The Broski Report with Brittany Broski

Episode 108: Wallace, Gromit, and Atlas Obscura
Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Brittany Broski

Episode Overview

In this episode, Brittany Broski delivers her signature chaotic and hilarious take on a medley of obsessions: claymation classics (like Wallace & Gromit and Flushed Away), her upcoming trip to UK festivals and Ireland, and the weird delights of Atlas Obscura. She weaves in critiques of British festival culture, nostalgia for British animation, deep dives into Irish folklore, and odd museum finds—all while peppering in her unique comedic tangents, social commentary, and recommendations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State of the Set & Brittany’s Podcast Energy

• Brittany opens the show with a tongue-in-cheek “state of the union” for Broski Nation, pokes fun at her ever-devolving set décor, and jokes about her caffeine-induced rambling.
  • “The set decor is not going anywhere anytime soon, unfortunately… It’s just going to keep getting worse.” (01:05)

2. Aardman Obsession: Wallace, Gromit, and Flushed Away

• Wallace & Gromit:

  • Brittany discusses Aardman Animations and her love for their characters, especially Gromit.
  • Speculates humorously on the “toxic dynamic” between Wallace and Gromit:

    “I need a therapist to study Wallace and Gromit’s dynamic, because there is no fucking way that at least, like, Gromit wasn’t beating up on Wallace… Gromit was the Dom and Wallace was the sub.” (04:13)

  • Admits to being a “fake fan” for not having seen all Wallace & Gromit content, but cherishes the merchandise.
  • Confesses a maternal soft spot for “Baby Gromit” and “Timmy from Shaun the Sheep”:

    “I would do anything for Baby Gromit and for Timmy from Shaun the Sheep. Will I ever have kids of my own? No.” (10:07)

• Flushed Away & Chicken Run:

  • Highly praises Flushed Away’s animation and soundtrack; notes its ongoing meme renaissance.
  • Childhood favorite: Chicken Run, which she says deserves a rewatch.

• Creature Comforts:

  • Explains the show’s quirky British humor and animation.
  • Loves how animation captures small nuances from real-life interviews.

3. Trip Preview: UK and Irish Festivals

• Brittany is pre-filming before leaving for the UK and Ireland (Reading, Leeds, Dublin, Galway, Electric Picnic).

• British festival culture:

  • Cites British fans for context.
  • Comparing Reading & Leeds to American festivals:

    “What I’ve come up with is maybe like a Bonnaroo, maybe like a Lollapalooza.” (19:06)

  • Mimics a British accent and jokes about getting muddy and wearing “wellies.”
  • Details her on-stage set at Reading & Leeds with Max and Charlie Marlowe.

• Electric Picnic & Music Faves:

  • Hyped for Hozier (jokingly tells him to stop following her) and especially Sam Fender.

    “This will be the first time I’m seeing [Sam Fender] live. I’m going to freak the fuck out. I’m bringing a diaper.” (23:29)

4. Atlas Obscura Deep-Dive: Ireland Edition

• Introduces Atlas Obscura as a resource for finding eccentric travel spots instead of regular tourist sites.
• Dublin’s Oddities:

  • St. Michan’s Mummies:

    • Describes visiting an ancient church crypt with open mummies, including “the Crusader” and the impact of preservation conditions:

      “They’re being preserved in fart gas, bro. Someone farted hot down there and it preserved all the mummies.” (46:20)

    • Expresses both horror and fascination, provides historical context.
    • Laments recent loss of mummies to arson:

      “Wait, I’m actually devastated. Who the fuck? What the actual fuck is wrong with people?” (55:10)

  • The Hungry Tree:

    • Discusses a tree growing over a park bench at King’s Inn, blending the natural and the urban.

  • Natural History Museum (“The Dead Zoo”):

    • Victorian-era displays with stuffed, “pickled” animals.
    • Delights in glass animal models, jokes about pickled specimens:

      “They’re pickling animals with dill and garlic and paprika, bro. What are you guys doing over here? You guys are nasty.” (01:02:04)

5. Travel Itinerary & Irish Cultural Experiences

• Plans an Irish whiskey and dance tour in Galway.
  • Predicts she’ll “get violently drunk and probably get naked.” (01:11:05)

6. Art History Tangent: Baroque vs. Rococo and Neoclassicism

• Provides a mini art history lesson:
  • Compares and contrasts Baroque (for churches—grand, dramatic) with Rococo (for the nobility—ornate, frivolous), attributes their origins to Italy and France, respectively.
  • Explains each style’s cultural context and gives timeline, then describes Neoclassicism as a reaction.
  • Admits to loving these historical tangents.

