated for Best Actor or Best Actress.
1:02.1	Yeah. British spokesperson said, yeah, well, at least we arrest our pedophiles.
1:03.9	So we got that going.
1:07.9	Oh, punchy. Do you know what's interesting as well?
1:46.8	Is that normally Trump comes out and has a little go at the Oscars, doesn't he? Or like the awards ceremonies, if there's a dig at him. He hasn't. One, because he's so stressed out about this mess he's gotten into with Iran. But two, because if he says anything to defend that, he'd kind of be saying, yeah, he's talking about me there, isn't he? I am the pedo. Yeah, exactly. But you're right, he's too busy putting calls in, isn't he? You need to find another country to help us. We will get to that. That will be tomorrow's episode. I can't help but laugh. I know. Everyone's going, nah, nah, you're all right. You're all right. You're right, Tron, we'll, we'll, uh, hang back. We'll, uh, keep our warships grounded. And then now he goes back and goes,
1:45.3	actually, we don't, we're all right. You're right, Trom. We'll hang back. We'll keep our warships grounded.
1:48.7	And then now he goes back and goes, actually, we don't need you, though.
2:04.0	I'm only doing it to test you. Oh. He's such a wiesel. So much to talk about in that episode. But not in today's one. So to give you a little idea of what's coming, this week will not have one, not two, but three trolls for you.
2:04.3	You're so lucky. We are spoiling you. In tomorrows, we'll get back to geopolitics. Spain is still
2:10.0	being all sexy and have now made the Israeli ambassador leave. Pete Hedgeseth is making even less
2:16.2	sense than ever. Oh my God, he sounds like Dr. Seuss.
2:19.7	And on a different note, reforms Richard Tice has avoided a load of tax. But unlike Angela Rainer's
2:27.2	financial affairs, it's getting little to no coverage. So it's practically our duty to cover it.
2:31.9	Yes. And then on Friday, we've got patrol meets coming out for you.
2:37.4	And it's Alistair Campbell.
2:39.0	It's Alistair Campbell from The Rest is politics.
2:41.4	And it was really interesting.
	...

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