We're a nation of over-sharers, but no one needs to know this about you
It used to be the only way to know what was going on inside your average Aussie fella was to do open-heart surgery. But of late, I've noticed, we seem to have become a nation of over-sharers.
For example, I was happily chatting to a woman in the doctor's waiting room about her love of riding, how it relaxed and thrilled her but could cause chafing. Five minutes later I realised she meant blokes, not horses. Clearly 'equine therapy' for middle-aged women means finding a man who is hung like one.
And that's not an isolated incident. Female friends have always traded confessions over smashed avo brunches – but not to the current extent. One gal pal recently shared explicit details about the way she eats strawberries from her lover's body. (At least she's getting one of her 'five a day'.)
I'm also privy to which high-powered female executive got down and dirty with the bartender. (Dignity is the only thing alcohol doesn't preserve.) And which circuit judge likes to pick up blokes in the park. (Which explains why she's started dyeing her hair blonde – so men can find her in the dark.)
And the fellas are at it, too. Blokes who previously wouldn't even say 'I love you' to the woman who bore their children are suddenly getting down to their emotional undies in a psychological striptease that reveals all.
I blame Harry, Meghan, Gwyneth Paltrow and all the other self-obsessed celebs who like to 'sit in their truth'.
Previously reserved male pals have taken to confiding their boudoir peccadilloes. A swim-team chum, renowned for his taciturn toughness, recently confessed how much he likes wearing his wife's underwear. I now also know which of my male friends likes to talk dirty (and I don't mean sorting the compost and recycling bins) and those with a penchant for S&M. The thought makes my toes curl; I don't like to be beaten, not even at Monopoly. Surely handcuffs are only acceptable for an undercover police officer?
And it's not just friends confessing all. Like the woman I encountered at the doctor, complete strangers are suddenly haemorrhaging every detail of their emotional lives and medical ailments. Apropos of nothing, I've been shown photos of my florist's foot fungus and my barista's armpit boil. I can't even relax at yoga because the instructor keeps divulging details about her 'arousal disorder'. (I don't think she has an arousal disorder; what she has is a job, two kids and a lazy spouse.)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘The Witches Are Back': Nicole Kidman shares much-awaited post with beloved co-star Sandra Bullock on Practical Magic 2 set as filming kicks off
Nicole Kidman and her beloved on-screen sister Sandra Bullock are back together again after 27 years to cast some spells on the big screen as they kick off the first day of filming Practical Magic 2. Kidman shared a sweet glimpse into the set of the highly-anticipated fantasy film in a short Instagram clip on Saturday in which she can be seen hugging Bullock behind gravestones, wearing floral dresses reminiscent of the Owen sisters' costumes in the prequel. Film crew surrounding the pair are heard telling cameramen to "keep rolling". The Aussie actress captioned the post : "The witches are back. Owen sisters' first day on set'', she wrote referencing their characters Sally and Gillian Owens. Both Kidman and Bullock seemed to be rocking the same hairstyles from the original film with Kidman's long red hair and fringe and Bullock's loose brunette waves. The Instagram post caught the attention of excited fans who have been waiting patiently for the film to grace their screens since its announcement last year. "THIS FEELS LIKE CHRISTMASSSS STAWPP THIS IS BEST PRESENT IVE GOT," one fan wrote. "AAAAAAAA. I SCREAMED! What a fantasy. I can't wait to see this," another wrote. "Now this is the breaking news alert we needed!" a third joked. The original Practical Magic was released in 1998 based on the novel by Alice Hoffman, in which two witch sisters raised by their eccentric aunts find themselves fighting off a curse that kills the men they fall in love with. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing are expected to return to the sequel as Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances. The release date for Practical Magic 2 is currently set for September 18, 2026.
