Ep 215 - Stigmata, Stigmata

This week Kevin announces that he will not be putting up a Christmas tree in London, insisting he is done being the one who returns home first in January only to face the depressing task of taking down all the decorations alone. PJ immediately brands him a Scrooge, though Kevin maintains it is simply self-preservation. He also has a gripe to air about retail websites that promise ten percent off if you sign up to their newsletter, only to withhold the discount code for a full twenty-four hours, long after the impulse to buy has died.Because the lads feel there is far too much pressure to have a picture-perfect Christmas, they invite listeners to send in their own festive disasters. From uncooked turkeys to festive infidelity, they want to remind everyone that no one’s Christmas is flawless and we can all take comfort in the chaos together.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PJ rants about the devastation he experiences living in an apartment block and coming home to a mountain of parcels and getting all excited only to discover none are for him. The lads also share their thoughts on Wicked: For Good, with Kevin unable to move past Elphaba wearing an Anthropologie knit cardigan during the only sex scene in the whole film.For the theme, Kevin and PJ dive into the current Celtic revival, chatting about the surge in love for CMAT, Fontaines D.C., claddagh motifs and the sudden obsession with “splitting the G.” While they adore seeing people embrace their Irishness, they cannot help but worry that the hype might be more trend than tradition.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Kevin and PJ are feeling fragile as PJ’s back is in bits after a yoga class and the lads realise it is probably a blessing they do not have periods because they would absolutely never shut up about it. For the theme they dive into GLP 1s, prompted by the rise of Ozempic and Mounjaro. They chat about their own relationships with their bodies, the way fat people are treated in society and how Irish mothers are far more likely to compliment you on losing five pounds than saving a life.For support around body image, eating disorders, or related concerns, visit BodyWhysSign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week PJ has a few bones to pick with Kevin, starting with the fact that Kevin apparently does not shower. He claimed he had no time to wash after his CrossFit class, yet still managed to take a thirst trap and post it in the name of engagement. PJ also discovers that Kevin secretly sold the television they went halves on and forgot to tell him entirely.For the theme, the lads dive into Karen submission stories. One standout tale involves a girl who was meant to mind her friends cat for two weeks, but months later she still has it, her boyfriend is allergic and she has ended up with a vet bill of two thousand euro.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin and PJ are unpacking the single life this week, all sparked by that viral Vogue piece asking, 'Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now?'. They debate whether being single is now a flex, question the awkwardness of posting your partner online, and reflect on how much our self-worth really depends on relationship status. Along the way, they share their own dating faux pas, the pressure (or relief) of staying solo and whether Kevin only craves a relationship on a Sunday evening so he can halve the cost of the Deliveroo.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The them for Science Week 2025, which is supported by Research Ireland is 'Then, Today, Tomorrow.,' and Kevin and PJ are exploring how Artificial Intelligence has evolved from a futuristic fantasy to one of the most powerful tools in modern science. To guide them through it, they’re joined by Professor Alan Smeaton, one of Ireland’s leading experts in AI and data analytics at DCU. The conversation takes in AlphaFold and the breakthroughs it’s bringing to drug discovery, the use of computer vision to analyse medical scans and biopsies and the rise of wearable tech that helps us monitor our own health and wellbeing. Alan also shares insights from his own fascinating research using AI and assistance dogs to detect epileptic seizures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin and PJ are back and have a lot to talk about thanks to Lily Allen’s new album, West End Girl. PJ finds himself stepping into some playground drama in his apartment block but isn’t sure if he stopped a bullying incident or just ruined a friendship. Kevin’s found a stunning new wine spot but the presence of a charcuterie board has PJ on edge. Kevin also shares tales from Amsterdam where the raving was intense and the mesh confusing. For the theme, the lads chat lyrical payback, Lily Allen’s divorce from David Harbour, and whether they’d like to be the villain in someone’s breakup album.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Kevin and PJ are coming to you live from The Spaniard in Kinsale for a special bonus episode brought to you by Guinness 0.0, celebrating the start of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. Surrounded by jazz-goers and good vibes, the lads chat about the origins of the festival, share their early memories of celebrating the Jazz and issue a gentle warning about the perils of dating a musician. They also read some listener stories from Cork Jazz weekends gone by including iconic tales involving a brass band on top of a bus and there's even an impromptu performance from a stunning jazz singer.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Kevin and PJ are going full Most Haunted as they join Matt and Tanya from the Cork Supernatural Society for a paranormal investigation in the Convent of Mercy in Cobh. They get to grips with all the ghost-hunting gear, find out which spots in Cork are the most haunted and spend most of the night gasping over the convent’s interiors: the floors, the spiral staircase, the crown mouldings… stunning!Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PJ’s after getting a new couch but has enforced a strict “no sex on the new sofa” policy because it was pricey girls. He also confesses his deep love for waffles while Kevin argues there’s something inherently Protestant about the smiley-faced ones. The boys then dive into the dark world of doom scrolling as their screen times hit new highs, leading Kevin to realise maybe it was a good thing he never got that iPad after all.Sign up to the I'm Grand Mam Patreon for more stunning content: https://www.patreon.com/imgrandmam ✨ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.