    “Every art movement is a reaction to the previous, which I like. It’s a reaction in some way. It’s either a response to or a reaction to.” (51:00)

7. Commentary on AI & Education

• Recommends a Jared Henderson video analyzing AI’s effects on college cheating and the value of higher education.
  • Discusses the “barrier to entry” nature of college and how AI is making cheating mainstream.

    “If you go through four years of college, you don’t remember jack shit and you’re paying for that whole experience just to qualify for a job. It’s just, it’s really fuckered and it’s really sad and it’s really scary to me.” (01:07:36)

8. Irish Folklore & Fairies (“Sídhe”)

• Researches and discusses the tale of the Sídhe—Irish fairy folk, gods or supernatural beings accessible from ancient mounds.
• Connects this folklore to Olivia Atwater’s Regency Fairy Tales novels, reflecting on the metaphorical role of faeries. > “Fairies, whether they’re real or not, serve a literary function, or serve as a vessel for trying to communicate a larger message.” (01:22:34)
• Marvels at pronunciation challenges with Irish names and expresses a genuine desire to learn.

9. Fragrance Corner

• Reviews DS & Durga’s “Gateau Blackout,” describes it as a weird, cherry-forward scent, and compares it with other cherry perfumes.
  • Lists notes (black cherry, snow pine incense, etc.) and jokes about needing a bottle and the oddness of grass fragrances.

10. Songs of the Week & Final Words

• Directs listeners to curated Broski Nation playlists and highlights Sam Fender covers as this episode’s songs of the week.
  • Recommends:
    • Sam Fender – “Back to Black” (Amy Winehouse cover)
    • Sam Fender – “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” (Ariana Grande cover)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Aardman’s Odd Dynamics:

  "Wallace and Gromit had a sort of Dom and sub aggressive dynamic… Gromit was the Dom and Wallace was the sub. Or maybe they switched off because Gromit really took it on the chin, okay?" (04:13)

• On Pre-Filming and Timing Paradoxes:

  “If you’re watching this right now, I will have just gotten back. So probably today, September 2nd, I am filming my recap of my trip to the UK and Ireland. It’s kneecap the recap.” (14:43)

• On British Festivals:

  "I've always heard of Reading and Leeds, but it's been described to me as a lot of drunk teenagers. And it's very muddy, and you're pissing on the ground. Yay." (17:47)

• On Irish Folklore:

  “‘The shee’—a race of supernatural beings. They're not inherently evil, but there is a playful quality… everything is gamified to them.” (01:23:41)

• Fairy Folk Reflection:

  “Fairies… almost a mirror that we’re holding up to ourselves... serving as a vessel for trying to communicate a larger message… So for a fairy to come in and be intrigued by it and mirror that behavior back to us as humans and for us to be disgusted, I think that is so fucking smart. I think it’s so smart. I love it.” (01:25:49)

• On Art History:

  “Rococo is so over the top. Palace of Versailles, hall of Mirrors. Look at this shit. If you’ve never seen this, Google pisses me off. It doesn’t work. The AI shit doesn’t work. This is rococo.” (51:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:05 – Set decor jokes & podcast energy
• 04:13 – Wallace & Gromit’s “toxic dynamic”
• 10:07 – Maternal feelings about Baby Gromit and Timmy from Shaun the Sheep
• 13:18 – Atlas Obscura and Dublin planning intro
• 17:47 – Comparing Reading & Leeds to US festivals
• 23:29 – Anticipation for Sam Fender + festival plans
• 46:20 – St. Michan’s mummies (“fart gas” preservation)
• 51:00 – Art history tangent: Baroque vs. Rococo
• 55:10 – Reacting to mummy arson at St. Michan’s
• 01:02:04 – Pickled animals at Dublin Dead Zoo
• 01:07:36 – Commentary on AI cheating and higher education
• 01:11:05 – Galway whiskey & dance tour anticipation
• 01:22:34 – Irish fairies as literary metaphor
• 01:23:41 – “The shee” and Olivia Atwater book recommendations
• 01:25:49 – Fairies as a mirror for humanity
• End – Songs of the week & Broski Nation shoutouts

Overall Tone

Brittany remains fast-talking, surreal, self-deprecating, and warm—blending pop culture, genuine curiosity, and her signature Broski brand humor. She moves seamlessly from literary analysis to fart jokes, from perfume tips to drunken dance tour dreams, never failing to entertain or surprise.

Useful for those who missed the episode:
This summary captures the wild ride of an episode that leaps from nostalgia (animated rats and chickens) to the creepiness of mummies, festival mud, art history, and the philosophical weirdness of the Irish fae—all delivered with Brittany Broski’s irrepressible voice and wit.