Gotta Be Done's Mary does TONTS!

It’s the biggest week of Bluey news since… big screens! But the path to Bluey the Movie has been paved with burnout and mental load – or is that just Kate and Mary trying to prepare for Christmas? First up, here’s Joe Brumm’s letter that accompanied the Bluey feature film announcement... no advice yet on how to wait until 2027! Then, is there a way to relax amidst the relentless demands of parenting/ festivities/ life? The girls canvas books that might help – The Wife Drought, Small Habits for a Big Life, and whatever Chilli is reading – but disclaimer, good advice only works when you actually go about it. Plus banging tunes from the Queen of Jazz and the Lord of the Dance (but not really), a Shaker score that fits the Relax message perfectly. And with that, this podcast is relaxing for a bit – hope Verandah Santa remembers all, and Christmas is filled with Simple Gifts (or at least hugs and cuppas!)   ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on X at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

It's been a long time between galaxies for an honest-to-goodness Gotta Be Done recap - but Kate and Mary didn't disappear into a black hole (of parenting) for ever, just for about a year.  Space is the mind-bending Bluey episode that brings them back, ready to fix things and figure everything out. But are they chief scientists enough? Plus, radical candor, space destinations in Adelaide and Parkes, and amazing sponsor the Epping Club in Sydney's north-west is doing Bluey Trivia! Book now and have all the answers for 2025 (and do Gotta Be Done proud!) - the family-friendly event on Saturday 25 January at 2pm, what a gift for the Bluey fans in your life! (Oh, and did you know the Bluey website now has a page for every episode?? Here's the Space one!) ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on X at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

When Kate and Mary from Gotta Be Done and Lou from Bluey's Brisbane sneak along to the opening day of Bluey's World, it's not going to be a subtle affair.  And this epic crossover chat, just outside the new Sunshine State landmark/ destination/ (other) happiest place on earth, was next level excitable. It even prompted Bluey's World and Bluey's Big Play producer Andrew Kay to join the fun!  Hear first reviews of the one-of-a-kind immersive/ panto/ playful experience at the Northshore Pavilion in Brisbane, Queensland, attempts to divine life advice from fortune cookies and career guidance from creative arts, explainers on why Bluey's World surfaces have to be lickable, and much more!  As the secret message in the Narnia cupboard says (IYKYK), "It is a happy talent to know how to play". Ralph Waldo Emerson (and Joe Brumm who added it!) know what they're on about - and we're all happier for it!  ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Skip out on work and bring your connector pens - it's RUG ISLAND DAY!  The THIRD album from Bluey maestro Joff Bush and his glorious music team is out globally today (25 October 2024) wherever you get your music (and even on vinyl!) So of course Mary and Kate were going to drag out the wagon and skive off work Bandit-style, to ask Joff about how this journey into playful imagination came together (it started with a Cafe play-date, and ended with new friends!) From collaborating with Arnhem Land legends King Stingray, to who you can ask to make octopus sound-effects, how Joe Brumm and Costa Kassab delivered the artistic inspo to tie it all together, and why Muffin deserves her own breakout album - Joff shares the all the antics that made Rug Island such joyful perfection, and what's left over for the next album too! Plus, congrats on new dad life Joff - Gotta Be Done gets the exclusive on Joff-tested tunes to sooth your small people!   ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

So it's been a while, but when one half of Gotta Be Done sneaks up into Blueyland/ Brisbane... podcast magic happens!   Mary caught up with Justin and Lou from Bluey's Brisbane for this fun and frenetic crossover episode, on the for-real-life location of iconic Bluey ep Markets (the West End Markets, every Saturday at Davies Park!) Now in their fourth year of exploring the real life world of our favourite Heelers, Justin and Lou have plenty of local knowledge to share. And the superfans also spill theories, feelings and insights about new Bluey music (listen to the brand new single 'Octopus' with Arnhem Land legends King Stingray on Spotify), possible mascots for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics (bring it, Unicorse!), life post-The Sign, Bluey dollarbucks released by the Royal Australian Mint (maybe a rip off? and since this was recorded, epically ripped off!), Bunnings-bought husbands, and Bluey's World in Brisbane set to open in November (just 90 days away!) If you haven't already discovered amazing Bluey's Brisbane, dive into Justin Rouillon and Lou Bromley's back catalogue here - and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @blueysbrisbane. Thanks for sharing your beautiful slice of Blueyland, team! ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Did you know it took nearly two years from Ludo Studio putting finishing touches on The Sign, to actually getting that biggest ever Bluey episode onto our screens?? So really, the fact that Kate and Mary interviewed Bluey creator Joe Brumm after the The Sign dropped on Sunday, and now you're getting the episode on Wednesday - pretty quick turnaround!  Joe is back in the wagon to talk through his favourite ever Bluey episode, the only one that has involved every single member of the incredible production team, and the one that ripped out our hearts, ran them through a few rollercoasters, then cradled them back to where they belong.  Hear how Meg Washington's stunning Lazarus Drug came into the episode (and helped shape the ending), why Joe wrestled with who gets to be happy (fictional characters, definitely), a long history animating Dunk Island/ Ulysses butterflies (and following signs), and even a surprise in store next...   Oh and in case you missed the signs, this conversation has SPOILERS! The Sign and Ghostbasket are streaming now on ABC iView and globally on Disney+ and are glorious. ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

