Russia if you’re listening (ABC) Well, that was annoying. The second series of Matt Bevan’s podcast series about the Trump Russian connection was just about to go to air, and then the summary of the Mueller report was released. In Episode 1, he talks about the Mueller report, Episode 2 looks at Maria Butina, the Russian spy who infiltrated the NRA (very relevant here in Australia at the moment) and Episode 3 looks at the music promoter Rob Goldstein who seemed to be involved at all the sticky moments, but now denies it all. Matt Bevan’s not leaving this story alone, and it unfolds in real time. This second episode seems rather too-overproduced, with little music stings and sound effects. It doesn’t need them.
Conversations (ABC) Richard Fidler is back! In ‘The Secret Life of the Beauty Queen Killer‘, he interviews Duncan McNab, ex-detective, crime writer and author of The Snapshot Killer, the story of serial killer Christopher Wilder who murdered at least twelve people, possibly more, in Australia and America. A readiness to give him the benefit of the doubt, the financial and family resources for good lawyers, poor policing and the prejudice against the testimony of young women, meant that he killed for over twenty year. Rather graphic, and very disturbing.
Standard Issue This podcast was founded as an online magazine by one of my favourite comedians, Sarah Millican. It ranges across many themes, although it tends to have an emphasis on female performers. Episode 192 Bedrooms of London interviews the curator of the Foundling Museum where between February and May 2019 they have had an exhibition of photographs of the ‘bedrooms’ (many are actually just single living rooms) of children living below the poverty line in London today. You can find out more about the exhibition – including a sample of the photographs) at the Foundling Museum site and a Guardian feature on the exhibition here.
The History Listen. An excellent podcast here, based on the book Blue Lake:Looking for Dudley Flats, which I reviewed here last year. This is not your normal author-interview; instead it is a dramatization of some of the events, interspersed with current day interviews. It’s excellent, and check about the History Listen webpage too, where you can find a photo of Blue Lake from 1869. There’s a good article by the author here too, with lots of photos.
The Resident Judge of Port Phillip 