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Exploitative': Viral TikTok trend under fire from experts
A woman stumbles out of a dingy public toilet at a park in Perth's northern suburbs. Visibly shaken, she admits she was in the bathroom with a couple of 'junkies' and had just copped a 'couple of punches'. Then, a stranger with a microphone pounces. He is followed by two cameramen who film her as she staggers around in bare feet with torn clothing, messy hair and missing teeth. The four-minute video — titled 'Traphouse' — attracted almost 1 million views after it was posted to social media platform TikTok last month. It exposes a helpless young woman at her weakest and most vulnerable. The shocking video is just one of dozens of controversial interview-style clips posted by Perth comedian and content creator, Jasky Singh, better known as 'Mr Sikkant'. Perth comedian and content creator Jasky Singh - username @MrSikKant - has gone viral for his controversial TikTok videos Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok And he's not alone. Instagram and TikTok feeds are flooded with thousands of crass videos where content creators ambush the public with Punk'd-style questions for the sake of clicks and clout. Perth content creator Cynthia Lin — username ' — has amassed over 1.4 million likes for her street interviews, interrogating locals with questions like, 'what is your favourite Australian beer?' and 'where is the best place to hang out in Perth?' In one video, Lin speaks with an Indigenous woman — who appears to be under the influence of drugs — with missing teeth and distressed, ragged clothing. The woman is filmed speaking erratically, while grinding her jaw and clumsily attempting to put on her shoe. And in another video, Lin is filmed attempting to interview a man who appears to be homeless. Local content creator Cynthia Lin - username @ - has gone viral for her vox pop-style videos. Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok Aussie DJ duo 'Bread Gang' have also gone viral for their shocking vox pop-style videos, speaking with people at nightclubs and music festivals who are clearly under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The pair — who are on the hunt for the world's 'loosest' city — almost exclusively film people who are heavily intoxicated, asking party-goers, 'Tell me something your mum doesn't know'. In one clip one woman says, 'my mum doesn't know that I do drugs and I'm completely wired out of my head'. Another confesses to sleeping with her mother's step-cousin, while one man admits to 'eating pingers (ecstasy) all day.' Both Lin and Bread Gang have been contacted for comment. Aussie DJ duo "Bread Gang" have gone viral for their shocking vox pop-style videos, talking to people at nightclubs and music festivals across the globe who are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. breadgangtv_ Credit: breadgangtv_ / TikTok ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she was aware of 'growing concerns' regarding street interview content that 'appeared to exploit or humiliate' other people. 'Just because something may be technically legal does not mean it is ethical,' she told The West. 'In other words, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. 'Technology and social media are evolving rapidly, making it easier to film and post without consent, often at the expense of those least able to protect themselves. 'Whether as creators or consumers, we all have a responsibility to not dehumanise people or treat moments of distress as entertainment.' While most of Singh's videos are free, 'extended' and 'uncut' versions are available to fans who pay a monthly subscription fee. Singh has recently come under fire for his provocative street interviews, which predominantly involve him speaking to people from marginalised communities. Many of his subjects appear to be under the influence of drugs and or alcohol, homeless or living with a mental health condition. In another video, titled 'Koondoola King', Singh films Robert, a young First Nations man who admits he hasn't slept in nine days because he's 'been on drugs for days'. 'I had like seven shots last night, that's why I need to f... off home to my woman and smoke two more cones,' he says. And in a 35 minute-long YouTube video, titled 'Mandurah: The methiest place in Australia', Singh interviews dozens of locals, asking where and how he can buy meth. Comedian and TikToker Jasky Singh is famous for his vox pop-style interviews with people in the WA community Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian Singh's videos have sparked fierce debate, with some accusing the 39-year-old creator of exploiting society's most vulnerable. 'You enjoy exploiting the unfortunate for views? Cringe,' a comment on one of the video says. Others said, 'This one feels weirdly exploitative' and, 'Are you serious? Leave them tf alone.' But Mr Singh has hit back at suggestions he is reinforcing negative stereotypes, insisting he is casting a spotlight on underprivileged communities. People, he argues, are rarely given a platform in mainstream media. 