So Gotta Be Done has been missing in your podcast feed for a bit (and you better believe Mary and Kate are missing it too!) But of course they haven't stopped talking about Bluey in any/every other aspect of their lives, and for this special crossover, Mary talks about Bluey A LOT. Thank you TONTS host Claire Tonti for sharing the mic, over to her to explain! In a very special episode of TONTS. I deep dive into the wonderful world of Bluey podcast with Bluey expert and podcast host Mary Bolling. Mary is a journalist, mum and kids culture enthusiast, and one half of the Gotta Be Done podcast, deep-diving Australian juggernaut Bluey (and parenting, pop culture and everything else!) since 2019. In typical TONTS. and Bluey fashion we talk about the themes in Bluey that so closely match our own experiences. Two mums deep diving into the highs and lows of parenting, grief, loss, miscarriage, the power of story and the vital role of play and silliness. What a joy!   You can find more from Mary Bolling on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marytbolling/ and listen to her and co-host Kate McMahon on Gotta Be Done here https://www.blueypod.com   Head to https://www.clairetonti.com for more awesome episodes, and follow her on Insta at https://www.instagram.com/clairetonti/ and https://www.instagram.com/tontspod 

It's not often an episode of Gotte Be Done has required reading... but when there's three developmental scientists putting Bluey under the microscope, then of course we're all diving in!  Mary's joined in the wagon by Dr Molly Scott, Research Scientist in Playful Learning at Temple University, Aria Gastón-Panthaki, Research Coordinator for Children's Development at Harvard University, and Doug Piper, PhD candidate in psychology at Georgetown University. The play-hard trio recently penned a research piece, Bluey teaches children and parents alike about how play supports creativity and other life lessons (lime lessons??), and on the podcast share their own journeys to Bluey, favourite bits of Bluey brain science, and whether Bluey is inspiring a new generation of more thoughtful, playful parents... (spoiler alert, hopefully?!) Thanks team for sharing your brilliant insights, and thanks Bluey for everything you're teaching us!  ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Gotta Be Done's been on a break, but Mary and Kate just couldn't keep mum for BLUEY FEST! (For international types, that's the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's celebration of five years since Bluey launched... and the top 100 episodes as voted by Australia!) So, the girls have got the somewhat-broken-down wagon back together, for a lap through the trials of trying to pick top five episodes, the delights of being in a Bluey book (Where's Bluey? At Christmas), and what's ahead for the rest of season three...  .. and also, what should we see in (new 28-minute Bluey ep in 2024) The Sign?? ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.

Recently listener Matthew in London emailed Gotta Be Done to ask when the Pizza Girls recap was coming. And Mary and Kate laughed because they'd totally recorded that back in February 2023... and then stopped laughing, because Mary had forgotten to release it.  So, strap yourselves in kid, for all the late-summer reminiscing, fresh-new-year-misty-eyed-ness... and Muffin dropping the clutch and drifting her way to glory.  Is Pizza Girls the unofficial sequel to Bedroom, and do families need to hold onto every item ever that has a story? (Well Marie Kondo has given up on tidying, you know...) Plus, February Kate and Mary excitedly preview the now well-and-truly out Dance Mode album (and they're still excited six months on!) Oh, and... Yeah I want garlic bread!  ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Adelaide/ Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon or on Twitter at @blueypodcast - and use #blueypod to join in.