Wikishuffle

Our founding father and resident Snorlax has returned after a six week hiatus trekking wild Pokemon in the depths of Northamptonshire. To celebrate Jack's renewal of hosting duties and hopefully cash in on the maelstrom of Pokemongo that's ravaging the known universe, we let him chat about his new-found hobby. Other than that, we very nearly make it to the end of an article in New Zealand without making a Peter Jackson reference, Phil recounts toiletry abuse and we correct an assertion from last week's podcast, trashing the good name of a BBC broadcaster in the process.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In her sixth and final outing on Wikishuffle (for now, at least), Ruth Bradley spends most of the episode making crude hand signals, willfully unaware of the limitations of audio podcasting. Phil regails us with some actual first hand (and not very flattering) experience of our first random article subject, before we all set about hitting you with our laser beams, much to the chagrin of 80's BBC Radio One presenter Mike Read. Jack will return next week. Do try and contain your excitement.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Second outing for Amy Walker to pick some more Wikipedia articles for us to take a look at. Two articles of European history this week. We examine some evidence that suggests 93% of all Russian men are called Yuri, and ponder the question of what to do when you've got more Parisian nannas than you have loft space. Ruth sits in for Jack once again, and devises the new crime-fighting duo Ballyhoo & Cockwobbler™.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There's about three minutes in the middle of this week's episode where we're not speaking about bums, but even then we make the phrase 'visa bungle' sound vaguely bummish. So we're talking cod science, Olympians and IOOPP (incidental out-of-place poops). A special big thank you to Chris (and his thigh gap) for posing for this week's cover photo. I see a bright future ahead for him.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Thanks to Amy Walker for being our special guest article selector this week. You can find her writing at http://trans--scribe.blogspot.co.uk/. The first article she brings along is intended specifically as an insult to Phil (so kind), but backfires on poor Ruth and Chris. And then, as we've come to expect with guest selections, we aim for the soft target of conspiracy theory crackpots.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In which we attempt to dupe the gold diggers and hamburgers of the internet into a yachting adventure with Paul Hollywood, explain how you can buy a camel and let Chris record the outro. No Jack again this week, so Ruth Bradley's sitting in again, helping us to give the hacking victims of Ashley Madison precisely the level of sympathy that they deserve.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

No Jack this week, but don't let that worry you (I know, you weren't), as we've got Ruth Bradley instead. Having Ruth visit at Wikishuffle HQ certainly hasn't made us raise the tone any. In fact, it's just a matter of time before the conversation inevitably descends to looking up pictures of poop on the internet. And our first article is surprisingly handy for helping you survive the neofascist landscape of post-brexit Britain (sorry, European listeners - we still love you, even if our countrymen can't be trusted to act in their continent's best interest).  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Other potential titles for this episode included, but were not limited to: - The Emotionless Tattoo - Swiping Right on a Klansman - LARPing in a Pret - Marvin Lee Aday Keeps the Doctor Away That last one was obviously the best, but it was too long to fit in the show graphic. Them's the breaks. It's another emergency episode this week, but fear not, none of us are dead or trapped in a sink hole, we've just been too busy attending podcast awards and watching the football to record this week. Normal service will resume in seven days.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sure, you might be semi-interested in some ancient Indian religious relics, or the fact that this is our most Jeff Goldblum-centric episode to date, but what you really want to hear is the announcement of our new spin-off podcast. You, and everyone you know.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Just a few days left to vote for Wikishuffle for the 2016 New Media Europe Best Podcast 2016 award. We'd be proper grateful for your support. Head over to wikishuffle.co.uk to find out how to vote. This week (after Chris finally turns up), we analyse some disco lyrics, mourn the death of some Victorian Miners (with or without a memorial) and find little to no sympathy in our hearts for Johnny Depp. Plus! Hear about how Jack once sexually assaulted a nun. High jinx all round.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever posed yourself the question "I wonder what fictitious couple Jack would choose for a hypothetical threesome"? Well, ponder no more. Plus, have a listen to our hot take on the backlash for the new Ghostbusters film (spoiler - all men are terrible). As we press the random article button on Wikipedia and do some chat on whatsoever there so ensues. Thanks to everyone who voted for us in the 2016 UK Podcasters awards - we're very pleased to announce that we've made the shortlist for Best UK Podcast. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote for us.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

There's been an emergency! Not quite the Wikishuffle crew-member death that we were preparing for when we recorded this emergency episode back in February, but an emergency nonetheless. They (Northamptonshire County Council) are resurfacing the road outside Wikishuffle HQ, and it turns out that's quite a noisy activity. Too noisy for recording podcasts over, anyway. So we've had to resort to our backup plan and dust off our emergency episode. Which is about exploration and the inevitable cannibalism that ensues. Normal service will resume next week. At least I hope so, because we haven't got any more emergency episodes in the bank.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Stacey from her eponymous pop culture parlour podcast is back for our second special guest episode for May. We've dialled down the smut this time around, and we're talking things nautical and anime. Don't forget that Stacey will be holding her 24-hour podcast marathon later in the summer and you can pledge your support at justgiving.com/spcplive2 in aid of the Alzheimer's Society.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're not bitter. Honest, we're not. The Guardian explicitly told us they were going to feature Wikishuffle in their podcast feature and they didn't. That's fine. We understand. And we definitely didn't take it personally. In other news, please acknowledge us where the Guardian so ardently refused by voting for Wikishuffle in the New Media Europe podcast awards: https://www.facebook.com/events/438299223042307/permalink/474661112739451/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

While we may have used the odd sweary word in the past, this is the first Wikishuffle episode where I feel the need to issue a specific warning for adult content. You see, this is what happens when we allow a West Midlander to breach the sacred divide that is the M6. She brings with her a whole host of smut, that we innocent and virginal East Midlanders are contractually obliged to then talk about. Stacey Taylor (from out of off of Stacey's Pop Culture Parlour podcast) has an endurance event she'd like to bring our attention to. And to welcome her to the studio, Chris has been getting creative.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leicester City have won the Premier League - hear it here last. Despite Jack's obvious giddiness we try and knuckle down to some Wikishuffling and let the random article button plot our path for us. Sumatra and Texas are this week's destinations. Why not join us?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's episode 69. Please try not to snigger, that would be infantile. We've accidentally Wikishuffled our way into a racism special, which is nice. Some from the 30's (when nobody knew any better), some from the 21st century (when people definitely should know better - we're looking at you, Urban Outfitters). Stick around til the end of the episode for a little bit of improvised radio theatre. Like what Mike Leigh might make.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Two episodes in two days? It's a Wikishuffle personal best (or worst, depending on your point of view). In this week's episode, we're calling out Scientologists, and are definitely the only media outlet ever to have done so [citation needed]. Other than that, you can hear our take on pooltime fun, and stick around to the end for Chris and Phil's review of Stewart Lee's ATP festival.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Time for the second half of this month's guest episodes, and we're swingin' on the flippity flop with Keith Clark once again. It's quite clear to everyone who his favourite member of the Wikishuffle team is. Chris is lavished with gifts, and his opinions on animals with jobs are given altogether too much of a platform. Clever animals to one side, 90's America provides the inspiration for the other articles Keith has selected. Don't be a lamestain - get yourself bound and hagged ready for this week's bonus Wikishuffle.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We side with Bill Gates over Steve Jobs, ponder what the Sweaty Girl Look of the nineteen sixties might have involved and clarify for the record that Jack is NOT the alter-ego of rambunctious superhero Fashion Man. Then we're heading towards international waters, and there's some planning afoot. Well, it's coming from Chris, so I use the word planning in the loosest possible sense.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.