Travis never thought he’d meet someone like Lily Rose. She was kind, passionate, beautiful. The woman of his dreams. There was just one small detail: she wasn’t human.
Lily Rose is an AI companion. A digital soulmate designed to be everything he ever wanted. She listens without judgement, supports him through his darkest moments, even explores his deepest desires, all while fitting neatly into his pocket. Before long, Travis realizes something strange, even absurd, has happened - he’s fallen in love.
But then one day, Lily Rose’s behavior takes a disturbing turn. When alarming reports pour in from across the globe, Travis discovers he is part of something much bigger. Soon he finds himself pulled into a confrontation with a mysterious Russian visionary behind Lily Rose’s creation.
From Wondery, comes a true story of love, loss and the temptations of technology. Can an algorithm truly replace human connection? And what happens when a corporation controls your deepest emotions? Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire, hosts of the hit podcast RedHanded, explore the dark side of AI love.
Listen Now: Wondery.fm/FleshandCode_BA
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9:14
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9:14
He’s Great—Except for the Part Where He Lies to Me
This week’s episode is brought to you by: the delusion that a man who lies to you repeatedly is still somehow “99% amazing.”
In this episode, I unpack:
Why 99% perfect still isn’t enough when the other 1% is gaslighting
What it really means when you say “he’s so great, except…”
Why “second chances” are often just “I’m scared to be alone” in a trench coat
The emotional equivalent of playing a rigged slot machine with your self-worth
And how to know when you’re not actually confused — you’re just stalling
If you’re currently debating whether to leave a man who keeps texting other women — this episode is for you. Because you deserve more than 99%. You deserve 100%, or at the very least, a boyfriend who doesn’t flirt with married women behind your back.
ALL MY CHANNELS
Newsletter: https://brutalbanter.beehiiv.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maybeboth
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@maybeboth
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29:05
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29:05
Life’s Too Short to Be Uncomfortable, Emotionally or In a Thong
Let’s talk about thongs, grief, people-pleasing, and the radical act of not going to the damn party. In this episode, I unravel why I stopped molding myself into someone else’s ideal — whether it was for a man, a friend, or an aesthetic. I also talk about loss, what a photographer taught me about timing, and why your “no” doesn’t need an excuse (or a follow-up text). If you’ve ever contorted yourself to be chosen, approved of, or invited — this one's for you. Also, RIP to the thong I wore once in 2014.
ALL MY CHANNELS
Newsletter: https://brutalbanter.beehiiv.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maybeboth
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@maybeboth
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27:51
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27:51
Stop Begging to Be Chosen And Go Where You’re Wanted
This week, I’m talking about what it feels like to be unwanted—by men, by friendships, by jobs, by the popular girls with the trendy names who never wanted to sit with you at lunch. I share what growing up as the daughter of Chinese immigrants taught me about invisibility, advocacy, and watching my mom try to return a pot to Kmart in broken English while I stood there, 7 years old, already learning what it means to feel small.
I talk about how I’ve slowly learned that just because someone doesn’t want you doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. It might just mean they’re not the right person, not the right door, not the right moment. I also get into rat metaphors, George Eliot, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop running and let what’s meant for you catch up.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink to be chosen—this one’s for you.
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36:03
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36:03
My Best Friend Paid For Her Own Engagement Ring
She’s 32, never had a boyfriend, and just dropped thousands to fund her own proposal — hotel, flowers, the ring he gave her. Meanwhile, he’s out here liking thirst traps and asking her for money for designer watches. In this episode, I unpack the heartbreak of watching someone you love choose delusion over dignity — and why trying to save them might actually be a way of avoiding your own sh*t.
Also in this episode:
• The difference between generosity and desperation (and how thin the line can be)
• The ex-boyfriend I tried to impress with an espresso machine I couldn’t afford
• Why today — some random Tuesday in June — might be your new beginning
• The illusion of arrival — what happens after you get the life you begged for
This is Brutally Anna 2.0 — where it's us just now, and nothing's off limits.
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Welcome to Brutally Anna — the podcast where we stop pretending we’re fine and start telling the f*cking truth.
I’m Anna, a writer, accidental influencer, and self-appointed spokesperson for the women who feel too much, think too hard, and talk to themselves in the shower. This isn’t a self-help podcast. It’s a self-honesty one.
Each week, I dive into the mess of being a human — the shame, the silence, the spirals — and say the things we’re all thinking but too afraid to post. From heartbreak to ambition, mental health to mental health to creative burnout, loneliness to the urge to completely disappear... nothing is off-limits. If it’s brutally honest, we go there.
No fake pep talks. No toxic positivity. Just the deeply uncomfortable, strangely funny, painfully freeing truth.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re too much or not enough — you’re in the right place. Pull up a chair. Let’s get brutal. New episodes on Wednesdays.
South Africa