'It's unfair to say, 'You shouldn't talk to someone who's a battler' . . . (because) sometimes these are people that never get anyone speaking to them,' he told The West Australian. 'These are people that are typically ignored, so we go, 'Hey, this person has an interesting story'. 'Are we not interested to know how they got into that situation? Are we not interested in potentially helping them? 'Not sharing their stories is probably worse, because (you would be) ignoring that side of society. 'People can jump on and say, 'You're exploiting them', but how often do these people even talk to these people? I guarantee you, never.' Singh added he did not film if he knew the subject was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 'I'm not actively (filming) when I know someone's under the influence or someone is on some sort of drug,' he said. 'Sometimes there is a moment where I go, 'Look, this person may not be in their right senses'. 'But then I ask them, 'What has put you in this situation? What are you doing?'' He also said he received 'everyone's consent'. 'We make sure that they're happy and know where (the video) is going,' he said. While it is unclear how much Singh makes from his videos, Word of Mouth Agency director Adam Perich said influencers and content creators generally could earn anywhere between $500 and $20,000 per paid partnership post. 'If you're looking at large-scale (influencers and content creators) in America, they can earn up to $300,000 per post,' he said. 'That's obviously a large scale compared to Perth or Australia, where they might be getting $500 up to $20,000.' Mr Perich said content creators were focused on producing 'valuable, entertaining and educational content'. 'Their main goal is creating quality material that's resonating with audiences ... the content is essentially going to be relatable to people that are in a certain area or location,' he said. 'The biggest thing is probably their personal branding, so if they ever do another venture like own another business ... it will drive brand awareness, because (the audience) has trust in that individual. 'Content creators get paid partnerships, but it's more in exchange (so the brand) can use that content to re-purpose it to sell.' In Australia, it is legal to film other people in a public place. Comedian and TikToker Jasky Singh is famous for his vox pop-style interviews with people in the WA community Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian Singh agreed there was a 'fine line' between comedy and making a mockery out of someone and admitted there had been times where he had overstepped. 'There are times where I've probably put out something where it was at the expense of the person and I felt not OK about it,' he said. 'I said, 'Hey, let's learn from this because (the video) is already out . . . let's try and get better'. 'Unfortunately, comedy is a fine line where sometimes the joke is at the expense of a person, but you can't see that until the video is posted because you were having a laugh at them.' But Singh denied he was exploiting vulnerable people for the sake of content, saying everyone was 'entitled to their own opinion'. 'Everyone has an opinion, I'm not going to be changing their opinion,' he said. 'Whatever anyone's opinion is, that's entirely their opinion, I guess they're entitled to their own opinion.' Curtin University internet studies professor Tama Leaver said videos which promoted people under the influence in low socioeconomic communities, 'played into the worst stereotypes'. Professor Tama Leaver at Curtin University. Credit: ABC News: Gian De Poloni / ABC News: Gian De Poloni 'It's hard to see what a video like this achieves other than playing into the worst stereotypes,' he said. 'A lot of people don't seem to be in a sober state of mind, and so the ethics around getting anyone to comment when they're not able to make a rational judgement about what they're saying and what they're committing to by being filmed is iffy. 'I don't think this was an opportunity for people to tell their story . . . it sounds like exploiting people and doubling down on stereotypes.' Last month, another YouTuber came under fire for 'reinforcing harmful stereotypes' after he uploaded a 27-minute video featuring a homeless Indigenous man in Kalgoorlie titled, 'Drunk in Australia's Roughest Outback Town'. In the video, British creator Wendall — better known as 'WendallExplores' — speaks to Jeff, who admits he has been an alcoholic since he was 18-years-old. British YouTuber @WendallExplores has been slammed for "reinforcing harmful stereotypes" for his 27-minute-long video on Kalgoorlie. Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok 'Sometimes I have a quiet day, sometimes (I'm) too much on the drink,' Jeff says. 'There's nothing much to do around here, the only think is just that (drink). 'I've been sleeping on the streets for two years.' But City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor Glenn Wilson condemned the video and said it risked 'reinforcing harmful stereotypes'. 'While we appreciate that Wendall chose to visit Kalgoorlie-Boulder, we do not condone the way footage of our First Nations community was captured and presented,' he told The West. 