This month’s podcast review is for one of my absolute favourites – Sentimental Garbage. Also very excited to say that I’ve had my first live podcast experience by seeing this one live at the beginning of the month.
Created and hosted by Irish author Caroline O’Donoghue, I had read and loved her book Scenes of a Graphic Nature before I realised she had a podcast. So it was a happy coincidence that when my friend recommended this podcast to me, I realised I knew Caroline from her great book. I’ve since also read her recent novel The Rachel Incident and loved that too.
Sentimental Garbage started life as a guilty pleasure podcast (as described by the host that way, not me), with 45 mins – 1 hour episodes of friendly chat that focuses on things like chick-lit, celebrities and topics that some in society deem a bit cringe or unimportant but, in fact, have a big impact on so many people’s hearts and lives – mine included.
The format of the podcast is Caroline talking to a guest about a specific topic, or several. A few of my favourite episodes include:
- Skinny Jeans with Lauren Bravo (as in an analysis of their rise and fall)
- Robbie Williams with Dolly Alderton
- Barbie with Jen Cownie
- Dirty Dancy with Curtis Sittenfeld
- Grease 2 with Seamus O’Reilly
- RuPaul’s Drag Race with SELF ESTEEM
- Sweet Valley High with Jessica Pan
- Rachel’s Holiday with Louise O’Neill
I could go on – this kind of pop-culture and contemporary chat appeals to me so much and Caroline is such a great podcast host, so warm and friendly and always giving insightful commentary on the chosen topic.
Sentimental Garbage Live
I went to see Sentimental Garbage live at Hackney Empire in London as part of a tour Caroline is doing and Caroline’s special guest was presenter and author, Dawn O’Porter.
They chatted through Dawn’s fascinating career and then took chat topics from the audience. These brilliantly covered everything from polygamy (yes or no?) to what’s a hun (shocking moment of the eve, Dawn O’Porter didn’t know who Gemma Collins, Queen of the Huns is?? She has been living in America for the last 12 years but still!) Such a funny, brilliant evening – an excellent first podcast IRL moment.
Also – if you’re a Sex and the City fan, there’s a spin off Sentimental in the City season of Sentimental Garbage where Caroline and her friend, Dolly Alderton deep dive into every episode. The absolute dream.
As Caroline put it (I’m paraphrasing here): ‘it’s amazing so many of you want to hear my niche take on niche topics’ and yes, we really do! An excellent feel-good podcast.
- Listen to the Sentimental Garbage podcast here;
- Hosted by Caroline O’Donoghue;
- Ongoing – 12 seasons so far;
- Genre: Contemporary topical discussion
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 
I had no idea that some podcasters were inviting an audience to attend the recording. It does make me wonder whether the distinctions between radio programmes and podcasts are now disappearing
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