An award winning* podcast in which Drs Adam J Smith and Jo Waugh talk about the form, function and future of satire. They also talk about the history of satire, but that doesn’t alliterate.
Adam and Jo are joined by a series of special guests who will also talk about satire.
* 'Best Pedagogical Project', The YSJSU Awards 2019
EP91. We Understood the Satire: The Generation Game Pops Off, Mrs Merton to Bad Apples & the AI Apocalypse
Jo and Adam explore satire across the generations in a new instalment that certainly isn't a belated grab bag episode. We begin with Gen Z slang and BBC Radio 4’s attempts to make sense of it, before turning to Bad Apples, the new satirical film about a teacher who kidnaps one of her Gen Alpha pupils in an attempt to improve everyone else’s education.
Then South Park becomes South America in a satirical assault on Donald Trump, leading us into the increasingly strange world of AI, including the recent claim that artificial intelligence could end human life within ten years and the satirical responses it has inspired. We also investigate a fully AI-generated sitcom about angel investors recently released on YouTube.
Finally, we travel back to the 1990s for Mrs Merton, the beloved satirical chat show now newly available in full on iPlayer.
From Gen Z slang to Gen Alpha classrooms, AI apocalypse to Gen X nostalgia: every generation gets the satire it deserves.
31 Aug 2026
EP90. The Odyssey Isn't Satire, But Robots Can Be: Ann Droid & Androids
What makes a robot funny? And, more importantly, are they satire? Jo and Adam ask why robots seem to lend themselves so readily to satirical comedy. They look at the BBC sitcom ANN DROID, Apple TV's SUNNY and Channel 4's prank show BAD ROBOTS, alongside various satirical machines including Kryten from RED DWARF, Bender from FUTURAMA and ROBOCOP. There are also honourable mentions for robots who are decidedly less satirical (Vision, Data, the various artificial humans of HUMANS and BLACK MIRROR) as they consider what separates a robot who makes us laugh from one who simply makes us think (or are they perhaps the same, ahhhh....). Along the way, they discuss Isaac Asimov, The Bicentennial Man, and the peculiar relationship between robots, humanity and satire. And, because no episode is complete without getting distracted by something else, Jo and Adam share their thoughts on The Odyssey and the memes it has generated.
31 Jul 2026
EP89. Binface Girl Summer: Clacton By-Election, Burnham, France & Satire
Jo and Adam unpack the extraordinary Clacton by-election, where Count Binface takes on Nigel Farage after the Reform leader resigns and re-contests his own seat, calling the election a referendum on his political credibility. As the campaign descends into surreal farce, we ask whether Count Binface is effective satire, and what happens when satire becomes an active participant in democracy?
Along the way, Jo and Adam discuss French satirical magazines, the comic response to Andy Burnham's rise to the premiership, and Burnham's own use of humour on social media.
And Adam shares his concept for a new spin-off solo podcast for Jo called "This Means Waugh" all about why you are wrong about things.
Who has been a guest on Smith & Waugh Talk About Satire
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Stella Gibbons
George and Weedon Grossmith
Nancy Mitford
Ben of The Pod
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
20 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
50
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
82
Contact Smith & Waugh Talk About Satire
Guest appearances
Books guests
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