'Stories involving First Nations people must be approached with cultural sensitivity, respect and in consultation with the community. 'Without this, content like Wendall's risks reinforcing harmful stereotypes and overlooking the complex realities and efforts underway to support vulnerable community community members. 'The issues shown are not unique to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and do not define our First Nations people.' Academic and First Nations advocate Emma Garlett said it was 'disheartening' to see First Nations people being used to 'generate content for the entertainment of others at their expense'. '(These types of videos) perpetuates deficit discourse by targeting people who may be vulnerable, not want to be filmed, or who are under the influence of substances,' she told The West. 'Once this content is online is is available to the public. '(Creators) need to work with Aboriginal people in the ideation and production of content or consult Aboriginal organisations to learn about how to work effectively and meaningfully with Aboriginal people.' Curtin University media ethicist Dr Glynn Greensmith said there was 'absolutely no way' people under the influence could give informed consent to be recorded. 'By trying to generate shock or extra colour at the expense of vulnerable people, there is a price to be paid for that,' he said. 'There is a reason society frowns upon this type of behaviour. 'We do not exist for your algorithm, for your likes and subscribers. 'It looks like he is using vulnerable people for entertainment. It looks like he is laughing at people, not helping them.' Professor Leaver pointed out that content creators — unlike journalists — were not bound by a code of ethics. 'If a journalist did this they would have crossed a line . . . and there would be grounds to complain, but content creators are not bound by a code of ethics,' he said. 'If it's getting the views, then people are watching it ... which means there is an audience to be found. 'Even if people consume this and write a comment that says, 'Oh this is terrible', they've still made an effort to watch it and comment. 'It's not as straightforward as saying this is somehow morally reprehensible ... it's a really difficult thing around social media and ethics.'
Courier-Mail
8 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Serena Williams video leaves fans in disbelief as US tennis champion hints at coming out of retirement
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News. Serena Williams called time on her illustrious tennis career in 2022, but a recent clip posted to her Instagram shows she may be set to make a shock comeback. The 43-year-old claimed 23 Grand Slam titles – second only to Margaret Court's 24 – and competed in her last professional match at the U.S. Open three years ago, where she lost to Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. After that defeat, she bid goodbye to the sport and has avoided the temptation to make a comeback. The following year, Williams welcomed her second child in August, and since then, she has undergone an incredible body transformation. In recent months, the youngest of the Williams sisters has upped her social media posting, sharing various pics and videos of her incredible new physique. But it was a video the 23-time grand slam winner uploaded on Saturday (AEDT), that truly sent fans crazy. You can watch the footage of Serena Williams in action in the player above. Serena Williams showed fans she's still got it in a clip she uploaded of her playing tennis. Image: Instagram There has been very limited footage of the tennis star out on the court since calling time on her illustrious career, but on Saturday, she shared a clip captioned 'Still Serena' showcasing her skills, with fans all thinking the same thing; 'She's still got it'. 'Mother of 2 Serena Williams, wins grand slam in 2026! I can see it now,' one fan commented. 'Damn, she's still got it. Absolute GOAT,' another added. 'Would still beat everyone at the tour even with no training,' a third wrote. Serena Williams retired in 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) Fans also began to hypothesise she may be eyeing a shock return to the sport, potentially on the doubles court. 'You've always been fit. But this is the fittest we've seen you since the 2012-2016 season. Just one more season, Serena?' one wrote. 'She's coming back for doubles with Vee (Venus Williams) at the Open,' another added. Serena Williams could be tempted to come out of retirement to play doubles with her older sister Venus Williams, who will return to the court this weekend. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) Spanish tennis player Carlos Sanz also pointed to a key in the video. 'Keep rewatching this video, are we preparing for a doubles WC entry with Venus at the US Open? And your comeback?' Venus Williams, Serena's elder sister, is gearing up for a comeback at the DC Open in Washington this weekend with a wildcard entry, marking her first WTA Tour match since March 2024. So could a Serena comeback be on the cards, potentially with her sister Venus? Time will tell. Originally published as 'She's still got it': New video of Serena Williams sends fans wild as Venus Williams makes return
