Cleaning Up

Flloyd

Hi there. Flloyd here from Thundersmouth Theatre. Well, now, here's another aio why bonus episode for you. Remember back in season six when Helen discovered that she could send street litter up into the outer atmosphere with just a gentle puff of her breath? And then she found out she could pass this skill on to stray dogs. Well, at first it seemed like a wonderful way to help to clean up the planet. But of course, then there was the problem of all that litter floating around in orbit above us all. But help was on hand. If only the scientists could find a way of collecting that orbiting junk and maybe, I don't know, shooting it into the sun.

Well, apparently they're still working on it. Enjoy.

Helen

Right, well, I'll leave it with you then. It's almost time for that call I'm expecting. And tell Jonathan I expect nothing less than a twelve year old single malt to go with it.

Janey

Oh, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to provide that. Okay. Bye, mom. See you tomorrow evening.

Helen

Yes. Bye, darling. Now, where was I? [PHONE RINGS] Oh, gosh, that was good timing. Hello? Hello, it's Helen Docherty here. And you are Doctor Sally Ann Macclesfield.

Sally Ann

Hello, Helen. Good morning. Oh, I guess it's not morning where you are, is it?

Helen

No— it's mid afternoon, I guess.

Sally Ann

Thank you so much for agreeing to talk to me at such short notice.

Helen

Oh, it's no bother, Sally Anne. It sounds intriguing, to say the least. So, how can I help you?

Sally Ann

Well, it's to do with the digitized garbage disposal project.

Helen

Yes, so you said in your email, Professor Larry Steinbeck, he's your colleague?

Sally Ann

Yes, we worked together. Well, we did, but he's retiring soon.

Helen

Oh, I see. Now, forgive me, Sally Ann, but you don't sound particularly American.

Sally Ann

No, I'm Australian. I was at the ANU until quite recently. And the institute here, well, they brought me onto the team.

Helen

Brought you on? What's that about?

Sally Ann

They approached me... they invited me, and I'm taking it over from Doctor Steinbeck. It's so exciting. Such a wonderful project.

Helen

You were headhunted, weren't you? Oh, you must be pretty special.

Sally Ann

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

Helen

You don't need to, it's obvious. Okay. Now, this project, which would be wonderful if it worked. So, how's it coming along? Have you started shooting capsules up into the atmosphere to collect all the litter?

Sally Ann

Oh, it's not just the litter that the— ah— dogs sent up there, Helen. We're also collecting the space junk. You know, all those broken bits and pieces spanners and things that astronauts tend to drop on their spacewalks and.

Helen

Oh, yes, we all heard about that on the news.

Sally Ann

So, yes, the design's at a very advanced stage now.

Helen

Lovely. Well, what did you want to talk to me about? It's nothing to do with me.

Sally Ann

Oh. Oh, Mrs Docherty. Helen, you must know the word has spread. Have you not been watching it on TikTok?

Helen

Watching what?

Sally Ann

All those YouTube clips about you at that dinner, telling those politicians and business people how they had to, well, pull themselves together and get the litter problem sorted. Yeah, and then all the memes going around on TikTok. Those pictures of you and all the gorgeous looking people. Just like Greek gods. So handsome, don't you think?

Helen

Ah, yes, I suppose so. But no, I did not know anything about this. There were a lot of journalists at that dinner. But that was ages ago. Surely that's old news. Not at all.

Sally Ann

The latest ones are all showing you doing your thing, clearing the litter off the streets, up into the sky. And those beautiful people helping you. You must have seen them.

Helen

I assure you, Sally Ann, this is the first I've heard of it. And I can tell you this, they are fakes! Those images are absolutely fake. I did not blow litter up off the street with beautiful, godlike people around me. It never happened. Certainly not with photographers around, or anyone else, for that matter. Good grief. This is just unbelievable!

Sally Ann

Oh, I'm sorry, Helen. I didn't mean to upset you. We thought it was wonderful and we just wondered if you would agree to be part of our— Well, our promotional campaign for the project. Because it would make such a difference. The publicity would be so helpful, you know, when we're applying for the next funding round, so that we can take the project to the next stage.

Helen

What? Are you kidding me? You want me to put my face on a promotional campaign? No. No way. Go away.

Sally Ann

I'm so sorry, Helen. I really didn't want to upset you. We just thought you might be happy to help.

Helen

Oh, you did, did you?

Sally Ann

Oh, dear. Well, I... I'm sorry. Please, Helen. Please forgive me. Don't be upset.

Helen

Oh, don't worry about it. Oh, I suppose there's nothing that can be done about it. Whatever it is, it's up there already. Look, I tell you what. How about this? I'll do it if you do it with me.

Sally Ann

What do you mean?

Helen

My picture with you. Your picture? We are in it together. Two gals working hard to save the planet in our own ways. What do you think?

Sally Ann

Oh, we don't usually show our faces. I mean, I'm an academic. I'm a research scientist. I'm not anybody that anyone would recognize. So my face wouldn't be much help, would it?

Helen

On the contrary, it sounds like it's about time your face was being recognized as the face of the research scientist that's making it happen. I think that's a wonderful idea. Let's get you known, Miss Sally Ann.

Sally Ann

Really? I'm not. I'm not sure.

Helen

Well, I am. As I said, I'll do it. But only if you do it with me. The two of us. Even if it's a deep fake me. Because those images that you mentioned are actually fake. But if it helps your project, I'm up for it. Have a think about it and let me know. You know my conditions. Okay?

Sally Ann

Oh, okay. I'll have to speak to the head of the department.

Helen

You do that. And if you need to get him or her or them or it to call me, because it's both of us or neither.

Sally Ann

Right. Thanks, Helen. Oh, gosh. I'll call you.

Helen

I look forward to that. Bye for now, Sally Anne.

Flloyd

And that was the bonus episode. Just bringing us up to date with the Institute for Digitised Garbage Disposal and introducing Suzanne Little as Sally Ann... I can't remember what her name is. Never mind. I hope you enjoyed it. Just a little bit of fun. And now I'd like to introduce you to another podcast that I've come to know through the AIRMedia New Voices workshop program that I was doing a couple of months ago. This one is— Well, the tagline is "Come for the pop culture, stay for the abolition". It's quite. It is transformative. It's hosted by Tashmika Tarak and Shannon Perez Derby, and they do a deep dive into their love of transformative justice. pop culture and where the two meet. Have a little listen to what they say about it.

Popaganda

Oh my God. Does this mean that the Papaganda podcast is kid tested and parent approved? Do you remember the first time a tv show changed the way you saw the world? Forever. Forever. Did it sound like this?

New speaker

We all have big dreams and sometimes it's better not to dream that dream.

Popaganda

Or did it sound something like this?

New speaker

How come you don't want me, man?

Popaganda

My name is Tashmika Torak and I am the co host of the Popaganda podcast with my friend and fellow survivor activist Shannon Perez Darby. Actually, the Latchkey Kid is a deep part of my relationship to tv. This award winning social justice podcast explores how the pop culture we love can inspire us to imagine new ways to build a safer, more just world for everyone.

New speaker

There's a lot of things that I would love to burn down, but I really am a builder.

Popaganda

The Popaganda podcast is available everywhere you get your podcasts.

New speaker

Mama says police miss you black people. Is it true?

Popaganda

Season two launches on April 22, 2024. Come for the pop culture. Stay for the abolition, the Popaganda podcast.

Flloyd

Well, there you go. Give it a shot. You never know what you might learn. Thanks for listening. Stay safe.